Shera R. Sever: Igniting the Spark™

It’s been over a month since I have posted on this blog, however, if you have been following me on Twitter or Facebook, you know why.

Right now, rather than another 10:00PM sunset swim in the Mediterranean, OR bicycling and strolling along some of the most enchanting 13th century countryside caminos, I choose to fulfill my need to CONNECT with all of you.

When I first received an offer to spend some time “en retiro”, living on the north side of the island of Mallorca, Spain,  I was very confused  about what TO DO, fearing what I would leave “behind” if I actually left my home, community, live and social networks, and other “opportunities”for 4-6 weeks.  It was an obvious reminder of the need to LET GO!

Did you know that Americans actually take less annual holiday time (i.e. vacation) than any other ‘Western” country in the world?  Reason: FEAR that by letting go of routine that their “career/business” will fall apart or that they won ‘t get ahead!  My question- Ahead of what?  Aren ‘t we all in this global transformation together?

When is the last time you gave yourself the beautiful gift of just BEING?  For those of who have, you know how much clearer and more effective (focused and intentional) you are internally, as well as once back on the  “playing field”.

Awakened Entrepreneurs™ Create Decisions based on Needs/Values

I used an NVC method (universal needs- based process from Marshall Rosenberg) to make the decision.  What needs will be fulfilled if I go?  What needs will be fulfilled if I stay? Not only was my list longer for going, but I got more in touch with what is important to me.

Bottom line: Do what FEELS good- and in my case that meant my physical body-
(warm Mediterrannean sun &  sea,  healthy, fresh food, lots of movement outdoors) Simply YES!! Now Mallorca, is in no way Spain, unless, of course, you refer to Maui, the USA. But I used to live and work in Madrid and Barcelona, and the idea of spending time on the island of Mallorca seemed like a good choice. ( And then that night,  after taking myself through this personal exercise, I received a loud message in a dream- clear and simple:  GO TO SPAIN

DOING vs. BEING

Particularly in our fast-paced culture, DOING has much more perceived value that BEING. How often are you asked “ How are you?” – if the response is anything other than BUSY, something must be wrong. Yet, wouldn ‘t we all agree that all work and no play/rest makes anyone dull (rather than vibrant), inflexible and, well, uninteresting. How many relationships and dreams (personal and professional) are not realized as a result of this “busy/work” epidemic?

Especially in these times of information overload, including fear- based marketing and propaganda, I find “unplugging” essential in order to access one’s truth, values, goals, direction  and strategies for living in purpose in order to make our greatest contributions (to self and others)

The Awakened Entrepreneur™ understands the essential need for regular  “unplugging” -be it a long weekend retreat with no technology (yes, that!) or several weeks (3-4?!) of an actual holiday is exactly what is needed in order to optimize our engines for peak performance.  Tony Robbins claims it takes 21 days to break/change any habit, which is another way of saying it takes 21 days to drop into a new reality.

Having reinvented myself a number of times in personal and professional pursuits, I’ve consistently been a big advocate of work-life balance. Starting back in the mid- 90s, I introduced a personal needs/values assessment component in all of my leadership seminars that continues to serve as a transformative catalyst for organizational and business leaders.

I am very impressed with the models that Mallorca is advocating from progressive youth education, Transition Towns (using Appreciative Inquiry) to local organic food production, permaculture, biking as preferred transportation, reducing meat in one’s diet (and revealing the truths about the costs of the meat industry),  to a very sophisticated recycling system (including compost) throughout the City of Palma.  The official unemployment rate in Spain is over 20%, (one of the highest in Europe),  however  that isn’t stopping most from finding new ways to connect, collaborate (an inherent value in this culture), and reinvent, once again, a 700+ year old way of being.

Most importantly, the general philosophy here is TRANQUILLA- and this includes the time you take to connect with those you know  (and don’t know) throughout your daily activities.

And so here I am concluding a month of  (once again) witnessing  who I am, what I value, what I deeply desire-

The Result- a simplified life style with real time connections/dialogs that support personal and planetary health, wellness, sustainability, and collaboration-all essential elements for the Awakened Entrepreneur™.

I’ve been a member of  publisher Dave Riflan’s  Self Growth Community for over a year now. He/we just published  a new e-book:

“How to Survive & Thrive During the Economic Crisis”

I contributed to several sections including “How Do You Keep a Positive Mindset”

A few of my tips:

Turn off the news-or choose Good News for a Change at All-Top

Focus on what you want (rather than what you don’t want).

Take time everyday to tap into your inner wisdom with meditation, yoga, or some other form of body/mind/spirit discipline.

Laugh and Smile more- it’s the second best thing you can do with your lips!

Learn a new skill (or language)!

Do more with less-it cultivates creativity

Practice the Attitude of Gratitude- write down 20 people/things/places you are grateful for- DAILY!

“How to Survive & Thrive During the Economic Crisis”

Download now It’s our gift to you!

Where do your gifts, passions, and purpose intersect?

Dave Pollard calls this the “Sweet Spot” of Entrepreneurship.

Entrepreneurship need not be stressful, risky, expensive, lonely, exhausting or require great skills, ideas or self-confidence.  Right now, when the economy is falling apart, is the best possible time to start your own enterprise, and doing so could propel you into work that’s more responsible, sustainable and joyful than what you’re doing now.  Dave Pollard calls those who recognize this “Natural Entrepreneurs”.  I call them “Awakened Entrepreneurs.” It’s the same.

Read what these entrepreneurs do differently to thrive regardless of  economic swings.

What’s your big dream?  Now is the time to put it into action. Contact me.  I’d love to help you build your own inner economy.

Earlier this year, I declared that I was not participating in this recession, particularly since I had experienced my own 5- year “karmic cleanse” starting in  2003 ( post 9-11). It’s a much longer story to be shared, so let’s BE HERE NOW.

There’s a lot I love about this recession.

In many ways, I see it bringing us all closer as we begin to recognize our interconnectedness (and how similar) we all are when it comes to  needs, purpose, wanting to make a difference and be happy!  There’s a collective global consciousness that continues to emerge as a result of the recession. We are learning to use our own “human technologies” and adapt to the changes.

1. FEAR only has as much power as we allow it.  In other words, it’s simply an illusion.  One of my beloved buddhist teachers from Spirit Rock Meditation Center, during a 10-day Vipassana Retreat, told us a story about  how he helped  his 3- year old “embrace” his fear of the dark.  He simply instructed his son to say “Hello” to the Fear, every evening when it arose. Within a week of applying this seemingly very simple advice, his son was able to recognize (name), befriend, and then move beyond the fear. This 3-year old began greeting the fear of darkness peacefully.

2. Living with uncertainty- births creativity, improvisation, flexibility, innovation- all essential qualities of a great leader and awakened entrepreneur.

3. Doing more with less- we are all adopting”green”  practices- or more accurately put-learning to live sustainably (living in a way that meets the needs of future generations)

4. Social entrepreneurship has become mainstream. See March, 2009 Ode Magazine.

5. Transparent Communication- Social Media has changed the way we do marketing. Now more than ever- authenticity , not hype , is what people are needing and seeking  The underlying message is to Be  Yourself- Everyone Else is Taken.

6. Real Dialogs- Van Jones calls this the need for human technologies- There’s an unprecedented grass roots global movement taking place- a caravan of world citizens.  Paul Hawkin, founder of Wiser Earth, first cited this movement in a keynote he gave at  Bioneers several years ago.  People are returning to their need to connect, gathering together to dialog:  in circles, in community gatherings, in living rooms, around fires, and town hall meetings-to share concerns, solutions, compassion, and their human connection- actually an anthisesis to all the wonderful social media marketing tools that keep us tied to a mobile gadget or computer.

7. Letting Go-We are learning to let go of STUFF , consumption (become citizens, rather than consumers), an illusory future, and simply be with the miracle of each moment.

I think Alan Watts says it best: “No use clinging to the rocks that are falling.”

What opportunities are you creating and what are you learning

as a result of the recession?

An article this past weekend in the NY Times referred to a new phenomena in todays’ economy, what Mark V. Cannice, Executive Director of the entrepreneurship program at the University of San Francisco calls “Forced Entrepreneurship.”

According to the article, the motivation for these new “forced” entrepreneurs (mostly laid off GenY job seekers)  is to produce quick revenue streams, rather than millions of dollars over the long term.  Jerome S. Engel, Director for the Center for Entrepreneurship at the Berkeley Haas School of Business, most of these “forced entrepreneurs” are focusing on serving immediate needs for individuals and businesses.

“Forced Entrepreneurship” . . . maybe, or . . ?

What if this whole economic shift is yet another opportunity for us (personally and collectively) to awaken to our purpose?  What would that look that?  How would it FEEL to be living in purpose with our work while making the contributions and leaving the legacy that we so desire to offer to our communities and the world.

Is the “job” obsolete?

Imagine starting a business, not with “forced” entrepreneurship, but with deliberate intention- a choice that is in alignment with our values, priorities, gifts, and passions. What if we declared “the job is obsolete?” Plenty of other laid-off workers across the country are doing just that- burned out by a merciless job market- they are building business plans instead of sending out résumés. For these people, recession has become the mother of innovation and reinvention.

Reinvent Yourself!

Whether you are looking for a  personal career branding plan (including social media marketing tools)   or ready to lay the foundation for that long-held dream  enterprise (even part-time),

NOW IS THE TIME!

Contact me for a complimentary consultation (through April 10).

Stay tuned for my NEW!

” INNOVATION & REINVENTION“

6-week coaching program starting in April.

THE FUTURE IS NOW!

I think this recession is a phenomena much more exciting than an economic downturn-

It feels more like a planetary upswing, and right now we are on quite a ride!

It’s a collective transformation and a huge opportunity for all of us to not only live more authentically and in purpose, but to live more simply with less consumerism, less waste, and much more attention to the health and wellness of each other and the planet.

Compassion in Action. Intentional Acts of Kindness.

There is an increasing shared consciousness  that we really are all in this together.

By letting go of the cultural influences of “entitlement” and the illusions of what “security” is,

we ‘re growing up!

Would love to hear your comments- include your website.

We now have the opportunity to live

the most meaningful lives

any generation of humankind has ever lived!

Have you read Lynne Twist’s Soul of Money? If not, get a copy of it now, and share it! Lynne Twist is a global activist and a master fundraiser, raising more than $150 million in individual contributions for charitable causes including the Hunger Project.

She is the author of The Soul of Money,  (an absolute must read!) and co-founder of the Pachamama Alliance .

Listen to her insights on the times. CLICK HERE TO SEE VIDEO

In the past few weeks, probably like you,  I have received hundreds of messages inviting  me to participate in workshops, teleseminars, meetings and groups for setting intentions this new year.

THE AWAKENED ENTREPRENEUR™

These invitations inspired me to create an overarching  theme for the year by declaring this to be “The Year of the Awakened Entrepreneur™.  An Awakened Entrepreneur understands that it’s not just about YOU OR ME any longer. We have entered a whole new game of interdependence and collaboration.  Vision is the Soul of our Business, and Committed Action, the fuel.

Read more. 

Last week, along with approximately 20 others,  I started my vision board for 2009- with images of actions I commit to this year. I’m sharing just a few of these commitments here:

FOSTER a CULTURE of TRUE COLLABORATION

In December, I attended the year end San Francisco Women in Consulting meeting. Of the 70 or 80 women business owners in attendance, I discovered that many were offering similar or complimentary services and targeting similar audiences.

Many attendees was asking for leads or referrals to clients, yet I wanted to hear more about what their clients wanted and needed. I was looking for introductions that answered these key questions:

What do I do best? Who am I serving?  

What do they need?  How can my business fulfill that need?

I thought, “Wouldn ‘t it be wonderful if we could combine our expertise and offerings with  authentic and transparent collaborative models?”  

Successful non-profits have been doing this for years, building coalitions and networks that share resources, expertise, and human capital. Peter Senge teaches very sophisticated decentralized, collaborative models with his systems approach in the private sector. And LOHAS just published their 2009 business trends. Coalitions and affiliations are in the Top 10.

How much more could our clients benefit if WE-small businesses and consultants- created more collaborative “One-Stop Shops”, that serve our clients’ needs in all areas: Strategic Planning, Marketing & Social Media, Human Capital & Leadership Development, Technology, Legal, and Financial?

GET THE RIGHT PEOPLE on THE BUS

We have a new leader. He can’t do it alone. With the right people on the bus, small steps lead to big change and transformative results. This year I am personally committed to staying very awake and alert with each step, and thereby expanding “OUR” fields of influence.

As collaborators, having the “right” people as “power partners ” is crucial. One of my mentors, Jim Collins, author of Good to Great,  makes some interesting distinctions between “Effective” and “Great” Leadership. Great leaders, he claims, first hold a vision and attract the right executive team , BEFORE executing a strategic plan. “Effective” Leaders  create their strategic plan and then search for the implementers, which, according to Collins, can result in a lot of silo structures and organizational fragmentation.  

Stephen Covey, in his newest publication,  The Leader In Me, has taken leadership even further, by introducing personal and collaborative leadership models and practices to youth and future generations.

INCREASE value-based SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

with Relationships, Learning, and Resource Sharing

In some of my free time in past 11 months, I’ve been immersed in studying WEB 2.0 business, marketing, and collaborative learning trends, teaching myself new skills, testing collaborative technology tools, and asking for help, which I still need a lot of!  It’s been a very motivating learning curve, and I am loving it!

I took my website down about five months ago, and replaced it with this WordPress site. The template still needs  more visual customization and a banner (any wordpress geeks reading this?);   I love the collaboration inherent in WordPress.  Now, my readers (You!) can respond transparently, with added information, insights, resources, and links.  I sincerely welcome your participation.  I invite and encourage you to subscribe to my blYou can leave a comment on any post, and share them with others.  

COMMIT to EXPANSION

with new publications, course offerings, and media

With conversations birthing and potential collaborations brewing, stayed tuned for an upcoming “Awakened Entrepreneur™” course series delivered in multi-formats, aiong with on-going group coaching. To join the development conversations, and participation, I invite you stay connected via this site, Facebook and Twitter. 

Let’s invest in our “inner economies”. Take a break from the news,  and come play with me.

It’s a new world, and We are creating it!

This past week has been a wonderful reminder of how good it feels to GIVE, and even more so, to do it, anonymously.

One of the communities that I am part of hosts an annual gathering on Dec. 24 in Sonoma County, CA. In addition to healthy, organic food and chocolate, we participate in a sustainable gift exchange.  No purchases, no additional consumption,  but rather, an offering of a treasure that you no longer use/need. During the “dancing” exchange, we keep passing from hand to hand these wrapped anonymous gifts, until the music finally stops.  It always turns out that each one of us receives the absolute perfect gift!

Here in my neighborhood, I love setting boxes of used “treasures” and clothes out for passerbys to take home. There is a Chinese woman who visits my “boxes” regularly. She also helps herself to the recycling bin before the weekly city pick up, and receives a few cents for each glass container that she recovers from the bin.

Last week, I saw her walking by with her shopping cart. She stopped, pointing to her feet. “Shoes good”, she said with a big smile.  I was delighted to see my pair of black clogs fitting her feet perfectly.

I am a big believer in tithing, and set aside 10% of my annual income to donate to such organizations as Global Exchange, Spirit Rock, Bay Area NVC, IONS, Seva Foundation, and CEO Women among others. 

TITHING

Do you tithe?  For more information on tithing and prosperity, read Catherine Ponder’s works, starting with The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity.  Catherine did not market and sell “The Secret.” Rather, she shared her simple formula starting back in 1958 to groups of business leaders, helping them go from recession to abundance!

 SHARE YOUR ABUNDANCE

In this time of reviewing, reflecting, assessing, and goal setting, take stock of all you have to be grateful for. To whom can you give anonymously?  What can you let go of (behaviors, beliefs, or actual “things” ) to bring in the new?  Share your abundance.  This is the SECRET!

 “Even after all this time,

The Sun never says to the Earth,

You owe me.

Look what happens to a love like that. . .

It lights up the whole sky.”

Hafiz

Breathing In- I know I’m alive.

Breathing Out, I smile to my aliveness.

Thich Nhat Hahn

Have you read Lynne Twist’s Soul of Money?  If not, get a copy of it now, and share it!

Lynne is a global activist and a master fundraiser, raising more than $150 million in individual contributions for charitable causes including the Hunger Project.  She is one of the founding members of the Pachamama Alliance and now a facilitator of the Awakening the Dream Symposium. 

At last week’s Pachamama Alliance annual luncheon, Lynne reminded 1300 guests that:

“Money is like water. . it is a conduit.”

In these times when everyone seems to be in fear over money, she encourages us to move your money towards that which you LOVE. She reminds us that fear is not the opposite of love, it is the absence of love.  And that it is crisis that propels the most positive and far-reaching transformation.

For more inspiration, view Lynne Twist’s, presentation to Awakening the Dreamer Global Facilitators