Happiness: Have You Gotten Outside Today?

While I’m taking some extra personal retreat time this week, I thought I’d share with you some of the spectacular Colorado beauty that this autumn offers.

In what way do you most enjoy being outdoors? 

How can you give yourself that gift today?

Here are four of my favorite Colorado pictures that I’ve taken in the last ten days.

Happiness, Spiritual Growth, Nature as Teacher.
September sunrise from South Park, Colorado,
looking towards Pikes Peak.

 

nature as teacher, happiness, spiritual growth
Aspens and evergreens against a Colorado blue sky
in late September.

Happiness, Spiritual Growth, Nature as Teacher.
Looking towards Longs Peak from the Colorado
Peak to Peak Highway in late September.

Happiness, Spiritual Growth, Nature as Teacher.
Late September autumn color along the Peak to Peak Highway,
high in the Colorado Rockies.

ORDER YOUR COPY OF “THRIVING WORK” TODAY!!!

“Ann Strong hits the nail on the head with “Thriving Work.”  I’ve long been a fan of her work and am thrilled that she’s offering her expertise in this book!  You can’t help but be inspired by her words, and implementing her suggestions will make all the difference in your business.”
– Jeannette Maw
Good Vibe Coach and Author of
“The Magic of  Pray Rain Journaling”

“Thriving Work” serves as a guide and companion to moving beyond limiting beliefs, perspectives and habits to more consistently and consciously choosing to live and work from your naturally radiant self:
http://www.annstrong.com/thriving-work-book

Transformation: Feeling Uncomfortable Right Now?

There is always only one thing between any one of us and all we desire – discomfort.

If we are up to something big and moving through a transition, starting something new and/or releasing something that no longer serves, we tend to feel excited, anxious, scared, happy and downright uncomfortable all at the same time!  Even though all of these emotions can tend to make us feel a bit crazy, they are perfectly normal.

And, it’s an ideal time to partner with a coach to help you navigate your inner landscape as well as consciously and powerfully put into place all of the new, empowering habits to support you in your new situation.

I only start with a new coaching client after we’ve had a deep conversation and you’ve experienced my coaching. We need to agree that together we are a great fit, especially during the discomfort phase.  Because when you and I align our commitment to doing what it takes to move through the discomfort, then you will get amazing results – all you desire in your new life and work . . . and then some!

Sadly, most people aren’t willing to hang in there through the discomfort preceding the transformation.  Some won’t even start the process.

Transformation, Happiness, Spiritual Growth, Creating Your Own Reality
Navigating transition can often feel like moving through sludge or trying to see our way through fog. With a coach partner at your side, you can move through transition with mindfulness and confidence . . .

I have created a new one-on-one, short-term Mindful Transition coaching program.  Send me an email if you’d like to schedule a conversation to see if we’d be a good fit for your situation.

The conversation will be my gift and you’ll receive huge value even if we choose not to work together further after that conversation.  If you just felt a nudge to talk with me, don’t step over it. Give yourself the gift of emailing me now . . .

ORDER YOUR COPY OF “THRIVING WORK” TODAY!!!

“Ann Strong hits the nail on the head with “Thriving Work.”  I’ve long been a fan of her work and am thrilled that she’s offering her expertise in this book!  You can’t help but be inspired by her words, and implementing her suggestions will make all the difference in your business.”
– Jeannette Maw
Good Vibe Coach and Author of
“The Magic of  Pray Rain Journaling”

“Thriving Work” serves as a guide and companion to moving beyond limiting beliefs, perspectives and habits to more consistently and consciously choosing to live and work from your naturally radiant self:
http://www.annstrong.com/thriving-work-book

Conscious Relationship: The Cost of Looking to the Other

As I work with my clients to help them grow their businesses and sign new clients, I find one dominant self-defeating habit that thwarts their outreach, again and again.  For some, they become paralyzed, telling themselves they aren’t ready.  Yet most of us continue to engage in this insidious habit, thinking we are responsible, rather than self-defeating.

We all have way too much focus on ourselves.  Paradoxically, this self-consciousness involves being overly concerned about what others think of us.

Incessantly trying to look good and overextending ourselves, we want to make sure we are doing it right to please the other. We tend to wait to see what the other will do (think “waiting to exhale”) instead of freely flowing in our own rhythm, inspired by our own passion.

The roots of this self-consciousness include feeling not good enough, thinking we don’t yet know enough and insisting on doing things perfectly.

One of my symptoms involve checking email too much.  I’m looking to find out who wants to connect, essentially asking the question, “who likes me now?”  

Another of my symptoms: recently I told my coach, Jeff, that I felt weird because not very many people were giving me feedback after they read my new book.  I realized that what I meant by “weird” was not being sure who I am or if I am good enough if people don’t tell me my book is good, that my book helped them.

Wow!  I am now using an awareness process in which I notice myself looking to the other and then remind myself that who likes me and what people think about me is none of my business.  I have absolutely no control over what another person does or doesn’t do. 

And, if I try to control them, I have lost the beautiful, true power that I do have:

  • The power to be me.
  • The power to create my life and work.
  • The power to fully express myself and my unique gifts (sometimes imperfectly, sometimes messy).
  • The power to love and connect with others.
  • The power to invite others to participate with me, allowing them to freely choose, rather than trying to twist myself into a pretzel to “get” them to play with me.

Conscious Relationship, Happiness, Spiritual Growth, Transformation
The joy of practicing partner yoga with my 10-year-old niece, Hailey: we both had a ton of fun, each fully ourselves without trying to take care of or impress the other.

ORDER YOUR COPY OF “THRIVING WORK” TODAY!!!

“Ann Strong hits the nail on the head with “Thriving Work.”  I’ve long been a fan of her work and am thrilled that she’s offering her expertise in this book!  You can’t help but be inspired by her words, and implementing her suggestions will make all the difference in your business.”
– Jeannette Maw
Good Vibe Coach and Author of
“The Magic of  Pray Rain Journaling”

“Thriving Work” serves as a guide and companion to moving beyond limiting beliefs, perspectives and habits to more consistently and consciously choosing to live and work from your naturally radiant self:
http://www.annstrong.com/thriving-work-book

Spiritual Retreat: Ritual to Support My Book in Living Large, part II

Last week, I shared with you that Mary McHenry had graciously offered to facilitate a ritual which supported me in more fully receiving, allowing and committing to my stewardship of the body of work known as my new book “Thriving Work.”

Ritual for Business, Spiritual Retreat, Nature as Teacher, Happiness, Spiritual Growth
This book will reach and impact far more people than I can ever know. I trust it to go out into the world and do what it is here to do! I had no idea that it would require courage . . .

She had asked me to bring a copy of the book for the ritual.  I imagined that during our ritual I would sign a copy to me, for me as I had been signing the book for so many other people.

And, Spirit had other plans.

Mary felt guided to have me put the book in the river.  Literally.

And, Mary knows me well enough to know that I would probably wouldn’t want to do that.  Which I didn’t!

Looking back, I see the perfection of the guidance.  I had imagined I would sign a copy of the book to me and instead I “baptized” the book and then let it go into the Stream of Life.  

It was no longer about me.  

I trusted Life to take my “baby” where it’s needed.  I put my it out into the world, beyond my control.

One of the many reasons I love ritual so much involves this visceral experiencing.  There I was, standing up to my knees in the cold stream summoning my courage to let my baby go do what it is here to do in the world.  I felt my hesitation.  And then I did what needed to be done.

I trust that the books will reach those they are meant to reach.  I trust that it is beyond my control.

Wouldn’t it make a great story if someone told me one day that they had found my book washed up on shore along Boulder Creek and it had changed their life?!?  And yet, I will probably never know of all the lives that the book changes.  And still, I trust that it is changing lives.

Thank you Spirit.  Thank you Mary.

ORDER YOUR COPY OF “THRIVING WORK” TODAY!!!

“Ann Strong hits the nail on the head with “Thriving Work.”  I’ve long been a fan of her work and am thrilled that she’s offering her expertise in this book!  You can’t help but be inspired by her words, and implementing her suggestions will make all the difference in your business.”
– Jeannette Maw
Good Vibe Coach and Author of
“The Magic of  Pray Rain Journaling”

“Thriving Work” serves as a guide and companion to moving beyond limiting beliefs, perspectives and habits to more consistently and consciously choosing to live and work from your naturally radiant self:
http://www.annstrong.com/thriving-work-book

Spiritual Retreat: Ritual to Support My Book in Living Large, part I

Last week I told you briefly about a beautiful ritual that Mary McHenry facilitated for me which supported me in more fully receiving, allowing and committing to my stewardship of the body of work known as my new book “Thriving Work.”

Before I tell you more about it, I’d like to offer you my definition of “ritual:” formal communion with the Divine.

Given that the entire book involves accessing more of our own Divinity in, through and for our work, it seems only natural that I would utilize ritual to put the book out in the world.  Yet, that wasn’t always obvious to me.

Once I received the first shipment of books from the publisher, my first thought was “party.”  Which is quite strange because over the years I haven’t really liked parties.  Even the few I’ve hosted myself.  Not surprisingly then, the party idea did not take hold.  In fact, it caused me a fair amount of stress as a “should.”

What a relief when I finally canceled the party and Mary called me to suggest a ritual.  I adore the sacredness, the power and the intimacy of ritual.  The ritual began to unfold from the moment she spoke.

Ritual for Business, Spiritual Retreat, Nature as Teacher, Happiness, Spiritual Growth
Ah, the comfort of having a guide through the wilderness of new territory . . . If you’re having a growth spurt or growing pains in your business or find yourself in the midst of personal transition, call Mary to facilitate a beautiful and powerful ritual for you and your business. 303.258.3803.

We didn’t plan details.  Mary requested I bring a few things for the ritual including a copy of the book.  The next day, as I was signing copies for folks who had bought the book, I realized I did not have my own “official” copy of the book.  I imagined that during our ritual I would sign a copy to me, for me.

Spirit had other plans.

(To be continued next week.)

ORDER YOUR COPY OF “THRIVING WORK” TODAY!!!

“Ann Strong hits the nail on the head with “Thriving Work.”  I’ve long been a fan of her work and am thrilled that she’s offering her expertise in this book!  You can’t help but be inspired by her words, and implementing her suggestions will make all the difference in your business.”
– Jeannette Maw
Good Vibe Coach and Author of
“The Magic of  Pray Rain Journaling”

“Thriving Work” serves as a guide and companion to moving beyond limiting beliefs, perspectives and habits to more consistently and consciously choosing to live and work from your naturally radiant self:
http://www.annstrong.com/thriving-work-book