Shifting the Focus from Anxiety to Opportunity

In every crisis there is danger and opportunity.

Recently I realized that I was more focused on the danger and perceived danger of this world crisis. I know you, too, might be feeling anxious and not sure of how to proceed – in your life or in your business.

I’d like to share a super cool tool with you. Thank goodness that as a coach, I have powerful tools to shift my perspective. One of my favorites is the Perspective Pie. Wanna play?

Okay, pull out a blank sheet of paper and draw a circle, filling the page with that big circle as much as you can. Then divide your circle into 8 slices of pie.

In one of those slices, write your current perspective. Mine was something like, “No one can focus on or afford coaching right now.” Then in the next slice, write a slightly better perspective. “Well I’m still working with clients. Some people still want coaching.”

Then write another somewhat better perspective. And better, and better and better until all 8 slices have new perspectives. My final slice was, “Coaching helps people uncover their opportunities. I need to be of more service now.”

So, I’d love to offer you a gift coaching session to help you uncover your current opportunities. We can focus on your life, your business or both.

Click here to access my calendar to schedule.

What Would You Love to Be Freed From?

I’ve partnered with my new friend Jyoti, and I’m excited to share this timely opportunity with you!

I’d love to have you join us if you feel called.

Here’s how Jyoti describes our adventure .  . 

It is Time for a PURGE … RELEASE … LETTING GO … of ALL that is no longer Expanding, Serving, Inspiring, or Supporting us in Living Our Destiny …

Our Magnificent, Miraculous Life Purpose, Passion, and Power is Calling!

And, I have someone Amazing to Introduce You to today! (see below!) With an opportunity to Receive Our Deep Support in Permanent Release of all that must go … while OPENING to Miracles … and Joining in Community Together!

Ready to Release button

Okay … Vulnerable Share … by Jyoti

I have Rediscovered the Miraculous Art of Sacred Release along with the MIRACLES that FLOOD into Our Life when We act with Courage, Self Love and Self Devotion …

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Out of an URGENT Heart Calling to LIVE and THRIVE … I released/divorced/annulled the man I deeply wanted to BE my Precious ONE … I needed to do this to SAVE MY LIFE … Seriously!!! I will share the unbelievable story with You inside our Private Program. I Am Healing My Tender Heart … in Joyous Process of Releasing, And also Now … Letting go of all that has held me back, hurt me, limited what is possible for me, and kept me small, hindered, stuck, compromised … I am releasing things, people, ways of being, habits, and limitations in all areas of my Life! I am Gratefully and Joyously Recovering my Magical, Innocent, Miraculous Self!

We are also in the Middle of Moving from our Family Home of 6 Years … packing the essentials, discarding, releasing, giving away, refining, Completing … including the completion of an IRS Audit.

By Miraculous Divine Daughter Intervention … I met and began receiving so much Wonderful Grounding Support from My Dearest Ann Strong … So Powerful and Profound our connection and support for each other, we decided to Offer our Combined Support for You!

JOIN Us and We will Support and Miraculously Assist You (and even share tender video moments of Letting go) … as I, Jyoti, Open the Field for YOU to Fully Experience the MIRACLE, JOY and FREEDOM that emerges through the Miraculous Art of Sacred Release, While Ann Supports You in Grounding, Stabilizing, and Nurturing Your New Life!

Together … we can do this with Honor … in Sacred Support and Sacred Witness of Each Other in Letting go together! You are not alone in this … and as we Release … we Receive the Support of our Come-Unity of Love!

Let Go and Be FREED into All You have been holding at bay, and inaccessible with your grip on the old … (Hint … Its ABUNDANCE, LOVE, JOY, UNITY, SUPPORT, EXPANSION, BLISS, NEW LIFE! and more … )

Join with Us to Access the Miraculous Art of Effortless Release as we Dance Through Our Deepest Letting Go … while Making Space … Opening to Receive the Miracles, Love, Abundance, Support, Community, Alignment, and Expansion and Grounding Awaiting us Now!

There is only ONE thing in the way between You and the Miracle You Seek! Together we shall Love, Honor, and Release it Free!

Join Us?

Miracles Await!

In Love and Devotion to You and Your Best Life,

Jyoti Amma Sophia
Ann Strong

PS… We want to see your videos of Sacred Release too! … It’s part of our Program … we will have a Private Facebook Group to share and witness each other! Its only $444! And, You get a Community of Love and Support too!!

YES! I AM READY TO MASTER THE MIRACULOUS ART OF SACRED RELEASE NOW! and Join in a Community Who Loves and Supports Me!

Ready to Release button

How to Love Putting Yourself Out There Even If You’ve Hated It Before

Most coaches, solopreneurs, entrepreneurs and small business owners hate marketing and sales. And, it doesn’t take long for them to no longer be in business.

The ones who stick with it and grow a thriving business realize that great marketing and sales isn’t about them, their company or their service. The same is true for you. Your super effective marketing and sales is not about you. Let me repeat that: it’s not about you.

When all of your marketing, sales and conversations with potential clients focuses on them – the potential clients – you may just find yourself having a great time.

Why did you start your business in the first place? What do you want, really want, for your clients? Why do they want what you have to offer? How does your service or product make their life better? Way better?

How to Love Putting Yourself Out There Even If You've Hated It Before

If you notice you’re talking about yourself, your training, your awards, your invention, your process, your program, your cool product or your excellent price point, stop yourself mid-sentence. Apologize. Then start over and ask them about their problem, needs, hopes and desires.

After you’ve had all potential client conversations that way for awhile, then let me know how you feel about marketing and sales . . .

As always, post your comments, experiences and insights below …

What Happens When We Don’t Censor Ourselves?

Are you watching AnnE with an “E” on Netflix?

If so, I’d love to hear how you’re loving it . . .

If not and you’d like your heart broken wide open in the best possible way, I highly recommend you stop reading this and start watching AnnE now.

She is so refreshingly, sometimes painfully, uncensored. She experiences life in it’s full spectrum, from the delectably scrumptious to her blunt observation of her own “ugliness.”

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Thirteen-year-old, AnnE quotes Jane Eyre, “If all the world hated you, and believed you wicked, while your own conscience approved you, and absolved you from guilt, you would not be without friends.”

Self-love 101. WOW.

I’ve watched 3 episodes and felt more alive and cried with every one. If you haven’t already, give yourself this gift.

Makes me want to add an E to my name.

As always, post your comments and experiences below…

If you’re a coach or consultant experiencing loss or turmoil, then join my new, private, free FB Group, Good Grief for hope around receiving the good in grief and support for getting your business back on track.

What Is the Best Way to Easily Sign More Clients?

Shift your focus.

Inevitably, when I get into the nitty gritty with one of my clients about what’s in the way of them signing new clients, the root of the issue is some variation of self-focus and self-consciousness.

I hear things like:
“I don’t like to ask them to become a client.”
“If they want to hire me, they’ll ask me.”
“I’m not good at sales.”
“I don’t want to ask them to pay now because their first session isn’t until Thursday.”
“I don’t have my website up yet.”

Where is the focus? I, me, my concerns, my ideas.

What Is the Best Way to Easily Sign More Clients?

As the sun does not concern itself with whether or not it feels like rising today, so too can we show up and serve without concern about nonsensical internal chatter.
(Photo credit: Eric Saltmarsh, Eldorado at Santa Fe)

What if we shift the focus of ourselves and onto the potential client?

Why might the client need us to ask them to become a client? Because change is scary. They are hiring us to support them in making changes. What happens if we start supporting them now by asking them to become a client so they can receive support throughout the change process?

What happens for the client if we wait for them to ask to become a client? They find many clever ways to procrastinate, forget, resist and wander away from the very changes they would love to make.

What if you quit thinking about how good or not good you are at sales and instead put your focus on serving the client? Would it serve them to sign up with you now? Then sign them up.

If the person in front of you has told you they want to become a client and scheduled their first session for Thursday, then have them seal their commitment to themselves by having them pay now.

A client is not signed up until they pay. No exceptions.

And, if they aren’t signed up, they’ll find many reasons to change their mind about meeting Thursday. Take that fretting of the table for them. Now.

And, what does having your website up have to do with your clients’ needs? If someone is in front of you now, ready to change, sign them up. Whether you have a website or went for your walk this morning.

If you would love to serve more clients and make more money in the process, then take your focus off yourself. Put your focus on the needs and concerns of the people in front of you. Be prepared to be amazed by how many new clients you sign!

As always, I’d love your thoughts and comments below.

How Do We Stop Election Fear from Within?

One of my mentors, Dicken Bettinger, posted thoughts on Facebook worth repeating here today.

“The real question is not what will happen as a result of this election.

Politicians do not determine the overall level of well-being of those who live in their country.

To me, the real questions are:

  • Can we look within and set aside our judgmental thoughts of others?
  • Can we find love and understanding in our hearts?
  • Can we bring these feelings to each other, especially those who disagree with us?
  • Can we find tolerance deep in our souls, especially for those who see life differently than we do?
  • Can we find within us the spirit of cooperation that is based on tolerance and respect so that we can truly work together to create a society that is looking out for what is best for the whole rather than just our own self-interests?

How Do We Stop Election Fear from Within?

The problems of the world ultimately will not be resolved on a political level. The problems of the world will ultimately be resolved only by each of us bringing more love and understanding into the world.

May we all get better at listening for, and to, the inner wisdom that continues to guide us toward a more peaceful and loving world community.”

Dicken Bettinger, originally published on Facebook

As always, I’d love your thoughts and comments below.

How Does Being Present in the Moment Vaporize Fear?

“You’ve been walking in circles, searching. Don’t drink by the water’s edge. Throw yourself in. Become the water. Only then will your thirst end.”
– Jeanette Berson

When we throw ourselves in and become the water, we are completely present. And when we are completely present, we have no fear.

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What does it take to become the water?

Fear lives in the past through regret. Fear lives in the future through uncertainty. Fear lives in attempting to control others and outcomes.

My clients often question me about being present when they don’t like the present. It’s such a great question because we as humans spend a lot of time attempting to avoid what we don’t like.

A vivid experiential answer I have for that comes from when I used to have debilitating migraines. I spent a lot of time fighting them, doing anything I could to distract myself from the pain.

When I’d exhausted all those distractions and myself, I would finally surrender. What I found in those present moments after the surrender: this sweet, tender way of being there with me, for me.

Every time, it seemed so strange to me to be relishing being with myself while at the same time experiencing excruciating pain. I no longer feared the pain. I accepted it and I stayed with myself through it – cherishing myself as the beloved.

Ah, to be the water. So very similar to being the migraine. Isn’t that fascinating?!?

I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences . . .

(Excerpted from my forthcoming book, “Strong from Within: Simple perceptions and practices for transforming crisis into clarity and purpose”)

How Might We Not Take Fear Seriously?

I’ve worked with several clients this week around moving through fear. Fear of making the wrong decision. Fear of being in romantic partnership with the wrong person. Fear the money will run out. Fear of hiring the wrong person. Fear of not getting everything done because the business is growing so quickly.

And, here’s the fascinating thing about the content of the fear. The specifics of what we are afraid of don’t matter. It’s best if we don’t engage with the content.

I can hear you now, “But I must hire the right person.” Yes, absolutely. And when were our best decisions ever made from fear?

So, if you’re experiencing fear right now (or sometime down the road), don’t engage with the content. Simply notice you are having some fear thoughts. A few dark clouds of the mind.

How Might We Not Take Fear Seriously

Isn’t it clear that these dark cloud will be moving on soon?  As with
the dark clouds that wander through our mind from time to time . . .

Allow them to dissipate and move on. When your mood is once again light and hopeful, then revisit whatever decisions need to be made. You may even be pleasantly surprised to find that, at that point, no decisions do need to be made or that the decision is obvious.

(Excerpted from my forthcoming book, “Strong from Within: Simple perceptions and practices for transforming crisis into clarity and purpose”)