I'm excited to share some cool pictures from the outing my Premiere Mastermind and I took last week! (Thank you, Vanessa, for the great photography!)

We decided to "get out of Dodge" and get a fresh environment for our monthly live Mastermind meeting. You can see what a stellar group we are! (missing Elaine Schneider who was between cities). But, we had a conversation about how at first some of us actually resisted going because It was hard to let go and spend a day being "non-productive." Once there, all that changed. Surrounded by amazing architecture, beautiful weather and breathtaking exhibits, our perspectives opened and creativity kicked in. "I am so glad I came," one member said. "My TO DO list will be waiting for me. I wouldn't ever want to miss this!" (Neither did Leslie below who found her ideal Louis XIV gold gilded bedroom below.)

Letting go of our work and routine to let in new experiences or be spontaneous is difficult for many of us swamped with the detail of life. Here are some thoughts that could improve the quality of your life:

1) Stop waiting for the right time to relax. Once engaged in work, the work compulsion takes over. There will never seem like a good time to get away ....until you get away. Once on break, you will wonder why it took you so long to do it.


2) Plan a mid-week getaway or "day trip" to a local museum or amusement park. You need more than an hour to let go; take most of the day and do something that totally takes you away from the routine of your life and work.

3) Make a list of things you want to do but never get around to....and start making plans to do them. We all have our bucket list. Don't wait until you're old; start doing something now.


4) Treat your break away commitments as sacredly as your income goals; they are probably more important. One is a commitment to your work; the second is a commitment to yourself. Be sure you keep it. This is WHY you are working - it's always good to remember that!!



PS: People ask me how they get to be a part of the Premiere Mastermind.

There is no sales page because it's a limited group, but there is an opening right now. It is my coaching focus so I have to keep it small. You get my undivided attention when you're in this group. But you can read a little more on the sidebar, and I will be happy to send you a sheet with the incredible benefits. Just ONE of the benefits is membership in the Fired Up Mastermind Network which can be found at http://www.firedupforsuccess.com/mastermind.html. Feel free to write me with questions at mlm@firedupforsuccess.com

Are We Having Fun Yet?

As I did my own visioning for this year and had to come to a startling realization: I haven’t been having as much fun as I could – and I am a FUN girl!

But like most many service provider/entrepreneurs, my priorities have been servicing my clients, attracting new clients, and learning more about expanding my business. I have carefully scheduled in my family, working out, personal development, and those things which will seemingly give me a higher quality of life.

Despite my best efforts, I admit something has been missing. As we look at the different areas of our lives, where is the slot that says “Giggling, spontaneity, joy with no goal, creative expression, silliness, new unexpected experiences, escape, and side-splitting laughter?” THAT’S what’s been missing!!

Here is what I have discovered has blocked me, and my commitment to changing it. (Wow! I’m saying this in public!) Maybe you can join me!

1) I have been thinking I need to schedule “fun” events for “when I have time.”

I expressed that I needed more fun to the attendees of my Vision Workshop last week, and, lo and behold, I received a couple of amazing fun invitations from people I absolutely love! But, at first I could feel myself resisting it. What!! I could feel myself fearing it would interfere with my work commitments; that it might (hear this) take too much time! But joy energizes so won’t it only enhance my work time? If I wait until I have time – well, I won’t have much time. New Commitment: I can schedule work around my opportunities for fun and joy.

2) I think I need to be an adult; sometimes I need to act like a child

Being an adult can be stressful. Children – icons of play and fun – do almost everything in the moment. When they tire of an activity, they stop and go to something new. But, for me, the adult, the suggestion of an unexpected invitation to lunch, a surprise mid-day walk on the beach, or an unplanned stop at the park strikes a chord of overwhelm, rather than the source of re-vitalizing one’s life. I think: “Don’t these people know I have a schedule? I can’t just drop everything!” But, I have been changing this in the past 6 months, and am now finding these surprise adventures some of my most enjoyable times. No one has had a crisis because I went on a walk or shopped for art, but I returned a more energized, passionate entrepreneur.

3) Not everything achieves a goal; pointless activity is good.

As a vision and goals coach, I tend to be activity focused, so I am better at “fun” if it comes with meeting a goal. The doctor says to relax because it’s good for my heart; I attend a fun event where I can also network; and so forth. But, here’s the truth. My adorable husband is the most grounded person in the Universe, and we experience the most laughter and silliness going to Costco or Home Depot. We have always been a somewhat Seinfeld-like couple where our best times are doing absolutely nothing. Yes, we do travel and do some exotic things, but we don't need to. In fact, we seem to gravitate toward large wholesale stores for our best times – we don’t usually buy much – but the walking around the store watching the people and playing with the shopping cart has brought us hours of amusement. We love Palm Desert – and their Wal-Mart! I have learned that most of what I experience as joyful is in the moment, and often entirely pointless….and incredibly rewarding.

My conclusions are that I need to be more spontaneous, say yes more, and be in the flow more. The resulting passion, energy and varied experiences will bond me to the people around me, and actually cause me to be a more effective service provider and business woman.

Well, now that I have confessed, what about you? I’d love to hear about some of your thoughts about fun in your life and what kind of role it plays. I have no workshop on it and no offer here – just my personal thoughts to start of the New Year!!

Love to hear yours.

The Gratitude Game

As Thanksgiving approaches, it’s a good time to be thankful for the good things in our lives. While most of us view ourselves as thankful for our blessings, we determine what we believe to be a "blessing" and what is not. However, some of your greatest blessings may not initially look all that positive in the beginning.

For instance, my experiencing Cancer is what turned my life around and opened the door to a good health consciousness and rewarding life work. Today I always give thanks for the gift of Cancer, but at the time it was fearful and overwhelming. The first thing to understand about gratitude is that it is not a selective process.

The Gratitude Game begins with the premise that genuine thankfulness begins with being grateful for everything - yes, absolutely EVERYTHING in your life. These are the steps to the Game:

1. Make a list of anything you perceive as positive in your life. The people who love you are a good start. Anything good about your work, your relationships, special advantages or support you've received, anything nice someone else has done for you. Just write down everything you can think of that is good about your life. Be truly grateful for it.

2. Next write down everything ordinary that you take for granted: the roof over your head, your sight, your hearing, the ability to chew, your health, the acticities you are able to enjoy and so forth. When you really think about it, there are so many small, inconsequential conditions that conspire to create a good lifestyle. This is a good time to recognize them.

3. Finally, write down any painful, uncomfortable thoughts, feelings and events, some of which may feel uncomfortable or difficult right now…and get grateful for them. Why? This is how we learn the lessons of life. No one said it was all going to be easy. But, gratitude opens you up. It helps you release the resistance (oh, why did this have to happen to me?) and embrace your difficult circumstances and allow the most good to come from them. What creates your reality is not what happens to you, but how you RESPOND to what happens to you. Life does have challenges, but there is a positive side for each and every one of them. Be grateful for the gift inside of every heartache even if you can’t see it right now.

4. Give thanks for those blessings that are on the way. Feel them coming. Expect success. Expect the best and be grateful for it.

After completing this little game, how do you feel? Everyone who plays is a winner because I'll tell you a secret, gratitude allows you to receive more; it is the foundation of all abundance. An open, gracious heart is a powerful magnet for good. Opportunity, goodness, money, success and joy flows toward gratitude. Try it and see.

And great good is what I wish all of you because I am so grateful for all of you: everyone who reads my newsletters, participates in my classes and with whom I have the greatest priviledge to coach. You are my blessing far beyond business to me.

Have a lovely Thanksgiving.

MONEY AND FEAR: 4 Principles to Transform Your Fears into Money Producing Behaviors!"

Can you succeed in uncertain times? Absolutely. In fact, some of the greatest amounts of money have been made in difficult economic times. Uncertainty also presents new possibilties.

Unfortunately, during any time of change, we become vulnerable to our basest fears. Fear produces more fear which produces anxiety, closed doors, and inability to think creatively which is aboslutely crucial. But, with new information and possibilities, a fresh approach, a little discipline, and support, we can produce outcomes that really support our needs.

Listen to the audio for a very new view and a lot of kick it money receiving attitude:

http://bit.ly/pk8MA3 (part I)

http://bit.ly/qJoCAz (part II)

60 and Out of Work?

The “Baby Boomer” generation encompasses almost 80 million people in the United States. It is one of  the largest segments of our population, eclipsed only slightly by Millennials.  Demographically they are defined as those people born between 1946 and 1964; that boom of children born of the returning soldiers from World War II. (Those soldiers got really busy when they got home.)

It's one of the most influential generations in history; a true phenomenon.

Now aged between 57 and 75, these Boomers are also more and more out of "traditional" work.  They can be replaced with a younger version, far more technically adept, costing half as much. Most will never return to a job again.

Of course, I am a “Boomer” myself, and I haven’t had a job in a lot of years. I have had a business.

This is the hope for all Boomers: self-employment! The problem is that many of my Boomer clients are afraid to have their own businesses. Some of you may not have really considered it because you didn’t know where to begin - and you’re used to having a job. But Boomers can actually be well suited to the entrepreneurial style. Boomers tend to appreciate independence, they do mistrust authority, and they are at a time of life when they are highly skilled.

My opinion is that whether or not you return to corporate life, starting a small business is an excellent step because it keeps you in the game; it gives you focus. We are still the most influential generation in history, and we need to be active and involved in commerce.

Also, a lot of people think “starting a business” is like starting Apple.  This is not about empire building; this is a survival technique. In this Covid era it is usually home-based and requires at least a passing knowledge of Zoom.  We are in an era that is not focused on "jobs," as much as "projects," “outsourcing," and "part time."

This group is not actually "entrepreneurial;" but it is truly "enterprising."     

Having an "enterprise," teaches you about leading, time management, marketing, and presenting - all of which are important in the marketplace today. Also, when you start to look at your work life as comprised of "services you are offering" is more empowering and allows you to think in terms of 2 or 4 "clients" you serve as opposed to serving only one: a boss.

Making money keeps you in the game and makes you feel younger and more vital.  When someone is willing to pay you good money, it makes you feel valued, and pumps so much self-esteem, you won't even need Botox!!  

Are you a Boomer looking for support getting up and running?  Let's chat.  

https://bookedin.com/book/fired-up-for-success 

Mary Lyn 

 

Free tele-seminar: The Power of Conscious Creation

I invite you to join us for an eye-opening 75 minutes for a lively conversation with me and the amazing Mind Trainer and Hypnotherapist, Duncan Tooley for

The Power of Conscious Creation:

3 Steps to More Confidence, Freedom & Success

Tuesday, June 7, 6:30 PDT/9:30 EDT

(can’t make it? Register & get the recording)

* Learn the #1 Reason you may be too busy, too distracted, and too overwhelmed to really achieve your potential success…and it has NOTHING to do with your schedule!
* Understand the Law of Alignment and how you can use it to get everything you want with so much less effort!
* Master your mental control center to overcome your fear and negative beliefs….
* This is a live call where we do take questions and have conversation!

For more information and registration:

Click here

PS: If you can’t make it, be sure to register above to so you get the recording! You can always listen later.

The 90 Day Effect

If you’ve ever watched an infomercial, you’ve probably watched fitness guru, Tony Horton, sell his “P90X” muscle building program: 90 Days to a fantastically built body.

Dr. Oz espouses his “Live Longer, Feel Younger 90 Day Diet Plan.”

Addiction recovery programs focus on “90 meetings in 90 days.”

Even the first days of a new presidency is observed for its “First 100 Days.” Yes, it 100 IS 10 days more than 90, but it is close.

So, what IS this 90 Day marker? Is it more effective than, say 21 days? What about 30 or 60 days? Are they less remarkable?

As the founder of the Fired Up for Success 90 Day Program, I am happy share to my opinion.

It takes 90 days to build a new habit. Yes, you can have awareness almost immediately. You’ve gone to the workshops, or had the coaching session, or gotten cutting edge information, and been incredibly inspired. Ideas flowed. Insights popped.

Then, you went home. Incorporating new insights and ideas into your existing life or business is the hard part. “What am I going to DO with this idea or insight?” That’s trickier. Often we don’t KNOW what to do, and, if we do, we’re apprehensive about doing it. The act of “DOING” often triggers fear and resistance which manifests as perfectionism and procrastination. “Doing” is often a very new habit. It takes some direction to learn how to move past fear and procrastination.

There are some primary tools that help with that, but the real key to success is consistency. Whatever you do over and over is what produces results. The 90 Day marker allows you to have had the time to embrace a new behavior, get used to doing it over and over, and, by 90 days, have it become a new pattern.

It also allows it to work. In 90 days, you CAN see that your life is changing. The neuro-pathways of your brain are actually in place for a new way of being. But, that doesn't happen without repetition. It takes 90 days to experience real results.

We live in a world where we want instant gratification and expect too much too soon. Whatever you want in your life, you have to give it a minimum of 90 days.

The 90 Day program is a terrific format for delivering a wide variety of services, education, coaching and change management. If you want to know more about the magic of the 90 Day Program and how you might incorporate it into your product or service, be sure to join us for our upcoming call next Monday!!

By the way, good marketers already know this secret. I just signed up for Vonage, where they offered me a low introductory rate for….guess what….90 days!! They know I will be thoroughly hooked and have embraced Vonage as my phone company by then.

So, I hope to connect with you some of you soon.

Probably on my Vonage phone.