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Also, if you’re using the same template we did a while back, you’d add a maxwidth, so:
Moving keep us young; thriving.
…movement is vital to the success and enjoyment of life. A sage poet once said The greatest affair is to move and to that I say why yes, yes it is.
June will mark a move to live and work in Amsterdam through late August. This will be the seventh move I’ve made in ten years of owning the business and contrary to popular belief, it’s been the best fuel for growing my business; growing my brand (you CAN move around and still create a thriving biz).
There really are no rules…except for those we make for ourselves. On a similar note, there’s nothing really “technical” about branding (hello, authenticity). There’s no box we need to fit ourselves in. As far as I’m concerned, moving or move-ment of any kind helps remind us of this fact. Specifically, the anonymity afforded by travel of any kind gets us out of our head and out of limitations we think may be there. For me, the anonymity found via travel and expat-living has been one of the most powerful tools in following what I want in life.
This move will also mark the fourth move my husband, son and I will make in our seven years as a threesome; it’s the third international move we’ve made. “Modern-day gypsy family”? Yes. And anonymity works wonders here too. Just as entrepreneurs do, families need time to create anew; to grow into more of who they want to be.
If necessity is the mother of invention then I say moving or movement of any kind is the mother of re-invention. Re-inventing in both business and family is juicy. Juicy, I tell you.
What do YOU want?
What do you think about all the time?
Have a business? Want to travel while you work?
Have a family? Want to show them the world?
This is how:
1. Pump up your mindset (check out the MGI “Branding is not a dirty word” article under Work & Money section on Elephant Journal). In other words, let mindset be your mojo.
2. Find your version of anonymity…create time to be in-tune. Find time alone so you can work ON the vision you have for your life; to work ON your business not just IN it.
3. Remember that your entrepreneurial fire can be used in SO many other ways than just straight up business. Use the charge and drive you have!
4. Plant the seed…this comes in the shape of discussing it with those most important to you and to those that could actually help you make it a reality.
5. Tell as many others as will listen about the desire and plan you have. Thoughts grow stronger as they are shared. Oh yes and don’t forget, we get what we focus on most of the time. Focus on what you want!
6. Look into visas, longer vacation options for your partner/spouse, work options, sign up for (video) skype and, lastly, check out www.homeexchange.com 😉 You’ll be amazed at how many YES’s you’ll get once you start asking.
If it’s not moving overseas, take similar steps to move forward on that one you think about most of the time. We forget this fact but our human purpose is to do that which we dream about; to stretch to our edges (there are scientific studies on this). Similar to yoga, the truth is the more we stretch, the better we feel both in our physical and emotional bodies (yes, even if our knees are knocking doing it).
Be moved to accomplish what you want.
And to end…a note to Moms: As I state in the how to be a Walking Momtra™ book, remember “When we focus on our happiness, we raise happiness…”. Doing what you desire is not selfish, it’s an opportunity to make the entire family ~ happy.
On Saturday 2/25, I’m auditioning for the Listen to Your Mother Theatre show (a spoken word “thing”) in San Francisco. It’s part of a national theatre show that’s happening all across the country on Mother’s Day and I’m thrilled!
I hit on something yesterday I’d love to share something with you…
Last year, I auditioned here in LA (for the LA show).
Though I would have loved to have taken one of the 10-11 spots (but of course), I wasn’t upset I didn’t get the part. How could I be?
I do what I do (and give it all I got) regardless of the outcome.
What’s important is the doing, not the outcome…falling in love with the process.
I was EXCITED to have gone through the process, felt uber comfortable and had so much fun. In fact, as I walked out of the audition room with the producers in 2011, I told myself regardless of what happened I’d keep going in search of these unique speaking/performing opportunities. The mesh of my love of writing and performing is pretty awesome.
Anyhow, this is what I wanted to share…my piece last year was comedic. It was much more intellectual / coming from “the head” versus the heart. There’s nothing wrong with that, however, I’m convinced if there’s a chemistry match between myself and the producers this year, I’ll grab one of the spots because this piece is ALL heart. All my story. All truth and, truly, all of my (personal) brand…
How could you show up as more of who you really are? What are you hiding behind; anything?
How could you show up as more of you on your blog, in social media, in your newsletters, at networking events etc?
Of course, branding and showing up as the authentic YOU requires more than just the sharing of stories, of course, however, this is where branding starts; getting to the core of you and the unique flavor you bring to what you do and the industry you’re doing it in…do it. Show your special sauce.
And love the process. The outcome we truly have no control over but I’m willing to bet if you’re giving it all you got, it will be a good one, even if you have to audition twice 😉