The Scariest Thing of All

To many the most frightening thing to do is make a choice. We ask ourselves: What if I’m wrong? What if I fail? What if people think I’m stupid? What if I get hurt?

 

Face that fear.  Feel that fear and then doing it anyway!  You cannot grow unless you are willing to take a risk and move forward.  I told an audience of accountants this weekend, “When you are clear about your vision and it is backed up by a solid commitment, your choices will be made simple. They will be logical.”

Here is an excerpt from "Freeing Godiva: A Woman’s Journey to Self-Empowerment":

"The third key to a successful execution of your vision is choice. Each day, you make hundreds of choices. With a heightened level of consciousness, you become aware that every single choice you make either brings you closer to or further away from your vision. It’s a lot of responsibility, and isn’t it great? Remember back in step two, you accepted responsibility for creating the current reality that you don’t like? You also accepted responsibility for the power you have to create a spectacular new reality where you are embracing your potential. Every moment, you get to choose, so choose wisely. With every choice that is in alignment with your vision you’ll feel it. And it will feel awesome!"

Pre-order your copy of Freeing Godiva to soon be released.

On Hallowe’en, let the Trick or Treaters be the scariest thing in your life.  Consider all the possibilities when you let go of the fear that has been holding you back and choose, instead, to Embrace Your Potential!

Have a spooktacular day!

Lisa

Post 101: Express Your Passion and Purpose

I am excited to be writing a speech that I will deliver on Saturday evening for a new class of graduates.  Pumped by the sense of accomplishment following years of dedication and sacrifice, the audience will be ripe for words of encouragement to embrace their potential.

The timing really can’t be better.  While the uncertainty of the future may be a little scary to some, it is a wonderful opportunity to chart a brand new course, fuelled by passion and directed by purpose.  When you are given the chance to start over – whether it comes at graduation or retirement, when first become parents or send your kids off to college, when you get engaged or divorced – you have a brilliant opportunity to create a whole new world for yourself. 

In the soon-to-be-released book, “Freeing Godiva: A Woman’s Journey to Self-Empowerment”, I write about Living in Possibility and how you must believe in an empowered future in order to create one:

Living in possibility is feeling empowered to create something new every day that is in alignment with your core values and your personal vision of success. Living in possibility is about feeling empowered to contribute your unique talents and gifts and to inspire others to do the same. With deliberate intent, you will attract opportunities that were not previously available to you. This lifestyle is grounded in gratitude, integrity, and faith and it will yield tremendous success, as you define it. This definition of success is an expression of your passion and your purpose; it is what drives you to greatness. By living in possibility, you will build the confidence to Embrace Your Potential every day.

This is my core message regardless of my audience.  As I address this new graduating class, I will speak also with those who are there to support their continued growth and development.  This message is universal and it applies to you, too! Express your passion and purpose! Here’s to Living in Possibility!

I invite you to visit my new-and-improved website to pre-order the book now and learn about other services that I offer. 

Yours in Possibility,

Lisa

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder?

Anyone out there in a long-distance relationship, counting down the days to the next reunion? How do you cope? How do you manage your thoughts when your heart aches so deeply it wants to break open because you can see or touch the person you love? How do you quiet the words of fear and self-doubt when they creep in unexpectedly? How to you stifle the physical impulses that intrude in your daily routine at the mere mention of that person's name? Maybe you've never given it any thought...

I recently watched, the Warner Bros movie, Going the Distance. This passage sums up its premise:


Box: Now, look, I have done the long distance thing. And it is hard. As hell. And it doesn't matter how good the relationship is, it literally can just rip it apart. Look, it is just very hard to be away from the person you love for months at a time.

Garrett: I know. I know it's not gonna be easy.

Box: That's all I'm sayin'.

Dan: But maybe YOU never found the right girl.

Garrett: That's not a bad point.



Is it true that absence makes the heart grow fonder? Or does it mainly provide more opportunity for the eyes to wander, as one of my more cynical friends suggested when discussing the fate of long distance relationships? It is a topic worthy of debate and I would LOVE to hear your comments.



My final thoughts are summed up quite eloquently by a much older gentleman, Comte DeBussy-Rabutin (13 April 1618 – 9 April 1693):



“Absence is to love what wind is to fire; it extinguishes the small, it enkindles the great.”

The Rush of Possibility

Breathless, we flung us on a windy hill, laughed in the sun, and kissed the lovely grass.

-- Rupert Brooke

This kind of rapture is how I feel when I Stop the Treadmill of Life and Live in Possibility. This is how I feel when I surrender all the ‘shoulds’ in my life and just BE. This bliss, this awe, it is mine to cherish.

Do you remember the last time that the breeze, the sun, the green grass gave you such pleasure? If you can’t remember, I suggest it is time NOW. Find yourself some grass. (A backyard, picnic area, or even the side of a parking lot... it’s not that hard.) Step outside in your bare feet. Throw open your arms. Look up to the sky. Close your eyes. Breathe in deeply. Exhale. Spin around slowly (this will add to the fun). Ahh... now wasn’t that worth the effort? Can you feel the rush of possibility entering now that you have created the space?

I’d love to hear what simple steps you take to Stop the Treadmill of Life. The other readers of my blog would like to hear, too. Let’s face it; when you experience something as wonderful as this, you want the whole world to know it! Send your comments. We are all grateful.

T'is the Season for Royal Watching

Festivities at the nation's capital were taken up a notch this Canada Day and NOT just because Great Big Sea was playing again. No, the big draw for the 300,000 flag waving patriots was the chance to see the newlyweds, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

They began their North American visit in Ottawa and today, landed in Prince Edward Island where my friend Kevin, played hookey to get this photo of the couple as they enjoyed a horse-drawn carriage ride around Charlottetown. Such excitement!

So what is it about the royals that makes us stand at attention? What does this young couple represent to the public that they would interrupt their daily routine just for the possibility of see what Kate is wearing or Will flash his smile? Are they more than a passing fancy?

I'd love to hear your comments. They have captured the hearts of people all over the world, but you are in MY world and your thoughts are important to me so, tell me, what does the royal couple mean to you?

God Save the Queen.

P.A.U.S.E for My Birthday

WooHoo! It’s my birthday! What a great day for a name change! It’s the perfect day to change my name and to announce, also, that this will be my last blog entry for a while. This one is a bit lengthy, so go grab a coffee or tea, and settle in. (Thank you, in advance, lovely reader.)

You may have noticed, if you are my friend on facebook, that my personal page has been updated for about two weeks now to reflect my name, Lisa Payne. After much deliberation, I decided to revert to my maiden name and this seemed like an excellent time to do it. You may receive some updates regarding the changing of my personal email addresses but you can continue to reach me at lisa@embracingpotential.com as that will remain the same.

Thank you so much for those who have been faithfully tuning and taking the time to provide feedback to me through facebook and emails. I really appreciate you. It is wonderful to know how my words can touch others. I am grateful to know that I am making connections for success!

Speaking of which, you may not know that the name of my company is Connections for Success Inc. I provide many services as a Professional Motivator: employee relations consulting, personal and professional development workshops, keynote speeches, leadership retreats, and one-on-one motivational programs. Whether I am blogging, speaking, writing, tweeting, linking-in, or updating my facebook status, I always keep my audience in mind. It is my mission to help YOU define and execute your vision of success and I share my personal stories to demonstrate to you that I am walking this walk right along with you.

This year has been, for me, one great big P.A.U.S.E. I have followed the 5 Steps to Embrace Your Potential™ in my own life, just as I have been teaching my audience:

Pause – I have been incorporating a regular daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly review of my life from 10,000 feet, giving myself the space to BE and connect with my higher self for guidance.

Accept What Is – In that space, I have thoroughly examined my currently reality and accepted responsibility for creating it: the good, the bad, and the little bit of ugly that is there. I have also fully accepted that I have the power to change it for the better!

Understand the Lesson – This year was FULL of learning. I recognized unhealthy patterns, limiting beliefs, and acts of self-sabotage that have been holding back my success. I understand that everything happens for a reason and I am full of gratitude for these lessons and the gifts that have been brought into my life from all of my life experiences.

See What is Possible – I have been dreaming the big dream! Once I learned how to effectively deal with self-doubt, I filled my mind with thoughts of possibility. I know how it FEELS to have success as I define it – at home, at work, at play, and at peace!

Execute your Vision of Success – Now it’s time for the WORK. With crystal clarity, a strong commitment to myself, I am making choices that are in alignment with my vision of success. As each choice brings me closer to my vision of success, I gain the confidence needed to keep the momentum going. I have attracted a community (real and imagined; I mean, local and virtual) that supports me in my efforts and my gratitude to them is expressed daily. The time for action is NOW.

Besides changing my name, I have made many changes in my personal life: relationships, finances, health, nutrition, physical fitness, death, career, spirituality. While I was challenged in these areas, I have triumphed and now use that confidence to fuel changes in my business. I am ready to step into my power and start playing a bigger game. I ask for your patience and understanding and thank you for your support while I get things together. I will be taking a break from the regular blog posts, you can continue to connect with me on facebook for daily inspiration and updates on my life.

THE NEWS – I am currently working on a new brand, although some of you have seen it before at workshops and keynotes. I will be bringing the Princess of Possibility to a larger audience. In this new forum, it is my intention to inspire women across the land to Stand Up and Sparkle! This message will empower women of all ages to create a new reality that is grounded in their personal values. The programs that I will be delivering will help them develop the clarity and confidence needed to step into their feminine power and surrounded themselves with love and beauty. I am very excited about this new venture and invite you to stay tuned as the brand develops.

In addition to the standard social networking sites, a new blog and website where you will be able to find me, I have even BIGGER news: I will be featured in a book entitled, Freeing Godiva, that is due to be released in the fall. The proposed title for my chapter is, “Tiaras Rule: How to be a Princess of Possibility.” Exciting!!!!

I’ll sign off for now, encouraging you to Embrace Your Potential™ at home, at work, at play and at peace as I do in my own life with this new chapter!! Happy birthday to me!

Yours in Possibility,

Lisa Payne

Home is Where the Heart Is

I just returned home from a week’s vacation in Florida with my two children. It was an amazing trip, a true testament to deliberate intent. We talked at length about creating a vacation that was fun and relaxing, at the same time. We honoured ourselves by doing what we wanted, when we wanted. There was no rushing and there was no whining. We were blessed with minimal wait times and multiple miracles that made our holiday one that we will always remember.

Each day, when we would start to run out of steam (sometimes, after four hours; other days, it was 12), we found ourselves saying, “Let’s go home now.” “Home” became the hotel room for six days. I thought, at first, that it was strange that we so readily adopted this little space as our home – given its cramped quarters and general state of disarray – but it seemed quite natural and I felt grateful that my family was content to be there and connected with what was truly important.

When it was time to leave, it would be expected that there would be resistance, but that was not the case. We had enjoyed those things that we had planned as well as a few extras. Our vision of a successful holiday was complete and, therefore, we readily accepted our return to Newfoundland and Labrador.

One of the lessons I have learned is that “home” is not a dwelling; home is not where you lay your head. Home is where your heart is. It is that place where you are truly connected with what matters most to you. In this case, you can be home wherever you are. I trust that you will find yourself at home today and find gratitude there.