The D Spot

I love the Olympics. To see the world come together for fair and honest competition based on performance alone is something that I find extremely impressive, empowering and exciting.

For the past week, I have had my TV on and set to the Olympic coverage as background for everything that I am doing.  I have seen competition in sports that I had never seen before and heard countless stories of young and “older” (I am a bit sensitive to the label of “old” given my own age!) athletes as they prepared for their participation in London and going for the Gold!

All of the stories were inspiring and highlighted the complete and all-consuming vision and training of athletes; many despite challenges, obstacles and adversity.

Regardless of who wins the gold, silver and bronze, each athlete has prepared with complete dedication, commitment and focus for their chance to compete and the possibility of success that the Olympics represents.

I can’t help but feel like the Olympics is just a metaphor for life; my life…your life.

While only a few will be medalists in London, ALL of the competitors are now Olympic Athletes…an honor in itself.

Your future IS your Olympics; an environment that offers unlimited, timeless opportunity and possibility.  Like the Olympics, “competing” in this environment, our future, requires focus, discipline, commitment and a relentless pursuit for “winning the Gold”!  However, unlike the Olympics, there are unlimited medals to go around!  How fabulous is that!

Even better we can ALL win Gold because each of us has a different definition of what “Gold” is.  It is defined as whatever you want it to be; whatever your desires and dreams are! How far you go is only limited by YOU… and the standard that you set.  A standard that defines what you want.  Lucky for us, every day is an opportunity to “train” to win it!

If creating and sustaining and extraordinary love in your life is your Gold, make today the day that you state loudly and clearly to the world that you will do any and everything that it takes to get it…and you WILL!  And by the way, we can “compete” in multiple events; love, prosperity, health and fitness, parenting…

Today’s younger athletes will use the performance of the London Olympians to set their goals for the 2016 Olympics and they begin training NOW.

You and I are no different, except that we are not limited by the performance of others; we can have everything that we want, if we do the hard work of preparing for it.

So, don’t wait another minute…set your vision and go for the Gold!

Many of you know that over the past few years I have become a passionate football fan.

There is something I love about the masculinity of it, the strategy of it, the strength of it and the excitement of it. Over time I have learned about each team, each quarterback and the strengths and weaknesses of each team. While I don’t have a favorite team, I do have a few that I like more than others and for lots of reasons.

Like many Americans, I have also been intrigued by the young rising star, Tim Tebow, who some are calling “the Chosen One”.

Not knowing much about him, I had the opportunity last week to watch a documentary about him. I was folding laundry (as I usually do on Sundays) and while flipping around the channels, I came across this special just as it was starting.

While it was only an hour, seeing his journey gave me a growing sense of appreciation for this young man and athlete, and I was taken by his courage, tenacity and commitment to his Big Vision; all mirroring my work with women moving through and forward after divorce.

Here are a few tips that I learned from Tim Tebow about creating what comes next:

1.     Set your vision and don’t take your eye off of it.

It is clear from the film that Tim had a vision of being a star football player from a very young age. As he moved farther along his career and eventually through college, he had received almost as many awards, recognitions and accolades as are possible. However, in his quest to be drafted to the NFL, he also realized that none of that mattered. Those achievements were not what would necessarily earn him a place on a major league team.

I thought a lot about this because there are parallels in this to what we experience through and after divorce. I does not necessarily matter what we had, how amazing a spouse we were or what acknowledgement we do or do not get now; what matters is to stay focused on the vision of what our ideal and extraordinary life will be. I was struck by Tim Tebow’s ability at a young age to accept his accomplishments as just that, bu t remain focused on his goals and all that it would take to achieve them. A wonderful lesson for all of us.

2.     Create your “Dream Team”, but even with them, what happens next is up to you.

Through the film you are introduced to all of the experts, professionals and coaches that Tim uses in his preparation for reaching his goal. You are also introduced to his family, especially his father and brother, who support him along every step of his journey. He makes it clear that creating this incredible team of and circle of support is essential for him to gain the information, skills and guidance that he needs to move towards his vision.

However, he also shares that while the team is outstanding; they are not responsible for getting it done. They are not responsible for achieving his goal, and in fact; he alone is.

I found this to be completely in alignment with my philosophy both personally and professionally. I believe that creating a team of experts and circle of support is essential for moving through a nd forward after divorce. But I also believe that no matter how much support we are all receiving, we will not create the lives we are meant to live unless we step fully into owning responsibility for it. If we want something, it is not only up to each of us to get the support we need, but to take responsibility for doing whatever it takes to get it!

3.     There is no shortcut; getting what you want takes tremendous strength, commitment and discipline.

Finally, Tim Tebow shows us through this film, that there is no easy way to get what we want. No money in the world, no amount of popularity and no accolades will guarantee that we will get it. The only way to create what we want and to reach our goals is to do the incredible hard work that is necessary to prepare us to get there.

He dedicated every hour of every day to doing whatever it takes. Training and then training more. Studying, researching, learning…from sun-up to sun-down, Tim put 100% of his time, energy, and attention into his vision. It didn’t matter that the public, the media and football experts around the world doubted his ability and challenged his capabilities. It didn’t matter that friends and fellow athletes were living lives much different to his. It didn’t matter that it wa s grueling work and consumed his life. In the end, he was drafted; and it was not because he was good looking or performed in college. It was because his complete dedication, discipline and mindset were focused on what he wanted.

I was humbled by his work ethic, his commitment and his ability to fight through his own and other people’s limiting beliefs and thoughts to manifest what he wanted. I had not known just how hard he worked for it and I gained a sense of appreciation for him as well as seeing the power of possibility.

When facing the uncertainty of creating a new life after divorce, it is exactly these strategies and attributes that will allow us to be open to the possibility of our potential; and step into the confidence that we can create all that we want.

I am grateful to have stumbled onto this film, it was wonderful! If you have the chance to see this great documentary, I hope you will take the opportunity to watch it!

What an AWESOME week!

On October 4 I had the privilege and pleasure to be a presenter at a fabulous event called Convention Eleven: An Empowerment Conference for Women! It was an entire day devoted to women, empowerment and reclaiming our power!  My workshop was on Falling in Love with you and Your Life and we had a blast!

I hadn’t intended it but midway through the workshop, we got focused on what gives us our swagger.

For those of you who don’t know, swagger is defined by Urban Dictionary as “how one presents him or her self to the world. Swagger is shown by how the person handles a situation. It can also be shown in the person’s walk.” Essentially, it is slang for MOJO and the way in which we put ourselves out there.

During our time together we explored what swagger is to us. For some it was wearing high heals, for others it was fabulous new lipstick. For some it wasn’t physical appearance related at all, it was the completion of a project or overcoming a challenge.  We looked back in our lives to a time when we felt that the world was ours to own…a time when endless opportunity and possibilities lay in front of us and we knew deep in our hearts that we could accomplish anything. And then, we took careful note of what we did back then; what we wore, how we spent our time, what thoughts ran through our minds and the way we presented ourselves to the world.

Together we reminisced, we giggled and we reclaimed our SWAGGER!

It got me thinking about the D Spot, and why I have chosen to do what I do. Listening to the women as they shared what made them feel good, confident and sexy, I was reminded of exactly why I created the D Spot. And today I want to share that with you!

Do you know where your D Spot is? Better yet, do you even know what the D Spot is?

When I first began my business, I defined the D Spot as the point at which divorce ends and your destiny begins.

Awesome, right? I love this definition and all of the principles I speak, teach and write about, as well as coach clients with, are built on its foundation.

However, I have recently begun to add-on to this definition as I don’t feel that it speaks strongly enough to the beauty, excitement and seduction of the journey during and after divorce.

As I move along my own journey through and after divorce, I am reminded all the time that the D Spot is far more than that. The D Spot is really about creating a sexy, juicy life as you move forward after divorce.

It is the spot within you that may have lay dormant during your marriage and even immediately following, and is now ready to reclaim its position in your life.

The D Spot is the place within you that you sometimes pretend isn’t there. That piece of you that wants to do, be and experience things that you tell yourself you don’t deserve, and can’t have. It is also the piece of you that knows what you really want…and that you CAN have it all.

As you move through and after divorce, you will find yourself on a journey to discover your D Spot. The authenticity of who you are…the reality of what you want. This is at the core of what your new life will look like and will become the foundation on which it is built. It is the force within you that wants to play, touch, feel and experience uninhibited joy, desire and fulfillment.

It is possible that along this journey you will feel the greatest discomfort. However, with this discomfort will come your greatest growth.

The key is to focus your attention and energy on what will be instead of what was. Take a few minutes to reflect on who you really are at your core…who you know you are meant to be! To all of the things that make you feel good, that make you giggle, that make you feel sexy, silly and strong.

You are meant to and CAN live a happy, healthy, juicy, sexy, vibrant, exciting, passionate, meaningful, curious and colorful life!

So, let me ask again…do you know where your D Spot is? What would it mean if you found it?!

Yes, you heard me. Everything you need to create your new and ideal life you learned in your marriage.

It wasn’t until recently that I realized this. But as it happens, it’s true.

It doesn’t matter what your marriage was like, you are and will learn everything you need to know from it.

While I was married I thought I knew what I was doing. I thought I knew what I wanted and how to get it. I even thought that while I wasn’t perfect, I was certainly not to blame for the demise of my marriage…that it was clearly not my fault.

As it turns out, none of these are exactly true. I didn’t know at all what I was doing, I didn’t really know what I want (and need), I had no idea of how to get it and although the divorce was not my “fault”….I absolutely contributed to the deterioration of my marriage.

Looking back now, I realize that my divorce was the catalyst for massive personal growth and that ultimately, my ability to live the life I have now, my ideal life, I owe to all that I learned in my marriage.

Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t come to this realization easily…nor was the learning process easy either. Before I recognized that my divorce gave me everything I needed to create what I have now, I first went through the pain of it:

• asking myself how it could happen to me
• defending my position as a “victim”
• trying to figure out what would come next
• wondering if I was ever going to find love again
• managing the challenges of co-parenting
• worrying about how to support myself financially

The list went on and on.

I was so immersed on all that was happening to me and consumed by the inequity of it all that I didn’t realize how out of focus I had become.

All I knew was that I had lost my sizzle….my mojo, my “sexy”! I was tired and uninspired. My divorce was over, the papers signed and it was now in my past, but nothing was changing.

And then I reached the moment. The moment when I had enough. The thing about me is that when I have had enough…I mean ENOUGH, I must take massive action.

The problem is that I wasn’t sure what to do, and what actions to take. I had been in therapy for a long time, which had given me the opportunity to explore, review and assess what I had gone through, but now I was ready to make a move. I wanted to move forward and to reclaim my sizzle…get my MOJO and sexy back! It was time.

My journey began with a fabulous life coach who helped me to get clear on what actions to take…and why. But the amazing thing about it was that it was while working with her that I realized that I had learned everything I needed to know through my marriage and its deterioration. I couldn’t believe it.

I had been focusing on the pain, the loss, and all that I no longer had, instead of on what I wanted, needed and now knew.

While you may not know it yet, here is what you are and will learn as you move through and after your divorce:

You will learn what is most important to you.

I truly believed when I began dating my husband and as we started our life together, that I knew what was most important to me. Whether as a woman, wife or mother-to-be, I would have sworn that I knew exactly what it was supposed to look and feel like.

And yet, what I thought mattered most at that time was not accurate, and does not hold true today.

I hadn’t fully known my values and priorities. I thought I did, but it wasn’t without incredibly hard work and being completely honest with myself that I learned my core values.

Over the course of my marriage, and through my increasing unhappiness, I realized that I had not, in fact, really known what mattered most. I had been guided by what I believed “should” matter most. If I knew then what I know now, my decisions and choices would have been vastly different. I know now what does matter most and it is this knowledge that has become the foundation upon which my new, amazing life has been built.

You learn what your greatest weaknesses are.

It is not that I thought I was “perfect”, but it wasn’t until my marriage ended and I began my journey towards creating what would come next that I truly learned what role I had played in its demise. The more I reflected on, explored and worked to understand what had happened in my marriage, the more I learned about me…the good, and the not so good.

It was easy at the time to blame my husband for our marriage failing and to defend my role it in. But that wasn’t fair. We both contributed to its demise; and while he may or may not assume responsibility for his part, it was and is important for me to take responsibility for mine. What we often don’t realize is that taking responsibility for our weaknesses will never diminish anyone else’s bad behavior. Instead it just makes us stronger, wiser and ready for the juicy new life that is waiting for us!

I can’t say that this part of the journey has been my favorite; it is sometimes painful to become aware of and accountable for our imperfections. I can say that the more I understand my imperfections, the more I embrace them. And the more I embrace them, the more I am able to grow and evolve, turning them into attributes that allow me to strengthen the relationships in my life and enjoy far more wonderful experiences than ever before.

You learn who you are and who you are not.

I hardly recognize the woman who was the “wife” in my marriage. As I mentioned, she had lost her sizzle, mojo and “sexy”! It happened slowly over time as I worked hard to be the kind of wife and mother that I believe I “should” be.

I didn’t know who I was at my core, and therefore there was no way for me to be able to walk fully in the power of my amazingness! I wanted to be and do everything for everyone, waiting for affirmation of my hard work and sacrifice and to be granted permission to do and be all the things that make me giggle with joy!

Unfortunately, because I entered my marriage without knowing who I really was and am, there was no way that our union could work. And while my marriage did not work, the journey of learning who I am has opened the door to a life that I could have only imagined and that has allowed me bring my mojo and sexy back to all of the roles I have!

You learn all that you don’t know.

This was the most challenging thing to learn and yet at the same time, it was in learning how much I don’t know that the spark of curiosity in my soul was ignited.

When your marriage dissolves and you go through the process of divorce, you quickly realize how much you don’t know. During that time I found myself asking the same question over and over again, “how did I get here?”

I simply didn’t know. I didn’t know what had happened. And now, I didn’t know who to be, what to do and how to do it. So I started asking questions. I became curious. Before long my curiosity had taken over. I wanted to learn about me, what I do and why. I wanted to learn how to make choices that would be great for me. I also wanted to learn about those around me; my children, my friends, my family and men. I wanted to understand why they do what they do.

In my quest to understand, I have learned that there are amazing people and resources to support me along my journey and to help me be a better woman, mother, partner and friend.

I am still aware of how little I know and I take every opportunity to learn and to grow. It is this curiosity that has become the catalyst for my growth and has opened up amazing opportunities and possibilities.

As we enter the final quarter of 2011, I hope you will join me on a journey to understand all that you have learned through your marriage, and divorce, so that together we can create a foundation upon which your new and SPECTACULAR life will be built!

When is the last time you made “shift” happen?

When is the last time you recognized that things might not be going the way that you want them to go and rather than make excuses for why they aren’t or sit back and accept that this is the way your life is supposed to be (the “I am a victim in my own life” approach), instead assume responsibility and take massive action to turn things around?

I don’t mean hoping that tomorrow will be a better day than today or wishing that you had better luck, I mean MASSIVE action?

Let me explain what I mean.

Have you ever ended a relationship only to look back and see all the things that “should have” been red flags that you ignored at the time? And now know that having been unable to “see” the red flags resulted in your staying in a relationship that didn’t serve you far longer than you needed to be.

Has this ever happened to you?

Falling out of flow, or disconnecting from your Power of Intention while you are moving through divorce is a similar experience.

Have you ever find yourself wondering why you are not in the relationship you desire, why you are facing mounting financial challenges, why you are unable to enjoy a fun and sexy social life, or why you avoid taking the steps to living a healthy and fit life?

Or, perhaps you are feeling like things never go your way?

While you may have felt this way when you were in your marriage, many of you may be experiencing these emotions now as you move through or forward after your divorce.  And chances are, you have been slowly disconnecting from your own FLOW for a long time.

Ending a long term relationship or marriage and going through a divorce often disrupts our connection with our FLOW and disconnects us from our Power of Intention.

As I mentioned last week, if you want to read a fabulous book about the Power of Intention, pick up or download Dr. Wayne Dyer’s The Power of Intention: Learning to Co-create Your World Your Way. If this entire concept is new to you, I promise that you will enjoy it as a wonderful introduction to taking control of your own destiny!

What I really want to share with you is not just how easy it is to lose sight that the best is yet to come, even if you can’t see it yet, but more importantly, the ways in which you can shift your thinking NOW to help open the door to all that will be as you begin to create your new life!

The following is taken from Dr. Dyer’s book and are four ways of thinking that can prevent you from reaching for and connecting to your Power of Intention and the ways you can SHIFT your thoughts to open to all that can be:

• Thinking about what is missing in your life. To match up with intention, you first have to catch yourself in that moment you’re thinking about what’s missing. Then shift to intention. Not what I find missing in my life, but to what I absolutely intend to manifest and attract into my life – with no doubts, no waffling, and no explaining!
• Thinking about the circumstances of your life. If you don’t like some of the circumstances of your life, by all means don’t think about them. You must train your imagination to shift from what you don’t want to what you do want. All of that mental energy you spend complaining about what is – to anyone who will listen – is a magnet for attracting more of what is into your life.
• Thinking about what has always been. When your inner speech focuses on the way things have always been, you act upon your thoughts of what has always been, and the universal all-creating force continues to deliver what has always been. Make a shift and catch yourself when you’re focusing on what always has been, and move your inner speech to what you intend to manifest.
• Thinking about what “they” want for you. There’s probably a long list of people who have strong ideas about what you should do, how you should be thinking and what you should feel. Practice catching yourself when you have a thought of what others want for you, and ask yourself, Does this expectation match up with my own? Shift your attention away from what other want or expect for you to how you want to live your life.

I hope that this gives you just few tools for making “shift” happen!

You are not meant to be sad, lonely, “un-fun”,angry, resentful, uninterested and closed off.   Take a few minutes to remember who you really are at your core…who you know you are meant to be!

You ARE meant to live a happy, healthy, juicy, sexy, vibrant, exciting, passionate, meaningful, curious and colorful life!  Together we will put these principles and more into practice to turn your new reality into the foundation for your amazing future!

What a month!

Were you affected by the Hurricane?  My town and home was hit pretty hard by Hurricane Irene and I was rendered without power for three days and without cable/internet for a week, so I have been a bit behind on my writing but was eager to write this for you today!

 While everyone in my family is safe, my property sustained significant damage and unfortunately, a major tree limb fell onto my car which is now at the shop waiting to be repaired! At least it can be repaired so I am grateful!

Something happened to me this summer that I didn’t think could or would happen to me again.  I experienced for the first time in many years, the feeling of a loss of control over my life.

 It is hard for me to even write this because although I recognized certain signs of stress and overwhelm, I never really saw it coming.

 This feeling a loss of control is really just a lack of connection with my own power of intention, a power that I not only take seriously, but practice each and every day.  So, imagine my surprise when I realized what had happened.

I am sharing this with you because it is so common when going through and moving forward after divorce, to lose this connection to the power of intention and its role in the creation of your new life. 

Given this summer’s economic issues and debt ceiling debates, the recent series of hurricane, tornado and floods, and any personal challenges you may be facing, it is highly likely that you may be experiencing the same feelings of anxiety, overwhelm and loss of control.

 Have you experienced any of these feelings lately?  How have you been managing them?

 Last year I read Dr. Wayne Dyer’s amazing book, The Power of Intention: Learning to Co-create Your World Your Way.   It is an incredible book that changed my life, and I have experienced amazing success as a result of practicing intention on a daily basis.  Last week I decided to read it again to more fully understand what happened, reconnect with it, and begin to teach it more diligently with YOU!

When we lose our connection to the Power of Intention, we have essentially allowed our “ego” (which is the idea that we construct about who and what we are and what we are capable of) to determine our life path.  We therefore no longer feel in control.

I found over the summer that my ego took over completely.  Through a series of personal challenges and outside forces, I allowed myself to get caught up in my own shit; mostly drama with my Ex, kids, friends and a number of limiting beliefs…ultimately leading me to forget to practice intention.  I continued to believe in it and talk about it, but I let my actions, words and attention drift to those things that shut down the ability for this incredible power to do its magic.

What did this look like?  Great question!

 I was:

• irritable and short-tempered
• focused on the issues, not the solutions to challenges
• placing my attention on limiting factors, not abundant possibilities
• using language and words that explained why I can’t instead of why I will
• emotional
• tired and depleted of energy
• out of “flow”

 Can you relate to any of these?

If you can, then you may be experiencing a lack of connection with your own Power of Intention.

The good news is that at any moment you can reconnect with it and harness its power to your advantage. 

I am going to share more about the power of intention and how to apply it to your life in next week’s Dzine, but I wanted to let you know that you are not alone.  It is easy to get caught up in our own ego, our own “stuff”, and disconnect from the very thing that will support us in creating this new and fabulous life.

When you learn to apply the Power of Intention in your own life, you will see dramatic results in turning your new reality after divorce into the foundation for an amazing future!

My NEW fall programs have all been designed to teach you how to apply this power to your own life, wherever you are in your journey.  Intention is even more powerful when we come together as a community of amazing women and support each other along the path to abundance. 

 I hope you will join me in one of the two teleclasses that I have put together, So, You’re Getting Divorced (for those who are just thinking about or beginning the divorce process) or Why Can’t I Get Over This (for those of you who are ready to propel yourselves forward after) and allow me the privilege of working with you.

And for those of you who are looking for a total transformation over the next year, consider participating in the Platinum Coaching program, Falling in Love with YOU and Your new Life, that is designed to radically transform all of the areas of your life!

I did it!

As I have already shared with you, the first half of the summer I found myself getting off track and had to refocus, reframe and regroup to get back on track.

For the past two and half weeks, my kid’s have been on a summer vacation with their father.  At first I was a bit emotional about the length of time that they would be away, especially because the three of us had just come off of a few weeks of more than usual conflict and unpleasantness. I never like separating from my kids when we are disconnected and emotionally charged so this was a challenge for me.

However, when I took some time to reflect, I realized that the Universe was granting me the opportunity to relax, reconnect with MYSELF, and process the events of the prior month.

I called each of my children, told them how very much I love them and was sorry that we had experienced such a difficult time, and shared with them that although I would miss them, that the two and a half weeks they would be away would be a great way for us all to regroup and meditate on all that had happened. I made a commitment to them that I would relax and reflect and that when vacation was over, we would sit down and talk about it looking forward not back…and without so much emotion.

So, what did I do you ask?

Well, I did exactly what I told my children (and myself) that I would do. I took these two and a half weeks without them as an opportunity to spend some time on all the areas of my life that need my attention. I took time to regroup, renew and reinvent…basically, to “walk my talk”!

I spent the first week refueling and regrouping. I went to bed early, slept late, caught up with household tasks, read a few books and in all ways simply relaxed!

The second week I devoted myself to catching up with friends, working on my strategic plan for The D Spot (including the awesome fall programs and events I have coming up!), and getting ready for the release of my book, which by the way is happening NOW!

You can now purchase the book directly from my website, http://www.discoverthedspot.com/book.php! The estimated ship date to you is August 20th!!!

I should add that weaved into both weeks, I carved out special time for my wonderful boyfriend and partner so that we could connect emotionally, physically and recreationally. As I move along my own journey after divorce, creating time to share experiences and play together with my intimate partner has become an important priority.

The last few days of these fabulous two and half weeks I spent reflecting on my kids and the relationship that I share with them. Recognizing that they are a little older now, it is apparent that it is time for me to take our relationship to a new, much more transparent level.

As I look back at the turbulence of the early weeks of summer, I realize that there is nothing holding me back from being exactly the mother that want to be and creating exactly the kind of relationship I want with them. Not their father, not lack of time, not lack of resources…only my fear and hesitancy to stand in my truth and set the standard I expect from them. I had fallen prey to my own limiting fears and beliefs, allowing myself to feel like a “victim”.

When we fall into a “victim mentality”, there is very little that will go our way.

It took this time away…time for quiet, reflection and honest communication with myself, to take back my power as a magnificent woman and mother!!

I feel rested, re-energized and re-committed to creating my ideal life as I move towards the last weeks of summer and into the fall.

I hope you join me in taking time over the month of August to reflect, prepare and plan for the fall!

This week we reach the end of June marking the middle of 2011. I thought it would be a good time to check in with you about how your year is going?

I take time every June to assess the first half of the year and begin planning for the second half.

So, how is it going?

Have you taken big, bold and courageous steps towards accomplishing the goals you set for 2011?

If you haven’t taken time to assess the first half of 2011, then it is time to do so! To help you do that, I have created a mid year worksheet to assist you:

Mid Year Worksheet

1. What are the goals you set for 2011?

2. What actions/steps have you taken to move you towards achieving each goal? Create a list of all of them!

3. Celebrate your accomplishments!!!!

4. What obstacles or challenges have you experienced that have prevented you from taking action towards achieving each goal?

5. What have these obstacles/challenges cost you?

6. What steps can you take TODAY to eliminate these obstacles/challenges?

7. Commit to taking these steps!!!

8. Are there any of your goals that you would like to revise or eliminate?

9. Are there any NEW goals that you would like to set for the second half of 2011?

10. Re-commit to your 2011 Goals and the actions you will take to achieve them!

Don’t worry if you find yourself on a slightly different path than you originally intended…as long as it is a path leading towards your new and exceptional life!

If it’s not, then it is time to explore where you are, where you want to be, and how you are going to get there. Reaching our goals takes discipline and focus so it important to recognize when we take our eyes off the road and make sure to get back on track as quickly as possible!

After you have completed the Mid Year Worksheet, take time one day to create a powerful vision board with all of your new and revised Goals on it! Decorate the board with images and words that inspire you to maximize the balance of 2011!!

This Friday is July 1st, the first day of the second half of the year.

And, I have good news for you!! July 1st is a New Moon! When the Moon is new, the Sun and Moon are aligned in the same sign, and a powerful energy portal is opened. New Moons are a great time to set intentions for things you’d like to create, develop, cultivate, make or manifest.

Congratulations on all that you have accomplished over the past six months! I command you to take time to celebrate all that you have done!

At the same time as you are celebrating, take a moment to re-commit to all that you want to do, be and create in the next six months. I know that you can make it happen because you are brilliant, bold and capable of doing anything you want!!!

On Monday, May 23, I woke up, went downstairs to my kitchen and discovered that the inside of my refrigerator was room temperature.

For any of you who have had this experience, it is a huge pain in the ass. Not even 6:00 in the morning, I was already feeling my stress level rising and anxiety setting in. How early could I call the appliance guy? Would I have to purchase a new refrigerator? How much of my food would I lose?

So, I climbed back upstairs to begin my day, first turning on the tv so that I could get the news of the day. When I turned on the news, I learned that a massive tornado had swept through Missouri, leveling a town called Joplin.

My heart sank. The devastation was extraordinary. Thousands of families were now without their homes, having lost everything. And for hundreds, their lives.

In that very moment, I realized that my broken refrigerator, which felt only minutes ago like a “mini disaster” in my life, was now no big deal. In fact, a feeling of complete gratitude swept over me.

On May 23rd I was reminded that how every challenge, obstacle or moment of adversity is experienced by us is dependent upon the lens that we are looking through.

What can one minute look and feel like a monumentous challenge or feeling of anxiety, can only moments later look completely different if we CHOOSE the meaning we apply to it.

Divorce can present numerous challenges and adverse situations. Whether a result of the legal process of divorce, financial challenges, co-parenting issues, or anything else, our ability to move through these experiences will depend on how we choose to frame them.

I recognize that while a broken refrigerator does not have the same emotional response as the challenges that come up around divorce, I know that we have far more to be grateful for than we often allow ourselves to feel. And that we can move through these challenges in way that minimizes our anxiety and pain.

Issues around infidelity, financial inequity, parental alienation and other painful experiences can create so many overwhelming emotions that we have difficulty finding a lens that will allow us to view these experiences with a different perspective.

Here are three tips to help you change your perspective when faced with a challenging situation:

Imagine a situation that could be worse than the one you are experiencing. While this might sound like advice a mother would give a child complaining about being “starving”, it can actually work when faced with adversity that feels overwhelming.  Ask yourself, what is something that would be far worse than the situation you are currently experiencing?

In the case of my refrigerator, turning on the news gave me a scenario that was far worse than what I was experiencing and immediately reframed my own situation.

Tap into gratitude. During the time of my divorce I was not always good at this. However practicing daily gratitude has helped me to improve my skills and become more comfortable tapping into it when facing difficult situations. Take a moment to ask yourself, is there something about this situation that you can feel grateful for?

While the thought of purchasing a new refrigerator was not something that made me happy, I realized how I could get a new one within 24 hours should I have needed to replace it. As it happens, all that was necessary was a part replacement and my worst case scenario didn’t come to pass.

Focus on options that you have rather than the emotions of the situation. When we are faced with a challenge while we are going through or moving forward after a divorce, it is easy to allow our frustration and emotions take over. We are often exhausted and depleted of energy, which lead us to feel emotionally overwhelmed. A helpful question to ask yourself is how can you manage your challenge in the most practical and efficient way to minimize any unpleasant emotions?

Even after I had seen the news of Joplin, I realized that I still had to deal with the refrigerator issue. Instead of focusing on what was going to happen if I had to replace it and all of its contents, I made a list of what I had to do to deal with it. First I had to call the appliance company and ask them to come out as soon as possible. When they could assess the situation and let me know what was wrong, I would the n take the next step.

During times of great transition, as with a divorce, we can experience more moments of challenge than normal. What happens when we run into an adverse situation is that we see it as “one more thing we have to deal with”, rather than a unique, individual moment. Each challenge becomes one of an ongoing series of challenges instead of one, single situation that can be managed with minimal overwhelm.

Remember this, you will never be given more to manage than you can handle!

How wonderful is that!  Once you know that you can and will successfully navigate any challenge that comes your way, it merely becomes a question of energy and endurance!

What is one challenge that you can reframe and manage with ease and grace? W

hat lens will you choose to look through the next time you face a difficult situation?

I look forward to hearing your personal stories!!!