Gold – March 23rd to April 12th

Posted on February 13, 2015

Let’s pay attention to how we practice knowing our worth.

Let’s talk about it.

Let’s play with what else is possible.

For 21 days we will explore our stories around worth and create practices that remind us we are solid + liquid + auric gold.

For 21 days, 5 women whose practice is to know their worth and who carry a deep desire for you to know yours {because when we ALL know our worth, new worlds are born} will share their stories, navigations and personal practices around worthiness.

The world needs you to shine your full worth. The worth that is already there, waiting and ready for you to see it. Know your worthiness, because that is the place we have our most powerful impact, individually and collectively.

Are you ready to say yes to your gold?

If you are, come join us.

Categories: General

Gold Interview – Ana Ottman

Posted on March 22, 2015

Ana Ottman helps creative entrepreneurs bring their vision to life through words. She’s the creator of My E-Letter Ally and also writes literary fiction. Get her more of her secrets and stories here.

How does your sense of worth affect you in your business?

My sense of worth is inseparable from how I operate my business. From deciding what to charge to creating project timelines to dreaming up new offerings, it all comes back to my belief in my own skills and the gifts I have to offer the world.

When your worth is shaken, what do you do to recalibrate?

I spend time by myself in my most restorative environments: my home, small spas, and nature. I journal, meditate, take baths, do yoga, get massages and energy work, hike, and move my body.

Does a sense of worth come easy for you or do you have to work at it? Has it always been that way? If it’s come easy why do you think that is, if it’s been work, what are the most powerful things you’ve done {or do} to really connect you to your sense of worth?

It has never come easy for me, and I think of it more like a choice I make every day than a one-time activity I can cross off my to-do list. The most powerful thing I’ve done to connect to my sense of worth is to spend time with myself, getting to know who I am when I’m not in relation to other people as a daughter, sister, girlfriend, and writer-for-hire. When I do that, I always come back to the sacred intuitive knowledge that I’m worthy just as I am, in this very moment, and that I have everything I need to create the vision I have for my life.

Ready to rock your worth? Join us for Gold a 28 day course where we will learn how to shine our full shine!Click here to register.

Categories: General

Rise up in Gold

Posted on March 21, 2015

As we get closer to our begin date for Gold, we have been distilling it down to the essence of so many things.

Worth is really about ownership of Self. Trusting the self. And moving deeper into that trust and intuition with every once of our being.

What a simple concept, right? It’s more of a life’s work and practice than anything else. We bring it down to Worth because it seems that with the owning of worth, areas of self-esteem, self-care, self-love begin to happen organically. When we figure out how damn important we are {and not in an entitled kind of way, but a self actualized kind of way} we just create the space to care for ourselves and others; because we get that we are worth it and it’s truly our responsibility to this world hold ourselves in a golden light.

you know……

you’re born with innate worth yet still struggle with receiving abundance in the form of love, money and energy, true partnership.

your are worth a life of full love + respect, but still seem to settle for less.

your body is entitled to nourishment, movement, + loving touch, yet they are so low on your priority list.

you are meant to be rooted in your worth and to grow from there.

your worth is connected to the expression of your creative work.

there’s a way for your practice around worth to create healthy boundaries, choices, and partnerships.

you can overcome these obstacles. that it may take time and practice, but it’s your time to become.

you are here to own your worth. and you are ready.

For this new moon. For this new season, the season of birth and opening our eyes and taking our first breath. How will you reclaim your worth? How will you own it even more? How will you rise up in ease and grace and become the You that You already are?

We’d love to have you in Gold to continue these conversations and practice all the ways we can step deeper into worth. Registration is open until March 24th at midnight pacific. Scholarships are available, we believe everyone is worth this process. Please require via our contact page.

Categories: General

Gold Interview – Flora Bowley

Posted on March 20, 2015

You carry your worth so gracefully and powerfully. It’s hard not to notice how you own your wild creativity in the arts and in business. Were you just born like that? Or did you have to re-learn how utterly radiant of a being you are and re-teach yourself that you are worth showing up in your power?

First of all, thank you! That is such a nice reflection.

Making art has always been my go-to happy place. I do believe I was born with this innate and insatiable desire to create, so whether it was seaweed jewelry, clay pots or paintings, I always had my hands in a creative project as a kid. Thankfully, I also had parents and teachers that encouraged me in my creative endeavors, so I grew up with a sense of “being good at art.”

This led me to art school, which led me to having shows at coffee shops, which eventually led me to thinking I could be a full-time artist. I’m still a little shocked that I got this idea in my head back in my early twenties, but honestly, it’s the one thing I was always super passionate about, so in that way it makes perfect sense. I figured with enough hard work and perseverance, it would eventually work out — which thankfully, it did!

So yes, being an artist has always been a pretty natural extension of who I am. However, being an art teacher, writer, “public persona” and business owner are certainly not so natural for me— quite the opposite in fact. The learning curve around each of those endeavors has been pretty steep because I’m actually quite shy. For example, filming the videos for my first e-course was completely out of my comfort zone. I had to dig so deep to show up like that and “be seen” by so many people. I was so afraid of looking bad, sounding stupid, you name it — the fear was hot.

I think the thing that has carried me through the fear over and over again is my sincere belief in the work that I do, and the deep knowing that what I do can help other people. Carrying that belief deep in my bones has always inspired me to keep moving forward, sharing my ideas and stepping up to the plate in ways that are still quite uncomfortable. If it’s a question of possibly looking stupid vs. making a difference, I’m always going to choose making a difference. Being in service has always been a major core value for me in this way.

Do you ever struggle with worth now? Like, do you ever put work out there and think it’s not worthy? Do you ever have a hard time naming your price for your work? If so, what are the things that seem to block it for you? Why do you think?

As for pricing, I’ve always priced my work according to what feels like a fair market prices, as well as the size of the piece which makes it really easy and unemotional. I have my price list and I stick to it. Again, not attaching a lot of stories to the prices and sales of my work has saved me an amazing amount of stress over the years.

I actually have way more anxiety around the teaching and writing aspects of my work now. Like I said before, these pursuits do not come as naturally, and I also tend to attach more self-worth to these offerings. I think it’s because my voice has always felt like a real place of vulnerability and teaching and writing focus people’s attention right on that core insecurity.

That said, the more I write and teach, the easier it becomes. I’m even starting to feel pretty comfy in front of a video camera these days which is a HUGE breakthrough for me. I’m always telling my students that the only way to feel more comfortable painting is to show up and practice — to do the work, so to speak. This could not be more true for me in terms of showing up to share my love of painting with others in a public sort of way. It just gets easier and easier the more I do.

What are your practices around holding your worth high?

I have quite a few practices that all contribute to a well-balanced body, mind and spirit. I find if I can come from this place of simply feeling good, it’s so much easier to own my worth and really carry it on my sleeve. I practice yoga regularly and lately I’ve been really into Bootcamp classes that leave me super sweaty and energized. There’s something about occupying my body in this really intense way that bolsters my confidence. I’m sure it has something to do with endorphins and oxygen, and well, abs

I also find that having a consistent creative practice allows me to “walk my talk” in a way that’s really important to me. For example, pursuing what I’m actually feeling really lit up about at any given time vs. doing what I think other people want or expect keeps me connected to my purpose, and aligning with my purpose, keeps my worthiness intact. I find there’s a really powerful feedback loop there.

What would be your advice for creatives of all types to show up in their worth, to own their brilliance and to know that they are just as worthy as anyone else and are worth being seen?

Gosh I could go on and on about this one. The more I teach painting, the more I realize how much the creative process is all about self-love. I can talk all day long about color and composition, but when a student steps in front of a canvas, the most important thing is their ability to trust their own voice, intuition and ideas. This often boils down to self-worth on a deeper level.

However, the importance of practice and patience also play a huge role in self-confidence and self-worth. I see so many people these days wanting to suddenly make a booming career out of their creative passion, but this kind of transition actually requires a lot of time, hard work and dedication. If you rush this process, it’s easy to question your worth because you simply might not be at the level you want to be at, and that can be really unsettling.

Ira Glass talks about the gap that exists between having good taste and having the skills to create what your good tastes desire, and it’s so true. The gap is where the practice needs to happen, but the practice is also a wonderful part of the creative process. It’s when the cultivation of your unique style really happens, like a good marinade!

I believe we all have infinite creative potential, but showing up and flexing those muscles is a key part of feeling successful and worthy. Also remember to surround yourself with conscious loving people, write positive affirmations on your walls, resist the urge to compare yourself to others and remember your timing is absolutely perfect. You’ve got this. You’re awesome.

xo

Flora Bowley is an internationally celebrated painter, workshop facilitator, creative pioneer and author of Brave Intuitive Painting. Combining twenty years of professional painting experience with her background as a yoga instructor, massage therapist and lifelong truth seeker, Flora’s visionary approach to the creative process invites brave spontaneous expression, while honoring the connection between body, mind and spirit. Flora’s unique and holistic approach to the creative process has inspired thousands of people worldwide to “let go, be bold and unfold.” Flora lives among a vibrant community of artists in Portland, OR www.florabowley.com

~*~

Join us for Gold a 28 day course where we will learn how to shine our full shine!
Click here to register.

Categories: Guidess

Gold Interview – Theresa Reed

Posted on March 17, 2015

Q: You bring such clarity to your work. From the way you communicate your offerings to what you charge {which is a form of communication, isn’t it} to your readings? How is your worth impacted by this, or is it your sense of worth that fuels this clarity?

A: It all comes down to my sense of worth. I come from a family of hard workers and work was always valued above everything else. Every member of my family loves to work and we’re all lucky because we have careers that we happen to love. As a child, we never had much money but my parents were adamant that we had allowances based on our effort. I worked the hardest so I always had the biggest allowance. This taught me early on that my good efforts deserved to be rewarded well, which really helped me as an entrepreneur working in a quirky industry. I know that I work very hard to deliver a kind, reliable service and that allows me to show up with courage in my work.

When you value your self and your work, it’s much easier to transmit your value and to claim your rewards. The most important thing that every woman can learn is to value what she brings to the table, whether she is an entrepreneur, sister, wife, mother, CEO, friend, nurse, teacher, healer, etc. Everyone has some good work that needs to be respected. Own that and bring your best forward, every day.

Q: Your products tend to be such a huge success, if that ever isn’t the case, does it trip you up? Tangle your sense of worth? If not, what scenarios or areas of life are the ones that can trip you up in terms of your worth from time to time?

A: Selling out is never my priority so it doesn’t impact me if an offering sells out or doesn’t. My mission is sincere and simple: I want to provide services that help people and I do my very best in that regard. At times, my offerings may not resonate – other times, they do. When they sell out, it’s nice. When they don’t, it’s not a problem because the people that need it will have it and those who don’t, won’t. I’m perfectly fine with that and actually pretty Zen about my business.

The situations in life that might trip me up from time to time revolve around dishonesty. I’m very sensitive to it and have a hard time not taking it personally when someone lies to me. I am a straightforward woman and when someone feels a need to be less than honest, it makes me feel like they don’t value me enough to give me their truth. In my close relationships, I want 100% honesty, even if it hurts. That level of directness says that you honor me enough to show up completely.Q: When you’re sense of worth is disconnected, what’s your practice for getting back in alignment. Rooted in the truth of the gold you are?

A: Meditation and yoga are lifesavers for me. Getting into my body and down to my core reminds me that I am a divine being. A divine being is good and gold. We are all divine beings and if we remember that, we have less trouble connecting to our worth.

Another good practice is to spend time with people with whom you share a healthy bond. Toxic relationships bring us down to the lowest common denominator, while healthy ones lift our spirits and remind us how good we are. Feel free to release the negative people who waste time and energy with low-vibe talk, constant snark, bitterness, and cruelty. When you keep that out of your energy field, you’ll feel more rooted in your own goodness. Don’t let anyone drag you down. Liberate yourself from that.What else?

We’re all ears… Tell us anything you’d like….

A: Of course, you know I’m going to say a little something about tarot and astrology here. I’ve been a long time reader of both and I’ve found that mystical tools can be a wonderful way to do some deep diving and clarity work. Those tools help you to see where you are, what may come, and what might serve you best. I feel they help me to live more consciously. When you are aware of the energy, your actions, and the possibilities around you, you can transform your life into one that is healthy, happy, and clear. And when you operate from that space, your struggles with self worth are minimal. Seek a spiritual answer with whatever tools you prefer (prayer, meditation, numerology, art, etc) and let that help you to find the gold within. It’s there. You just have to seek it out by looking within.

Theresa Reed “The Tarot Lady”

As a Catholic schoolgirl with a superstitious mother and a grandma who felt omens like other folks feel arthritis, it’s not too surprising that Tarot, astrology & other intuitive arts would become my driving fascination — and my life’s work.

I picked up my first Tarot deck at age 15, and kick-started my career by performing readings on my little sister (most of her questions were about the cute boys in class. Some things never change.) Thirty years later, I’ve done readings on thousands of clients — from police officers to recovering addicts to new mothers to angst-ridden teens. I’m fascinated by the complexity of individual cause-and-effect, and I’m devoted to helping people make better decisions — and lead happier lives.

I believe that nothing is fated, that everything is fluid — and that the cards have the power to inspire courageous, life-affirming action. But only if you honor your emotional & intuitive reactions for what they really are — a quiet, guiding intelligence.

~*~
Ready to rock your worth? Join us for Gold a 28 day course where we will learn how to shine our full shine!Click here to register.

Categories: General

Gold Interview with Lindsay Luna

Posted on March 16, 2015

Have you always had a strong sense of your worth?

I think deep down, yes. But like any diamond in the rough or undiscovered gold mine- I’m still excavating that self worth. I think self worth builds up overtime. As we grow and mature. Our life experiences can either encourage a strong sense of self worth or destroy it and I am too stubborn to let anything destroy my worth.

Did it come easy and natural for you or have you had to cultivate your sense of self worth?

My garden of self worth has been a mess of rocks and weeds. I’ve had to add a lot of good shit to the soil in order to get things growing. And continual care of that garden is one I have had to give myself permission to nurture. I’m constantly pruning and trimming, cultivating and seeding. It’s hard work, but at the end of the day When I look at the life I have created and the experiences I have been through- my self worth is glittering!

Why do you think this is?

I think it all starts when we are young. Our family dynamics and what we are taught by our parents, teachers, role models, etc. can have a tremendous affect on how we value ourselves. I saw a lot of self criticism growing up.

I think subconsciously it sunk in and I never thought I would amount to much. As a youngster I was constantly belittling myself and putting myself in negative situations. I did not know how to own my worth. I’ve had to work very hard to chip away at the BS I had grown to believe about myself and put and end to perpetual familial cycles of shame, guilt and criticism.

What is your practice around staying in touch with your worth?

I’m a mother. I have too. I would be heartbroken if my children grew up thinking they were not the priceless gems I know them to be. Not saying I am a perfect example all the time, but if they see me or their father shaming or devaluing ourselves- what is it going to teach them?

I make time in the midst of daily chaos for self care – be it a cup of tea, a hot bath or good tussle with Mother Nature. But the one thing that helps me stay in touch with my self worth more than anything else- random acts of kindness. It makes me feel priceless!

Lindsay discovered her love of plant medicine at 15. Stashing away books on aromatherapy, herb magic, lore and healing arts.

Lindsay also studied and practiced massage therapy and Ayurvedic wellness therapies. Lindsay advanced her education in body therapies, clinical Ayurvedic herbal treatments and yoga.

Lindsay is always learning, researching and applying her knowledge of herbs in her family’s daily life.

Living on a rural small farm in the Pacific Northwest has given Lindsay a deeper appreciation for the enchanting realm of plant medicine and energy. As a grower of many herbs, Lindsay has developed an educated and natural instinct when it comes to knowing what plant medicines are necessary for well – being.

Concocting magical brews to help heal a broken heart or spirited medicines to assist with wellness.

http://www.danmalateas.com

~*~

Join us for a 21 day course where we will strive to deepen our relationship to our worth through conversation, practices, prompts and community.

Categories: Guidess

Grounded – By Galia Alena

Posted on March 16, 2015

The earth below her feet was solid and deep and still, but she couldn’t feel it. She was scattered above to the four corners of the compass, dancing a tango in the east and a salsa in the west, exhausted and out of step, for who can dance without a body. Only a thin invisible silk ribbon held her to her centre, a stillness waiting for her to return. And how she wanted to; she reached for it, hand out stretched, grasping, almost clawing and then an updraft caught her and she was gone.

And atop a cloud she found a pond, clear and crystal, her face reflected unmoving as she danced above. Lured within, she slipped deeply, falling back to her centre where she was once again able to dance in sync with the flow of the earth’s waters – her waters – still and calm within the movement.

Questions to help you delve into your own truths around grounding:

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What does "grounded" mean to me?
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How do I feel when I'm grounded?
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How do I experience being ungrounded?
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What makes me disconnect from feeling grounded?

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What do I need to do to stay grounded?
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What are some quick or easy ways I can access that sense of being grounded?

~*~

Categories: General

Gold Interview with Elena Lipson

Posted on March 15, 2015

1. Being a glorious divine self care mentor, what does worth have to do with self care? Is it a result of self-care? Or something that must be owned before one can care for the self? Or do they just happen together?

I’ve thought about this question often, especially with the women I work with both on retreats and in my programs. I’ve wondered … do you need to generate a bit of self-worth to truly take deep soul level care of your mind, body and soul.

Or, is it that you need to have a full well of self-worth in order to awaken the confidence to own your time, your voice and your truth so you can CLAIM what you need.

What I’ve learned is that there’s a divine-goddess within each of us. She knows just what we crave, yearn for and need on the deepest levels. And depending on the story of your ancestors, family of origin and the messages you received over a lifetime, particularly when you were growing up, this inner-goddess becomes hidden behind shadows of self-doubt and subtle cues of what’s “right”, “acceptable” and “polite” to ask for … even from our own selves.

This inner-divine-goddess knows exactly how you want to be touched, what you love to spend your days thinking about and how you want to move through the world..

This goddess, this inner-knowing of your needs peeks out every once in a while. She whispers to you in the early hours of the morning planting seeds of desire. You know those moments when you get angry enough to finally ask for what you need; when you’re slammed with your back against the wall and you say ‘fuck this … I’ve had enough’.

That’s when you grab the bits of confidence and claim what you need without apology. You begin to stake your claim on your life and put yourself first. You start to say YES to yourself and NO to others.

And so this voice gets louder, the goddess and your self-worth is lit up. Self-care becomes a mission, a way of thinking and feeling into what you need most in each moment.

In some ways then, self-worth and self-care are soul-twins and can be birthed together to create a powerful path.

2. I believe inherently we are all just born Worthy, and yes with a capitol W! But somehow we lose sight of that golden divine light and purpose. So our worth never leaves us, but it seems that “things” just get in the way, block our view, trigger us to believe some other kind of story about ourselves. What are the things {in yourself and your clients} that you often see standing between someone and their worth?

For so many women there is an inherent and deeply embedded idea about being good, polite and pleasing others. Even grown women who have their own successful businesses, careers and families are still holding on to old stories about themselves, about asking for what they need and feeling like they need to justify there existence in some way. Like just BEing present is not enough.

This WORTHINESS can come in the form of making money, being tidy, cooking perfect meals, being available for friends, family and co-workers whenever asked.

There are so many stories we see our own mothers play out in terms of self-worth. Stories about being perfect, being pretty, being nice and being tidy. Layer this with the external messages from the mainstream media about how women should look, act and feel, and you end up with the perfect storm of low-self worth.

So many women that I’ve worked with get stuck in indecision because they were never told that we are simply worthy because we are. Nobody tells us that we should go grab what we want … so we wait for permission. We wait for someone to tell us we have a good idea, a valid opinion and permission to take action.

I see this loop being broken with so many mothers and daughters now. So many women are honoring themselves and teaching their girls be embodying self-worth. And this is MAGIC!

3. How do you work through that? What are your practice around worth? What are worth practices you share in your business?

It’s my passion to help women get out of their head and back into their divine-body so they can improve intimacy, divine connection, and self-love in life, business and the bedroom.

I do this with a signature program that includes simple and powerful practices around creating sacred space, morning and evening self-care rituals and re-connecting with a deep level of intimacy and pleasure. The result is more joy, more play and becoming magnetic in life and work.

For example, one of the first things we explore is creating a sacred space such as an altar to create a focal point for reconnecting with that inner voice. Then we get into areas such as self-expression, clearing out any stuck energy in your life and creating a circle of support.

We start from the inside out and help to re-write those old scripts we’ve been carrying around way too long.

I’ve been refining and practicing everything I teach for over a decade. It’s absolutely powerful.

4. Talk to me about how incredibly important it is to have worth practices, to own our worth, and to show up in the world knowing we are nothing less than gold?

There’s something so beautiful, powerful and truly magnetic about a women walking in the world owning her worth. She knows how to love deeply, give freely and speak her truth.

When a woman is standing in her worth, she won’t stay silent when she has something to say. She will ask questions that need to be asked, create art that needs to be seen and give opinions that need to be heard.

A woman standing in her worth experiences fear, self-doubt and sadness … but these fleeting emotions only inform her … they never stop her.

We need women standing in their own worth to continue to create change, to stir shit up, to raise confident children and to light up the darkness.

Ready to rock your worth? Join us for Gold a 28 day course where we will learn how to shine our full shine!Click here to register.

Elena Lipson is the Divine Self-Care Mentor, transformational coach, retreat leader and creator of the 21 Days of Radical Self-Care Rituals online experience. Through her coaching, retreats, and programs, Elena works with women all over the world to become the #1 asset in their life, business and the bedroom so they can reconnect to their purpose and passion.

Elena has lived in Russia, NYC, California and today happily enjoys the green trees and fresh air of the Pacific Northwest with her amazing husband, zen-kiddo and sweet-soul pup Chi-Chi. You can learn more about her and her work at www.elenalipson.com

FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/YourDivineSelfCareMentor
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Categories: Guidess

Gold Interview with Brian Andreas

Posted on March 13, 2015

If anything, what stands between you and your worth? What are the stories you tell yourself that often stop you from fully owning your worth?

Hmm. It’s an interesting question about worth, because what immediately comes up for me is another question: what is worth & what is value? So, maybe I’ll start with a finer distinction for myself here between the two. Value is more something that you offer to other people, while worth is something I experience internally. For whatever reasons, I think I’ve always had a pretty good sense of my worth. My bigger struggle has been with expressing the value of the potential self I feel pressing inside me. There’s an apocryphal quote from Leonardo da Vinci on his deathbed: I could have done more. On those days I’m feeling less than, this is the internal dialogue: how can I be wasting all this time & energy doing nothing? (you’d think by now I’d be better about stopping that, since that dialogue never really accomplishes much other than have me dig my heels in & avoid for a little bit longer. HA.)

My sense is that value & worth & identity are all in a dance together. So, lately, as I feel my identity becoming more transparent, I have less attachment to who I think I am. I’m becoming even more interested in simply being here & being alive. (If that’s possible. Which it seems to be. Which leaves me often in a state of bemusement at how little I’ve known all along…)

This is not to say that I never tangle with worth, or the stickiness of not-worth, or not-worthy. It’s more to say that as my identity gets less pinned to my beliefs about who I am, or what I’ve learned I’m good at, or how I imagine people expect me to show up on a more-or-less regular basis, the more my identity gets less interesting to me. The less interesting my identity becomes, the less I’m concerned about worth. It’s a funny thing, but worth (in my experience) is very much tied to who I think I am. It’s an idea I have about myself that only allows a small part of me to come out & play. If I have an identity that says I’m always positive & focused on love & connection, well, what happens on those days when I’m a little frazzled & a little disconnected? It seems those are the days I grit my teeth more & muscle through & repeat my favorite affirmations about how it’s all perfect & nothing’s a problem & I miss the very thing that is bubbling up to the surface. On the days I’m feeling disconnected, I miss an opportunity to go deeper, to snuggle closer to that part of me that’s feeling bereft & isolated & disconnected. Yet, getting closer is really the only way to find out what’s going on…

It just struck me: perhaps worth is entirely interwoven with our idea of who we think we are. Perhaps worth is something that we’ve learned to use as a carrot & a stick, so it’s another one of those excruciating tools our egos use to keep us chained to an unattainable idea of perfection. Perhaps if we give up the idea of who we think we are, then worth is something that dissolves entirely. Hmmm.

Because let’s face it. We’re evolving, now more than ever & when we really tangle with what that means, there is no such thing as perfection. There’s only becoming. There is falling & getting up. There is ecstasy when we listen closely to our hearts. There is joy when we land here in this present moment with whatever is actually here & real & true. So, maybe it’s time we wrap our minds around that & move ourselves into a post-worth consciousness. I like that.

I remember in college running into my psychology professor. We talked a bit about what I was planning for my future. I don’t remember a word of it & that’s probably good. What I remember most is his answer: it is simple when you are young. You are either your parents or you are not your parents. I walked away with my head spinning a little bit. If that was the case, all these beliefs I had about how I was forging my own path, how I was making my own decisions, was laughable. I could see the truth of his words, how often I made my decisions because I agreed with my parents’ point of view on me & how often I made a contrary decision because I was going to prove that I was different. (In the interest of full disclosure, I often chose the contrary simply because, well, you are not the boss of me. Even all these years later, that runs me more often than I care to admit…)

But that either/or thing of you are your parents or not your parents applies to so much more. How often are we either the thing we believe we are, or not the thing we believe we are? As if it’s that black & white. My idea of myself is something I either use to pat myself on the back, or flay myself because I’m not reaching my idea of my potential. It’s so much more relaxing to be, to trust that the universe has me here at this place & this time because I’m necessary to the function of the whole. Maybe my idea of my worth is only a small entry point into my true worth. Which, too be fair, I may never really grasp entirely. (because, really, how many times of late have I seen that what I thought I was up to wasn’t really what I was up to. That, to me, is one of the many joys of getting life experience…)

I’ve been at this living business for awhile now & there are still moments as I go through my days when I’ll encounter something I haven’t looked at closely. But as I sit with it, often I’ll see how I’ve been trying to hold myself to an idea of who I should be, instead of celebrating who I actually am. Because who I am is someone who really, truly loves being in this life. Someone who loves to sit in the early morning sun & sip tea & watch the hummingbirds. Someone who loves to take a few days after a particularly intense project to read urban fantasy novels until I feel ready to come back. Someone who loves to get a box of red licorice & watch a Steven Segal film now & then because there are only so many nuanced relationship films I can handle before I just want to see something blow up. Someone who loves to let my sweet animal self come out & take my beloved & put her up against a wall & ravish her with my mouth & my teeth & my body. I have always been Life & Love in human form. Sometimes I forget that. I try to forget it as little as possible nowadays.

What are all the ways you know you are worth gold?

I’m going to say that I have a constant voice of Love with a capital L in me that tells me: you are here, you are loved, you are exactly what I need for the thing only you can do. The funny thing now is that that voice has always been there. Always. It’s just clearer nowadays since I’m more aware of it & more willing to listen for it & not jump to conclusions about how anything else matters.

So, I don’t really need to concern myself with what I think about my worth. I just need to get out of the way & let Love love me, let Love act with this body & mind & heart. The larger Self that I’m part of would not have it any other way.

But it’s funny. Just yesterday I went to our local Farmers Market & I was breezing through, stopping to chat with people, enjoying the sun & ocean breeze on my skin, laughing easily because there was so much deliciousness purring in the air. At some point, I noticed how people were responding to the Love that was pouring through me. It wasn’t mine. It wasn’t me loving. It truly was Love using me to be in the world in simple ways. Utterly relaxed & present. But here’s the funny thing. When I noticed it, my mind got involved & decided that it’d be helpful & push a little bit into that. Suddenly, I started having second thoughts, wondering if I should say something else, wondering if I should laugh at that response. It was so crystal clear in that moment that I was in the way of Love itself. Fortunately, Love was having none of it. It said Shhh, relax & be with me here. Feel the sun & the wind & the hum of people talking. Taste the strawberries & see the light on these beautiful beings who are here with you & everything got very quiet & I got back to the business of living.

I think your worth is like that. When you start getting your mind involved, weighing & slicing & dicing & comparing & being helpful around how you could be worth more, or that at least you’re worth more than some of the other people you know, ad nauseum, you’re not letting who you truly are come out to play. Let’s be clear on this one: who you truly are is a gift beyond measure. Anybody who says differently, refer them to me & we’ll have a talk…;-)

What are your practices around worth? What do you do when you feel less than gold and hold yourself back from showing up?

Meditating. Walking on the beach. Drawing & writing regularly, because that’s how I see who I’m becoming & what I think about that. Drinking tea & watching the wind play with the grasses on the mountainside. Seeing my beloved as she moves through the house & delighting in the feel of her energy as it mixes with mine.

Maybe you’ve noticed that these aren’t specifically practices around worth. They’re practices around being here. Around experiencing what’s actually here. Because I find that is what it takes to get me out of the way of what Love wants of me. & that’s the real practice for me.

Not long ago, I wrote a story that I think captures this sense of getting out of the way of the thing, the worth if you want to call it that, that wants to express through me: It’s harder to doubt when Love is there in everything, whispering Come, let’s make a world together & my heart sings back full-throated & strong knowing this is what we are born to do.

As an artist/creator/muse what kind of love/thoughts/wisdom could you offer people who don’t feel worthy to share their creations with the world?

When you learned to walk as a baby, did you spend any time at all worrying about whether you should do it, or not? Did you say to yourself, I’m not very good at this, so I’m going to keep it to myself? No. You got up. You fell. You laughed. You got up. You fell. You got up. You stayed up. You fell. On & on until finally you were walking consistently.

Here’s the thing: you have an idea about how good you are & I can promise you that no matter what you think, you’re wrong. Because you act like that idea is permanent & fixed. That however good you are, however much talent you have at this moment is all the talent you have. It truly is like learning to walk. You get better at it as you do it. No amount of thinking about walking ever got a child up & walking. No, clearly, learning to walk is about getting up & trying it.

Your idea about your worth, or the worth of what you create is simply that: an idea. You’re the one who’s decided that you’re not as good as Picasso. Or Elizabeth Gilbert. Or Bono. Or whoever’s the one you hold up as a model. You’ve also decided that since you’re not as good as that idea you have, you’re going to stop Love from creating & flowing out of you, from bending you to its own purposes. You’ve decided that you know better than Love what it needs in order to lift the entire world higher & higher.

How utterly arrogant & absurd. You have the impulse to create & laugh & sing & dance (& really, to be clear, it’s all laughing & singing & dancing when you get down to it.) Trust that. Trust that Love wants that as much as you. Take the time to come close to the shadow that says you are not worthy. Really come close & look at it & see whose voice that is. Because there’s one more thing I can promise you when you get close & personal with it: that voice is not the voice of your heart. That voice is not the voice of your essential self that loves you. It is a voice you learned from someone else & that voice is a lie.

That said, don’t get confused about the level of artistry of your creation. Like a child learning to walk, you may not be very good at first. So what? Really, who the fuck cares. Create because it brings you joy. Create because you want to give something to someone you love that tells them how you feel. Create because you have ten minutes while you’re waiting in the line at the DMV & if you have to listen one more time to Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head you’re going to scream. It’s your life. Use it. Enjoy it. Create with it. Feel it. I know many artists & musicians & you want to know the truth? Not one of them was any good in the beginning. It took years of doing the thing they loved, doing it over & over again. Listening closely to the thing inside that guided them towards their own genius. Messing that up sometimes when they decided to ignore their own voice & listen instead to other people tell them what was more popular, or profitable. Coming up against the bleak realization that their own path was going to be different because doing it the way everyone else thinks was killing them. Finally letting go & simply doing the work & letting that be enough.

If I had to put it into one simple phrase, it’d be this: you have no idea how good you are because you’re spending too much time listening to some other idea of how good you aren’t. Stop that.:-)

Go out & let Love love you. We all can’t wait to see who you become…

with love, b

“if you want to be more creative, do things that make you feel more alive”

Brian Andreas, the internationally recognized artist & writer behind storypeople, said those exact words in a talk he gave not long ago. it’s easy to see that same philosophy at play in his work over the past twenty years; no matter what the medium, it’s filled with laughter & an unabashed love for this world we’re making together. For those of you that have read any of his twelve books, hundreds of colorful story prints & his more-or-less daily Instagram posts, you may think you know him. We can tell you this: You. Have. No. Idea. Equal parts gentle Zen monk & wildly exuberant child, bubbling over with laughter & love & snark, he kind of feels like being in your favorite place, if your favorite place moved around every year, or so. If you’ve never encountered him before this, now is a very good time to start…

You can find Brian and his art at http://www.storypeople.com

Categories: General

Power of Vulnerability – By Rosalyn Fay

Posted on March 13, 2015

“I don’t believe I’m good enough.”

At that moment, she took my hands, leaned in close, looked deep in my eyes and said, Rosalyn, what you are experiencing is something that all women feel.”

That statement completely surprised me. I had felt so alone in those feelings for so long, but in that moment of knowing, I felt connected to all men in a way I never had before.

Once I understood that this was a universal feeling, and I could show this vulnerability, my relationships with my friends and family deepened, and my work of telling women’s stories took on a whole new meaning. It was definitely an “Ah-ha” moment to realize more clearly that the women I filmed on True Colors TV were expressing their vulnerability, whether it be through songwriting, fire dancing, painting or blogging – and that that creative process was allowing them to express themselves and connect with the world on a deeper level.

On the outside we all look like we’ve got it all together. We’ve gotten pretty good at dressing it all up, but underneath we’re all in various stages of healing. That begins to shift when we realize we’re not alone, that we all have the same fears, the same desires. We all want to feel “good enough.”

We want to feel safe in expressing all of who we are.

We get there by making a personal commitment to getting real with each other about who we are and what we’re going through. We do that by sharing ourselves more often, sharing those underlying limiting beliefs we have about ourselves that keep us feeling unsafe, isolated, and alone. By shedding light on these shadow aspects of ourselves, they lose their potency and stranglehold on us. It also automatically creates safety with the people we are with. It connects us on a deeper level and gives permission to share truth and to be seen. And you know what? It spreads! Let’s take a minute and imagine a world where girls and boys are raised to freely express their feelings, a world where they are seen, acknowledged, and accepted for who they are. Imagine a world where children don’t grow up hiding their uniqueness and brilliance because everyone around them is playing small. Imagine a world where women feel seen, accepted and whole. Imagine the impact socially.

The Dalai Lama is right.

We truly do have the power as women to change the world. It all starts with this very simple thing. Share your story. You’ll probably be surprised by what the woman in front of you has to say in return.

~*~
Join us for a 21 day course where we will strive to deepen our relationship to our worth through conversation, practices, prompts and community.

Categories: Contributor

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Gold Interview with Alexandra Franzen

Posted on March 12, 2015

Is a strong awareness of self worth something that’s come easy and natural for you or have you had to cultivate it?

It’s definitely not something that has been easy for me.
Growing up in a household packed with “world class artists” and “ultra high achievers” left me feeling lost and not particularly valuable — especially as a teenager and in my early twenties.
It took time — and lots of awkward self-discovery — to change my attitude.

Why do you think that is?

Here’s my backstory:

I was born into a family where everyone seemed to have everything “figured out.” (This wasn’t 100% accurate, but as a child, that’s how it looked and felt to me.)

My mom always wanted to be a professional singer.

My dad always wanted to work as an attorney.

My older brother always wanted to be a musician.

And so on.

Everyone had a “thing” or a “talent” or a “job title” that was clear and specific.

Everyone was doing something highly valuable, highly artistic, or highly impressive.

Except me.

Weird, introverted, shy, sensitive, existential-crisis-every-single-week… me.that — every day! Why would someone want to pay me to do that? It’s not a particularly valuable skill, I thought to myself. Not like the skills that the other people in my family have got.

For years — most of my early twenties, actually — I agonized over this.

I felt like I wasn’t interesting, like I wasn’t special, like I didn’t have any valuable gifts to offer the world.

I can’t pinpoint the exact “moment” that my attitude shifted, but somewhere along the journey… it did.

Eventually, I began to understand that being “valuable” and being “worthy” of love and respect doesn’t really have anything to do with your “job title.

It’s not about what you do for a living, what’s on your resume, or what’s printed on your business card.

It’s about how you choose to show up in the world.

Do you show up as someone who is consistently compassionate? Kind? Generous? Reliable? Gracious? Patient? Expressive? Are you a good listener? Do you strive to leave other people in better condition than you found them?

These, to me, are the kinds of spiritual and emotional qualities that make someone “valuable.”

Once I understood this, it quadrupled my self esteem.

I began saying to myself:

“I am valuable. I am worthy. I am important. Right now. Why? Because I have the power to make somebody else’s day — or life — better. Right now. Not necessarily by doing any ‘flashy’ or ‘newsworthy.’ Simply by choosing to speak and behave and relate… with love.”

What’s your most powerful practice for strengthening your sense of worth?

Every single day, I try to leave the people I meet in better condition than when I found them — through my words and my actions.

It’s playful a game that never ends.

“How can I inspire this person?” “I wonder if I could get my barista to crack a smile?” “How could I insert a little more love into this email?”
The options are infinite.

There is always a way to add more love, more gold, more value to the world.

When I do this? That’s when I feel an unshakable sense of self worth.

-Alex

Alexandra Franzen runs a communication agency & works as a ghostwriter, speechwriter and occasional poet. She believes that the point of being human is to leave the world in better condition than you found it. Learn more about Alexandra’s current projects at AlexandraFranzen.com.

~*~
Ready to rock your worth? Join us for Gold a 28 day course where we will learn how to shine our full shine!Click here to register.

Categories: General, Guidess

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