Leading Visions to Action: Leadership and Sustainable Business Development

New WordPress site : www.sherylsever.com

2008-08-16T10:10:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Andrew Peterson, I have moved my weblog to a WordPress format. Please visit me there. I need help with uploading plug-ins, etc into a 3-column Wordpress template. Also looking for someone to create a banner for me that can be used on weblog and other materials.

I'm still on quite a learning curve and welcome your participation.

Writer to Expert: New Offerings for Fall 2008

2008-08-13T16:34:00.001-07:00

New Offerings for Fall 2008

Writing for Change TeleCourse
From Author to Expert, $395

In just 9 hours, learn how to transform your content and expertise into education for change with teleseminars, workshops, retreats and class series.

Dates:
Mondays: Nov. 3-24, 2008 (6:00-7:30) PST
OR Dec. 1-22, 2008 (6:00-7:30) PST

In this teleseminar, you will learn:

• Ways to design, structure, and pace a teleseminar, workshop, or course series using methodologies, techniques, and a variety of fun, engaging activities that deliver your message with authenticity impact, and spark.

• How to organize, layer, and present your content and adapt your delivery for podcasts, tele-seminars, AND workshops with losing focus and intention.

• Ways to create and lead experiential activities that encompass the full spectrum of adult learning and cross-cultural modalities.

• Tools for objectively evaluating the success of your workshop or seminar and strategies for future development and marketing.

ABOUT:

Sheryl R. Sever (aka COACH SHERA) is a creative business and learning consultant with nearly 20 years international experience in sales, marketing, corporate training, and courseware production. Her professional experience includes senior consulting positions with McGraw-Hill Publishers, Addison-Wesley Longman, UC Berkeley English Language Program and San Francisco State University Professional Development programs.
She is the Executive Editor of the 2006 Sustainable World Sourcebook, a member of the Global Facilitators team for the Awakening the Dreamer Initiative, and is committed to helping entrepreneurs and leaders develop and thrive in sustainable businesses and communities.

Individual consultations also available.

For more information and to register, call 510.336.9161
e-mail: coachshera@gmail.com
www.sherylsever.com
SKYPE: Sheralot

Writing for Change- San Francisco- Aug 16-17

2008-07-25T23:06:00.000-07:00

In May, I attended the Book Expo of America in Los Angeles, where along with many authors and publishers, I met Tyson Miller, Director of the Green Press Initiative, and Julie Salisbury from InspireABook.

Julie and I are exploring a collaboration that weave our passions for writing, international travel, and socially responsible business with our clients' desires to grow their businesses, publish and thrive!

Please come to our session at the WRITING for CHANGE Conference on Aug. 17 at 10:00 AM at the Hotel Kabuki in San Francisco. Julie will be presenting "Transform Yourself from Writer to Author" with a demonstration from her InspireABook program. Adding to Julie's curriculum, I will present other options for content production, and the value this brings to proposal submissions.

Click here for more information and to register.

Turning the Wheel- The Great Turning

2008-07-25T21:40:00.000-07:00

The most remarkable feature of this historical moment on Earth is not
that we are on the way to destroying the world-
we've actually been on the way for quite a while.
It is that we are beginning to wake up, as from a millennia-long sleep,
to a whole new relationship to our world, to ourselves and each other.

-Joanna Macy, author World as Lover, World as Self

The Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream Initiative held it's second Global Gathering on the campus of Mills College in Oakland, CA on June 26-29.

Nearly 200 committed facilitators (including me) from four continents ,along with guest speakers Lynne Twist, Brian Swimme, and Joanne Macy , among others, gathered to re-affirm, apply, and expand our commitment to an environmentally sustainable, socially just, spiritually fulfilling presence on this planet as the guiding principle for these times.

The Global Gathering re-ignited in me what really is important - and what I am committed to- on a personal, professional, and collective level.

It's easy to forget that real change begins
with changing oneself.

At the conference, all of us felt and agreed that this is a most amazing time to be alive, that we don't have all the answers, and that in fact, we may or may not be successful in creating the personal and collective changes that must take place now.

If we focus our actions on cooperation, not competition, on doing more with less, (and perhaps on DOING less and BEING more), heal our addictions to consumption, and re-claim the role of world citizen founded on interdependence and respect for the dignity of all life,we may be able to "turn the wheel" towards sustainable solutions.

Turning the Wheel. . .

WHAT can I start doing today and the rest of the year to bring more cooperation and collaboration into the company culture, our teams, client relations, and communities?

WHO am I mentoring? WHO are my mentors?

WHO are my"emPower partners?" Is there a team, a social network, forum, panel, or consortium that can be formed with "competitors"?

WHAT is my role and contribution to the "Great Turning"?

What will future generations learn from and do with your contributions?

Table for Six Billion, Please

2008-07-25T20:48:00.000-07:00

Changing the World, One Restaurant at a Time

Earlier this summer, I had a meeting with the Director of Organizational Learning at an international software digital printing company. In our conversation, she reminded me that as entrepreneurs and business leaders, we choose our clients.

I wasn't in total agreement with her in that moment, as I have often found clients "choosing" me to work on initiatives that were not in alignment with my passions, values, and stand in life. Yet, I understood that she was referring to focused intention and the laws of attraction.

And then the light went on! As leaders, one of the key evaluative questions we need to continually ask ourselves is what ARE our values? What DO we stand for? What ARE we committed to? How do we translate that into our businesses?

How can we develop our "relational capital" to attract and serve the clients who will benefit most from what we offer (the intangible values and commitment, and the tangible products/services)? What are our clients' values and needs?

To assist this inquiry, I was reading an article in The Sun magazine where I was re-introduced to the business model Judy Wicks employed to develop the White Dog Cafe in Philadelphia.

Not only has Judy consistently managed to motivate, recognize, and retain skilled employees, she has also set the standard for community-building, education, and the resurgence of thriving local "living" communities, both in the USA and abroad. Judy is also the co-founder of the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE).

Among her guiding principles and practices, Judy speaks on the need for the business world to move away from a mentality of accumulation and competition and (back?) towards an economy based on sharing and cooperation.

She coins this model "living returns" vs. the stock market. She reminds us that investing in our community is in our self-interest and the "multiple bottom line" approach pioneered by Ben & Jerry's (before the forced buyout to Unilever Corporation), is not only a responsible approach, but an essential and necessary action if we want to experience any form of sustainable return.

The bottom line question is : Do we want to develop and sustain businesses that are beneficial to all life and future generations or not?

We can no longer focus solely on the competitive advantage, but rather need to engage in Cooperative Advantage ™ strategies- competencies, skills, values, communication that is all inclusive, and that encourages sustainability, justice, personal and collective fulfillment.

To find out more about how you can incorporate The Cooperative Advantage ™, in your business, workplace, and community, post a comment or click here .

Marketing Makeover- Writing a Bio

2008-05-20T14:01:00.000-07:00

In my work with new and growing business owners, the mantra I most frequently hear is , "I don't know how to market myself".

The most important element in any marketing message is authenticity. Commitment to your intention and authenticity in your message builds trust and retains clients.

About Us- The Bio:
Interestingly enough, I have often times discovered that the most difficult task for new business owners is to write about oneself .Depending on the context, a compelling bio can be anywhere between (150 -450 words , i.e. two paragraphs -one full page.)

The bio of a business leader/owner needs to answer the following questions:

Who you are?-A speaker, a venture capitalist, internet marketing strategist, media buyer, a branding specialist, a seminar facilitator.

What you do? Create businesses, teach courses, design branding and marketing solutions, write software, design PDA's.

How do you do it? This is where the senses come in. Create a picture for your audience so that they can see and feel you in action. Think texture, color, motion, sounds, even scents. Audio (mp3) and video files are a great asset here.

Accomplishments: Highlight two or three accomplishments that you are really proud of, and that made a significant difference to those you served.

Recent clients: Mention a few recent clients (or industries specialities).

Education: One or two lines is sufficient; mention prestigious awards.

Need more? Send your current bio to coachshera@gmail.com for a complimentary critique.

Unlimited Creativity at Web 2.0 Expo

2008-04-24T07:41:00.000-07:00

In my last e-zine issue I cited mind-mapping as an excellent tool for leaders and business developers that want to incorporate more right-brain activity into their overarching strategies.

Last night as part of the Web 2.0 Expo, I met an extraordinary designer and visionary who has incorporated mind-mapping into his international social network for small businesses. BootB, as CEO Pier Ludovico Bancale enthusiastically explains, is the "pitch" engine that brings brands and creatives together all across the planet. Check it out and share your genius and solutions.

Web 2.0 presentations. . .Click here

Celebrate Earth Day

2008-04-22T10:42:00.001-07:00

We cannot have peace on the Earth, unless we also have peace with the Earth.
-Julia Butterfly Hill

Earth Day is near and dear to my heart, as I have been involved with sustainability since the early '70's working at one of the first recycling centers in the USA in a small community in the Midwest.

Our recycling center was part of a fund raising project, that enabled nearly 70 youth to travel and perform throughout western Europe as part of an international symphonic music festival. Having passing a very stringent audition, I fortunately, was able to participate as one of the youngest performers in the group. (And thus began my travel lust- another story. . .)

Fast forward to 1995, as an educator and content producer, I became involved with a regional committee here in the Bay Area that was drafting content for the Earth Charter. Since then, the Earth Charter has been translated into over 30 languages, is used in school and university curricula, and has been adopted by hundreds of cities internationally, as their "constitution".

I joined the Pachamama Alliance several years ago, and enrolled in the Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream Facilitator Training. The ATD symposium is an absolute must for anyone who is truly committed to creating an environmentally sustainable, socially just, and spiritually uplifting presence on this planet. That same year (2006) I was the Managing Editor for the Sustainable World Sourcebook, now used as one of the many rich resources for personal ecology education and building sustainable communities. You can download a pdf for free.

Paul Hawken has also been a source of inspiration and fuel for my commitment to sustainability education in the workplace. Visit WiserEarth and join this social network.

There are so many actions we can take to honor and heal our Earth. Doing more with less is compassionate, prosperous and intelligent (even competitive). One can make a difference. Respect, Rethink, Reduce, Reuse and Recyle.

Web 2.0 -San Francisco April 22-25

2008-04-17T12:59:00.000-07:00

What is Web 2.0 Expo?

Web 2.0 Expo is a global annual gathering of technical, design, marketing, and business professionals who are building the next generation web.

Web 2.0 Expo features the most innovative and successful Internet industry figures and companies providing attendees with examples of business models, development paradigms, and design strategies to enable mainstream businesses and new arrivals to the Web 2.0 world to take advantage of this new generation of services and opportunities.

Click here to register

April 22-25, 2008

San Francisco Moscone Center West

Why attend?

Network with the experts, visionaries, and social entrepreneurs. Learn about the many web technologies and applications that will bring you within 1- 3 degrees of separation of offering your vision and living in "purpose" .

"We are the ones we have been waiting for". V. Jones

The energy of complaining

2008-03-18T09:14:00.000-07:00

In an earlier post this week, I cited the Oprah/Tolle webcast "dialogs".

There's a wonderful exercise that came out of last night's webcast- about complaining.

Make a running list of all of your complaints or complaining thoughts for a week, and observe where that voice is coming from. It's not you, just your egoic conditioning - according to Eckert Tolle, the true You is the one observing what your mind is doing.

Now, isn't that interesting?

Another exercise that I have applied in the past to help me break negative thought patterns is to wear a rubber band around my wrist- everytime I have a complaining thought, I snap it- hard!

Seeing and feeling the sting helps bring me back to the present moment, and away from these negative thought patterns quickly. It feels so good to be present.

Finding stillness within is about being grateful

What's Truer than Truth?-The Story says Isabelle Allende

2008-03-15T11:44:00.001-07:00

What is truer than truth? The Story. . .

says Nobel Prize novelist Isabelle Allende.

She is a maverick, human rights activist, a raging feminist, historian, and a leader of the human heart and spirit. I have read all that this remarkable woman , story-teller, true magician of words has produced.

Let your heart be ignited by the enduring passion of this woman, and her commitment to social justice, helping refugee girls and women in the world who live under abuse, torture, and unimaginable conditions, simply because of gender

Click here to view.

Oprah's classroom: "Awakening to Your Purpose" with Eckert Tolle

2008-03-15T10:56:00.001-07:00

Back in 2002, I swayed in a hammock along the Bays of Hueltulco (in Southern Mexico) and read Eckert Tolle's The Power of Now , five times! I was in a mental obsessive state and found myself at peace after my "conversations" with Mr. Tolle.

In 2005, he released "The New Earth, Awakening to Your Life's Purpose",
where Mr. Tolle continues to expand upon his theme and encourages us to be still and listen for the answer to one very important question:

"What does life want from me?"

The New Earth, Awakening to Your Life's Purpose" is currently featured in Oprah's Book Club and her new live web-events and global classroom.

Click here to view.

With the exception of the advertising, I love this format for expanding consciousness.

The learning includes workbooks, live Q & A using Skype, and the option to download , view or listen to the webcast from your iphone/ipod, anytime!

There is a new "race" in consciousness. As an educator, writer, and content producer, I am very excited about the possibilities. Learning has never been so much fun and accessible!

Gaining Clarity: You Attract What You Are Clear About

2008-03-15T10:34:00.000-07:00

You attract what you are CLEAR about. You only get what you really want!

For me, getting clear and staying balanced is an on-going process- it's life-long learning and discipline!

Balance: What are your Daily Rituals?

Exercise, yoga, meditation, live, healthy food help create the anchors that allow us to "come back home" to ourselves. When I am feeling out of balance, it's usually because I slipped out of self-discipline (why meditate when I can check e-mail?) and into some sort of unfocused swirl.

Choose daily rituals that support optimal life force - practices and habits that are cleansing, balancing, and clarifying. For me, a weekly mix of meditation, yoga, or dance along with time outdoors everyday and a mid-day, healthy, "green" meal helps keeps me grounded and in my body.

Clarity: What Makes You Come Alive?

To help you with this process:

Look at what you loved being, doing, feeling when you were between the ages of 7-14. These are the keys to your true passions.
Make a list of these activities/experiences. Did you love singing? How can you bring that back into your life now? Did you give up a dream? Bring it back, write it down as if it is happening now.
Ask Yourself: What's the essence/sensation in these activities/experiences? As Abraham-Hicks says, "Move towards what feels good."
Ask Yourself: What would I do if I knew I wouldn 't fail? Sit with this question. Write out 20-30 brave responses.
Create a Vision Board. Find images (on-line, your own photos & drawings, clips from magazines) that support these brave statements and serve as a mirror to your VISION. Giving attention to your Vision Board everyday will keep you focused on your vision, dreams and desires.Yes, that's right, you CAN have that Now."
Discover kinesiology and learn a few exercises combining mental images, movement and eye patterns. Releasing the mind clutter and reprograming/ retraining your brain (balancing the left and right hemispheres), creates space for the voice of clarity to speak through you. Negativity, fear, and paralyzing doubts come from confusion (lack of focus) and unfulfilled desires.
Share your vision and desires with others. We can't do it alone- why would you want to? Own, love, and share your vision. It's your responsibility.

It's 2008 - Let's Collaborate

2008-03-15T10:28:00.001-07:00

My, it 's been some time since I've posted here. I decided to start the new year on a holiday in Maui (my first time on that magical island).

It was truly a wonderful way to refresh and rejuvenate, release a lot of monkey mind clutter, eat lightly, do yoga with community, and get clear on what's important to me.

I imagine many of you have been to Maui, but if not, I highly, highly recommend the Hana Coast. I felt such a deep peace there and rate her exquisite beauty right along with several other of my favorite places: the Baleares Islands (Spain), the Cyclades (Greece), Bali, and several islands in Southern Thailand (Koh Lanta, Ko Samui, et. al.). Yes, I'm an island girl.

I re-discovered what CLARITY is on this journey and that no matter how many goal-setting programs/workshops we participate in, if we don't SEE and FEEL the DESIRE for an intended reality (as if it is occurring NOW) then the goal remains just that- a wish on a list.

That's why I am such an advocate of Vision Boards and Vision Statements. They are fantastic platforms for COLLABORATING and COMMUNICATING with OTHERS what we see US (you, me, them, ) CREATING. We are living in most amazing times of radical shifts and unprecedented change. Breathe into your heart and discover what makes YOU come ALIVE. Share Your Visions.

In heartfelt collaboration,

Shera
aka Sheryl Sever

An Opportunity to Give

2007-12-18T11:49:00.000-08:00

The Executive Director of Bread for the Journey is a friend and recent client of mine. As a long- time Buddhist practicioner and supporter of Spirit Rock, I am compelled to share this with all.

The Levine's have helped so many heal from traumatic incidents over the years, and here is a wonderful opportunity to be part of a community that keeps on Giving.

An Open Letter from Jack Kornfield, Ram Dass, and Sharon Salzberg

Dear Friends,

We are writing to ask your support for two beloved friends of ours, Stephen and Ondrea Levine. They are currently facing significant difficulty. After a life-time of giving, they are now at a time to receive from those of us whose lives have been touched by their presence and teaching. Their greatest needs are financial. Ondrea has Leukemia and the costsof her insurance and treatment have used up their savings. Stephen's health is not good either, and he is too frail to travel or teach. When we heard about this, we felt moved to contribute to a fund set up for them, and to encourage others to do the same.

Stephen and Ondrea have been among our generation's most important teachers, demonstrating and encouraging others to embrace the power of love and generosity. For three years, they ran a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week free phone line for those dying or in need of support. When the phone bills got too high, they sold their house to keep the project going. For decades they regularly corresponded with thousands people who were seeking spiritual guidance, giving freely to those in need, many of whom were sick or in the final years
of their life.

The circle has now come around, allowing us the opportunity to give to these two life-long givers. We hope to raise several hundred thousand dollars in small and large donations to help them through this time.

Caring for friends and teachers is an essential part of any spiritual life. As we age, spiritual friends are more important than ever. Stephen and Ondrea have been dear spiritual friends to us and to thousands of others through their books,workshops, and correspondence.

In honor of the immeasurable gifts Stephen and Ondrea have given to the family of the earth, Bread for the Journey has generously offered to manage the fund with 100% of your donation going to the Levine Fund. If you are one of these people and are moved to give, below are three ways to donate to the Levine Fund at Bread for the Journey. Bread for the Journey informs us that donations are tax deductible.

With gratitude and love,
Jack Kornfield, Ram Dass, and Sharon Salzberg

Mail: Send to: Bread for the Journey, 267 Miller Ave., Mill Valley, CA 94941. In the letter, please enclose a note indicating that your gift is for the Stephen and Ondrea Levine Fund and in the note section of your check write "Levine Fund."

Online: click here and designate the donation to the Levine Fund.
Phone: call 415-383-4600 with a credit card number.
For questions and other means of giving, contact SorenGordhamer@gmail.com.

The Story of Stuff

2007-12-13T13:09:00.000-08:00

Producer Annie Leonard, along with the Tides Foundation and an impressive list of NGO's have done a terrific job at synthesizing a very complex reality in this revealing movie. For all my colleagues who are educators, how can we promote and incorporate this into our middle school and high school curricula? I believe this could also very easily be used as teaching tool in an ESL (English as a Second Language) classroom. Would love to hear your comments.

Click to see movie

What is your Desired Outcome?

2007-11-27T11:08:00.001-08:00

Even if you're sitting on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there." -Will Rogers

Like many clients I have worked with, I am a Personality Type Seven in the Enneagram System meaning, I like to keep my options open. In Northern California, some call this "going with the flow", and may use this strategy as their chosen methodology for postponing decision-making and commitments.

Now, don't get me wrong. I am all for being in the flow. After all, that's where magic happens. There is a great awareness that arises in this "Being with What Is"- or as Gil Fronsdal calls it, the Practice of "Not-Knowing". Socrates said, "The realization of not knowing is the beginning of wisdom." Practicing being comfortable with the unknown, yet trusting in an inherent wisdom by keeping the channel open is what Martha Graham coined, "The Blessed Unrest".

I have spent many months in this "Blessed Unrest, practicing the "Not-Knowing" inquiry. I've learned to befriend radical uncertainty. When we practice being comfortable with the unknown, a deep inner knowing does emerge of a what is possible. This or something better! We don't need to have all the answers to take action towards a desired outcome.

With the recent explosion of The Secret & The Law of Attraction, we have all been reminded that desires and passion coupled with focused intention and trust is the most powerful formula for manifestation. In order to create change and see specific results, it is essential to put our attention on what we want.

The Key is to FOCUS on the OUTCOME
as if it already EXISTS.

So, do you want to create the momentum that will produce optimal results in your business or organization? Would you like to attract more ideal clients? Increase your revenue? Double your income? Transition into a new career? Try these seemingly simple steps for 60 days and see the results:

1. Write your goals as affirmations. Writing is essential.It creates suggestion in the subconscious. Use present tense, with specifics: It is now March 2008, I have/am________ or my company is/has________.
Write what you will be doing and feeling when you are living in this outcome. Include as much detail as possible for evidence of achievement. This is a critical component in knowing/seeing that you have achieved your desired outcome.

2. Read these goals aloud 2-3 times a day- first thing in the morning and right before bedtime is very effective.

3. Use visuals to support your goals/affirmations: Create a collage or vision board. If you are leading a management team, facilitating a change initiative or strategic visioning process, I recommend using more sophisticated graphic template guides such as those available at www.grove.com.

4. Surround yourself with people who will support the achievement of your outcomes and hold you to high standards. Remove yourself from people and environments that do not support your vision.

5. Get inspired. Read autobiographies and biographies of your heroes, living or not. I was very motivated in my recent re-reading of Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, and following his "secret" 100%.

6. Saturate yourself with learning. Engage in personal development workshops and seminars. Harv Eker's Millionaire Mind Intensives and Guerilla Business School are life-changing.

7. Vow to Play a Bigger Game. Marianne Williamson said it best: ". . . we ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?"

8. Maintain a consistent exercise program and balanced, healthy nutrition. Drink plenty of water. Reduce/eliminate sugar, alcohol, caffeine and red meat intake.

9. Every moment is a choice point. Living in this realization is very empowering. If you find yourself unclear at a choice point, be with the uncertainty. As one of my mentors often reminded me in times of anxiety or fear: 'Don't do anything, just be still." Allow the inner flame of clarity to emerge. Then, refer back to the picture /words of your DESIRED OUTCOME and select an ACTION(S) that propels you towards your desires and goals.

10. Have fun with the process and enjoy the journey!

If it's humanly possible, you CAN DO IT!

We all need support. Are you seeking a professional partner and vision keeper committed to helping you achieve desired outcomes in your business, organization, or with your "blessed unrest"? Visit www.sherylsever.com to schedule an initial consultation.

Know Your Song and Sing It!

2007-11-19T11:45:00.000-08:00

I have been continuing my studies in Marshall Rosenberg's revolutionary system of Commpassionate Communication since his personal appearance in the Bay Area last April. Recently, our facilitator at the Oakland NVC Center shared this ritual practiced by the Babemba tribe in Zambia:

Babemba Soul Song and Healing Ceremony

When a woman in the Babemba tribe of South Africa knows she is pregnant, she goes out into the wilderness with a few friends and together they pray and meditate until they hear the song of the child. They recognize that every soul has its own vibration that expresses its unique flavor and purpose. When the women attune to the song, they sing it out loud. Then they return to the tribe and teach it to everyone else.

This song is sung at every important event of the child. When he or she is born, the community gathers and sings the child's song to him or her. Later, when the child enters education, the village gathers and chants the child's song. When the child passes through the initiation to adulthood, the people again come together and sing. At the time of marriage, the person hears his or her song.

Finally, when the soul is about to pass from this world, the family and friends gather at the person's bed, just as they did at their birth, and they sing the person to the next life.

In the Babemba tribe there is one other occasion upon which the villagers sing to the child. When a person acts irresponsibly or unjustly, he is placed in the center of the village, alone and unfettered. All work ceases, and every man, woman and child in the village gathers in a large circle around the accused individual. Then each person in the tribe speaks to the accused, one at a time, about all the good things the person in the center of the circle has done in his lifetime. Every incident, every experience that can be recalled with any detail and accuracy is recounted. All his positive attributes, good deeds, strengths and kindnesses are recited carefully and at length. The tribal ceremony often lasts several days. The tribal ceremony often lasts several days. At the end, the song is sung again, the tribal circle is broken, a joyous celebration takes place, and the person is symbolically and literally welcomed back into the tribe.

The tribe recognizes that the correction for antisocial behavior is not punishment, but love and the remembrance of identity. When you recognize your own song, you have no desire or need to do anything that would hurt another.

They believe a friend is someone who knows your song and sings it to you when you have forgotten it. Those who love you are not fooled by the mistakes you have made or the dark images you hold about yourself. They remember your beauty when you feel ugly; your wholeness when you are broken; your innocence when you feel guilty; and your purpose when you are confused.

As we move into the shortest (darkest) days of the year, and the potential challenges of the "holidays" in our culture, know your song and sing it. Surround yourselves with others that will remind you of your purpose and bring you back to your song when you seem to have temporarily lost your voice.

Coach Shera
aka Sheryl Sever

Keep the Channel Open

2007-10-09T10:51:00.001-07:00

A dear friend shared this wonderful quote from Martha Graham with me at my recent birthday celebration.
May it inspire you to celebrate your magnificence, too!

There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and will be lost. The world will not have it.

It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable it is nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep open and be aware directly to the urges that motivate you.

Keep the channel open

Greening Your LIfe

2007-10-09T10:47:00.000-07:00

Greening Your Life™
Workshops in Personal Ecology and Workplace Sustainability

* What's your Eco Footprint?
* What are your unexamined assumptions, choices?
* Do your "consumption" habits reflect your values?
* What ARE your guiding principles?

The Live Earth Event broadcast worldwide on July 7, 2007 provided a tremendous education in personal ecology on a global level.

Moving towards personal ecology/sustainable living starts with one individual- YOU! Sustainability starts with your desire to change, and then taking action. Sustainability is living in such a way that future generations have access to shared resources to meet their needs.

It takes vision commitment and courage to take a stand and build life-affirming models in our businesses, media, schools, and first and foremost, in our own hearts.

Greening Your Life™ is a powerful and engaging workshop designed for those seeking support in developing personal ecology and workplace sustainability practices. Based upon research and actions plans that I included in the 2006 Sustainable World Sourcebook, along with other resources, we will:

* Examine The 4 R's: RESPECT, RETHINK, REDUCE and REUSE.
* Look at your Eco Footprint and reflect upon unexamined choices.
* Develop a Personal Green Action Plan.
* Learn how to plan a "zero-waste" event.
* Discuss Green Team Development and Education in the Workplace.

Take a stand in your personal life and workplace towards green living, global cooling, and justice. E-mail coachshera@gmail.com to receive more information on Greening Your Life™ workshops for Personal Ecology and Workplace Sustainability.

VISION, VALUES, PASSION, PURPOSE

2007-10-09T10:45:00.000-07:00

VISION, VALUES, PASSION, PURPOSE

These four words have become the pillars in strategic planning meetings, business development, project management, financial planning, and personal action plans. It's the core inquiry in most small business seminars. It's a life coach's mantra.

Malcolm Cohan coined this vision wave: Think It So. He has been the inspiration for hundreds of vision boards, vision videos, and vision stories now seen on You Tube.

Earlier this summer, I added this concept in my workshops for new and small business owners, and professionals in career transition. Parents and teens love it too!

These INTRODUCTORY EVES to Vision Coaching™ utilize a synthesis of powerful techniques designed to access clarity and the truth within you and a vision of what you want to create in your life.

The outcome is a beautiful vision canvas- a map to keep you on track, on purpose, and a daily visual reminder that intention and attention are powerful elements of manifestation.

So what's your vision? What lights you up? What makes you come alive? What do you truly love?
How are you expressing your passions in life?

Come join us! It's fun, engaging, exciting. Next evenings: Thursday, Oct. 18; Thursday, Nov. 8

Recognizing Stellar Volunteers

2007-10-09T10:39:00.000-07:00

High Performance Volunteer Management-Recognizing Stellar Volunteers

More and more, we find organizations and small businesses depending upon volunteers, committees, and even interns to carry out their vision by providing leadership and support in marketing, organizational development and change initiatives.
How do we recruit and retain stellar volunteers? What motivates volunteers? In one word, it's: RECOGNITION.

THE VOLUNTEER CREED
If you want my loyalty, interests, and best efforts, remember that . . .

1. I need a sense of belonging.
2. I need to have a sense of sharing in planning our objectives.
3. I need to feel that goals and objectives are clear and obtainable.
4. I need to feel that what I am doing has real purpose and contributes to human welfare.
5. I need autonomy and collaboration in setting standards for performance.
6. I need to know what is expected of me (not a laundry list of "duties".)
7. I need to have challenging responsibilities within my range of interests and abilities.
8. I need feedback about my progress.
9. I need to be kept informed.
10. I need to have good rapport with and confidence in the leadership of the organization.
11. I need timely recognition.

Adapted from The Effective Management of Volunteer Programs, By Marlene Wilson

There are many ways to fulfill the needs of volunteer staff. High retention of volunteers starts with:

* a well-planned volunteer recruitment strategy in alignment with long-term organizational goals.
* very clear descriptions of the volunteer roles with expected outcomes.
* performance development plan and feedback system that promotes professional development.

How we as leaders provide recognition to professionals who volunteer is one of the topics I will be addressing this week in a one-day workshop with over 35 Chamber Chapter Leaders from the California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

"I can live on one good compliment for 2 months"
Mark Twain

What's Your Passion?

2007-06-05T14:18:00.000-07:00

What’s Your Passion?
Discovering What Makes You Come Alive!

Let’s face it. There is no Secret. The word is out. If you can think it, believe it, and FEEL it, you can achieve it. Intention is the conscious choice to create- passion is the fuel. Your results will always match your true intentions. When we feel a passion for some thing or activity, it is because we are remembering what it was that we came to do in this world. When we are aligned with our heart’s deepest desires, we are co-creating with source energy. And from this marvelous state of desire and creation, arises your vision, a landscape to create BIG dreams, plot and cultivate your goals, and celebrate the outcomes! It all sounds so simple, and it is . . .sort of.

Internationally acclaimed author Marianne Williamson says. “You are a child of the universe. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world . . . As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.”

So why do some of us play so small? Are we afraid to let our own light shine? How do we get in touch with what we are really passionate about and live our life on purpose?

I have spent a good part of my adult life asking myself these very same questions and have created the RAW formula. RAW (Relax, Ask, Write) works every time I start to lose sight of my path (my purpose) and feel the fire extinguishing. I do this process personally once or twice a year (normally in January and June), and I apply variations and expansions of this in my workshops. The results have been magnificent.

DISCOVERING PASSION- The RAW™ Formula

RELAX
Create some time for you to be undisturbed (an hour if possible). Go into a meditative, inner, relaxed state. Use soothing music if that helps you get there. I prefer to focus on my breath and body sensations.

ASK yourself:
• What drives me? What do I really love to do?
• What’s really important to me? What do I stand for?
• What am I good at? Hint: Activities that are naturally easy for you; you know you are good at it, and others do as well!
• What puts a big smile on my face, or a skip in my step?
• What types of people do I love to be around?
• What are my unique skills and talents? (Talents and passions often go hand in hand)
Answers to these questions all provide clues to your purpose.

WRITE
What answers revealed themselves with your inquiry? If you want to live a passionate, purposeful life, start by writing your passions down.
Go with your first impulse. Keep writing. Don’t second-guess.
As you are writing these passions, notice:
What you are feeling inside?
Are you expanding or contracting?
Is your breath deep, even, and relaxed or short, constricted, and shallow?
Are you excited, afraid, or both?

It is very helpful to start each passion statement with a verb (teaching workshops, dancing tango, writing bestsellers; traveling to Mediterranean countries; riding my bicycle on a beautiful summer eve) for example. These action words help ignite passion in the subconscious. When you write your passions in a way that excites you, you feel excited.

If you are feeling stuck as you go through this process, one of the best ways to excavate the fire within is to do some “time travel” to your childhood.
Write down significant events in your life in three-year interval periods (ages 4-7, 8-11, 12-15,16-19.) What were you doing? How did you spend your time? What activities were you involved in that you loved the most? Do you notice any patterns?

Once you make your list, remove yourself from it for a few hours or until the next day. Go back over what you have written and circle the words/activities that appear more than once. The first time I did this exercise, I was amazed at how many times travel appeared as significant learning-turning points in my life. International travel is one of my top passions. The others are performing, teaching, speaking, and writing.

FOCUS ON WHAT YOU WANT
Okay, so let’s say you have uncovered or rediscovered your passions. Now what? One fun and powerful first step is to create a Vision Canvas- a vibrant expression of your passions as if you are living them NOW. When you are clear, what you want will show up in your life. Get as specific as possible with the images on your Vision Canvas. Add affirmations to the images (in the present tense) that support you living your passions. And then, focus, focus, focus on what you want!

STAY COMMITTED
Take time daily to review your passions and Vision Canvas. There may be times you find yourself not wanting to read your passions or focus on your goals and vision. Is there an underlying fear or belief that you can’t achieve what you have written? Examine this. Are your focusing on something you don‘t want? If that’s the case, flip the switch now. Remember the “Law of Attraction” is about energy and vibration. Where we put our attention, creates our experience. Focusing on what you don’t want will deaden your passions (and bring more of what you don’t want). A skilled coach can guide you more with this process.

Take action everyday. The only time to take action is NOW. What actions are you taking in support of your passions, everyday? Whenever you are faced with a decision, choose in favor of your passions.

PRACTICE APPRECIATION
Studies have shown that brain and hormonal activity shifts significantly simply by giving attention to what you are grateful for. Additionally, there are some very interesting studies from the University of Utah linking gratitude to better immune system functioning. I find making a quick list (or verbal scan) of all that I am grateful for, either first thing in the morning or before sleeping, keeps me living with optimism, intention, and momentum.

GIVE YOUR VISIONS a LIFT
According to T. Harv Eker, best-selling NY Times author, how you do anything is how you do everything (from making your bed to running your company). How are you expressing your passions in life? Half-heartedly or with the precision of an elite athlete. Passions are irresistible. When you are truly passionate about something, there is absolutely nothing that can keep you from it. Give your visions a lift. Take one more step today!

Collaboration in the Workplace

2007-05-12T06:59:00.000-07:00

Collaboration in the Workplace
"None of us is as good as all of us."
Sheryl R. Sever (Shera)

Fostering teamwork is creating a work culture that values collaboration. In a teamwork environment, people understand and believe that thinking, planning, decisions and actions are better when done cooperatively. As One Minute Manager, Ken Blanchard discovered, people recognize, and even assimilate, the belief that "none of us is as good as all of us." High Five, The Magic of Working Together.

In America, many of our institutions such as schools, our family structures, and our pastimes still emphasize winning, being the best, and coming out on top. Workplaces that exemplify and reward teamwork are not yet the norm.

Organizations, however, are working on valuing diverse people, ideas, backgrounds, and experiences. As part of the social transformation that we see taking place globally, collaboration, co-creation and cooperation seem to be values that are being more readily embraced and promoted in organizational development.

Having consulted many senior managers, educational, and organizational leaders over the past 13 years, I've included here my Ten Tips for Building Terrific Teams as your quick guide to cultivating successful teams, encouraging creativity and innovation, and attaining optimal results within your business or organization.

TEN TIPS for BUILDING TERRIFIC TEAMS

1. Communicate Clear Expectations. It is crucial that team members know why they are working together, and how their role, functions, and outcomes contribute to the bigger picture and overall success of the organization, its clients and coworkers. As a leader, how clearly you communicate the overall vision, mission, and values of the organization will be the power driving the team forward.

2. Have an agenda with objectives at team meetings. Allow time for progress updates, discussion, brainstorming, and action plans. It can be particularly beneficial if the meeting facilitator is trained in Cross-Cultural Awareness, or Marshall Rosenberg's NVC practices. Using these techniques will help keep a diverse team cohesive and focused, encourage everyone's participation, and can easily diffuse and transform stagnation. Change, creativity and solutions are not birthed in a static environment. Are necessary concerns and misunderstandings raised and properly addressed on your team?

3. Include your consultants and independent contractors in your brainstorming meetings. One of the biggest mistakes some organizations make is to not include consultants and independent contractors in staff meetings, project updates, long-term goals and vision. You will get a lot more mileage from your consultants when they are included in discussions and sessions affecting your organization's direction and growth. Consultants are typically natural networkers and wealth of resources. They can easily be a powerful contributing factor to your organization's long-term success and expansion.

4. Cultivate an atmosphere where team members can appreciate the diversity of talent on the team, not just in skill set and areas of expertise, but from a whole person perspective. If the team is working on a long-term project consider investing in the Myers Briggs assessment, DISC or an Enneagram training for the workplace.

5. Have a rewards or recognition program in place. Giving public recognition on the company intranet, newsletter, or in a staff meeting, or rewarding high-performers with gift certificates to a spa or event, are just a few low-cost, no-cost ways to acknowledge team members for a job well done.

6. Build fun and shared occasions into the organization's agenda. Hold potluck lunches; take the team to a performance or cultural event. Host dinners at a local restaurant, (include your associates' families) or plan an outdoor event such as hiking, bicycling, or even river rafting.

7. Encourage collaborative leadership models within your workplace. Move away from traditional, hierarchical leadership models that are deadening to the human spirit and that can create separation, distrust, and a competitive environment. Focus on cooperative models for team performance. Rotating facilitators at your weekly or monthly meetings is one way to begin this shift. Appointing co-managers to lead a project is another effective strategy.

8. Create opportunities for giving and receiving feedback. In his recent visit to San Francisco, the Dalai Lama continually emphasized the importance of dialog, along with education and training. How well trained are you and your people in examining assumptions, active listening, asking for clarification, and other non-defensive communication models that make it safe for you and your associates to express needs, be heard, and enthusiastically create innovative solutions with and for each other?

9. Provide resources. One of the surest ways to create chaos and diminish motivation, performance, and morale is to expect people to perform without the tools and resources they need to deliver outcomes they are proud of. Be sure everyone has the basic information and tools they need to perform, including healthy, ergonomic workstations.

10. Form a Green Team at work. Help your people raise their awareness of opportunities to save energy and contribute to a healthy and sustainable environment. By allowing others to take leadership and responsibility, passion takes hold. A green team can be very motivational for employees who want to make a difference in their work environment.

Got a great organizational team story? I'd love to hear it, along with any other feedback you'd like to share.

Creating Lasting Change

2007-03-28T19:22:00.000-07:00

Here is a wonderful exercise adapted from Tony Robbins' Awakening the Giant Within, introducing three guiding principles to lasting change:

RAISE YOUR STANDARDS

Any time you sincerely want to make a change, the first thing you must do is to raise your standards. Write down all the things you will no longer accept or tolerate in your life, and all the things that you aspire to becoming. This is an exercise in deep personal honesty (telling yourself the truth 100% of time). Frequently ask yourself: What am I pretending not to know?

CHANGE YOUR LIMITING BELIEFS

Our beliefs are like unquestioned commands, telling us how things are, what's possible and what's impossible, what we can and can not do. They shape every action, every thought, and every feeling that we experience. As a result, changing our belief systems is central to making any real and lasting change in our lives. We must develop a sense of certainty that we can and will meet the new standards before we actually do.

CHANGE YOUR STRATEGY

In order to keep your commitment, you need the best strategies for achieving results. If you have set a higher standard, and you can get yourself to believe, then you certainly can figure out the strategies. One of the best strategies in almost any case is to find a role-model, someone who's already getting the results you want, and then tap into their knowledge.

Read about successful people. The most successful people have had mentors in every stage of their life. Who you associate with does help determine your happiness and success.

Many small business and career development organizations offer free mentoring services with a rich pool of volunteer, seasoned superstars, ready to share with you their experience, knowledge, and expertise.

Spiritual Collateral: 2007 Pre-flections

2007-01-19T17:07:00.000-08:00

I have been following her stories and “guidance” for almost nine years. Along with Karen Bishop’s (What’s Up on Planet Earth), I am soaring! This is the Great Turning and we ARE the ones we’ve been waiting for.

Love with All your Heart!

Shera

It is the time for the final cut for the Galactic UN Peace Team!
from the The Star Elders and Aluna Joy

The arrival of the year of 2007 crashed through you like a burning asteroid or shook you like a massive earthquake. It transformed you with a huge tsunami of immaculate energy. If you have made it this far . . . meaning if you are still traveling on your spiritual path with impeccability and haven't given up . . . and are still in a body living on this planet . . . Congratulations! You have now entered the final cut for the Galactic UN Peace Team. You have received the boarding pass for your great flight toward destiny. You have earned the diploma from the cosmic university of divine light. So… give yourself a BIG pat on the back, you made it! But Holy Moly! It has been one incredible ride.

The weeks leading up to 2007 have been a pivotal point and a profound testing ground for you and all life on the planet. Any place within you that was not strong enough to go to the next level was burned away. This has been a painful and sometimes a brutal process. You have experienced massive symptoms in your weakest areas, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Stomach and digestion and sinus areas were hard hit. Many of you have felt completely leveled and were not able to do anything but sit it out. Your nerves are toast . . . like you have post traumatic stress syndrome, the cosmic type. Motivation, knowing what you want to do, and short term memory have also been huge issues. Even in this intense testing ground, many of you FLEW HIGH while burning. It was blissfully painful. You vacillated between wild and beautiful dreams with not being able to sleep at all. You have risen. You are now the mythical phoenix rising from the burning ashes.

If you were wondering how you made it out of 2006 alive with all its intensities, you are here now because it was destined by your higher self and Universal Law. You have arrived at this place because of your immense courage and strong will to be of service to others and the planet. This is what allowed you to get this far.

You allowed yourself to sit with the burning . . . you felt it . . . and you learned from it. This has been an immense internal earthquake, and you have shifted and transmuted huge amounts of energy. You have aligned yourself to a higher frequency and one step closer to the new indescribable world ahead of you. Within the great depths of your consciousness, you were able to discover and put into action this higher state of awareness, and you have come to know and understand a deeper level of true compassion and unconditional love. You have also realized a deeper awareness of self worth. You will not tolerate being compromised again. You have amassed a great amount of spiritual collateral that you can now put into use.

Many of you were asked to make HUGE choices in life that called on your deepest integrity and highest awareness. Some of these choices caused you great pain and were a huge turning point that will change your life and personal relationships with family and friends forever. Any personal relationship you had at this time that was not operating with truth and integrity was transmuted, many times, by your own painful but right choices. You learned to apply tough love a.k.a. unconditional love. These choices triggered divorce like shifts for you. Divorces from family and friends that were feeding off your spiritual collateral.

Let us explain further. Where you spend your spiritual collateral, your divine God given energy, is exactly where the universe will give you more of that like energy. If you spend your energy on a lost cause, or toss it into a bottomless pit, the universe will think you choose to waste your energy in this way, and give you more situations to waste your energy. You have learned to clearly see where you are wasting your energy. You have also learned how to stop this self destructive pattern.

How do you determine what is a lost cause? A lost cause is where you have tried to heal a situation, but you were not effective, or your energy was not being accepted. If you continue to try to heal that area again and again, this is how you tell the universe you are choosing to be ineffective; thus receiving more of this type of situation. Expecting a different result with the same action, applied to the same situation is a form of insanity. Using your spiritual collateral in a place that you know you can't possibly heal the situation is martyrism. Being the martyr may have worked in the past, but acting as a martyr now is counter productive. If you sacrifice yourself for another, even out of good intentions, you still do not raise the collective whole. One is raised while another (you) are depleted. The universal score is still the same. You render your spiritual collateral worthless.

Remember you live in a realm of free will. If your energy is being ineffective, it means this area does not want to be healed at this time. It is not appropriate to use your spiritual collateral against another's free will (this is a form of psychic attack). Find another area where you can use your spiritual collateral, so we can all together tip the balance to truth, impeccability, peace, compassion and love. Using you spiritual collateral should be a win-win situation.

It will be VERY IMPORTANT in coming days that you spend your energy wisely by picking appropriate areas to put yourself into action. Remember you can't heal anyone, anything, or any situation that does not want to be healed. BUT also remember that we are all connected. When you help anyone, anything, or any situation, even if you use your energy to help yourself, you help the collective whole. You add to the spiritual collateral of the universe. In fact, it is impossible to heal anyone, anything, or any situation without effecting the whole universe! So choose where to use your spiritual collateral wisely. This is your job as a member of the Galactic UN Peace Team!

We are sorry to say that many people made huge choices during this time as they acted out of their egos and wounds. They will find themselves on a different branch of the Tree of Life. Many will see this wrong turn and will right it immediately, as you emerge out of this testing ground. Others will continue on the path they chose not wanting to admit that they made a wrong turn. This is sad for us all. These ones will test you to see if you still want to waste your energy on lost causes.

Many bridges have been burned. The bridges that separated you from knowing that you are one family have fallen into ash. This has pushed the unification process another HUGE step forward. You have discovered that your family are not just the ones you were born and live with, but are also your neighbors and even the ones you bump into during the course of a day. It will be easy to see the sister and brother in the eyes of each person that you meet. You will not be strangers with each other any more.

The bridge between you, your past and history has been crossed over and joyfully burned. You can now can let go of your painful past and reinvent yourself. You will no longer see the world through your wounds, pain or fears. You have taken another powerful step towards freedom and mastery. The collective balance is being tipped toward a higher vibration because of your commitment to impeccability. The more you act and live from this higher vibration, the quicker the rest of the world will follow suit. It has to. Expect that this is so, and it is. This isn't a miracle. It is simply the result of your hard work to stay positive and act from impeccability.

Now that you are through this challenging testing ground . . . expect your motivation and excitement for life to return with the lightness of a child at play, and at a much higher level than before. Yet we will also say here that you, the Earth and the Solar System have jumped to a higher frequency. It will take some getting use to. We expect that by the time you read this, you will feel this shift inside of you. You will feel the burden of the past lift off your shoulders. You will feel something deep inside of you stir . . . an impeccable inner power has awakened. You will feel like you can fly, and you will.

Key life considerations for 2007 are . . . Impeccability, Authenticity, Unity, Allowance, Adaptability and Love . . . and last but not least . . . have some FUN! 2007 is the year we will really begin to feel like we have finally arrived!

Aluna Joy Yaxk'in is an internationally known author, spiritual life coach, sacred site guide, alternative historian, ordained minister and modern mystic who inspires and encourages others to recognize and accept their own authentic divinity and connection to God. Aluna Joy Yaxk'in, PO Box 1988, Sedona AZ 86339 Ph: 928-282-6292
Webpage: www.AlunaJoy.com E-mail: alunajoy@kachina.net

The New Entrepreneur

2007-01-17T14:40:00.000-08:00

THE NEW ENTREPRENEUR!
Sheryl R. Sever (Coach Shera)

There is a profound change coursing through our cosmos, our world, and our very beings in these times. Although not under the radar of the mainstream media, change and reinvention are occurring throughout governments, corporations, small businesses, communities, families, and even in our individual daily practices. Business as usual is out- Innovation, collaboration, and revolutionary impact are in!

THE “JOB” is OBSOLETE
Nearly 10 years ago, one of my mentors, William Bridges, International Change Consultant, introduced the then, ground-breaking concept of You and Co., in his best-selling book by the same title.

Bridges declared that the “job” is obsolete, and that it’s essential re-position ourselves in order to function and thrive in an economy and workforce that continues to shift and depend more and more on outsourcing and consulting experts. Now in 2007, Bridge’s predictions have ripened, with an encouraging emphasis placed on non-linear leadership paradigms, community building, local economic development, and sustainability. The US Bureau of Statistics reveals that by 2010, approximately 40% of the US population will be self-employed or small business owners.

I rejoiced when I heard this. My career as an organizational consultant in over a dozen industries was finally affirmed and acknowledged. I wasn’t an oddity! According to Tom Peters, International Management Consultant, I was a PSF (Professional Services Firm), a talented non-conformist, and interesting. I was a company. WOW!

HOW ABOUT YOU?
Starting one’s own business may be an attractive career choice, particularly if you are ready and willing to transform a long-held passion into income, run an extra mile (or two) and creatively package your varied resources, abilities, talents, and knowledge. Not for the weak of heart, or for those simply longing for independence and freedom, owning a business is for those who are comfortable with the unknown and risk-taking, have done their research, and possess certain qualities that set them apart.

TEN QUALITIES of the NEW ENTREPRENEUR
Are you thinking about starting your own business or taking an existing business to the next level? Are you ready to excavate a buried dream? Take a look at my Qualities of the New Entrepreneur and ask yourself if you have what it takes.

1. Passionate and driven to transform dreams and ideas into reality - loves what she does and knows what she stands for. Think about the energy of passion. It is a natural attractor.The New Entrepreneur inspires her customers with a passionate declaration that offers creative solutions to her customers needs.
2. Goal Oriented - has a short- and long-term strategic plan. The New Entrepreneur is FOCUSED (period)
3. Self-Confident and Optimistic - practices the principles of the "Law of Attraction." Science and consciousness are merging. In the release of " (www.thesecret.tv) , we are reminded that every thought vibrates and radiates a signal, thereby attracting a matching signal back. Thoughts come from feelings. The New Entrepreneur puts her attention on "what feels good", holding herself consistent with her intention in order to bring about the desired manifestation.
4. Creates a budget with well-researched operational costs from which she makes realistic financial projections.
5. Maintains work/life balance and asks for support from other "experts". The time of the lone wolf is over.
6. Realizes the value of partnerships and the necessity of environmental sustainability; builds these elements into her business plan.
7. Life-long learner - thrives on change and keeps current with trends in her industry.
8. Approaches obstacles as opportunities.
9. Committed to and grows though helping others. Knows the value by “giving-back”.
10. Creates a business plan and develops marketing strategies with her coach.

YOU, INC.
So what’s next? Start thinking of yourself as a business, now! How will you position YOU, Inc.! (your product, service, skills, and knowledge? Whether you are looking for work or currently employed full-time, planning to start your own business, buy a franchise, or offer consulting services, your skills and talents are a product or service to be offered and received. Assess what you truly value. Translate these values into offerings. Ask yourself: How can I help? How can I make a difference?

NEED SOME IDEAS?
There are over 80 new start-ups born each day. 79 of them are unprepared. Entrepreneur Magazine Best Businesses to launch in 2007 include:
Specialty Food Businesses (Wine, Chocolate, Organic Foods, Dessert Restaurants,) Alternative Energy and Green Products, Specialty Apparel, Senior Transition Services, Virtual Economies, Nanotechnology, Media Storage, Baby-Boomer Career Counseling and Financial Planning, Teen Party Planning (by and for teens), Kid’s Businesses and Home Parties.

First published OPEN EXCHANGE (www.openexchange.org)- Jan. 07