The Road to Fabulous.

Expand Your Comfort Zone

Since my last blog came out about having B.A.L.L.S. I've been bombarded with comments, questions and lots of fun presents. (including my friend Laura who brought me "chocolate balls" from her travels!) YUMMMMMM!

One of the questions was "what does it feel like to “expand your comfort zone” when you’re practicing B.A.L.L.S.?" - which got me to thinking about the summer of 2006. I was writing in my journal on a plane headed to Vancouver Canada to speak at an event given by my friend T. Harv Eker. I had just completed my first week of teaching at The Omega Institute. Two very big & prestigious events in my career happened within weeks of each other.

Preparing to go to Rhinebeck, New York and teach at this prestigious retreat center, Omega, the same retreat center that has hosted Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson, Eckhart Tolle and most of the greatest teachers of our time was a really huge deal to me. Until that week of teaching, I had only done keynote speeches and a couple of 1-2 day events. I knew that teaching for 5 full days, 9am – 5pm would be challenging. What would I say? How would I develop material that was inspiring and informational? Did I have what it takes to pull this off?

The students who attended my week long workshop at Omega also stretched my comfort zone. They were CEO’s and leaders in their work. They were already very “together”, they didn’t come to my workshop to figure out their lives, they came to create a map to play even bigger in their lives.

I did *a lot* of meditating during my week at The Omega Institute. I got up at 5am each morning and asked for inspiration. And each night before I went to sleep I asked for more guidance and inspiration. And you know what? It worked! A new idea always came and I designed a workshop that allowed for lots of interaction with the participants and lots of feedback.

Then, while I was in the woods of The Omega Institute (with no phone service), T. Harv Eker’s company, Peak Potentials called and wanted me in Canada in less than 3 weeks.

Sitting on that plane flying to Canada, the butterflies in my belly felt more like helicopters. I would be speaking on a stage to an audience filled with my peers. The staff would be the most well trained staff in North America, having worked with some of the most charismatic and impressive speakers in the world. How would I do? It was *a lot* of pressure!

I wrote in my journal, “Sandy, this is what it feels like to play big. It means you are going to feel uncomfortable, because you are doing things you’ve never done before. That’s how you grow. I better get used to this feeling. I better get comfortable feeling uncomfortable.”

Having that little ‘a-ha!’ in my journal that day, that stretching my comfort zone is supposed to feel uncomfortable and that as long as I continued following my dreams I was probably going to feel that way again and again, gave me a little peace.

I still felt the helicopter-sized butterflies when I walked on stage. And each time I take on something new and big and wonderful in my life I feel them again. Each time I break through another self-imposed barrier to living the biggest vision I can create for my life, I feel them again.

And you know what? I’m actually beginning to enjoy them! I’m learning to welcome them, because it is an affirmation that I’m stretching myself beyond what I know. So now I tell my clients and audiences: “If your dream doesn’t scare you a little, if you don’t have butterflies in your belly, then you need to get a bigger dream.”

You are supposed to feel scared and uncomfortable! That means you are ALIVE and you are LIVING your life to the fullest!

So, my assignment for you is:

Go Do Something That Scares You A Little Today...

Have a Faabulous Day!

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Sandy Grason is a Rock Star Author, Int’l Speaker & Hot Mogul.    Put your name on the Guest List for Sandy’s next Virtual Cocktail Party, gain access to private videos, articles, tips, tools and strategies. Take the Hot Mogul Quiz and get Free Gifts including: the MP3 download Visioning Exercise at www.SandyGrason.com

You've Got to Have B.A.L.L.S.

Last week I was having coffee with a new acquaintance, “Jen” who just happens to be one of the most successful business women I’ve ever met. I was sharing one of my crazy manifesting stories when Jen leaned into me, as if she was about to share some juicy bit of gossip and said; “Sandy, you have got such big balls.”

Ahhhhhh! I fell backward, mouth wide open and began to laugh hysterically. “What are you talking about?!”

The rest of the day, I couldn’t stop thinking about what Jen said and wondering “What does it mean to have 'balls'? Should I be flattered? Or insulted?"

When I really stopped to look at some of the amazing and FUN things that I’ve experienced in my life, I noticed that often times ‘it’ required me to step out of my comfort zone- sometimes in a major way.

So I came up with these tips and inspirations gleaned from my new favorite compliment. I hope, in some way, you’ll feel more empowered to step out of your comfort zone today and find your B.A.L.L.S.

B = Belief
You must have unshakeable belief in yourself and the World around you. It starts with a vision, and you have to believe that you wouldn’t have this vision if you didn’t already have everything you need to make it a reality.

A = Authenticity
You must be willing to authentically express yourself, even if it makes people uncomfortable. Be Big, be the Rock Star, do not make yourself small in order to make others like you or to fit in. When you allow yourself to shine in your Fabulousness, it will spill over onto those around you and lift them up.

L = Let’s Get Loud
These are the lyrics to Jennifer Lopez’s song “let’s get loud”, “You want to live your life, you got to live it all the way and don’t you waste it. There’s a feeling that could be so very sweet you gotta taste it. You gotta do it your way, you gotta prove it, you gotta mean what you say- you know what we’re here for! Let’s Get Loud”. Words to Live, Love and Laugh by.

L = Licious-ness
This is that Unique-ness that is only YOU. When you are clear in your Unique Essence - There is no competition. There is only one of you. You must express your most Delicious & Fabulous Self in every moment! (If you need support in discovering what makes YOU so Unique, send Debbie@SandyGrason.com an email for more information about my Rock Star Coaching Programs.

S = Super-Hero
You must be The Super-Hero of your life. There is no knight-in-shining-armor coming to save you. Imagine that your life is a movie and YOU are the hero, the Super-Hero. Your life is waiting to be written, you might as well make it a blockbuster hit! BE that which you desire. Starting now…… Go!

Have a Faabulous Day!

Peace and Love,

 

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Sandy Grason is a Rock Star Author, Int’l Speaker & Hot Mogul.    Put your name on the Guest List for Sandy’s next Virtual Cocktail Party, gain access to private videos, articles, tips, tools and strategies. Take the Hot Mogul Quiz and get Free Gifts including: the MP3 download Visioning Exercise athttp://www.sandygrason.com/

Step Into Your Greatness

It’s easy to believe all of your critical voices and never attempt anything risky or scary in your life. It’s easy to play small. It’s easy to abandon your dreams when you hear “Who do you think you are?” It takes more effort to step beyond your comfort zone and attempt to fulfill the whispers of greatness. I believe that those whispers are glimpses of what is possible. They are your Soul or your Inner Wisdom or the Universe showing you what can be, if you really want it. You always have a choice. This is your life. You must choose the life you want. And even if you decide not to choose, you are actually making a choice.

Your entire life is made up of choices – to react or not, to make a stand or shrink back, to follow a path or be still. These everyday choices add up to your life. Sometimes something big crashes in and causes your life to take a different turn; other times it feels like life is just rolling by on schedule, nothing important happening. Here is the lesson: the everyday things, the seemingly mundane and ordinary, are the moments that make up your life. You can ignore them, or you can appreciate and celebrate them. Your journal is the perfect place to begin celebrating every moment of your life.

When I began my journal, I barely knew who I was. I wanted to heal from being abandoned by my father. I wanted to find a passion and purpose for my life – something that would fulfill me. I wanted to contribute to something larger than myself. Finally, I wanted to pass something along to my family – my children and children’s children. I heard a whisper of possibility.

Slowly, magically, my life unfolded with dreams and desires beyond my wildest imagination. If the twenty-one-year-old girl who poured her heart out in that first black-and-white composition book – looking for some deeper meaning in her life – could see me today, she would hardly believe it.

My intention is to inspire you to uncover your deepest dreams and desires. I hope you will trust your intuition and allow your higher wisdom to lead you to all the wonderful things you deserve. I know for sure that every one of us has an inner wisdom that is available to guide us. I know for sure that the glimpses we catch out of the corners of our busy lives are put there for a reason, and that anything we glimpse we can achieve, if we truly desire it. And I know for sure that a journal and a pen are some of the best tools for creating a map for the life of your dreams and calling out to the universe to bring all of those dreams to life.

It’s up to you to give your life meaning and purpose. You can use up your moments worrying and wondering “what if?” or you can strike out on your own to find your answers. The answers are all there, possibly buried by worries or lists of things to do, but they can be excavated within your journal. As you pay closer attention, the whispers will get louder. All you have to do is ask, be still, and listen for the answers.

Oh yeah, and then write them down in your journal.

(excerpted from JOURNALUTION: Journaling to Awaken Your Inner Voice, Heal Your Life and Manifest Your Dreams by Sandy Grason. New World Library, 2005, pgs 175-177.)

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Sandy Grason is a Rock Star Author, Int’l Speaker & Hot Mogul.    Put your name on the Guest List for Sandy’s next Virtual Cocktail Party, gain access to private videos, articles, tips, tools and strategies. Take the Hot Mogul Quiz and get Free Gifts including: the MP3 download Visioning Exercise at http://www.sandygrason.com/

3, 2, 1 Happy- Today!

Many of the high-achieving go-getters that I work with forget to celebrate after a big accomplishment. This is a crucial step in your success. You must tell the Universe how wonderful it is to have completed this amazing goal and take a moment to relish in the joy and bliss of your success. And then, from that clear space you can begin to map out what is next for you. (but that's another article). This week is all about the celebration.

Now, since you probably haven't done this for quite some time (or perhaps never?) you get to have a BIG celebration. Whoo-hoo! (please make sure you send me an invitation, I love a good party)

Here are the steps:

1. Make List #1: Title it "Look What I Did!" and go back through your journals, calendars, blackberries and iphones and make a list of all the things, big and small, that you managed to do. (include the little ideas you came up with and the big meetings that you put together.) Write down all the things you’ve checked off of your to-do list, all the projects you completed. Let yourself celebrate if you got your teeth cleaned and managed a doctor’s visit! The point of this step is to bring your attention back to everything you’ve done. And give yourself a little recognition. I know you, you’re very hard on yourself. You are always looking at ‘what’s next’ and rarely take the time to pat yourself on the back. And most likely, you’ve surrounded yourself with people who are just like you, or are used to you doing absolutely everything and take your multi-tasking, butt-kicking, Super-Hero-ness for granted.
   
2. Make List #2: Title this list "Things I Love", set a timer for 5 minutes and write as fast you can. List all the things you love, big things and little things. Chocolate, bubble baths, massage, pedicure, a really good cup of café mocha, champagne, snow, convertibles, dancing - I'm just giving you a little help. Did I say chocolate? :D
   
3. Make a date with yourself and put it on your calendar: Pick a few of the things from List #2 and schedule them into your calendar. At least one of your favorite things each week for the next 4 weeks. So maybe you won't be able to get a massage once a week, but you could buy yourself some really yummy chocolate and have one piece, right? You could make a date with your significant other or with a fabulous friend, just for the purposes of celebrating all the things you’ve accomplished. Make a toast to yourself in honor of this list.

What I'm asking you to do is take a few moments (or an evening or entire weekend) to call attention to your accomplishments. Celebrate your life and all that it means to you. Make a memory of your celebration. Take pictures! Take a deep breath and fill yourself up. Be 'full of your Self'! Okay, that is your mission, if you choose to accept it.

"Celebrate ~ Holiday ~ If we took a holiday ~ Took some time to Celebrate ~ It would be ~ It would be so nice!"  Madonna

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Sandy Grason is a Rock Star Author, Int’l Speaker & Hot Mogul.    Put your name on the Guest List for Sandy’s next Virtual Cocktail Party, gain access to private videos, articles, tips, tools and strategies. Take the Hot Mogul Quiz and get Free Gifts including: the MP3 download Visioning Exercise at www.SandyGrason.com

Be the *Rock Star* of Your Life

Do you feel like the Rock Star of your life?

Do you want to be?

First, let me give you my definition of Rock Star. I’m not talking about trashing hotel rooms and drinking until you fall down. I’m talking about living your life with arms wide open, embracing your Biggest Self and then letting your Unique-ness come out to play on a daily basis.

It means living at the top of your game. It means operating your life on a very high level, whether you are standing on a stage or standing in your living room. I believe there is a Rock Star inside of everyone.

It’s that certain something that you see in someone’s eye, when they’ve got a fun secret to share. It’s a glimmer or a spark. Do you have a sparkle in your eye today?

If you’re not exactly feeling your “Rock Star-ness” today, here a few things you can do to bring it out.

1. Look yourself in the eyes. Connect with the Inner YOU that’s looking back. Flirt with your Self. Connect to your Self. And notice how it feels. Do you feel strange? I did this a few years ago, and realized that I rarely looked myself in the eyes, I was always looking at my chin, or hair, or body, usually critiquing everything I saw.
2. Ask this person a question. What’s on your mind lately? Whether it’s a little question or a big one, try looking in your own eyes, and stating the question, clearly. And expect an answer. I like to lean into my reflection and raise my eyebrows a little and ask, “What is it that you really want today?” (and then wink)
3. Grab your journal and write it all down. It would be great if you could journal in front of the mirror. Sometimes I sit in front of my closet, on the floor with my journal and ask questions. First, I look deeply into my eyes and write the first thing that pops into my mind. I know, it’s very silly, but it actually works! And I always feel much happier after I do this. I feel comforted. Like, I’m not alone.

It may sound strange, but just try it. Imagine if you knew for sure that there was this wise person living inside of you right now. And you could ask this wise person anything and they would know the answer. Well, it’s all true. That person IS living inside of your body, hiding behind all of the crazy, busy, voices that you hear talking to you all day long. That is Your Inner Rock Star. And your Inner Rock Star wants to come out and play right now!

It’s time to let her (or him) out! So, if you’re feeling confused about something, if you’re having a yucky day, or if you just want to feel inspired again. Have a quick conversation with your Fabulous Self.

Perhaps you’ve heard me joke about my “Sandy-liciousness”. Well, I’m here to tell you that getting in touch with that part of yourself, will have a major impact on your life. So go do whatever it takes to find it and channel it. It’s time to come out and play. Play Big Baby!

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Sandy Grason is a Rock Star Author, Int’l Speaker & Hot Mogul.    Put your name on the Guest List for Sandy’s next Virtual Cocktail Party, gain access to private videos, articles, tips, tools and strategies. Take the Hot Mogul Quiz and get Free Gifts including: the MP3 download Visioning Exercise athttp://www.sandygrason.com/

One Love, One Life

One Life - You Got To Do What You Should...

Did you recognize that line, from U2/Bono’s song “One”?

I attended a ONE.org meeting this month with my friends Laura and Michele. We had a fun night out and learned about this great organization that is dedicated to making poverty history.

Some things I give my time to, and other things I give my money. It depends on my schedule and on the specific cause that is calling to me.

Today’s blog contains ways that you can use your passion to give back to your community and to the world.

One of the things I notice over and over with the people I work with, is that their search begins with “what should I do with my life?” or “what is my passion?”. Then as they begin to uncover their wisest voice and reconnect to their authentic expression, the question changes from “What should I do” to “How Can I Serve?”

This happened in my own journey, too. I spent many years searching for what it was that I was supposed to be doing with my life. I wanted to be an author and a speaker and a Visionary. After my first book was published, I realized that my work was just part of my big mission. I searched for how to give back to the world in larger and larger ways.

When you ask, you will get an answer. My answer came in the form of an invitation to do a journaling workshop at the Miami Detention Center. This is not something I ever would have thought to go and do on my own. There is a wonderful program within the Miami Detention Center called GAP (Girls Advocacy Program).

I remember the first time I went, I was very scared. They gave me all of these rules, about what I couldn’t bring into the jail. No pens, no pencils. Everything would have to be counted before and after to ensure nothing was left behind or stolen to be used as a weapon.

The thoughts going through my head sounded something like this: “What do you have to say to a bunch of girls in jail?”, “They are going to hate you.”, “They are never going to relate to you, a suburban Mom, what are you thinking?!”

The girls are required to wear bright orange jumpsuits. They are all under the age of eighteen years old, but their eyes look much older. Some of the girls quickly looked away when I tried to smile at them. Some joked and laughed with each other, (were they laughing at me?). I was more nervous standing in front of this group of 8-10 teenagers than I was speaking at large conventions in front of thousands.

I took a deep breath and asked for some sort of wisdom to be channeled through me, some little bit of information that might make a difference to someone. I told them about my father leaving when I was seven and how I had spent much of my life waiting for this “imaginary father figure” to come back and make my life feel complete. I told them that finally, as an adult and a mother, I realized that I was the only person that could fill me up.

We wrote in our journals to the prompt “I remember” and very quickly the girls began to share their hearts with me. I was surprised at how quickly they opened up. Their protective barriers crumbled. They only wanted someone to believe in them.

That’s a job anyone can do. Are there any young girls near you that could use someone who believes in them? How could you bring your heart and soul to someone who is in need of a loving friend? Sometimes that’s all it takes to make a huge difference in someone else’s life.

If you’re interested in learning more about two of the organizations that I choose to give my time, money and energy to - check them out here:

www.gapgirls.org - The Girls Advocacy Project (GAP)
Creators of Hope, Partners In Dreams, Builders of Strength. The GAP program offers an array of services to detained female youth to promote and strengthen their ability to seek positive choices, alternatives and decision making in their lives.

If you’d like to make a donation to GAP send your Check payable to:
The Girls Advocacy Project (with notation “unrestricted donation”)
5201 Blue Lagoon Dr. 9th Floor
Miami, FL 33126

www.HoneyShine.org “Encouraging young girls to shine as women” Honey Shine Mentoring Program, Miami, FL A division of Alonso Mourning Charities, founded by Tracy Wilson Mourning, HoneyShine provides mentoring experiences that nurture the mind, body and soul of young women, between the ages of 8 to 18, living in at-risk situations, by enlightening their paths and creating balance in their young lives. HoneyShine is always looking for inspired women to mentor these young girls- it’s a great program!

If you’d like to make a donation to HoneyShine send your check payable to:
HoneyShine Mentoring Program
Alonzo Mourning Charities, Inc.
2901 Florida Avenue, Suite 806
Coconut Grove, Florida 33133

Or donate online by clicking here:
http://amcharities.org/donate_now/

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Sandy Grason is a Rock Star Author, Int’l Speaker & Hot Mogul.    Put your name on the Guest List for Sandy’s next Virtual Cocktail Party, gain access to private videos, articles, tips, tools and strategies. Take the Hot Mogul Quiz and get Free Gifts including: mp3 visioning exercise now at www.SandyGrason.com

What Are You Afraid Of?

I’m back from my travels to and from Vancouver. It was exhausting and so much fun! I absolutely *love* working with T. Harv Eker and all of the incredible people at Peak Potentials Training.

 Here’s a photo taken right before I went onstage. That’s Chipo, me, Scott & Gina. Thank you so much for everything. You guys rock!

Today’s blog is all about facing your Biggest Fears. And speaking of that, guess what I did while I was in Vancouver? Here’s a hint: I took a ride up to Whistler Mountain, to a bridge about 160 feet above the most beautiful white water you’ve ever seen. And then I…… You’ll have to watch my latest youtube video blog to see the whole story  Click here to watch

Do you have a dream? What is it?  Have you written it down? Many times before you’ve even finished writing the sentence declaring your dream to the world, your fears begin to surface. You may hear your Inner Critic say “you can’t do that” or “you don’t have enough money or knowledge or ______(you fill in the blank).” What are some of the things your fears say to you?

Our fears are really there trying to protect us. They are protecting us from the unknown. Our comfort zone is designed to keep us ‘comfortable’, so anything that stretches our comfort zone will cause us to feel….. what? Uncomfortable. So that means that *anytime* you attempt to go beyond what you are doing or experiencing today, you are going to feel uncomfortable, you are going to hear all the ‘reasons’ in your head that you shouldn’t or can’t do it.

This is completely normal and completely expected! Once you know this, you can blast past these fears and get on with your dreams. When I first wrote the words “I want to write a book” in my journal the very next thing I wrote was “who do I think I am? I can’t write a book. No one wants to hear what I have to say. I don’t have anything important to say.” And on and on and on…. My fears came up to protect me from the “terrible, awful” experience of writing a book and getting rejected by agents and publishers and working so hard for so long, etc. But you know what? It was uncomfortable and it was hard and it was the best experience of my life!

More recently, I was speaking at an event that really stretched my comfort zone. The people in the audience were expert speakers themselves! I had to write lots of new material that I had never spoken about before. I couldn’t rely on my old ‘stand-by’ stories, I had to come up with new stories that would be examples of the new material I was teaching. I was very UNCOMFORTABLE! I wrote in my journal, “I guess this is what ‘playing big’ in my life looks like. I have to get comfortable being uncomfortable.”

Sounds crazy, I know, but this small shift in how you look at and address your fears can have a huge impact on your life. Imagine the next time you feel fearful and uncomfortable, you immediately realize that those fears are just trying to help you be comfortable again, and you are able to tell yourself “oh, I know this feeling. It’s my comfort zone expanding to help me BE the Vision I’ve created for myself.” And you blast past those fears and move toward the Biggest Vision you can create for your life!

You can do it!

 

 

 

 

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Sandy Grason is a Rock Star Author, Int’l Speaker & Hot Mogul.    Put your name on the Guest List for Sandy’s next Virtual Cocktail Party, gain access to private videos, articles, tips, tools and strategies. Take the Hot Mogul Quiz and get Free Gifts including: mp3 visioning exercise now athttp://www.sandygrason.com/