“When I get sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead.” Barney Stinson
Here is the audio version of this post. Thank you so much for listening.
Awesome. It’s not just a word to me. It’s a state of being. And a state of serving. And a state of living a purpose filled life.
Awesome is about standing up for ourselves. It’s about self-love and confidence. It’s about accepting responsibility for pushing ourselves to be the best we can be. It’s about action. It’s about consistency. It’s about courage. And commitment. It’s about communication, and clarity.
If you have ever watched Valley Girl or Fast Times At Ridgemont High, or heard the song Valley Girl by Moon Zappa, you experienced my upbringing. I was born in Encino and raised in the San Fernando Valley in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, and there was a language we spoke. And the foundation of that language was the word AWESOME. Along with OMG, totally freaking out, and many more hilarious parts of the slang hall of fame.
Memories of those days are sweet, and even sweeter, the crystal clear memory of my Father, perplexed and a bit mortified at my language. The language of awesome. I cherish those moments, even more now that he is in Heaven.
In a conversation with a bunch of suits several months ago, I was asked about my title, Chief Awesomeness Empowerer. The suits laughed at the title, but at the same time were so envious. They asked, “How do we get a title like that?” My answer; just add awesome.
You see, we are only limited by the beliefs we set upon ourselves or that are set upon us from society. When the truth is, we are the authors of our own story. When we truly believe that, in our guts, our hearts and our souls, that is when an awesome business + life begin to unfold.
Looking to learn how to create more awesome in your business and life, check out A School, a sacred space of growth and love for creative small business owners.
Here is the audio version of this post. Thank you so much for listening.
“We have to dare to be ourselves, however frightening or strange that self may prove to be.” May Sarton
As a child we are immersed into a world of feelings both physically and emotionally. Two predominant feelings are love and pain. Like little sponges, we all absorb these into our body and mind.
Feelings of healthy love create security, safety and being centered. Repeated emotional or physical pain creates fear, sadness, and insecurity.
As children, it doesn’t feel safe enough to heal the pain, so it quietly gets buried in the body. Ultimately as an adult it shows up as:
Self- loathing
Deep anger
Depression
Self-sabotage
Self-abuse
Passivity
You can imagine how difficult it is to live with emotions like these on a daily basis, so over time a survival mask is created. This way, it appears to our co-workers, friends and family that we’re thriving on the outside, but on the inside we’re in pain which can also show up as physical ailments. This altered self-reality to mask the pain looks like:
Controlling and blaming others
Neediness
Busyness
Grandiosity
Manipulation
Emotional highs and lows
Addictions
Unhealthy boundaries
In business this mask ultimately creates lack of focus, blame, difficulty managing others, stagnant growth and self-sabotage. In personal life it creates unhappiness.
But the joy of living is choosing to free ourselves from our mask to then discover, be delighted by and then share our true self.
It’s a journey from darkness to light that most everyone is now experiencing. It involves challenges, real honesty, creative breakthroughs, setbacks, awareness, guidance, clarity and love.
It’s a beautiful journey we’re all on together as business owners and owners of our life.
Ultimately it’s about practicing being our true unmasked self.
To learn more from Nigel and to discover your path to healing and how it can enrich both your business and life, join us at Whole Body Whole Business, March 1 in Los Angeles. Click here to learn more and reserve your space.
(Any opinions expressed by the author are from personal discovery only are not meant to be construed as advice or scientific fact.)
“Powerful words come with powerful intent. Where you have passion, strength, courage, and determination you can accomplish anything!”
K.L. Toth
Here is the audio version of this post. Thank you so much for listening.
So here we are…. 20 frickin 15! One of my coolest and smartest biz heroes Chris Brogan has been doing a My Three Words practice since 2006. This is where I discovered this awesome intention setting exercise.
Goals to me are just set ups for failure and crushing self worth, so I prefer to set intentions, visions and my three words. We move towards what we focus on, and I firmly believe that if we keep our mind right, the results come. It’s what has worked for me year after year.
My three words for 2015…
Focus
On how I can create and deliver the most value to those I have the honor of serving
Clarity
Seek clarity around what makes my heart sing and do more of that
Action
Take action on the stuff that matters for my body, heart and business
While I would like to think I am pretty good in those areas, I, like many others, get distracted easily. My head plays tricks on me, and taking action on all things of importance is not always my strong suit, particularly in the body department.
So here it is. Simple. No need for more words, they only distract.
What will your three words be for 2015? Wanna share? Click here, I’m listening.
A big shout out to Chris Brogan again for continuing to push and inspire.
Here is the audio version of this post. Thank you so much for listening.
The fifth Chakra, known as the throat Chakra, is associated with speaking and expression.
Now you might be thinking, what the hell is Nina doing talking Chakras? Good question. Not even close to my expertise. Stay with me…
On Saturday, I was in an intense session with a massage therapist who is working with my Chiropractor to figure out why my neck, shoulder and upper back are in so much pain. In fact, I have not really slept in two weeks. Yes I have disc issues, but they are easily treated with through my Chiro, Energy Healer, Therapist and Pilates.
During the session, my awesome massage therapist Peter said… “Something is up with your fifth Chakra.” You are struggling with being heard, or speaking your truth. I’m like, me? Seriously?
And then it hit me, not only have I been struggling with some situations in relation to expression, but my heart has also been so heavy witnessing the injustices of the world, and in particular the intense negativity on social platforms. And I have not spoken up enough about how I feel. As the great Martin Luther King so brilliantly said… “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
What was so interesting about this session, is the evening before, I was awakened at 12:30AM, to passionate protesters marching down my street, for the 5 or 6th time in the last two weeks. I went to the window, and began to weep. The weeping quickly turned to straight up balling me eyes out.
Now it’s beginning to all make sense. My heart is aching for words I have left unsaid, but even more, for the fact that these beautiful and passionate young people, are up at 12:30AM, marching in solidarity, chanting what sadly have become recent trending hashtags #handsupdontshoot and #icantbreathe. I was both sad and inspired. Needless to say, it moved me beyond words.
It also happened to be World Aids Day on December 1st, which brought up a lot of emotion for me, as I thought about marching in protest on Washington DC with ACT UP in the late 80’s, early 90’s. And we were angry. Our chant was “Silence equals death.” A life changing time indeed. And almost a bit eerie that the messages are not all that different. Being seen and heard. Wow.
As humans, we all have a core need to be seen and feel heard. And when we are not, we begin to crumble. This can be expressed with anger, resentment, physical alignments or simply withdrawing from society. If protesters felt seen and heard would things be different? My heart thinks so.
We can take this same thought, and apply it to businesses, as business is life. Do we feel seen and heard? Does our team really feel seen and heard? Do our clients really feel seen and heard?
I can tell you from experience, team members and clients leave our businesses because the answer is no.
So now I have some intense work to do on getting to the bottom of my pain, and maybe you do too.
Some people make things happen, some watch things happen, while others wonder
what has happened. -Proverb
Here is the audio version of this post, thank you so much for listening.
Awesomeness in business and in life doesn’t just happen by accident; it’s a process.
Where It Begins
Its 3pm on the dot. It’s Sunday. I just prepared a delicious shot of espresso and turned on the Garden State soundtrack and lit a Marlboro light. It’s cool and rainy and grey, so unusual for la la land. And I am inspired to create this week’s blog.
Now, I could wait to Monday morning, which has been my process for a few years, but lately I am finding it more difficult and quite honestly too much pressure to put on myself. I mean, come on, a fresh written, recorded blog and newsletter, every Monday morning, to be sent before 7am? Yes. But no matter what, it happens. Why? I made a commitment. I know consistency matters. I keep my promises.
A Little Back Story
My mind has been racing the last few months, lots of change, shifts, emotions, plans, and with only 31 days left in 2014, I have a shit ton of awesomeness to create to kick off 2015 right. But because of my promise, I create space and processes to focus my mind.
We Move Towards What We Focus On
The topics for my posts come to me quite randomly yet are filled with intention and purpose. Understanding the promise of Passion Squared, I listen to my tribe and write for them, for you, and for me. Topics can come from a discussion, an interaction or situation with a client, an experience at a store, a movie or TV show.
This is my creative process. It’s messy, flawed, raw, authentic and yet strangely consistent. And I trust the process, doubts and all. Often I am asked how I manifested my career and created Passion Squared, what my process is…
Well, this is it. Above is my process for blog creation, workshop creation, talk creation, projects, and any other awesomeness I am working on.
Is There A System?
In my upcoming NEW coaching program A School, I break down my recipe for creating awesome in my business and my life. Many of the tools I have used for years to grow companies, and more recently, they are the tools I use to create an awesome life and business filled with purpose and authenticity for both myself and my clients. In the end though, you must make it your own, if you are going to own it, as only then will you stay committed and consistent.
So, just like that, one smoke down, 1 shot of espresso and 4 songs later on the Garden State soundtrack, my blog is complete. And this typically is where many begin to self sabotage their art.
Are You Self Sabotaging Your Creations?
Over-thinking, over analyzing, judging. All elements for never creating anything. Perfectionism paralyzes our thoughts, actions and awesomeness. Trust the process, put your heart into it, create it and let it out into the Universe for those who need it. Let it go.
Is It Really That Simple? Of Course Not.
Now, I will prep it in WordPress, create graphics and quotes on Canva and Word Swag, create a description, determine keywords, create links, test links, preview it, proof read it, fix most of the typos, preview it again, proof it again, record it, embed the recording, preview it again, and publish it. Then I’m off the create The Weekly Dose of Awesome, on MailChimp, my “every single Monday no matter what” love note to all of my awesome subscribers.
Commitment. Consistency. Courage. And most importantly, a process, which allows for all of this to happen week in and week out. What’s your process?
With love + gratitude-
Nina
PS: Want to be the first to hear about A School, click here to get your name on the awesome list.
PPS: When its all said and done, this post will have taken about 3 hours to publish, not including brain and bathroom breaks, which there are a few. It’s the little things, the details, the things you may not even be aware that you are seeing and feeling when engaging with this post that truly make things awesome.
