Be inspired by….

Watch Your Language
by Christine Kane

A few years ago, I was in a car with the promoter of one of my performances. He had picked me up at the airport and was driving me to my hotel. On the way, we talked guitars. We got onto the subject of Olson Guitars, arguably the best guitar in the whole world. At one point, the promoter said, “Yea, well, in my entire life I’ll never own an Olson guitar.”

There was a time when I’d let a remark like this slide on by, even adding my own “me either” to the mix. 

Now, I can’t. Yoda steps into my head and says, (in his Yoda voice) “So certain are you. Always with you it cannot be done.” 

So, I turned to the promoter and said, “You are NOT allowed to say that!” 

This is because I know the power of language. When you know that words become things, it’s hard to let language slide. 

I can’t help it. I have a rule: 

Friends don’t let friends speak crappily. 

Language is powerful. Words can create reality. Even if my promoter friend doesn’t know how on earth he’d ever get his guitar, it doesn’t mean he should cut off the possibility with his own words.

If you’re wondering how to begin watching your words, here are 7 practical language principles for becoming a better creator of your life. 

1 – Eliminate “never” and “always.” 

Never and always are words of hysteria. “I always mess everything up!” “I’ll never figure this out!” “I’ll never get an Olson Guitar.” 

First off, it’s not true. If you always messed everything up, you wouldn’t have made it out of the womb. 

And second off, extreme words are designed to hook you. It’s just your emotions taking a joyride. You’re morepowerful than that. 

2 – Use AND instead of BUT. 

“But” dismisses the statement before it. “And” includes it. For instance, “That’s a good article, but it needs some editing” isn’t nearly as encouraging as “That’s a good article, AND it needs some editing.”

“I love you, but…” is another great example of the dismissive power of “but.” 

3 – Avoid “Should.” 

Should is a heinous word for many reasons. It is victim-speak. It disempowers its object. It negates desires, thereby making it harder to make choices. It adds a nebulous energy to the decision making process. Useempowered language instead: “I could…” “I would…” “I am choosing to,” “I would like to,” “I don’t want to,” or “You might consider…” 

4 – Stop calling yourself depressed. 

Also stop allowing anyone to tell you that you are depressed. When you call yourself “depressed” or “obsessive compulsive” or “ADHD” or whatever – you’re claiming this thing. You’re calling it forth with the most powerful two words in our language: “I am.” That creates very little option for the transformation of this condition. 

5 – Delete the word “hate” from your vocabulary.

“Hate” has lots of energy. When you use it, you send lots of energy out into the very thing you “hate.” Even if it’s negative energy, it’s still a powerful force, adding its charge to that thing. You’re also depleting this energy fromyour own spirit as you say it. 

6 – Be “great.” Or “wonderful.” 

A disease of the creative temperament is a belief that we must be authentic at all costs. So we can’t answer a simple “How are you?” without delving into an in-depth scan of our emotional temperature. 

Try this instead: When people ask you how you’re doing, just say, “I’m great!” 

I used to think if said this, then I better have a good reason for saying it, like I just won the lottery or something. I thought it would make me look suspicious, and people would start to wonder if something was wrong with me. But then I did it. And you know what? Most people don’t care why you’re great. You’re saying it for you. 

7 – Pay attention to the music of your speech. 

You know how some people? They talk in question marks? And you have no idea why? But it makes you think you shouldn’t really rely on them? And it makes you not want to hire them? 

The music of your language says a lot about you. If you let your sentences droop like Eeyore, (“Thanks for noticing me.”) or if you do the uncertain question mark language, take note of what attitudes are causing this. These patterns are created for a reason. Even if it feels like faking it at first, generate confidence as you speak.

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WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE?

Please do! Just be sure to include this complete blurb with it:

Performer, songwriter, and creativity consultant Christine Kane publishes her ‘LiveCreative’ weekly ezine with more than 4,000 subscribers. If you want to be the artist of your life and create authentic and lasting success, you can sign up for a FRE*E subscription to LiveCreative at www.christinekane.com.

WANT TO SEE HUNDREDS MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE?
See Christine’s blog – Be Creative. Be Conscious. Be Courageous – at ChristineKane.com/blog.

Filed under: General, Health & Fitness , Christine Kane, inspire, motivation

From Christine Kane’s newsletter…

The 7 Biggest Mistakes People Make When They Say No

by Christine Kane

Know what’s funny?

Many women will talk about anything when it comes to personal growth work. They aren’t afraid to “go there.”

But as soon as the topic of Saying No comes up, they’ll sit back in their seats.

“Sorry.”

“No can do.”

“I tried that. It didn’t work.”

“Huh-uh.” In fact, it seems the only thing they’re willing to say no to is… Saying No!

But saying no is important as you move to the next level in your life. One of the items in the Tool Kit of my new Uplevel Your Life Mastery Program is called “The Natural No: Templates for Saying No Authentically, Clearly, and Graciously.” After all, it’s tough to uplevel if you don’t know how to eliminate and release!

Saying No isn’t hard. It’s just that many of us do it badly! Here are the seven biggest mistakes people make when they say no…

1 – Waiting until they’re put on the spot

Most people never actually take time to ask themselves about their No’s. They wait until they’re put on the spot – and then they let their emotions (guilt, fear, anxiety) make their decisions for them!

While you can’t be prepared for every request that comes your way, you can get clear on your No’s in advance. I call this The Proactive No.

Write your list of Proactive No’s on a day off. “No volunteer positions on weekends.” “No more committees.” “No Sunday night dinner parties.” Get clear about how you want to honor your time and priorities. That way when you say no, it will be simple and authentic!

2 – Over-explaining

Rather than saying a clear “No,” many people try to explain their way out of it. This only digs them deeper into the muck.

When you over-explain yourself, you embody uneasiness. Over-explaining says, “I don’t really mean this, so I’m trying to find proof.”

3 – Using disempowered language

Language is a key element of effective “No-Saying.”

Empowered language is clear, firm, compassionate, and keeps the focus on the issue. Most people get so nervous and distracted that they ultimately do themselves a disservice by speaking at all. They ramble through the territory of the “sort of,” “kinda,” and “ya know.”

Empowered language stops the rambling. “I’m getting clear on my priorities so I’m cutting back on the extra activities in my life. In order to honor that intention, I need to say no. Thanks for understanding.”

4 – Trying to get approval

Rather than simply turning something down, many people try to “campaign” for their No.

They want to say “No.” But that’s not enough.

They also want the parties involved to approve of their “No,” agree with their “No,” and not be mad at them for saying “No.”

Saying No means that some people might be disappointed in you. That’s their “stuff.” Accept that. Give them the gift of allowing their disappointment. Give yourself the gift of having preferences.

5 – Hoping people will just ‘get it.’

Not responding at all. Putting the request off for a week. Avoiding eye-contact. These are the dances we do, hoping that people will just “get it.”

The problem with this approach is not that you’re not being “nice” to other people.

The problem is that you aren’t being complete with yourself. These little “Non-no’s” are actually draining your creative energy. Stop the leaks, and say no in the moment!

6 – Promising something they don’t mean

There’s a “Friends” episode where Ross’s new girlfriend asks him where their relationship is “going.” Ross admits to his Friends that he doesn’t want the relationship to go anywhere. But rather than stating this to his girlfriend, Ross gives her the keys to his apartment and tells her he loves her.

It’s a funny episode because it shows how much energy and integrity we lose when we dishonor our own preferences and desires – all in an effort to avoid another person’s disappointment.

7 – Giving in to guilt

When you say No, you might have to deal with some guilt.

At first, being on your own side is scary. This is why some people cave in as soon as the discomfort of guilt arises. Within a week, they change their mind and opt back into the thing they didn’t want to do in the first place. Wavering and waffling sends shaky messages to everyone involved, including yourself. Allow the guilt, and just experience it. You’ll get more comfortable after a little practice!
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Let’s face it. Saying No is uncomfortable sometimes. But once you experience the clarity and space that comes from saying No successfully, then you’ll never want to go back to the way you used to do it!

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WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE?

Please do! Just be sure to include this complete blurb with it:

Performer, songwriter, and creativity consultant Christine Kane publishes her ‘LiveCreative’ weekly ezine with more than 4,000 subscribers. If you want to be the artist of your life and create authentic and lasting success, you can sign up for a FRE*E subscription to LiveCreative at www.christinekane.com.

WANT TO SEE HUNDREDS MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE?
See Christine’s blog – Be Creative. Be Conscious. Be Courageous – at ChristineKane.com/blog.

Filed under: 1, General, Health & Fitness , challenges, Christine Kane, inspire, motivation

More words by Christine Kane….

How to Be an Extreme Encourager
by Christine Kane

Many years ago, when I first shared my dream of being a songwriter with one of my best friends, she knitted her brows and said, “Huh?”

I can’t say I was deflated by all of the warnings that followed. After all, I had always been surrounded by this kind of “practical thinking.” In fact, I probably shared my dream with her just so she’d talk me out of it.

During this fumbling stumbling time in my life, I met a man who became an unlikely best friend and mentor. He was a brilliant jazz musician, and he could do pretty much anything on the computer.

One night, after he performed at a local jazz club, we were walking towards my car. I told him my dream of being a songwriter. Without even blinking, he said, “Honey (he always called me Honey), you’d be a fabulous songwriter. That’s perfect!” And he meant it.

At that moment, I felt like I was falling into a soft clean bed. I had never experienced such direct and truthful encouragement without a single “practical” warning attached to it. This friend set me free by offering one simple thing:

Encouragement.

Fast forward many years and successes and failures later. I’m surrounded by encouragers. I’m sure there are doubters around. But they don’t register anymore.

Also, I have become an extreme encourager myself.

I’ve observed extreme encouragers. I’ve also recognized some traits that they all have in common. Here they are:

· An extreme encourager lives by example

The best encouragers are the ones who live it. Whether they’re just getting started, or they’re veteran risk-taking creativity-living wild-women – the encouragers are the ones who want a bigger life for themselves and are willing to “go there.” This is why my jazz musician friend could simply offer encouragement when my other friend could not.

· An extreme encourager actively listens

Encouragers know that encouragement doesn’t mean you just tell people to “buck up” or “get over it.” They know how to listen. This means looking at the speaker, listening to her, setting agendas and judgments aside, and honoring the speaker as a wise soul.

· An extreme encourager avoids clichés

Avoiding clichés is actually a result of actively listening to someone. Being an extreme encourager doesn’t mean that you blindly tell people “You can do it!” or “Let go of fear!” It’s deeper than that. It’s seeing the truth of the other person, especially when they cannot.

· An extreme encourager acknowledges the hooglie-booglies, but doesn’t focus on them

We all have the hooglie-booglies. These are the voices that tell us we can’t, or we shouldn’t, or we’ll fail, or we’ll look stupid. An encourager doesn’t focus on those voices because she knows they they’re trying to hook her. An encourager simply acknowledges that the voices are there and that you can’t make them go away by arguing with them. An encourager knows that those voices aren’t the truth. They only SEEM like the truth.

· An extreme encourager remembers that no one knows what’s best for anyone else

An encourager knows that we are all wise and that sometimes we make choices that might not seem so wise. An extreme encourager calls out our deepest desires and then helps us see the thoughts and fears that hold us back.

· An extreme encourager accepts miracles, grace and mystery as the deeper truth.

Extreme encouragers are often mystics of sorts. They know that the so-called “woo-woo” stuff is more real than the so-called “logical” stuff. They celebrate the divine as a simple fact of everyday existence and don’t get caught up in the “prove it” mindset.

· An extreme encourager knows that you can develop the needed character traits as you go

In other words, she knows you’re ready now, even if you’re not perfect yet! I shudder when I read advice that discourages people from trying something because of character traits “required” in advance. “You shouldn’t blog if you’re not disciplined.” “If you don’t have focus, you can’t be a writer.” Most of the successful people I know developed these traits as they went. I certainly did. Encouragers understand the huge potential for growth in each human, especially when someone begins to follow her heart.

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I’m grateful to the encouragers! And I’m grateful to be able to pass it on to others – either my friends, or to women in my retreats or my coaching clients!

Who has given you the encouragement you needed in your life? And do you pass it on now?

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WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE?

Please do! Just be sure to include this complete blurb with it:

Performer, songwriter, and creativity consultant Christine Kane publishes her ‘LiveCreative’ weekly ezine with more than 4,000 subscribers. If you want to be the artist of your life and create authentic and lasting success, you can sign up for a FRE*E subscription to LiveCreative at www.christinekane.com.

WANT TO SEE HUNDREDS MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE?
See Christine’s blog – Be Creative. Be Conscious. Be Courageous – at ChristineKane.com/blog.

Filed under: Blogs & Blogging, General, Health & Fitness , Blogs & Blogging, Christine Kane, motivation, inspire

More inspiration …

The Universe is Your Dog
by Christine Kane

“Start by becoming a pack leader in your own world and healing your own world, and the effects will ripple.” – Cesar Millan, The Dog Whisperer

One of the fun assignments in my Uplevel Your Life Mastery Program is what I call “Mental Dress Up.”

This is a game that you can play daily. It is designed to bring intentions to life by literally embodying them in your own being.

Here’s how it works:

Take a few moments throughout your day and Be [Fill in the Blank with Desired Thing].

As you’re driving you can become a published writer. What would that feel like? When you’re at a party, try being someone that everyone wants to talk to. Be wise. Be someone who has so many clients, you can hardly get through a day without turning people down. Be someone who is certainof what she wants. What does that feel like?

Don’t get all scrunchy-faced and try to VISUALIZE – which is a very high-pressure word.

Instead feel the effortless shift in you, and BE successful. BE a fun person. BE wealthy. BE a rock star. Whatever!

My client Isabella started using this technique when she decided to “be someone who loves to run with her dog in the morning.” She was amazed at the results.

Typically after a few blocks of running, she’d start wheezing and feel awful. But when she became “someone who loved running with her dog,” she had more stamina and felt great during the run. She got better and better at this game until she actually began to love running with her dog!

One morning, she was returning from a run. Another dog and his owner were walking in her direction. Isabella’s dog, Bruno, is still healing from an abusive past and can be aggressive with other dogs. So, Isabella started to get anxious, clinging to Bruno’s leash.

Then, she remembered Mental Dress Up.

Instead of getting nervous and reacting to her dog’s bad behavior, she focused on how calm she felt and how much she loved her dog. She also played Mental Dress Up on Bruno, feeling that he was always very loving and peaceful around other dogs.

It worked! Bruno was fine. He followed her energy, and they both headed home without incident. To Isabella, this was a nice little miracle.

At this same time, Isabella was beginning a new business. She had experienced a whole range of emotions from enthusiasm to fear to excitement to disappointment during the process. At one point, she met with her accountant. The accountant was skeptical, issuing warnings to Isabella about the numbers and telling her the reasons why the business wouldn’t work.

During our coaching call, she shared these stories – about the triumph with her dog, and about the discouragement from her accountant. She wanted to know how to deal with her emotions after this deflating meeting.

Here’s what I told her:

I said, “Your accountant is your dog.”

Huh?

It’s true!

People follow your energy. It doesn’t matter if they are mentors, accountants, lawyers, audience members, listeners, friends, or customers. People follow your energy, just like dogs. You always have a choice to step up and lead them. Just like Cesar Millan has been telling dog owners for years. And just like Bruno showed Isabella in that one situation.

I told her that the success of her business would always be up to her. I told her that every business owner, artist or entrepreneur experiences bad news, good news, depression, loss, gain and insecurity. The decision to quit, fail, or succeed is always hers.

In that moment, her accountant might have sensed her fear and found all the negative stuff he could muster up to dissuade her. He became her dog and followed her energy.

You don’t have to be a Jedi master to tap into someone’s emotional state of being. You just have to be human. Had Isabella been feeling confident, most likely the accountant would have presented his views in a different light.

Ultimately, during our coaching call, I told Isabella this:

“The Universe is your dog.”

Everything and everyone follows the energy and emotional state you bring to it. Decide that you can do something, and the Universe follows that decision. Choose to radiate love and wisdom, and the Universe follows that radiance. This is not always an easy place to go. But it almost always teaches us about our own power to create or transform any situation.

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WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE?

Please do! Just be sure to include this complete blurb with it:

Performer, songwriter, and creativity consultant Christine Kane publishes her ‘LiveCreative’ weekly ezine with more than 4,000 subscribers. If you want to be the artist of your life and create authentic and lasting success, you can sign up for a FRE*E subscription to LiveCreative atwww.christinekane.com.

WANT TO SEE HUNDREDS MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE?
See Christine’s blog – Be Creative. Be Conscious. Be Courageous – at ChristineKane.com/blog.

Filed under: General, Health & Fitness, This n That , Christine Kane

are you a ‘hopeless romantic’? …

Hello faithful reader (smile),

I have another article by Christine Kane that I wanted to post for your reading pleasure. These articles are always so inspiring and empowering to me, and I hope enjoyable for you, as well.

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The Hopeless Romantic’s Guide to Accomplishing Anything
by Christine Kane

You know what’s strange about being a songwriter and writer? Most people don’t know how plain old boring it is sometimes!

That’s because the finished product looks so effortless! As if it just “whoosh!” landed on your doorstep, and you ran out and started selling it.

People romanticize results.

I know this because I am a hopeless romantic. I see someone’s work, and I think, “Ah! This is brilliant! How lofty is the soul that doth create!” I forget that this product is the result of many hours of work. Sometimes tedious work!

And here’s the difference between people who accomplish something and people who just dream:

The ones who do it sit down and do it. That’s all.

But I’m here to tell you:

Even the most incurable romantic can accomplish anything. I’m living proof of that!

Here’s how you do it:

Part 1 – Break it down.

Every big idea can be broken down into small steps.

If it’s a book, there’s an outline. If it’s a CD, it’s the daily act of writing songs. If it’s a website, then it’s a navigation Mind Map.

My favorite Break-it-Down Tool is the common Sticky-Note. I buy the obnoxious neon colors. Then I tape a poster board to my wall with the project name on it. Any idea or task in the project becomes a sticky note. In time, the notes get moved around to become an orderly list.

Part 2 – Create a System.

Let’s face it. “System” is a boring word.

Think about the last time you sat next to someone on a plane who told you, “I’m a Systems Analyst.” How quickly did you wonder if you could change seats?

The truth is: Systems are uber-cool. A business without systems is chaos.

So is a human.

A System tells you: “Here’s how it’s going to get done – whether anyone’s ‘in the mood’ or not.”

Why is this so important?

Because systems make a strategy out of our intentions. Systems can lead us.

Otherwise, it’s too easy to be led by our emotions or our busy-ness. “I don’t feel like it today.” “My dad never liked me so there’s no point.” “I’ve got 184 emails to answer!” When our emotions take the leadership role – years slip by and we wonder why we never get anything done!

It’s tempting to think that a system would stifle your emotions. But actually, a system provides boundaries. It’s like taking your emotions to the dog park. They have a fenced in area where they can run around.

Part 3 – Cherish your Attention

My new CD will be released this Spring. One song is called, “How to Be Real.” I wrote it for a woman who won my “Write Me a Song, Girlfriend!” raffle. Tickets were $150 each, and the winner got her very own song on the CD written by me.

I’d never been paid so much in advance to write a song. It was daunting!

But I did what I always do when the pressure is on:

Every morning at 10am, I picked up my guitar and greeted that song like an old friend. I spent one hour giving my Full Creative Attention to it.

Very little happened at first. I just sat with the idea of the song. But soon, a lyric showed up. Then a melody. Eventually, I finished the song. Now, it’s the title track of the CD!
(Click here to listen to it.)

Write this down and memorize it: Your attention is the most powerful creative tool you have. Cherish it and use it well.

Part 4 – Practice Faith

Monica was in my Uplevel Your Life Mastery Program. She had lots of great ideas for new ventures. But she didn’t like the daily “boring” tasks.

“How can I know this is even worth it?” she asked one day before she began some research.

My answer?

Faith.

And this is where we romantics have all the leverage. Everyone who has ever created anything – from a stage production to a business to a quilt – has done it with faith.

Faith, not only in what you’re creating – but in yourself as a Creator.

When you have faith in yourself, then you trust that you’ll keep creating no matter the outcome of this particular venture. Being “worth it” is an ego construct designed to keep you stuck in your comfort zone!

Monica began facing the boredom and started to build momentum because she was so proud of herself for doing work she would normally have avoided. She created faith in herself.

Remember this: People who require guarantees don’t accomplish much. Faith is a part of accomplishing anything.
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Your Assignment: Pick one project or idea you’ve been putting off. Apply these four steps starting today. Keep me posted on your progress!

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WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE?

Please do! Just be sure to include this complete blurb with it:

Performer, songwriter, and creativity consultant Christine Kane publishes her ‘LiveCreative’ weekly ezine with more than 4,000 subscribers. If you want to be the artist of your life and create authentic and lasting success, you can sign up for a FRE*E subscription to LiveCreative at www.christinekane.com.

WANT TO SEE HUNDREDS MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE?
See Christine’s blog – Be Creative. Be Conscious. Be Courageous – at ChristineKane.com/blog.

Filed under: General, Health & Fitness, This n That , Blogs & Blogging, Hopes, Christine Kane, inspire

Another sharing of some inspiring words by Christine Kane….

Hello my friends,

I really love the things that Christine Kane posts in her blog, and she does give permission to post it on a personal blog, to share with friends these inspiring words that really get one to thinking.  So… here I am posting this week’s article she sent out, for your reading pleasure…

Please enjoy, and share with your friends.

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9 Irresistible Reasons to Go Complaint-Free Starting Now
by Christine Kane

In my upcoming Uplevel Your Life Mastery Program, there’s a contract.

It’s a commitment that each participant will go complaint-free, criticism-free, whine-free, and gossip-free for the full seven weeks of the course. That’s 49 days, baby! 

What does that have to do with Upleveling your Life? 

Everything! 

First off, let’s get one thing out of the way: It’s not about “being nice.” This is much deeper.

It’s about understanding the power of your Attention. 

If you have a big juicy Intention or Dream – then your attention is the daily practice of manifesting that goal or dream. It is the essence of Creativity. 

So, if I’m working with you, I want you to experience the power of shifting your attention from the so-called problem, so it can attract the many solutions! 

Here are 9 Irresistible Reasons to Go Complaint-Free Today: 

1 – When you’re complaint-free, you find solutions rather than staying mucked in the problem. 

If you don’t offer yourself the option of complaining, then you train your brain to actually find solutions and get ideas. As Maya Angelou says, “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. Don’t complain.” 

2 – When you’re complaint-free, you shrink your ego. 

Complaining is like weight-training for your ego.

It makes your ego stronger because it makes someone or something else wrong. And it makes you right. Your ego becomes inflated and puffed up. When you cease the complaining/criticizing/gossiping habit, you tell your ego that your spirit is in charge, not your ego!

3 – When you’re complaint free for 21-Days, you’ve started a new habit and created a new you. 

Experts tell us it takes 21-days to form a new habit. And while it does take some trial and error to get through those 21-days, most of my clients notice that after only 7-days, they tolerate negativity less. After 2-weeks, they report that when they slip up, they can instantly self-correct! 

4 – When you’re complaint-free, it’s a conversation starter. 

Imaginary scenario: 

Hal rushes into your office to gossip. 

You get to simply smile and say, “Gosh Hal, you know, I’d love to join in, but I’m in the middle of Upleveling my Life. I signed a contract to go Complaint/Gossip-Free. Wanna look at it?” 

Hal says, “Huh? What’s that?” 

Poof! The energy of the conversation shifts! It goes in a different direction and you get to experience that wildly exciting lightness where gossip would have once existed! 

5 – When you’re complaint-free, it’s a conversation deepener. 

Hal will listen for a while and then say, “Wow, that’s a really great idea. I always notice how easy it is to complain, and I want to be more self-responsible…” 

You’ll share a deeper connection when you each admit that you want to live happier and more focused lives.

6 – When you’re complaint-free, you attract new energy.

My clients have reported this one change so frequently, that I barely blink an eye anymore. 

When you go complaint free, you simply start attracting more positive people to you. The negative people will walk away and think you’re a complete idiot. But then, you’ll start noticing positive curious people entering your life because you’re so much fun to be around. 

7 – When you’re complaint-free, you banish lazy thinking. 

Think about it. 

You can’t get much lazier than complaining and gossiping. It’s the same well-worn neural pathway you’ve trudged down day after day, along with 95% of the population. When you’re complaint-free, you go a different route. With alertness and alacrity, you find new ways of seeing things. (Plus, you get to use words like alacrity!) 

8 – When you’re complaint-free, you create happiness. 

It’s challenging at first, yes.

But after a few weeks, the common response I get from my clients is this: “You know what? I’m SO much happier!“ 

That’s because complaining is just a habit, and it does nothing but drag us down. When your attention is forced to find new places to land, your subconscious becomes a “happiness-seeking missile.” And because you’re so powerful, you find it! 

9 – When you’re complaint free with a group, you get to soar on the updraft of the great group energy. 

When groups work together, magic happens. It’s why I created a Platinum Coaching and Mastermind group this year. It’s why I invite my blog readers to join in on prayer lists each time I lead my women’s retreats. When you link up with a group of like-minded people, effortlessness is created. 

So – create a cool updraft with the many thousands of people who subscribe to this eZine. Go complaint-free!

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WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE?

 

Please do! Just be sure to include this complete blurb with it:

Performer, songwriter, and creativity consultant Christine Kane publishes her ‘LiveCreative’ weekly ezine with more than 4,000 subscribers. If you want to be the artist of your life and create authentic and lasting success, you can sign up for a FRE*E subscription to LiveCreative at www.christinekane.com.

WANT TO SEE HUNDREDS MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE?
See Christine’s blog – Be Creative. Be Conscious. Be Courageous – at ChristineKane.com/blog.

Filed under: General, Health & Fitness, This n That , Christine Kane, inspire

Sharing some more inspiration ….

9 Simple Solutions for Procrastinators
by Christine Kane

Irony: As I started to write this article, I thought, “I’ll just go play one Sudoku game first.” I caught myself in the act and marched to my laptop.

People who say that procrastination is about laziness are probably the same people who think that anorexia is about not eating enough.

Procrastination isn’t about laziness. It’s about fear. It’s about perfectionism. It’s about overwhelm. We all experience it, and there are some tricks to help you get moving again.

Here are 9 ways to break the procrastination habit:

1 – When you get an idea, do some little thing to begin.

When I read Stephen King’s book On Writing, I noticed something. I noticed that when Stephen King gets an idea, he writes it. Immediately and imperfectly.

Most people get an idea. Then they sit there. They wonder if it’s a good idea. Then, they wonder if it’s a good idea some more.

Got an idea? Begin it now!

2 – All hail small chunks of time!

Lots of us complain about having no time. My guess is that we all have lots of time. It just doesn’t happen to be all at once.

Are you waiting for many hours of spare time to begin your idea, your project, or your taxes? Stop waiting! Learn to use the spare half hour that comes up here and there. (I gave myself 45 minutes to write this article just to take my own advice.)

3 – Agree to do it badly.

Set a goal to do it badly. Set a goal to show up. Let go of doing it ALL, or doing it WELL.

Some of my coaching clients’ biggest victories have a lot more to do with getting over perfectionism and fear, than they do about getting it all done perfectly.

4 – Commit aloud.

Call a friend and say something like this: “I’m going to spend the next half hour working on my Law School Essay.” Then go do it.

Call the friend after the half hour and make her congratulate you. Repeat daily.

5 – Define quantities.

Nebulous goals make for nebulous results. “I’m gonna get my office organized” is a lot like saying, “We oughtta do something about Global Warming.”

Most procrastinators have a hard time defining quantities. We think everything needs to be done NOW.

When are you going to do it? For how long? Which part of your office? The file cabinet? Or your desk?

Define the goal and acknowledge its completion.

Note: The Clutter Removal Action Process (or, “C.R.A.P.”) is one of the many bonus elements of my new “Uplevel Your Life Mastery Program” – and it makes this step a BREEZE!

6 – Install this System Upgrade into your Mental Hard Drive: Less is More.

Have fewer goals. Have no more than three priorities for a week.

Why?

Because you’re not lazy. You’re just trying to do too much.
Find out what it feels like to accomplish one thing instead of not quite getting to everything. Wow – what a difference this makes!

7 – Do it first.

My first coach made me write songs first thing in the morning. He told me to schedule the 2-hour chunk as my first activity upon waking.

Why?

“Because you’re telling the universe that this is your priority. And then the universe lines up everything to align with your priority.”

Action grounds your priorities. It makes them real. It also makes your day easier because you’re not wasting energy thinking about this thing you’re supposed to be doing.

8 – Avoid nose-bleed activities.

Email, voicemail, web stats – any activity that bleeds itself into your whole day becomes a non-activity. It becomes a nose-bleed.

When you do it all the time, you never complete it. You just let it slowly drain the very life force from you. Define times for these activities. Then, turn off your email, your cell phone, your web stats, until that time comes.

9 – Don’t ask how you “feel” about doing the activity.

Have you ever committed to getting fit? And then when the alarm goes off, you lie in bed thinking, “Do I really feel like going to the gym?” (Like you even have to ask!)
Change this pattern. Make your decision the night before. Commit to getting up and going right to the gym, the computer, the blank canvas. Don’t have coffee and sigh and think, “I’ll probably feel more like it at lunch time.” You won’t!

If it’s a priority, don’t waste time asking yourself how you feel about doing it. Feelings are an easy out.

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There. I did it. I wrote this article. And now, I don’t even want to play Sudoku! How about that?

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE?

Please do! Just be sure to include this complete blurb with it:

Performer, songwriter, and creativity consultant Christine Kane publishes her ‘LiveCreative’ weekly ezine with more than 4,000 subscribers. If you want to be the artist of your life and create authentic and lasting success, you can sign up for a FRE*E subscription to LiveCreative at www.christinekane.com.

WANT TO SEE HUNDREDS MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE?
See Christine’s blog – Be Creative. Be Conscious. Be Courageous – at ChristineKane.com/blog.

Filed under: General, Health & Fitness, This n That , Christine Kane, inspire, MacBook Pro, motivation

I want to share this article…

…by a gal named Christine Kane.  She’s a musician, but also a “motivator”, in being positive, healthy, and feeling good on yourself.

That’s the proverbial nutshell description, but she’s really a whole lot more than that!

I don’t actually recall how I stumbled upon her site at www.christinekane.com , but once I arrived there, I stayed there for well over an hour looking and reading and listening to all that she had done there.  I was impressed by all that she does, and inspired by her energy and love of life! I subscribed to her newsletter! (and I don’t subscribe to many of those any more! who has the time to read them??)

This is one of the first newsletters I’ve gotten from her, and certainly one of the first I’ve read in a very long time!  But I liked this article, and she encourages sharing, so here it is, with the proper “credits” at the end, as she has requested.

Read on… enjoy!!!

-cya

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Baby Steps: The Best-Kept Secret to Accomplishing Anything
by Christine Kane

Let’s say you had a baby.

Congratulations! Your baby is the best human ever!

You love your baby. You celebrate as it starts to crawl. You and your partner delight in this baby’s every new adventure.

Then, one day, the baby stands up on her own. “Yaaaaay!” you cheer. You clap your hands. The baby smiles and laughs. You think, “Wow. She’s gonna learn how to walk. Isn’t that great?”

One evening, you and your partner are on the carpet playing with your baby. Suddenly, your perfect child stands up again. She braces herself on the coffee table. Your partner grabs the movie camera. You call your parents in Idaho so they can listen to the play-by-play.

Your child lurches forward. You all gasp and hold your collective breath.

Then, CLUNK. She falls onto her butt on the carpet.

“Awwwww,” you say.

“Dang,” your partner says.

“Well, I guess that’s it. This one just wasn’t cut out for walking,” your parents say from their home in Boise.

“Oh well,” you say. “It just wasn’t meant to be. Bummer.”

You hang up the phone. You turn off the camera. You take the baby up to bed. Tomorrow you’ll begin the search for a bigger stroller because your kid’s obviously gonna have to get through life on wheels.

Get the idea?

And yet, how many of us are already acting like this with our plans for the coming year or with our own new beginnings?

Your project, your dream, or your goal is your baby. If we all gave up on our kids as much as we give up on ourselves, then we’d have a race of humans with big calluses on their knees!

The Best Way to Take Action: Baby Steps

Every big project or goal can be broken down into baby steps. Little lurches forward. Sometimes they’re clumsy. Sometimes they don’t even seem to make an impact. But this is how anything gets done.

* Years and years of built up clutter get sorted and thrown away one drawer at a time. (Plan for 30-minutes a day in one zone of the house – not “Get rid of clutter.”)

* Years and years of reckless eating and unhealthy habits get shifted one work-out at a time. (Plan a 45-minute work-out 5 days a week, and a once a month visit to an acupuncturist for a year – not “Lose 50 pounds by June.”)

* A song gets written in fits and starts. Hour by hour. Moment by moment. A flash of an idea. Then an edit. (Schedule in an hour of songwriting time in the morning. Start with scales to warm up. Not “Write Lots of Songs.”)

* A coach builds her practice one client at a time. (Schedule a daily system for authentic marketing. Not “Get 50 new clients by March.”)

That’s how it works.

Stinks, doesn’t it?

Actually, no.

This is the good news that no one ever tells you.

When you get this concept, you’ll never be afraid of failure again. When you learn how to break a goal down into baby steps, and how to complete something fantastic using this method, then you have the key to doing anything. When you understand that everyone falls down and gets back up again (some of us on an hourly basis!), then you need only to trust in your strength to get back up again.

The only block is your ego.

Your ego wants it to be done now. Your ego wants to move through life risk-free, foolish-free, discouragement-free, mistake-free, tired-free. And the best way to trick your ego (and yourself) into letting go a little bit is to take baby steps.

If you read the comments on my blog post on New Years Day, you noticed that many people chose the word “Courage” to guide them through 2009.

Baby steps take courage. Baby steps are a huge risk to your ego because they are so easy. SO easy! The ego wants big deals, major accomplishments, huge weight-loss, and fast results. In other words, the ego likes adjectives, not nouns. Those adjectives guarantee that you’ll stay stuck and never try anything new. Over time you’ll get that deals, accomplishments, weight-loss, and results feel pretty good — even without adjectives.

Now, try this:

Take a goal you chose for the new year, and ask yourself, “What one baby step could I take every day to complete this goal?” And then (and this is the big challenge) get out your calendar and schedule it in there daily for the rest of January.

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WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE?

Please do! Just be sure to include this complete blurb with it:

Performer, songwriter, and creativity consultant Christine Kane publishes her ‘LiveCreative’ weekly ezine with more than 4,000 subscribers. If you want to be the artist of your life and create authentic and lasting success, you can sign up for a FRE*E subscription to LiveCreative at www.christinekane.com.

WANT TO SEE HUNDREDS MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE?
See Christine’s blog – Be Creative. Be Conscious. Be Courageous – at ChristineKane.com/blog.

Filed under: General, Health & Fitness, This n That , Baby Steps, Christine Kane, motivation, musician

To Wii, or not to Wii….

One of the coolest gifts I got for Christmas was a Wii game console, and the Wii Fit “game”!  Now, I would beg to differ that the Wii Fit is a game, as it would seem more “work”, or exercise routines, and such.  After over a week of using it, however, I have to admit I am having a whole lot more fun with it than I would have thought.  

I had seen some of the “games” demonstrated at one of our malls, and thought they were “kid stuff”!  Boy! Was I in for a surprise!  After the third day of my new regime, I found myself looking forward to working out with my Wii Fit!  I found myself anxious to (1) learn the exercise, and (2) work at improving my scores and standings.  I could say I was finding my competitive spirit once again!  That and determination to win at these “games”.  

Funny thing is, I am exercising while playing these Wii Fit and Wii Sports games!  I’ve lost a few pounds just from the work-outs, and have noticed that my energy level is up on those days I work out, compared to the days I miss working out.  I’m very encouraged to keep at these exercises, and have even thought I might work towards getting back to playing tennis on a real court again, sometime soon!

At the beginning of November, I started a very strict diet, under doctor’s supervision.  I have stuck to the plan very diligently, and had a good amount of success with it, to date.  I have been on a monitored “maintenance” level of this diet, over the holidays, and this is the first holiday season that I can remember that I actually lost weight! Whoo hoo!!  Since starting this diet, I have lost 30 pounds, and now finally feel getting into an exercise routine to help keep up my metabolism, energy level, and motivation!

I will go back to the “strict diet” routine in mid-January, but for now, I’m doing well on the “maintenance”, and teaching myself a better way to eat and exercise, and feeling really good with ME!  I’ll share more of my progress as I get back to it.  (Oh! and I can’t wait to go shopping when I have reached my goal!! A whole new wardrobe will be necessary, to be sure!)

-cya

Filed under: General, Health & Fitness , diet, exercise, games, Wii, Wii Fit