GREMLIN GRATITUDE FOR GROUNDBREAKING GROWTH

It's been an exciting week here at Yoga for Amputees. I have experienced exponential growth in the awareness of my work, along with incredible opportunities "arising out of thin air" ( which really means I have been putting hours, weeks, months , YEARS into my unwavering vision that Yoga for Amputees be THE BEST and most respected international system to support amputees with yoga worldwide). 

When my business starts to blossom in ways I always hoped ( and trusted) it would, ugly little gremlins stop by to whisper in my ear, stand in front of me with their invisible presence, and tease me at the moment I wake up .

Normally I talk to these gremlins to find out what they really need. I look deeper. I NEVER shut them up or take away their necessary presence in my life. They'll come back even stronger if I ignore them. We all have them  . This is nothing new. What's new for me, and maybe for you, is admitting them, celebrating them and learning from them with compassion. and humor. In other words, give them a little taste of their own 'medicine'.
In ancient Irish, the word for gremlin is gruaimin  which means "bad-tempered little fellow". For we spiritual femmpreneurs, we will change that to "bad tempered little girl".

What might a bad tempered little girl be telling you that might not "really be so bad" after all?

• Bad tempered little girls sometimes have not had enough rest, good nutrition, laughter, hugs or downtime. Are you carving out time everyday to relax?
• Bad tempered little girls , at least in Irish mythology, adore mischief. In other words, they LOVE to mess with people's sense of reality. Are your gremlins pointing out something that about how you view your reality? Are they messing with you to keep you off track? Do you waste a lot of time worrying, or posting on social media, to continue to avoid cleaning up your mess?  Are there steps you need to take first before you get to your grand vision? Are you living with a fear that stops you in your tracks but not doing anything about that fear? 
• Bad tempered little girls sometimes feel grumpy because they are ignored. Are you listening to what your business wants, or are you doing what you think you should be doing?
• Bad tempered little girls can feel small in the big bad world. They may puff themselves to feel important or shrink down to avoid getting squished. Are you being yourself in your business?

I've got a few fear gremlins that show up whenever my business is about to take a big leap upward. I confess they are not the "nicest" to mention. They make me extremely bad tempered!

• Fear gremlin #1- Someone will steal my original work , change a few words. and call it their own. It's happened so many times in my yoga life I have lost count. Putting my work 'out there' means I talk to this fear gremlin, reassuring her that people will do what they are going to do and I can stay elevated and elegant in my actions.
• Fear gremlin #2- There always seems to be someone louder, more popular and more visible who  steals my moment after working so hard to get there. Yup, not a pretty one. My little gremlin doesn't like that at all! That's when I call on my trust. The right person , the right opportunity, the right time, happens when I surrender to the sacred river of my life which is exciting!

Let your gremlins talk . Don't push them away. Draw a picture of them. Remember they are mischievous. Maybe they have green pigtails, or a sneaky smile. It is always possible to befriend your gremlins. As Don Corleone said " Keep your friends close and your enemies closer."

Checkmate.

I'd love to know. How do you handle your gremlins? 

www.theJOYbreakthrough.com

LET IT FLOW. 3 SIMPLE TOOLS TO GET YOURSELF OUT OF A BUSINESS RUT

 
When I received my kidney transplant , I was fortunate enough to have the support of a beautiful spiritual friend who sat with me in the hospital room once I got out of intensive care. Everything was going fine, and then it wasn't. Suddenly there was no more flow. Everything was stuck,. After so many years waiting for this moment, I was scared I was going to lose it all. My friend, whose voice has a natural delight in it, started to do a little Reiki over the new kidney .She began to talk/sing to the kidney ' Let it flow. Let it flow."  , almost coaxing the kidney to come out and play. Within minutes, everything was flowing again. I was on my way.
Fast forward ten years. I've re-re-re-done my various business ventures countless times. I reach, I cajole, I invite, I rebuke, I demand and I compromise with my business so that my business can thrive.
I'll admit , it's a slow process sometimes. I get frustrated easily, especially when I work so hard  and nothing happens.  Other times, there is so much magic in the air I can't keep up.
Being in the flow has been a game changer for me for those days when disappointment is front and center, dreams adrift in a corner of my brain.
Here's what I do.

1. Sit back. Relax your arms to your side. Keep your palms open. Wait. Tell yourself " I now receive my best next step and I commit to following through." If you hear " turn off your computer for the rest of the day" make sure you do that. Don't fall into the ethernet hole.
2. Do something else. Read a book. Talk to a friend. Take a nap. Get into nature. Join a burlesque dance troupe( hey that group saved me from endless boring self imposed thoughts !)
3. Do a new mind map. Take out pen, colored pencils, a large piece of paper. Draw a circle in the center . Write your main goal in the center. Draw lines from the center to any ideas that arrive. And if you're like me, dance the lines. What lines feel easy ? What lines feel uncomfortable? Ask yourself what the discomfort is all about? 

Let me know how it goes. I'd love to hear how you 'LET IT FLOW".

OH LA LA! FRENCHIFYING YOUR BUSINESS FOR PERSONAL SUCCESS

Me, Age 22. Paris!

I have always loved France. Since I was a child, I wanted to learn French, teach French and ,well, be French. It's not just the sensuality of the language and food, or the incredible fashion sense, it really is the French way of being that I love. The French have endured so much over the centuries, yet the beauty of life is central to their existence.They take their joy seriously.
I was fortunate to live there , and work there. What I noticed  again and again, was that celebrating life was central to their daily routine.  Lucky for the French, they have no Puritan work ethic, yet they have produced some of the most breathtaking literature, films, building, businesses, art ( the list goes on and on) that ever existed. The feminine is not only applauded, its revered. 
I decided, when I returned to the US, to keep what I loved about France.I'll be honest. I have not always been understood or welcomed . My warm heartfelt smile has been misinterpreted as frivolous, unprofessional or superficial. My adoration of elegance, fashion,  refined beauty, and subtlety has been mistaken for "elitist" and "snobby". 
The best part about my love of French culture and language, is that , like so many French, I don't really care what people think of me. I'm enjoying my life too much!
This past year I had the opportunity to be photographed for an upcoming yoga book. I am the founder of Yoga for Amputees and an amputee myself. . Out came the white body suit with grey lace . Out came the pearls. On went the spritz of Coco . Me, with a bodysuit,. and no prosthesis, sexy, subtle brave and elegant.  I represented  my business the way I wanted to be seen. 

Me circa 2012

Would you like to Frenchify your business for added success?

Say OO LA LA to these tips

1. Start small. French meals are offered in stages, with small , tasty portions on each plate. The French love to appreciate their food. They take time to savor. Like a delicious French meal, your business is an event. The steps to grow your business are best savored one by one rather than gulped down. 
2. Collaborate. You seldom see the French sitting alone at a cafe. They socialize in groups, with a balance of men and women. Remain curious when you meet fellow femmepreneurs. With your skills and their skills, you may advance your business even further.
3. Bring beauty everywhere you go. French women take care of their skin and their body. They wear beautiful lingerie. They create beautiful environments filled with art, artifacts, texture, and color.Light a candle while you are working. Play some soft music. Eat a piece of chocolate. Step away from your desk to go chat with someone about non- work related subjects. Laugh daily and often. Get enough rest. Drink water.
4. Take walks to get ideas about your business. Rather than push for more more more, walk away. Be in nature. Smile at humans. Breathe. Allow ideas to come to you. 
5. Let your business be a work of art. Not everyone has a business plan, Not everyone creates  in a bubble. When you view your business as a painting, or a sculpture, you often get more creative and inventive. 
6. Start later in the day. Have time in the morning for self care. Include a truly delicious breakfast.ENJOY  the morning light.
7. Take a long lunch . Give your natural body clock the gift of eating slowly . Lunch is usually the biggest meal of the day for the French. Eat your lunch away from your computer. I guarantee you will get more done if you eat with reverence. Your body and mind will thank you.
8. Dress up daily. French women think about their wardrobes. Each day their outfit tells a story of how they are feeling which creates a spirit of adventure and play. Even if you have a standard "uniform" in which you feel comfortable, add some unique accessories that have personal stories attached to them, like a large ring an old boyfriend gave you , or a scarf you purchased on a trip. 
9. Keep things fresh and in the moment. While there are grocery stores all over France, many times French people buy their food daily at local spots such as the butcher, the baker, the flower shop. If you're getting stale in your business , it's time to add some fresh ingredients to the mix. Change your focus. Be curious. Step back and ask yourself " What would be the most fun for me and my business right now?" 
10. Emote. The French are passionate. They are not afraid to express emotions. Watch a French movie and you'll see someone shouting and waving their hands, someone laughing hysterically, or someone crying with ease.  If you are disappointed about something in your business, before you brave on through, feel the disappointment. Underneath that feeling may be anger, sadness, frustration which may be causing you to make the same business mistake over and over.
11. Flirt with your business. The French love to flirt. Flirting in France is allowed and encouraged. It reminds us all that we are sexual beings , that we are all connected, and that life is to be savored and enjoyed. Talk to your business in a flirtatious way. Bring on the charm.  See what emerges.

For more ideas on how you can Frenchify your business, I'd love to chat with you. It all starts with Bonjour. 

Marsha Therese Danzig
www.TheJOYbreakthrough.com