The First Step

As many of you know, I launched PFW 4 years ago (last week!) with no business plan, little research & limited vision. I just knew I had to do this, so I took the first step – not knowing where it would lead. I trusted my intuition and believed in my gut feeling. I have never, ever, looked back!

As we’re starting off a brand-new year, I invite you to listen to your heart and open yourself up to possibilities. If there’s something you’ve been wanting to do, just take that first step. You’ll know if you want to continue on that path, or simply take a step back (it’s totally okay you know). Trust that little voice and let go of the need to have total clarity and complete control. Embrace change, lean into the discomfort and accept ambiguity. It’s scary, but exhilirating!

You don’t have to see the whole staircase – just take that first step. As Mark Twain said, 20 years from now, you’re likely to be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do (even if you failed).

So just do it!!

[Motivation] Brilliant Plans: 3 Mistakes You’ll Want to Avoid in 2012

“Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood.” Daniel Burnham

What’s your big game plan for 2012? Have you got your year – your business, your life, your health, or whatever you’re called to uplevel — all mapped out perfectly? You know – are your goals and plans put in your calendar, entered into spreadsheets, glued onto vision boards, added to your “to do” lists and Blackberry yet? Are you feeling on top of your road map to success?

If you are, thanks for stopping by and there’s no need for you to read further. Or perhaps you are feeling behind the eight ball in terms of getting your act together. I’m talking about having a tightness in your chest and a pit In your stomach. It’s that feeling that no matter how fast you run, you’re not entirely sure you’ll get there. Sometimes you forget where you put your finish line anyway. There’s nothing like a New Year to trigger an intense cocktail of fresh optimism and hope, with a dash of overwhelm, fear of failure and confusion about how to make sense of it all. Like a salmon ready to spawn knows it has to get back to the river it was originally born in, we know we’re supposed to create super-duper plans of action at the start of a brand-spanking new year. Planning is a huge topic and I work on this continuously with my clients, but I would like to distill down three key pitfalls you’ll want to avoid in your 2012 planning process.

Mistake #1 – Make Someone Else’s Plan Your Own Plan

One of the biggest pitfalls I see people making is not creating a plan that is congruent with their authentic self. It can make good business sense to learn from some of the marketing gurus or mentors. But please don’t blindly adopt their strategies, plans and schedules thinking that it will be a fast road to success and cash flow. When designing your brilliant business, it must be sourced from a place of deep authenticity and alignment with who YOU truly are. Ensure that your plan reflects your values, priorities and creativity.

Mistake #2 – Leading from Your Head, Not Your Heart

As coaches, we were trained to help our clients develop plans in a pretty systematic way. Make sure the goal feels like a stretch and that it is S.M.A.R.T. (specific, measurable, actionable, reasonable, time-bound). These are all great tools that the head and intellect loves to play with. But the important starting point for your Brilliant Plan must come from your heart. If you were to strip things down to their most essential elements, what would your heart identify as the most important calling or priority you have for 2011? Could you answer that question more clearly if you knew this was your last year in your physical body? Forget about figuring out “how” to make it happen for now. But the first step in successful planning is to have the entire process anchored into a heart-centered, feeling-infused sense of your purpose.

Mistake #3 – Not Leaving Room for Grace and Space

One huge mistake people make (and I still have to check myself on this one too) is overestimating how much we can take on and grossly underestimating how much time it takes to get things done. We plan our schedules so we’re in a time bind right off the starting blocks. Throw in a few unexpected delays or setbacks and there’s nothing like that feeling of drowning in overwhelm to squelch your creativity and inspiration. Remember you are not the Planning Director for the Universe. Leave some breathing space in your plan. Don’t be so rigidly attached to your plan that you are unwilling to take advantage of the grace that is always around us, showing us unexpected opportunities and resources that were never a part of our plan in the first place. Planning is a great tool for sure, but leave room for your brilliance and magic to emerge fully. © 2011 Carolyn B. Ellis All Rights Reserved

Step Into Your Brilliance

Block off 15 minutes this week to create some quiet time. Bearing these 3 mistakes in mind, reflect upon and journal your answers to the following questions.

1. What are my three highest priorities and values?

2. How can I best express them this year? What can that look like? What will that feel like to manifest them fully?

3. What is one activity or priority I know in my heart I need to say good-bye to so I can allow more space and grace into my life?

Carolyn Ellis is the founder of Brilliance Mastery ™, a program that helps women entrepreneurs own their brilliance so the mission of their business can be communicated clearly, powerfully and profitably. Carolyn is a certified Money, Marketing & Soul Coach, the creator of the THRIVE Principles ™, founder of Thrive After Divorce, and the award-winning author of The 7 Pitfalls of Single Parenting: What to Avoid to Help Your Children Thrive after Divorce. For more information, visit www.BrillianceMastery.com

LIVE WELL…..We Have a Choice | Nov 24

ESSENTIAL OILS: Discover the Fragrant Healing Secrets of Nature’s Pharmacy | Dec 3

Essential oils are powerful medicine that can enhance well-being of the body, mind, and spirit!

Join us for this fun, practical, hands-on workshop to discover the fragrant healing secrets of nature’s pharmacy. You will gain the knowledge and confidence you need to use essential oils safely and effectively to improve your health, elevate your well-being and enhance flavours in your kitchen – just in time for the holidays!

Here are just some of the benefits essential oils can provide:

relieve stress and fatigue • shift obsessive thoughts • prevent cancer and repair DNA • improve memory & school grades reduce inflammation • boost your immunce system • kill mold & fungus • help acne, rashes, cellulite • increase energy & alertness • balance hormones & mood • resolve emotional issues • alleviate swelling & pain • flavour drinks & foods

We will sample some oils to demonstrate their medicinal value and their tastiness. Our speaker, Sophia Zoe, will demonstrate how oils can help you cope with daily stressors, how they bring your systems into balance and what effect this has on your functioning. She will show you how you can choose your required oils intuitively, and will also tell you why she avoids all the oils available in stores!

You will fall in love with essential oils!

About Sophia Zoe
Sophia Zoe is a Toronto-based Energy Therapist. She uses various healing methods based on balancing and restoring flow to the body’s energy systems. After a course of treatment, clients most often say they didn’t know they could be so happy. The effects are usually so positive that all areas of a client’s life improve.

Sophia has been immersed in the world of alternative health care since the age of 15, but it wasn’t until after attaining her degrees in Music and Drama that she began an intensive study of energy healing. Soon after, a local Chinese herbalist was referring his patients to her. Sophia prefers the healing systems of BEAM Therapy, EFT, Reiki, Therapeutic Touch, Aromatherapy and Guided Imagery to heal emotional wounds, lift blockages and help people feel better in every way. What she discovered is that a short-cut to healing is using therapeutic-grade essential oils.

Sophia Zoe is passionate about natural health care and loves to share what she knows. She hand-makes  aromatherapy sprays using the finest quality organic essential oils of plants and flowers.

For those interested, there will be a limited supply of the following sprays for sale at the end of the workshop at a special PFW price. The sprays are $12 each or four for $40. Cash only please.

Lavender Mist, to relax, refresh and cleanse.
Citrus Spirit, to uplift, release and detoxify.
Cinnamon Spice, nostalgic, warming, comforting.
Bugs Away! A safe, effective natural insect repellent.

For more about Sophia & to sign up for her newsletter and receive an instant download of her free e-book, Energy Healing For Absolute Beginners, please go to: www.SophiaZoe.com

Essential Oils Workshop
Date: Saturday December 3, 2011
Time: 2:00 pm-4:00pm
Location: St. Paul’s Bloor Street
Address: 227 Bloor Street East, Toronto
Registration: Early-Bird by Nov 19 22: $15 | Regular Pre-Payment $20 | Cash at the door: $25

Introduction to Belly Dancing! | Jan 14 (New Date)

Belly Dance! More Than Just Jiggling!

Previous Belly Dance is not required!

Belly Dance offers many health benefits for women, such as increased flexibility, grace, fluidity, and awareness of muscles. On the spiritual side, it is a sacred feminine art that allows women to become more in touch with their bodies, and bond with women as a community.

Join Chemagne and other Positive Fabulous Women and feel the spirit of dance, sensuality and movement! In this fun workshop you will learn basic moves in belly dance as well as a short routine.

Be prepared to unleash your inner Goddess and discover your groove!

Refreshments will be served at the end of the Belly Dance session.

Please make sure to bring water and a small towel as we will definitely be sweating it out!!

For more about Chemagne and her dance studio, please visit: www.chemagnedance.com

Introduction to Belly Dancing!
Date: Saturday Jan 14, 2012
Time: 2:00 pm – 3:30pm
Location: Chemagne Dance Studio, 899 Bloor St. West @ Bloor/Ossington
Price: Early Bird by Dec 27: $15 | Regular Pre-Payment $20 | Cash at the door (space permiting): $25

2012 Transformative Meditation Event | Jan 31

Do you experience:

• Anxiety or depression
• Difficulty sleeping
• Fear of putting yourself out into the world
• Email overwhelm
• Over eating
• Watching too much TV
• Over use of drugs or alcohol

These are often symptoms of being disconnected from your heart and your true mission in life.

Seize this moment and make 2012 the turning point of your life!

Join us for a transformative meditation experience that will open the door of your heart to the healing and reunion that you long for. This divinely inspired workshop will guide you through a solution-focused process infused with prayer empowering you to step into a new relationship with yourself and your life. Tools will be offered to continue the journey after the workshop.

2012 Transformative Meditation Workshop
Date: Tuesday January 31, 2012
Time: 7:00pm-9:00pm
Location: St. Paul’s Bloor Street
Address: 227 Bloor Street East, Toronto
Registration: Early-Bird Rate by Jan 20: $15 | Regular Pre-Payment: $20 | Cash at the Door: $30

Creating Authentic Success in 2012 Networking Mixer | Feb 7

When Positive Fabulous Women and CRAVE Toronto get together to host, you know you’re in for a positively luscious mingler – with just the right amount of swank.

This is THE gathering of the season for Toronto’s women entrepreneurs. We will be meeting at the beautiful Local Company on the Danforth to sip French Martinis or Pink Sangrias (or Perrier, as you prefer) while chatting about business (and other matters).

Bring your business cards –- you will meet other, interesting women you’ll want to keep in touch with. But you won’t have to do all the talking.

We’ve invited four very successful entrepreneurs to dish their very best business advice.

Jennifer Ettinger; Fit Your Style (@FitYourStyle)
Leslie Hughes; Punch Media (@punchmediadotca)
Marcy Berg; Mortgages for Women (@marcyberg)
Melissa Ramos; Sexy Food Therapy (@sexyfoodtherapy)

They will be sharing practical ideas that can be implemented right away to make a REAL DIFFERENCE in your business in 2012.

And then the panel discussion will be opened up for questions.

Not sure whether it’s time to expand or stay the course? Unclear about the best way to use social media? Need pricing advice? Want to hear what marketing ideas have worked for our experts and which have NOT?

Ask. You’ll get answers. And LOTS of inspiration.

This invitation will be going out to Positive Fabulous Women and CRAVE Toronto communities so we’re expecting it to fill up quickly. It would be safest to sign up early if you’re hoping to attend (and maybe even enjoy the early bird pricing!). We wouldn’t want to miss you!

A very special thank you to our sponsors!
Please support the women-owned businesses that support our community:

Because You Said So Promotions + Events & Pink Elephant Creative

Let’s generate buzz! Use hashtag #SUCCESS12 when tweeting about this event.

Creating Authentic Success in 2012 Networking Mingler
Date: Tuesday February 7, 2012
Time: 7:00 pm-9:30 pm
Location: The Local Company
Address: 511 Danforth Avenue, @ Logan, Toronto (click HERE for map)
Registration: Early-Bird until Jan 25: $25 | Regular Pre-Payment $30 | Cash at the door $40

 

 

The Bad Girl’s Guide to Unleashing Your Power | Oct 27

Last year, Positive Fabulous Women flocked to do the “Bad Girl’s Guide to Fulfillment” with sassy Soul Coach Kimberly Carroll. This year we bad girls are going for the power! 

Are there areas of your life you wish you could feel more powerful and confident in? Do you feel like limiting beliefs might be stalling your dreams? Are there parts of yourself you work really hard to keep hidden? Bad Girls…get ready to power up your bad-ass magnificent self!

As women, we often spend so much energy criticizing or trying to hide much of who we are that we end up seriously depleting our overall personal power. In this fun and active workshop, you’ll explore what is limiting your personal power and then implement fabulous tools for breaking through those limits and stepping boldly into your most powerful future!

Through innovative exercises, deep healing visualizations, inspired sharing, practical techniques, and a lot of laughs, you will:

• identify the limiting beliefs stifling your power
• turn that inner critic into your most supportive ally
• connect to your shadow qualities and transform them into constructive power
• instantly start physically embodying the energy of power

Join us for this spirited evening to unleash the power that’s been laying in wait inside of you to start creating the life, love, and success you yearn for. You are a force to be reckoned and we’re not going to damn well let you forget it!

About Kimberly Carroll
During her many years as a television host and producer, Kimberly spent several seasons helping people renovate their homes on the popular TV show “Take This House and Sell It!” Now as a certified Soul Coach, Kimberly helps people to renovate their lives!

With humour and a down-to-earth approach, Kimberly is an entertaining and deeply caring guide for people delving into the world of wellness, spirituality, and personal growth. Through her life-changing 6-week Soul Coaching Programs, speaking engagements, and individual coaching, Kimberly leads women and men on a wild journey to ignite their body, mind, heart, and spirit

Kimberly is one of the authors of the anthology “Soul Whispers” and she also recently launched “Divine Redhead Productions” (www.divineredhead.com) with a mission to create spiritual, wellness, and conscious living media programming that is stylish, accessible, and wickedly entertaining.

For more about Kimberly, please visit: http://www.soulcoaching.org or scroll down to bottom of page to watch her in action!

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The Bad Girl’s Guide to Unleashing Your Power
Date: Thursday October 27, 2011
Time: 7:00 – 9:30 pm
Location: St. Paul’s Bloor Street
Address: 227 Bloor Street East, Toronto
Registration: Early-Bird by October 13: $20 | Regular Pre-Payment $25 | Cash at the door: $30

How to Change Lives and Sell More From the Stage – Even if you’re mortified to speak in public!!! | Oct 4

A workshop for authors, speakers, trainers, coaches, leaders and anyone who has a message of inspiration that needs to be brought to life in front of a live audience!

If you’re not getting the sales you expect after a speaking gig, if you’re tired of giving your stuff away or working for free, and if you are frustrated with all the networking groups and social functions that don’t make you a dime, then you’re a perfect example of someone who needs to be a more inspiring, influential and productive speaker.

We all know what it’s like to be a professional visitor; to go to all the networking meetings, social functions and business gatherings where you meet incredible people, and then wonder why they are not buying your stuff. It’s so frustrating, isn’t it?

Learning how to take the stage and inspire and influence an audience is the fastest way to boost your image, skyrocket your visibility and start changing lives and selling more of your stuff!

We are delighted to have Steve Lowell back in Toronto for an evening that is guaranteed to take your public speaking skills to the next level, regardless of where you are at right now. In this two-hour workshop Steve will share with you some of the most powerful secrets he has learned about speaking and selling from the stage that from his 30+ years of experience on the stage.

Join us, take the stage or just watch and witness the transformation for yourself as you learn the secrets to influencing and inspiring a live audience!

About Steve Lowell

Steve has wowed our group more than once, so we’re truly delighted to have him back in Toronto.

As a professionally trained speaker and trainer, Steve shows you how to completely change the way you speak, present, interact and network so that you become a magnet, pulling others to you. You will transform your belief systems, create a healthy and liberating self-image and develop powerful speaking and presentation skills.

Steve has a gift for creating a safe, encouraging, fun and exciting learning environment and allowing the participants in his programs to feel free to extend themselves beyond their comfort-zone without the fear of being judged. With the successes in the classroom, participants feel empowered and energized about the way they see themselves.

Change Lives and Sell More From the Stage
Date: Tuesday October 4, 2011
Time: 7:00 pm-9:00 pm
Location: St. Paul’s Bloor Street Church
Address: 227 Bloor Street East, Toronto @ Church
Tickets: Early-Bird until Sept 21 : $25 | Regular Rate: $30 | Cash at the door: $40

For complete details & to register for this amazing event, please click on this button!

Strive Fall Mixer | Nov 1

Calling all entreprenurial Toronto women to join us for a fun evening of mingling, networking and positive fabulous connections!

Enjoy complimentary tasty hors d’oeuvres, sumptuous conversation, interactive activities and a fire-you-up speaker to wrap up your fall with some luscious inspiration.

This is a great opportunity to touch base with friends and to form new connections (don’t forget your business cards). This special evening will kick-off with some mingling & schmoozing as you unwind, sip your favourite cocktail and savour the delectable complimentary light hors d’oevres. So feel free to bring along your friends and colleagues interested in growing their business, expanding their network or creating meaningful new friendships.

Our special guest for the evening is Heather Hilliard. She is the co-Creator of the Striving Styles™ Personality System, a neuro-psychological approach to achieving potential incorporating the latest advances in brain development. She is a behavioural change expert with over 20 years’ experience working with leaders in high growth and dysfunctional organizations. A successful entrepreneur who made the Profit100 list 2 years in a row and a single mother of 2, she brings a wealth of personal and professional experience (and stories!) to her presentations.

For more about Heather, please visit http://strivingstyles.com/

Who Are You Meant to Be?

It is said that at the moment of your birth you have an awareness of your potential and an idea of who you are meant to be. In the next moment, this awareness disappears into the unconscious where it becomes our task to uncover it during our lifetime.

Discover your predominant need that must be met in order for you to feel secure and achieve your potential. All too often, we remain unaware of what our built-in needs are and, as a result, they go unmet. We are then at the mercy of our unconscious impulses, emotions and habits of mind. We end up repeating longstanding patterns that get in the way of achieving our goals or creating the life of happiness and satisfaction we want.

In this highly interactive networking event, participants will connect with others who share the same predominant need based on their Striving Style. You will learn how its innate needs and emotional drives dictate your behaviour – personally and professionally. You will find out how to fully leverage your brain’s hard-wiring to achieve your potential and become who you were meant to be.

Strive Fall Mixer
Date: Tuesday November 1, 2011 (11.1.11)
Time: 7:00 pm-9:30 pm
Location: The Local Co.
Address: 511 Danforth Avenue, @ Logan, Toronto (click HERE for map)
Tickets: Early-Bird: $20 by Oct 19 | Regular Pre-Payment: $25 | Cash at the door $30

Special Deal: Buy 1 – Get 2nd for 1/2 price!

 

 

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