In my 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 as they work with me in the program.  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:

This is 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, when I’m working with you and coaching 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 gets puffed up.  When you cease the complaining/criticizing/gossiping habit, you tell your ego that your spirit is in charge, not your ego!

3 – After 21-Days, you’ve started a new habit and created a new you.

Research shows that 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 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 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 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 experience 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 great idea. I’ve noticed how easy it is to complain, and I want to be more self-responsible…”

You’ll share a deeper connection when you each admit your authentic dreams and goals.

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

My clients report this one change so frequently, 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 99% 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. This is why Uplevel Your Life™ works.  When you link up with a group of like-minded people, effortlessness is created.

So – create a cool updraft with the 24,000 subscribers to my eZine.  Go complaint-free!

“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 Best Practices revealed in my Uplevel Your Life Mastery Program is called “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 best-selling author. 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 certain of what she wants. What does that feel like?

Don’t get all scrunchy-faced and try to VISUALIZE. That’s just WAY too much pressure.

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 starting a new business. She had experienced a whole range of emotions from enthusiasm to fear to excitement 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. (Gotta love those accountants, huh?)

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, 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.  Be fully invested in your businesses success, and the professional people will give you a higher level of advice.  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.

In our changing world, your clarity of intention is EVERYTHING. If you are settling for anything in your life, then you’re probably settling for LOTS of things. If you know in your heart that it’s time to attract new outcomes and results – I URGE you to download my fully updated and revised eBook The Complete Guide to Vision Boards. It’s not only a tool for change, it’s a guide into clarity! Enter your name and email address to grab your copy and start Upleveling Your Outcomes now!

We were dying.  All of us. Collectively experiencing a most brutal end.

I kept my gaze forward, knowing that even a slight sideways glance meant that I’d witness the suffering of my neighbor.  From behind me, there was a grunt.  In front, a slight groan.

And then, when we each thought we could bear no more, the woman who caused this pain gave us our next assignment.

She told us to rest.

With exhales, slaps and grunts, all arms in the yoga class collapsed out of the pose.

Then she gave us one of those blissful yoga-teacher looks.

Calmly she encouraged us to use that moment to do the opposite of what we were each doing.

She told us to smile.

She said that in life, when you’ve completed something challenging or painful – whether that challenge is exercise, yoga, firing an employee, losing a client, or your first time speaking on stage – to take a moment to break out into a huge celebratory grin.  This teaches your body to associate challenges with good feelings.

In other words, when you keel over panting and groaning, you are essentially telling your body this:

“Omigod! That sucked! We barely made it by the skin of our teeth!”

And your body says in response: “Hated it! Let’s never do that again!”

So, when the next challenge shows up (which it always will), your body makes that same association, which may or may not look like one of the following:

Dread.

Cramps.

Fear.

Angst.

Paralysis.

Pain.

The runs.

(I added that last one for a special friend of mine.)

But when you smile?

You train yourself to love the process and embrace the challenge.

And even though it feels 100% goofy, it kinda makes sense, no?

That’s because when it comes right down to it, happiness is a lot about training.

People seek happiness. And it’s always this big holy mother-ship nebulous idea of happiness.  Have you noticed?

But what always kicks the butt of the big holy mother-ship nebulous idea of happiness are all these simple practices that do one elegant thing:

Shift how you’d normally think about it. Change the culturally-accepted way of looking at it.

Implement all the habits you can to trick the ego into telling a whole different story than the heavy serious painful story it wants to believe.

Think about your business, for instance.

At first, you dream and dream of crossing the $75,000 mark.

Then you do.

Then you tell yourself that $150K would be awesome.

Then you reach that.

Then you think, well $500K would REALLY be hip.  Then, it’s been there done that.

In other words, there’s always another goal to reach. Your ego will always focus on where you are not.

But the thing is – no matter how fast you walk towards the horizon – you’re never going to ARRIVE at the horizon.  That line where earth and sky meet will always be out in front of you.

In spite of what my desire-resistant Buddhist friends tell me, I happen to think that this is the coolest thing about goals. There is no “there!”  (And, oh yeah, if there were?  I can tell you one thing, friend. You’d be bored out of your mind within 3 hours of arriving.)

So, then, as world-changing, passion-craving, bright-shiny-object-loving, wealth-creating, idea-coming-up-with, crazy ass entrepreneurial types — how do we be happy?

Well – for starters – it’s that dumb little smile.

(Try it right now. Seriously. Stop reading for a second. And just smile real big.  I promise I won’t post a photo of you doing this on Facebook.)

It’s a daily gratitude list.

(Quick. List five things you’re grateful for right now.)

Or it’s practicing mindfulness.

(Take a moment to feel yourself breathe deeply.)

Then there’s celebrating milestones.

(I’ve celebrated everything from breaking the million-dollar mark in my business to getting rejected and getting up the next day to try again.  Oddly enough, the bigger triumph was the second one.)

Now, as you read over this list, you might not feel all that excited. That’s fine.  If you’re having a grumbly day, then one kicky article isn’t going to rock your world by making you inhale deeply.  Okay. So be it.

However, when you do it again tomorrow and then again the next day and then again the next?  Well, that’s when it gets interesting.

That’s when you start to experience this build up of mojo mastery, and you notice that your usual reactions have evolved into something much more profound.  You notice that you are happy.  And – dare I say – more successful too?

Which is why, as I stood there in that raging hot yoga room that smelled like feet, I smiled like a crazy person while my arms throbbed and my heart pounded nearly out of my chest.  My own personal happiness formula is a cumulative result of large intentions, big ass leaps, new translations, focused attention, thinking clearly, thanking everything, and an unending willingness to look goofy.

What’s yours?

“Intention rules the earth,” says Oprah.

It’s true.

In fact, the first week of my Uplevel Your Life™ Mastery Program is devoted solely to intention, with reams of hands-on techniques to strengthen clarity and commitment as you answer the age-old question:

“What the heck do you want?”

This question might totally throw you off.

If you’re like many of my clients, you’ve believed your limiting thoughts for so long, that you don’t realize you can ask for what you truly want and that you have the power to attract it!

So, naturally, you might do some wonky things at first that actually sabotage an otherwise powerful intention!  Here are seven of the most common ways we do that:

#1 – “So that.”

Example: “I intend to lose weight and get in shape SO THAT I can be energetic and happy in my daily life.”

“So that” says:  “I can’t have THIS if I don’t have THAT.”  It is restricting.  And intentions are about expansion!

Be brave enough to ask, “What do I ultimately want here?”  If you want two things, you can divide the intentions with AND or WHILE.  “I intend to lose weight while being happy and energetic in my daily life.”

#2 – Implementing Bureaucrat Speak Calibrated to Leverage Maximum Capacity Mental Paralysis

Example: “I intend to leverage an incremental degree of financial stability insomuch as I can facilitate a reasonable facsimile of value-added methodology.”

When you set an intention, you’re speaking to your soul, not to the folks in HR.  Intention is supposed to excite us a lot, and scare us a little.   Pretend you never worked in corporate, and use language that feels good to you.

3 – “Ing” Overdose

Example:  “I intend that I am becoming clear about my career path while my health is getting better and I am attracting a loving romantic partner.”

The Universe always says YES.  In this case, it says, “Yes indeed. You ARE becoming clear.  And you are, in fact, ATTRACTING a loving partner… any minute now!”

Don’t push your goals into the future. Stick with present tense.

4 – Scattered, Splattered and Covered

Example:  “I intend to get clear about the next steps I’m taking in my life with health, lifestyle, my relationship, and career. Oh, and I also want to lose weight, make more money, move somewhere else and write a novel.”

I call this “Attention Splatter.”  And the problem with it is this:

When you’re splattered, you never experience completion or success in ANYTHING.

Here’s what’s wild, though.  When you focus on one single intention, often the other things you want will begin to manifest effortlessly.  (OR you come to realize that you no longer want all those things!)

Be willing to be unimpressive and boring.  Start with just one thing.

5 – Trying to figure out the HOW.

I call it “The Unstoppable Power of Intention” because when you set an intention, you don’t have to know HOW.

Yes, of course, you take action. But you don’t “figure it all out” first. Trying to figure out HOW it could possibly happen is just your scarcity mindset trying to take control.  (And how’s that been workin’ for you so far?)

6 – Worrying about your ego.

“Isn’t this just my ego talking?  How will I know if I’m honoring my deepest self?  Is this intention my TRUE! LIFE! PURPOSE????”

You can spin your wheels for years trying to discover an Academy Award-Winning Life Purpose, or waiting til you’re “totally at peace.”   Don’t set this trap for yourself.  The simple action right in front of you is all you need to take. (And sometimes, it might be deceptively boring!)

If you can’t hear your deepest self yet, then just start somewhere. Maybe your ego’s desires will open up a deeper path.

7 – Removing, obliterating, or ridding yourself of obstacles, weakness, and issues.

Example:  I intend to rid myself of all of my anger and addictions and stop letting my ego run the show and never have emotions again.

Dude.

This is SO not gonna happen.

You don’t have to focus on your “stuff” just to prove that you’re not in denial.

Remember this: Energy flows where attention goes.  When you include your “issues” in your intention, then you are, in essence, saying, “Let’s really give this my energy. Let’s dredge it up, shall we?”

Focus instead on the things that you DO want. That way, the obstacles and issues will naturally come up for release in their perfect and right time.

Be on the look out! Very soon, I’ll be announcing a free one-time-only training call on setting intentions and goals – and how to create these outcomes step-by-step.  I promise you this:  It’ll be the BEST mindset training you’ve ever experienced.  Nuff said. Get ready to Uplevel your World!

Let’s face it. No matter how much progress we make, we’re still going to have “bad days.”

You know the ones.

When the old critical voices are milling about drinking martinis in your head. You try to send them all away with your favorite powerful affirmation, but only a few of them even look up – and one of them turns away and snickers.

So, what do you do when no matter what you do, you’re just icky?

Very few success-gurus or business coaches talk about the bad day. Rarer still is any discussion on the process of following your dreams or building a business and the persistence it takes to break through old patterns.

Sometimes it helps to hear someone be honest about this stuff. Not so that you can indulge in self-pity about how hard you have it. But so that when the bad day strikes, you have some leverage and you KNOW WHAT TO DO! (Or not to do!)

So, how do you get through a bad day?

Here’s a few things that help me. Let them help you too…

WHAT TO REMIND YOURSELF:

1 – The icky voices do not tell the truth.

They’re just your old voices coming up to feed. Do not feed them. This is what makes them stay.

2 – This is not who you are.

The voices like to tell you that this messed up person is who you really are and that the rest of the world doesn’t have these same flaws.

Not true.

This is just a temporary set back. That’s all.

3 – Lattes don’t take the voices away. It just makes them go faster.

Bad Days are not a call to rush out to Starbucks, hoping that if you move faster, it will all go away. If there’s any action that needs to be taken now, it’s probably a nap.

4 – You can put off your productivity until tomorrow.

Consciously choosing to be unproductive is much more effective than spending the day wondering why you can’t get anything done. It really is okay to put down your goals and to-dos for one day. You can return to them tomorrow. Today, make it your goal to consciously do nothing.

5 – Everything seems worse when you’re tired or hungry.

If you are tired or hungry, that could be the primary cause of feeling bad. Eat something yummy. Take a nap. Go somewhere and sit quietly.

WHAT TO DO:

1 – Stop feeling bad about feeling bad.

If it helps, make today a container. Know that you’re allowed to have this stuff and that nothing horrid is going to happen with this one day of getting thrown off.

2 – Make no decisions.

The late Richard Carlson, author and psychologist, gave this great advice: “Never make decisions when you’re in a low mood.”  That’s because low moods are a natural occurrence and that any low-mood decisions are typically not healthy. Put off all decisions when you’re having a bad day.

3 – Don’t read fashion magazines. Or the news.

4 – Take a 20 minute walk.

Bring a gentle affirmation along with you. On days like this you don’t want to say, “I am master of the universe!!!”  On days like this you want to say, “I am loved. I am precious.”

5 – Don’t try to FIX yourself today.

No need to rush to the Self-Help section at Borders. Maybe there are steps you can take toward being healthier in the big picture. But today, let yourself stop.

6 – Lower your standards.

If you eat a good healthy meal, be proud. If you do a little yoga, give yourself a high five. Tomorrow you can have your old high standards back and be productive and evolved and all that. Not today.

7 – Say NO to anything if it’s motivated by the word “should.”

This is a good rule to follow on good days too!

8 – Ask yourself what you feel like doing.

Sometimes the answer to this can be surprising. Maybe you’ll want to begin a fiction audiobook and clean your closet! Maybe you’ll just want a nap. Don’t judge your response. Just do it. You might be surprised at how this one little bit of permission changes your state instantly!

9 – Don’t do anything destructive.

Don’t overdose on sugar or indulge in alcohol. Don’t call anyone who drains you. It will not help.

WHAT TO BE:

Be very, very kind to yourself.

WHAT TO KNOW:

That the victory is not about not having bad days anymore. The victory is that you can get back up after having one.

When you start your business, you’re so focused on getting new clients and making your first dollars that you don’t think much about how your business runs.  Hey, you’re just happy that you’re making money doing what you love!

The initial novelty of starting a business is undeniable.

However, before you know it, years go by.  Rather than Upleveling into the role of a business owner, you’re still stuck in “little ol’ me” thinking.  That thinking translates into actions (or inactions) that can ultimately keep you at the same income level for years.  Not fun.

Do yourself a favor and make sure you aren’t making the following “newbie” mistakes. Then, take action to Uplevel your business and yourself!

Mistake #1 – Not having a business checking account

Do you let your money just flow in and out of the same account?  Are you paying for groceries and web design from the same checking account?  At the end of the tax year, are you frantically trying to determine which expense is business and which is personal?

Yes, yes and yes?

Well, you must change this immediately.  Make it a priority TODAY.  Get a checking account for your business.

This may sound like Biz 101 to some of you, but I’ve met too many self-employed women who work in this kind of accounting chaos year after year.  It’s a guaranteed way to fail.

Mistake #2 – Not paying yourself a salary

The woman with a Lack Mindset doesn’t pay herself a salary. She just grabs what she can at the end of each month.  What she’s telling herself (and the whole world) is that she doesn’t value herself or her work.

Don’t be that woman!

Now that you’ve set up a business checking account, here’s your next step.  Choose an amount to pay yourself each month or week. Then set up a system and do it.

Money is energy. As such, it needs to know where to flow.  Once you set up an exact amount for your salary, you’ll be amazed to discover that this amount always seems to be there each month.  It’s one of the key ways to Uplevel your business when you’re a newbie!

Mistake #3 – Not setting up a business entity

If you’re still a sole proprietor, you’re probably paying way too many taxes!  Self-employment taxes are among the highest taxes you can pay.

Whether you choose to incorporate, you need to have both the tax benefits and the legal protection of a business entity.  An LLC is also another option.  Choose a name for your company, and research the options available to you.  On-line legal services like LegalZoom.com make this process a breeze!

AMENDMENT: After I posted this article, Marilee (who is an attorney) generously added her thoughts in a comment below – and I wanted to make sure my readers could see what she wrote:

I am an attorney, and notice three big issues with what you said. First, a member of an LLC will still pay self-employment tax on the money that they earn working for the business. Second, if they incorporate, they may not be able to take advantage of any start-up lossess. It’s a real decision to decide whether to incorporate or set up an LLC. Third, why would you recommend that people need to spend hundreds or thousands on an accountant, but say that Legalzoom.com is the way to go for legal advice. If you are not the only one in the business, having a good Operating Agreement or By-Laws could literally save your entire business. Please don’t discredit the value of good legal advice. If it hasn’t served you well so far, then you haven’t found the right lawyer.

Mistake #4 – Doing your own taxes

I recently overheard two self-employed people talking about how they saved “hundreds of dollars” by doing their own taxes.  Ugh!  This is a surefire way to stay stuck, in chaos – and most likely have to endure the painful process of an audit.  (Plus, are you even any good at that stuff? I didn’t think so!)

Entrepreneur, take thyself seriously.  Get a great accountant, and happily pay her the hundreds (or thousands as you get more successful!) to ensure that your taxes are done professionally.  You’ll sleep better, and you have much less of a chance of being audited.

Mistake #5 – Not setting boundaries with well-meaning friends and family

If your friends or family do not take your business seriously, it’s an issue of communication.

People who have never had their own business simply don’t understand what you do!  They often won’t take your time or space seriously.  They might call during the day, drop in when you’re on a call, or accuse you of not being a good friend when you can’t just pick up the phone.

All of this can be prevented with some communication on your part.

But first, you must be clear about your boundaries.  What are your hours?  Who do you work with? Do you do pro-bono work for friends? (I strongly suggest that you don’t!)  Does family get discounts?  Do you hire family or friends?  What will you/won’t you tolerate?

Take some time to get clear about what most needs to be communicated to the people in your life. And then, honor yourself and your business enough to share these boundaries in a clear, proactive manner.   Then, it’s up to you to enforce your boundaries!

Last Christmas, during the 8-hour ride to my parents’ house, I looked around at the other drivers on the interstate.

A few were tapping their fingers on the steering wheel and singing.

Lots of drivers, however, didn’t look happy. Some were gripping the steering wheel with both hands. Jaws were clenched.  I saw more than a few moms shouting at their kids. Some mini-vans were weaving in and out of traffic at 85mph.

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year!”

Or… “It’s the most wonderful time of the year?”

For those folks who find the combination of holiday and family to be the slightest bit stressful, or for anyone who grips the steering wheel a little too tightly as they drive towards home – read on.

Let’s face it.

You can do your usual thing. You can try to fix your family. You can spend lots of time wishing they were more, uh, normal.  You can get offended at how no one ever remembers that, “No, vegetarians don’t in fact eat pork.”

Or you can start from a better place. You can start from the only place that you can control.

Inside of you.

A Guide to Holiday Happiness

If you create a strong foundation of health and self-care, you’ll get triggered less. You’ll feel more centered in all situations. Even traffic.

Here are 6 simple tricks to help you build that foundation:

1. Go to bed before 9pm at least once.

This is the most non-decadent decadent gift you can give yourself.

Most of us stay up late obsessively trying to get more done when the most productive thing we can do is rest. If this is you, give yourself permission to go to bed before 9pm one night. (Or EVERY night!)

2. Book a hotel.

If you’re typically a holiday houseguest, then maybe it’s time for a change.

You don’t have to get attitudinal about it.  Just plan ahead.

Get a hotel room.

If you’re worried this will upset everyone, then email your family in advance and let them know that you’ve chosen to do this. Be sure to use proactive language.

There’s a huge difference between self-care (proactive) and self-defense (reactive). When you’re able to communicate clearly and proactively, people tend to follow that energy.

Examples:

Proactive: “I’ve been working a lot this fall, and I’ve decided to stay in a hotel this year to catch up on rest. I’ll still be at all of our family events! Thanks in advance for understanding.”

Reactive: “Because you are all so irreversibly screwed up, this year I am forced to get a hotel so that I can have at least 5 minutes of sanity during these few days…”

(I trust you can sense the difference.)

Once you do this, you’ll be more relaxed about your trip home because you know in advance that you’ll have some time for yourself. You won’t be using energy wondering if you’ll get a moment to breathe.

3 – Exercise.

Many physical trainers offer special rates this time of year because (in the words of my trainer), “No one works out during the holidays. Then they all return in January, and I can’t fit them in!”   She added that this is the time we need to work out the most!

Get out and do vigorous exercise daily. Weight-loss might not be a great motivator. But emotional well-being works every time! Your brain functions better when you exercise. And you’re less likely to get stressed if you’ve had a good work-out.

4. Drink extra water.

It’ll curb your appetite and refresh your system.

5.  Get a good book.

Everyone loves summer vacation reading lists. I use these lists for holiday reading, too. Having a great book adds delight to your day.

When you get back to your hotel room – rather than watching another hour of the 24-hours of The Christmas Story – grab your book, snuggle into bed and get lost in a mystery.

6. Give Yourself Permission to Say No.

You don’t have to go to every event, party, or dinner that you get invited to. Holiday time also happens to be solstice time. And solstice is a deep dark beautiful time to get quiet. Give yourself that gift. If it feels too draining or tiring to go out, then you hereby have permission to hang out, read a great book, and go to bed at 8:30!

———————–

Happy holidays to everyone! And remember to love (even revel in!) the imperfect-ness of your family, friends, and the whole funny messy twinkly happy crazy season!

There are scary moments in the journey of business and life.

But there’s nothing quite as intense as the moment of clarity when you suddenly see what’s REALLY possible for you.  You see how SMALL you’ve been thinking.  You realize that you can play a wildly bigger game.

The question arises: Can I be this big? Can I let myself do this?

In other words…

I think I’m ready to release these old limitations.  I think it’s time to quit worrying about the opinions of others.  I really can stop hiding.  Am I up for it?!

Many people ignore these questions and go back to their old comfort zone. Don’t be one of them!

As my students are still reveling in the inspiring energy from last week’s Uplevel LIVE! Retreat – I invite you to use our mojo to re-ignite, re-inspire, and re-invigorate your visions and dreams before the new year begins!

Here are five steps to help you stop playing small and start living BIG in 2012.

1 – Mind your Mind

Your thoughts are things. They can be powerful tools, or devastating weapons.

It’s not always quick to clean up years of negativity.  AND the truth is you are the only one who can begin to do just that.  If you constantly berate yourself, doubt yourself, or obsess about the opinions of others, set your intention to turn that around.

Listen to upbeat audiobooks in your car.  Post affirmations in visible spots.  Start a gratitude journal.

Remind yourself: “Energy flows where attention goes,” and place your attention on gratitude, love, and joy.

2 – Take Action

Back when I first got the idea to offer events and retreats, I kept waiting for self-esteem to appear before I would take the chance and just do it.

Guess what? That’s not how it works!

Instead, my coach and mastermind made me commit to a date on paper – and then offer my first event to the world.  (I’ve since done this many times!)

What I discovered was this:

Self-esteem shows up BECAUSE you take action.  Not before!

What one action-step can you take toward your dream today?

3 – Radiate Success

Do you complain to anyone who will listen?  Do you tell your sad story to get people to feel sorry for you?

Living big means you radiate success.

Stop tweeting about how miserable you are.  Don’t moan about your current challenges with your clients.  Refrain from whining to your friends about how hard it is to run your own business!  (Save that stuff for your coach if you need to get it out of your system.)

Remember this: Like attracts like.  When you radiate success, then success is drawn to you.

4 – Exit your Comfort Zone

“If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always got!”

This is one of my favorite expressions.  Cuz it’s true!

I’ve worked with hundreds of people as a mentor, coach, and leader of retreats. The ones who create breakthroughs are always the ones who are willing to exit their comfort zones.  They let themselves get scared. They say yes to new opportunities. They take time to ask themselves what they want next and how they can create it.

People who live big have one thing in common:

They learn to get comfortable being uncomfortable!

5 – Surround Yourself with Support

I hired my first coach ten years ago.  I paid him more per month than my mortgage at the time!  I’ve since been a part of many coaching groups and masterminds – continuing to invest in this model of support and training.  I swear by it!

Many people don’t do this. Instead, they take a “duct tape” approach to their own support and training, hoping they can continue to get away with their same old fearful behavior, always promising themselves that “some day” they’ll get some real support.

It never works. They stay at the same level. (After all, that’s where it’s comfortable!)

Surround yourself with encouraging believers who are, like you, fully invested in their success, and who want you to succeed.

Many people live and socialize in toxic environments.   If this is you, then step out of your comfort zone and actively seek out positive people who want to create and attract their dreams.  Surround yourself with people who want to live big like you!

HERE’S YOUR CHANCE:

If you’re ready to CREATE the life and business you’ve always dreamed of, then NOW is the time to commit to that dream. (After all, aren’t you tired of waiting?) I designed the Uplevel Academy to provide massive support, structure, and training -  as well as a safe space to transform your mindsets and your success.  We’re now accepting applications for our 2012 programs. Please email info@christinekane.com to get more information!

Many years ago, I headlined at a popular venue in a big city. It was a great night, and I felt like a rock star. After the show, I was walking toward my car with an entourage of music promoter types carrying my stuff. The conversation was lively, and everyone wore black.

As I was walking, I suddenly remembered something.

“Ohmigod,” I thought. “Deepak and Wayne are right there in the front seat of my car!”

(I had inadvertently left my collection of woo-woo audio books in my passenger seat for all the world to see.)

So I walked fast, opened the car door, and I shoved all of my friends – Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer, Louise Hay, etc – under the seat. I wasn’t yet ready for my music biz cohorts to know the truth about me:

That I wasn’t cool.

These days, I’m comfortable with my un-coolness. In fact, I openly admit that the deeper work I’ve done on mindset and healing is a huge reason for the success I had in my music career – and now as the founder of Uplevel You™. The best thing I learned from being so visible in music was that my whole being reflected in each and every element of my career. The same is true for any self-employed person.

I often tell my clients, “Mindset first. Skillset second.”

This means that your inner state of being and your outer success are irrevocably connected. In fact, the reason we set goals at all is because of who we become as we’re reaching them. The “getting” itself is often the start of yet another journey.

If you have a true calling or if you run your own business, you’ll continually be required to deal with the issues of mindset, release, intention and growth.

Why is that?

Well, it starts with why you began your journey at all. I once heard author Natalie Goldberg say, “Follow your heart, and it will take you where you need to go.” In other words, your heart’s desires will get you started. But your soul will make sure you’re getting your money’s worth along the way!

This means that you’ll have to be clear about what you want and then release any muckety-muck that’s blocking the path so you can serve at a higher level, manifest more effortlessly and live into your true purpose. It’s not always easy, but it’s SO worth it!

Many people give up on themselves at this stage of their upleveling. They call it “failure.” They go back to playing a smaller game. They believe the voices that say, “Who do you think you are?” They believe that their fears are more powerful than their intentions.

This past year, for me, has been filled with intense change and reflection as I move to a much higher (and deeper) level in my own work. The shift from being “little ol’ me” working out of her home to running a million-dollar company has brought up questions and challenges, as well as some confrontations with my inner limits.

Because I know the importance of being congruent in my business, I gave myself time and space to experience the voices of my fears, while staying aligned with my intentions and fiercely committed to my own positive mindset. I used to think that one had to “fall apart” in times like these. Now, I know this isn’t true.

These days, we’re in the midst of massive changes in how business runs in this world – a time where authenticity and transparency are more important than ever. Your commitment to stay connected to your inner core is a requirement for your sales, your marketing – everything! Boundaries are being redefined. Marketing is all about connection and authenticity. And businesses that don’t understand that are falling to pieces.

So, what can you do?

Remember is that the only way out is THROUGH. When you are out of balance, disconnected and frantic on the inside, it reflects into your outer world. Unfortunately, there’s no magic pill for releasing an old ugly pattern that has blocked you for years! But you CAN move through it and use your intention to let it go.

Don’t be hypnotized by your fear of taking action. Inner work doesn’t mean that you just sit back, get some energy healing, think good thoughts and success is yours. Strategy, planning and action are crucial to any business success!

Create empowering habits and rituals. Daily habits – like exercise, writing, meditation, gratitude – will keep you centered and connected to your power and your purpose.

Learn to see tough situations as something to be grateful for. Learn to say, “Yay! I’m getting the opportunity to let go of this old crappy mindset! Finally!” This brings meaning to even the hardest situations. It also dulls the sharp edges of fear.

Here’s what to do if you want to join me LIVE on Tuesday, December 6 from the comfort of your laptop…

Just click this link:

http://www.uplevellive.com/sneakpeek/

And that’s it!

See? Easy!

(I’ll wave to you from the stage!)