It's All About the LOVE!

Happy Valentine’s Day to all!!!

Working Divas…relax, relate, and release today. It’s a day of love and lounging. Whether you are in love with your boo or yourself. Embrace the love within. Love ya!

3 Keys To Greater Fulfillment In 2009

Anne Naylor has written these great steps to get in gear. It's a New Year. Another opportunity to make your dreams a reality. Read on and enjoy Working Divas.

1. VALUE YOURSELF "Our intention creates our reality." ~Wayne Dyer
What if you were to fully know your value and express it into the world through your work, your relationships with others and your presence of well-being? You could transform your world - not necessarily the world as a whole, but the world immediately around you - of your family, work colleagues and friends. I would like to suggest that appreciating your value is an important key to finding greater fulfillment. Appreciate has the sense both of gratitude and of increase. What you appreciate grows in value for you. Think of a garden you enjoy cultivating, giving your time, care and attention to produce flowers, maybe fruit or vegetables. It gives back to you. As you appreciate yourself, your value grows. As your value grows, you have more to give. As you give more, you may receive more. It is a virtuous cycle that spirals upwards.

HOW?
A simple and yet powerful exercise I have used in partnership, and in corporate training, is that of acknowledgment (of tasks accomplished) and appreciation (for qualities expressed). Acknowledging and appreciating others is a great exercise for developing intimacy in a close relationship, and strength in a team. At the end of a day, experiment by acknowledging and appreciating yourself. It could look something like this:
I acknowledge myself for... ... taking the kids to school... going to the gym... giving constructive feedback to my assistant. I appreciate myself for...... being patient, kind, thoughtful, fun, a good listener.

2. ENJOY YOURSELF
"Never underestimate the ability of the Divine powers that be to work out what is coming from clear intention." ~John Morton
The intention that works for me is written in my heart of hearts. It is not a sentimental thing but something solid that resonates within me. It is not an idea, a belief, a passing wish or a vain hope. It has the deep quality of knowing. Clear intention in me is profound, unshakable. The energy of intention fuels the aspirations I envisage. A clear workable intention has a quality of joy with it.
We each have a recognizable Personal Motivational Trend, defined as that which we are good at, enjoy doing and gives us the experience of success. If you are at a career turning point, knowing your Personal Motivational Trend will guide towards your next best choice of vocation. Your Personal Motivational Trend stays with you through your lifetime, although it may be experienced through many different avenues of expression.

HOW?
Reflect for a moment.....
What do you most enjoy doing - at work or otherwise? What are your natural skills, talents and gifts - things that come easily to you?Recall a moment of fulfillment in your life so far - notice what was special about that experience for you; feel, see, hear anything about it, as if it were happening right now. Be aware of the joy within you.

3. CELEBRATE YOURSELF
"I'm delirious with joy. It proves that if you confront the universe with good intentions in your heart, it will reflect that and reward your intent. Usually. It just doesn't always do it in the way you expect." ~J. Michael Straczynski
Why celebrate? Because you are worth it, as the advertisement goes In every person I have ever met, when I have looked beyond the smokescreen of disappointment, hurt feelings, frustration, self-doubt, I have never failed to find the precious gift of life, which is also the gift of loving, that sustains them. You, your life, is a precious gift.

HOW?
Start with giving yourself your most precious gift - the gift of your time. You might like to review this post. (Insert link to How To Celebrate A Lily Day article) Give yourself a Lily Day, Afternoon or even an Hour; time to breathe and just be yourself; no commitments, no pressures; time to listen to, and follow your heart, as you are inspired. Celebrate the love that you are.
Be prepared - life may find a way of delivering some wonderful surprises for you! (source: The Huffington Post)

6 Steps To Being Less Overwhelmed In 2009

The hustle of life/work balance can be taxing. Take a new direction this year and put your life in check. Life Coach Jason Mannino has put together 6 Steps to make your 2009 less overwhelming. Print them, Share them, Live them.

1. Stop!
Often times we become impatient. We want to go from planting the seed of a new dream to having the dream a reality. As a result, I know, personally, if I am not careful I will rush into action without taking the time to engage the steps outlined below. If this is true for you too, stop!

2. Breathe
As I continued looking in the mirror I began intentionally focusing on my breath, which allowed me to start to relax and focus on the present moment. Focused breathing reminded me that I am in partnership with a Grand Organizing Designer (GOD) that has never let me down before. I was feeling inspired. The root of the word inspiration is inspire. Inspire also means to take air into the lungs. Therefore, consider that when you are breathing you are inspiring yourself, which will support you in any new endeavor. Also, when your attention is on the present moment you can't be overwhelmed. Parts of the definition of overwhelm states, "to overcome in mind." The reason you can be "overcome in mind," is because you allow yourself to get entrenched in thoughts about everything other than the
present moment.

3. Self-Trust
I experience impatience with gestation as a lack of trust. I have found in my personal work and work with others that this is an extension of a lack of self-trust. Many of the endeavors I am currently engaged in for the New Year are things that I have never done before. With this in mind I am gentle with myself in the knowledge that there is a normal fear of the unknown present. However, I also engage in self-support by releasing self-judgment. For instance, I have had a judgment present about whether or not I am capable of success, particularly with something I have never done before. I release the judgment and know that I have achieved at least a modicum of success in everything I have set out to do. As a result, I am able to make the choice to trust myself and keep moving forward.

4. State your intention and clarify your goal.
After relaxing a bit I took a mental inventory of my intentions and goals. Before starting any project it is best to state your intention and clarify your goal. Every action taken after stating the intention and clarifying your goal is taken with a vision of your overall purpose. I reminded myself that past, clearly stated intentions have helped bring success with more velocity.

5. Map it
After stating your intention and clarifying your goal, map all of your milestones and actions. Include your resources and team in your map. Mapping will also bring velocity and vision to every action you take. You will experience much more ease in your work with a project map. In my case my maps have been created. Sometimes you have to remember to include in your calendar a weekly review of all of your plans and track to your goals. This was the lesson for me. My attention has been pulled by the holidays and so had not made time recently to review my maps.

6. Visualize
When you have stated your intention, clarified your goal, and mapped it, spend a few minutes visualizing. Visualizing your goals as if you have already reached them helps move you into co-creation. Co-creation is the symbiotic relationship that results when you move into partnership with spirit. It will also raise your vibration to the level needed to attract your success.

The experience of being overwhelmed mostly comes from a fear of the unknown, lack of self-trust, and not being fully present. Today I reminded myself of what Mark Twain eloquently said. He said that courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is the willingness to experience fear, resist it, and keep moving forward. When you clarify goals and map your project you can move forward with a vision of where you are headed. I feel strongly that deliberate action also helps to cure fear. My wish for you is that you gently engage these steps to manage any overwhelm that comes your way, choose courage, and take action to turn your dreams into reality in 2009. (Source: The Huffington Post)

Organize your Home

It's the first Saturday of the New Year. The perfect day to get centered and organized for all the richness 2009 will bring. From your overloaded closet, cluttered home office, and a garage so packed you need to be on an episode of HGTV's Mission Organization...Take control and DETOX your home. Every Working Diva needs a clean slate. Check out these tips from on how to get organized in 2009. (read on) (read more)

Don't overwhelm yourself. Do a different room everyday. If it is to taxing, have a "Get Organized Party" and ask a few friends to help you out. By next weekend you will be relaxing in your cozy space where you can start creating your 2009 master plan clutter free!

And as always, share your tips with us. Leave your comments. Reach one, teach one.

The Karen Vaughn Book Club: January 2009 Selection

“The JOY of Appreciative Living”
by Jacqueline Kelm

KV Book Club Gathering
TBA

It's time to SHINE in 2009! Top your New Year's Resolution and goal list with, "HAPPINESS". We all want to live happier joyful lives in 2009. 2008 was a great year of CHANGE in my life. From the first African-American being elected President to my husband and I both losing our jobs. I know we are not the only ones living in the balance. So to encourage positive thinking for all of us, our book of the month, The Joy of Appreciative Living is the perfect asset for the new beginnings we will emark on in 2009. Author Jacqueline Kelm has created at 28-day blueprint to greater happiness broken down in three steps. Think about how much your life will be changed by the end of January. So, let's begin reading and uncover our JOYOUS LIFE!

Melanie Brown wants to get you Totally Fit

Well, if your Wii Fit is on back order and you want a sisterfriend as a workout buddy...we have just the thing. Melanie B wants to help you get that bikini body with her new fitness video, Totally Fit. Sister-girl looked great on Dancing with the Stars just months after giving birth. If you ever said to yourself, I want to look like that! Spice up your workout and tone up now! It's a 28-day aerobic and resistance training workout. The two-disc box set is available NOW exclusively at http://www.totallyfit.com/. The site is a fitness lifestyle haven. Get nutrition tips and more. Totally Fit with Mel B is available in stores nationwide February 3rd. Check out the video now.