Prioritizing Provider Wellness: A Pathway to a Healthy, Profitable Practice

As a business consultant and executive coach for healthcare practice owners, I've witnessed firsthand the detrimental effects of burnout and compassion fatigue. Too often, provider-owners get so consumed by the never-ending demands of leading a practice that they neglect their own mental and emotional wellbeing. This self-neglect inhibits not only their ability to provide top-notch patient care, but also to effectively lead their team and grow a sustainable, profitable business.

The past few years have been a wake-up call that this fundamental issue can no longer be ignored. With the healthcare industry facing major staffing shortages and workplace culture challenges, a new approach is critical. 

At the core of this much-needed shift is a powerful truth: healed people heal people. 

To build a thriving, rewarding practice, provider-owners must first embark on their own inner work and healing journeys. This unlocks immense potential - enhancing emotional resilience, deepening patient rapport, catalyzing leadership skills, and preventing costly burnout and turnover. Just as you cannot pour from an empty cup, you cannot nurture a successful business without nurturing yourself first.

Trailblazing healthcare entrepreneurs are paving the way by thoughtfully integrating complementary healing modalities into their services, fostering whole-person wellness for their clients and staff alike. 

Last month was Mental Health Awareness Month in the U.S., and we featured podcast interviews with three mental wellness innovators, Jessica Martin, Julie Ann Otis and Maureen Clancy. Key themes emerged that savvy healthcare business owners would be wise to embrace:

The immense value of combining medical and business acumen with personal growth work. Julie Ann found that exploring principles of quantum physics and energy healing transformed her ability to create profoundly impactful client experiences and rapid results - a clear competitive edge.

For Jessica, integrating mindfulness, breathwork and sensory techniques into her practice model enhanced trauma-informed care and boosted key metrics like patient satisfaction, reviews and referrals. Prioritizing her own self-care through these modalities was essential to sustaining excellence.

Maureen, a trauma therapist and group practice owner, encourages providers to examine any fears around adopting alternative healing methods. "We have to think beyond the conventional clinical norms we've boxed ourselves into," she says. With more clients seeking integrative care, ethical and legal incorporation of effective modalities can foster trust, differentiation and new revenue streams.

"We have to think beyond the conventional clinical norms we've boxed ourselves into," Maureen says.

The Business Case for Integrative Healing

Beyond the powerful personal and clinical benefits, there is also a compelling business case for provider-owners to thoughtfully integrate complementary healing modalities into their practice offerings. This can open up exciting new revenue streams while supporting patients' robust healing journeys:

Referral Revenues

By developing relationships with vetted, high-quality alternative healers like Reiki practitioners, energy workers, or meditation teachers, providers can offer referrals for these services. This added-value can deepen patient loyalty and referral sources for the core practice itself.

In-House Healing Professionals

Another model is hiring such healing professionals to work onsite, allowing for integrative treatment plans that blend conventional care with energy work, sound healing, or other modalities. This creates a seamless, one-stop experience for patients and an additional revenue center.

Provider Certification 

Entrepreneurial providers can also choose to get certified in specialties like breathwork, aromatherapy or visualization techniques themselves. You can enhance your service menu with new adjunctive offerings, packages or membership programs - diversifying income while delivering holistic, patient-centered care.

No matter the specific approach, integrating complementary modalities allows your practice to stand out in an increasingly competitive healthcare landscape. It enables you to attract more of the "conscious consumer" market segment prizing preventative self-care and personalized wellness solutions.  

Most importantly, it empowers you to fully address root causes - not just symptoms - and tap into often-overlooked emotional/spiritual dimensions of human health. For savvy entrepreneurial practices, prioritizing this level of comprehensive patient care and staff wellness can fuel exponential business growth.

The writing is on the wall: to build a profitable, impactful 21st century healthcare business, providers can no longer separate personal mastery from professional mastery. An investment in your own multidimensional healing journey - be it through therapy, mindfulness, energy work or another modality - is an investment in the exponential growth of your practice.  

Those who boldly expand their vision from "treating symptoms" to "facilitating whole-person transformation" will be the leaders ushering healthcare into a more conscious, holistic and human-centered era. 

In this new paradigm, healed people heal people and practices, and sustainable profitability becomes the natural result.

If you're a provider-owner seeking to build a thriving, sustainable practice without sacrificing your wellbeing, I invite you to explore working with us. As a healthcare business consultant and executive coach, I partner with innovative provider-owners to optimize operations, prevent burnout, and implement strategies that elevate profitability and market leadership while nurturing personal growth. Schedule a consultation so we can co-create your inspired next steps.

About the Author

Tracy Cherpeski, MBA, MA, CPSC, is an executive coach and leadership development expert. Her mission is to unlock the potential for success in every individual and organization she works with. With a background in operations and a passion for driving growth, she approaches each engagement with professionalism and a keen eye for optimizing structures, processes, and productivity to boost profitability.

Tracy's coaching, consulting, and training programs are designed to provide a holistic experience, integrating leadership development, executive coaching, and mindset mastery. Her expertise has been sought after by small business owners, industry groups, networking organizations, government agencies, and corporations alike.

Originally hailing from the Pacific Northwest, Tracy now calls Chapel Hill, North Carolina, her home. Wherever she goes, her commitment to helping people and organizations reach their full potential remains unwavering.

The Importance of Laser Focus (and a hint of fairy dust)

 

Today I am focused on love. I have been focused on holding that intention for the past three days. Here is what I have noticed:

• Increased sense of self
• More patience with my children
• More energy and desire to “get things done”
• A calm knowing that all is well
• Creativity soaring
• Mindful awareness of breathing patterns
• Increased willingness to let go
• Present in (almost) every moment
• Understanding of the “slow down to speed up” philosophy
• Detachment from outcome
• Stronger attachment to sharing my gifts and talents
• Exquisite sense of purpose

You may be thinking: How does one focus on love? What kind of love? What is love? How do you know it’s love? WHAT? Have you taken a hit of (airy) fairy dust, Tracy?

Perhaps it’s the fairy dust we all need to be enjoying together. What if you were to hold one intention for a whole week? How would you be able to hone your focus? You see, I have a ton of balls in the air, a lot on my plate, I am juggling...you get the gist. What I have come to realize is that I am not “bad” at focusing. I have trained myself away from focusing.

Ooh... Hold on a minute. Yes, a moment of self-disclosure. I have a tendency to be easily distracted, and when I am, I allow myself to get off course, and in that process, I trained myself away from my laser focus. Can you relate?

What if...you allowed yourself to hold one intention for a week? How would you change your attitude, focus, attention and accomplishments?

I invite you to choose one intention, hold it as your focal point for one week. That is it. You can take it further by writing it down, praying or meditating on it, speaking it out loud in your car or bathroom mirror, or even sharing it with the world. Choose the intention, hold it near and dear, and in every moment possible, bring your awareness back to your intention. Let me know how it goes.

Good intentions are at least, the seed of good actions: and every one ought to sow them, and leave it to the soil and the seasons whether he or any other gather their fruit. ~ William Temple, Sr.

Let’s look at my intention, love. My intention is to be, feel, do, love, speak, see, understand and invite love. This is in conjunction with a chakra mediation that a fantastic yoga instructor taught me. I have chosen simplicity so I can stay focused on the one thing: love.

In your mind, or say out loud:

I AM love

I FEEL love

I DO (acts of) love

I LOVE (the feeling of, sharing, demonstration of) love

I SPEAK (with, words of) love

I SEE love (in myself, in others, in my varying forms of entertainment)

I UNDERSTAND love (of myself, others)

I INVITE AND RECEIVE (more, feelings of) love

I invite you to share your experience, either via email, Facebook message or a comment on this blog post.

Blessings. Gratitude. Love.

Learn more

Ask 3 Simple Questions:

There are many ways to apply laser focus to your life. If you find yourself scattered, slow down, take a deep breath, and if possible, stop what you are doing so you can investigate how you can sharpen your focus and get yourself on track.

It is not always easy, but slowing down and re-gaining focus can be simple, and I'm offering 3 simple questions you can ask yourself to help clarify your purpose, and begin to craft a plan to move yourself forward.

Ask yourself:

1. Where else can I apply this simple focus technique?
2. What specific benefits will I gain from honing my focus?
3. How will this affect other areas of my life?

Invitation to Experience:

Experience coaching with Tracy. Offering 30 minute free consults, no up-sell.

OR, experience 30 minutes free with option to enter coaching partnership. Are you willing to be fully supported in your life’s dreams? If not, why not? If so, how about now? Are you willing to invest in creating an exquisite sense of fulfillment?

Crystal, “Woo-Woo Magic” and Getting What You Want

“Attention energizes; intention transforms.” - Dr. Deepak Chopra We have heard that whatever we choose to focus on, we enliven and enlarge. Have you ever noticed that when you want something, say a new car, the one you want seems to pop up everywhere? When you’re in a good mood looking for parking, do you notice that the “parking gods” seem to smile upon you and a convenient spot pops up for you? How about if you thought about having a baby; did you ever notice how many babies or pregnant women seemed to pop into your existence? The same is true for what we don’t want. Have you ever started your day off on the wrong foot and noticed that everything went wrong?

Often we know what we don’t want, but when asked what we do want, we struggle with the answer. I sometimes hear from new clients how things seem to keep going in the wrong direction, particularly in certain areas of their lives. For some, it is around relationships, for others, money. For some, it is recapturing their health in the form of a healthy weight, physical fitness or simply the energy to complete daily tasks in their busy lives.

What happens when we become mired in thoughts around what we don’t want is that we attract more of what we don’t want. Simple enough, right? Taking a not-so-big logical leap, we can also say that when we become mired in thoughts around what we do want, we will attract more of that as well. Here is where the “Crystal, ‘Woo-Woo Magic’ and Getting What You Want” comes into play. There’s nothing mysterious or woo-woo about this, really, but it is quite magical. When you focus on what you want, you will attract more of what you want.

The key to really getting what you want is becoming crystal clear about it. The quote by Chopra above states it beautifully: attention energizes; intention transforms. So, before we focus-in on getting what we want, we need to be so clear about what it is so that we can set the intention of bringing it into our lives. There are many schools of thought on how to do this, but to me it is very simple:

1. Dream Big. Ask yourself this: “If I could wave a magic wand and have exactly what I want, how would that look?” Allow yourself to think outside of what you think you ‘ought to’ or ‘should’ have. Go for what you really want and start to envision that. Close your eyes and picture it, in detail. Notice colors, sensations and maybe even smells or sounds.
2. Notice Negativity and Release It. Do not resist the negative thoughts that arise. If you find yourself thinking, “That will NEVER happen! How silly to wish for something so outrageous!” do not resist the feeling. Acknowledge it, allow it to flow thru and out, and then make a choice to either believe the negative thought or not to believe it.
3. Take Action. Once you know what you really want, don’t worry too much about drawing-up the plan. When you know what you want and set your intention, the “how” and the steps needed make themselves very clear. Does this mean to not get organized or use plans? Not at all, but if you are clear on what you want, then even the making of the plan gets you closer to your dream. Take one step toward your goal or dream every day. Break it down, be inspired, tap-in to your vision and your intention, and watch your dream move closer to you every day.

This is the “woo-woo magic” of the Law of Attraction, Law of Intention and Law of Least Effort combined. You don’t need to understand or even pay attention to these laws. Just keep in mind that whatever we choose to give attention to, we enliven.

So, dream big, set your intention and take action. It’s that simple.

Blessings. Gratitude. Love.

(Photo credit: http://hopeinvain.com)

Learning to Fly - a personal note from Tracy

I wanted to share something personal with you this week - a learning experience worth sharing. I have been digging deeper in my own personal development work, and encountered some deep-seated fears and old feelings that no longer serve me. I have always been quite courageous and willing to take action in spite of fear, but I’ll be VERY honest: I wanted to throw my hands in the air and just run away. Of course, that feeling only lasts for a fleeting moment, but in getting to ‘that place’ and allowing myself to feel the feelings associated with the thoughts, I discovered a strength I had yet to fully tap into - the ability to let go. To really let go. To allow myself to explore the worst fear, visualize what that might bring me, how “bad” it could possibly be. The feelings associated with the fear were enlightening; I discovered that I had developed the habit of holding tension and negative feelings in my body. I also discovered intense anger when I allowed the feelings to bubble-up. Once I allowed myself to feel which feelings and emotions were attached to the thoughts and fears, compassion and tenderness overtook me. From that compassion came the release. I felt for the first time that I had let go of the hold I had let the past have on me that was keeping me from reaching some of my goals, and worse: kept me from believing I deserve to achieve them.

Have you ever wondered why you “can’t” get past something, or why you’re not able to reach your goals fully, or why things “keep happening”? It is entirely possible that you have not released the thoughts AND feelings that aren’t truly aligned with who you are today. We often go to therapy, work thru our past and think we should be prepared to go flying straight ahead... This is not usually the case.

Though it’s not easy, there is a simple process you can work thru to learn how to let go and set yourself free. I would love to share this with you, and am thinking about setting up a FREE Google Hangout or webinar where we can visit with one another and share ideas, insight and solid methods for reaching our highest potential. Always the coach and healer, I want to share these simple steps with you. Stay close. Information is coming.

If you are interested in speaking with me directly, reply to this email or contact me for a FREE 30 minute consultation. I reply within 2 business days, if not sooner, and I’d love to speak with you.

Blessings. Gratitude. Love.

I’m SO MAD! Re-direct your power to move forward

“When angry, count to four. When very angry, swear.” - Mark Twain Modern psychology tells us that anger is a secondary emotion rooted in an unmet need, or an immediate response to a primary emotion. It is a response to physical or psychological pain. Anger is powerful and can be used to a positive or negative end. When we feel angry, the brain downshifts to a lower emotional and evolutionary function. Anger is a survival tool that has evolved from the highly effective fight-or-flight response in primitive times when large animals posed a real threat to humans.

If anger is a survival tool, but a secondary response, how can we use it to benefit ourselves and those in our lives? In general I believe that we need to identify the feeling and work with it; but that is a bit simplistic. However, there is something to it. Rather than digging deep into your psyche, I would like to offer a way to re-program your response to anger, and help you re-direct your energy when you feel it lifting it’s head and rising in your body.

“Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.” - Buddha

Repressed, prolonged anger is very unhealthy. Some studies show that anger can lead to a weakened heart and stiffening of the arteries. Liver and kidney damage and high cholesterol have been inked to prolonged anger. It can also cause accompanying issues, including depression and anxiety.

To protect your health and wellbeing, it is vitally important to understand your own triggers. Immediately preceding anger, you might feel:

• afraid
• attacked
• offended
• disrespected
• forced
• trapped
• pressured

This is a pretty good list to help you understand the origins of anger. When I look at the list of primary feelings, I see a common theme: loss of power. When I reflect upon my own anger, I see that when I feel angry, it is always associated with feeling powerless. In these moments, the fight-or-flight response kicks in and I feel my heart rate increase, tension building in my body and the need to strike out or get away from the situation or person that has caused this feeling. I openly admit that I do not always practice what I am about to preach, but every time I do, I feel empowered and in control of my own emotional wellbeing. If you want to feel better, be more in control of your overall wellbeing, then try the following when you feel angry:

Stop Everything. Take Mark Twain’s advice: take a breath and count. This will help stop the trigger from taking full effect and traveling the same pathway as your old reaction. Re-direct your rapid response to the initial emotion, which probably stems from something in the list above. When you quickly stop the response, it gives you time to alter course. If your old emotional response is anger, denial, sadness or some other less productive means, this is an excellent start. If you do nothing more from here, you’ve already made an incredibly relevant change in your life.

Find an Outlet. You’ve counted to four, ten, one hundred, maybe even cursed... Now what? Perhaps the anger has built-up as tension in your body and you need to release it. Sometimes we need to move our body to “get it out.” Stop everything, announce (if appropriate) that you feel angry and need to get some fresh air, then go take a walk. You might feel like you need something more forceful than walking. Try punching pillows or a mattress. You might consider taking a boxing, kickboxing, martial arts, dance, yoga or bootcamp class.

If you are vocal and you need to let it out with your voice, scream into a pillow - a primal release. Your throat might feel a little sore, but you will release it. You may need need a more cerebral activity. Try singing, listening to music, writing, painting, drawing, meditating, or anything that brings you relief. Enroll in a class to learn something you’ve always wanted to learn. Perhaps you can find a cooking, art, music or writing class.

Practice Compassion. Be forgiving and patient - with yourself and others. Cut yourself some slack. Try seeing things thru the eyes of others, particularly when you feel angry toward someone. Imagine yourself behaving badly, ask yourself what might cause you to be rude, thoughtless, reckless, etc. Perfection is not the goal; feeling better is. Gaining an understanding of who you really are, having a say in the direction your life takes is what you want, isn’t it?

“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I will meet you there.” - Jalal ad-Din Rumi

Along the way, you will no doubt have moments when you want to place blame, stuff-down or externalize your feelings. You have been wronged, you feel a sense of injustice, someone has hurt you or someone you love. This is normal, and you are not alone. However, when you take a moment to stop your automatic, pre-programmed response to wrongdoing, you will begin to find your power. Your feelings will feel safer, you will have more control over your life and you will feel better.

If you take-up a new activity to fill-in the negative spaces with positive activities and thoughts that facilitate a new outlook, you will see your life open up before you. When you take yourself out of your old patterns, you are already making a positive change in your life. You have the power to do this. Re-direct one thought at a time. Rome was not built in day, and neither are healthy habits. You are a work in progress, and construction can sometimes be messy, loud and disruptive. However, if you keep your eye on the prize and recognize the small changes along the way, you will also experience the joys along the way.

Blessings. Gratitude. Love.

Supporting References:

http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/life/human-biology/anger2.htm

http://counselingdelosreyes.com/Anger_Management/Understand_Anger.htm

What to do When You Don't Know What to do: A helpful guide to decision making

“Never try to solve all the problems at once - make them line up for you one-by-one.”  - Richard Sloma Do you ever need to make a decision and feel stuck? Sometimes we have several decisions to make at once, or a larger problem that feels insurmountable, and all we want to do is crawl back into bed and pull the covers over our heads. Who has not been there? I sure have, at least once, and maybe even twice. OK, I have probably been there a lot more than twice, but I digress...

When we are faced with a problem or a very important decision, why is it that we often go into a state of panic, overwhelm, denial, blame, avoidance or procrastination? There are a number of possible reasons, including, but not limited to: fear, lack of self-confidence, buying-in to others’ influence (good, bad or indifferent) or a sincere lack of knowledge about the subject at hand. As a regular human being, I can say I’ve experienced all of the above, and even had a touch of that as recently as last week. As a success coach, however, I will pose the following for you to consider:

It is what it is. So what? Now what?

1. It is what it is. OK, ‘it’ has happened or presented itself. So there it is, in front of you, the elephant in the corner. You can close your eyes and pretend you don’t see it, but you already saw it, you can sense it, and you have an acute awareness of it’s presence. If it is an event from the past, then you are now facing it in the present. Whatever the case, accept that it is there; it just is.
2. So what? What do you want to do about ‘it’? Is it life-threatening? If so, you know what to do, right? Call 9-1-1, run away or protect yourself somehow. But, it is likely NOT threatening your life, and it is now time to decide what to do. How would you like the outcome to look? Is your desired outcome specific and realistic? Is it in-line with your core values? Decide what you really want to do about it.
3. Now what? What are you willing to do about it? What action steps are you willing to take right now to achieve the end you desire? Decide what you can and will do, then break it down and devise the plan to get to the end you picture.

Once you have worked your way thru the above thought process, now create momentum. Put your action plan into action. If the plan seems too grand, break it down into smaller steps, and then take the easiest or most logical step. If you still feel stuck, take a step back and examine with softer eyes; notice that it is not as large as you once perceived. So, with soft eyes and a smaller task at hand, take a step.

Still daunting? Work backward from the end result to where you are now and figure out what makes sense or what is easiest to do first, and then take a step. As Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “One thing is sure. We have to do something. We have to do the best we know at the moment... If it doesn’t turn out right, we can modify as we go along.” You can always modify the plan if the trajectory ahead looks like it’s not going toward the end you envisioned, but you must get started.

As a recovering perfectionist, I have gotten caught-up many times in the process of analyzing the problem or the multiple possible solutions rather than doing something to pave the path to the solution, either for fear of failure, or quite possibly for fear of success. So, do something, anything to create momentum. You are smart, experienced and perfectly capable of changing course if you discover that the plan you execute is moving you in a direction that does not contribute to your overall wellbeing.

“You don’t drown by falling in the water; you drown by staying there.” - Edwin Louis Cole

One thing is certain: if you choose to stay in one place, you will remain in that place. If that is uncomfortably comfortable, then it is time to make a change, take the decision that feels right, or take the decision that feels uncomfortable and pushes you beyond your comfort zone. When you push yourself beyond your comfort zone, you will grow. How you envision your success will expand and you will begin to make decisions effortlessly, and the work will feel effortless, no matter how “hard” it is.

It’s not about a task “being easy” but the feeling of effortless draw as you begin to create momentum. Momentum is your friend, if you create it. There are times when we need to fix our eyes on the desired outcome, and that will propel us forward. However, there are plenty of times in life when we simply need to get started. The best way to get started is to think about and envision the goal, and then create a plan from there (and note that thinking about the outcome, envisioning the goal and creating the plan are steps taken, so you have already created momentum.) Once you have a plan, you can adjust as necessary, but in order to get anywhere near the finish line, you must take the necessary steps and keep going. Remember the “Little Engine That Could”? She kept moving forward, with a positive attitude, believing that she could do it, saying to herself, “I think I can...” Well, I KNOW you can, so put one foot in front of the other, create forward momentum and keep going.

When we become crystal clear about what we want, focus on creating the path, and then take the path, we can achieve anything.

Blessings. Gratitude. Love.

More Translations. Today: FML (hint, NOT Family Medical Leave...)

No, FML is not the "Family Medical Leave (Act)" though that would be more palatable, to be sure. FML, loosely translated, is "F__(orget) My Life" and it makes me cringe, A LOT! I want to teach you how to shift from frustration to powerful and happy thoughts...

So what do you do now? You’re having a bad moment/day/week/month/year. OK.

Remember me? I’m the Silver Lining Chick & Realist’s love child. So here’s the deal: If you feel like your life is out of control, throwing your hands up in the air is not the answer. It may feel good in the moment, but the second you say something like, "FML" or "Life Sucks" or "Bad things ALWAYS happen to me" or "It's ALWAYS SOMETHING", or “Things NEVER work for me!” guess what? You're right!!! You've informed every cell in your body that bad stuff is going to go down - always, and that informs your every thought and action. Yes, it does.

When life bites you in the rear, as it is occasionally, apparently entitled to do, here’s what you need to know for a quick turn-around:

1. STOP, drop and (let it) roll. No fire here. Just stop what you’re doing. Now. Stop.
2. Take charge of your thoughts. Stop what you’re thinking. If you are sitting, stand up. If you are standing, sit down or walk around. If you are holding something in one hand, switch hands. You have now interrupted the pattern.
3. Say these three letters and commit them to your new story memory:    CML = Command of My Life

That’s it. That is the Secret. You get to choose. You are in Command of your life. Simple as that. Change how you’re thinking. Is everything sunshine and lollipops? Well... I didn’t say that, remember there’s a lot of realist in me. But, when you change your thoughts and interrupt an old or negative thought pattern, you get to re-align your cognition (thoughts) and in doing so, you project your presence forward into the next set of thoughts, and then you feel differently, you behave differently, you choose differently, and you get different results.

Think, Einstein: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

So, flip the switch. Switch hands, stand up, sit down, stop, drop and roll. Interrupt the pattern. It’s a practice. Once you start and become consciously aware of interrupting the old and replacing with something new, you will create effortless momentum. Yes, it is that simple.

No more FML. No more “ALWAYS-NEVER” thoughts. If you catch it, flip it. That’s it.

Go, have fun and Take Command of Your Life. I think you’ll be glad you did!

Blessings. Gratitude. Love.

WTF Translated (hint: it’s not as bad as you think)

“The positive thinker sees the invisible, feels the intangible and achieves the impossible.” ~ Unknown Do you ever find yourself thinking really negative thoughts? Have you ever been caught off-guard by something “bad” or a series of “bad stuff” seemingly stacking-up against you? Do you then you ask yourself, “WTF?” (loosely translated, “What in the world?!”)

I’m a huge fan of overcoming old stuff and re-writing the story, which you’ll occasionally hear me say this way: Time to update your story. We get to choose how we see things. While we cannot have control over our surroundings or things that happen around or to us, we can certainly control or re-direct our thoughts to make things better for ourselves.

In our first interview crafting her Vision of Success, a now graduated client told me, “I want to log in to my bank account and not ask myself, ‘WTF??!!’ I just want to feel relaxed about it all.” After we had a clear picture of what she wanted for her finances and other areas of life, I worked-in the WTF and re-directed it in a way to not only make her giggle, but to also feel good about where she was headed. You see, as a coach, I get to see your life from a different perspective, and I can see your potential ~ and it excites and inspires me to no end!

So, re-direct and re-work the proverbial “WTF” from its original meaning (again, loosely translated, “What in the world?!”) to this:

WTF = Well, That’s FANTASTIC!!

Every upset, every unpleasant surprise, every dollar we wish we had, brings us the opportunity to change how we see and experience our life circumstances. When we think in positive terms, we can see things we never saw before, feel things we were never able to feel and achieve things we once thought were impossible.

Am I saying that you should think in terms of sunshine and lolipops? Not at all... That would be so fake that your subconscious would laugh you right out of your own head. But if you ask yourself what you are learning, IF you could learn something, and how you can take it and make something good out of it, then you are likely to change not only the way you see things, but how you DO things.

Trust me.

It takes some work, a little mindfulness, a wee bit of “fake it ‘til you make it” mentality, but you will notice a change.

Here’s what you need to do when something goes awfully wrong:

1. Breathe. This is not only a sign of life, it will bring your blood pressure under control (really, it will) and help you pause for a moment before you toss the baby out with the bathwater
2. Ask questions. What am I learning? Is there a way to turn this into something good?
3. Trust yourself; you know more than you think you do. Know that you always know what’s best for you, so if you make a choice to see and do things differently, then you will, and it’ll ultimately turn out well (or at least teach you something you were meant to learn)

Having a positive attitude is only part of the picture, but this is a great start and will get you moving in the right direction. Next week I will teach you a way to shift the “FML” mentality to something more productive and positive. Until then, remember Well, that’s FANTASTIC! And you will at least laugh a little, if not make a positive change by thinking differently.

Life happens. Own it and make the best of it.

Blessings. Gratitude. Love.

The Elephant in the Room

Have you ever noticed that things seem to happen in groups of three? Do you pay attention? What do you notice by the third time? Do you think it’s a sign from greater powers? Or maybe your subconscious mind is bringing your awareness to something that needs attention. Regardless of religious or spiritual beliefs and leanings, many people feel they are being offered a sign when something happens for the third time. I recently experienced a profoundly spiritual encounter with what I am now convinced is my animal totem: elephants. I admire this gorgeous creature for its strength, peace, love, leadership, connection to ancient wisdom and incredible memory. I developed an affinity for elephants while I was pregnant with my daughter, a time when I transitioned from free and unencumbered to responsible, deeply connected to my own self and profoundly grateful for the power of my femininity. Over the past few months, I have re-connected with elephants in three different ways.

First, at a Reike treatment, I told the master that my intention was to release old thought patterns around money, my relationship with myself in my new role as provider for my family, and fears around the control I allowed money to have over me in the past. I entered the session with open heart and mind, ready to release the things I was tired of talking and worrying about, and just wanted to feel a sense of freedom and acceptance of my life and circumstances, even as I continued working toward painting a better financial picture for myself and my children.

The session was amazing. A number of emotions welled-up, and snap shot moments presented, including an emotional release with tears of gratitude for a life of abundance, and envisioning very distinct colors and images, not least of which was an elephant. This elephant was adorned in jewel tones and golden baubles, and walked toward me slowly, with purpose. As the elephant approached from the upper left quadrant of my view, seemingly floating on air, I felt a sense of calm, knowing that this massively powerful creature, though it was coming directly toward me, was sent for me and that I needed to be courageous and open to receive its message. When it passed by me, I heard a whisper, “Let go. The elephant always knows and will carry it for you. The elephant always remembers.” In that moment, I felt an incredible shift, as if something that had been attached to my insides was released, and I was free to move with ease and comfort, both physically and emotionally.

When the session was finished, I shared the elephant experience with the Reike master and her eyes welled-up with tears. She was quiet for a moment, and then said, “I dreamt last night that I was giving away elephants, and was completely perplexed by it. I understand now that it was for you.” The session was extremely powerful, and I felt tired and exhilarated at the same time. I left with a sense of peace and a clear understanding that I chose to accept and receive the elephant’s message, see the colors and enjoy the release to the fullest extent possible. I was able to give away the old thoughts and beliefs of the past that no longer served me; the elephant would carry it for me. I have continued the practice of releasing the past and letting go of old thought patterns - thru meditation, deep breathing, writing and mindfulness.

The knowledge of the past stays with us. To let go is to release the images and emotions, the grudges and fears, the clingings and disappointments of the past that bind our spirit. - Jack Kornfield

My elephant experience continues to a more recent time. I met a very nice man while out with friends one night. We exchanged business cards, as all “good” Washingtonians do, even while out on the town, and he called me a few days later. He remembered much more of the details of our conversation than I did (it was girls’ night out and I was not particularly bothered with remembering anyone I spoke to that night, much less the details of any conversations.) In my amazement over how much he remembered from our conversation, I playfully told him he had the memory of an elephant. As our friendship progressed, he remembered the elephant joke on my birthday, and gave me the most adorable stuffed elephant as part of my gift. The moment I opened the package, I felt a rush of energy and felt my heart burst open, as if this little stuffed animal could really carry the memories for me and help lessen my load. In the same moment I felt intense gratitude for meeting a person who paid attention to what I had said, and obviously read my cues much more deeply than I realized. That gift is more precious to me than anything I have ever received, besides my children.

A few weeks later while I was meditating, I was searching for inspiration and focus, and thought to pull a card from the Ask and it is Given deck, and what landed on top after a shuffle or two was a card with the picture of an elephant, reminding me that every request is granted, and there is always enough for all. With that focus in mind, I started reciting the prosperity and abundance mantra I was practicing for 40 days. What happened next amazed me and brings me to tears, even in this moment. I became overcome with a feeling of relief, and release. Tears began to stream down my face, and as I let go of the weight I’d been carrying, I started saying between mantras, “Thank you! I know.” Within a few moments of this immense relief and gratitude, the same elephant from the Reike session approached from the upper left quadrant of my mind’s eye, at the same pace, adorned in the same jewel tones and golden baubles. As it walked past me, I heard the same whisper, ‘Let go. The elephant always knows and will carry it for you. The elephant always remembers.’

That day was a bit of a blur, as I relaxed-in to knowing that I have (finally) allowed myself to release the burden of the past, the fears of the present and the unknown, and have let go of the old thought patterns. I allowed myself to take care of a long list of small tasks that had overwhelmed me before, but I always felt I shouldn’t attend to because I had more pressing things to do. I just took care of business, and released the burden; I knocked-down barriers in my own mind by clearing out the things that were holding me back, now no longer tightly-held inside of me. I felt a sense of calm knowing that all is well in my world; that the affirmation I have breathed into my life is so real and true: I am love, all is well.

The next day the same adorned elephant visited me during my meditation, only this time, it stopped in front of me, bowed its head and I was able to kiss it on the forehead, at the location of the sixth chakra, also called the third eye in yoga, the gate to higher consciousness and perception. The rest of my meditation, I felt as if I was floating on air, that I would soon know the answers to questions I’d been asking, and that I could rest-in to the knowledge that I am supported by my source, my faith and belief in myself, and the tribe I have gathered around me.

The third experience expanded into a greater connection with my daughter, who I recently learned can see auras, or colors, around people. We were talking about it that day and when she saw the stuffed elephant sitting on the dining room table, she said, “That elephant is very special to you, isn’t it?” When I told her that a good friend had given it to me and that it felt very special when I opened the gift, it occurred to me to ask her what color she saw around the fuzzy little inanimate object. She stopped, looked, and declared, “Yellow.”

Here is where it gets just a little “trippy” for me... I confess limited knowledge of Hinduism or the story of Ganesha, the remover of obstacles, Lord of Success and deity that destroys pride and ego, ultimately uniting us with a large, universal ego (i.e. “we are one”). I had looked it up after a discussion with my business partner, who is also my very good friend. She also has an affinity for elephants, in particular Ganesha, after a beautiful spiritual experience in India in her early 20s (I will elaborate on this in my upcoming book, where I tell more detailed stories.)

On reading the story of Ganesha, the man with the head of the elephant, I learned that he is also the guardian of the third chakra, the solar plexus, which corresponds to the color yellow. And, if that isn’t enough to knock your socks off, when I shared this story with the giver of the stuffed elephant (who at this point I was sure would want to run screaming from me, the crazy woman who sees elephants while meditating) said, “Wow... I am amazed and impressed. Did you know my favorite color is yellow?”’

I don’t know what to say about all of this, except that I felt completely humbled after piecing all of this together. First, I believe that my daughter is a gift to me for healing and grounding, and probably also for knocking down barriers; she is totally fearless and beautifully self-assured. Second, I have needed a lot of support and guidance in getting past roadblocks, both real and self-inflicted, and it is not at all surprising to me that elephants would be part of my journey. Elephants are graceful on their feet, strong and have a lot of style. They teach us to hear the truth in our own voices and have the ability to push over large obstacles with a gentle touch, showing us that strength can also be gentle. Elephant matriarchs lead with love and inclusion, and are fiercely loyal. Not only do I relate to the elephant, but I am paying attention to the significance of it appearing to me in three ways, all from what seemed like forces outside of me, and yet, not really.

Finally, I feel blessed. There have been times in my life when I have felt so different that I felt all alone in this world. I now understand that in my awareness, in my willingness to be open to the messages that are sent to me by higher powers, or from me to myself, I am never alone. Ever. So, when you receive a message, in whatever form, three times, will you pay attention? Will you sit up and listen? I invite you to enjoy the message and allow yourself to take inspired action with the wisdom you receive, which is likely your own wisdom.

Are you willing to love yourself enough to listen to your own message?

Blessings. Gratitude. Love.