Saturday, September 22, 2007
Funk or No Funk
Let’s face it, we all have bad days. We all have days when “the funk” is staring us straight in the eye. I don’t know about you, but when I am feeling “the funk”, my energy drops, my mood gets cloudy, and I lack motivation and clarity. To be honest, I have had a few of those “funk” days recently; days where it felt all too tempting to crawl back into bed and pull the covers over my head.
Sound familiar?
My most recent “funk, funk, funky days” got me thinking, if we all have choices (which we do), how can we choose to chase the funk away? Here are a few things I came up with:
1) Be in an attitude of gratitude. Start listing things you are most grateful for. And if that does not chase the funk away, how about
2) Be generous. Give of yourself in an authentic fashion. OR
3) Play some “funky” (not depressing) music and dance your booty off or sing your lungs out. If that does not grab ya, try
4) Exercising. Get that blood and endorphins flowing. And if you are still feeling “the funk”
5) Phone a friend and share. Get that funk out of your system.
Enquiring minds wanna know, how do you get rid of “the funk?” What’s something you have tried or would be willing to try to lift your mood and spirits?
Posted by Pam at 2:55:53 PM in Creating Change (86) | Permalink | Comments (6)
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Kicking the Past in the Behind
I raise my hand and admit, I Pam Thomas was a blamer and past dweller. Yep, that’s right; I used to blame everything that went wrong in my life on things that happened in my past. If I was having a crappy day it had to be because Auntie So-and-So looked at me sideways when I was five. If I wanted to do something, but was scared to try, it surely had to be because my best friend called me “fat” when I was 13.
Then it happened.
I was sat on the floor of my apartment with my fiancé (now ex-husband) bitching and moaning about something not going right. As I recall it, I was actually placing blame on my parents for something they said or did when I was a teenager. Then all of the sudden my fiancé looked at me and asked, “Pam, are you an adult?” “Yes,” I said. To which he replied, “Then when are you going to start taking responsibility for your own actions?”
Wow! That was just the 2x4 I needed to dislodge my head from my posterior, to knock me sideways, and force me into the land of the present. You mean I have a choice? You mean I don’t have to stay stuck in the past?
Fast forward to today. I am here to tell you that it is quite a relief to release the past. (Besides it really sucks carrying around tons of past wounds, etc…. not to mention rather heavy.) It is empowering to know that I have choices. I can choose to respond to certain situations any way I wish. It’s my choice and no body else’s.
Let me ask you; is there something from your past that is holding you back? Is there something from your past that is causing you great pain?
If the answer is “yes”, then let me ask you this, how is holding on to whatever is holding you back (or hurting you) supporting you in the here and the now?
If you’re ready to let go and put the past behind you here are few things to try:
Here’s to kicking the past in the behind. Here’s to your forward movement and the awesome choices YOU get to make.
Posted by Pam at 3:00:24 PM in Creating Change (86) | Permalink | Comments (6)
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Go Big or Go Home Questions: Justifying, Clarifying, and Explaining
I received this lovely nugget courtesy of Tut.com. Like most great pieces of information it stopped me in my tracks and made me think or rather question. How often have I justified, clarified, or explained myself? “Plenty o’ times” was my answer.
Then it dawned on me, if I am truly being my authentic self and if all my actions are coming from that place of authenticity (or heart), there is no need to clarify. There is no need to explain. There is no need to justify. It is when I come from that place that I am most confident.
Here is the Go Big or Go Home question (rather questions); when was the last time you felt the need to justify, clarify, or explain yourself away? Who where you being at the time?
Happy pondering and awareness creating!
Posted by Pam at 10:08:25 PM in Go Big Or Go Home Questions (11) | Permalink | Comments (5)
Friday, August 31, 2007
From Paper to Reality
As you probably guessed I didn’t go fishing last week; no bait, no lures, and no cute fishing hat. However, I did do something really exciting-- I put the finishing touches on a major intention, taking it from an idea on paper and turning it into something real.To explain; about eight months ago I had an amazing conversation with my sister about how we;
- Get stuck in the rut of the day-to-day.
- Settle in a job that we don’t like all that much just to make ends meet.
- Forget who we are at our core.
- Live by others expectations.
- Lose sight of what we are really passionate about and what our purpose is.
Needless to say, this conversation inspired me to take action. I wanted to do something that would support others in achieving a life filled with passion, purpose, energy, fun, direction, motivation, and abundance of all kinds. I wanted to do my part to end the pain that I heard in my sister’s voice and the voices of others. Pain caused by the notion that success and doing what one loves most is for people like Oprah, The Donald, and Bill Gates, but not for you and me.
With that said, I am excited to share that I have launched a series of e-workbooks called Will the Real YOU Please Step Forward. This series is not another series of self improvement ebooks with cookie cutter solutions. It is a series filled with fun exercises, personal stories, and thought-provoking questions to support even the busiest person in taking action and creating the life they desire. So when you have some time, please pop over to the book site and take a peek. Also, please feel free to download the free e-workbook that is available.
(My heartfelt thanks goes out to my sister for the wonderful inspiration, support, and encouragement. Love you, Kiddo!)
It is true, if you have an intention that you truly believe in, and you are willing to take action, you can take that intention from thought to reality. What intention are you willing to take from paper to reality? What do you need to make it happen?
Posted by Pam at 6:15:04 PM in Creating Change (86) | Permalink | Comments (2)
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Gone Fishing
OK, so I am not going fishing, but I am doing something really exciting. Tune in next weekend to find out. :) In the meantime, have an awesome week!
Posted by Pam at 2:01:06 PM in Pam's Ponderings (32) | Permalink | Comments (2)
Friday, August 17, 2007
Random Thoughts and a Day to Celebrate
As I was deleting the massive amounts of spam that comes into my inboxes daily, I had a thought… spam and fear have a few things in common.
They can both be annoying.
They can waste time.
They can stand in the way of getting to the good stuff.
They can serve as a motivator to spur change.
So what if you were to think of fear as a piece of spam? Rather than read it, (falling prey to the falsehood of the message) why not filter it with a truthful message? For example, (in line with last week’s post) “I am not enough” could be filtered with the message “I am more than enough”. Give it a whirl and let me know how it works for you.
On a personal note
Thirteen years ago today a special person entered my life. It was thirteen years ago today that a wonderful bundle of joy was placed in my arms for the very first time. That day was most certainly one of the proudest, most blessed days of my life.
I can honestly say that I consider myself one the luckiest mothers on the face of the planet. I am so grateful to have a son who is bright, compassionate, intuitive, insightful, fun, loving, kind-hearted, talented and just a true gift of a human being. I have learned so much from him.
I have learned…
…that love runs deeper than one can possibly begin to imagine.
…that children are our truest mirrors so it is important to always be the best person possible.
…that hugs are the most wonderful cure-alls.
…to explore life with the eyes of a child.
and so much more.
Thank you, my amazing son for all that you have given this world and for all that you have given me just with your presence – thank you for being you!!
Happy Birthday, Sweetie! I love you oodles and oodles!
Posted by Pam at 5:49:35 PM in Pam's Ponderings (32) | Permalink | Comments (4)
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Are You Living A Lie?
WARNING: Semi-rant to follow. Proceed at your own risk.
Just recently I was listening to a recorded version of Lynne Twist’s keynote speech “The Soul of Money: Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Life” . This inspiring speech was not about how to create more money, but rather how to form a better relationship with money and life in general.
The main message was loud and clear; as a society and as individuals we live from a place of scarcity and lack. Why? Because we have been sold a bold-faced lie along the way!
As Lynne was telling the audience how we live with the lie that there is never enough it dawned on me just how easy it is to get trapped in that lie. We do it everyday in what may seem the most innocuous of ways. Consider some of the “not enough” messages we generate on a daily basis, most often subconsciously ;
Not enough sleep
Not enough money
Not enough smarts
Not enough clothes
Not enough skills
Not enough time
Not thin enough
Not handsome enough
Not pretty enough
Not courageous enough
Not witty enough
Not enough, not enough, not enough.
What’s it going to take for every single one of us to stop buying into the lie that there is not enough? That we as a collective whole and as individuals are not enough?
We are enough! You are enough!
Think about it, together as a nation we have banded together many times to raise awareness around important issues. As a matter of fact, we do it daily in the blogosphere. Frankly, I fail to believe that there is not one person out there who has never accomplished something really wonderful.
So you see we are enough and there is plenty of “enough” to go around.
Are you game and ready to stop living the lie of scarcity?
If so, here’s the challenge, for the next 21 days (since it takes 21 days to form a habit), I encourage you to stop feeding the lie by watching your own thoughts and feelings. When the “not enough” messages appear come up with a way to reframe them, to swap them out for a more empowering message. Then at the end of the 21 days, please come back here and let us know what happened.
Together we can stop the lie from spreading. Who's with me?
Posted by Pam at 4:34:04 PM in Creating Change (86) | Permalink | Comments (16)
Saturday, August 04, 2007
What's In A Word: The Word is *Open*
This category is dedicated to inspiring words and any actions that can be taken to incorporate the chosen word into your day-to-day. My hope is that you have some fun with these words and maybe learn something new about you.
To be “open” is to…
Be present and aware
Be flexible
Go with the flow
Consider all options and potentials
Be in a positive frame of mind
How will you remain open? What one thing will you stake claim to today to demonstrate your own openness?
When we are open and receptive, good stuff begins to present itself and the receiving can begin.
Posted by Pam at 7:43:15 PM in What's In A Word (4) | Permalink | Comments (0)
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Going 8 for 8
Just recently I stumbled upon the neatest little presentation called The Eight Principles. I am purposely not going to share what it’s about so please pop on over and take a look. However I will share the great messages I took away…
1) Know who you are – the good stuff often comes from the “who” of who you are.
2) Realize that you matter – don’t ever put your own well-being or feelings on the backburner otherwise you will get squished repeatedly.
3) You can do anything – the only thing that ever really stands in your way of achieving the things you want is your own self.
4) Stretch outside your box – when you stretch, you not only grow, but you open yourself up to bigger potentials.
5) Lighten up & live – fretting the small stuff clouds your view of all the good stuff that’s just waiting for you.
6) Remove the clutter – in order to create space for the cool stuff to make its way to you, you have to remove the clutter first.
7) Set intentions and take action – an intention without action is just a wish that never sees the light of day.
8) Get it done – if you want something, go and get it. You can be, do, and have anything you desire with commitment and action.
Now it’s your turn, what’s your take away?
Posted by Pam at 4:20:03 PM in Creating Change (86) | Permalink | Comments (2)
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Do You Believe In Magic?
I recently visited this cool site (Thank you, Jon) and came across this thought-provoking question, “Where does real magic exist?”
First, what is real magic? That got me scratching my head a bit.
I suppose some may think of magic as evil and coming from evil sources. And there may be some that think of it as flowers popping from sleeves, rabbits appearing from hats, which can only be found at children’s birthday parties. Some may think that magic does not exist at all. While there may be some (like me) who believe that magic is our ability to create marvels and that it comes from within.
Whatever you believe about magic, I respect your beliefs and am not trying to change them. I do have one request, however, and that is to consider the following:
If magic is the ability to create great marvels then we all have the potential to create magic in all that we do (personally and professionally); to make things work while leaving people in awe, wondering how.
Think about it.
We create magic when we make another person smile.
We create magic when see the good in an otherwise bad situation.
We create magic when we accomplish a desired intention.
With that, let me throw out a question, what magic will you create for yourself today?
Posted by Pam at 4:39:31 PM in Creating Change (86) | Permalink | Comments (0)
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Business Tolerations Be Gone
If you are a business owner you will undoubtedly be all too familiar with the various and assorted demands on your time; the paperwork, the administrative functions, the not so fun stuff that stands between you and doing what you really love. Oh, and if you have been following this blog for some time, you will know that I am all about removing tolerations. When we remove tolerations we create the space for more creativity and greater potentials.
If the perfunctory functions of owning a business are bogging you down, never fear there is a solution – a virtual assistant (VA). The virtual assistant industry is booming and it is no coincidence, as VAs provide valuable service to busy professionals in a very cost effective way.
With that said, I would love to congratulate a great person who has left behind Corporate America to bring her wealth of experience to the virtual assistant industry. For the past 14 years Davida has administratively supported some of the highest level executives and now she’s offering those amazing talents and services to her own clients. It is a pleasure to announce the grand opening of The Essential Office, a VA practice which supports small businesses and entrepreneurs.
When you have a chance, pop on over to The Essential Office and check out some of the great services that Davida has to offer the busy business owner.
Posted by Pam at 7:14:34 PM in Creating Change (86) | Permalink | Comments (0)
Saturday, July 14, 2007
What's In A Word: The Word Is *Authentic*
This category is dedicated to inspiring words and any actions that can be taken to incorporate the chosen word into your day-to-day. My hope is that you have some fun with these words and maybe learn something new about you.
The word "authentic" brings up the following for me:
Actions that are congruent with who I am
Integrity
Real
Walking my walk
Speaking the truth
Reliable
Trust
Genuine
Being my authentic self and not a square peg squished in a round hole is vital to me. I am committed to showing up as me and not something or someone I am not. To show up in any other way leaves me feeling empty and fraudulent.
What does authentic mean to you? Has there ever been a time when you were not your authentic self? What happened?
What do you do to show up as your authentic self?
Posted by Pam at 10:22:54 PM in What's In A Word (4) | Permalink | Comments (2)
Saturday, July 07, 2007
Go Big or Go Home Questions: Give
A few weeks back I wrote a post on my personal blog Walking My Own Walk that was inspired by something I heard Dr. Wayne Dyer say. He said that we cannot give what we don't have.
Hmmm, that makes sense, doesn't it?
If you don't have time, you can't give time to someone else. If you don't have energy, you can't give energy to an activity or project.
My go big or go home question to you is this; what will you give to YOU starting today so that you will have more than enough to share?
Posted by Pam at 11:43:56 PM in Go Big Or Go Home Questions (11) | Permalink | Comments (4)
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Leap and the Net Will Appear
When was the last time you actually did something based on sheer faith and faith alone? What happened? Did that something turn out as you felt it would or were you disappointed by the results?
Just this past week I took a leap and had faith that the net would appear. And guess what? It did, and the net was even bigger and better than I could have ever imagined.
What did I do?
I went to Fargo, North Dakota to participate in the first of many Bigger Small Talk Summits
Why was that a leap?
Well, first I have never been to Fargo so I had no idea what that would be like. And second, I had never participated in a conference that used Open Space Technology. So here I was traveling 1200 miles to attend a conference with no true set agenda.
Where did the faith come from?
My faith was the direct result of the enthusiasm and energy that came from an amazing woman who held the vision of inviting and creating deeper dialog. It was utterly contagious so how could I not participate!?
What was the result?
All I can say is, “WOW!” I gained so much from being at this incredible, life-changing, positive impacting, action-driven event. I gained:
I could go on and on about all the great things I took away, but instead I want to invite you to experience it for yourself. Take the leap next year and join us for the second Bigger Small Talk Summit. I promise you that the net will appear bigger and better than you could ever imagine.
Posted by Pam at 8:49:09 PM in Creating Change (86) | Permalink | Comments (6)
Monday, June 25, 2007
Calling All Canadian VAs
A good friend and awesome colleague of mine has created a great community for Canadian VAs called The Canadian Virtual Assistant Network (CVAN).
Here is a brief description of CVAN;
The Canadian Virtual Assistant Network(CVAN) is about building community, sharing resources, enjoying life and those around us. Learning, Supporting, Laughing is the CVAN way! Join the hippest, most happening place for Canadian VA's.
If you are a VA located in Canada and wish to receive more information, please check it out!
Posted by Pam at 8:07:24 PM in Pam's Ponderings (32) | Permalink | Comments (0)
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Appreciate vs. Depreciate; Which Will It Be?
I am taking a course called 10 Secrets for Success and Inner Peace lead by Dr.
Some take great offense to seeing a sweaty man running in the halls and others see it as a great idea and share their excitement. He refers to the ones that take offense as depreciators and the ones that see the potential as appreciators.
This got me thinking. How often do we go through our lives depreciating rather than appreciating? Seeing something as odd, rather than seeing the potential? Getting upset about something we have no control over, rather than looking for the good?
I would like to ask you to consider the following scenario. Being honest with yourself, which response are you likely to choose?
You are in line at the grocery store and the person in front of you has a ton of groceries. The grocery store clerk is new on the job and having difficulty using the scanner. There are no other lines to go to and you are in a hurry to get home because you have guests coming over for dinner. How would you respond?
a) You feel yourself getting annoyed and you comment on how long it is taking.
b) You take some deep breathes and tell the clerk that you think they are doing a great job.
Here is the challenge, for the next two weeks pay close attention to how you respond to different situations. Make note as to whether you are depreciating or appreciating. If you find yourself depreciating more than appreciating;
1) Go easy on yourself – depreciating yourself will only continue the depreciation.
2) Acknowledge and congratulate yourself for the awareness. (Appreciating)
3) Try and find one thing about each situation that you can appreciate.
At the end of two weeks please come back and share your experiences. I would love to hear how appreciating vs. depreciating worked for you.
In closing, just some final food for thought…
Depreciating blocks positive potentials and learning opportunities. Appreciating throws the door wide open to new experiences, good feelings, and growth.
Until next time, keep making a difference.
With deep appreciation,
Pam
Posted by Pam at 3:33:12 PM in Creating Change (86) | Permalink | Comments (6)
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Whoever Said...
...that dreams don't come true was full of beans and here's proof.
WARNING: Tissues may be required.
Posted by Pam at 10:11:51 PM in Pam's Ponderings (32) | Permalink | Comments (2)
Sunday, June 17, 2007
What's In A Word: The Word Is "Truth"
Back in November I purchased the greatest little cards from a booth at the ICF Conference. Rather than let these gems continue to collect dust on my desk, it is time to put them to good use.
So here's the deal; this category is dedicated to inspiring words and any actions that can be taken to incorporate the chosen word into your day-to-day. My hope is that you have some fun with these words and maybe learn something new about you.
When I hear or see the word truth I think of…
Integrity
Being my authentic self
Speaking from the heart
Hearing between the lines or what is not being said
Reliability
Real
Honest
When we are being truthful with ourselves and others we are less likely to participate in activities or behaviors that do not positively support our forward movement and growth.
What does truth mean to you? What can you commit to doing (starting today) to ensure that truth is a part of your daily life?
Posted by Pam at 5:10:57 PM in What's In A Word (4) | Permalink | Comments (2)
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Will the Real YOU Please Step Forward
In August, 2007 the Will the Real YOU Please Step Forward e-workbook series will be making its way to ebook shelves nearest you. These e-workbooks are designed and dedicated to supporting YOU in creating a life filled with passion, happiness, prosperity, and balance. The series includes the following e-workbooks:
(Special Note: Each e-workbook has been created with busy people in mind. They are concise and "bite-sized" with exercises that are easy to implement into even the busiest of schedules.)
Getting to the Who of Who YOU Are – Have you ever felt stuck? Or maybe experienced the feeling that there was something "more" out there, but you had no clue as to what that more was? Knowing the “who” of who you are is the foundation upon which everything in your life is built either directly or indirectly. This e-workbook supports you in truly getting to know your authentic self and, in turn, helps you find that "more".
Letting Go of the Things That Bind - In order to create the life you desire and deserve you must remove any obstacles, fears, tolerations, or habits that do not serve you. Basically anything that holds you back from being your authentic self. In this e-workbook, together we will walk through exercises to remove anything that is binding you and making it difficult to move forward.
Life On Passion (Discovering Your Passion) – Are you living your most passionate life? No more settling for the status quo or just accepting things as they are. Through the use of this e-workbook we will explore what ignites a fire for you so that the daily feeling of dread is replaced with passion and fun!
Be + Do = Have: Taking Action– You know who you are and you know what you want; having what you want means taking action. In this e-workbook we explore how setting clear intentions and taking do-able actions supports you in gaining the things you want most in your life. Why settle for anything less?
The Invite
If you are interested in being notified when the series hits the ebooks shelves please complete the notification form. As a thank you I will send you (via e-mail) a copy of the series' supplemental e-workbook Intentions+Actions=Results. This e-workbook is dedicated to supporting you in setting clear intentions, taking action, and creating awesome results in the following areas:
- Getting to the core of who you are so your passion and direction can come through loud and clear.
- Breaking habits that do not support you and your success potentials.
- Creating good habits to support creating a healthier more well-balanced life.
- Developing a grateful attitude to help remove fear and bring in more abundance.
- Kicking negative self talk in the backside so that your desires can become a reality.
- Recharging your battery and celebrating YOU!
We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.
Posted by Pam at 2:53:53 PM in From Words to Actions (4) | Permalink | Comments (0)
Sunday, June 03, 2007
Be A Part of An Inaugral Event
I am so excited to be sharing the first Summit for Bigger Small Talk with all of you. This event is bringing together people from all over who are committed to more substantial communication, conversation, and dialogue, which leads to bigger action in their businesses, communities, personal lives, and families.
Date:
Sponsored by: Bock's Office Transformational Consulting
Location: Doublewood Inn, Fargo North Dakota
DAY ONE. How can BIGGER SMALL TALK add value to our communication? What does it mean for a business? For employees? For families? For individuals? On Day One, working in an Open Space format:
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Learn how to implement deeper conversations into your work and personal life.
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Network with other like-minded bigger small talkers.
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Gain the best and brightest ideas for adding value to business and personal conversations.
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Become a member of an inaugural event that is sure to make a difference for individuals and businesses alike.
DAY TWO is an opportunity to work with Dick Richards, author of Is Your Genius At Work? People who recognize their genius report gaining a clearer sense of career direction, a greater ability to add value to work situations, and higher work satisfaction and productivity, as well as increased confidence and a greater sense of peace. On Day Two, Dick will lead participants in identifying their own particular genius and allowing it to inform their work, relationships, and lives.
Won't you join Jodee Bock, Mike Samsone, Phil Gerbyshak, Jane Greer, Mitch Matthews, and me...plus many others who are committed to make a difference through bigger small talk. For more information and to register, please click here. Be a part of something that will be truly amazing.
Hope to see you in Fargo.
Posted by Pam at 2:04:38 PM in Creating Change (86) | Permalink | Comments (4)
