Women in the LEAD

STILLNESS of the HEART

This blog was originally posted four years ago and I believe it’s worth posting again. Time spent in the “stillness of your heart” will help you discover your heart’s desire.  Then create a blueprint to achieve your dream.  Here it is:

******

As the holidays closely approach, we have an opportunity to understand where our home actually is.  Creating beautiful spaces and sharing intimate moments with family and friends are all an important part of this special holiday season.  However, our physical world and how we live in it is only one aspect of our actual home.

[Once again,] during this holiday season, I have renewed a very special commitment to myself, and that is to remember that my true home lies in the stillness of my heart.  My true home lies in a deep connection with that which is much greater than me.  In the rush and quickness of these times, it is very important to remember that if we quiet our busy mind and go inward and connect with that which is greater than our selves, we will truly come home for the holidays.

May all the blessings of the Season be yours!

 

Maureen Simon
Co-Contributor
Create Your Blueprint for 2010
[email protected]
http://womeninfluencingnow.wordpress.com
http://www.facebook.com/maureensimon
www.theessentialfeminine.com
Join our Facebook Group "Women Influencing Now"
twitter@maureensimon

Transform Your 2010

 Say good-bye to 2009 and transform your 2010. In a year that has seemed to emphasize failure, financial stress and doing things the hard way, we have an opportunity to make a change. Our time is now to create powerful, influential success with ease and from a Feminine Perspective. Women hold natural talents and gifts that are particularly essential in business, relationship building and politics today; gifts, such as being relational and caring, holding advanced communication skills and being able to actively see the whole in the environments in which they live. We can use these gifts in creating a blueprint for 2010 which will transform our lives and the lives of those around us. 

There is no greater time in the history of the world where these feminine traits and attributes have been more needed.  If we take a moment to look outside ourselves, we can’t help but see the imbalance in our world.  Over a hundred years ago, Baha’u’llah (Founder of the Bahia Faith), wrote, “The world in the past has been ruled by force, and man has dominated over woman by reason of his more forceful and aggressive qualities both of body and mind.  But the balance is already shifting – force is losing its weight and mental alertness, intuition, and the spiritual qualities of love and service, in which woman is strong, are gaining ascendancy.  Hence, the new age will be an age less masculine, and more permeated with the feminine ideals --- or, to speak more exactly, will be an age in which the masculine and feminine elements of civilization will be more evenly balanced.”  Are we ready to create that new age?  Are we ready to bring forth the feminine attributes that can transform our world? 

 

To me, it would not be a successful world if women elbowed men out and stepped in to the limelight of our world’s leadership.  But as Baha’u’llah mentions in the quote above, we will all benefit from a world where the masculine and feminine elements are more evenly balanced.  These changes will not happen without us; women stepping up, claiming our feminine attributes and learning to use them to create balance within ourselves first. Say good-bye to 2009 and transform your 2010.  In a year that has seemed to emphasize failure, financial stress and doing things the hard way, we have an opportunity to make a change.  Our time is now to create powerful, influential success with ease and from a Feminine Perspective.  Women hold natural talents and gifts that are particularly essential in business, relationship building and politics today; gifts, such as being relational and caring, holding advanced communication skills and being able to actively see the whole in the environments in which they live.  We can use these gifts in creating a blueprint for 2010 which will transform our lives and the lives of those around us.

 

Begin 2010 by taking steps to understand how you can use your feminine gifts in business, relationships, and leadership.  Join us in a three month individual consulting program to launch your New Year with maximum success. Find out more by emailing [email protected]

 

Maureen Simon
Co-Contributor
www.maureensimon.com
http://womeninfluencingnow.wordpress.com
http://www.facebook.com/maureensimon
www.theessentialfeminine.com
Join our Facebook Group "Women Influencing Now"
twitter@maureensimon

 

Creating Success in 2010: Are you Ready for the Most Amazing Year Ever?

Did you ever think of designing an amazing blueprint for your life?  Actually becoming highly intentional instead of reactive, there is a way to do this.  This past month I had the opportunity to facilitate a webinar with thirty women from three continents looking specifically at this issue.

We no longer need to react to life, if we choose to co-create it.  I believe that our intentions guide the way that our life is formed and lived.  When we begin to look at our lives from the perspective of what is working and what is no longer working we get our first indication as to what needs to be changed.  Another indicator that is useful in creating a blueprint for your life is what from the past served you at one time, but no longer serves you today?  Take a moment and evaluate the different beliefs, values, and needs that you have that stem from the past and at one time served you well. Update these beliefs and needs to reflect what you believe and need now.  Too often we live in the past and limit ourselves based on days gone by.

Lastly, begin to notice how you feel doing a given task, spending time with specific people, or in any other area of your life.  How we feel is an indicator as to whether or not we are living our life in alignment with what we enjoy, truly value, and believe.  Living consciously is the only way to go these days, but it takes some practice slowing down and contemplation.  Make time for these things and you will live a life that you choose and desire.  Join us to create your own Women’s Success Blueprint at our two upcoming webinars on January 20 and 27.  Contact us at [email protected]

 

Maureen Simon
Co-Contributor
www.maureensimon.com
http://womeninfluencingnow.wordpress.com
http://www.facebook.com/maureensimon
www.theessentialfeminine.com
Join our Facebook Group "Women Influencing Now"
twitter@maureensimon

 

WOMEN: The Gift of a New Beginning

Life is a series of new beginnings. It is always inviting us to create the lives we want to live — to become more ourselves. When I was very young and forging my own unique path, I saw life more in big, giant chunks of time, where, unconsciously, I seemed to move from one unexpected new beginning to another. My eyes were tightly closed most of the time, often “hanging on for dear life,” hoping wherever I landed would be the life I dreamed about.

During those years, I recall being guided by two influences...

First, my mom had told me, “Good things come to those who wait.” Although this statement of hope reflected my mom’s somewhat passive approach to life, the goodness in it stayed with me. In times of trouble it was a great comfort. Eventually, it became a kind of mantra that I often repeated to others and said over and over to myself.

The other powerful influence on my thinking came from my big brother. He is eleven years older than I am, one of my early mentors.  He seemed to have come into this life goal-directed with a will to achieve and he planted a seed in my mind at an early age, “You can do or have whatever you want, if you want it badly enough to work for it.” I didn’t instantly make the connection that what he meant was that my destiny would be shaped by my decisions and my own actions. However, my deep respect for his guidance soon translated his message into a strong belief that life had many wonderful possibilities waiting for me to find them.

...if you make up your mind that “I have got to do it, and I must do it, and I will do it, success will surely materialize."  --- Paramahansa Yogananda

Over the years, I have grown more and more appreciative of the blessing of these early influences. My observation looking back is that these simple thoughts did shape my direction. They worked as catalysts to ignite my courage to look for, and embrace, many new beginnings, some that were full of joy and some surrounded by much sadness and scary stuff that came about unexpectedly and seemed very
much out of my control.

Who are the people or experiences that have given you the gift of new beginnings?

What influences shaped your direction?

As we move toward another new year, may we use these precious present to create our best year yet.

Warm wishes to you all...

Debbe

Debbe Kennedy
Founder, Global Dialogue Center
Home of Women in the Lead
www.globaldialoguecenter.com/women
author, Putting Our Differences to Work

Twitter @debbekennedy

 

Transform Your Life in 2010 To Fulfill Your Vision

“The responses and results that you receive from anyone, in any situation, are triggered by the stimuli you provide.  The stimuli are your behaviors.  This is the only way people can get to know you…If you behave in purposeful, meaningful, constructive ways, you get superior results.  That is how you create your own experience.  When you choose the behavior (the action), you choose the consequences.”

 

Phillip C. McGraw, Ph.D.  “Strategies: Doing What Works, Doing What Matters”

 

Now as 2009 ends is the perfect time for you to choose the behavior and actions that will support you to get the consequences you truly desire.  It is time for women to be who they really are by bringing forth their unique attributes and gifts.  The world desperately needs their compassion, their ability to see the whole picture and work for the good of all.  We have seen over the past year what happens when we strive towards individual gratification, whether the individual is a person or a corporation. 

 

In a webinar which is ending in the next week, I have been supporting women to create their own unique, sustainable Blueprints for 2009.  This webinar has created a good deal of excitement concerning the positive things that will be happening in 2010 with the women involved.   It is a life transforming process that will bring you towards a life of happiness, success and contribution.  Therefore, I am offering this on an individual basis over a nine week period to those of you who are ready to take the journey with me.  There are details about this course for more information please contact us at [email protected].

 

Think of 2010 as a chance to begin a new decade with confidence in yourself as a woman who can create the life she envisions. 

 

Maureen Simon

Co-Contributor

www.maureensimon.com

http://womeninfluencingnow.wordpress.com

http://www.facebook.com/maureensimon

www.theessentialfeminine.com

Join our Facebook Group "Women Influencing Now"

twitter@maureensimon

 

 

WOMEN: Gift to SELF

Long ago, I learned that sometimes stories, seemingly so unrelated to our lives, serve as mirrors to our own experiences and a validation of our personal growth.

The other day a friend shared an article on Facebook about the recent sad events about Tiger Woods and his wife, Elin Nordegren. The issues on display have caused discussion on many topics, including "when is enough, enough?" Everyone has had a different slant, some of it quite invasive and frivolous sounding when one considers the real heartache that must be involved.

I didn't read the article thoroughly, but even a brief glance caused a flow of feelings around the question "when is enough enough?" It' a question for one to ponder about anything that is not bringing harmony and joy to your life --- a job that brings you unhappiness or a "friend" or family member that has broken a valued trust and perhaps your heart. The question and your response to it is complicated with lots of implications. ...and I am imagining that most of us in a lifetime are greeted by some form of it. Each of our decisions are highly personal and custom-made for our very special circumstances...decisions we carry with us with gratitude or regret or some lesson learned.

For me, I look back with deep gratitude that I was brave enough to find my own right decision. It forever changed my life. The turning point was recognizing that disregard, disrespect, and public humiliation for me was the point of enough. I've never had a moment of regret ...and I've never again allowed it to be present in my life. Blessings flow.

Another dear friend told me once of her experience of making her own right decision... 

"When you stand-up and take responsibility for your life. There are a whole different group of people standing with you to support you."

Over the years, I've found this to be true over and over again. The GIFT to SELF is having the courage to face the question when it presents itself and choose the right decision for your life. No matter what's right you'll forever be changed when you boldly step forward to claim it.

What lessons have you learned about answering the question, "when is enough, enough?

Debbe

Debbe Kennedy
Founder, Global Dialogue Center
Home of Women in the Lead
www.globaldialoguecenter.com/women
author, Putting Our Differences to Work

Twitter @debbekennedy

As The New Year Approaches

As the new year approaches, it is a time to look to the future and think about what you would like the next year to bring.  This year you have the opportunity to design the life you most desire—consciously and intentionally as we move into 2010.  This year create your resolutions in a supportive, hand on your back environment by joining us for a journey to:

 

Ø  Create a blueprint for a life design that includes success, satisfaction and full expression

Ø  Become conscious of what you really believe, need and value as this is your foundation to sustainable change

Ø  Walk away with clear objectives, action items and a vision

Ø  Enjoy companionate support and accountability from a world-renowned confidant and consultant.

Join us for this life transforming journey. 2010 will open many possibilities to women that the world has not yet seen. The collective is ready. Are you??? Arrive consciously –with clear intentions. The time is now!

 

Maureen Simon
Co-Contributor
www.maureensimon.com
http://womeninfluencingnow.wordpress.com
http://www.facebook.com/maureensimon
www.theessentialfeminine.com
Join our Facebook Group "Women Influencing Now"
twitter@maureensimon

Women in the Lead: Would we do things differently?

On some days the world seems to be spiraling out of control. It complicated and full of risks I admit I don't fully understand. I think most of all WAR is difficult for me to understand and even the best of men seem to see war as the solution to bringing about peace and harmony in the world.

Would women leaders go about things differently?

I think we would. Eleanor Roosevelt demonstrated different view...

"I can not believe that war is the best solution.
No one won the last war, and no one will win the next war. "

According to Helen Fisher, Research Professor and member of the Center for Human Evolutionary Studies in the Department of Anthropology at Rutgers University and noted author of The First Sex: The Natural Talents of Women and How They are Changing the World, men approach things very differently:

"Men tend to place to place themselves in a hierarchy; then they jockey for position. Men are more wiling to endure exhausting workloads to attain rank. They more regularly sacrifice this health, safety and precious time with family and friends to win status, money and prestige. Men and women exhibit no difference in what psychologists call "internal competitiveness," the desire to meet personal goals and display excellence. But men score much higher in "external competitiveness," the willingness to elbow others aside to get ahead.

Women are, on average, more interested in cooperation, harmony, and connections---a network of support.  Women cast themselves in a web of friendships; they make lateral contacts with others, and they form cliques. Then women work to keep these ties intact. Women can be determined and clever at climbing the social or corporate ladder. But when they do achieve high rank, they more regularly downplay their authority. Fewer women are interested in power for power's sake."

Hmmmm! These differences seem to offer new hope for our troubled world. Helen Fisher notes: "...leaders like Indira Gandhi and Margaret Thatcher illustrate that women can be as decisive and tough-minded as men. However, most women in power will probably be less likely than men to resort to military action to settle disputes. They may be more inclined to agree with Winston Churchill. Once in a conciliatory mood he once said,

"To jaw-jaw is always better than to war-war."

The door is open for women. This is a time in history that offers us opportunities to use our innate feminine ways for healing and reconciliation. It can start in our own neighborhoods and reach out around the world, leaving its healing influence to bring harmony and peace to the world.

What contribution will you make?

What's your opinion?

Debbe

Debbe Kennedy
Founder, Global Dialogue Center
Home of Women in the Lead
www.globaldialoguecenter.com/women
author, Putting Our Differences to Work

Twitter @debbekennedy

We invite you to enjoy an exclusive informal 3-part audio interview with Helen Fisher.  Helen Fisher joined Maureen Simon of Maureen Simon Consulting and Debbe Kennedy, Founder, Global Dialogue Center, home Women in the LEAD for a intimate talk about the emerging leadership roles for women and women’s impact on 21st century business, sex and family life ... and more.
Learn more...