Tourist in Your Own State, Part II - Appreciation Lesson

Tourist in Your Own State, Part II - Appreciation Lesson - EVERGREEN, COLORADO

Yesterday, we took the fam and went on a leisurely hike with some friends (and their friends). We drove about 40 minutes to an open space called "Lair O' the Bear" near Evergreen, CO.

For me, it was a lesson in patience and appreciation.

For starters, we didn't get off to the quickest start. Getting 2 adults, a preschooler and a baby out of the house is tough enough. Then try hooking up with a pregnant couple with anotehr preschooler, plus another entire family. We were already about an hour behind schedule when we left town.

But once we got there, the waiting continued. There was sunscreen to apply, hats to don and supplies to pack. Finally, we set off.

But we didn't go far. See, when you go hiking with 4 kids under the age of 5, there are mostly stops...a LOT of stops. We stopped every 200 feet or so to look at the water. To poke long sticks into the water and say "I'm catchin' a fish." Every puddle brought new discoveries, adn there were multiple potty breaks (apparently it's hilarious to pee in teh woods). There were dogs to watch, kids to say hello to and bikers to step aside for.

Once we started to get hungry, it was time to search for a picnic spot. Thirty minutes later, we were spread out in a circle, munching on deli sandwiches from Heidi's. Rick and I were missing the avocado from out BLTAs, but we were still in good spirits. Sally at about 3 bites of her hot dog and decided she was done. C'est la vie.

OK, so by now you're probably clear on where I got the lesson in patience, but waht about appreciation?

Ooooh, appreciation came in anbundance of ways this time. Since Andy and I have been learning more about rocks, stones and crystals, we were paying attention to all teh rock formations, as well as the rocks we saw in the creekbed and along the path. Water running on the path had a golden glimmer, most likely from specs of pyrite gleaming in teh dirt. I began to notice the vast amount of rocks, on this one short path, and I wondered about all the rocks in Evergreen...in Colorado...in the U.S....in the world. Damn, that's a lotta rocks.

Periodically, I would think to look UP instead of DOWN, and each time, I was rewarded with magnificent vistas. I was grateful to have brought my camera It made me wonder why I looked down so often when walking, or straight ahead. It made me wonder why baseball caps have such broad brims (well, I suppose to protect me from the sun, since that was why I wore the hat in the first place) that prevent us from seeing what is above us.

Each time the kids stopped to get a better look at things, I was reminded of the wonder adn beauty of nature, and how quickly we learn to take it all for granted. Despite our best efforts to be patient, it seemed we were constantly reminding them to come along, hurry up, let's go, catch up to teh group. Then, as soon as they were going at a fairly fast clip, we'd ask them to hold on, wait up, hang tight, let the rest of hte group catch up.

I wondered what these kids were soaking up. What were they learning about group dynamics? Nature? Danger? (The water was rushing at a fair clip...each time they got too close to the water's edge, all 6 parents would tense up visibly.) What were they learning about family outings? About weather? About mud and dirt and water and bugs? About social itneraction? About peeing in teh woods?

Most often, my thoughts drifted around my experience. What could I learn from teh encounter?

I learned that children are not concerned at all wtih the illusion of TIME. IT didn't really matter to them if the trail was long, short, hot, cold, or what, as long as they could play and explore and be together. I learned that as adults, we are consumed with TIME worries. Even out here in teh woods, with nowhere to go (really) and all day to get there (and back), we still looked at our watches from time to time.

How long did it take us to get halfway? Should we take the scenic trail, is there enough time? What time should we eat? What time did we get started? Is it time to feed the baby yet?

My 3 year-old's montessori school teacher told me taht at this age, they really have no concept of time. At first, I remember thinking "how am I going to teach her about time?" but now I see that she is truly fortunate to not have any time worries. I probably have enough for us both.

(In fact, she keeps telling anyone who'll listen that she's having a birthday. Really? When? they ask. "January" is her response. It might as well be tomorrow, for all she knows/cares.)

When do we lose this sense of wonder? When do we lose our ability to discover everything newly?

I think it's a skill that dulls with teh acceptance of responsibility. In our efforts to be responsible, we focus our attention elsewhere, and we may forget to appreciate all that surrounds us.

To return to that childlike sense of wonder as an adult, it takes time (ironic, isn't it?) We must practice the skill of wonder and awe, and sharpen our taste for it.

I certainly feel like yesterday was a chance for me to appreciate teh glories of nature, and all that surrounds me.

How about you?

What are YOU taking for granted? What are you willing to notice differently, to explore newly? Where in your life can you be wondrous and mystified?

Go for it!

The whole day was simply fascinating for me. I enjoyed every minute of it.

Tourist in Your Own State, Part I - Abundance Lesson

Tourist in your own state, part I - MANITOU SPRINGS, COLORADO

Have you ever taken the time to be a tourist in your own state?

This is something I highly recommend, as the fam and I have been taking this on lately.

Of course, we've only lived in Colorado for about a year and a half, so there is much to explore.

On Saturday, we drove down to Manitou Springs to spend the day. My husband wanted to take new family photos (which you can view on his home business site) and there were a number of rock shops we wanted to visit. We purchased many new crystals and beautiful stones, and are currently choosing hte best possible places to position these in our home. (As you may already know, I've been practicing Feng Shui for awhile now, and experiencing remarkable results).

Manitou Springs is a darling town -- it's near Colorado Springs, on the otehr side of the Garden of the Gods. Manitou is so named for several natural springs in the town, each of which features its own font, open to the public. You can drive up and fill the container (or containers) of your choice with fresh mineral water. Each font has a different flavor, and some are more effervescent than others. (The Iron Springs font tastes like blood, no kidding, but the others are quite delicious.) Some are sweet, some are salty, all are yummy (except the aforementioned Iron Springs).

The first couple of times we visited, it was a sort of treasure hunt for the fonts. No two fonts look alike -- some are adorned with ceramic figures, some are flowing from statues and others feature bronze enhancements. Most are deliciously cool and refreshing.

Why do the font owners make these spring waters available to all?

Well, there is a lesson about abundance hidden in this story.

Apparently, natural springs must flow continuously. As long as the font is allowed to continue flowing, the water will continue to flow. If a natural spring is stopped up, it will cease to produce any more water.

Huh?

You mean the more water you take, the more there is?

My, my, isn't taht a bit counter-intuitive. You would think that at some point, the water would say "OK. I'm out." and then we'd all kick ourselves for just letting it run all this time. Nope. Quite the opposite.

So of course the good people of Manitou Springs love to share their spring water with you (yes, the same kind of water you pay $8 bucks for in a five-star restaurant). They understand that the more you take, the more there is. The fonts run constantly -- there is no on/off switch (although some springs "erupt" at certain intervals, like every 20 mins or so).

Does money work the same way?

It can seem like the more we spend, the less we have, right? And if we just keep spending and spending, then eventually we'll run out, right?

Well, not if we truly understand that the flow of money is much like the flow of these natural springs in Manitou. There is an unending supply, and we can take all we want...and still have more coming, more than we could possibly use.

Another itneresting fact about these springs is: the water that we get from the spring today is hundreds of years old.

What?!

Yes, the water from this natural spring has been traveling from deep inside the earth, adn the water itself usually never touches human hands until it passes your lips on the way down your throat.

How old is money?

More importantly, how old are money struggles?

Hmmm, indeed. Older than that spring water I drank in Manitou yesterday, I'm quite certain.

I had anotehr lesson in abundance yesterday when we visited a rock shop that we love (lapidary is the technical term, if you want to get persnickety).

What about all these rocks, geodes and crystals?

If rock shops keep opening, and people like me keep buying up all the cool crystals, won't we run out at some point?

Yet another example of lack-minded thinking. I don't actually see how we could ever, ever run out of rocks and crystals, no matter how many rock shops open their doors in Colorado or across the world.

Your QoD should be pretty obvious by this point. Where are YOU continuing to see the illusion of LACK as though it's real? Where are you seeing lack in your life, where in reality, there is a wealth of abundance?

A Mind Like a Sponge (Sea Sponge, That Is)

Today, my husband Andy and I had the distinct pleasure of visiting our daughter's private Montessori school.

Well, actually, we weren't just visiting -- we were presenting.

We had offered to make a presentation to the class (3 and 4 year olds) about sea creatures. Andy brought some of his underwater video, and I taught the children interesting things about the creatures we were seeing.

It was extraordinary. I love my daughter's school, I love scuba diving, I love ocean critters, and I love teaching, so waht could be better?

(Of course, Andy and I never could have participated together in this way without the time freedom we now enjoy. Thank goodness for legitimate work at home business opportunities!)

Truly, I have almost no experience with children, except my own. My daughter Sally was only the 2nd baby I'd ever held, and I'd never changed a diaper until she was born.

But to see these kids, so intrigued -- so amazed to learn that no, sharks aren't really bad, and they will leave you alone if you leave them alone -- well, they just reminded me of little sponges, soaking up everything.

Perahps what's most interesting is that we marvel at how perceptive children are, but we don't realize taht as adults, we can be just as receptive.

If you think for one minute that yuo're not soaking up vast amounts of peripheral information while you're reading this, you are sorely mistaken.

Your mind is like a sponge.

You are soaking up countless bits of data, and you're not even aware of it.

Unlike small children, who are filled with wonder and amazement at the bits of info they're receiving, we've grown bored with all the stimulation.

But remember -- garbage in, garbage out.

You must judiciously guard what goes into your brain...otherwise, no fair complaining about what comes out in your outer reality.

Capisce?

OK, I'm off to bed now...oh no wait, you didn't think I forgot your QoD, did you?

How closely do you guard what goes into your mind? How many hours of TV do you watch per week? What do you watch? What percentage of what goes in includes violence, negative thinking, so-called news, and conflict? Can you see how this is reflected in your everyday reality?

Choose wisely.
:-)

This Place Stinks

Today we took the day off, and drove down to Colorado Springs to have lunch, do a little shopping, and take our daughter to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.

I was thinking we would just buy a season pass to the zoo -- after all, the way zoos are priced, if you go 3 times in a year, you've more than paid for the price of your season pass. And Colorado Springs is just as close to us as downtown Denver, so it's a coin toss which zoo is closest to our home.

But this zoo was definitely NOT repeat material.

For starters, it wasn't very pretty. Everything was painted shades of brown (mostly) which wasn't very exciting.

Also, it's mostly under construction. See, most zoos are largely staffed by volunteers, and they're open 365 days a year. Why? So they can sustain themselves financially. They ahve hte same overhead every day, so might as well get some paying folks to come by and help support things. (Andy and I used to volunteer at the Aquarium/Zoo when we lived in New Orleans).

So it's not really surprising that they would remain open, despite about 50% of hte zoo being closed or inaccessible for construction.

The other odd thing is that there is a road that goes through the zoo. Not just for zoo vehicles, either. So you have to watch your step (and your kids) every second because of the motorized traffic.

But the indoor exhibits were what really shocked me.

The smell was beyond anything you can imagine.

Now, I am not sensitive to animal smells. ACtually, my father is a veterinarian. I've been in zoos, I've been on fishing boats, I think I've pretty much smelled it all. But when you feel like the smell of monkey piss is actually eating your esophagus, well, it seems to me there's a bit of a ventilation problem there.

Sadly, those weren't the parts that were being remodeled.

Needless to say, we didn't buy a season pass. But it was an adventure, and we did have an excellent lunch at Amanda's Fonda. And we got a great workout, because this mountain zoo had quite a bit of steep climbs for us to push those strollers up.

Hmmm, what QoD can I leave yuo with today?

How about this --

Have you ever played tourist in your own state? If not, why not? You just might learn something. If you can get past the smell, that is...

Today Was a Celebration

Today we drove down to Colorado Springs, CO to attend the Celebration metaphysical showcase.

IT was remarkably smaller than I expected, held in an auditorium about the size of my high school gym. The exterior walls were lined with people who were providing services (palm reading, tarot, angel guides, crystal balls, fortune telling, feng shui, aura photographs, chakra balancers, etc etc etc) and the inner booths were filled with people selling various wares.

We spent a good bit of time at the Hemi-Sync booth. Oodles of CDs for meditation, sleep, focus and everything else were available and of course, sampling was encouraged. I think the guy had 6 different portable CD players with headphones -- in fact, he had dual headphones, so he could hear what I could hear.

The booth was divided into beta wave stuff, delta wave stuff, theta wave stuff, and subliminal programming. They use binaural beat technology, plus some other stuff. John was very nice, and explained things multiple times to me, but it was quite loud in there, and my 3year old was a bit cranky as there wasn't anything for kids to do.

Which was *definitely* a missed opportunity for someone, because there were a TON of kids there.

I bought an Indigo CD for my kids (have you read about these Indigo children?), a sleep CD, a meditation CD, and a beta wave CD for ADD (for Andy). Andy has recently gotten into crystals (he's always been a rock hound, much like our 3 year old, but he has recently become interested in teh healing properties of crystals and stones and is building a library and a collection of such). $80 later, we finally walk away from the CD booth to see waht's what in the way of crystals, gems and stones.

I also spent some time observing these practitioners that lined the outer walls.

Some of them just looked like downright fakes.

Some were wearing "mystical" clothing, which made me wonder if they were dressing the part for today, or is this how they dress every day?

Some looked more like CPAs or writers than anything else, and perhaps they were indeed.

Some looked nervous, some looked calm, some looked bored.

None had rates posted (I thought that was itneresting. Made me wonder if they charged different prices for different people, or what?)

There were a TON of people offering info about angel guides, and stuff about angels.

There was one guy who had some strange dice and it was as though my husband read my mind when he leaned over and said, "What is this guy, the last living Dungeons and Dragons player?"

I was thinking, if I were to choose one of these people, how would I choose?

Naturally, I would pick the person who "felt right."

There was one lady who was doing a tarot reading, and she had such a smouldering intensity that I instantly liked her. She had a way about her, it reminded me of Andy's favorite great aunt, who is 93 years old. Someone who has lived a very long time and seen a great many things, and yet with all this wisdom, still manages to retain her sense of wonder and awe.

May that be me, at age 93. Wise, seasoned, and yet with a sense of wonder and awe.

You know, just a couple of years ago (heck, probaby ONE year ago), I would have scoffed at all this "metaphysical stuff." Today, I am intrigued. I'm even exploring some of it and having a grand time.

Sure, I still think some stuff is bullshit, but maybe I won't in a few years. Check with me later.

It's not like I've got everythig figured out, you know? I'm still learning, always the student and sometimes the teacher.

Here's your QoD:

What are you dismissing that may actually hold some Truth for you if you gave it a chance? Are you willing to open your mind to new possibilities?

Try something new today. :-)

An Unusual Marketing Lesson

I used to be extremely superstitious when I was a child. I'm not sure why, but I had a lot of fear.
Sure, I still have fear, but I'm clearing and clearing and clearing. And I've learned to go ahead and push through the fear (since it's not real anyways).

Today we attended the Front Range Showcase here in Castle Rock, CO.

It was an interesting mix of local businesses -- we saw everything from restaurants serving up tasty samples, to free massages, to pilates demonstrations to a booth where our neighbor was displaying (for hands-on testing, of course) Discovery Toys.

What I found interesting was that all 3 of the chiropractors were located next to each other. One booth included 2 guys who were young, hip and laid-back. They specialized in family treatments (essential in my bedroom community town) and their chiropractic table had a bear's head and big bear legs sticking out. They were friendly and we chatted with them for a bit, as we had a mutual friend in the booth next door, and she introduced us.

Across the aisle (imagine a fairly narrow aisle, as these things go) there was a massage chair and a lovely tall woman offering massages. There was another beautiful Japanese woman dressed in a kimono, smiling and holding up a sign that said "Free Massage" and there was an attractive young man talking with people. All 3 were wearing nametags that were easy to read, and it was easy to see that the young man was the chiropractor.

The first tiem we passed by, there was someone in the chair, but the secodn time we passed by, it was open, so I jumped in and asked for a massage.

They were extremely nice and accomodating -- I was asked to fill out a single sheet of paper on a clipboard (pretty standard for a massage of any length) and the tall massage therapist explained that I could fill out the form, and then she would give me a quick massage, and then the doctor would speak with me.

The skeptic in me of course thought the doc would try to sell me his services. Makes sense, right? So I sort of mentally prepared for that while I filled out the form.

As soon as I finished the form, Nyke Soul (isn't that a GREAT name? She is my new massage therapist) introduced me to Dr. Allbright and then took me over to the chair for my massage. It was fascinating -- instead of making idle chatter, she asked me pointed questions about what she was feeling in my muscles while she worked on me. I was a little surprised that she was genuninely concerned. I was also impressed that she adjusted her technique based on my answers. (Chronic stiff neck meant I got a different technique on my neck, etc.)

As always, I wasn't ready for the massage to end, but alas, it was just a sample, so I thanked her and prepared for the upsell from the doc.

I braced myself for the long litany of services he was bound to recommend, and the doom-and-gloom speech that was sure to accompany it.

Boy was I wrong.

I was shocked.

Not only did this doc take the time to explain to me the difference between Chinese and Japanese acupuncture, but he actually performed some muscle testing (read this book: Power vs. Force) and told me I didn't need acupuncture. (gasp!)

I was blown away. A doctor actually telling me I DIDN'T need him.

Suddenly I was much more interested in what he had to say. I was more open-minded. Why?

Because this guy actually cared about my health -- he wasn't just trying to sell me something.

So what do you think happened?

I made a decision right then and there that I liked the guy. And that I would LOVE to go see him.

He then introduced me to his wife (the beautiful JApanese woman wearing the kimono) and did I mention that she was entertaining my 3 year old while I was speaking with him?

He did recommend massage (well, duh. Who couldn't benefit from regualr massages?) and invited me to book an appt, but didn't push when I explaind that my calendar is at home. He also said that when I came in for my massage, he would see me (for FREE) and offer some stretching techniques I could use at my leisure.

WHAT?!?! Free services from a physician? I've never heard of such a thing.

I was absolutely hooked.

(Now if you ask my coach, she would tell you that I am a clearing for peopel to give me things, that I actually attract those situations without trying to. Nevertheless, it still surprises and delights me when it happens.)

By this time, my husband had wandered back over with our newborn, and he got his free massage. Same deal. No acupuncture necessary for him, either. AND a free visit wtih the doc.

Eventually, we left and I agreed to make massage appt with Nyke.

LAter, my husband and I were talking. Across from this trio (next to the bear table guys) was another chiropractor. I didn't even notice the guy.

My husband Andy is a reader, and apparently this guy had some articles posted in his booth. He was featured in the local paper, and a magazine or something. But there was NO ONE in his booth, both times when we passed by.

I didn't even notice he was there.

What's the marketing lesson?

1 - gimmicks are a good way to attract kids, but you'd better have personality to keep the attention of the adults. I don't think we would have spent time chatting to teh bear table guys, if it wasn't for our mutual friend who made the introduction.

2 - referrals are an excellent way to meet people. But you'd better deliver, otherwise, you're losing an entire downline stream of additional referrals. I don't thikn we would have talked to bear-table guys if not for the referral from our friend.

3 - press and publicity only take you so far. The 3rd guy had loads of press, impressive articles actually, but I didn't even notice him. According to my husband, there was zero personality in that booth, and as a result, there were zero potential customers.

4 - a friendly smile, a warm invitation, and absolute service can rule the day. If there was an invitation for a massage, but no warm smile, I doubt I would have given it a second glance. The kimono was a good eye-catching gimmick, but it wasn't cheesy, because she is actually Japanese. If the doctor had tried to sell me, without keeping my best interests at heart, I would have sensed it in a second, said no thanks, and hightailed it out of there. But instead, he showed me that he truly cared about my health AND he provided service AND guess who has an appointment next week? TWO new customers -- myself adn my hubby. And if he truly delivers during the appt, how many people do you think I will tell?

5 - now the fifth lesson will show up in due time...my friend Joyce says that the #! mistake people make at these trade show events is collecting info from potential customers/clients and then NEVER bothering to contact them.

I'll keep you posted.

In the meantime, here is your QoD:

What kind of tactics are you using to attract potential customers and clients? Are you delivering on what you promise? Do you love people and does that show? Are you honestly helping people, or attempting to just make sales?

The End of an Era?

Tonight is the final night of the Road Trip to Riches course.

Karrie King and I put our hearts and souls into this 90-day course, and it is absolutely heartwarming to hear the stories and the messages of gratitude that have poured in.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the course -- wehave been blessed to share this time with you, and please contineu to share your breakthroughs with us.

Now, as for the rest of you who wanted to take the course, but couldn't get in, you're probably wondering how you can get your hands on the recordings and the other info.

Hang tight, it's coming.

Right now, I've got programmers and all sorts of people helping me pull together soemthign amazing. Stay tuned right here to learn more.

What's the Deal with Coffee Shops?

I really don't get coffee shops.

But maybe that's because I don't drink coffee.

People gather in a coffee shop (presumably for coffee), but I see most people drinking frappasomethings and mochawhoozits and the like. I'm rather partial to frozen drinks, myself. And tea, I LOVE tea. Such a civilized drink.

What's really intriguing to me is that people gather in a coffee shop to meet a friend, but then they spend half the time on their cell phone. Huh?

Ahhhh, I miss the days before cell phones. Life was so much quieter then.

Today, it seems everyone is hopped up on caffeine and sugar alternatives, sucking down $6 coffees and yakking about nothing in particular on their mobile phones.

I think by now, everyone in America has had the experience of saying "excuse me?" only to find out that the person in question was NOT talking to us, but to some Borg contraption plugged into their ear.

Meanwhile, I must have some funky-shaped ears, because not a damn one of those fits me.

Not that I'm missing anything.

I'm one of those rare individuals (a dying breed, actually) who doesn't fit the mode.

Have you ever been to lunch with a group of people and suddenly a cell phones goes off, and then everyone starts checking their purses or pockets, even when they know damn well it's not even their ring? It's like ringer envy, or something.

Well, I'm usually the person who keeps eating or chatting to the person next to me, until someone taps me on the shoulder and says "Isn't that YOUR cell phone that's ringing?"

I almsot never give out my cell phone number. Which works out great, because my husband and my sister are practically the only people who call me on it.

I do have a snazzy red Razr -- not really because I wanted one, but because my husband got a new one and apparently mine was too old (2 years) to continue to keep on the same plan. So I got a new one.

It shocked me how many people were in my address book of my old phone -- I hardly talk to any of them anymore. The road to self-actualization is usually paved with ending relationships, isn't it?

I think my new phone has about 3 dozen numbers in it. Whew! that's plenty. And it inlcudes stuff like my daughter's school and our pediatrician. And my new massage therapist. Just the essentials, indeed.

Anyway, here's a point to consider: (and your QoD)

The next time you meet a friend for coffee, why not be PRESENT with taht friend? You can always use your cell phone to call other peopel back later -- that's what voice mail is for.

Why not practice being present where you are? Try it -- you just might like it.

Shocking Results of the Experiment Are IN!

OK, I'm *finally* ready to report my results of the visualization exercise.

I promise the results will shock you beyond belief. They sure as hell shocked me.

For starters, I didn't win a dime.

But that's probably because I didn't play.

Huh?

Yep, that's what I spent days asking myself. Why do you think I haven't written sooner? I was puzzling all this out in my mind. I had to learn the lesson. Then I had to get the gumption to write and expose myself (although not in the typical Vegas way) and then I had to see if there was a lesson in it for you.

Because if there's nothing for YOU to learn in teh experience, then this blog is nothign more than an ego trip for me. I'm always searching for the lessons for me AND you...I suspect that's why you keep reading these random ramblings.

So here's the long and short of it.

Day 1 was a travel/exploring day. My mom and sister walked me to exhaustion. When we got back from dinner adn MORE shopping, I went straight to bed. No time for gambling.

Day 2 was even busier -- we went non-stop for about 10 hours that day. Again, had about 30 mins on my laptop (total withdrawals for me!) and then went to bed. Beginning to feel like it was time to get busy gambling.

While you were visualizing my big win, I was visualizing writing a HUGE check to that worthy cause I mentioned. I imagined Sue Kelly's face as I handed it to her, and I imagined her and the whole board dreaming and planning about all the things they could buy, improvements they could made, and new programs they could implement. It's a delicious image.

Day 3 was busy, but by mid-afternoon, I said "I'm done." and headed back to the hotel room. My sis kept shopping, but mom headed back with me. My feet were killing me, and all these shops and casinos started to look alike. I decided to feed the baby and head down to the casino with cash in my pocket.

I packed my cell phone, my cash, and 2 forms of ID (isn't that what you need when you win big?)

But I could feel the resistance.

Teh FEAR was almost palpable.

I was terrified.

But of what?

Ah, the fear was horrible. It's embarassing to even admit to you how I was practically paralyzed.

I decided to start slow. I'll drop $10 in a video poker machine, and sort of "warm up" for the heavy gambling. Seemed like a good plan.

I chose a machine and sat down.

It was a good machine. I played for over an hour on $10. I practiced trusting my instinct instead of my intellect. That was an itneresting exercise. I noticed resistance. I noticed frustration when my intellect was wrong. I noticed how I get stuck in the past.

I also learned that I'm a sucker for an inside straight.

I was walking around, looking for the big winner machine, when my cell phone rang.

My husband called to tell me my sister in law was having the baby tomorrow. There were things to discuss. then my other line rang in -- my sister was back in the hotel room,a dn the baby was crying. They were trying to calm her, but they couldn't, and they asked me to come back to the room.

Of course, I created all that as an excuse to leave the casino before winning a jackpot.

Becasue of the frickin' fear.

Cursed fear!

The nite whittled away, and by the time I got her to bed, I didn't want to go back ot the casino (FEAR).

Ah well, I still have the morning, or so I thought.

I slept late (thank you again FEAR). I awoke to the sounds of packing -- my mom and sis were gettnig ready to head to the airport. I had an hour and a half to myself -- plenty of time to hit that jackpot, or so I thought.

Once they left, I had to feed the baby again (see how I keep creating these stall tactics? They seem innocent enough, hmmm?) And then I had to pack.

Packing took longer than I thought (imagine THAT) and then I was faced with a choice:

Spending some time in the casino meant I would risk missing my flight.

Now I know what Randy Gage would say. If I knew I would win the jackpot, then I could easily afford to get on a different flight.

But the fear was so strong -- like New Orleans coffee and chicory on a sweltering August afternoon.

By now you are probably asking, Amy, what the heck were you so afraid of??

I knew I would win.

Not just win a few hundred bucks, but a MAJOR jackpot. Like 6 figures.

I know without a shadow of a doubt that if I had gone to the casino, and played the machine that was calling me to play it, I would have won at least $100,000.

And the thought of that scared the crap out of me.

We all dream of winning the lottery, and many of us even go so far as to buy a ticket. But why do so few people actually win the $100,000 Powerball prize for getting the 5 #s (without the powerball #) ?

I suspect it's FEAR.

Every excuse I came up with was empty:

I can't bring my baby into the casino!
Nonsense -- just the night before, someone had their stroller parked next to a slot machine.

What about all the smoke? Isn't that bad for baby?
Nonsense -- the casino would have been pretty empty at 8:00AM on a Thursday.

I don't think I can manage my suitcase and the stroller.
Nonsense, getting down the hall to the elevator was a breeze (remember I told you about my new luggage?)

I don't have enough time to gamble AND make my flight.
Nonsense, the airport is about 10 minutes from teh strip, adn how long does it take when you know you'll win and you've got dozens of people around the world visualizing it with you?

I knew I wasn't kidding anyone. The Universe was even telling me to go into the casino. It took me FIVE attempts to get an elevator. I ended up taking it all the way up to the 22nd floor just to ride it down to the lobby. And it even stopped on teh Casino level and I had a strong urge to step off and play.

But I denied it and went to lobby, got a cab ASAP and got to the airport in no time. Security was a breeze and I even had time to sit down at a slot machine at the airport.

But I already knew I was done for.

The Universe had given me clear premonitions of the machine, the location, and the dollar amount. But I chickened out.

Bok, bok, bok, b-gaaaaak.

I had some time over the next few days to think about what I'd done. And the impact of it.

And as usual, when we ask for answers, and we are compeltely open to whatever may surface, the answers come swiftly and often unexpectedly.

The answer I got was a WHOPPER of an answer.

It revealed a limiting belief so big, so pervasive in my life, that it almost brought me to tears just to acknowledge it.

I am going out on a limb just telling you this. I feel as though I'm about to bare my soul to you. I feel a little like Jerry Maguire must have felt just before he wrote his memo. (You know, the one that got him fired. Good thing I'm self-employed!)

My whopper of a limiting belief was this:

THERE'S NEVER ENOUGH.

And when I looked at the impact of that on my life. Whew! It's a part of every single aspect of my life!

I'm constantly setting myself up for disappointment because there's never enough. No matter how much money I make, there's never enough to cover what I really want. No matter how much my husband does, it's never enough for me to stop nagging him. No matter how much I do, it's never enough for my family to cut me some slack. There's never enough love, enough money, enough creativity, enough patience, enough time, enough acceptance, enough people to trust, and on and on and on.

I spent a good bit of time looking at everywhere in my life this belief has limited me.

And I can see that all the resistance I have is because of this single whopper of a belief.

The good news about beliefs is that we can choose them.

Sure, I can look back at my childhood and see exactly where I got that crazy belief from. Thanks Mom and Dad. Hey, I know you did the best you could with what you had at the time.

Now that I'm all grown up, I can choose to believe soemthing else.

So I've been doing a lot of releasing work around that belief, and I'm already seeing results from it.

Like I said, it's a doozy of a limiting belief.

What does any of this have to do with teh Experiment?

Well, I think the reason I didn't gamble is because underneath it all, "There's never enough" was running the show.

Part of me probably figured that no matter how much I won, it wouldn't be "enough" to make the experiment seem substantial.

Part of me probably figured that even if I won $100,000, it wouldn't be "enough" after taxes, travel expenses, and the donation of 20% I promised to make.

Maybe some part of me worried that however much I donated to Unity on the Avenue wouldn't be enough to make a difference for them.

Maybe I also worried that if I only won $500, I would get flamed by people who thought the experiment was a hoax, or people who don't believe in the Law of Attractoin or the power of visualization.

That dang "never enough" belief was EVERYWHERE for me -- and I had no idea it was there.

Kind of makes you wonder -- what's lurking under the surface that you may be completely blind to? What's your whopper of a belief that's running the show?

I am so grateful for this experience. Sure, it's a bit embarrassing to admit how it all came about. To admit that I chickened out and didn't pull the trigger (or the lever, in this case).

But if I hadn't had the experience -- then I wouldn't know about this beleif that was calling the shots, and I wouldn't have been able to release it. That is the greatest gift of all.

Did you know that you (yes YOU) create challenges because there is something you want to learn? There is a golden egg -- a life lesson waiting for you in every experience.

And the lesson is never "the gift of suffering" or "learning to sacrifice" or "whatever doesn't kill us makes us stronger" or any such nonsense. There is a wonderful, beautiful, freeing gift waiting for you.

But some people find it easier to curse the experience, rather than relish the gift of lesson.

Me, I'll take the lesson any day.

Because today, I'm talking to you as a freer woman than I was a week ago. You can't believe how different everything is now.

For the first time in my life, I "get" abundance on a whole new level. Not just intellectually, but at the core of my being.

I'm sure I could *finally* win the lottery, if I really wanted to.

But I'm not sure I'm ready for that kind of responsibility. :-)

Besides, I've got a lot to contribute -- there are so many new things coming down the pike, if I stopped to tell you all about them, your head would spin (like Mark's did when I brought him up to speed. Oh, you haven't met Mark Semple yet? Read yesterday's post.)

So where's the lesson for you in all this?

Simple:

FEAR is b.s.

LACK is an illusion.

Every experience (whether you think it's good or bad) offers the gift of a lesson, and an opportunity for transformation.

Now, I won't let you off the hook without a QoD:

What is your biggest limiting belief that you're currently aware of? What methods can you use to release that limiting belief? Are you willing to look for the lesson in your experiences -- both good and bad? If not, what is holding you back?

Go for it!

Meet My New Executive Assistant

As promised, here is a virtual introduction to my new Executive Assistant.

Meet Mark Semple.



Mark Semple is a Certified Comprehensive Coach, speaker, author and the new assistant to Amy Scott Grant. Inspired by his wife's exodus from corporate drudgery in 2004, Mark began learning about life coaching, internet marketing, copywriting, e-books, and the Law of Attraction. Mark declared his intention to leave the corporate IT world in 2007 and the Universe responded. Mark is originally from England and currently resides in Indianapolis with his wife Cheri, where they insist on having fun in every aspect of their lives.

But the other thing you need to know about Mark is that he has the most delicious accent, and a delightfully wicked sense of humor.

You can contact Mark by emailing him here. It's easy to remember -- Mark @ newsuccess.org.

Welcome aboard Mark, I sure am happy to have you working with me!

BTW, if you have questions about Mark, you can post them here and we'll post answers.

Here's your QoD (Question of the Day):

For a long time, I've wanted to hire an assistant. But I had so many fears around it...fear about what to do if I have someone on payroll and my income drops or I hit a lull? Fear about giving up control...fear about admitting I can't do it all myself...fear, fear, fear. I had to let go of a lot of these fears before I could actually bite the bullet and move forward. Did you know that fear is just imagined anyway? It sure feels real, but it's NOT. I had to give up the luxury of hte illusion in order ot hire someone to help me propel my business forward. And I did!

So your QoD is this:

What have you always wanted, that you're letting the illusion of fear hold you back?

Are you willing to give up the illusion in order to move forward and get what you say you want?

Go for it!

P.S. Did I mention Happy Easter?

Sin City Report: Day 2

Today we’re off to explore the rest of Fashion Show Mall (where I highly recommend Ethel’s Chocolate Lounge for a cocoa and a sweet nibble) so I can get a new case for my laptop.

If you’ve never been to Vegas, here’s a little tip you MUST know: wear the most comfortable shoes you own. No kidding. I brought my favorite, most comfy flip flops, and I had to buy new Crocs by the end of day 1 because my feet were not happy campers.

BTW, did you know the wonderfully creative folks at Crocs are now making Mary Janes for adults, and little ballerina flats? Now why is it that I live in Colorado, where Crocs come from, and I don’t know these things??

But I digress.

The weather here is perfect, and although the streets seem pretty crowded to me, my mom and sister say this is not crowded at all. Good to know.

Though we’ve walked through a lot of casinos (you have to walk through a casino to get to ANYTHING – they don’t even put refrigerators, mini bars or coffee pots in most of the hotel rooms, because they want you to venture through the casino in hopes that you’ll sit down and stay awhile) I haven’t yet gambled. Still planning to conduct our little experiment (lots of folks have written me to say they’re participating but for some reason, unable to post a comment in my earlier post RE: Visualization Experiment) but haven’t yet felt inspired to choose a casino or a game. But TONS of people were able to post comments, you can read them by seeing yesterday's post...

It seems the casinos with higher ceilings have a lower “residual smoke smell” factor. Being a non-smoker myself, I tend to notice these things. Meanwhile, the Aladdin’s casino makes you want to hold your breath and bolt through as fast as you can. Our hotel room is free of any smoke smell, but the second you walk out into the hallway, the stench of stale tobacco hits you like an invisible brick wall.

We’re also off to explore the many shops of Caesar’s Palace as well.

This trip is fun, but not giving me much time at my computer. I suppose that’s a good thing now and then.

More to come…

Las Vegas Report: Sin City, Reviewed (Part 1)

So I thought I’d write and tell you how the trip is going so far.

Remember a few years back when Las Vegas was attempting to get more families and children into the city?

Well, gone are the days when Vegas wanted parents and tots here.

In fact, yesterday we visited Wynn – Steven Wynn’s new mega resort, (which is still under construction by the way, but the shops are in place) and you’ll never believe this –

Strollers are not allowed.

But considering we wanted to see what the fuss was all about, and what had Donald Trump all in a tizzy, wanting to create something bigger and better, my sister stood guard with the baby and mom and I ventured in.

The Wynn has some amazing stores – top notch designers (if you’re into that sort of thing). Unlike most hotels on the strip, there doesn’t seem to be a central theme at the Wynn (or if there was, it’s so obscure that I couldn’t determine it) and I didn’t think it was all that spectacular quite frankly. The Bellagio was much more impressive to me.

But we couldn’t figure out why no strollers? The construction seemed to be confined, and I’m sure there were elevators for handicapped access. So what gives?

My sister, being the inquisitive type, had to know.

The answer shocked us.

And it assured that we will never stay at the Wynn.

Ready for this? “Because it would be far too much of an inconvenience for our guests to have to walk around a stroller.”

Puh-leeze.

If they don’t think couples with $750 Peg Perego strollers like to shop and spend money, too, they’ve got another thing coming.

Anyhoo…

What else can I tell you about Vegas? Well, since this was my first trip, we must have walked through every single hotel on the strip (and every shop, too). My dogs are barking – I’m just not accustomed to walking for 8-10 hours a day. But I suppose it’s good exercise.

I can tell you that if you visit Vegas, don’t bother to stay at the Aladdin. My sister booked some super saver package (you’d have to get my family motto – it’s something like “why pay more if you don’t have to?”) and after seeing virtually every hotel on the Strip, I have 1 word for the Aladdin: TIRED. Old décor, same old shops, snoozy restaurants. We ate at the Gaucho place (Brazilian cuisine, where they serve the meats on a skewer at your table) and it was very good, but not spectacular.

If Andy and I return, we’ll definitely leave the kids (there’s really very little for them to do. The show Mamma Mia said we’d have to pay full price for my 4-month old to attend and sit on my lap, and if she made a peep, they’d ask us all to leave with no refund. Like I said, kids are NOT welcome here…) and we’ll stay at the Bellagio – warm, friendly staff, gorgeous accommodations, and a stunning ever-changing theme in the lobby botanical gardens (currently: Spring!) Also, we ate at the buffet last night and I swear, that was the absolute best Chilean Sea Bass I’ve ever tasted – it melted in my mouth. Also, the king crab legs were fabulous – if I didn’t know better, I’d swear they were flown in that morning. Duck, lamb, swordfish, sushi (fabulous salmon), ah, I could go on and on…

Is it time to eat again yet?

Want to Play a Visualization Game?

OK guys, who's up for an experiment?

I'll be in Vegas this week.

I'm not a big gambler. I do like to play Texas Hold 'Em with friends, but I've never played cards in a casino (unless you count video poker). I'm more likely to buy a few rolls of quarters and just mess around until they're all gone, then head over to the buffet or the show.

But this is my first trip to Vegas.

I'm taking the baby (hubby is staying home with our preschooler) and meeting my mom and my sister for a few days of "girl time" in Sin City.

I suspect there will be a lot of eating, shopping, and sightseeing, but I'm sure I'll try my hand, at least for a little bit, at the casinos.

So how about a little experiment on the power of group visualization?

If you feel so inclined, why not spend a minute or two (today, tomorrow, whenever you think about it) visualzing your buddy Amy hitting the jackpot?

I'm just curious what would happen if a group of people all visualized the same thing.

What's in it for you? Well, how about a sense of "giving back"? So many of you have sent me profuse thank yous and testimonials, imagine if you could send massive prosperity my way, wihtout dipping into your pocket? Just by sending me positive (winning) prosperity thoughts.

PLUS -- I'll donate 20% of any winnings to a charitable cause. So you'll be indirectly contributing to that as well.

Also, you'd be sending out a flow of money (again, without spending yours) which means it will surely come back to you tenfold.

Imagine that!

Actually, imagine this:

Picture the sights, the sounds, the smells of a casino. Bright flashing lights, defeaning noise of slots and people, the smell of smoke, booze and money.

Then there's your pal Amy Grant, sitting on one of those barstool things, in front of a machine (could be a slot machine, could be a video poker machine. Let's not get specific on the how, OK?) and all of a sudden, Amy's machine goes crazy -- lights are flashing, buzzers are buzzing, and Amy's eyes get as wide as saucers.

Amy just won the jackpot!

I'm quite sure I'd scream, and then burst out laughing (and if you've ever listened to any of my teleclasses or interviews, you know how powerfully obnoxious my laugh is). Then I'd jump up and down and call my sister and mom over and they would get all excited too.

Then you could imagine me telling you all about it. And just think how excited YOU would feel because you knew you were a part of it.

And you'd know...if you could do that -- what ELSE could you create? What could you create for YOURSELF?

So let's do this little visualizatoin experiment, what do you say?

If you're up for it, go ahead and post a comment here to let me know you plan to participate.

This should be fun!! 8)