As I was coming back from Vancouver Island on Wednesday afternoon, I realized that I forgot to write my March newsletter.  In six years of publishing Jan´s Personal Insights newsletter, that was a first! I had intended to write after the Sacred Gifts workshop this weekend but I ended up sick on Monday and travelling on Tuesday.  And before I realized it,  it was the end of the month.

I arrived in Seattle last Wednesday night to a 50 degree Fahrenheit difference in temperature. Puerto Vallarta was a balmy 90 degrees when I left; Seattle was hovering at 42. My little body went into shock. It hasn´t been that cold for a very long time.

However, despite the cold which ensued, the Sacred Gifts workshop this past weekend was absolutely magnificent. We had a full house and the comments were beyond amazing. It was a real honor to be able to work with Monique more closely this time and actually spend four hours teaching the work I do. It was a great combination of teaching and healing, fun, music and ritual.

The last time I was on stage facilitating a workshop was in 2004 so it has been a five year hiatus. I knew that it was time to go back on stage but this time with a very different message. I used to teach networking, marketing and sales. This time I talked about past lives, DNA and cellular healing, limiting beliefs and God. Yes, times have changed.

It can be easy to get stuck in what you have always done. That can apply to the food you eat, the clothes you wear, the relationships you foster and the business you are developing. We are creatures of habit and we like our “comfort zone”. It´s actually programmed into us at a DNA and cellular level to stay in the comfort zone so we can stay safe and out of danger. And that is a very good thing in some cases, but not in most.  

I find that trying something that I have never done, wearing something I have never worn before or learning something completely new is a very powerful way to get out of the rut.  Wearing that outfit that won me the sexiest costume at the Mardi Gras party in February has me now growing my hair out.  Who would have thought? However, the response and the way I felt with long ash blonde hair was overwhelmingly positive and so I am making some changes.  

What about you? If you´re spending your days at home in baggy sweat pants and an old sweater, you´re not apt to evoke feelings of sensuality or even feeling good about your body.  That may be your modus operandi but look at the results and see if the feelings you have about yourself are the feelings you really want to have.

Perhaps you have always run your business in a certain way. Now, more than ever, it´s time to look for innovative ways to grow your business, meet new clients and expand your horizon.  If you´re stuck in that rut, then get on some teleclasses, download some ebooks about business or marketing and start to infuse some new energy into your business.  Get out of your comfort zone.

My partner Greg and his 97 year old mother, Jeanette, arrived in Puerto Vallarta almost a month ago.  While I have been gone, my wonderful neighbors have taken them sightseeing, out for meals and to explore new beaches.  Greg even took his mom to Tacos on the Street, a neat little street restaurant that serves great basic Mexican food at dirt cheap prices and is run by a 26 year old man named Jorge.  They then walked several blocks to a fabulously fun outdoor dancing bar with a live band that Greg and I had been to a few times.  When everyone at the bar found out that Jeanette was 97, the owner brought her over a glass of red wine on the house and Greg even got her up dancing!  While Greg danced with others in the group, people came over to sit and talk to Jeanette and find out her secret for longevity and sanity!

Jeanette has been the perfect example of stepping out of one´s comfort zone.  Imagine at 97 getting on a plane to spend three months with a woman she had never met, in a country not her own and in a language she doesn´t speak in temperatures that are double what she left behind in Seattle.

If you´re feeling a bit sheepish about hanging back in your comfort zone, think about Jeanette dancing in a bar in Mexico to a live band playing La Bamba drinking red wine and staying up way past her normal bedtime.  That may give you some inspiration.

What inspires me, other than having the amazing privilege of getting to know this woman well, are always the results of stepping out of my comfort zone.  How do I feel? What do I create as I move out of the comfort zone?  Are the results empowering spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically and financially?  Do I love my life even more as I grow the boundaries in which I am willing to live? Those may be good questions for you to ask yourself.

However, you wish to create your life, know that you are doing exactly that - creating your life.  The larger the comfort zone in which you are willing to live, the more magnificent your creation will be.

So make this month an expanding month for your comfort zone.

To Your Outrageous Success!

 

I actually felt a bit queasy the morning of the party. I just had to look at the costume I was wearing on Saturday night and my stomach did a little somersault.  Having spent 38 years as a Jehovah´s Witness and never having celebrated Halloween, putting on a costume was out of my comfort zone. However, wearing the costume I had chosen was completely out of my wildest comfort zone.  At the same time, I was so looking forward to actually wearing this outfit, I think some of the butterflies were sheer excitement! 

I was invited to a Mardi Gras party last Saturday night at a fabulous mansion in Puerto Vallarta and consequently an outstanding costume was in order. My good friend and neighbor Marisol, the most amazing social director I could have asked for, helped me out tremendously. Being the neophyte party-goer and Marisol the Olympic gold medalist in this arena, she took me under her wing and got me an outfit that won the sexiest costume at the party! Not only did I get way out of my comfort zone, my attitude was either “go big or stay home”. I went BIG!  It was quite the night.  (You´ll find out how to ”see” what I wore at the end of this newsletter.)   

One of the things that I love about living outside of North America is the active social life I enjoy. I actually have FUN. What a novel concept. It is much easier to work, work, and work some more when it´s rainy, gray and cold outside. Staying at the computer for a few hours longer is easy when everybody else is doing that also.  Just this month, I attended an amazing Valentine´s Day party at the beach, spent a Friday with a group of friends eating and playing at the beach, went out for dinner to watch Flamenco dancers, attended a fabulous fund raiser for the orphanage in Puerto Vallarta, and attended the Mardi Gras party of the year.  

I´ve been invited out frequently for dinner at someone´s home or over for a game of crib or dominoes. We have potlucks, go out for brunch or dinner or explore a new beach. Sometimes a great gabfest just happens around the pool. People have time to play and spend time with friends. It´s one of the biggest perks of living as an expatriate.  

Are you getting enough fun in your life? I bet you you´re not. One of the things I have practiced in my life for years now are play days. What´s a play day? A play day is a day of at least 24 hours where you have no computer, no phones and no talk about work. You just play! You know…have fun. When I lived in Vancouver and was married, my husband and I called them, “mental health weekends”. We would play tourist in our own city and check into a nice hotel, maybe go to the theatre or visit tourist spots that we had never seen. Sometimes we would stay home, buy a couple of bottles of wine, some food we didn´t normally eat, rent movies and have a fun stay-at-home weekend in bed. Phones unplugged of course.  

When I was on my own, I would plan a shopping day with a friend where I just browsed instead of that purposeful type of shopping I normally engaged in. Sometimes I would just curl up with a good novel and spend the day reading, going for a walk, and finish the day having a leisurely bubble bath by candlelight with a glass of wine in hand. mach zehnder modulator 

You need to have fun. Have you noticed that you get all grumpy and out-of-sorts when you don´t take any time off? It´s not healthy physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually or financially. You will actually feel better in all areas of your life and I bet you would make more money IF you would take some time off. I know. That one may be hard to believe if you are an entrepreneur, but taking a break from your business may be the best gift you can give yourself and your business.  

If you are thinking that it is just too much WORK to plan to have FUN, then you are really in trouble! And if you can´t even think of something that is fun, please take this newsletter on fun very, very seriously! At a deep spiritual level, joy is the most critical component to our life. I would have thought it was love before I understood this better.  You and I both know that we can feel love for someone and still be angry, sad or even depressed. You can be in love and still experience worry, anxiety and fear.  You can´t do that with joy. Joy moves in, boots out those negative emotions and takes charge with an all-encompassing heart-felt feeling that is music to your soul.  Part of that critically important emotion of joy is fun.  

So you may be out of practice. You may need to work at having fun in the beginning.  I know that I did. Fun hadn´t been in my diet for a long, long time, if ever.  It felt weird to have fun. I felt guilty about not working and playing.  I found myself negotiating my fun time with thoughts such as:  ”I can play today but tomorrow I will have to work twice as hard”.  Perhaps you can relate? 

FUN is now one of my top values.  I realize how important it is to my overall health and well-being.  I get how critical it is to the success of my business. When I am laying on my deathbed, it will be the fun times I remember, the memories with friends and loved ones, the laughs, the good stories, the explorations and adventures I remember, not how many social networking sites I joined or how many teleclasses I taught.   So let´s get more fun into your life.   

1. Choose something that is fun for you. Don´t worry - nobody needs to know what it is except for you.
2. Pick a time and date to do that fun thing.  Make it sooner rather than later.
3. Repeat the process. мебели сливен

Pretty simple, yes? When my friend Brenda was here in Mexico visiting me for two weeks, we played Yahtzee and crib for hours! We howled as we rolled those dice on the patio table as if a million dollars depended on whether or not we got a full house or a large straight.  We high-fived each other when we got a Yahtzee and shrieked with disgust when we rolled rotten dice.  Anybody listening in would have thought we were on drugs.  On occasion we had a beer or a Margarita in hand, but this was pure unadulterated fun, laughter and joy.  We had a blast. Did it cost us a fortune?  Did we need a whole day? Absolutely not!  A deck of cards or a few dice and 30 minutes can be all you need for a fun break.  

Every day that passes without laughter or fun is a loss. A loss to you personally and a loss to the vibrational healing of this planet. With so much depression happening, suicides skyrocketing, worry, fear and anger being the most predominant emotions, we need to up the joy vibration dramatically.  There is so much negative to offset. Can you do your part? You´ll feel better if you do.  You´ll smile more.  You´ll have more energy.  Your soul will feel inspired again.  

You can start having some fun by visiting my brand new blog at www.janjanzendaily.com and seeing THE outfit that won the sexiest costume at the party on Saturday night.  Watch the 90 second video.  Have a good chuckle on me. Subscribe to the blog as I will be helping people create a life through short daily posts to this blog.  

Go have the most FUN month yet!  

To Your Outrageous Success!

Jan

I am often asked how I work and live in Mexico the majority of the year. I meet tourists on the bus or in town and frequently help them out with some Spanish translation or directions. As I speak with them, they are usually in awe that I get to hang out in the sun while they have just a precious week or two on vacation.  

What I have learned since spending most of the last 13 months in Mexico is that I am not unusual. I have talked to lots of foreigners living here and I assure you they are no different than you. We are not special people living charmed lives. We have created this very deliberately. Even if you don´t want to live in Mexico or outside of your own home town, you can apply what I have learned in many circumstances in your own life. 

Clarity is critical. People who live here are clear that they wanted to live in the sun in Mexico. Many have planned this for decades. Some have dreamed of it since childhood. I know I won´t stay in Mexico forever, but I do know I am clear I want to live in the sun with blue skies greeting me every morning. Are you really clear on what you want? 

Get the facts. I hear people say all the time, “It must be expensive to live here like you do.” Do you really know what it would cost to live the life of your dreams? What you think it may cost is not necessarily the truth. As a matter of fact, you have very possibly over-estimated the cost which has become a great excuse for putting it off. I remember reading about a man who was going to work crazy hours for 10 years to become a millionaire so he could go live in Thailand for a month. That´s insane! You could live very well in Thailand for a year on less than $20,000! To live a fabulous life here, and run my business, costs me about $30,000 a year. That´s far cheaper than living in Vancouver yet I have a higher standard of living, way more fun, less stress a nd …it´s sunny every day! 

So if you want to have something or do something, find out what it really costs to have or do what you want. You may be surprised that the figure you have in your head is not the real price. Get the facts and start operating from reality rather than an erroneous perception, myth, or misconception. 

Stop worrying about all the how-to´s. Just start talking about what you really want to be, do or have and get clear on that…without all the details. Do not start worrying now about how you are going to process a credit card payment in a foreign country at the retreat you want to build! Trust me. It´s amazing what can be done when you want to do it and what miracles manifest when you set your sights on what you want. People can´t believe I have manifested two amazing accommodations in Mexico over the past year but it is because I didn´t worry about HOW everything was going to show up.    

My good friend Brenda that I write about in a couple of chapters in my book, Getting Off the Merry-Go-Round is staying with me for two weeks. The other day as we doing our regular beach walk, Brenda turned to me and said, “Jan, four years ago, I told Adrian that I wanted to stay at this place because it was so beautiful and upscale. I couldn´t imagine at the time ever being able to afford the rent here. Now I am staying here with you as your guest. How cool is that!” Brenda didn´t know the “how” but she has been creating her life of freedom and travel without knowing every little detail. It is remarkable what showed up for her. It will be amazing what shows up for you! Try it! 

Be comfortable with getting what you want. That may sound strange but it is very easy to feel guilty about living in a tropical place, working part-time and earning a full-time income or having a million dollar bank account, a best-selling book or an amazing career when nobody else you know is getting what they want. We are usually more comfortable having the story about why we didn´t get what we wanted than the success story of how we did. I always say that I live my amazing life without apology to others. I will encourage, coach, inspire and motivate others to get what they want in their lives but I don´t apologize for what I have created. So ask yourself if you are comfortable getting what you want as that may be a big clue why you don´t have the life you want. 

Surround yourself with supportive people.  When you are surrounded by friends or family, business associates or fellow employees who think small, are into struggle and victimhood or are jealous of any advancement you make toward your goal, it is a bigger task to create the life you want and to be comfortable doing it. Thankfully I am surrounded by people who support me and encourage me in my life. It is so much easier to do what I do with Greg being fully supportive when we are apart, my friends Brenda and Adrian who diligently ship out my books and CDs for me, Monique, my dear friend who looks after many little things that I can´t do living here and then puts me up when I am back in town and my sister who looks after my mail and allows me to use her home for my Canadian address. I am so apprecia tive of all of their support! They applaud my lifestyle, find it stimulating and aren´t jealous or resentful. Are the people in your life supportive or resentful? The friends you hang out with will make a huge difference in your life in what you are inspired to create. 

Don´t settle for less than what is possible. I´ve talked to enough people who aren´t doing what they really want to know that they have themselves convinced they are doing everything they can. They have their excuses so well rehearsed they actually believe them with all their heart. I´ve listened to them argue with me every time I throw out a suggestion of how it could possibly work differently for them. They are so convinced that it won´t work, they have become blinded as to how it can work. We all do this. Lots of time, it is an outsider who will point out something different that I could do in my business that would improve it and I just haven´t seen it. 

I recently heard about a family that moved to Bucerias several years ago with 3 teenagers! Who does something as crazy as that? This family did. Today, their 3 kids are amazing. They have become entrepreneurial, are involved in the community, are fluent in two languages and the family has thrived. I bet you that most families would give you all the reasons that simply wouldn´t work for them. And maybe it wouldn´t - but have you pushed the limits on what you are even willing to explore or are you stuck in a rut? It´s amazing what happens when you don´t settle for less than what is possible. 

Living the life of your dreams may include totally different things than what I have created. Just know that you can have what you want, do what you want and be what you want. It is a process but it is a fabulous journey. I´m still creating and recreating. This isn´t the end of the road but it is a really fun one! Photos of my life in Bucerias are up at www.janjanzen.com/gallery.htm They´re pretty gorgeous! Check them out for a dose of inspiration. 

Have an amazing month as you move along in the creation of your dream life.  

To Your Outrageous Success!

Jan

It really has been quite a year for everybody. Weather has been wonky around the globe. Right now, many of my friends in Western Canada and the US are in the deepest freeze they’ve ever seen with snow up to their knees. The economic situation is in chaos and it has only just begun. The ramifications of what is happening in the US are being felt around the world as I am seeing here in Mexico with a huge drop in tourism. It feels like personally and professionally, people are being called to reassess their values and priorities. And we’ve been busy; even busier than we thought possible. I planned on having a sabbatical this year and it has been anything but!  

You may have found also that your goals and dreams for 2008 were not fully realized or that the year turned out quite differently than you expected. In these last few days of the year, look at what you learned in 2008 and bring those discoveries to the table as you get clear on what you want to accomplish in 2009. I certainly learned that my health (which had been a fairly low priority because of how fabulous I normally feel) became a major priority. Putting in long hours with Plexus Pink and the stress of dealing with network marketing laws, the FDA’s rules and regulations and a corporate management team, definitely took its toll. Having worked as a solopreneur for most of my life, I very quickly remembered this fall why I like making my own decisions and running my own businesses. 

In October, this thing called “my health”, which I had taken for granted over the last few years, started sending me the warning signs I talk about in my new book. You may know the warning signs that we often ignore, because we’re too busy, too committed, too responsible and too fully engaged to pay attention. It’s like we know that we need to make a change, say no, get off this crazy merry-go-round of being too busy, but how do you stop in the middle of the ride and say, “this is making me sick”?   

Maybe you’re caught on a merry-go-round that you want to get off of but obligation, fear, doubt and guilt are keeping you on it, hanging on for dear life. We’ve all been there and it can be hard to get off and just say “no I can’t” or “no I won’t”. Well I just said “no I can’t” when I resigned from Plexus Pink on December 1^st. 

Having been deathly ill in my 30’s, I recognized the early warning signs only too well. When they started showing up this fall, I knew I had to take action. It certainly wasn’t easy but the saying, “if you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything”, rings true for most people.   

It still was a tough decision but three weeks later, I know it was the right one. Empowering women financially is my main mission in life and I will return full-time to that mission once I have my health back. Sometimes the vehicle needs to change although the mission doesn’t.  That’s a good lesson to learn. Is it one that you need to implement more fully in your life? We can get stuck on the vehicle that we originally committed to even though it’s not working for us. We feel embarrassed to say, “I can’t or I don’t want to do this anymore”. We can even feel like a failure.  More blatantly, we’ll ignore a better opportunity to reach our goals because we have this self-imposed obligation that we need to stick with what we originally said.  

It’s one of the greatest lessons I’ve learned in life and probably one of the hardest. I cannot do what anyone else wants me to do or what anyone else thinks is right for me. I can only do what I know in my heart and soul to be the best course for me.Is that easy? Oh my goodness no! I assure you, there were lengthy conversations with my closest friends and business mentor, long conversations with God, many tears, lots of floor pacing, pages upon pages of writing in my journal and sleepless nights. Making these kinds of decisions is what is often referred to as “the dark night of the soul”. I simply call it hell. There is nothing pleasant about it, except the absolute knowingness that I will pass through, I will make the best of the decision once it’s made, and fairly soon everyone forgets about me as I move onto the next stage in my life. 

If I for one minute thought that the company wouldn’t survive without me, that the distributors would quit in droves because I was no longer president or that my career was over, that was a great soap opera I was creating in my mind, not in reality. We are not indispensable - not one of us. Nor do we want to be. Make yourself dispensable and that shift in your life will give you more freedom and less fear, doubt and guilt than you ever thought possible. Create freedom in your life rather than trapping yourself in a cage that oftentimes isn’t working. 

I’ve watched entrepreneurs committed to their failing business, the business that isn’t paying the rent nor creating the lifestyle they desire. Yet some stubbornness, pride or obligation will hold them to it like a barnacle stuck to a ship. Why? If it’s not working, get out. If you’re stuck, change your strategy. If it’s not creating what you want, find something that will. Part of this mentality is victimhood, through and through. It’s great drama to be able to tell everybody how you are so worn out from the stress, so broke from the hardship of making it work and so loyal to the cause. But honestly, that doesn’t feel very good. 

What does feel good is doing what you love and having the financial freedom to make choices.  I bet you there are some choices you haven’t been able to make in 2008 because of health restrictions, time limitations or the lack of financial resources.  Let’s make 2009 the year that changes for you! 

People who read my monthly newsletter are very special people. You’re not ordinary by any means. You’re interested in growing yourself personally and professionally. You are passionate about making a difference in the world. You want to get outside the box of the “herd mentality”. As we go into what I see as a very long journey of financial chaos in the world, it is going to be even more important that you stay grounded spiritually , connected to your highest purpose and keep out of the fear that the world will try to hook you into.  More than even, we simply can’t afford to be in this victimhood, “I can’t take control” or “woe is me” place. My question for myself and for every one of you is:  Will you have the courage to do whatever it takes to move yourself off the merry-go-rounds that are holding you in ruts you don’t want to be in?   

Begin by choosing mentors that are financially savvy during rough times.  That will not be most financial planners as they are usually part of the herd mentality.  People like Robert Kiyosaki predicted this financial meltdown years ago in his book Prophecy.  If you haven’t checked out Robert’s work lately, that may be a great place to start.  Learn all you can about how to make the best of your resources and get really clear on your values and priorities. I will be sharing many of my mentors and resources during 2009 to help you along your journey.  

Thank you for being you. Thank you for doing all that you are doing to make the world a better place. Thank you for being open to change. May this holiday season be a time of rest and rejuvenation for all of us as we go together into 2009. 

To Your Outrageous Success!

Jan 

Kim Baird was just 29 years old when she was elected the head of the Tsawwassen First Nation Indian Band. She became one of the youngest and one of the few female Indian chiefs in Canada. I recently read about Kim and was incredibly inspired by her story.  I wanted to share today what I learned from a young woman who has very much affected the community where I grew up.

It isn’t always easy to make a difference in the world. Everybody wants to make their contribution but sometimes it seems like you’re swimming upstream, riding up the down escalator and it’s tiring. Incredibly tiring.

When Kim moved with her mother and two siblings to the Indian Reserve only her mother knew as a way of life, it was a far cry from what she was used to. Poverty was rampant. There was a hopelessness and apathy that prevailed amidst the drug abuse, drinking and unemployment. Determined to make a difference, Kim went on to transform her reserve, sign a landmark treaty with the government and give her community hope. 

When all odds were against her, she sat down with a group, composed mainly of women, and said, “let’s figure out what works.” But even when they did find answers that worked, Kim wasn’t always celebrated. There were storms of outcries and anger from critics both on and off the reserve. Kim didn’t back down, but went door to door herself and allayed the fears of her community. On October 15, 2007, Kim Baird became only the second person in 110 years that has been invited to speak at the Legislative Assembly in British Columbia.

As I read this story of a tenacious young woman, I had to stop and ask myself if I would do the same thing. Would I look at a hopeless situation, a dying community, an uncooperative government, a male-dominated process and put myself out enough to change it? Would you?

Every time I read of people who overcame horrific challenges, I have to ask myself: Am I that strong; that determined, committed, tenacious? Am I that tireless? The answer is always NO. And I have to ask myself why not? I have asked myself that question a lot this month.

Back in the warm sunshine and robin blue skies every day, the easy going lifestyle of the Mexicans is highly contagious. Nothing is perfect and that’s life. Have a beer, play Frisbee on the beach, enjoy a meal with the family, go to church on Sunday and laugh with your neighbor. What more could anyone want? It always reminds me of the entrepreneur who told the easy-going Mexican fisherman that he could build a fleet of boats, hire many people, catch a lot of fish and make a ton of money. When the Mexican asked him why he should do all of that work, the entrepreneur said: “So you can take it easy, enjoy your family, spend time on your boat and take a siesta in the afternoon”. The Mexican replied that he enjoyed that life right now. It definitely makes you think about what you want as opposed to what everyone else thinks you should have. 

I like my Mexican lifestyle. I love having the maid come in and clean and change my sheets every week. I love the weekly in-house 90 minute massages. I love the amazing fresh fruits, vegetables and fish. I am in love with waking up to sunshine every day. I am very clear on the lifestyle I want.

And that is always the million dollar question. What do you want? Two of my good friends, Adrian and Brenda are visiting Bucerias, my new hometown for the month. Brenda and Adrian are very clear on what they want and they manifest it consistently. Brenda works a few hours each morning while Adrian looks after the running of the home and then they are off to play each day, boogie boarding, exploring a new beach, fishing, enjoying a great meal or sitting and having a drink watching the sunset. They got very clear on what they want and today live a life that many people envy.

So what I have decided is that some people are here to rock the world despite huge struggles. I can think of a dozen unstoppable, grin-in-the-face-of-death kind of entrepreneurs that makes my heart beat with excitement for them.  I feel their fight with a ton of empathy, I can celebrate their win…and I absolutely know at the very same time that I don’t want any part of their struggle.

I get clearer every day that I can rock the world and have what I want - peace, quiet, Jan time, God time, friends time, Greg time, along with love, joy, and magnificent abundance and prosperity. I do not have to give up one for the other. I can have it all.

Some people may need to go through excruciating times to reach their goals. Others seem to glide there more effortlessly. I’m not saying it doesn’t take work to reach our goals, because it does. But perhaps the greatest work is getting really clear on what you want. Maybe the largest task at hand is knowing with every cell in your body exactly what you desire. I believe the greatest test of faith is believing that you can have it and never wavering, never doubting, never letting go of the dream, even when it doesn’t show up when you planned.

My job, your job, our job is to get clear on what we want. Then our assignment is to know it with every fibre of our being. This is about overcoming the naysayers, shutting out the doubters and hearing your conviction in every word you speak. That’s the hard part. The rest I believe can be much easier than we think.

I applaud Kim Baird for her contribution to a better and fairer world. She inspired me to know even more clearly what I don’t want. Because of Kim, I am even more convinced that women working together can do amazing things. I have another notch in my belt of faith that I can have everything I want.  I am absolutely positive that you can too.  Just get clear on what that amazing life looks like and then don’t let it go.

To Your Outrageous Success!

Jan 

“You’re out of your mind!” There was a time when I would have thought that comment was an insult - today I think of it as a compliment. I need to be “OUT” of my mind if I am going to accomplish what I want to do. 

The moment we let our Conscious Mind rule our lives, we are in for problems. It’s why you need to be “out of your mind” to create the life you really want. Let me explain.

Your Conscious Mind is like a nagging mother. Have you listened to it? It goes on and on and on like a stuck CD with the same discouraging thoughts. ”Who do you think you are? Watch out! You can’t do that!  You’re not good enough. You’re bad. Something awful is going to happen. Be careful!” These are just a few of the more popular tracks the Conscious Mind likes to repeat constantly. How successful can you be with those disempowering messages playing repeatedly in your head?

So you need to be out of your mind. You need to go BEYOND the fear that is the dominant emotion of your Conscious Mind. Your Conscious Mind has heard the words, ‘NO” and “Don’t Do That” ever since you were born. The times you were told something negative has so outweighed the positive that your Conscious Mind automatically goes to the negative as the default. And why wouldn’t it? That’s been the programming. So to create positive changes in your life, you really need to be out of your mind. 

Is it really possible to stop the nagging, the “mind frick” or the monkey mind? Is it possible to move past the fear? Absolutely! With what is going on in the world right now, you are probably very aware of the intensity of this emotion. Fear of what the future holds, fear of how you will manage, fear that it will get worse, fear you will lose everything, and fear that the problems will last much longer than you want are just some of the prevalent fears today.   You could make yourself sick with fear and many people are.

The primary objective of your Conscious Mind is to keep you safe…period. It is not to make you rich, abundant, prosperous or even happy. It is to keep you safe. Anything that resonates as “not safe”, your Conscious Mind will automatically dismiss as impossible and sabotage you every time.

The problem is that it is operating from programming that came from your parents and all of their issues, programming from your cultural upbringing and from what I call the Tribe. The Tribe is the general mainstream of people who are like cows going to slaughter. They just follow the leader to their death. They don’t step out of the box, think for themselves or break the pattern. If the whole world is headed downstream, most people go along for the ride. They wouldn’t dare dream of going upstream. But it is going against the current that is your only hope of salvation. It is moving out of the mainstream thinking that is imperative if you are going to create an amazing life for yourself. Otherwise, you will be like cattle headed to the slaughterhouse with all the rest.

So if you are panicking right now, worrying yourself sick, fretting about this and that, or in any way out of a place of peace, love, joy and abundance, stop and become an observer of what is going on in your head. Listen to the noise and start to dissect what is behind the ruckus. I bet that beneath the din of the constant nattering there are some fundamental beliefs that are absolutely false - although your Conscious Mind believes them 100%. But as Lenin stated, “a lie told often enough becomes the truth.” That is the case with your Conscious Mind.

So ask yourself these questions and write down the answers which is a critical part of this exercise. 

1. What am I most worried about? 
2. What is the worst thing that could happen to me? 
3. What is my biggest fear?
4. What would happen to me if my biggest fear came true?

Let’s say for example you are most worried about money and finances. You write down that the worst thing that could happen to you is you could lose your job. The biggest fear is that you won’t find another one. And if that happened, you would have to start your own business, reduce your expenses, look for work in another locale or in a different field of work. Are any of these reasons serious enough for you to be feeling sick, not sleeping at night or completely stressed out? 

Problems present themselves and then amazingly enough solutions seem to manifest as well. Problem, solution, problem, solution, problem, solution. That pretty much is the pattern of life from what I can see.

It’s when we buy into our Conscious Mind’s fear spurred along by the Tribe’s addiction to fear, that we can start to believe that THIS TIME around the problems are bigger than ever. Well if they are, then the solutions THIS TIME around will be bigger than ever.   How exciting is that! Seriously, I am discovering in my life right now that big problems require big solutions and they manifest just like little solutions occur for little problems. 

I am fascinated to see how all of this upheaval in the world is going to shake out. The United States may have a first for their President next month. A generation that has grown up spoilt and living off of credit way beyond their means may soon learn the value of a simple life. People may realize some core values in life that have been long buried. They may discover that a deep spiritual faith goes a long ways to holding them firm in tough times. We are in for some big shifts like we have never seen in our lifetime. 

You have an amazing opportunity to be pillars in a potentially very different world. This is a wonderful opportunity to be the leader you are here to be. This is your time to really shine your light for others to see.  Here’s what you can do starting today.

Encourage others. Share your business opportunity with the financially concerned. Laugh daily. Give lots of hugs. Send positive thoughts out to the world. Focus on love, joy, peace and abundance. Stop watching CNN (Constantly Negative News). 

Get out of your mind and into your heart. Move out of a place of fear and into a place of love, hope and faith. When you do that, you will be delighted how amazing your life can be.

To Your Outrageous Success!Jan

My last newsletter was written as I was heading down to Phoenix.  Almost a month later, I am writing on the last leg of the flight back to Vancouver.  It’s been a very busy month, a lot has been accomplished and I am officially a year older than the last time I wrote.

I got to spend my birthday last weekend with Greg in Sedona.  He flew into Phoenix on Thursday evening and we drove to Sedona on Friday afternoon.  I have wanted to visit Sedona for a couple of years now and it was everything that I wanted it to be.  The red rocks of Sedona are quite simply breath-taking.  For some great photos, please visit my photo gallery at www.janjanzen.com/gallery.htm and take a look for yourself. 

On the morning of my birthday, we did a tour of the area with a spiritual guide, a part native Indian woman named Maya Starhawk.  We were mesmerized by the fascinating names like Coffeepot Mountain, Bell Rock, Chimney Mountain and Cathedral Rock.  Besides being stunningly gorgeous, there is tremendous healing energy in the vortexes in Sedona. 

Although I was more than tired from having put in about 300 hours at the office over the past three weeks, we decided to make the most of our precious time in Sedona.  That afternoon we did two short hikes up separate mountains.  As we sat at the top of the one vista point, in 95 degree temperatures, a wind came up just as Maya said it would.  She told us it was the spirits blessing us.  On the next hike up Cochina Woman, I sat nestled in the mountain’s lap and faced Cochina Man.  Greg and I watched the sun set over the mountains and felt the temperature drop to a cooler 80 degrees or so.  

That night we were unexpectedly treated to a beautiful, romantic birthday dinner by a friend.  There is something delightful about ordering dinner and never seeing the bill. 

The following morning Greg and I did our longest hike up Coffeepot Mountain.  We trekked through the desert under the blazing sun, crossing a gully as the lizards scurried across the path.  Both Greg and I marveled at the variety of color found in the desert and the amazing hardiness of the desert foliage.  We sat at the base of Coffeepot and soaked in the powerful energy of the mountain.

Later that afternoon, we set out on another hike to find the Seven Sacred Pools.  They aren’t on the map but Maya assured us that we would find them.  As we ventured off the designated paths and the sun was about an hour from setting, we realized that we needed to turn back.  Disappointed we headed back to the car. As we were on the trail back, a woman was coming in the opposite direction. We stopped her and asked if she knew where the Seven Sacred Pools were.  She very kindly offered to lead us to the pools which despite the heat, never dry up.  Although the water is stagnant and looked unappealing, Greg who is a water fanatic, was m ost impressed with the healing power in the waters.  It was a really neat experience to feel guided in finding the pools. 

On Monday morning, before leaving Sedona and heading to Las Vegas, Greg and I visited the Chapel of the Holy Cross, an architectural marvel built in the Red Rocks.  The vision of a woman who nearly needed an Act of Congress back in the early 1950’s to get the permits approved to build the church on government property - this beautiful church stands as a tremendous testament to the power of a woman’s foresight and determination. 

After lunch in Sedona, Greg and I crossed the desert and arrived in Las Vegas as the sun was setting.  As we crossed the Hoover Dam just before Las Vegas, I didn’t know that it took the brilliance of more than 200 scientists to achieve this architectural masterpiece.  Started in 1931, it was completed in 1936, 2 years ahead of schedule because of stiff fines for going over schedule.  This was all done before the age of computers and the sophisticated equipment available today.

I don’t know if there could have been a greater dichotomy than lunch in one of the most spiritual places in the world and dinner in one of the worldliest cities in the world - Las Vegas.   I have flown into Vegas on a number of occasions but it was a very different perspective driving through hours of desert to arrive in the bustling environment of Vegas.  A very full business schedule didn’t leave a lot of time to play in Vegas but Greg and I walked part of the Strip, ate a wonderful seafood buffet and watched the fountains outside of the Bellagio. rent a car bulgaria

It’s back to Vancouver for about 6 weeks before I leave again for Mexico.   There is a definite advantage to living out of 3 suitcases.  The flexibility is tremendous and I learned to function remarkably well at the Extended Stay in Phoenix with limited cutlery, 1 pot, 1 frying pan and a can opener.  I ate well, lost a couple more pounds (now down 22 pounds since the middle of May) and even cooked a couple of dinners with very limited ingredients.

I really learned firsthand that when someone is on purpose, there is no challenge or obstacle that is too great, too frustrating, or too overwhelming.  The pace was intense as we launched the new Plexus Pink on September 2^nd.  However, I have adopted my dear friend Monique’s motto for life - correct and continue. 

Most people when faced with challenges “react and retreat”.  When life isn’t perfect, when things don’t go as easily as you believe they should, when everything doesn’t come served on a silver platter, then it’s easy to throw in the towel and quit.  That’s a “react and retreat” response. 

Correct and continue means that you don’t get sidelined or thrown out of the game.  You simply correct the move, adjust, be flexible and continue on to get the job done.  When the task is big, the challenges usually match the prize.   That has definitely been true of the past month.  But when I looked at this beautiful chapel built against all odds and drove over the Hoover Dam, it reinforced for me the power of vision and overcoming the obstacles.  It strengthened my resolve to do that as President of Plexus Pink.

 

If you find yourself copping out, retreating and slowing down because of the pressure, then ask yourself if you’re really in your passion.  Does what you are doing feel right?  Are you avoiding something that you really want to do because you don’t know how to do it?  Is your mode of operation, react and retreat or correct and continue?

Life is energizing, the results are supernatural, and I feel more at home at Plexus Pink than anything I have ever done.  How’s that for the best birthday present in the world?

To Your Outrageous Success!

Jan

The other day while speaking to my dear friend Peter about what was happening in my life, he used a term that caught my attention. He said, “the issue Jan is IJR.” I replied with “what the heck is IJR”? I thought maybe I had missed a new technology term while in Mexico. Quite simply, IJR stands for “Is Jan Ready?”   The conversation after that question was fascinating, perhaps even relevant to what is going on in your life.

Have you noticed that sometimes you don’t get what you want? You may have done your vision board, your God jar, your list of what you want in your life and it isn’t showing up. You’ve read the books, done the workshops, and watched The Secret a dozen times.However, after my conversation with Peter my latest question for my clients is:  Are you ready?   Ready for what you want, ready for what you are intending to manifest, ready for all the good things you know you deserve. Are you ready for a larger life, more money, a fabulous relationship, a terrific business, or a new home? Honestly, are you ready for the next step?

I bet that if you really look at what has happened to you over the last five years, life has been a fascinating journey. I know that over five years ago when I started writing this monthly newsletter, life was very different than what it looks like now. However, at the time as I was developing Women Empowering Women in the Vancouver area, I was very clear on my large vision for the empowerment of women. I knew what power women had that just needed focus, leadership and a clear vision to accomplish amazing things in the world. Yet at the same time, as things started to move towards that goal, something didn’t feel right. Despite the success at the time, it just wasn’t meant to happen. The market was ready, almost frothing at the mouth for it, but Jan wasn’t ready. Women Empowering Women died a most untimely death because I didn’t have what I needed to have to do what I dreamt of doing.

Lots of things happened in the meantime - a trip to South Africa that changed my life, a book released, another one now written, a serious relationship with an amazing man, and living in Mexico. And perhaps the most relevant to the journey is the very recent promotion to President of Plexus Pink, the network marketing company that is all about the empowerment of women. 

What’s fascinating is that I noticed the shift happen earlier this spring. It was like something inside of me clicked. Perhaps as I watched women, no more or less gifted or qualified than me, doing some pretty remarkable things. Maybe it was the blossoming of an ardent desire to find my voice on stage again. Perhaps it was a deep calling that powerful leadership is sorely needed in the world today. Something re-ignited that vision of empowering women. I don’t know. I just know that one day, as much as I was arguing for a continued hiatus on the beaches of Mexico, the Universe was calling me to greater callings. I argued - more because I thought I should to just be sure there wasn’t a mistake - but I also knew that I was ready.

You may or may not understand what I am describing. You may not yet have that longing in your soul to be larger than you currently are. You may still be wondering when that big picture for you is going to show up or if it even will. Perhaps you don’t even want it to as you’re in the “rest” phase I spoke about last month and you may even be hoping that rest phase doesn’t end.

On the other hand, you could know exactly what I am talking about and you are well on your way. If that’s the case, I bet there are some interesting emotions coming up for you. Fear, doubt, anxiety, worry and some trepidation along with the excitement and joy are usually a pretty common mix. Perhaps you are still arguing with the Universe about the calling and doubting whether or not you are ready.

Can I offer a few suggestions? If you aren’t feeling a huge calling to some massive project or direction, then relax and enjoy where you are right now. If it’s peaceful where you’re at, then that’s perfect. There is nothing wrong or bad with that. Just ask yourself honestly if you are blocking out a message or shutting out the voice. 

If you are getting a message but don’t know what to do about it as it doesn’t appear particularly clear, there may be a critical step missing. Have you said YES to the Universe? Have you agreed and told the Universe that you are ready? Did you finish the enrollment process or do you still doubt, worry and need to be in control?

One of my clients decided recently to make a major shift in her lifestyle. Tired of the large overhead for a life that no longer suited, Paula and her husband put just about everything with a monthly price tag up for sale. Trailer, truck, horse and house all went on the block as they started looking at ways to simplify their life. However, she mentioned that she recently realized that she hadn’t really said YES to selling the ranch. There weren’t any nibbles on the property either although everything else had moved out of their life quite nicely. Once Paula and her husband got really clear that they were ready to let go of the ranch there was immediate activity. Real estate agents started calling and a flurry of interest appeared out of nowhere. Isn’t that interesting? My client, appreciated that she was experiencing an IPR - Is Paula Ready moment?

The Universe doesn’t force us to grow.  It doesn’t push us into situations that ensure our personal development. It doesn’t hold us hostage to our Assignment for this lifetime. It merely provides the vehicles, opportunities, people and situations for us to show up. It promises us the support and guidance, direction and love but we have to take the first steps. We have to partner with the Universe - this isn’t a dictatorship.

 

So have you partnered with the Universe or are you holding back? Have you said YES, I will do whatever it takes to be everything I am here to be? Are you willing to be open to a different vehicle or venue than you thought was most likely. Interestingly, three of my long-term clients discovered recently that what I saw for them very clearly more than a year ago has come full circle for the second time. The first time they started down the path I suggested, they pulled back, uncertain and afraid. Of course the Universe gave them the breathing room and continued to support them until they were ready the next time it showed up. Sure enough, all three of them are moving into amazing Assignments that are big, powerful, potentially lucrative and feel right for them at a soul level. Twelve months ago, 18 months ago, 24 months ago, they weren’t ready. Today they are the Universe and I are celebrating their progress. 

 

How can you get ready if you aren’t but want to be? Look at what is really holding you back. Are you afraid of failure? Are you afraid of success? Is it showing up differently than you thought so there is some stubbornness or pride getting in the way? Are you feeling impatient? I know that I personally didn’t want the responsibility, the commitment and the workload that goes with this Assignment…until now. Today as I am on a flight to Phoenix to the Home Office of Plexus Pink to spend the next few weeks, I am energized by the Assignment. I am constantly rising to the challenges with passion, feel a calmness despite the stress and am excited about the future. My vision for a powerful network of women is alive and strong. It is simply through a different vehicle than I would ever have thought. But I honestly didn’t feel this way just 9 months ago. 

 

So know that the Universe may be ready and you may not be or you may be ready and the Universe is still lining up the parties. Relax and continue to say YES. Do your part and I promise you the Universe will do its part. Just be sure you are doing your part 100% - nothing held back, no reserves for the “just in case it doesn’t work” scenario. Give it your all and see what happens.

I’ve had a chance to watch a few minutes of the Olympics here and there over the last few weeks. There isn’t an athlete in Bejiing right now that isn’t giving it all they’ve got. They are living a dream, realizing the fruitage of a tremendous amount of hard work and coming to understand in a very practical way whether or not they were ready for that level of competition.

Right now, ask yourself if you’re ready. Put your initial into the IJR question and then be honest with yourself. It may give you some critical answers about your life.

To your outrageous success,

Jan

The hill up to my friend Monique’s home, where I am currently staying, is long and steep. The first couple of weeks here, I never made it more than a quarter of the way up the hill before my heart was racing and I was out of breath. Then one day I decided to stop and take a 30 second break before heading up the hill. The difference in how far I could walk was amazing. The last two days I have made it all the way to the top without stopping!

It’s kind of like life. Sometimes we need to stop, catch our breath before we continue. However, we often do that with great resistance.

I have had a couple of clients this month tell me how tired they are. They’ve mentioned they have no “get-up-and-go”. There’s simply no energy to do any work and they are pushing themselves to do what it takes to get through the day. They’re looking for a magic bullet to get them fired up again. 

Perhaps you know that feeling and wonder how you get the “get-up-and-go” to come back and stay!

Monique attended a workshop last year where she learned about a cycle of life that resonated with me when she first explained it. I think you will find this useful also.

There are four stages to the cycle. The first is work. You know the feeling where you are busy, busy, busy on a project or projects and you feel energized and ambitious. Nothing is too much work. You are motivated and inspired. But then something happens and all of sudden you feel confused, as if everything you are doing seems out of place or meaningless.

You are in the next stage of confusion or chaos. Perhaps you know that feeling only too well where your world feels upside down. It can even be frightening at times as if you have lost your vision, drive and clarity. What is recommended in this stage is to do some clearing and cleaning. It can help you move through the chaos faster.  Even just knowing that this is a normal part of the life cycle helps me to relax when I hit this phase.  

After the chaos comes the contemplation stage where the ideas start to gel and form again. Sanity returns and there is some peace. 

The next stage is perhaps the most challenging for many of us Type A Personality types. It is the rest phase. It’s when you want to put your feet up, take life easy; you feel unmotivated, uninspired, worn out or even exhausted. Unfortunately, it is in this stage that most people push themselves, beat themselves up for not being more ambitious and feel terribly guilty about not wanting to do more.

However, this stage is so critical because the next phase is the work phase. Just like my climb up the hill - without that little rest, I am winded half-way up the hill. Take the rest and my results double!

I saw this happen in my life this year. Now being aware of the cycle, when my body was screaming for a sabbatical, I took it. I planned on a year - it lasted about 7 weeks! However, it was long enough to take me into a good stretch of work phase when I got another book written, along with many other projects.  

None of these phases need to last for days, weeks, months or years. You may go through the entire cycle in a very short period of time. But you will go through them. Being aware of where you are in the cycle allows you to be more understanding and gentle with yourself. Instead of freaking out because you are feeling lost and confused and life seems topsy-turvy, you now can recognize it as the chaos phase. Rather than beat yourself up for wanting to rest, you can let go of the guilt and take the time for recuperation and rejuvenation, realizing that it will be followed by the work phase.

And when you feel driven to work and that takes a priority over everything else, you will understand why there is a strong urge to get things done. 

Anytime I can understand myself, my cycles, my emotions and my programs better, I see it as a bonus. Learning about these cycles really increased my awareness this year of myself and contributed to greater productivity. It also makes my life easier because I understand that other people in my life may not be in the same phase as I am. There are days when Monique says to me, “Jan, just listening to you exhausts me.” We are rarely in the work phase at the same time. Other times, I will hear the confusion in my partner’s conversation and appreciate that he is simply in the chaos phase. 

The greatest lesson for me is that there is a cycle of life and I cannot avoid it. Just as in nature, there is a time of rejuvenation and repair, a time of growth, and a time of quiet, our lives reflect that too. We just don’t always have the sense to honor and respect where we are at. Instead we push ourselves, feel guilty about taking time off and panic when life isn’t where we think it should be.

By now understanding these cycles, it has brought another level of peace to my life. I hope that it does for you also.

Enjoy the day. Treasure the cycle. And relax. It’s all perfect…it really is.

To Your Outrageous Success,

Jan

As I sit at the airport about to leave Mazatlan, I am definitely filled with gratitude mingled with a touch of sadness.  I can’t believe that it was almost 6 months ago that Greg and I arrived, white-skinned and tired!  Today I am leaving brown-skinned with a far more laid-back approach to life.  It has been such an incredible time here on so many levels; it is indeed a time of reflection and gratitude.

I have certainly learned that there’s not much that’s really worth stressing about.  People jay-walk as a matter of course, (I now do it all the time) cars cut each other off without even thinking, buses careen down the street with brakes squealing and young kids perform flame-throwing antics at an intersection and…nobody blinks an eye. 

Buses don’t honk at the irresponsible pedestrian, nobody hollers or gives drivers the finger for cutting them off and people give the flame-thrower a few coins in appreciation.  Life is definitely taken a whole lot less seriously here.  It’s been refreshing.

I have come to appreciate at a whole new level that there is no point getting upset about what we cannot change.  I went in for my first dentist appointment this month after a 45 minute bus trip through a part of Mazatlan I didn’t know.  I found the dentist’s office, explained in Spanish that I had broken a tooth while in Vancouver and it needed a filling, only to have her explain that she had just run out of filling material.  Her very sweet and innocent question to me was:  “Can you come back tomorrow?”  I nearly burst out laughing.  It had taken almost 3 hours out of my jam-packed day to have her tell me that she didn’t have what she needed to fix my tooth.  Wasn’t she a dentist for heaven’s sake?  However, there was no point stressing about it so I simply arranged to come back - three more times to be exact for all of the dental work I needed, about eight hours worth.  The bill for everything was $220. 

I am certainly grateful for the incredible kindnesses that have been shown me.  While riding the bus one day a couple of weeks ago, I left a bag behind with a dress and an expensive pair of shoes.  One of the passengers must have noticed and the bus driver stopped the bus and honked to get my attention.  I had already crossed the street but turned back when I heard the honking as buses so rarely honk their horns!  He held up my precious bag of belongings and a passenger met me on the sidewalk with it.  Needless to say, I was thrilled to have my bag back.  It’s been wonderful to experience the goodness and honesty of peop le, even when they have a lot less than I do. 

I have to admit that I love the fact that when you walk past a condo building under construction, and there are plenty of them around, lots of the men working above stop and whistle!  I haven’t been whistled at since I was a teenager and I don’t even remember it happening very often then!  At 46, I love it!  It’s fun and innocent as they practice their English and call out, “Good morning lady!”

There is a lovely gentleness about the Mexicans that I really admire.  Their strong sense of family is beautiful to see.  I have loved watching the families gather on the beach in front of my condo every weekend and spend time with their children, having their picnic and listening to the children shriek with delight as they play in the waves.

It’s certainly been fun to connect with the foreigners that ride the buses.  Some of them look quite out of place in their expensive jewelry and clothes.  I’m sure that at home they drive very nice cars but here they ride the bus with the locals for eighty cents.  I love it!  The camaraderie amongst the foreigners is most delightful as I can get on a bus, spot the tourists and have a great conversation, helping somebody out or sharing my experience of living here.

What a joy to experience so many ways to give back.  Many of the foreigners at the condo really go above and beyond for the employees and other locals.  They support them in their arts and crafts; they give them clothes and household items, sometimes even bringing back things that the locals want from the States  I gave away a bunch of clothes that were too big (yeah!) to my lovely housekeeper which felt so good.  I have brought back MP3 players and digital cameras for some of the great employees here.  Many who live in the building recently organized a massive party for all the children of the employees and fed over 150 people with games and gifts for everyone, a ll supported by our contributions. 

It probably helps a lot that people on holidays are in a good mood.  I have felt so blessed to be surrounded by people who are either short-term tourists or are here for part of the year.  Between the happy foreigners and the delightful locals, it is definitely easy to be happy.  If I ever doubted that your environment affects your moods, I have had it confirmed here.  I am now a fervent sun-worshipper.  I just love waking up almost every morning to sunshine and blue sky.  I absolutely love the warm, sunny weather here and know that I will make Mexico “home” for some time to come, in part because of the tremendous amount of sunshine they get!    

Despite a very busy schedule, I have regularly taken time to sit and watch the sunset, something I never seemed to have had time for before now.  I have gone for frequent walks along the beach and taken time out to just sit and be silent as I watch the ocean and birds.  It is so peaceful to just “be” in beautiful surroundings, listening to the ocean, and appreciating how blessed I truly am.  Making my physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health a priority really has made a huge difference.

And I have never forgotten my experience with Gloria, the Mexican woman who lived in shambles and was so hospitable, kind and proud of what she had accomplished, caring for her numerous grandchildren.  I often have thought of her when I was cursing the hot water that never got really hot or the cold water that never got really cold.  I remembered to just be grateful for the running water, no matter what the temperature!  Gloria is one of my stories in my new book. 

So yes, it has been a very hectic six months.  Yes, there is still a part of me that longs for a “real” sabbatical, but I feel excited about the future like I haven’t felt for a long time.  There’s a feeling in the air that very good things and very big things are going to come fast and furious now. 

One of the things that I encourage my clients to do is to say YES to the Universe.  Part of the reason that people don’t have the kind of amazing life they desire is because they haven’t accepted the bigness of it, the powerfulness of it and the uncertainty of what’s in store for them.  They want to know all the answers before they surrender.  It doesn’t work that way.  Say YES first and then watch what incredible things come your way.     

Where will I be a year from now?  I have NO idea!  How exciting is that!  I do know that it will be absolutely perfect if these past six months are any indication. 

I also know that the four months back in Canada will fly by very quickly.  I am looking forward to seeing some friends, my sweetheart Greg and getting some business looked after.  However, I am very aware that I am leaving part of my heart in

Mexico.  I’m already counting the days until I get to come “home” again.

To Your Outrageous Success,

Jan