SILENCE THE NOISE!

Last week I was interviewed on SpeakSpin Internet Radio for a show on blogging basics. Check it out here.

I never did live radio or anything like it before.

I was really nervous.

I generally feel more confident in my writing vs. speaking ability.

As much as I can easily write about myself, I'm sometimes grossly uncomfortable talking about myself.

Somewhere along the way I told myself a story that I'm not a good speaker.

Until the last year, I've been living into that, avoiding anything that required me to speak in public.

I almost let it stop me from accepting the offer to do the show. I thought... I'm not an expert, I'm not good articulating my thoughts on the spot, etc.

I hate being stopped by my fears... case in point: skydiving twice despite a fear of heights.

So I decided it was time to change that story and begin mastering that skill.

How many times has this happened to you? How many times have you backed away from an opportunity or avoided a situation because you decided without question that you would suck at it? 

We're all great story tellers... sadly, most of our stories are full of shit.

What stories are you telling yourself that hold you back? 

What you believe about yourself is powerful. It dictates how you operate in your life and live into your experiences.

We all have our natural abilities but nothing is set in stone. 

Most of the time, we acknowledge what goes on in our heads as reality when the truth is, we create our reality with what we choose to buy into.

We can't control every thought that pops into our head, but we can control which ones we choose to believe. 

We act according to what we think, so choose thoughts that lead to positive beliefs and powerful actions.

I worked all week on pumping myself free of the old story and full of the new one... that I'm an authentic, articulate, kick-ass speaker.

To kick it up a notch, I visualized the scenario going exactly the way I wanted it to go. I imagined feeling confident, engaged, and at ease.

It may sound a little ra-ra for some, but trust me, it seriously works.

The show wasn't perfect, but it went really well and I was proud to have done it despite my fear.

Next time will be a cakewalk in comparison.

This week, choose one negative belief you've held about yourself and really consider spinning it around. What would be possible for you?

Watch how many "but..." and "there's no way" stories pop up. If you were to put all that BS aside, and do that thing anyway, what would open up?

The people who are successful in life weren't born with a "perfection" gene (well, David Beckham might be the exception).

Uber-successful people have fears and doubts too. They just continue moving forward in spite of them.

Don't get stopped by your fears. Choose stories that work in your favor so you can live your happy ending.




Newsflash: 

Help my friends at Talking Alternative Broadcasting get a $250,000 small biz grant! VOTE NOW!!! It takes just a minute and will pay itself forward and then some for the dedicated professionals providing value-driven content to a worldwide audience.

Thanks, have a great week!!!

xoxo

FUNK THAT! Top 10 tips for an instant mood makeover...

This post was inspired by the horrendously stressful morning I had yesterday, and my commitment to regain my MOJO and not let it ruin my entire day.

We all have those moments and sometimes it's easier to work our way out than others. It takes energy, focus, and motivation, which we usually lack when we're in that head space.

Surprisingly, sometimes we even find it easier to indulge our funk than put in the effort to get out. It's easy to get comfortable in a cycle of negativity. If you're prone to depression, that can be dangerous territory.

A bad mood can turn into a bad day, a bad day into a bad week, and pretty soon you're under the covers with a pint of Ben & Jerry's on a sunny summer afternoon. FUNK THAT shit!

Instead, rip off the bandaid and do what you've gotta do to get back to yourself... ASAP.

Here are my top 10 tips for an instant mood makeover... Comment below to share yours!

BAD MOOD BLASTERS
1- change your tune - Music feeds the soul. Put in your earbuds and listen to your favorite upbeat songs. You may not feel it right away, but keep listening and you'll find the switch hard to resist. Have a stash of inspiring go-to music on standby (or turn on Pandora - Bob Marley and U2 work or me.).

2- schedule a 30-minute massage - This was the turning point in my day. You can find virtually anything in Manhattan at any time. If you're at work, use your lunch hour to rejuvenate. If you can't find a massage place, try a nail salon... even a 10 minute hand/neck/foot massage can give you new life.

3- animals & babies - I can literally feel an instant physical change in my state when I pet a dog, or engage a smiling baby or playful kid. If you absolutely can't stand babies, kids, or animals, connect to something else that makes your heart happy. Otherwise, umm this blog might not be for you.

4- get outside of yourself (i.e., your head) by engaging in a focused activity. Sometimes we need to break a negative cycle of thoughts by putting our attention elsewhere. The idea is to get out of your head... just be careful not to become an escape artist who doesn't deal with their shit. It'll keep coming back up anyway.

5- go for a walk, preferably someplace serene and/or invigorating - the process of walking tends to clear the mind and gets the blood flowing. Just stay away from Times Square. Get moving, get present.

6- be nice - chances are if you're feeling shitty, you could use some compassion. The best way to get is to give. A lady complimented my sweater as we passed each other in the subway yesterday. So nice! I immediately smiled. Do the same for someone else - smile, say hello, offer a compliment (the non-creepster kind). Force yourself to engage someone else when you're feeling bleh. You'll take the attention off yourself and adopt a more positive attitude. (Ever notice how feeling shitty breeds more shitty happenings?)

7- meditate - I strapped on my headphones and did a 10-minute breathing exercise in the middle of Starbucks. No one seemed to notice and it was actually a great challenge to focus despite all the chaos around me.

8- exercise - spin class, an intense run, the batting or golf range, or even a brisk walk will get the endorphins flowing. Sweating out the stress feels great and gives you an immediate feeling of accomplishment. It also takes the focus from your racing thoughts to your body. Sex counts ;)

9- connect with nature - walk barefoot in the grass, lay under a tree, sit in the sun for a few minutes, look closely at a flower. It's impossible not to appreciate the beauty and calmness in nature.

10- phone a friend - call someone who will both support you and call you out on your shit. Good friends will listen without judgment and encourage you to dust yourself off... not allow you to go on and on with your sob story.

BONUS
11- treat yo'self - have some mac and cheese or a warm chocolate chip cookie (as I did yesterday), buy yourself some flowers or a fun magazine. Do not... I REPEAT, DO NOT indulge in irresponsible retail therapy. Sorry ladies (and gents). I'm guilty of it too, but it always comes back to bite you in the ass.


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Have an amazing weekend!

xoxo

Grow dammit!

AS HUMAN BEINGS, we all have the desire to do better... to be better.

For those of us who make the effort to open up, take a hard look, and gain awareness about ourselves, it's only the beginning of the process of change.

It took me ages to really get that for myself.

I used to think it was enough to be aware of the things I wanted to change.

That awareness is huge. Nothing can happen without it. 

Awareness leads to great insight. But it takes more than insights to create real change. 

It takes action. Not once. Not here and there. Consistent, persistent action. 

That was a tough pill to swallow as someone who used to be more of a thinker than a doer.

When it comes to personal growth, we're often tempted to get impatient, especially when we see something in ourselves that needs to change. 

Sometimes we pretend not to be aware so we can avoid responsibility (aka denial), even as that little voice in our heads is actively calling us out.

We want the instant gratification. Grow dammit!

But like everything else, it takes hard work. Persistent, consistent work.

It can be frustrating when a bad habit stubbornly lingers, especially after putting in the work to change it.

What you should know from the start is that certain tendencies and temptations may never go away. They'll always linger.

That's what makes us all imperfectly perfect.

The challenge is in choosing to indulge something better for yourself in those moments of temptation.

This applies to everything...

-physical habits like picking up that bag of chips

-thought habits like constantly thinking you're not good enough for XYZ 

-communication habits like talking shit about co-workers, family members, etc.

If you're really committed to changing something, get ready for battle, but know that the longer you stick to your guns, the stronger you'll be in the fight. 

And know the most important weapon in your arsenal is patience.

When we tend to ourselves with care and compassion, we're more equipped to put our best foot forward in whatever it is we're striving for. 

It doesn't mean letting ourselves off the hook. It just means not beating ourselves up, and choosing instead to own it, recommit, and move forward. 

Pretty soon you'll be looking back in wonder at how much you've outgrown that little ole pot you were planted in. 

MOJO NEWSFLASH!

***Tune in today at 2PM to hear my live interview on SpeakSpin Radio! If you miss it, you'll be able to download after. 

***Check out my new post about speechwriting for WORD-OLOGY!

Life Beyond The Box...

Next Monday marks a great milestone for littlemissMOJO.

I'll be interviewed on internet radio show SpeakSpin Radio about the basics of blogging.

I'm a little nervous but mostly psyched. Who knows where it could lead, but if nothing else, it'll be fun!

Stay tuned for details on how to tune-in live or download the recorded session afterwards.

I've never been on the radio before (internet or otherwise) and I wasn't sure I was ready to represent the blogging community being that I still feel like such a beginner.

Just a side effect of my dysfunctional perfectionist mentality that in the past has kept me from doing things unless I could do them perfectly. 

But I'm learning you've gotta start somewhere and it's ok to put yourself out there before you're an expert. 

THAT's the message I'll be driving home to potential new bloggers listening in on the interview.

I'm thankfully at a point where I'm more afraid of missing opportunities than failing at them. 

Taking action that forces you to do something you thought you couldn't is crazy empowering.

The feeling gets addicting and you start wondering what else you're capable of.

SO, where can you stretch your comfort zone this week?

Choose one thing you're afraid of or uncomfortable doing... then do it anyway.

TIPSTER: Telling someone else will hold you accountable and increase your rate of follow-through. And PLEASE share your mojo in the comments below!

It doesn't have to be big and it doesn't have to be perfect. The goal is to get thinking and living life beyond the box.

Why? Cause that's where all the really good shit happens.

xoxo

WORD UP!

Suffering a bit of writer's block the last few days. Usually stems from some form of life block or lack of motivation and inspiration.

In lieu of crafting words, here are some images of words randomly taken by yours truly throughout NYC.

They've already provided some much needed anti-funk juice for me. Hopefully they will for you!

Be on the lookout for words and images that inspire you. When your eyes are open, you'll find them everywhere.

under the Brooklyn bridge

on the east side somewhere

Huge wall of words at a Lululemon store under construction 

(think on the west side somewhere)

(same as above)

 Upper East Side 

xoxo