Private Mastermind with Mark Hoverson

Posted on 29. Apr, 2013 by Krista Abbott.

I am in Arizona for a two day private mastermind with Mark Hoverson.  We have been hanging out, talking business, marketing and all sorts of other fun stuff. We ate sushi last night and in the midst of that meal alone Mark downloaded some serious epiphanies for me to consume.

I am about 24 hours into the private mastermind with Mark Hoverson now and I already have so many “take aways” and “ah-ha” moments that I had to take a few minutes to lay out a couple of them for you here.  Clearly, I can not give away the farm – but I will give you three nuggets now and save the rest for a later time.

Three Nuggets From My Private Mastermind with Mark Hoverson

1.  Ideas = Action.

This morning while we were having breakfast, Mark mentioned that Brenda Gagne, one of our team members in Global Resorts Network, made a platinum sale this morning which was a hearty $3250 commission for her (all before breakfast no less).  So, he had an idea to interview her about her marketing strategies and what she’s doing to close these high dollar sales.  As he’s telling me this, he is immediately shooting off a text to her arranging the interview.  As the conversation progresses we learn that Brenda has had not one, but three platinum sales and one silver sale within the past two weeks.  Doing the math that adds up to $10,750 in commissions in two weeks.

Boom!

I observed him have an idea and take instant action – and accomplish his mission with complete mental clarity, no distraction, and no delay.  Literally, within the hour a five minute interview was recorded and promoted to Mark’s community.  Done.  Mission Accomplished.  Idea Implemented.

Here’s that interview with Brenda if you want to watch it

Take Away:  When you have an idea it is important to take immediate action on that idea.  Prosperity responds to action.  Oftentimes people fail to act on ideas and then they either get forgotten in the midst of a busy life or they end up getting neglected due to mental clutter or fear of the unknown.  Don’t delay – act now.

2.  Action Leads To Growth, Inaction Creates Stagnation.

So after breakfast and the Brenda interview, Mark and I put our sneakers and sunglasses on and we head out the door for a short hike in the mountainous desert of Arizona.  While we are driving out to the hiking site, we engage in conversation about the events of the morning and Mark begins just downloading all these thoughts about ideas, action, and neuro-pathways in the brain.  It was a pretty intense conversation.

We start digging into the mental blocks and self sabotage that some people create in their lives by avoidance or inaction.  Oftentimes this is the result of some faulty belief system, doubt, or fear.  Those things then drive the person to inaction which prevents growth in their lives and results in their business.

Take Away:  You can’t be afraid of action.  When you act and implement there will be successes and there will be failures.  All of them are positive.  We learn and we grow most not from our successes through what we do, but through our failures.  So what if it is not perfect, if it looks or sounds stupid after it’s done…it’s OK.  You did it, you took action, now ask yourself what did you learn from it?  That is how you grow.  So, action – right or wrong, good or bad, success or failure – leads to growth.  If you never do anything – then you stand still and become stagnate.

 3.  Marketing is Ever Evolving and Requires Flexibility.

After our hike this afternoon we had worked up a bit of an appetite, so we stopped off at this awesome place for a quick lunch. Mark starts picking my brain a little bit about life, friends, family, business strategies, etc.  As we talked our conversation drifted back to some time we spent last night with some budding young entrepreneurs that Mark is mentoring, a new generation and a new breed of young men and women making their mark on the industry. I have to say I was very impressed with the ideas, the mindset and the thought processes of these 18-20 year olds we spent time with last night.

Take Away: As we talked about where the heavy emphasis was on marketing three years ago (when Mark and I first met out in San Diego) and where it was today it became clear that flexibility and a commitment to try new strategies is essential to any online marketer.  It’s not just list building, email marketing or driving traffic to your capture pages anymore.  The secret sauce is really in using a variety of strategies…casting your net wide…or as Mark says in his Solomon CEO style “cast your bread on many waters”.  The truth is we don’t know where the “one lead” that leads to the “one sale” is going to come from, so lets cast wide and see what happens.

Where You Can Get More

This is just the tip of the iceberg of what I have gleaned from my time with Mark today.  There is so much more to share and I will be spilling the beans on some more of the “ah-ha’s and take aways” from these two days soon, so stay tuned.

In the meantime, if you would like to hear more nuggets like these or find out how you too can earn high dollar commissions like Brenda does, then just enter your name and email in the box below and I will send you some additional information on where you can more awesome stuff from people like Mark and Brenda.

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Inspired Living App Review – iLA in PreLaunch

Posted on 13. Jan, 2013 by Krista Abbott.

The Inspired Living App, also known as iLA or iLiving App is in prelaunch this month, so I thought it fitting that I provide a full Inspired Living App Review to help you decided if iLA -  the iLiving App is  for you.

I have been in the loop regarding this new company for a few weeks now and have observed the pre-launch phase of the Inspired Living App for the past couple of weeks.  In this Inspired Living App Review I will discuss the buzz surrounding iLA – iLivingApp and how the company surpassed their 90 day goals in only one week.

This Inspired Living App Review will also address what the app offers to their customers, as well as discuss the unique opportunity to earn income from the new exploding mobile app industry.  iLA or iLiving App is unique in so many ways, and I personally am very excited to see the launch of this new mobile application.

What Does Inspired Living App Do?

The Inspired Living App is a brand new mobile app that delivers personal development videos directly to your smart phone.  The app provides resources on success, leadership, professional development, and personal growth type resources.  The company website lists the following as examples of videos that will be provided to customers of the application.

• Goal Setting
• Time Management
• Financial Management
• Personal Development
• Business Development
• Leadership Development
• Personal motivation, and more

As a leadership and business consultant as well as a self proclaimed personal development “junkie”, this app certainly appeals to me as a product.  And that is ALWAYS my first point of decision when thinking about joining a business opportunity and promoting something like the Inspired Living App to my faithful readers.

I like this product and what it promises to offer, I am confident that all of my followers, customers, and clients will find this Inspired Living App Review helpful in their decision making process.

The product alone is enough to make me want to invest the $9.95 per month to receive amazing and top notch personal development materials offered by the iLiving App.  Then if you add the fact that I can also earn some extra money by doing it, I am seriously all in with this one.

Many of you may already know that iLA is for you, if so you can JOIN NOW by clicking the link below this short video. If you still aren’t sure, then watch the video below and keep reading because there is much more to the Inspired Living App that you need to know about before you make your mind up.

iLA Pre-Launch Buzz

I mentioned earlier that this Inspired Living App Review would explain how this amazing new company has surpassed its 90 day goal in just the first few days of launching.  The iLA pre-launch has been nothing short of amazing.  This company and the application have gone “viral” extremely fast.

In fact company officials have reported that their 90 day goal was to have 10,000 associates (those who promote the application and are able to earn residual income from it) at the end of 90 days.  Well…that’s ancient history because last count I had was that the company was topping 14,000 associates in just a little over a week for the iLA pre-launch.

A company conference call and email to associates indicates that they reached their goal of 10,000 associates in just the first week!!! That, my friends, is nothing short of amazing.  I have been in this industry for four years now and have watched many companies come out in launch mode, but the momentum of this one  in just the first week is simply astounding.  It begs the question – why?

Well, this isn’t a scientific answer, but it is my opinion, and since this is my Inspired Living App Review about the company, the iLiving App, and the iLA pre-launch, and is not an official company statement then I can share it.  I believe it is because of the uniqueness of the product.  The product is solid, the target market group is huge, and it is new technology.

New technology always creates a buzz.  Top that with it is only $9.95 to JOIN NOW and get started as a promoter of the application, thus having the ability to earn some extra money…well, it simply makes it a complete NO BRAINER!!!

This is why I believe the company has grown so much, so fast.  It has an attractive product, it is techie sexy, and it is less than the price of a couple of cups of fancy coffee.  There is no barrier, no risk….why not?

How to Earn Money With Inspired Living App

This Inspired Living App Review has discussed a lot so far, but now it is time to  talk about what everyone really wants to know in this iLA pre-launch.  How do you earn money?

The company pay model is what is known as a 3 x 7 Forced Matrix, which means there is no sponsoring requirement , and once the associate gets three associates who get three associates (or a total of 12) then their subscription ($9.95) is free.

Now since it is a “forced matrix”, the associate has potential to earn income (around $2500 per month with a FULL matrix) and this can be done without ever having to recruit anyone on their own due to the “spill over” effect of a forced matrix.

For those who do recruit (and I would highly recommend doing that if you want to make any serious money) the earning potential increases substantially.  Here are some examples provided by the company in their presentation video at the company website

• Refer 3  – Qualify for a 10% bonus match of their matrix commissions which is $251.17 for each person with a filled matrix =  753.51/month
• Refer 6 – Qualify for a 20% bonus match of their matrix commission which is $502.75 for each person with a filled matrix = 3,016.50/month
• Refer 10 – 40% bonus match of their matrix commission which is $1004.70 for each person with a filled matrix =  $10,047.00/month

The only requirement to participate in the matrix referral program is to be “active associate”.  The simplest way is to join as a an associate for $9.95 per month or obtain two retail customers at $6.95 per month.

 JOIN the iLA Pre-Launch Now

So, as you can see there is massive potential to earn once the matrix is full.   The best thing to do in a forced matrix situation is GET IN EARLY because the sooner you get in the better your chances are of filling your matrix and seeing faster results.

There is really NO REASON why you shouldn’t JOIN iLA NOW because there is NO RISK (30 day money back guarantee from the company); there is NO BARRIER (the cost to get started is only $9.95), and NO REQUIREMENT TO REFER (just enjoy the awesome material from the app and wait for spill over in the forced matrix).

So, NOW is your chance to get in on the iLA Pre-Launch and position yourself for life improvement – not only from the materials you will receive through the iLiving App itself, but from the potential passive residual income you can create for yourself.

CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW AND JOIN NOW!!!!

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What Is Inspired Living App?

Posted on 09. Jan, 2013 by Krista Abbott.

Inspired Living App

There is a new buzz in the marketing industry these days, and questions are being asked, the primary one – “What Is The Inspired Living App?”  As a personal development junkie and self proclaimed guru, I am completely giddy about the Inspired Living App or iLA for short.   Why?  Well that’s simple…

The Inspired Living App (iLA) is a mobile application that delivers personal development materials directly to a subscribers smart phone.  Since I am a personal development and leadership coach to many marketing professionals, this is an ideal product for me to use personally, as well as share with many people in my social and business circles.

So What Is Inspired Living App?

The Inspired Living App is scheduled to launch in February of 2013.  When it launches it will begin delivering personal development videos to smart phones all over the country.  Topics for these Inspired Living materials will include items ranging from personal motivation, time management, goal setting, financial management, leadership development, and so much more. But you don’t have to wait for the launch, because Inspired Living App is already registering customers during their pre-launch campaign.  You can get in on the iLA Movement now. 

As if that were not enough…the Inspired Living App also offers a one of kind referral program that makes it possible for you to earn money.  Yes…you heard me correctly…money.  So not only can you get your personal development resources delivered directly to you and access them any time your want in the Inspired Living App archives, but you can also tell others, build a team, and earn a passive residual income.

The best part of the Inspired Living App is the price point.  It is only $9.95 per month!!!   So for less than the price of a couple cups of coffee at your favorite cafe, or less than a few gallons of gasoline for your car…less than TEN measly bucks…you can not only have unlimited access to your own personal development library, but you also have the opportunity to build a team, have your own business, and make some money.

How Does Inspired Living App Work?

I realize there may be many of you who want a deeper understanding of how the Inspired Living App works.  My friend and Inspired Living App team mate, Kathy Boyce created a short you tube video that explains it pretty good.  To get a really clear picture about why should get on board with Inspired Living NOW, watch the video below.

How Do You Get Started With Inspired Living App?

If you are ready to get started with the Inspired Living App team, then NOW is the time!!  The Inspired Living App is in the pre-launch stage right now, but you can get in early and get started before the rest of the nation beats you to it.  So what are you waiting for?

CLICK THIS LINK and JOIN the Inspired Living App Movement NOW

If you are still not sure, or have more questions, I would be happy to talk with you directly.  Just fill out the contact form below and I will be in contact with you as quickly as possible.

For Your Freedom and Success,

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Leadership Keys and Development for Success – Which Horse Are You?

Posted on 13. Sep, 2012 by Krista Abbott.

I have been an avid  student of Leadership Keys and Development for many years.   In fact, I began practicing the things I learned through leadership classes, seminars, workshops, books, and mentoring even before I had the privilege of assuming the official role of “leader”.  I believe it was the practice of these leadership keys and my commitment to develop my skills that led to promotion after promotion after promotion in my professional career.

The Power of Observation and The Result of Action

One major component of being a leader is adapting the discipline of OBSERVATION, not observing with a mind that simply records the activities surrounding you, but observing the heartbeat of the room, the life force of the culture you are in, and the actions as well as interactions of those around you.  Observation, in fact, became my cornerstone strategic weapon while navigating the unpredictable waters of the corporate/governmental cultures.  And not to brag or anything, but I was good at it – very good, I became one of the key leadership trainers in my organization and developed an entire program focused on identifying future leaders and mentoring them to success.

My core motto for leadership development was – Observe, Learn, Plan, Act, Become.

Notice the word “Act” in that motto.  See, ACTION is another major leadership key.  Most people stop there.   For whatever reason they simply can’t get past the action piece so that they can “become” the leaders that make the strongest impact.  Now some of them still move into leadership positions, but their effectiveness is negatively impacted due to their inattention to action.

As unfortunate as it is, so many leaders – real leaders, not “show ponies” (I’ll talk more about that later) are lost due to inaction.

I have been observing certain elements of the world around me for several months now, and I have been hearing a message deep within, one that at first seemed harsh, and honestly created resistance in me.  As time progressed, however, my observation led to learning, then acceptance set in and action followed.    That observation is this:  there are really two types of people filling leadership roles; there are work horses and there are show ponies.

While most of those reading will immediately “get” what I mean by that, there may be others that would benefit from further explanation.  So for the sake of being clear, allow me to briefly explain the difference.

The Work Horse Leader

A work horse is a servant leader who gets the job done, someone that can be counted on to take care of business come hell or high water.  A work horse is reliable, dependable, loyal, and hard working, they have skills others do not possess and they know how to leverage them towards efficient and effective outcomes.   Eventhough, an organization can not survive without work horses in key leadership roles, they are often the least public with their leadership and therefore get little to no acknowledgment, recognition, or accolades for what they do.  See, a work horse will do whatever it takes to make sure things are taken care of, and often no one knows the work horse did it, they just know it got done.   These are impressive leaders full of strong character and solid ethics. The unfortunate thing about a work horse, is that they are usually kept in the “back of the barn”, meaning they are left to care for themselves because everyone knows (or thinks) they are capable and self-sufficient.  Therefore, if they don’t monitor themselves, they will work to the point of exhaustion or collapse.  Even though you will rarely hear them complain about it, a work horse needs and desires affirmation, appreciation, care, and acknowledgement just like every one else.

The Show Pony Leader   

A show pony is a leader in position and name, but does little of the work required to lead.  They are pretty and prance around in a practiced formation to impress their audience.  They are the individuals who frequently show up late, after most of the work is done, hang around long enough to enjoy the show, then quickly vacate when its time to work again.  They rely heavily on other people to do the work for them, but take delight in parading themselves and exaggerating their contributions to their superiors or people of affluence.  They are generally self promoters with strong  people skills and they shamelessly use those skills to advance their agenda and “win the prize” at the “pony show”.  Show ponies work for an audience, they are public leaders,  but lack the discipline or skill to get things done when no one is watching.  They are usually well liked, praised by many, and lavished with attention from the crowd.   The unfortunate thing about show ponies is that  they are dependent on others to get things done and are generally not capable of effective innovation.  Therefore a leader operating in the “show pony” model requires the assistance of people around them who will step up and assume the role of “caretaker” so they can continue to look good and entertain well.

So…which horse are you?

In the interest of our “Today I Learned” model – I guess I would say: 

“Today I learned there are work horses and there are show ponies.  Sometimes we choose which one we will to be, sometimes it is chosen for us.  Either way, every horse has their role to play and every horse deserves respect and honor for their contributions.”

“Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 (NLT)

“Work hard and become a leader;  be lazy and become a slave.”  Proverbs 12:24 (NLT)

Your Servant Leader,

PS. If you enjoyed this post, then please share it.  Tweets, Facebook shares, social bookmarks, and comments are always appreciated. 

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Your Thoughts Determine Your Success

Posted on 10. Sep, 2012 by Krista Abbott.

Today, I was reminded of a truth that permeates the ranks of success, and that simple truth is that YOUR thoughts determine your success.

Period.

Your thoughts about who you are, what you are capable of, what your skill level is, what your value to society is…your thoughts alone are the only thoughts that are capable of influencing your success. It does not matter what others think about you, what they say behind your back – or to your face for that matter, or how they judge you…you and your mind…you and your thoughts determine your success.

There is an ancient proverb penned by King Solomon that says “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he…” (Proverbs 23:7)

How are you thinking about yourself ?  Then that is what you are.

Are you allowing the way others think about you to influence how you think about yourself?  If so then you become how they think of you.

You must shift your thinking and cease the influence of others thoughts in your life – then you will see the transformation you are looking for.

A few years ago, I used to write a regular blog called “Today I Learned” .  In that little blog, I would pull nuggets of wisdom from every day life.  In recent weeks several of my friends and family have asked me why I stopped doing that and have gently suggested I start doing it again because they really enjoyed it.  I have had to stop and think about why I stopped “Today I Learned”  and really why I stopped doing many of the other inspiring things I used to do to help others in their journey to success in life.  Even a scroll through this blog will show  my negligence to my audience.

For that my friends, you have my deepest and most sincere apology.

There are many reasons for that. One being, for the past two years or so I have committed to a cause much larger than myself, pouring every ounce of my heart and soul into it – I have placed my own dreams on the back burner, I have put myself last, I have given away more money than I have kept for myself, I have invested time, energy, and prayer at levels others can not even imagine.  This has caused me to neglect other areas of my own life, and to neglect you…those who were looking to me for some leadership and help on your own success journey.

And even more that that – in utter and complete transparency, I realized I have allowed the thoughts and opinions of others, who are important in my life, to influence the use of or more recently – the negligence of, my social platform.  This realization made me angry – a little angry with the people who I had allowed to influence me – but mostly angry at myself for not noticing and stopping what was happening to me sooner.

Today, it clicked though, and I drew a line in the sand.  It came through one judgmental and very inaccurate comment about my character from a person very close and very dear to me.  That negative judgment,  shifted my thinking and I turned it into a positive action when I decided to draw a line in the sand…enough is enough.

I don’t care who it is, how much they mean to me, how much I love them, or how much they say they love me – I will never, never again allow what others think of me or what their opinions of me are to influence me from doing or not doing what is in my heart to do. If they don’t like it, then look the other way.  I am not on this earth to please them or anyone else for that matter, I am on this earth to fulfill my purpose and my destiny, and to please God.  Further, I am on this earth to help others find and fulfill their purpose and their destiny.  If someone has a problem with that, then it is their problem, not mine.  I will not change who I am at my core for anyone – ever again!!!

See, I know my value and I know my worth.  I know the leadership skills I possess whether they recognize them or not.  I know the price I have paid to be where I am today.  I know what I have walked away from – I know what I have sacrificed.  I know the millions of dollars – yes millions of dollars – I have passed up to be where I am today.  I did that by choice – because what was in my heart to do at the time was more important to me than the multi-million dollar business offer I had on the table.   I could do that because I  know what is inside of me is of value.  I know what I have to offer the world is priceless.

If you can’t see that… If you refuse to acknowledge that…If you continue to overlook that – then it is your loss and you are not my audience and I invite you to vacate my life, my blog, and my email list immediately.  I will no longer be silent, I will no longer take a back seat, I will no longer hold back because of what you think of me.

I am looking for people who want to live life to the fullest, who want to be all that they were created to be, who aren’t afraid of doing a little work to get to the place they want to be in life.  I am looking for people who don’t expect to have everything handed to them on a silver platter,  who aren’t just dreamers, but do-ers….I want action takers.  If you are lazy then move on now because you will not like my requirements.

So to all those who wanted to see a return of “Today I Learned”, I guess it is making it’s debut again…because – Today I Learned to draw a line in the sand.  Today I learned that what I think of me is far more important that what you think of me.  Today I “re-learned” that it is my thoughts about me that determines my success.

“Change your thoughts – and change your world”  Norman Vincent Peale

If you are looking for some tips on how to Eliminate Negative Thought Patterns and Change Your Thoughts, then CLICK HERE.

Thinking straight again!

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Whitney Houston’s Death: Reflections of Her Music

Posted on 12. Feb, 2012 by Krista Abbott.

Shocking News of Whitney Houston’s Death

Whitney Houston died today, February 11, 2012 in Beverly Hills. The news of this tragedy reached me via social media, and I did what a vast majority of you did.  I went to You Tube and started listening to all of my favorite Whitney tunes, as I did memories flooded me of moments in my life when her music inspired me or helped me through difficult times.  The most recent of these happened just three days ago…three days before Whitney Houston’s death…

During a stressful moment at work, I reached out to Whitney for inspiration and relief – again via You Tube.  Her music has always inspired and renewed my focus.  Ironically, this moment was caught on iPhone video by a co-worker and we jokingly referred to it as an “EPIC lip sync”.  Now, it has become not only an “epic lip sync” of Whitney Houston’s hit song “Greatest Love of All”, but it has become my tribute to her.  In a break from a busy day, Whitney gave my co-workers and I a few minutes of fun, laughter, and enjoyment.  Now, her legacy lives on in her music.  And, her music lives in our hearts.

I am sharing that tribute video with you below, but before I do I want to recap some of my favorite Whitney Houston songs and what they mean to me.

Whitney Houston Songs with Reflections

• “I Will Always Love You” “ - This one brings back “bittersweet” memories as it got me through the heartbreak of losing my first love.  Funny I don’t even think about that guy anymore, but back then, I belted this song from my heart and it brought healing.  It also taught me that when we love someone, we want what’s best for them, and act unselfishly. Thank you Whitney.
• “One Moment In Time” - This song inspired me to reach for the dreams and the destiny that I wanted in life.  It inspired me to give my whole heart to everything I did in pursuit of my passion.  And it paid off…today I am living the destiny and walking in my life’s passion.
• “Count on Me” – This song inspired me to be loyal and faithful to my friends.  To always be available to them when they need me, to be someone they could count on.  I think if you asked those closest to me, they would tell you that I live this song.
• “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” “ - This song gave me lots of fun and laughter with my friends.  We danced and danced and danced, played it loud over and over again.  Great fun!
• “Where Do Broken Hearts Go” – This song taught me that broken hearts can be mended by the love of those around them.  When people love and care for you, then no heart can stay broken.  Love heals all wounds.
• “I Have Nothing” - This one was just a passionate song that I belted out in the car when driving around with friends.  Whitney gave my friends and I alot to dream about and hope for.
• “So Emotional” -  I just liked this one, but who didn’t right!  LOL
• “Saving All My Love” - This one actually inspired me to cherish love and save it for those who mean the most to us…for the right person, not just giving it
• “Greatest Love of All” - This one is my favorite, and the one in my epic lip sync video below.  It taught me to love myself, to treat myself well, to respect me, and to not compromise or sacrifice my dignity for anything.  To believe in myself and not let anything stop me from becoming the best me I could possibly be….and to pass that message to the next generation.  Much love Whitney!

And…now for the spontaneous moment caught on video just three days before Whitney went home.

My Tribute Video To Whitney Houston

#R.I.P Whitney Houston

I Will Always Love You (and Your Music)!

PS.  Do you have a favorite Whitney Houston song ?  Share with us in the comments below and let us know how Whitney and her music inspired you…as always retweets and shares appreciated. 

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The Practice of Meditation: How to Meditate the “Christian Way”

Posted on 02. Jan, 2011 by Krista Abbott.

The “Christian” Practice of Meditation

This is a completely impromptu post.  In fact, I am supposed to be working on some other projects right now, but I felt divinely inspired (from a facebook comment thread about me embarking on a 21 day spiritual focus…thanks David) to get this out to you tonight.  I will likely come back around and elaborate on this over the next several weeks, but tonight I am going to introduce you to the practice of meditation and explain how Christians can meditate and not feel “spooked out” by it.

Meditation is growing in popularity across cultural and religious circles.  Some of this may be the result of individuals trying to decrease stress levels due to the condition of the world right now.  Meditation is a great tool for stress reduction, no doubt about that.  But for me, it is much more – it is really a requirement and a necessary practice of my faith – Christianity.

Should Christians Meditate?

I know I may get some push back here from Christians who read this, because most Christians are misinformed about the origins of meditation and get visuals of people sitting in some trance like state with incense burning around them humming some mantra or something.  And…all of that is cool if that’s how you choose to meditate – but for me, it is a point of personal deep spiritual connection to God.

I’ve had those awkward moments of silence with Christians when I bring up meditation – and honestly sometimes I do it just for the sheer entertainment of seeing or hearing their reaction to it.  It’s enjoyable to say the least!!!

Most of you who have been following me for any amount of time, know that I am of the Christian faith, and whole heartedly love and serve God.  I make no apologies for that – it is who I am – period.  That doesn’t mean I don’t have many friends, family, and even business partners who are of other faiths.  I love everyone – because Jesus loves everyone!  Now – before you tune me out – hang tight for a minute because there is something in this for you regardless of your personal faith – trust me.

Every year for the past several years, I have started the year off with a 21 day spiritual focus to gain direction for my personal life, my business, and my spiritual life.  This year is no exception, only this year I am doing it with a large group of people, as a “corporate effort”.   A key part of this practice for me personally is meditation.

Now realize, there is no way for me to lay out every aspect of meditation, why it is important, what the health benefits are, what the spiritual benefits are and why everyone, including Christians, should do it in one blog post.  But I can show you in Scripture where meditation is encouraged and at the end I will provide you with some simple steps to get started with a solid silent meditation practice.

Meditation in the Bible?

While there are TONS of references to meditation in the Bible, I am only going to focus on two of them today.

Psalm 46:10 says “Be still and know that I am God…”.  But hold on – that’s not all!!!  The Book of Psalms is filled with references to a Hebrew word “Selah”.  This word is positioned throughout many Psalms and is an implied pause.   The meaning of  “Selah”  is to “stop and listen” or “pause and think of that”.

See meditation is simply a combination of those two things – being still and knowing that He is God and pausing to listen – to listen not only to God, but to your own thoughts, your own emotions.

See as you meditate, you are simply “being” – you are listening to your heart, listening to your thoughts, letting them go where ever they want to go, feeling the emotions, being one with yourself and one with God.  There is no right or wrong response, no right or wrong way to think or behave in a meditative state – you just simply are “you” for that amount of time – and are simply “with God”, acknowledging His infinite influence in your life.

How to Meditate

There are lots of ways to meditate.  I have some meditation tracks that I use regularly, they are scientifically formulated to connect both hemispheres of the brain for enhanced creativity, and the combination of sounds move the brain through all the different levels of brain wave activity – alpha, beta, theta, and delta.  The benefits of this are HUGE…but way to much to talk about today.  So we’ll save that…

I also practice silent meditation, which is really the prayer focus state of “being” that I referenced earlier.  That’s the best place to start and what I will be sharing with you here today.

So, a few simple steps to get you started are:

1. Find a nice comfortable place to sit, either in a chair or on the floor.  I prefer sitting in the sunlight so I can feel the warmth of God while I meditate.  You find what is comfortable for you.
2. Make sure you are sitting upright, back straight and feet flat (if in a chair) or legs crossed (if on the floor).
3. Relax your arms in your lap, hands upright.  I sit with my hands palm up as if I am ready to receive from God, you can choose your own position of comfort.  If you are looking to release some negative energy then you may want to sit with hands dangling down and imagine all the negative energy flowing out of your body through your fingertips…just find what feels right for you at the time of meditation.
4. Close your eyes and take three deep breaths – long and deep in and slow on release.
5. Every 1-2 minutes make sure you take at least one deep breath.
6. Spend 15-30 minutes just sitting there in that position “being”.   (remember to set a timer before you start)

As you are meditating Let your thoughts go where they want to go, let your emotions go where they want to go, and listen to what is happening inside of you.  Listen to what God is speaking to you.  Just “be still and know”…Selah (pause and listen).  There is no right or wrong thing to think, no right or wrong thing to feel.  You are simply being and feeling.

Now, what happens here is this – as you meditate, your self awareness increases and things you did not even realize were clogging up your spirit man will begin to surface.  This is not anything to be afraid of, but something to be happy about – because you can now free yourself and clear your spirit of the “junk” life sometimes throws your way.

Selah with Me

So with that said, my friends I invite you to “Selah” with me this month – the first month of a new year and “be one with yourself and one with God”.  I firmly believe that as you take the time to “listen” in your moments of meditation, that he will speak and give you insight into your path for the coming year.

Yours in Spiritual Success,

PS.  Do you meditate?  Do you have any insight or experiences you would like to share?  Drop down below and leave some comments to share with the community here.  And as always – retweets and Facebook shares are appreciated.

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How to Prioritize on Purpose

Posted on 06. Nov, 2010 by Krista Abbott.

Reflections from the Recycled Dream Project

Today I had a deep moment.  An epiphany of purpose – specifically as it relates to “prioritizing on purpose”.

Over the past several months I have been doing some deep self reflection, really examining life as I have been living it.  I think it is important to do that from time to time – to just take some time to look at everything you have going on, everything you are doing, everything you are spending your time, your resources, and your energy on.  Then decide how much of all that stuff is really necessary…how much of it is a means to your desired end.

What I have found in my reflections these past few months is that the vast majority of what we as humans do is not really what we need to be doing…heck for most people, it’s not even what they want to be doing.  Why?

Perhaps someone in their life said something that influenced them in a direction opposite of what was in their heart…and they felt pressured to follow suit.  Maybe they were afraid they were going to miss out on something if they didn’t participate or pursue those things.   People have different reasons for doing what they do, and my purpose today is really not to delve into the psychological side of human nature, but to share some of the observations that help create an understanding that there is a need for change in our world.

So, while I was taking a walk today I decided to make a short video to share with you how I have been prioritizing on purpose and eliminating the unnecessary energy leaches from my life.

It’s short, take a few and watch it….

So What About Your Life and Your Priorities?

So many people spend so much time looking to please other people, trying to live up to the expectations of their family, their friends, their spouse, their kids, and even strangers.  Not to mention all of the pressures of society to keep up with the latest and the greatest of all the “stuff” in the world.  “Shiney Object Syndrome” is what it is called in my inner circle….it’s like a bunny with ADD.

I’ll be honest, I reached a point about a year ago that I said “enough is enough”.  Life is too short to be so focused on trying to achieve things that don’t matter in the end anyway.  This led me down a path of deep personal growth that really has reached its culmination in the past few months.  My priorities have completely shifted…and I have connected with a greater purpose.  The things that used to matter, don’t anymore.  It’s as if I have reconnected with the core of my being – reached the deepest parts of my heart and soul, and it has been in that place that I have been able to find peace and fullness of life as it was intended for us to live it.

I’ve talked to many people who feel the same way, but they just don’t know where to begin or how to get started figuring out what to weed out of life so they can get busy living it.

See, life is a vapor – here today and gone tomorrow.  It’s not always about making a difference.  I hear people say that all the time…that they want to “make a difference”.  Really?  Come on…I think it is deeper than that.  I think life is about making an impact.  See, making a difference is small, but making an impact, well that’s much larger and louder, and significant.  Impact has the ability to bring change about on a greater scale, and to a greater degree.

So, how do you do it?  How do you Prioritize on Purpose?

As I shared in the video above, it’s really simple, and only takes a few steps.

FIRST

You gotta lay everything on the table – leaving nothing off limits.  Put it all out there and look at it.  Then step back and walk away for a little while to connect with your heart.   I do this through prayer and meditation, sometimes fasting.  You will know when you have connected with that place because everything becomes clear for you, and you KNOW what you need to do.

SECOND

After you have connected with your heart seek to define what you feel in the form of a “purpose”.  In other words, answer the question:

“What on earth are you here for?”

When you find that thing, then go do it and cut everything out that is not aligned with that one thing.  Basically, if you are a violin player then don’t pick up the tuba – ya know what I mean!  Play your violin and be the best darn violin player in the world!  Do what you were created to do!!  No one can tell you that, no one can answer that question for you, but you

THIRD

Once you have found what is in your heart, and you have your purpose all clear…go immediately back to the table (you know the one you laid everything in your life on)…and start clearing off the things that are not in alignment with that purpose.

This may mean that you have to cut away some things you really thought you wanted, you may feel a little sad, a little resistant – but trust me…do it.  If you really want to reach the fullness of your potential, and if you really want to have your dreams become a reality, then you must remove the things that are stealing energy and focus from those things you REALLY desire in life.

FINALLY

Look  at what is left on the table.  Return to your heart, refocus on your purpose, get it firm in your mind, then go back to the table and weed out some more stuff.  Trust me, there will likely be one or two things you left behind the first time.  It’s OK…it’s normal…just remove it now that you recognize it.

Repeat this process until you walk back to the table and everything on it is clearly and completely linked to your purpose and your destiny.  Now – don’t add anything else to the table unless it aligns.   If you want to achieve success…as defined in my last post, then you must do this and make sure that 100% of your focus and energy is on doing what is in your heart to do.

Recycled Dream Update

I’ve been doing this for the past six months – when I decided to embrace a Recycled Dream that resurfaced in my life.  (BTW-If you missed that post, then I encourage you to go back and watch the most honest and transparent video blog I have ever created.)

Even though I have been visiting my table and my heart consistently for six months, I am still finding stuff on the table that needs to go.  I just cut something else away yesterday.

You have to be willing to:  Let good things go, so better things can come.

You have to be willing to:  Prioritize based on YOUR purpose.

You have to be willing to: Ask yourself the tough questions.

Do you really want it?

Is it your goal or someone else’s?

Where did this goal originate?  Your heart, or from something you heard or saw from someone else?

Is continuing to pursue this going to benefit you or push you toward your ultimate dream, purpose, or vision?

If you can’t comfortably answer these questions and know the thing on the table is “in your heart”, then you must cut it my friend.

Succeed with Purpose. Succeed with Vision. Prioritize with Purpose.

Drop down below and share your thoughts in the comments box.  Let me know how you prioritize and align your actions and activities with your purpose.

Wishing you Success on Purpose!!

PS.  If you have not yet signed up for my Secrets to Unleashing Success video series, then I encourage you to do that!  It’s FREE and will help you identify your purpose and passion in life, so you can get busy living it!!  Just CLICK HERE and sign up now!!

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The Social Network: A Movie Review From An Entrepreneur’s Mindset #SocialNetwork

Posted on 02. Oct, 2010 by Krista Abbott.

Social Network Movie Review

A Look at The Social Network Movie from the Mindset of An Entrepreneur

To all of those social network fans out there, the movie, The Social Network, (aka #SocialNetwork for the Tweeples) about facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s rise to billionaire status, has been the buzz for several weeks now.  On opening day, my facebook news feed was filled with post after post from people buzzing about the movie.  OK, I get it.  Facebook is a complete social phenomenon and a ton of people, entrepreneur’s included, use the massive social networking site to develop relationships with new “friends” from around the globe.

As an entrepreneur, I actually practice and teach social media marketing principles, so I admit I was a little bit interested to see how this movie was going to play out and what entrepreneurial elements I may be able to take away from it.

In this review of The Social Network, I want to share a few focus points that entrepreneur’s can take away from the film and apply to their own business for growth and success.

Be Laser Focused

The movie version of Zuckerberg was intense and laser focused.  When he “wired in” working on the facebook code he was completely oblivious to the things going on around him.  Headphones on, focus targeted to the project at hand.  At several points in the movie, it was very apparent that regardless of where he was or what he was doing, his thoughts were focused on the project at hand.

The movie portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of facebook, is said to be fictional by in large and Zuckerberg  is reported to have told Oprah, that he is actually much more hard working than the movie version of him.  If that is true, then I am impressed because the movie version of Zuckerberg was intensely and almost obsessively focused on his work.

Take Fast Action

There is one scene in the movie where Zuckerberg’s character was speaking with a friend about the relationship status of one of the students when the idea hit him to add relationship status’ to the facebook profile specs.  Zuckerberg, stopped mid-sentence, with a look of epiphany plastered across his face, gathered his belongings and raced to his dorm room where he furiously enters the code to add relationship status.  This reminds me of the importance of taking fast action on not only your ideas as an entrepreneur, but on implementing the new information you learn.

Know How to Recognize the Right Timing

As the popularity of “the facebook” (as it was called in the beginning), grows, the movie demonstrates that Zuckerberg’s friend and business associate Eduardo Saverin began to press him to monetize the site.  Zuckerberg was not comfortable with that and wanted to wait for it to spread more and gain popularity.

He wasn’t willing to compromise the “coolness” of the facebook in order to make a quick buck.  Zuckerberg recognized, it was far more important to wait for the right time, grow the audience, and fan base before monetizing.  This turned out to lead to facebook being a multi-billion dollar corporation rather than a multi-million dollar corporation.

Millions are good, but billions are better. 

I see a lot of on-line entrepreneurs make the same mistake, they come out of the gate eager (or desperate…haven’t really decided which it is yet) to make money fast on-line.  What many fail to realize is that before you can generate a business partner or a customer, you must first have earned their trust and respect.  People are generally skeptical about on-line opportunities because of the massive amount of “scams” out there.  So building the relationship with others should definitely come first.  Sometimes waiting for the right time to “pitch your opportunity” to someone can make the difference between a “yes” and a “no”.  You must carefully monitor and understand timing.

Keep Your Priorities In Line

This lesson from the movie comes, not from what the fictional Zuckerberg did correctly, but what he did wrong.  Now I can’t speak to the character or the personality of the real Zuckerberg because I have never met him, nor have I done much research on him.  He could totally be a super nice guy in “real life”.  Only he and those closest to him know that.  All I know is I’m glad he invented facebook. 

The fictional Zuckerberg, however, was a complete sell out when it came to relationships and well….frankly, he screwed over just about everybody who crossed his path.   The movie portrays him as a guy with no “real friends” left at the end of the day.  (that’s not a spoiler either).  So, this leads me to my last and final take away from the movie – keep your priorities in line.

Your friends, your family, your relationships with those who love and care about you should always, always, always, take precedence over your ambitions.

You can have billions upon billions of dollars but if you don’t have the peace, joy, and satisfaction that comes from doing the right thing and keeping relationships first, then it’s all in vain.

So keep it real my friends.

Go see the movie and ask yourself what elements you can take away to help you be successful in your business. Your comments, retweets and facebook (yes I said facebook ….) shares are always appreciated.  Oh…and on those “re-tweets” please use the hashtag code #SocialNetwork (that’s be extra awesome of you!)  Thanks!

Social Marketing For Your Success,

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How To Define Success For “Your” Life?

Posted on 13. Aug, 2010 by Krista Abbott.

Let’s talk about success today.

After all, I HAVE built my personal brand around inspiring people to unleash success in their lives.

In doing that, I have talked a lot about determination, perspective, how to handle your dreams…I’ve even shared some social media management tips, business building concepts, communication strategies and mindset practices.

But, what I realized last week, was this: I haven’t really addressed success in the simplest form. What I mean by that is looking at it from a defining standpoint, and digging into what it really means for you as an individual.

See, I have been going through some serious self assessment these last few weeks, which is one reason why I haven’t posted any new information. I do this periodically in life, just to check my path and make sure I am still headed the direction I want to head with my life, my business, etc. This time though I purposed to do it deeper, to do it stronger, and to really dig around deep in my heart to make sure I am on the path I want to be on.

What Is Success?

See, success means different things to different people.

For one person it may mean a fine career with benefits and a pension plan. To another, it may mean a loving family with the basic needs of life met. To another it may mean reaching an educational milestone or attaining some sort of distinction in their chosen career path. To another, it may mean building a successful corporation with millions, or even billions of dollars in assets and revenue.

Success, by way of Webster’s definition is “the act of achieving or accomplishing”, and “to reach a desired end”.

I think the definition of success runs much deeper than that though. What you equate with success and what I equate with success may be two completely different things.

I believe success is really found when a person is happy and fulfilled doing whatever it is that they are doing. Success is not measured by how much a person achieves or accomplishes in life, as most people believe.

Your success can only be measured by you. Do you feel successful? Did you reach or achieve the goal that you had for yourself? Are you happy and fulfilled doing what you do? If you answered yes to these questions, then you – my friend – are successful.

No other person on the planet can define success for you, you must define it for yourself.

How Do You Define Success?

So in order to define success for yourself, you must ask yourself a few questions, and be brutally honest when you answer them.

1. What is your personal definition of success?
2. What does success look like to you?
3. Do you feel successful? If no, why not?
4. What needs to change in your life in order for you to feel success?
5. What do you believe you need in order to have peace and meaning in your life?
6. What do you do each day that brings you joy and fulfillment?
7. What makes you feel energized and motivated?
8. How often do you do those things you listed in items 5-7?
9. What prevents you from doing more of those things?
10. What steps can you take to ensure you have these things in your life?

Once you have answered these questions as honestly as you can, then you will have a pretty good idea of what success looks like for you, personally.

Next, you want to FORGET everything you have ever heard or learned about success from anyone else, including your family and closest friends. You have your very own perspective of success, and now you can begin living YOUR life, the way YOU want to live it in order to see those things YOU deem important, fulfilling, and meaningful manifest.

Success Scenario in 4 Simple Steps

Finally, to really make this real for yourself, you can write a personal success scenario. This is really easy to do.

1. Think about what success looks like for you.
2. Write it down in story format (this can be as long or short as you wish, as long as it reflects what your personal picture of success would be).
3. Read it and think about it each day.
4. Express gratitude to God for bringing you to a place of personal success in your life

Now, because I truly care about your success, and helping you get there.  I decided to go the extra mile for you today. 

Seriously…to make this process a little easier for you, I created two downloadable worksheets you can use to walk yourself through these steps.

You can access them here:

Defining Success Worksheet 1

Defining Success Worksheet 2

I would love to hear your thoughts on success.  Drop down below and leave me some comments.  As always, if you found value, re-tweets, bookmarking, and facebook shares are always appreciated!!

Always Supporting Your Personal Success Goals!!

PS. If you found these resources helpful, you will LOVE Krista’s 7 Day video series on “Secrets to Unleashing Success”. You can get it for free…just fill in your name and email in the box at the top right of this page.

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