Very Busy

The other day I was on the phone with my friend Mary.  As I passionately paced around my apartment I urgently described to her a new and, if I may say so myself, brilliant idea I had.  In the midst of expounding my creative genius, Mary boldly interrupted me and asked, “Why aren’t you writing this down and making it happen?”  To which, without missing a beat, I responded, “Because, Mary, I am very busy walking in circles!”

I thought to myself, how dare she cut off my grandiose and eloquent speech and urge me to take action!  I was quite happy and very comfortable walking in circles and talking about my idea rather than actually taking the steps forward to bring it to fruition.  But alas, Mary’s question hit a nerve.  I knew I had to delve in and get this going.  But before I did, I asked myself, “What had I been very busy doing that stopped me from moving ahead?”

The answers went something like this:

• I had been very busy procrastinating.
• I had been very busy avoiding failure and/or success.
• I had been very busy keeping myself in fear.

After looking at this list and noticing how much energy it took to focus on procrastinating, avoiding, and fear, I was exhausted!  I decided I wanted and was ready to shift these destructive thoughts and behaviors to productive next steps.

In that moment I got up, walked to my computer, turned the phone off and within two hours I had written down my brilliant, if I may say so myself, idea on paper and sent it to prominent decision-makers who could potentially make this idea a reality.   Instead of feeling exhausted, I felt exhilarated!

What are you very busy doing?  Is it destructive or productive?  Do you feel exhausted or exhilarated?

If you’ve been giving lip service to something you know you’ve been wanting to do, say or even be for a long time, then I am encouraging you to take one, small step forward now.  Tell someone to what action you’re committing and by when so you are holding yourself accountable to another person and getting it done.  Then take another step.

Before you know it those old, busy, destructive behaviors will have morphed into your brilliant, if I may say so myself, ideas that have come to fruition with ease!

To productivity and beyond!

Time to Shine

Since I was 12 years old I’ve been dreaming of being Phil Donahue.  You thought I was going to say Oprah, right?  This dream was pre-Oprah.  That dream came later.

Growing up I was a hardcore Phil fan.  I was excited by his energy as he ran up and down those stairs to reach each guest who was bursting with something to say.  I was drawn to his high level of comfort, authenticity and ease talking to anyone and everyone who graced his stage.  I was appreciative of how accessible he made every topic on his show, especially the conversations with Vladimir Pozner, the Russian journalist.  And I loved how he listened and let people feel heard.  He was my hero.

Then, when he married my other hero, Marlo Thomas – the mastermind behind the album, ABC Afterschool Special, slideshow, and illustrated book “Free To Be… You and Me”, which celebrated the idea that anyone, whether a boy or a girl, can achieve anything they want – Phil became my superhero!  Not only was this man brilliant at what he did for a living, he also partnered with the woman who instilled in me from a very early age that when I grew up, I could be actually be Phil Donahue – or rather, my version of him.  Permission granted = vision planted.

At the 1996 Daytime Emmy Awards, Oprah presented Phil with a Lifetime Achievement Award.  As she handed him the statue she said, “I want to personally thank you for opening the doors so wide – wide enough for me to walk through, because had there not been a Phil Donahue, I don’t believe there could have been an Oprah.”

Now, twenty-eight years after declaring what I wanted to be when I grew up – and revising it a bit to reflect my current intention to happily serve as America’s Life Coach – Oprah is opening those doors even wider and inviting someone in to have their own show on her network OWN.  It appears my big vision has arrived and is welcoming me in.   I am ready, knowing it will be this or something even better for the highest good of all concerned.

Michael Beckwith once said, “I’m stirring my divinity into activity and guess what?  I’m taking you with me!”  That’s exactly how I feel about this opportunity, this vision.  Are you ready to join me?

What is calling you forth now?  Is your big vision welcoming you in?  What are you doing to say yes and move into it?

Take the step.  It’s time for all of us to shine.

Stay tuned for my audition tape.  It will be dedicated to Phil and Marlo… my heroes.