I love to learn. And when I want to try something new, I immerse myself in the subject. Nothing wrong with that, except that sometimes – I over do the learning, and under-do the doing (say that 5 times fast!). I spend so much time accumulating information. I subscribe to e-zines, read blogs, join networking groups, download e-books, buy physical books, research the subject online… I get to the point where my head feels swollen with information.

And then a funny thing happens. I get stuck. I worry that I’m missing some vital piece of information. I stop trusting my intuition - I stop trusting myself to do the exact right thing. I worry that I’ll get it wrong. You would think that having all that information would boost my confidence to the point where I knew I couldn’t possibly get it wrong.

When we are about to embark on something new, it can be overwhelming. We fear we won’t get it right, we fear rejection, we fear abandonment. So we want to learn everything we can so that the possibility of a negative outcome is so tiny, we aren’t afraid to take the risk.

But being bogged down in information only ends up stifling us.

There are so many experts out there, so many gurus, and with the internet – we’ve got access to free information in more forms than you can possibly absorb in a lifetime.

So who’s right? Who’s information is the best? Who has the techniques that are REALLY going to work for us?

There’s a reason there are so many experts and so much information in the world. It’s because they all have something unique to offer. Whether it’s the specific service they provide, or just in the way they communicate their message – they all have a different voice, and they resonate with different types of people.

So how do you know who’s right for you?

You feel it – deep inside. I know – that’s the standard woo woo answer. But it’s the truth! Sure, you can hear what someone is saying, and you can relate to their message, and you can get the feeling that they know you very deeply – but deep down – do you really resonate with them on the level of your soul?

How much information from how many different sources are you currently receiving? What do you do with all the information? If you take time to read it all, mentally – where do you store it?

Over this next week, I invite you to take a look at the information you receive. Does learning stop you from doing what is actually necessary? Do you spend too much time reading and not enough time implementing?

When you think about implementing something new, do you trust yourself? Do you trust yourself that you know enough, that you’ll do it right, or that the project will be everything you want it to be?

Take some time with each information source you receive this week. See if it’s something you truly, way down deep, resonate with. If not, don’t take it in - consider releasing it.

By limiting your information intake, you won’t miss anything. On the contrary – you’ll make room for the information that counts, and you’ll have time in your schedule to do what counts.

Welcome to this edition of the Carnival of Healing. I am so excited to be hosting this week! Thank you Phylameana for giving me this opportunity! Also, I want to direct you to last week’s host, Julie Meyer. There were fantast articles in that edition as well.

Healthy Body

Joshua Lien presents us with an informative article about the health benefits of Popcorn. Have your Popcorn and Eat it too!

The Money Blue Book discusses the in’s and out’s of Lasik Eye Surgery.

Paula Kawal talks to us about talks to us about Manifesting Love In Your Life.

If you are considering Acupuncture during Labor, you’re going to want to check out Julie Meyer’s post.

Check out Eric Cech’s post about Creating Your Own Perfect Aromatherapy Skin Formula.

I’m really enjoying pomegranates these days. So I was excited to read Arsa’s post on The Health Benefits of Pomegranates.

Ever think about trying those tooth whitening strips? Check out Stanimir’s post!

Feeling a little sluggish? The Island Wench offers us Seven Ways to Get Your Energies Flowing.

Love Yoga? Check out the Free Healthy Weight Loss Yoga Program over at the Mastery of

Meditation, Enlightenment and Kundalini Yoga Blog.

Lovelyn offers an interesting video this week about The Importance of Eating Real Food.

The We Overstep blog offers a nice, concise entry about Reiki.

On the My Path To Fitness Blog, Rita offers a really simple way to help you reduce weight.

Want some neat ideas for all the Dandelions that will be sprouting this spring? Ellen Landauer offers some fabulous suggestions!

Healthy Mind

Learn how to tackle some of your really deep rooted fears in this post by Chris Edgar on Simplifying Your Fears.

Marcella Chester offers sound advice in her post about Surviving Rape.

With spring time appearing in the Northern Hemisphere, many of us are looking to do some Spring Cleaning. You won’t want to miss David B. Bohl’s post on Steps to Declutter Your Life.

Frederic Premji offers a great post this week entitled Why Don’t I do What I Know I Should? I’ve asked myself that very question!

Polishing The Pearl discusses Outfluence – and how it keeps stress at bay.

The Good To Feel Good Blog is offering us A Secret Meditation for Law of Attraction Followers.

Roger, over at the Happy and Prosperous Blog offers a great entry about Creating Self-esteem.

Mind Mart wants to know Is Your Bedroom Toxic?

I love Dan Taylor’s insight in his post 5 Steps to Peace.

Something to think about

You must check out Mad Kane’s Humor Blog. Her post about unselfishness is sure to make you smile J

The Healing Through Words blog offers us a really insightful post on Prejudice.

Anna Farmery offers a great post entitled Never Be Afraid of Living. 

Until next week, when Astrid Lee will be hosting – have a wonderful week!

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I am absolutely honored. I’ve been asked to be a guest on Katherine Reschke’s BlogTalk Radio Show tomorrow at Noon EST.

Katherine and I are going to be talking about mind-set traps. We’ll discuss what they are, how they effect you and how they may be sabotaging your efforts to build a thriving business.

Katherine is a phenominal person. She’s a coach who helps people figure out what their passion is. Then, she helps you build a business around it.

I know first-hand that her show is interactive, fun, and dynamic! Oh - and the best part is - you can CALL IN LIVE and speak with us. Ask us questions, offer a perspective - how cool is that? Do join us!

“The message for business people contemplating their place in cyberspace is simple and direct:  get linked or get lost.”  ~Vic Sussman and Kenan Pollack

Ok, so that’s a little bit harsher than I would present the topic! But, there is truth to this quote.

Where do a majority of your clients come from? In other words, where is it that people find you? Many holistic businesses that I speak with say that a majority of their clients come from word-of-mouth. Which, is a great thing! It means your current clients are talking about you, and they love the work you do for them.

So, really, what is all the fuss about web sites, and why do you need one if most of your clients come to you from word of mouth anyway?

Five years ago, when people asked me if they really needed a web site, I would tell them that it was completely up to them. That a web site wasn’t completely necessary.

Today, my answer is quite different. I always tell clients that a web site – an effective web site – is a must.

The truth is, we live in a world that is relying more and more on the internet. People use the internet, not only to find local services and businesses, but also to sort of window shop before they decide which service or business to visit.

I’ve done it myself. Just last week, I was looking for a yoga class. There are three schools in my immediate area, plus dozens of others in the surrounding area. I got online to check out the schools close-by. Two schools had web sites. I checked out both schools – and never even considered the school with no site. I found the school that resonated best with me, and I’ll be signing up for classes this week. And this is not a slam on the school with no site… it’s just that I found what I was looking for via the internet. Is the site-less school a good one? I have no doubt. But, I didn’t look into their school – and who knows who else they’ve missed because they’re missing a web site.

Don’t fret if you don’t yet have a web presence – this is not meant to be a scare-you-into-a-website sort of message. But, this is the reality that exists for businesses – including spiritually conscious businesses.

Luckily, it’s not difficult to set up a simple web site. You just need to know the key ingredients, and put a little time and effort into it. You don’t need all the bells and whistles – you just need something that connects with your potential clients.

This is not to say that you need to move your entire business to an online entity. It’s simply that having a web site will really help people find you, and it will help people connect with you in a whole new way.

The fact is, the internet is evolving, and is now a place where people go to window shop and find services. Having a web site can really help your potential clients find you, and it can help people connect with you.

What are your thoughts on having a web site? Do you have a site currently? If so, how is it doing to attract clients to you?

Next week, we’re going to talk about what the key ingredients are for an effective web site.

Hey everyone! I am privileged and honored to be the host of the March 29 edition of the Carnival of Healing. This will be my second time hosting and I’m really excited!

We are looking for submissions. Please feel free to submit your posts using the links below.

If you’ve never done a blog carnival, this is a great one to jump in with. Blog carnivals can help drive traffic to your blog - giving you exposure to 1,000’s of people. If you want more information about Blog Carnivals - if you’re not sure what it is or specifically how it can help your blog be seen, feel free to ask your questions in the comments section. I’m happy to help you out!

Check out the Carnival of Healing here:

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“Nothing of great value in this life comes easily. The things of highest value sometimes come hard. The gold that has the greatest value lies deepest in the earth, as do the diamonds.”
– Norman Vincent Peale

The internet is certainly a powerful tool. And, you may have seen all those ads out there telling you that you can make loads of money online. You may have even bought some products or books that teach you how to leverage the internet for your business.

But is it really possible to make lots of money quickly online like these products promise?

To leverage the internet, you need a few essential things happening in your business.

First, you need to be reaching a lot of people. A “response rate” is how many people respond to your offer. A good response rate is 1%. Yes – 1%. So, if you are reaching 1,000 people with your marketing message, 10 responses is considered good. Now, if you are reaching people who are really qualified – meaning they are really right for your products or services, your response rate will be a bit higher.

The second thing that you need for successful internet marketing is an established name – or a way for people to get to know you. 95% of the time, when people land on your web site for the first time, they will not make a purchase. The internet is a great place to window shop, and people don’t readily hand over their money. Think about it, how often do you purchase from someone the very first time you land on their site?

You need to have a way to stay in touch with people when they land on your site. You’ll see a lot of people do this through a newsletter or a blog. This way, you can build a relationship with people who may be interested in your business, but just aren’t ready to purchase from you yet.

The third thing to remember is, it takes time to build a business – online or offline. Just because the internet is accessible 24/7 and it has the potential to give you exposure to 100’s of 1,000’s of people, doesn’t mean it’s any easier to build a business. You still have to work at it.

I realize these internet marketers promise that you can make loads of money with seemingly no hard work. And, if you had a list of 100,000 people or more like they do, and you’ve been in business online 10 years or more like they have been, then yes, it’s really easy to be making 5 or 6 figures per month pretty quickly.

It’s entirely possible to make money online. You can create products, and even services that are available to people across the world. But it will take time, and you need to employ effective marketing techniques to really leverage the internet.

Are you trying lots of different things to promote your business or practice, but client flow is still sporadic and unpredictable?

You want a thriving practice. You want a regular, steady flow of clients – you really want to be able to help the people who need you. You’re doing what you can, and think you should to promote your practice, but it’s frustrating because clients only come in drips and drabs. Nothing really seems to be working to bring in steady work.

You get a little antsy about promoting yourself because you don’t want to come on too strong. Most marketing methods seem inauthentic, and you definitely don’t want to “sell.” Maybe you don’t even really know what to do to promote yourself – you’re doing what you feel is right, but it just doesn’t seem to be working.

There are effective, mindful marketing techniques that will connect you to your ideal clients, help you grow your business consistently, and help you reach potential clients in a way that sales happen organically and are not forced.

When promoting your business, you need to have four processes working for you to really begin creating momentum in your business. 1. Clear Vision. 2. Strong Foundation. 3. Reaching, Connecting, Building Relationships. 4. Consistent, Supportive, Foundational Strategy.

If any of those pieces are missing, marketing can feel intimidating and inauthentic. Marketing is meant to support the larger goals of your business – not to be in your face, aggressive, or pushy.

Promoting a spiritual business is a lot different than promoting a “traditional” business. You know some of the marketing techniques you see out there would definitely not work for you – so what do you do?
I’ve developed the Mindful Marketing process to help spiritually conscious business owners build thriving businesses.

The Mindful Marketing Group Coaching Program will teach you step-by-step how to promote your business in a way that is spiritually centered, non-invasive, and that helps you reach your potential clients, and helps them feel a deep connection with you.

You’ll come away from the program feeling stronger in your business, knowing exactly what to do to effectively, and mindfully promote your business. And, you’ll not only get support and guidance from me, but you’ll meet and connect with other practitioners who can relate to exactly what you’re going through.

The energy created during these group coaching programs is amazing. You’ll come away with very strong relationships with people you can reach out to on an ongoing basis.

To learn more about this program, check out the following web site:

http://createathrivingbusiness.com/mindful-marketing-group-coaching

I am so excited today - I have a guest blogger! Below, please find a wonderful article about the benefits of blogging. This article comes to us from Nicole Graham and Tara Spicer, who co-wrote The Journal For Modern Godesses.

I am a huge fan of journaling, it is a core practice for me. Nicole and Tara have developed an amazing journal - there is a link below to check it out.

I’m honored to be part of The Modern Goddess book tour, and am thrilled that they stopped by my blog and provided this amazing article.

And now, without further adue, I turn it over to Nicole:

Journaling is the practice of keeping a journal that explores your thoughts and feelings surrounding the events of your life. It is more than keeping a diary and recording the activities of your life, journaling allows you to clarify your thoughts and feelings, thereby gaining valuable self-knowledge.

Below are some examples of the benefits to keeping a journal.

Reduces Stress – Journaling has a proven benefit of reducing stress. The process of writing your thoughts and feelings down allows you to let go, and not carry as much with you throughout your day. This is a powerful form of self-expression, and through that expression you can gain clarity, release, and relief.

Increases Focus – Taking the time to journal can help you disentangle thoughts and ideas so that you can identify your true feelings and bring a clearer focus to what you want. This allows you to begin to live your life to the fullest.

Promotes Self-Healing – Through journaling and reflection you can uncover and record patterns and cycles as well as heal the past, heal relationships and soothe troubled memories. You will gain surprising and valuable insights into yourself as you journal, and again when you revisit past writings.

Encourages Personal Growth – As you express yourself you can integrate life experiences and learnings, explore night dreams, day dreams and fantasies, which in turn allows you to move forward in discovering who you really are.

Better Know Yourself – Journaling helps you create awareness of your beliefs and options, as well as help identify your values. This self discovery reveals different aspects of yourself, and allows you to better know yourself and make changes where you feel there is a need.

Better Communicator – Instead of saying something you may regret at a later stage, journaling is a safe way of expressing feelings and half-formed thoughts until you are ready to communicate them to others in a healthy and constructive way.

Setting Goals – You can clarify what you want and what is most important to you through journaling. Once you have identified those, you can begin to set goals and create action plans to support you in achieving what is important to you.

No Structure – Start today, stop tomorrow and that is how it should be. Journaling allows you to write whenever you feel like it. It is your journal, and your journey – record what you want and when you want based on your personal needs.

Overall journaling can be an effective tool of healing and self-empowerment for everyone, from those suffering great personal battles to those who wish simply to empower and clarify their own unique light and wisdom.

Your journal is your own sacred space, where you honour yourself and the unique light that you bring to our world.

~
Nicole Graham and Tara Spicer are currently on a virtual book tour promoting their recently released writing journal, Journal for the Modern Goddess.

About the Journal for the Modern Goddess:

This beautiful hard covered, spiral bound writing journal helps women uncover the beautiful, unique and powerful Goddess that they really are.

The journal features 6 coloured inserts with inspirational quotes, guided questions, affirmations and 204 lined pages for journaling. The coloured inserts divides the journal into sections - Gratitude and Happiness; Moving Forward; Dreams and Visions; Journal Pages; Guided Meditation; and Sanctuaries and Sisterhood.

The companion guided meditation CD features 3 tracks that provide women with sacred journeys that inspire and encourage them to create positive life patterns. These tracks help them to recognise and invite magic, inspiration and loving energy into their lives.

The journal retails for $34.95 AUD including GST.

To view or purchase the journal, please visit Nicole and Tara’s website, Journals for Empowerment. Please click on the Picture below:-

Tomorrow, Nicole is interviewed by Simone at Simone’s Butterfly. Simone’s site is http://simonesbutterfly.synthasite.com.

“You may never know what results come of your action, but if you do nothing there will be no result.” — Mahatma Gandhi

Gandhi’s words are very wise. And, I’m sure you know that you need to take action, or nothing will change. But, when it comes to promoting yourself, what actions are the right ones? And, where do you even start?

That feeling of overwhelm can really get you stuck in inaction. And then, as Gandhi points out, there will be no result.

It all starts with planning. And, if you’re anything like me, the thought of making a plan sort of feels stifling… or confining. I mean, what’s the sense in planning when you have no idea what’s going to come your way in the next few weeks or months – you want to have the flexibility to take advantage of any new opportunities, right?

I’m not a natural born planner, I had to learn the value of planning, and I had to learn to do it in a way that allowed for a certain degree of spontaneity, but also helped me move forward and feel productive, and full.

The first thing to realize is that – the plan can change. Anything you develop can (and probably will) change. The second thing to remember is, stay true to yourself and only include things in your plan that feel really good deep down in your soul.

To begin planning your business promotion efforts, the first thing to think about is, what types of business promotion activities do you love? Things like speaking, networking events, teaching, writing, are all activities that can be included in your plan.

Next, think about how much time you have to work in your business. You’ll want to spend at least 8 to 10 hours on marketing activities per week. If you’re brand new in business, you’ll want to up that a bit to maybe 15 to 20 hours.

I know that seems like a lot of time, but you really need to spend a good bit of time each week on promotion activities. Without getting your name out there, clients won’t know about you, and therefore, won’t know where to find you. And this is not about being obnoxious and “in-your-face.” This is about using different types of promotion activities to be in front of and connect with new and different people.

So, you might spend 2 hours at a networking event, 1 hour preparing a speech, 1 hour delivering a speech, 1 hour writing and submitting an article… you get the idea.

Business promotion is something that you must be active in pursuing. Posting fliers, sending post-cards, and having a web site are all excellent parts of your plan. However, you need to make a plan and take an active role in your efforts.

This week, we’re going to be talking about ways to easily create and take action on a good, solid plan.

For now, think about your current promotional efforts. In what ways are you actively promoting yourself? How many hours a week do you spend getting yourself out there – in front of the same people, and in front of new people? What are you doing to widen your reach?