Smart Women Step Into Their Gift

Today, I wanted to give you something special, yet practical that you could use right away to create momentum and positive energy in your life as you step into 2011. In my work with women, one of the essential exercises we do together is peel back the layers of their lives both personally and professionally to explore and discover their gift or what I sometimes refer to as their “genius.” You may be reading this and thinking, “I don’t know what my gift is” or “I don’t have a gift.” You do have a gift. You do have genius inside of you. Once you uncover your gift, your genius, life and business become far more enjoyable. When you have a business that allows you to work in your area of genius, you will have the opportunity to earn more money because you are doing what comes naturally to you. When you live in your genius, you feel happier and healthier. I know you want to be happier, healthier and make more money in 2011—right? In his book, “The Big Leap” Guy Hendricks talks about 3 zones that we live in: The Zone of Competence, The Zone of Excellence and The Zone of Genius. Most people live in the Zone of Competence or the Zone of Excellence. Why? It’s comfortable and it’s safe. Making a decision to live in your Zone of Genius means getting a little uncomfortable initially. You’ll have to admit to yourself and eventually the world that you actually have a gift and you’ll begin to say "No" more often to tasks and opportunities that are outside your Zone of Genius. Women are nurturers by nature so saying “no” will be a challenge but once you give yourself permission to do so, you’ll be delighted you did. Here’s a quick exercise to begin the process of uncovering your gift – your genius, so 2011 will become easy and effortless: 1. Grab a pen and paper2. Steal some quiet time and make a list of everything you do in your business and I mean everything (sharpening pencils, filing, etc) *Some women need to carry this list around with them for a few days to get really clear about all of those “hidden” tasks you are doing. If you have a smart phone, you can also voice record as you do each task and write it down later. 3. After you complete the list, I invite you to circle the ones that: *Seem effortless when you perform them *Other people compliment on how well you do that task *Brings immediate cash flow into your business *Give you a surge of energy and happiness You should have no more than 3-4 items circled. When I do this exercise with women, they typically have a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 40 items on their list. There are only 3-5 of those tasks that answer all 4 of the questions above. Yes, laundry has to be done, dishes washed and bills paid. If you give yourself permission to stay in your genius and live in your gift, you may find that your income will suddenly allow you to have more support in getting those other tasks accomplished. This was a big shift for me several years ago. It is one of the changes that supported my leap into living a life of service and support. Go ahead. Take ownership of your gift, your genius. Enjoy the abundance that 2011 holds for you. Anything is possible. Everything is waiting for you. *****