Welcome to all and Happy 4th of July to Americans worldwide!  What a privilege it is the celebrate the freedoms we have here in this country.  Please enjoy the holiday, be safe and believe in peace throughout the world.

OK, so I am "technologically challenged" and I cannot tell you why the Growth emails -- a daily inspirational quote that I share -- are still not being sent out.   Please rest assured that I am actively working with the web company to get this resolved.  I am awed by how many folks have written to say that they miss the daily emails.  WOW!  Thank you so much for the support and also for the many, many NEW subscribers to the Growth list!  I am warmed by your sentiments!  Anyhow, we will get it figured out and resume mailings soon. (Anyone who wants to be on this list, just send me an email with SUBSCRIBE GROWTH in the subject line.  I'll include you as soon as we are up and running again.  If you have been on the list or have requested to be on this list, I DO have your name and there is no need to resubmit your request.)   Thanks for your patience!

Speaking of emails, it is my policy to endorse only those people, products and programs that I am especially connected to.  I very rarely send out additional emails, however I will be sending one later today.  Please look for it and prayerfully consider participating. Details to follow but please look for an email with "SPECIAL REQUEST FROM BETH" in the subject line.  Thank you.

OK, enough announcements already!  Let's get on with it!

With Love,
Beth

I've had a number of conversations recently about personal power.  I define personal power as: stepping into the full glory of who you are and honoring that sacred part of yourself with integrity and truth.  Ahhh, doesn't that sound nice???  :-) Well, actually, it is exactly what personal power is all about.  It's about being comfortable with who you are and the gifts you have been given.  It's about trusting that WHO you are is plenty and WHAT you do is secondary.  It's not so much about STRIVING but rather THRIVING each day right where you are.

But who among us is in that powerful position?  Very few. Like most folks I talk with, we all want to be in that place of being totally comfortable with who we are, yet we often get in our own way in the process. Cheryl Richardson, author of Stand Up for your Life, points out that we limit our personal power through our thoughts, actions and words.

Consider some of the ways you might be hiding yourself from the world:

1. Multitasking: You are drained.  You are multitasking, doing far too many things at one time.  Your attention is scattered and as such, you don't do any one thing to the best of your ability.  Sound familiar?  Well, stop that!  :-)  There is incredible power (and peace!) in learning to focus on one thing and do it to the best of your ability before moving on to another task. 

2. People Pleasing: Bill Cosby, the wise and wonderful comedian says, "I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody." Multitasking and people pleasing go hand in hand -- they are like syphons in your energy tank.  Keep your integrity in tact and be happy with YOU before attempting to please anyone else.

3. A Cluttered Mind: Consider the billions of thoughts that go into your mind each day, both consciously and subconsciously.  What are they all doing there?  Who needs all that information?  Think about your mind as something that regularly needs tending to and clear out the clutter, much like you would clean up a closet.  Let go of what you don't need and information that no longer "fits" you.  Reduce your "toxic mental waste" by taking time for yourself and embrace silence -- it's one of the best friends you can ever have.

4. Believing you have limitations.  Simply put, you DO NOT have limitations!   They are only perceptions.  Granted, we all have challenges, but not limitations.  Remember: your thoughts determine the course of your life and the sum of your decisions determine the quality of your life.  Put good thoughts out into the Universe and into conversations.  Watch them come back to bless you.  Learning to be positive is something you can learn -- watch your language to both yourself and others.  It's a critical part of claiming your personal power.

5. Letting fear rule your life.  The truth is, we all have fear.  But what does it cost you?  What are you missing out on because you are scared?  What kind of marvelous experiences could you have in your life if only you weren't fearful?  Fear has its place in the world and that is to protect us, but it sure isn't meant to limit us.   Think about what it is that you are fearful of -- write it down and then really meditate and consider if this fear is showing up to protect you or is it merely limiting you?  If it is the latter, you can change the direction of your life by being BOLD and facing it.

Become aware of the ways you limit your power.  Just being aware will change your thought process.  You are meant to be a powerful individual with a definite purpose!   In order to live your BEST life, you must step up and claim what it already there waiting for you -- your personal power!

The mind is like a garden: it must be tended to prevent overgrowth.  Spend a few moments each day pruning the garden of your mind.  Remember that with each discarded flowerhead, you give a new bloom a chance to grow; and with each weed that you pull up, you make room for fresh green grass.  Statues in your garden might represent achievements, and a fountain might flow as a symbol of positive energy.

(From The Relax Deck, published by Duncan Baird Publishers.  See www.chroniclebooks.com to learn more.)

Thanks for spending time with me as we embark on a nice Holiday weekend here in the USA.   Remember your independence and those who have paid for us to have the freedoms that we enjoy.  My wish for you is that you stand proud of who you are, secure in knowing that you do, indeed, have the power to change the world, wherever you reside.

God bless you and God bless America,

Beth
Coach / Writer / Human Being