What You Can Learn from Avatar




If you haven't seen the blockbuster hit, Avatar, you need to see it! One of the greatest reasons is because of the sheer amazing imagination that has gone into the creation of this amazing movie.

Imagination is the drive and passion and is KEY in your life. Where can you improve your imagination? How can you use your imagination to improve your life and business?

Not sure how to be imaginative? Visit: http://www.audioacrobat.com/play/W76llw1s

"I'm not participating!"

Yesterday, I was working in my retail store when a gentleman said, "I'm not participating!"

It made me laugh because I was thinking about my two sons who would say that when they didn't want to do something. I would immediately find fault in their thinking.

Here was a man saying the same thing but there was no fault in his thinking. He was talking about the media, the scare tactics, and this 'so-called economic crisis.'

"What do you mean?" I quizzed him.

"I refuse to succumb to negativity and get sucked into all that the media is saying. They thrive on scare tactics and sell more when we're scared."

I pondered this and thought about all the people who lost their jobs - my friends, recently, my mother and yes, the slowdown in spending. Being a retailer, I saw the effects in October; people glued themselves to their chairs and watched the news to find out what to do next. No one knew. Everyone ran around in a panicked state. Our store sales dropped and our recently hired employee was terminated.

I should've been depressed and at my lowest point. After all, I had planned to transition from the store and this person was taking my place. I was moving on to do my writing, coaching and other things and had looked forward to this for years.

But a funny thing happened to me. Rather than 'give in' like I normally do, I limited the amount of news I watched, grabbed some funny movies and worked on raising my energy level. I didn't want to feel bad - I couldn't afford to be negative in my store. I kept feeling positive and then something really funny happened...I got offered to write for one company, got hired to do work for another company, I still work with hubby in the store and I'm so busy it's insane.

By not participating in this 'event,' I'm attacting a number of quiet followers who are going through transitions, moving forward and making positive changes in the world. This is pure proof that the positive outweights the negative.

So the next time you feel overwhelmed and scared, shut off the news, go exercise, rent a funny movie or engage in something uplifting!

Happy escaping,



Lisa Rickwood

There's No Such Thing as a Balanced Life

If you're a coach, a business person, a busy person, an overwhelmed person, you're probably seeking what the 'experts' call - balance.

While this sounds great, it's an unrealistic term that sets you up for failure.

I know I'll probably get a lot of heat from people out there (and especially coaches) because I should know better as I'm a coach, but I'm tired of hearing the word balance. Frankly, we use it too much and it only makes us feel worse about our lives.

Here are the fallacies with using the word:

1. What does balance mean to you? Here's where the first problem starts. Everyone's idea of balance is different, therefore a guru telling you what looks 'normal' in your life has no idea. They may work 60 hours a week and feel healthy, happy and secure. You may work 40 and think you're working too much because you have another job and six children.

2. Nothing in life is static: It's impossible to have a total balance in your life. Just when your finances are improving, your relationship with your significant other may be going through a challenge. You may have one area of your life shine, and another area needs work. As a coach, I work on all areas to improve them and while most areas may be great, life happens.

You may have everything appearing to be in balance and then you get laid off at work. Your finances, career, relationships may be great and then your father passes away. There is no permanent balance - life is constantly growing and changing. In fact, the universe is still continuing to expand.

Life is like that - unpredicatable, uncontrollable...all you can do is control your beliefs and actions.

3. Being caught up in the word 'balance' can make you feel depressed, frustrated and downright miserable. As mentioned earlier, there will always be one area of your life that's weaker than the rest - if only for a short time. This word should only be used to mention credits and debits, scales, what's left of something or a weighing device.

4. Use a different word for your life: Instead of balance, you should be focusing on a word that mentions how you are constantly changing and growing to create the life and world you desire.

5. Be more accepting of life: We spend a lot of time fighting and complaining about our situation in life. In Buddhism, the teachings talk about accepting and making peace with your life, no matter how good or bad. This isn't easy, but a softer heart and lack of cynicism will make your life more enjoyable and you will have a chance to positively affect the lives of others.

6. It's about prioritizing: Forget balance, life is a smorgasboard of choices. It's about what you decide to believe in, who you hang out with, what you do for work, how you spend your time. If you're not sure what your priorities are, simply open your calendar and study the time and activities that fill your book. Is your time spent shopping, being with family, working, playing, creating, loving, making a difference?

As a last note to help you in 2008, skip the word balance, and go for passion!

Lisa Rickwood, "Small Biz Stress Buster," is a small business coach, visual artist and author of Escape The Pace: 100 Fun And Easy Ways To Slow Down And Enjoy Your Life and co-author of Power & Soul: 42 Successful Entrepreneurs Share their Secrets for Creating the Business and Life of Their Dreams. She helps small business owners ‘master stress for professional and personal success.’ Get your FREE e-book, 5 Critical Actions That Hurt Your Business and Add Stress to Your Life…and How to Escape Them by visiting: http://www.escapethepace.com