There’s got to be another way

Core Article: There’s got to be another way

Quote I’m Pondering: “If your mind is empty…”

Powerful Affirmations to Inspire: “Each day, I confidently move toward my goals…”

Cool Stuff: Did you see the story about the newborn calf cuddling with a 3-year-old?

There’s got to be another way

The subject of this email was my phrase of choice last year, which I will reveal more of below. This is a story about embracing a beginner’s mindset.

I’ve been a bit off my game this past month. You know me by now: I always tell the truth and share what’s happening, so if you’ve ever gone through something similar, you know you’re not alone.

Curiosity and love of learning and growing, whether in mindset, messaging (writing), and marketing, are always at the forefront of these eNewsletters.

Lately, I’ll be honest, I’m fixated more on the mindset piece, as these are the stories and lessons that have been coming to me.

If at any time you want more on marketing and messaging, hit reply, I’ve got lots to share there too! 🙂

Last year, in my brand writing class, we challenged ourselves to create a video for each new writing prompt each month. I was the first in the group to say, rather loudly, freaking out just a little, “There’s got to be another way! I’m a writer, not a video personality.”

The person who runs the group that I so admire, Michael, just smiled at me and said, “Of course, you do what’s best and what you’re called to do.” No judgment at all.

Then, in class, others began to speak up with inspiration and encouragement. By the end of the class, I decided I needed to work on letting go of all my fears and thoughts about “videos” and go back to a beginner’s mind.

And that’s exactly what I did. After the first month of making them, I enjoyed the process so much that I decided to do them weekly.

They became easier for me because I set simple guidelines for myself. I would only do them at my desk, with notes and, if needed, a script. They were easy to record, edit, and post.

Is there something that’s been staring and bearing down on you that you have to get done, and you keep putting it off?

Maybe it’s marketing your business by posting on social media more, getting on podcasts, going to events, etc. Or it’s organizing your office, home, or getting your taxes started or completed.

Whatever it is, a good go-to strategy is to ask this question. How can you look at it through the beginner’s mind lens?

Pretend like you don’t know anything about it and get your curious mind on it. Think about how you can make it interesting, or a game even.

For me, it was about tools. How can I find the best, easiest tool to record 3-7-minute videos without a tripod or holding my phone while walking and talking? I needed to be able to hit “the easy button,” or I knew I wasn’t going to do it.

That’s often the best place to start when you know it’s not your favorite task. Yet how can you make it easier? How can you break it down into smaller pieces? You can also fast forward to how you’re gonna feel when it’s finally done. That’s a good motivator, too.

Then there’s my favorite that I’ve shared before, the fifteen minutes a day process. I usually can get my videos done in fifteen minutes, maybe 30 minutes if I have to record a few times. Yet, I get it done.

The thing that amazed me was how I went from hating the idea to thinking, “Well, what’s the worst thing that could happen? And that put me over the threshold. Plus, being in a group of like-minded people who are cheering me on and willing to share their video methods with me has helped and inspired me, too.

What I also love about “a beginner’s mind” is noticing when I shut down in a meeting or on a group Zoom call, because someone is talking about something I know about. And my mind goes, “Oh, I already know this and tries to tune out and get distracted.”

Now I stop myself and think, what if I didn’t know anything about this? Maybe I will learn something new.

And I start being present and engaged again. The big plus is that most of the time, I learn something I can use and implement immediately.

It happened last week. I was on my mastermind call, and a presenter on storytelling was speaking. I thought I had read all the books on this subject. Apparently, I hadn’t read Michael Hauge’s book, Storytelling Made Easy. I took extensive notes because he offered an interesting perspective, shaped by his experience in Hollywood and in scriptwriting.

If this sounds interesting, and you want to discover more about writing stories and The Hero’s 2 Journeys and Michael’s take on it, here’s his YouTube video .

Tell me what you’re up to and what your experiences are with “the beginner’s mind.” I’m all ears. 🙂

If you’d like more marketing and messaging in these newsletters, or have any other questions, comments, or ideas, reply and let me know what you’re working on.

Hands at your back

Always. 🙂

Shannon

Quote I’m Pondering

“If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything; it is open to everything. In the beginner’s mind, there are many possibilities; in the expert’s mind, there are few.”
― Shunryu Suzuki, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind: Informal Talks on Zen Meditation and Practice

Powerful Affirmations to Inspire

“I celebrate my abundant wealth and generously share my blessings, knowing abundance multiplies in giving.”
“Each day, I confidently move toward my goals and dreams, trusting that I’m aligned with my desires.”
“I release worries and embrace peace, knowing the present moment holds the key to my happiness.”

Cool Stuff

Here’s something that’s always interested me: why do smells trigger memories? In case you didn’t know, all the answers are revealed here.
With subzero and one-digit temperatures across the east, middle, and southern U.S., this was a feel-good story about a newborn calf rescued from the cold that ended up cuddling with the farmer’s 3-year-old son.
Why airplane windows have this tiny hole at the bottom, and what it has to do with cabin pressure. Hmmmmm, not sure I wanted to know all that. Yet, I do feel a little smarter now when flying. 🙂

Weekly Photos

This week was all about the most amazing huge moon of February and how it’s been hanging around in the early morning. This was the first shot over Shasta Bally. The moon looks a bit dwarfed by the huge mountain. This was about 7:15 a.m.
Well, you know me, I can’t go hiking in the woods without seeing hearts everywhere. I won’t even tell you how many pictures of heart shapes I’ve found in the woods. So I will just share this tiny one, which is one of my favorites.
Here’s my favorite moon shot. It’s almost like the bare tree is reaching out to grab it. Oh, I love early mornings where the sky just keeps painting pictures that I can snap with my camera.
There I was on my walk along the Sacramento River. Lots of folks walking their dogs, this one looks like it left evidence from its swim. Perfect pawprint.
Okay, this is like one of those psychological picture tests. What do you see on the sidewalk? Me, well this is what I always see, a dog of course… Look at the top of the photo, see his snout and his yead, like his ears are back, then you can see his chest and his paws futher down… All cuz it rained, thanks rain, for the art you left along the sidewalk!
Love the early morning clouds swirling in the sky, looking angry and tumultuous on the path.
Yeah, one of my favorites – any road that leads to Mt. Shasta, yeah, I’m into seeing this heavy, beautiful, snow-covered mountain in the winter.

NEW: P.S. New Invitation – I’m going to launch my next Soulful Marketing Accelerator Co-hort in late February. 🙂 If you’re longing for like-minded community and ready to move through your fears to grow a purpose–driven business rooted in authenticity and aligned with your dream clients… Welllll. Go here to be first in line when I reopen the doors again. Would love to have you.

P.S.S. Whenever You’re Ready: Here are 3 Ways I can make an impact on creating greater success in your business using marketing that’s aligned with your mission and values without feeling like you’re selling your soul.

1. Make Money Now Sheet – It’s one of the bonuses in my 7-Step Soulful Marketing System. I wanted to give it to you for free to help you create more success.

2. Love Books Like I Do? – I’m always reviewing the best nonfiction books – Where Buddha Meets Business.

3. Get my proven 7-Step Soulful Marketing System. It gives you the framework you need to implement authentic and connected marketing using online customer experiences and launching your products, services, or courses. It will help you create greater success.

It’s a simple system, especially if you love to read like me. There’s no video or audio. Plus, you get my proven templates, tools, and worksheets, all with tremendous value. And I’m pricing it incredibly low so it can be more accessible to more people. 🙂

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I appreciate your sharing. Thank you!

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