Dina Proctor: Madly Chasing Peace: How I Went From Hell to Happy in Nine Minutes a Day
It is when we make time to be still will we meet the best version of ourselves; this version we long for is calm, happy, generous, compassionate, highly productive, wealthy and healthy.
Question: How do we then get to and stay in this state (of grace) when in the busy lives we lead we are continually bombarded with external stimuli, demands and deadlines coming at us from every angle leaving us no time to just be.
Answer: By meditating.
This is not a trite answer to some of your most pressing concerns; if you think I am suggesting you go sit under a tree and contemplate your navel or the meaning of life.
For Dina Proctor finding that inner core of peace that turned her life around isn’t hard work as she explains in her best-selling book “Madly Chasing Peace: How I Went From Hell to Happy in Nine Minutes a Day”. She went from hitting an emotional rock bottom through struggling with addictions, food issues and depression, to finding a consistent happiness by (get this) meditating for 3 minutes 3 times a day.
Surely, if you value your health, sanity and well being, adopting this practice is an investment in time that will be repaid a thousand fold.
Just do it!
Find Dina at www.dinaproctor.com
Dorinda Hafner Interview: Honey, I Shrunk The Chef
Dorinda Hafner is a remarkable human being whose career evolution can be summed up as “diverse” which as you read and listen to this interview is an understatement. Leaving Ghana at 18 and bound for the United Kingdom as a trainee nurse, she made stops along the way as a model, dispensing optician, actor, and is best known in Australia as a celebrity chef, civil celebrant and author of her latest book Honey, I Shrunk The Chef. 
At 65 and still going like the clappers, she is testament to the fact that you change careers not just once but many times and at this rate I would not be surprised to see her doing something else in the coming years.
As Dorinda so succinctly puts it, “We are all multi talented beings, and it is only when we nurture and grow these talents that our magnificence shines”. I got a sense of fun and enthusiasm and most importantly passion and authenticity. To me that is a sign of someone honoring her talents.
The original intent of this interview was to discuss her newly published book, but as we talked what unfolded was a chronicle of one woman’s rich and varied life as told through her book. Yep, it included all the triumphs and setbacks and what led to overeating as a means of compensating for perceived shortcomings.
I don’t know about you, but I like happy endings; Dorinda shares how she shed 80 kg (over 160 pounds!) by firstly being internally motivated to continue living a vibrant healthy life. The subsequent external actions she took included getting a (good looking) personal trainer, reassessing her eating habits, understanding and modifying the internal dialogue which lead to overeating.
I am not in the habit of endorsing cookbooks but Honey, I Shrunk The Chef is about self respect and shoring up self esteem by literally nurturing our bodies with good food simply because we have discovered we are lovable as we are.
Some of the topics covered:
Fending for myself-The emotional and psychological management of a food addict; Public image-Dorinda talks about how weight loss changed her relationships with friends, family and others; Exercise Issues-Dorinda’s road to making friends with regular exercise and how it affected her progress; Portion Adjustments-Fun ways to permanent portion control.
Get the book at http://www.honeyishrunkthechef.com
Angels in Hell-re empowered after rape: Interview with Ruby Johnson and Leanne Peard
None of us goes through life unscathed.
Ruby Johnson
Leanne Peard
Sometimes we cannot avoid the slings and arrows inflicted by thoughtless, tactless and downright objectionable people who co habit planet Earth.
These come in the form of verbal or physical bullying or worse.
Depending on our level of self esteem and self confidence we either roll with the punches or feel that it will take an eternity to heal those wounds.
If you are a regular reader of my blog articles you will know that at the very core of becoming successful is our perception of our self esteem, self worth, self confidence that will either get you there or stop you from achieving all your goals.
I had the privilege of speaking with Leanne Peard & Ruby Johnson authors of Angels in Hell-re empowered after rape about their personal experiences and what they have done to move on.
Watch my interview with these 2 remarkable ladies: viewMedia.do?mId=192824806
or download the interview
Ruby Johnson Leanne Peard Interview Part1
Ruby Johnson Leanne Peard Interview Part2a
Ruby Johnson Leanne Peard Interview Part2b
Firstly I want to acknowledge their courage and honesty for writing about their personal experience with rape.
Secondly I want to thank them on behalf of everyone who has been through it for sharing their means and methods to heal (emotionally) and move forward with their lives rather than be held hostage to the past.
“Change or tapping into personal power is not an easy—but definitely a necessary—part of this journey called life, especially for those of us who have been violated, abused or attacked.
The bad news is that many will not take the steps to change; many will not be able to forgive. Many will stay in the darkness and never experience the beauty that life has to offer. We would hope that you will choose to change, to transform your life and re-‐empower yourself.”-Angels in Hell re empowered after rape
Leanne Peard is the director of Absolute Wisdom a Life and Business Coaching consultancy, a Master of Reiki, and mother of two; she lives in tropical Cairns Queensland.
Ruby Johnson is the owner/director of Wholistic Enterprises and the founder of the College for Actualising Human Potential. She has designed and had nationally accredited the Cert IV to the Advanced Diploma in Wholistic Wellness and is the Author of 2 other books: Your Drug or Your Life and Wake Up & Breathe.
Purchase the book at http://www.celebratingwomanhood.com.au
Visit them on www.facebook.com/angelsinhell1
Wayne McDonald Interview Part1: Success Know How
Wayne McDonald, founder and CEO of Success Know How really does know how to take your business from a standing start (or in some cases in dire need of resuscitation) to a 10 fold increase in profitability-at least.
His 25 years of experience either owning or running corporate training companies places him as an authority in this field of getting your business to the next level.
With a tagline, “Success can be achieved by growing your mind and engaging your heart”, Wayne is not afraid to confront the hard issues that prevent people and companies from performing at their best.
Wayne McDonald Interview Part1
He shares real life examples (Part 2 of this interview) of how he gets business owners past their own fears and vulnerabilities about managing recalcitrant staff to being empowered to make decisions that are in the best interest of their business.
He helps his clients take a quantum leap beyond their present circumstances and limitations to unlimited success.
Find Wayne at
The Importance of Self Esteem in Creating Succes
My article today is aimed at women who work in a corporate setting.
Your company may have a dress code stipulated or as with some industries it may be informal but you still need to turn up well attired.
My point is that women get to express some of their individuality in their accessories and colors.
So let’s look at this scenario-you have an unlimited budget for clothes, shoes, hand bag(s) etc.
You turn up in designer heels, dress and are immaculately coiffed.
You have burns scars to 75% of your body including your face, upper arms and have only one ear. 
How would you feel?
In a world quick to judge on the way we look and dress, some people might find that despite being well dressed, they would still feel like crawling under a rock.
I talked to Kelly Falardeau a burns survivor about her journey from hell to becoming an entrepreneur, motivational speaker and author of her new book “Self Esteem doesn’t come in a bottle”.
Listen to her pearls of wisdom
http://
Yes, she is out there standing in front of crowds knowing they will be staring at her scars and not giving a damn what they think.
She has self esteem.
Which brings me to the title of this article: The Importance of Self Esteem in Creating Success
Our ability to become wealthy and successful is determined by the level of our self esteem and self respect.
When we hold ourselves in high esteem and we respect us (the self) regardless of the opinion of others (which may be positive or of the knee capping variety), we have discovered one of the many secrets to wealth and success.
Julie Steelman Interview: Sales is Not a Dirty Word
Julie Steelman knows a thing or two about selling; by choosing to see her sales role as one of giving overwhelming value and service to her clients it has made her debt free and allowed her to retire (at a very young age) to tropical Hawaii.
If you want proof, how about being able to generate $100 million in sales (this is not a typo) from clients such as Apple, Microsoft, Toyota, CBS Sony and Universal Pictures.
And this is when most people are struggling to make commissions and targets.
In her new book “The Effortless Yes: Get the Sales You Want and Make All You’ll Ever Need”, Julie shares her “a ha” moment after the very lean first two years in the business.
Her Road to Damascus moment can be summed up in one sentence, “It’s not about you, it is about the customer”.
Julie Steelman Interview (unlinked)
Julie’s advice: “Get over yourself because it is not personal; you’re here because you have something unique to give that can make someone’s life a lot better”.
Can’t argue with that kind of logic.
So if you have been finding the whole “selling” thing awkward, uncomfortable and downright icky (a technical term in the sales game), do yourself a favor and invest in Julie’s years of wisdom and practical know how-NOW!
Find Julie Steelman at:
http:// www.juliesteelman.com
Interview with Nick Cownie: Overcoming Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Finding Financial Freedom
As a young 21 year old Nick Cownie came face to face with his own mortality when he and a friend were held up at gun point and robbed after a night out to celebrate his birthday. Diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, he decided that being held hostage by this condition was cramping his life, even if it did not feel that way then.
Fast forward 10 years and Nick shares his journey of not being able to leave his bedroom at his parents’ house for weeks at a time as he grappled with PTSD, to living his ultimate dream life of running a successful coaching business complete with gorgeous wife and little daughter in the Blue Mountains outside Sydney, Australia.
Using the various Neuro Linguistic Programming techniques to overcome PSTD, the added bonus Nick discovered was that NLP helped him uncover his mental blocks to manifesting a lot of money almost without effort (try $99, 000 in 60 minutes).
In this in depth interview, Nick shares his strategies of leveraging his time to the degree that he only needs to work 3 days a week to maintain this amazing lifestyle.
Listen to him speak Nick Cownie Interview (unlinked)
Nick has generously offered to teach and guide you through the exact same techniques he used to become the happy, wealthy and fulfilled person he is today.
Check it out at http://expertmindset.com/manifest
Nick Cownie is an internationally acclaimed expert in the fields of mindset improvement, neurolinguistic programming, and personal development. He graduated from Sydney’s University of Technology with a Bachelor of Health Sciences in Traditional Chinese Medicine (B.HSc.TCM). Nick and his brother Andrew co founded the Success Dynamics Institute. As its Director, Nick’s specialty is in helping you get the right mindset from the outset so you can cut through the mental chatter and do what really matters in your life.
Prince Charming Isn’t Coming or How to reclaim your financial destiny: Barbara Stanny Tells
Barbara Stanny is a pioneer in the field of financial education for women and has authored a number of books including the best seller “Prince Charming Isn’t Coming-How women get smart about money” and “Secrets of Six Figure Women”.
When I spoke with Barbara Stanny about her road to becoming financially literate, her story had an all too familiar ring. Many women will be able to identify with her journey; some of it isn’t pretty, some of it will cause you to squirm. You may even feel the fear stab you in your heart because it hits uncomfortably close to home.
Listen to her pull no punches interview here: Barbara Stanny Interview1 (unlinked)
She like so many women did not feel confident enough to take control of her finances until fate intervened. What started as a simple act of withdrawing cash from an automatic teller machine turned into horror when these two words “insufficient funds” appeared on the ATM advice slip.
Barbara’s spouse (who mismanaged her inheritance) left her to find her own way out of the financial maze that included paying back taxes of $ 1million. Believing in the adage that “what doesn’t kill you will make you stronger,” she set out to learn the language of money. In doing so Barbara discovered how to overcome not only the external but internal blockages to becoming financially independent.
As Barbara states, “In your deepest pain lies your highest purpose”. We are eternally grateful that her purpose to empower women through her books, seminars and retreats has saved many a woman from financial ruin.
What appeared initially a financial disaster of monumental proportions has been a gift of self discovery. Barbara is passionate about sharing her hard won knowledge in her latest program “Sacred Success” for women who are on the verge of or have reached affluence. Specifically it speaks to women who want to make a difference in the world through philanthropy.
This is indeed a fine legacy for any woman.
Find Barbara at http://www.barbarastanny.com
10 Tips to Staying Motivated: Especially When You Don’t Feel Like It
Motivation is like a shower, you need one everyday-Zig Zaglar
Firstly it would be unrealistic to feel pumped all the time, so don’t be hard on yourself if you have the odd day when you feel really flat. Here are 10 suggestions to get you to re focus. Go get ‘em!
An update to this post: I have included an mp3 recording
Click here to listen:Audio recording of 10 Tips to Staying Motivated
1. Remind yourself again what it is that you are striving to achieve.
• Is it a physical fitness goal of wanting to run a personal best in the Boston marathon or being financially independent in 5 years
• Either way, are your goals written down for you to review and read as often as it is necessary
2. Portion control
• You can eat an entire elephant by yourself if it is only one bite at a time. So chunk it down to manageable portions that are achievable in days and weeks rather than months and years!
3. Do a stock take of where you were 3, 6 and 12 months ago relative to where you are now
• Celebrate your wins, no matter how small. It’s a win, don’t get too precious about it
• Keep a journal and record your progress. You will be surprised at how far you have come
4. Practise mental rehearsal of having reached your goal
• Make it as real as possible by imagining what you are wearing, who is with you, whereabouts is this taking place, does it have a particular smell. Above all, tap into the feeling of having aced the goal and remind yourself of that winning feeling by clicking your finger 3 times in succession.
• Do this daily even when you don’t feel like it, especially when you don’t feel like it
5. What are you eating, when do you exercise
• Remember the old computer programming term GIGO (Garbage In Garbage Out). If you are fuelling your body with junk food, you will not have the energy and stamina to get to your goals. This is a non negotiable fact of getting where you want to go and what you want from life
• Yes, your body is a temple. Worship it with fresh food, vegetables, and lots of water. Ditch the refined carbs and trans fats, they clog your arteries and reduces blood and oxygen flow to your brain. Lord knows you need all your neurons to fire if you want to be able to think clearly.
• Physical fitness is not an option. Again it is one of those things you just do to stay alert and healthy to be able to enjoy your successes when they come. Being in an iron lung and a millionaire is kind of bittersweet
6. Oh brother where art thou; who do you hanging out with
• Are these people supportive or do they make it a sport of taking potshots at your dreams and goals; if they are in the latter category, say bye-bye and leave them to wallow in their own pity party
• Create a mastermind support group. These are people on the same wavelength who will not ridicule your goals, dreams and aspirations but instead cheer you on. You can learn from them and vice versa
• If this type of support is thin on the ground, consider hiring a business/life/fitness coach to keep you accountable. Yes, it costs money so think of it as an investment in yourself. “You’re worth it” as the Revlon ad goes.
7. What are you reading, watching on television
• I am a big fan of reading motivational books by Jim Rohn, T Harv Eker, Bob Proctor and the cool thing is that there are lots of free mp3 downloads you can listen to in your car or as I like to call it “your university on wheels”.
• Stop watching the news. If it is really important, somebody will tell you. Notice how television only reports bad news; that is because bad news sells.
8. When do you stay still-meditate daily
• This is about staying healthy on the inside
• Often the solutions to business problems or obstacles at work are found when we shut up and stay still long enough for our sub conscious to present us with an answer.
• Don’t be skeptical if you haven’t tried it for at least a month
9. When did you last do a budget and track your expenditure and earnings
• It is vital not to shy away from tracking your finances. How then will you know that you have made progress in putting aside money for investments and passive income building? Answer me that?
10. Get in sync with your internal clock
• If you are a night owl and your best ideas come to mind after 10pm, ask yourself why are you flogging your body to be up at 5am to be inspired and creative on your projects. It does not make sense, so stop it!
Yours in health, wealth and happiness
What Does It Mean To Be Wealthy
With respect to the above, I am reminded of a television advert some years ago aimed at selling a well loved Australian brand of chocolate biscuits. These were not just any choc biscuits, they were Tim Tams! They were made with a choc filling and each biscuits was then dipped and coated in more chocolate. You get the picture.
Anyway, the scene is set where a young man strolling on a beach on a hot summers day finds a bottle on the beach. When he unscrews the cap, a genie pops out and offers him his one wish. He says to the genie, “I want to be cool and I want to be rich”. So, the genie obliges by turning him into a packet of Tim Tams and sticks that in the fridge.
The advert finishes with a couple of attractive girls opening the fridge and are pleased to find the nice cool and rich Tim Tams as their afternoon snack. Win, win I think.
The point of this story is to draw your attention to the fact that if you cannot succinctly define what it means to be wealthy you may find it a bit of a struggle to become wealthy.
I have expanded on what I mean here: What does it mean to be wealthy Lorwai TAN recording
In essence there are two aspects to consider; firstly the tangible or material wealth. Secondly, and equally important is the intangible, and it encompasses qualities such as good health, happy and fulfilling relationships with most importantly being at peace with yourself.
The dictionary defines (material) wealth as “an abundance of valuable material possessions or resources”. These resources allow you to be financially free which means you are able to live a lifestyle of your desire without having to work or rely on someone else.
To determine if you have an abundance of valuable material possessions, follow this simple exercise. Take a piece of blank paper and draw a line down the middle. Heading one column, write “assets” and the other “liabilities”. This is the quickest way to determine your nett worth. It is basically what you own (free hold) minus what you owe ie how much of that is tied to loan repayments (debt). Hopefully you come out with a positive (in the black) rather than a negative (in the red) number.
So the name of the game is to increase your nett worth. And surprisingly one of the habits you want to cultivate is that of being able to receive with thanks and gratitude the good that comes your way. This may include the odd compliment! Learn to be an excellent receiver and do not deflect or downplay its value.
Remember the Universe is there to do your bidding so if you want material gain, don’t keep turning down the good things that come your way. The Universe will do as instructed!