A common theme I noticed was “48 years old, what a waste” which seemed curious to me and is something I want to consider for a moment.

Would you say she wasted her life?

According to Wiki she sold over 170 million albums, singles and videos worldwide, had 7 consecutive No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hits and won 415 career awards including Emmy and Grammy Awards.

Are you saying that was a waste? That she didn’t do enough?

Can you think of others in history who have had as short a life and made a big difference in the world? I can think of plenty and many of them didn’t even last to 48 years old.

It’s not about how much money she made or how many awards she got. I believe for any performer the DEEP TRUTH of why they do what they do is to make a difference in the world.

You see, if you could imagine yourself as Whitney now – and I very much believe her soul is alive and kicking – you could see very clearly the difference you made. (How very sad she couldn’t see it before.)

You would see how many people jumped up and down singing loudly “How Will I know” feeling on top of the world. (Including a teenage Annabelle.)

You would see how many slow waved their arms in the air in bliss, hugged themselves or a loved one during a wedding dance during “Greatest Love of All”.

And you would see how many cried or allowed the emotion to surface when nothing else could help during “I Will Always Love You”.

And metaphysically, each instant a human being is raised to a higher level of vibration – in other words felt better – than they did the moment before, they are moving away from fear, anger, powerlessness, depression and moving towards all the good emotions that draw their desires closer to them. (If this all sounds a bit odd to you I highly recommend reading “Ask and it is Given” as an excellent introduction to what I’m talking about.)

Add all those moments up for all those people and knowing you as a performer made that much of a difference in the world? My God, that is phenomenal.

That is such a massive contribution to improving the world that it is almost inconceivable as to the great difference your performance made.

And even though you’re not Whitney, you ARE a creative being. You may be a performer, an artist, a mother, a brother, a lover. When you put effort and focus into making others feel good and understand how worthy that makes YOU to receive all the good stuff in return, you would never need to turn to drugs, alcohol or any other addiction to make you feel better.

So next time you hear a song, see a painting,
laugh at a line in a good advertisement or notice someone giving to others,
no matter how small or how big the giver appears to be

SPEAK UP

Tell them that what they are doing is making a difference and,
with enough encouragement,
they’ll know their efforts are never wasted.
—

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I have to say I was blown away by the diverse styles and materials he liked to use from indian ink, charcoal and paints to sheet metal, newspaper, wire, bronze, wood and bicycle handles. I loved seeing the different eras (like the Blue Period and Cubism) he went through but also how he would break out of that style and just do what came naturally. He never limited himself, constantly experimenting and really, playing like a child without rules.

Sometimes he would take inspiration from ancient art, sometimes he worked alone and other times he drew inspiration from his contemporaries. Not just visual artists but working with composers, writers, photographers and choreographers.

Through these expert and unique connections, entire new movements in the world of art were born.

Here’s the thing that really struck me. One of the first comments on the wall at the beginning of the exhibit before you get to the artwork:

“I paint the way some people write an autobiography. The paintings, finished or not, are the pages from my diary…”

I thought to myself “well I always finished my diary pages, just like I pretty much always finish my work.”

Hmm, perfectionism.
Is it a virtue or a fault?

It can be great for constantly raising your standards, giving you something precious you can be proud of. (It would annoy me greatly when I got 99% in a maths or music test at school.)

But how much more could be achieved if my work wasn’t so perfect?

How much less limiting could I be?
How much broader could I experiment if I played like Picasso?

The way media, articles and videos are presented to us these days, you have to admit, quality is often waning. Does it bother anyone though (apart from other perfectionists)?

The YouTube videos with the highest following – literally millions of people viewing them – are never beautifully finished.

Content is King.

Get the message, expression, feeling, thought or punchline across quickly to match the new shortened attention span and you’ll make a bigger impression. To tweet something re-tweetable you have to be profound AND super succinct.

It’s very different from how I’ve worked before but, what the hey?

So this has become my New Year’s Resolution, albeit a couple of weeks late.

Work like Picasso.

Work prolifically.
Work fluently.
Work from the heart.
Reduce the amount of time you go back and correct what is already done.
Build on a theme but break out of it when intuition speaks to you.
Make lots of stuff – and stuff-ups – and your masterpieces will appear.

How can you use Picasso’s style of working to your advantage this year?

Looking back at the coaching sessions I was doing the week before I left I noticed something extraordinary. Almost every client session seemed to veer towards the same themes so here are my three powerful challenges for you to close the year.

1) Simplify
At Christmas we set up a vast and complicated web of expectations on what needs to be bought, organised, people to be thanked, visitors, parties to attend, catering, cards, presents and more presents.

Road rage gets more out of control at this time of year. Suicides and depression are higher. Marriages seem to reach their final straw. It’s like the worst kind of annual crescendo and it’s most often caused by the stress we put on ourselves.

The big question is, how much of this really needs to be done before the 25 December deadline? How complicated does the big day need to be to fully appreciate your guests and have some laughs with them?

How many people would be just as happy to receive your present, card or thanks after the New Year when they actually have some time to stop and chat to really connect?

How many parties or functions can you cancel where you only know the host and you could catch up with them in January and have a decent conversation?

Challenge number one is to see how much you can simplify this December. Lighten your load on things to do and people to see. Keep it to the highest priorities and create smaller To Do lists. The goal is to calm nerves, reduce the likelihood of car accidents, arguments and frowns which require Botox. A lighter schedule will allow you enjoy every day so you don’t fall asleep at Christmas dinner.

2) Live in the moment
This was another point which popped up over and over again. We occupy our minds with so much stuff we spend all our thoughts on what needs to be done and fixed. The sign of an over occupied mind is one that wakes up stewing over what it went to bed thinking about.

So challenge number two is make a habit of stopping, even just for 90 seconds, several times a day and notice all your senses. Run through them like a list. What do I smell right now? What do I hear, see, taste, feel? Try not to judge them as good or bad just notice they are there.

Sounds like a bit of a shocker I know but once I was having a conversation about the smell of armpits. I said “well a sweaty armpit smells better than a dead armpit”. Hey, you have to give me points for optimism!

By stopping to breathe deep (preferably without your nose in an armpit) and focussing on your senses you release just a little bit more stress and feel some gratitude for being alive. We live in the most amazing time ever right now. Let’s not miss it.

3) Give as you would receive
One of Australia’s Master Business Coaches Barbara Anderson talked in her newsletter about a Sydney trend at the moment of paying it forward. More details here: http://www.wakeupsydney.com.au/ The idea is to do a good deed when it’s not expected and walk away knowing you’ve made someone smile.

It’s a great initiative and Law of Attraction theory says that when you give in this way, without requiring something in return, you confirm your belief that you have more than enough to share. In doing this you inevitably attract MORE prosperity, kindness and support from others in your near future. Sound like fun?

So challenge number three, to complete at least once a day until 31 December, is pay it forward. It may not cost anything. When I lived in a house with a lawn I would mow my neighbour’s front lawn as well. They loved me and it built a great neighbourly relationship. It feels good. You can pat yourself on the head and know you’ve made a difference in the world today.

Enjoy your Christmas. If your plans turn pear shaped and aren’t working out, remember it will still be memorable in a good way if you get to share some laughs and love.

Simplify
Live in the moment
Give as you would receive

Talk to you in the New Year!

Kitegirl Coach Annabelle Drumm
Feet on the Ground for Creative High Flyers
http://kitegirlcoach.com
Phone +61 2 8205 7639

Normally I’d write you an article but this time I wanted to share my news
with you instead.

A couple of weeks ago I applied for an elite business course. It’s run by
Bradley Communications. They’re the publicity company that helped launch
Robert Kiyosaki‘s Rich Dad Poor Dad (sold 26 million copies and 6 years on
the New York Times Best Seller list) and Jack Canfield‘s Chicken Soup for
the Soul (now a series of books which has sold over 100 million copies in 54
languages worldwide).

The course only had 150 places in the world. I had to submit articles (the
same ones I send you), publicity I’ve done and what my goals are in my
career.

Guess what? I got selected! Yee haa!

The course will be 12 months. I can do most of it by Skype and phone but am
flying for the first intensive group mastermind to Philadelphia for the
first week of December.

My coaching has seen some extraordinary results with my clients. Often I’m
sitting there with my mouth open, just like the client, when I probably
should be sitting there with a calm James Bond look on my face saying “Why
of course. I knew that was going to happen.”

It’s so fulfilling to see major positive change in my clients that I know I
assisted. Making a difference in the world is everything to me, even if it’s
done one person at a time.

Not everyone can afford one-to-one coaching though, so I’ll be extending my
business model into more economical products and services. My goal is to
help as many people in the world as I can and I really feel this new course
is going to help me achieve that. I’m riding on the shoulders of giants now.

So stay tuned and feel free to encourage any of your creative friends who
want to improve their own careers to subscribe on my homepage.

Also, if you’re interested in one-to-one coaching to help maintain your
career, make it feel like less work or to make it something you’re really
passionate about, come talk to me.

SPECIAL DISCOUNT
(because I’m in a good mood)
If you do your initial consultation before 30 November
then sign up and pay before 16 December
(bearing in mind I’ll be away 3-11 December)
I’ll give you more than 25% DISCOUNT on my 6 month career coaching series.

There’s more info and testimonials on the site if you want to read about it:
http://kitegirlcoach.com

Or you can call and leave a message with a few suitable times you’re
available to talk. Phone +61 2 8205 7639.

Or just email me off the website (don’t press reply to this… I won’t get
it) and I can email you back my skype or AIM name so we’re saving ourselves
the toll call.

I’d love to help make your career something that would leave your mouth open
too. Let’s talk!

Kitegirl, Annabelle Drumm

Image via Wikipedia

What do you think of when you see the words “fashion model“? Great looks, no brain. Living off her pretty face but not capable of walking and chewing gum at the same time.

Although this is the popular cliché we use to keep ourselves smug, the fact is that the most successful models understand they are in business and need a good amount of business nous to survive.

Pretty faces are a dime a dozen. Relying on photographers and agents to run their life is not enough for those who want to get ahead. Like any self employed and highly motivated person, being organized, in the loop of the latest news and on top of everything will keep them in full throttle, well ahead of the competition who all believe that original cliché themselves.

Let’s take a sneaky peak into what apps you’d typically find on a successful model’s iPhone. Click this article to view my Squidoo Lens.

Model.(Kitegirlapps) – When an agent pays a model they automatically generate an invoice on the model’s behalf. This iPhone app allows the model to keep track of the jobs they’ve done, see what net total they’ll get after commission and check the jobs off as they are paid.

Itrans NYC Subway(Adam Ernst) – Whichever city a model is located in or heading for, timetables and maps of public transport are crucial to get around go-sees, auditions, shoots and shows. Apps like this give you the routes, street maps and times of arrival into each station.

Calvetica Classic(Mysterious Trousers LLC) – A model cannot live without a well organized and detailed calendar of appointments. Calvetica allows for time zone support, pop up notifications with a snooze button, color coded events, multiple calendars and integration with iCal and Google.

My Style Fashion Assistant(New Vision Interactive LLC) – an easy to use wardrobe organizer and trip planning packer. Models can use this to swipe through photos of garments to build their next audition outfit or plan what to pack for a trip.

Marie Claire(Zinio LLC for Hearst Communications Inc.) – This is a free app with in app purchases to buy monthly digital issues of Marie Claire fashion magazine. There are articles with matching videos a paper magazine can’t offer, plus all the superb tips and photography you’d expect from a top class magazine. Particularly impressive on iPad.

OWS or Occupy Wall Street has been a protest which has caught the world’s attention. Copied around the world and still in progress more than a month after it started, the protesters are determined to make change happen.

When I first saw it on the TV I thought ‘What a load of bollocks. Jumping up and down saying “it’s not fair” and “something ought to be done” without offering any solutions is a waste of time.’

But then I thought I’d contemplate it a bit further and see what came up for me.

I decided to look at it from the point of view of the Law of Attraction which I successfully use in my own life so regularly and often include in my business and life coaching.

(If you’re not familiar with the Law of Attraction, here’s a quick article I did as introduction: http://www.kitegirlcoach.com/life-coach-articles/law-of-attraction.html )

To me, it seemed simple enough.

Yes, change would come about from this protest – the organizers would be pleased to hear – but it would be vastly different results for each individual who attended.

The difference between them would be the feelings, emotion and attitude they have in regards to the topic.

Let me explain.

We’ll take a look at the topic of Wealth in this article although there are several topics the Occupy Wall Street protest covers.

On the protesters’ website they have mentioned they are against the “greed of the 1%” and are “focused on ending the tyranny of the 1%”.

They also mentioned words such as “corrupt”, “excessive bonuses”, “corrosive power”, “dangerous”, “stealing”, “the shadow of wealth, greed and thievery that is Wall Street” … all very negative words against what it is to be rich.

I’ve found with my coaching clients that when they are quick to conclude that rich people are everything negative, they miss the point that they may subconsciously be sabotaging their own efforts to grow their personal wealth quite simply because they don’t want to be described with these very same words.

They don’t want their friends and family to look on them as greedy, stealing, corrupt and dangerous. They want to be nice people, loving, giving, honest. Therefore, in order to stay that way, they cannot allow themselves to be “rich”.

Have a think about that.

How do you view “rich” people? Do you have a blanket view of them all? Because I can tell you I’ve met plenty of rich people and they span the whole spectrum from perfect angels to real nasties.

Just like “poor” people.

So if you view rich people as bad, and you don’t want to be bad, then you’re going to make sure you stay poor.

Here’s the basic rules of Law of Attraction
1) Your thoughts, feelings and beliefs (which are just thoughts you regularly think) become your future reality.
2) What you focus on the most you add strength to (good or bad).
3) You have the power to change your thoughts, feelings and beliefs about any particular topic if you’d like a future reality that’s different from your reality up till now.

So the two results I feel will most likely come out of these protests which affect the individuals participating are these.

THE GOOD RESULT
If an individual goes to the protest believing a system is not working and they have hopes and dreams of finding a way to make a change for the better (in other words they’re looking at the protest with a positive mindset) then eventually they will either find a great solution or inspire action from others that will support their cause in changing the system.

THE BAD RESULT
If an individual goes to the protest believing 1% of the population have TOO much money (i.e. other people) and that it’s not fair, then they are confirming in their own minds the belief that they have a lack of money and power to change their personal situation.

Their result, according to the Law of Attraction, will be MORE lack of money and personal power in the future which matches their current belief. The fact that they are focussing so strongly on it (see rule 2) means their money and power situation is about to get a lot worse.

So! If you are involved in these protests around the world, which result do you want for yourself and for the world?

Are you keeping positive or confirming your lack?

Post your comments below.

Green sidewalk makes electricity one step at a time