Audio Story: Planet Zeckromoozie
April 28, 2010
I’m so excited to share my first audio story. A little story to inspire your mind. Enjoy! I’d be happy to hear how you like it.
Featured Video: Embrace Life
April 28, 2010
Finally, a positive marketing message for an important cause. Love this video. It makes me want to be a film maker!
Video: Find the Balance
April 27, 2010
What You Fear, Is Gonna Appear
April 26, 2010
You know that saying that if there’s something you fear, it’s going to show up? Well let me tell you how true that really is.
When I was eight years young, my sister and I went to visit my aunt and uncle in Oregon.
Oregon is a beautiful state with an amazing coastline and one day they took us to the beach. I was totally enchanted. Being the zealous tree climber that I am, I jumped right up on this low-hanging beach tree and sat up there like a happy little bird.
All was good until I decided to jump back down. Of course being a natural gal, I was in my bare feet and so as I leaped out of the tree giving a great shout of “woo-hoo,” I landed right on a big fat slug!
EEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKK!
I forgot to mention that I HATE slugs. I fear slugs, I’m phobic of slugs and I detest slugs. Suffice it to say that slugs and I are NOT best friends.
I was aghast. Not only was this the biggest, fattest slug that I had ever met but it was totally stuck to the bottom of my foot and I couldn’t get it off.
Double EEEEEK!
What to do? Being overly intimate with a fat slug is not my idea of a good time. Unfortunately my family had wandered off down the beach to have a good time, so I was on my own to wrestle with this beast.
I eventually pried him off, but it took me hours of walking on the sand to get the goo of the bottom of my foot! My lesson learned was – don’t jump out of an Oregon tree without your shoes unless you don’t care what you land on.
But my slug foibles didn’t end there. Later when I was in High school, I had a very cute boyfriend and we were (ah hem) – making out under a tree on a nice summer afternoon.
Ahhh, what could be better than kissing a cute boy?
But as we were kissing I reached up to run my hands through my hair. You gotta stay looking good while you’re kissing right? But as my hands got to the back of my head, I felt a “AHHHHHHHHHHH” big fat slug nestled in my hair!
I screamed bloody murder and my cute boyfriend had to wrestle that beast out of my hair for me. The absolute horror of something nesting into my hair made me want to barf.
My boyfriend rescued me from the slug, one that was not nearly as big as the last one, and I went on with life.
UNTIL…..
Many years later, I was living with a boyfriend in college and one night we had a big fight. I got really mad at him and decided (silly me) to sleep outside and sleep in my tent.
You know how women are – we can make really dumb decisions when we’re mad. I wanted to take a stand and show him my independent spirit and boy did I!
I was lying happily in that tent, thinking what a smart, brave and independent woman I was, but little did I know while I was sleeping, hundreds of slinky slugs were creeping up the sides of my tent!
By the time I woke up in the morning my tent was “EEEEEK” – covered with slugs! There were hundreds, no thousands, no I’m pretty sure there were millions of slugs crawling everywhere all over my tent top.
Giant EEEEKKKKKK!
What to do now but try to unzip the tent very without touching anything, then run inside to the safe arms of my now gloating boyfriend!
One final slug story. Years later, I went to Hawaii for ten days. Hawaii is the land of giant and colorful slugs. Not only are they big but they are gaudy!
So there I was in beautiful gorgeous tropical Hawaii and as you could guess, slugs were everywhere, around every corner.
One day while I was out in the garden, I got down on the ground on my belly and decided to watch one of these little beasts that I’ve feared so much.
I watched him inch along, slowly and surely. He was going so slowly in fact that his entire existence seemed totally pointless. I wanted to scream at him, “What are you doing you ugly slug, you have absolutely no purpose other than to be gross.”
And just then a door opened in my heart and I suddenly saw him from another point of view. I saw in exquisite detail just how beautiful he was – this slow, harmless creature who minded his own business and never hurt a flea.
Slugs had never done anything to me. It was me that was panicking over absolutely nothing.
I suddenly developed this appreciation for just how beautiful and peaceful a creature he was. And no I won’t kid you, I did not bring any slugs home to live with me but we do now exist in mutual respect.
So that’s what I’ve learned about life from slugs – what you fear will appear. And it’s gonna keep appearing until you make peace with it.
Sharing vs Selling, What’s the Difference?
April 22, 2010
Recently someone asked me how I market myself.
Oops, I don’t.
I know that sounds crazy but I really don’t ‘market’ myself. But listen carefully here because words are important.
I’m not saying that I don’t share my work and make a living at it, because I do. So what the heck is the difference between selling and sharing?
If you ask me, it’s a big difference but one that we don’t often discern, but then we find that those of us in who are in a businesses of a sharing nature, often feel disappointed for one reason or another.
We often feel that we have to choose one side or the other. Either we sell ourselves (i.e market ourselves) or we give it away for free!
Ah, now we’re getting to the heart of the matter. Notice that when I said ‘give it away for free’ some part of your mind, equates that with sharing.
But that’s not sharing at all. So here is discernment Number 1 – sharing is NOT about giving things away for free. It has nothing to do with that. Here’s why:
Most of the time when we are giving something away for ‘free’, we’re really trying to get something in return.
The traditional freebie in the marketing world goes something like this: “I’ll give you this free box of whojamawatzies if you buy my bigger box of something-or-others.”
That’s a traditional freebie mentality and there is nothing wrong with that. So if you’re a traditional marketer, don’t go freaking out here. I’m not bashing you or what you do.
I am only trying to illuminate those of us who feel disheartened or disappointed in our efforts to really share ourselves with the world. So if that’s you, listen on.
Sharing is a consciousness of generosity and love, of being bigger than our small selves and of getting beyond the mindset of me, me, me and into the WE.
We can ask, “How can I serve and what can I give to the world?” But here’s the hard part, we also need to ask – “how can I let go of receiving anything in return?”
Yikes! Did she just say we’re not supposed to receive anything?
No, that’s not what I said. I said LET GO of what will return. Meaning, do the sharing for the sake of a better world, not for just yourself.
Got it? Do it for something bigger, more meaningful and more lasting than just your tiny self (or my tiny self in this case). I gotta get out of my own way and trust the Universe to provide.
Now why should I do that? Is this just some nice new age thinking????
No actually not. My thinking is much more ‘old age’. By that I mean that I try to think like the sages of ages – those great and wise souls that went before us and showed us a way that we’ve lost.
Here’s an example. Let’s imagine Jesus going into a downtown Manhattan marketing firm. He walks into a boardroom with their senior team of marketing experts and they immediately fire off a series of questions to him:
- what is your message?
- who is your target audience and whom do you want to reach?
- how much money do you want to make?
- what makes you unique?
He quietly says, “I want as much love in the world as possible and I will share my message with anyone. And the money? It will come. As soon as I start sharing some loaves and fishes, we’ll all be taken care of.”
YIKES!
This is not what they want to hear. They look unnerved, start sweating and give each other subtle looks around the board table. Then they quietly usher him out the door saying, “Have a good day and good luck with everything!”
Whew, he’s gone!
Then the next client comes in. This time it’s the Buddha, but they have no idea who the Buddha is. All they just know is that he’s dressed in some funny looking robes and carrying a begging bowl.
“Um excuse me sir but we don’t cater to beggars here.”
“But I’m not here to beg. I’m here to pray. I was walking by and had the feeling that you needed something here. So I am here to share with you.”
They look dumbfounded. ‘What the heck does this mean? What do we do now?’ They start sweating, give each other subtle looks around the boardroom table and then kindly but firmly usher Mr. Buddha-whoever-you- are, right out the door.
Whew! Back to business as usual right?
But after that something is different. Suddenly they are becoming kinder and helping each other in a way that they never did before. Hmm, what’s happening here?
And more than that, the following month their profits have soared for no good reason. This is impossible. There were no new clients, no new projects. What the heck is this? Some kind of freaking miracle???
Yes. That’s exactly what it is.
The structure of a miracle begins with sharing – getting out of our comfort zone and thinking of others first. Believe it or not, marketing can be as simple and as difficult as that.
It’s simple because it’s a simple idea. It’s difficult because it’s nearly impossible to execute. Why? Because our innate me, me, me attitude gets in the way.
It’s nearly impossible not to think about ourselves and what we will get out of things. So don’t even bother to try not to think about that! Do something else instead.
When the Buddha walks in to your office and tries to offer you something, say to him, “No it’s me that needs to share something with you. Would you like some tea?”
Today, think how the energy, the mindset and the intent of sharing can be your real goal. Money will follow.
At least this is what the sages as been telling us for ages. We just don’t want to listen.
It ain’t easy to do things that are out of our comfort zone, but do it anyway. At the end of the day you will feel peace inside and the rewards are right behind it.
Today, get out of yourself and go for something bigger.
Video: Cut the Crap, Dare to Be Yourself
April 20, 2010
Want A Change? Turn It Upside Down!
April 19, 2010
A few weeks ago it was very warm here in Philly and I had the sudden urge to turn my bed upside down. Well not my bed really, but I put my pillow at the bottom of the bed and slept facing the other direction. (No that’s not my real hair!)
It was very strange, but it also felt really good. I woke up a bit disoriented but I decided to do it again the next night. After 3 nights I went back to the usual arrangement, mostly for convenience, but it got me thinking.
Every now and then you need to turn things upside down to make a change.
Sometimes when you need a change, it can be something as simple (and as strange) as putting your pillow at the bottom of the bed. Just one small change in orientation can really turn things upside down.
Now I’m on a tear. I’m going through every room in the house and changing as many things as I can. Yesterday I spent the entire day rearranging my meditation/sunroom. It was fabulous. I tore everything apart and put it back together in a totally different configuration.
The entire time I could feel my lizard brain shrieking, “STOP, I liked it the way it was!”
You see Mr. Lizard brain hates to change. That’s why lizards sit in the sun and do little else. We have a part of our own brain that like that. It likes comfort, security and the same old, same old of life.
But what does same old, same old equal in the human being? It often equals being totally stuck.
The same old, same old feels good on one level. Status quo sends a signal to our brain and body that ‘everything is ok’ and on one level this is totally true and a complete necessity for biological functioning.
But on another level, one that is more subtle and invisible, this same signal really keeps us stuck. Often if everything is ‘ok’ then it really means that we aren’t growing or pushing ourselves to our next level of life.
So what does turning your bed upside down and rearranging your home have to do with creating change inside?
Everything!
The unconscious mind is a meaning-making machine. That means that like a great storyteller, it listens to every message you create. So if you are rearranging your room and telling yourself that it’s because you want to change, then believe me, your inner mind is listening to you.
It hears everything you do.
This morning when I went into my sunroom, I was totally disoriented. Where I usually put my teacup was no longer on my left, but was now on my right.
Mr. Lizard brain had to wake himself up out of his slumber for a moment and wonder who changed everything around?
I had to be a little firm with him about this, telling him that this is the way it’s gonna stay. “I am making some changes in my life and that’s that.” You have to speak very firmly to lizard brains, otherwise they don’t listen at all.
Mr. Lizard didn’t like this. As I said, he’s an advocate of everything being drearily the same, but I decided on purpose to launch him out of his comfort zone and onto our next level of growth.
Because if you’re not pushing, you’re not growing. And that ain’t good for any of us, even Mr. Lizard.
So today, give your lizard brain a jolt. Do something radically different on purpose. If you always sit on the right side of the room, sit on the left. If you eat dinner at the head of the table, eat on the foot.
Jolt your Mr. Lizard out of his comfort zone and I guarantee that something wonderful will change in your life. Change is not easy for Mr. Lizard, but it is necessary for our happiness and fulfillment.
Off the couch Mr. Lizard, it’s time to go take parachuting lessons!
It’s Springtime, It’s Time To Talk About Kissing
April 15, 2010
Come on admit it. You feel it in the air. Springtime is a scent-ual time of year and it’s all around us, everywhere. It’s the time of year when I fantasize strolling the Champs Elysees’ in Paris, arm in arm with a romantic Frenchman…
and of course it’s the time of year to talk about kissing!
What makes this time of year so romantic? It’s the leaves, the trees, the colors, the smells and the warmth of it all. It’s the perfect time of year to perfect your kissing techniques, even if you don’t have a partner.
Don’t worry, you can use these same ideas on someone you just met. In fact, I’m heading off to Starbucks later today and I just might try it out then. (just kidding!)
But honestly, the “Art of Kissing” is a fine art and we should learn as much about it as we can. Years ago when I was writing romantic stories, I picked up this book and it is the sweetest book you’ll ever find of the art of kissing. It lists the following kisses to learn:
- The newest fads in French kissing (my Frenchman can teach me these)
- The Hollywood kiss (look out Brad Pitt, I may try it on you)
- The Smacking Kiss (hope I don’t hurt anybody)
- The Wet Kiss (Miss Sweetie’s good at this)
- The Triangle Kiss (my yoga may come in handy here)
- and my favorite kiss of all, the Lip-o-Suction!
and there are many more. You might want to stop reading this blog post right now and run to your nearest bookstore to get this book. How can you possibly wait to learn these kisses? You can’t. You just never know when you’ll need to pull one of these kisses out of your back pocket.
Say for example I am walking down the street and a handsome stranger is walking towards me. There is something fine and European about him – his clothing, his hair and definitely his shoes. You can always tell a European man by his shoes. They are the expensive leather kind.
He comes towards me and softly asks, “Excuse me Miss but can you tell me where a nearby coffee shop is?” His accent knocks you off your feet. Oh those romantic European accents.
You start to tell him that Starbucks is only 2 blocks away, when suddenly your eyes lock. He looks at you with the kind of wonder that people have when they are gazing at a statue by one of the great Italian masters. He sees you in all your beauty. You can feel it in your bones.
Then he says, “Please excuse me but I have this overwhelming urge to kiss you right now. I know we just met but…..this has never happened to me before.” You know what he is saying is true. You can feel it in your bones.
What do you do???
- do you run?
- scream for the police?
- or pull the art of kissing out of your purse and search for the most appropriate kiss for just such a moment???
I recommend number three. Watch this.
You sweetly say, “Oh I am so flattered. I would LOVE to kiss you. Please give me just a moment to freshen my lips.” Then you quickly fan through the “Art of Kissing” to find just right kiss.
You turn the page to the Butterfly Kiss. Ah, that must be the one.
Your trust y
our instincts and lean forward delicately to plant a big fat butterfly kiss right on his perfectly formed lips.
He faints instantly!
The next day you read a the story in the paper about a famous European count who came to visit relatives in Chestnut Hill (where I live) and was struck down by a romantic passionate kiss.
The count was taken to the local hospital but discharged immediately saying, “I have to find that woman!”
Now was all that worth it? The story, the kiss, the romance and the nice write up in the paper? Of course it was. This just goes to show you, that you never know when the fine art of kissing is going to come in handy!
I gotta go now. I’m off to Starbucks. I’m pretty sure my count is waiting for me. I’ll let you know what happens.
Video: As If By Magic
April 12, 2010
Retreat 42 – We’ve Launched the Ship!!
April 11, 2010
Wow, who knew that out of the confusion of my life, I would create something as amazing as Retreat 42, my brand new program for retreat in daily life.
Back in December, I was feeling stuck about getting bigger projects off the ground. I had several bodies of work that I never finished and it was really bugging me.
This coincided with meeting my now business partner, the fabulous Ian Waddelow who lives in France, although he’s a Brit by birth. Ian contacted me last fall and we hit it off immediately and began to collaborate.
Ian has amazing creative energy and wisdom in spades. He is a senior consultant to CEO’s and boards dealing with strategy and brand marketing. He’s also an educator at several major business schools in England and a well-known speaker at conferences and events.
Let me tell you, Ian is a wizard at what he does. He transforms businesses in a way that I’m pretty sure, they don’t even know what hit them!
After meeting Ian I was asking myself - What does it take to get bigger projects off the ground?? And I decided to put myself on a retreat in daily life to figure this out.
My premise was this – every great idea came from somewhere. We have this idea that when we need inspiration, that we need to ‘wait on the muses’, but I decided that waiting on the muses wasn’t good enough. Mine are too fickle, they’re always off shopping in Paris!
Waiting on the muses is a phrase we use to infer that inspiration is fickle or out of our control. But is it? If inspiration comes from somewhere else, where is that somewhere else and how can we tap it whenever and wherever we need it?
If you think about it, every great idea, every artistic masterpiece, Eureka moment, life changing work or project comes from a realm that the mystics call the 99%. This is the place of ‘divine inspiration.’ All creative ideas come from a place beyond the ordinary five senses.
That’s why it feels like we can’t tap inspiration when we need to. But I decided that there must be some way to tap it reliably and regularly. This was my quest to find out exactly how.
I took time every day to listen to music that would take my brain to another state. No, not New Jersey, but another brain state that’s called the theta wave. I tried not to work or think too hard, but just let ideas and inspiration come easily.
Each day when I woke up, I spent time writing, journalling and jotting. During the day, I would just allow inspiration to come and I would jot that down as well.
At first I didn’t even know exactly what I was going or how I was going to figure any of this out and it was pretty scary to commit to something that you don’t know exactly what it is! I decided that it needed to be 42 days.
Why 42?
- the mystics went into the desert for 40 days. I figured in our modern life, we need a day to get in and a day to get out = 42!
- it takes ’6 weeks to get a change into the bones’ – 6 weeks equals 42 days.
- the first lines of creation in the ancient Aramaic equal exactly 42 letters.
This all seemed to line up perfectly and so 42 days was set in my mind. I gave myself a few guidelines upfront. I agreed that I had to finish the retreat no matter what. I told myself that even if up with absolutely nothing, it would be ok and I committed to giving it my all and trusting the power of inspiration to guide me.
I did the same thing for 42 days and by the end of it, believe it or not, I had created an entire body of work – I had written a whole book and created an entire process that I didn’t even know I was creating.
How’s that for pure magic!
Once I was finished, I decided to take a risk and invite my new partner Ian onboard as a collaborator.
I’m sure Ian won’t mind me saying that he was pretty skeptical at first. I’m sure he thought my idea was pretty wacky, but he trusts me so he agreed to go on the Retreat 42 himself.
At first I was a little worried. Ian’s results seemed mixed. I wasn’t sure it was working and being British, he didn’t tell me much :>)
But then somewhere near the middle of the retreat, things started to happen – the ground started to quake and something new started pouring forth. After he finished, he suggested we try it out with a group and so we launched a Pilot program of 24 brave adventurer’s who agreed to try out our program for free.
I’m happy and proud to say that they did it! Their last day is today and they made it through the desert and have come out with gifts. I’ll let some of them share their stories in upcoming blog posts.
It was amazing to watch an entire group go through this process. They are extraordinary people from all over the world – England, Germany, Spain, Belgium and the US. They helped us to see that Retreat 42 really works, anytime, anywhere. 
Thanks to them, Ian and I are proud and delighted to announce:
Retreat 42 is officially launched!
We will be starting our first programs in the Fall, with an amazing line-up of goodies – from self-guided retreats, to themed programs and even (get this) wonderful in-person retreats in amazing locations around the world.
We have made the package and the pricing incredibly attractive. You just won’t be able to resist trying this out for yourself!
And I guarantee 100% that it is the most life changing thing you can do.
It was for me. I wrote a whole book and created an entire body of work in only 42 days – something that I never thought possible. If you’d like to know more about Retreat 42 or join one of our upcoming programs, please email me or Ian. We’d be happy to chat to you.
You can connect with us at annie@anniehart.com and ian@ianwaddelow.com. I encourage you to get to know Ian. He’s someone really worth knowing.
POP! Here comes the champagne – Retreat 42 is officially launched.
Connect With Annie Hart
.png)
.png)
Networked blogs
