The Power of One Word...

Wow, 2011 is coming to a close and what a journey it has been.   I bet it's been a roller coaster ride for you, how do I know because that is life and we all go through ups and downs. At the start of 2011 I chose one word to live the rest of my life by and that word was TRUTH. I vowed to find it, discover it, accept it, speak it and live it. It wasn't easy and in many cases it was painful yet rewarding.

What I learned in my truth journey is..

• I am enough just as I am.
• The truth does set you free.
• The truth can hurt but it can also heal and inspire.
• My truth is mine. I cannot live some one's truth for them.
• The truth can break you down and help you break through and breakout!
• The truth can be re-created and used as a tool to be free, fearless, fired up and live fabulously!

I will use TRUTH as my guide for 2012 too and I'm adding a cherry on top to live my NAKED Truth! That's right the real, raw, imperfect, transparent, authentic truth.  Yes, no masks, costumes, veils or facades. I drew a line in the sand in 3 areas of my life (love, legacy and wealth) and there is no turning back. I am fully committing to living a full, satisfying, rewarding and delicious life ---simply by living my NAKED truth.

Choosing one word has been remarkable! I am free to speak my mind, do it my way, say NO and mean it, say YES and love it, set my own rules, show up in the raw, live BIG, own my power and create a legacy that leaves the world a much better place. I am FEARLESS and so are you!

I challenge you to start thinking now about the one word you will use as your guide for living the most fearless, FREE, and fabulous live you can imagine. I double-dog dare you to start now! Don't wait for 2012 to roll in, decide, choose and take action. The biggest aha in this truth journey is that I could not live in fear if I wanted to live in love and truth. I have been fearless all year long and will be even more fearless in 2012 and beyond.

So...what will your one word be? Choose one for 2012 and see what happens in your life. Change it in 2013 if you like but start today, right now with one word that speaks to your soul and will be the catalyst for creating a ridiculously fulfilling life.

YOU are the Genie you've been waiting for!  That's right, when you awaken the Genius within you, you can be who you want to be, do what you want to do and have what you want to have!

  

Life is going to happen no matter what, so why not hop in the driver's seat of your life and just do it! Whatever it is, whatever you want and desire. There is nothing to fear... Take your fearless faith and action into the New Year by mastering the Art of Fear-Free Living.

I invite you to put YOU at the top of your holiday list this year. Grab your copy of the LIVE BRAVE guide, The Art of Fear-Free Living and Awaken the Genius Within. Get one for the special ladies in your life to by going to this website.

My hope for you is that you will transition from fear-FULL to fear-LESS right now and for the rest of your life.

Happy Holidays and best-wishes for love, laughter and success! 

 

Be brave, courageous and fearless!
Catrice M. Jackson, MS, LMHP, LPC
International Empowerment Speaker, P-Spot Passionista, International Best-Selling Author
Official Site: www.catriceology.com 
New Book: www.theartoffearfreeliving.com

Radio Show: www.blogtalkradio.com/catriceology

What Game Are You Playing?

Heard a profound message today about the game of Monopoly which really for me is a societal symbol of the "Game of Life."

We start out with nothing and we spend the whole time playing the game with hope, desire, strategy, need, greed, excess, and acquisition.  We hustle, work, dream, manifest, gather, possess, conquer and if we are lucky and or skilled we win.  Whether we admit it or not we all want to land on, own and monopolize Park Place. And no matter how many apartments and houses there are on St. Charles Place it never is good enough because we can't stop thinking about the money we'd collect if those houses and apartments were on Boardwalk. When the game is over we scoop it all up and put it back in the box because after all "it" was here before we got here, it will be here when we are gone. The truth is it was never ours anyway...it was all an illusion



Isn't this true about our lives? We come into the world perfectly imperfect having everything we need to survive, hopefully thrive and live our lives.  Yet some where in the journey it isn't enough.  We want more, we think we need more and we use every fiber of our being to acquire more. The brainwashing begins early from Cinderella, to Snow White to the TV advertisements that subliminally convert us into commercial zombies who never get full and are always on the prowl for the next thing to conquer and devour.

Minute by minute, day by day and year after year this thing called media has consumed us in ways we are oblivious to.  What "they" say (experts, critics, leaders, spokespeople, researchers etc.) seems to have far more credence than our innate knowing of what we need. I've chosen to unsubscribe to the overload and overwhelming message that bombard us every where we turn. I limit the amount of messaging coming in from a variety of sources and it allows me to go inward and listen to the messages I really need to hear.

When I really think about the game of Monopoly I can see how it's intent and motive has been embedded in our minds and souls. It's kind of sad actually yet we have the power to do something about it. We have the choice to play a new game. If you stop and look at the industry you work in you can see who is playing Monopoly very clearly.  You can hear it in their tone, you can sense it in their messaging and if you are in their presence over the phone or in person you can feel it in your bones. I challenge you to become more aware of this Monopoly mentality and how it shows up in your life and the people you run with. You may even need to ask yourself the question "What kind of game are you playing in life?"

Reality hit for me today again...at the end of the day, when our time is up here on earth it all goes back into the box. I've already started to play a new game and boy does it feel liberating and peaceful. Yes I want to live a good life.  I want to be paid to do work I love. I want to help people and live in my version of prosperity but not at the sake of selling my soul, being dishonest, excluding others, and or compromising my core values. So as I blaze a new trail of spiritual enlightenment I'll continue to share with you the aha moments along the way.  Little nuggets of insight that might inspire you to find the courage to break away from the pack, resist the hype and follow the voice of your soul.  

Until next time...be brave, be bold, be fearless and just be YOU!

Catrice M. Jackson

Empowerment Speaker

Fear-Free Living Expert and Author

www.theartoffearfreeliving.com

www.catriceology.com

Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones...

"Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me." I can clearly see myself standing on the school yards of Irving and Crescent Park elementary schools saying those words and doing it with sass. Back then I really thought I threw up a serious shield and believed "those" words didn't hurt me. Today, I realize they did. How about this one "it takes one to know one (giggle)." Or "I know you are but what am I?" Those were weapons back in the day. Tools we as girls used to attempt to block the verbal blows put out by other girls.  We thought we were really doing something back then, standing with our hands on our hips, waving our finger and shouting out the cliches of girlhood games.  I can laugh at it now but I remember how much drama this caused in the cliques of elementary school.

These were real moments in time and unfortunately many women are still scarred by those verbal blows to the spirit. They are real moments today we've just gotten a little more sophisticated about how we do it. Oh yes the mean girl games still exist in 2011 and grown up women are playing hard yet pretending they don't play. Today we use savvy statements like "she's not on my level, she doesn't play big enough, it (she) doesn't resonate with me or  my purpose, and too many to name.  Bet you've heard these and probably said them yourself right? Um...huh...tell the truth.  I've said them many times but with good intention (yeah right, that's what we tell ourselves to make ourselves feel better). We are so savvy these days that one of our favorite weapons is to ignore another woman and not say a word.  Yep, we simply act as if she doesn't exist no matter how hard she tries to engage with us.  Different tactic same result.

Today I am more mindful when the urge to speak these words comes up. I stop to think what is the intention or motive behind it. I ask myself  "is there something I am afraid of?" Sometimes an answer comes to mind and other times it doesn't, but I'm still careful to not throw out verbal blows just because I have "the right to speak my mind." So what's up with this type of behavior? Why do we do this?

Have our ego's gotten so big? Do we forget where we really come from? Does it make us feel good? Or are we afraid of something.............I'm going out on a limb to say we just may be afraid.  You see fear is at the root of so many things that you'd be surprised.  When we envy another woman we fear we won't be able to be who she is or have what she has.  When we are jealous of another woman we fear that what she has will make her more popular and we will go un-noticed.  When we fail to acknowledge another woman's success we fear by promoting her her success will rise. When we ignore another woman reaching out to us we fear that our clique friends will wonder why we are hanging out with the no body's.  Oh yes my friend, fear is lurking underneath all these school yard games, believe it. I've felt all of the above and participated in it before and now realize how it de-values who I am and the recipient of those passive and aggressive sticks and stones.

Here's the NAKED truth. When you strip down and take off all the masks, titles and outer adornments your heart pumps like every other woman.  You breathe the same kind of air.  You deal with the same kind of ups and downs in life.  And oh yes when the "guru, expert, in-girl, or superstar" wipes off her makeup and puts on her PJ's she looks just like you.  So ladies...let's keep it real. It doesn't matter if your playing on the big field with bright lights or the school yard, the game is the same. Isn't it time for a new game? The game of integrity and consciousness?

There's a new way to be, to live, to act and show up in the world. Are you ready? Or will you let fear be your game board? To be continued...

Catrice M. Jackson
Fear-Free Living Expert, Speaker & Coach
http://www.theartoffearfreeliving.com
http://www.catriceology.com

Are You Seeking the Proof of Truth?

Many people expend a lot of mental, emotional and spiritual energy seeking FEAR (false-evidence-appearing-real).  They look for the proof that they are inadequate, undeserving, and or unworthy.  They wallow in fear, doubt, worry, hesitation, and procrastination.  Why would people do this you may ask?  Because it's familiar, it's comfortable and it's easier than being brave and looking for the proof of truth. 

While coaching the 5 new participants in my 6-week Art of Fear-Free Living course, I recall one of the participants focusing on the fear of being successful.  I asked her to take some time to think about and write down 10 past moments when she was successful.  She was excited to know there was the possibility that she was a success.  A simple exercise she performed with profound rewards!  Why is it so easy to look for defeat in our lives and difficult to seek the proof of truth?  We've become trained to look for the negative instead of being courageous enough to seek the positive, the brilliance within us.  I encouraged her to find one thing everyday that she has been successful at and to celebrate it.  This will help her develop the habit of looking for the greatness within herself and learn how to celebrate her genius.  I have no doubt she will incorporate this small action in her life that will help her take BIG leaps in her journey towards mastering the Art of Fear-Free Living. 

Mastering the Art of Fear-Free Living is simply a journey of truth.  A journey where you seek, discover, embrace, speak, live and share the truth about who you are, why you are here and what you were created to be and do in the world.  What are you giving your mental, emotional and spiritual energy to?

Which one is true of you?  Are you intentionally or subconsciously seeking False Evidence Appearing Real or are you seeking the proof of truth?  The truth that you are wise, brilliant, loving, successful and resilient.  The truth that you deserve love, success and happiness.  The truth that you are worthy of prosperity, fulfillment and life satisfaction.  Maybe you should do this simply profound exercise, maybe you need some proof that you are a brilliant genius who knows exactly what you need.

Take some time today and think about your life and make your proof lists and then use them as fuel to light the fire within you to begin mastering the Art of Fear-Free Living.

1.  List 10 moments you created, experienced and were responsible for the success in your life.

2.  List 10 reasons why you deserve love, success and happiness.

3.  List 10 moments when you were wise, brilliant and allowed your genius to shine.

If you desire to live more courageous and BE brave in your life you must stop focusing on FEAR (false-evidence-appearing-real) and intentionally with every fiber of your being begin focusing on creating, seeking and celebrating the PROOF OF TRUTH.  Mastering the Art of Fear-Free Living is all about a choice.  You must move beyond thinking about it and be about it.  That means quit dreaming about being fearless and instead get up, take a step, step in the dark if you have to, fail or succeed and keep taking steps. 

You can do it, I know you can if you choose...and seek the truth with each courageous step!

BE FEARLESS!

May God be with you on your journey...Follow my blog for more real-life stories in my journey, the journey of others and inspirational life empowerment strategies to help you wake up your champion within.



Catrice M. Jackson, the Courage Coach™
International Keynote Speaker and Author
America's Delicious Life Expert™
For booking and coaching information visit my website. http://www.catriceology.com/

All Rights Reserved. Catrice M. Jackson Emerge Consulting, LLC © 2011.

The Truth Will Set You Free Yet Facing it Takes Courage

Since the beginning of time human beings have sought the truth and went above and beyond their perceived capabilities to discover it. I've always been a curious woman; a woman on a relentless quest of the truth, my truth. 

Instead of making New Year's resolutions for 2011, I decided to choose one word that would be the intention for the rest of my life.  I chose the word truth.  In truth there is fear.  In truth there is worry, doubt and anxiety.  Yes, the truth and seeking it can be a daunting and scary.  But there is something greater, more profound and enlightening in discovering the truth.  In truth there is liberation, clarity, and direction.  Once we clear out the fogginess of the fear of the truth the path to who we are to become is opened.  The chapter once lingering open can be closed. The heaviness of the unknowing is lifted. 

In seeking, discovering and knowing the truth we are set free! Although we may experience some pain or discomfort in seeking the truth, once it's revealed to us we can let go, embrace our reality and know that simply in seeking the truth we are brave.  A week ago I did a DNA paternity test with my alleged father.  He was the only man I'd ever known to be my father.  I'd waited 41 years to know this truth.  I thought about discovering the truth several times in my life but didn't have the courage to face the truth.  I was afraid.  I was afraid not to necessarily know but more afraid of what would happen to the relationship I had with my mother if he was not.

After finding my birth certificate in January 2011 (it took 41 years) another truth milestone, I discovered two more truths.  I had lived most of my life as a Johnson (before marriage) but legally I was someone else.  Last November I celebrated my birthday on the 17th yet discovered this year I was born on the 18th.  Wow! the truth is something else but without knowing it we will always remain in the "unknowing" of life. I'm not angry, I don't blame anyone and besides aren't those just numbers and dates?  They don't define who I am or determine the value that I bring to the world. 

Back to my father story.  Today I found out that there is a 0% chance that "he" my alleged father could be my father and he is not my father. This story of truth is bittersweet.  It's bitter because I would have liked for this part of the journey to end here.  The sweet part is that there is one more potential father option.  I may just discover in this journey of truth that my best friend of 20+ years, may be in fact my 1st cousin.  If this is true, I've been with my family all along and that is deliciously sweet.  God works in mysterious ways and he knows what we need all the time.

One thing is 100% the truth...I've never been fatherless, the greatest father any woman could have is our heavenly father who loved me before I was conceived, cared for me as I grew and loves me unconditionally no matter what.  Thank you father God, I love you!

The journey of truth continues...

My hope for you...is that you too begin your journey of truth no matter what it is.  It may feel scary and you may be afraid but BE COURAGEOUS IN THE MIDST OF FEAR.  Every step towards fear decreases its power. Every courageous action makes you more fearless. When you are afraid give your energy to this question---"what do I need to conquer this fear" ---instead of becoming paralyzed by the fear. The more resources and support you have as you face the fear increases the courage you'll have to be a courageous champion! 


BE FEARLESS!
May God be with you on your journey...

Follow my blog for more real-life stories in my journey, the journey of others and inspirational life empowerment strategies to help you wake up your champion within.

Catrice M. Jackson, the Courage Coach™
International Keynote Speaker and Author
America's Delicious Life Expert™
For booking and coaching information visit my website. http://www.catriceology.com/

All Rights Reserved. Catrice M. Jackson Emerge Consulting, LLC © 2011.