Social Media Networking and being a successful freelance writer.

Thanks to the herculean efforts of my web master Trisha Cupra I’m finally able to share with you a super interview I did with freelance writer James Palmer.

I talked to James about what it takes to create a successful career as a freelance writer and about his best selling e-book “Social Media Networking 101″.  You’ll love James’ frank look at the writing biz and learn how he’s used Social Media to build his business.

You’ll find the audio here http://theunstickingcoach.com/socialmediainterview/

Okay so I wasn’t hit by a bus!

But it sure feels like it. Like a huge, heavy, nasty bus.

In mid-April, 3 months ago, I was hit by a severe manifestation (episode doesn’t seem like the right word) of Fibromyalgia. For the first 2 months I was in bed all day, virtually every day. Over the last little while I’ve been having hours and sometimes even days without pain.

As you might imagine the challenge is that when I have no pain there are many chores and errands to do. And, these take priority over blogging.

But, I wanted to let you know I’m slowly mending and hope to be back to full speed soon … Please, please, please.

Thanks for reading and for your comments.

This weekend I will be attending the 2^nd annual conference of the Calgary Association of Professional Coaches. I’m presenting a 1-hour break out session called “Get Your Inner A.C.T. Together and Create The Practice of Your Dreams”.

I thought it would be interesting to give you a sneak peek at this “Inner A.C.T.” But, before I get into the “A.C.T.”, I want to set the stage …

I’ve been interested in what makes people tick for a long time. I particularly became interested in psychology when I struggled with Clinical Depression and then Manic Depressive Illness. I’ve read, and collected, hundreds of books on psychology, self-help, and neuroscience.

My passion as a coach and consultant is to use my learnings about the inner workings of the brain and mind to help my clients. I want to help you learn from my mistakes and from my successes and thereby have a less stressful, more successful, less painful life at home and in your business.

I titled this presentation “Your Inner A.C.T.” because I’ve learned over the years, and keep learning, that I and you need to pay closer attention to what’s going on inside us. We get bajillions of messages from “Out There” telling us what to do - “Buy Me”, “Wear Me”, and you’ll be happy and have success. So, my goal in my presentation is to reinforce the notion that we need to “look inside for answers”.

So, what then is this “Inner A.C.T.”? The acronym A.C.T. stands for 3 qualities that together form our Essence. Let’s take a look at them …

A - Authenticity

When you know the answer to the question “Who am I?” and act in a way that is fully congruent with that, then you display the quality Authenticity.

But, you ask, “how could I not know who I am?” Remember those external messages I talked about. From the time we are born, well meaning people tell us who they think we are, or should be. So, over time we forget what I call the Essential Self, the part of us that is our Soul. We forget “Who I Am”. Not only do we forget we often become afraid to express that true self.

I’m willing to bet that if I asked you who you are you’d respond automatically with a job title, with what you do. You might tell me “I’m a coach”. Or, “I’m a Doctor”.

I’m reading a wonderful book by my favourite Jungian analyst, Robert A. Johnson, called “Living Your Unlived Life”. Here’s the essence of an exercise he suggests to help us discover the answer to the question, “Who am I”. Find a supportive partner. Sit facing each other. Get relaxed and centered. Have your partner ask, “Who are you?” Respond with whatever comes to mind. When you run out of responses, take a moment to recoup. Then have your partner ask again, “Who are you?” Keep repeating these steps till you reach a sense of being, of essence.”

When you know your Authentic Self and when you are able to express that self in an Authentic way, you have the first key to the Essence of you.

C - Courage

The word Courage derives from the Latin word for Heart. For me it is in and through dialogue with our Heart that we answer the 2^nd essential question, “Why Am I Here”.

It is the Heart that is the centre of our Purpose. And, it is to the Heart that we need to look both to get clear on our Purpose and to restore, rejuvenate our Courage.

Why do we need Courage? Because it is a challenge to be Authentic, to walk our talk, to FULLY express our Essence.

So, we need to turn to our Hearts regularly.

Later this month (as soon as I master Scanning 101) I will make a PDF copy of an article I wrote on Courage called “Finding and Nurturing The Courage To Change.” I’ll let you know when it’s available.

Also, if you really want to do business from the Heart I (pardon the pun) heartily recommend you cruise on over to Mark Silver’s Heart of Business website (www.HeartOfBusiness.com) and get your self on his newsletter list. I know of no better source for Heart-centred business wisdom.

T - Talent

            When I first started thinking about this notion the T-word Tenacity came to mind. And, while I do know form my own experience that it will take Tenacity to live a life of Authenticity, Tenacity didn’t quite fit with what I was trying to convey.

I believe that fully understanding what makes us unique is about knowing the answer to 3 questions. We’ve already addressed 2: “Who am I” and “Why am I here?”

          The 3^rd question is “What am I Given?” and relates to the Mind and to the inborn gifts or Talents we receive.

It seems easy to recognize Talent in others, particularly when it’s obvious like Mozart’s or Tiger Wood’s. But, often we deny our own Talent. How often when praised for being exceptionally good at something, have you said, “Oh. That’s nothing. Anybody can do that!”

Knowing your God given Talent is important. But, even more important is employing it - Authentically.

There you have it. My notion of the 3 keys to Essence.

Let me know what you think. Send me an e-mail or comment here on my blog!

Thanks to my fellow Pepperdine MSOD Alumna Laura Heaton for this very funny video showing how to end those pesky employee complaints.

From MobileConentToday …

Here are some results quoted from the article:

- Nearly three out of four people, or 71%, said they realize that companies track their Web browsing activity for purposes of sending them targeted ads.

- 57% said they are not comfortable with the practice, even when their browsing history can’t be linked to their names.

- 72% of Web users also told researchers they find irrelevant ads “intrusive and annoying,” even though one of the key strategies for improving ad relevancy is behavioral targeting, which means tracking users so that they can receive relevant ads.

And, according to the article it’s going to get worse, what with cell phones that save browser cookies and have built in GPS tracking.

Sigh … Big Brother is Watching … and he’s sending me junk ads.

Thanks to Don Morris of Encouragement Plus Coaching

Don’t believe in Branding and Logos? Check this out

“Whether you are a Mac person or a PC person, even the briefest exposure to the Apple logo may make you behave more creatively, according to recent research from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and the University of Waterloo, Canada. “

From Mediabistro Mobile Content Today:

Botanicalls, a service dreamed up by some folks at New York University’s Interactive Telecommunications Program, first devised a way to get your plants call you when it’s time to water them.

According to a post on WebWare, those same folks have now advanced the service to interact with your Twitter account. So, instead of calling you, the plant can now send you a Twitter post to let you when it’s thirsty. Oh, it will also send a note of thanks once you’ve given it a drink.

Noted Science Fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke has died at age 90. Via Medisbistro

I was a big Sci Fan from age 10 and read many of Clarke’s early novels but never his most famous: 2001: A Space Odessey, a film for which he received an Oscar along with Stanley Kubrick.

Now, the “Big Three” of Sci Fi, Asimov, Heinlein, and Clarke, are gone — but not forgotten.

What happens when you don’t create?

Do you get frustrated? Pissy? Down? Don’t give a rat’s bum?

So, what gets in the way?

For me, it’s often the trivial doing of life. It’s too easy to get busy reading the email, Facebooking, ya know doing stuff.

Why? Why that?

It’s hard staring at the blank page, searching for words, craving inspiration, finding something useful to say.

Yet, it is only in the moving of fingers tapping the keys as thoughts pour forth, that I find some train of thought, create some message — perhaps finding meaning, perhaps not. But, somehow the writing feels right. The flowing of the words lift my spirits.

The words may be crap, but they are my words, my creation. And, at least for now that is enough.

What’s your cost of not being creative?

Thanks to fellow MSOD Alum Ron Velin for sharing the incredible story of Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor!

Dr. Taylor, a noted neuroantomist experienced a huge left-brain stroke and that experience changed her life. WATCH her TED talk and be inspired! (I cried).