Dear Savvy Woman,

Have you written down any New Years Resolutions yet?  Whether you have or haven’t, with this process comes often the thoughts and feelings of whether or not these will be met , and so can begin the little trickle of fear and doubt that sets in on or before you’ve begun.  Yikes.  We can just avoid the entire exercise, but in order to get results, we must begin to get clear about what we want – and write it down

I want to share with you what I did to capture in my mind and on paper my intentions for this 2009 yeer:  A Letter of Gratitude.    Taken from Christine Kloser,  I wrote down a letter to the Universe from the perspective of December 31st, 2009.   The year was closing.  What was I grateful for that had transpired over the year?  What had I attracted, what had manifested, what had changed?  

Take just 5 minutes and write down all that comes to you – not listening to the HOW?  WHO?  but just flowing in the stream of gratitude and expectation.  Take note of if the HOW and WHO pops up – if it doesn’t then you’re not playing BIG enough, and yet you must let go of the HOW and WHO as it comes in, as that isn’t your concern at this writing.   This is to set intention, vision and WANTS.

Then, find some beautiful paper and font, and print it out and post it several places around your home and office.  Read it regularly to remind yourself of what you are setting as intention this year.

From my savvy heart to yours,

Leslie

www.BeLoveSavvy.com

Dear Savvy Woman,

I am writing this as I scramble to pack bags and water plants (our only dependants at the moment), all the while trying to rest as much as possible. Why do we get sick right before a big event? I know for me, I was pushing it to the max these past weeks in preparation for this trip to Argentina with my honey, Larry.

This trip was largely my idea as far as the timing of it goes. Because my husband is ramping up his own business this year, and also planned our 14 day trip last summer to Italy for our honeymoon, he was all for Argentina, but asked me to own most of the planning. And I was more than happy to! We also have different ideas of how to plan. I can peruse a few websites and get an instant intuitive ‘hit’ or feel as to if it’s a place for me or not, for instance, with a hotel search. Larry, on the other hand, spends an hour on Trip Advisor combing through the customer reviews to weigh in on his decision – bless his heart. It always pays off..but then again, I have a pretty good track record for choosing things on the fly instictively, and successfully. Opposites attract.

So, we’re on the eve of our long-awaited trip to the beautiful land of Argentina, filled with gorgeous people and rich culture, history and beauty. We’ll be traveling to only two cities, Buenos Aries and Barlioche. I really wanted to ‘hunker down’ in just a few places. My idea of vacation isn’t schlepping bags every night or two, so that we can pack in as many towns and sights as possible. Perhaps in my younger days ;-). Well, I look forward to sharing some stories and pictures with you when I return!

In the meantime, live love and live life!

Ps. I have to say, I feel a new layer of pride and appreciation, as an American, as we travel to another country, on the heels of this Presidential Election.

From my savvy heart to yours,

Leslie

The Savvy Woman’s Love Coach

www.BeLoveSavvy.com

Dear Savvy Woman,

This morning I woke up early, and I sat in my office curled up on my cozy couch (which has followed me through the years – single life to married life), breathing in the stillness and reading from a spiritual book,  Working with the Law, by Raymond Holliwell.  This is my church.  Reading and journaling in the morning is a consistent way for me to connect with myself, Spirit, and the oneness of us all, and of the Universe.

I want to share with you this passage that I read this morning from the chapter Law of Forgiveness.

“As we forgive those who transgress against us, so shall we be forgiven of our transgressions.  This law has followed us down through time, and today we speak of it as thought it were something new; we call it “modern psychology”. The Law reads that certain ideas must be dissolved and cleared from the mind in order that other ideas or new ideas of a different character may replace them.  It may be explained as a bottle that is already full which must be emptied before it can be refilled or added to.

For example, if you hold in your mind that someone has wronged you or has treated you unjustly, you cannot be free from your wrongdoings or injustice so long as you hold that thought in your consciousness.”

I liken this example, and simplify it, to that of YES and NO.   What we want to say YES to as we are desiring growth and change, ie.  A New Job,  Healthy Friendships, A Juicy Committed Relationship – we must say No to things that keep our container full so as not to make room for and receive these YES’s, ie.  Work that keeps us low and small, Toxic Friendships, Sleeping with an Ex that we are not moving forward with, but keeps us company on lonely nights and on some or many levels, keeps us attached and unavailable.

Often, we walk around with Unforgiveness in our hearts and minds.  Maybe they are large, small, or a combination of the two.  No matter.  Any time we have Unforgiveness in our hearts, minds and beings – we are a full containter, a full bottle as Holliwell states above.  It only hurts ourselves, our own growth, and the lives that we are creating on a moment to moment basis.

This is not simple, not as simple as it sounds. I know.  It’s something I continually work on myself.  It does get easier, bit by bit, and the hold that my ego/mind has on wronging someone or something, and sitting in Unforgiveness, gets weaker and weaker.   It’s liberating, as I notice the lightness of my load as I step into this Truth that I’m only getting in my own way by holding tight, and  by not practicing Forgiveness.

Write down three things/people/circumstances with which you are aware you are holding unforgiveness (you feel resentment and/or anger towards, a little or a lot).

And now, decide that you will forgive them/the situation/the circumstance.  Just decide.  Your decision is for your greater good.  _Perhaps your ego/mind resists this as it feels as if you are giving permission, acquiescing, rolling over.  Don’t be fooled. You’re not.  This is one of the most loving acts you can do for yourself.  Let go of this resentment and free yourself up for all the good that wants to be expressed through you.

With love,

From my savvy heart to yours ~

Leslie

The Savvy Woman’s Love Coach

www.BeLoveSavvy.com

Dear Savvy Lady,

I had great response from my Ezine over the weekend on what’s Out/In both with our own self, in in the wonder-land of dating and relating!   If you’re not getting my Ezine, be sure to sign up for the free subscription at http://BeLoveSavvy.com !

One savvy lady told me she had just cut her hair off (lots of it!) the day before the issue came out, and had so much fun noticing how she was showing up differently at a party that very night.  She said the short new ‘do gave her an instant injection of sass and playfulness.  How fun!  The best thing, she said, was she knew that once she outgrew this style, she could change it again.  Hair does grow- right along with us. ;-)

 A friend of mine and very savvy Stylist (multiple books & a stint on Oprah are under her belt!) offered to be a guest on an upcoming tele-class of mine.  I can’t wait to ‘play’ with her on the call.  We’ll blend savvy style how-to’s relative to this topic of changing our outer-selves to align with our inner-UPDATED- selves.  The best part about this - during these seemingly uncertain times –  is that you don’t need to go shopping (unless, of course, you want to!).   We can mix things up with what we’ve got – but sometimes we need another mind here – and we’ll have one of a professional sylist!

Sometimes I make  ’just for the day’ changes to make sure I keep myself on my toes – I can get easily bored with my ‘look!’, as you might have read on Friday.   For instance, today I chose not to spend 30 minutes washing & styling my hair.  I threw it back in a loose ponytail – although it was curly from yesterday, so it has some curl (frizz)  to it - and put a little cap on, to try for a casual-sassy look.  I’m spending my day writing and on phone calls, so I could get away with this.  Most importantly, changing up how I presented myself to the world (and to myself!) today allowed me to feel a little bit more free and light = more creative. 

If this is resonating with you,  I challenge you to step out of your comfort zone.  I dare you!

Be sure you are Rep-ra-zentin, savvy girl.

Have some fun!

From my savvy heart to yours ~

Leslie

The Savvy Woman’s Love Coach

www.BeLoveSavvy.com

Dear Savvy Woman,

The topic of community has been up for me lately.  I’m experiencing first hand the benefits of surrounding yourself with positive, supportive people as well as sustaining the feelling of connection that our communities give to us.  It’s one of those things you can just take for granted or overlook – until you find yourself isolated or floating about with no anchor to ‘home’.

I was actually curious what the dictionary definition is, and found, “any group living in the same area, or having interests, work, etc. in common.”  

Part of my inspiration to write about this came from my experience at a house-warming party over the weekend.

Mid-way through the evening, the host asked us all to stop, gather around, and one by one, give our name & our favorite restaurant in SF.  Now, how often do you attend gatherings in someone’s home and leave not having met someone – even if there were only 20-30 people attending?   I have!   And I consider myself generally to be a social and outgoing personality.

What I loved about this was it allowed us to feel a little more connected to eachother.   After we circled around and everyone had a chance to introduce themselves and hear of SF favorites, we broke back into our smaller conversations.  But something was different.  The energy at the party was raised and we all felt a little more connected, without necessarily speaking to eachother directly. 

Often I coach women who are working on changing some important aspects of how they’re living and operating, and their perspective on things:  no small feat.   One client raised her hand immediately and wanted to talk about her relationship with wine – she was uncomfortable with it.   Another has been taking big steps to claim what she wants for herself in relationships with men – also no feat when your history reflects years and years of dead-end dating.

Both of these women told me that they didn’t share too much with anyone in their lives.  These steps that they were taking were ones that they were taking alone, other than with the coaching relationship with me.

I encourage my clients to build and tap into their personal communities.   Enroll trusted friends, family and coworkers (when appropriate) to be on your side: share where you are and where you’d like to be.  It’s freeing.  We are all in this together.  The more we become transparent and reveal who we are and what we’re up to, the more personal power we gain.  This builds our confidence and self-esteem.  Community is essential for spiritual and emotional health.  

From my savvy heart to yours,

Leslie

The Savvy Woman’s Love Coach

www.BeLoveSavvy.com

Dear Savvy Woman,

I can’t resist….my Monday morning ritual before I loose myself in emails, writing or phone calls is to ………da da na na:   CHECK MY WEEKLY HOROSCOPE!    Ahhhh….ok, I said it!  I’m out. 

Well, if you follow my blog you’ve come across this before, but here’s the link to my favorite source:   http://www.shirleymaclaine.com/articles/astrology/article-341

This week, it’s all about…

This is a wonderful week to reaffirm your commitment to all that brings you into greater harmony with your spiritual self. Meditation is very gratifying as it is easy to attune and perceive. Visualization is easy so make a list of those things you wish manifested in your life, and as the lunar tide swells toward the full Moon on July 18 you will be aided by its growing energy.

The second quarter cycle beginning on Thursday in Libra shows you where you need to bring into alignment anything that has been out of kilter. You can now either eliminate what isn’t right and working or make a shift so balance is restored.

Remember, too, that the Dog Days, holy days in ancient Egypt, when the star, Sirius, was visible, began last week and will be active until August 6. We were all able to focus upon the great wisdom and knowledge when the Pleiadian Stargate opened last month and now we may meditate on the blessings coming from the Sirius system. By some, Sirius is thought to be our spiritual sun. For thousands of years it has been observed and considered significant. Wisdom and compassion, order, healing and divinity are just a few of the many blessings generated.

Believe and receive,

From my savvy heart to yours ~

Leslie

The Savvy Woman’s Love Coach

www.BeLoveSavvy.com

Dear Savvy Woman,

Do you suffer from ‘Overexposure’ in your relationship?

One definition I found on dictionary.com : the condition of having been seen, heard, or advertised so frequently or for so long that freshness or appeal is diminished.

Here’s one personal example:  After working from side-by-side home offices (thank you to whoever invented the white noise machine!), one evening after hearing me complain a little more than usual, Larry called it.  “Sweetie, we’re Overexposed right now, clearly.”  (yes, I think this word deserves a capital O).

I laughed.  It was so true.   I laughed partly at myself, sort of in awe, because I use to be SO hyper-vigilent on this topic with my man.  Not really to him, but about him, and us.  Aware that we were going to be seeing A LOT more of one another once we moved in together, I would plan and pace myself somewhat so that I didn’t find myself at home with him every night, on the couch.  I mean, let’s save the couch for the fun stuff, right??  Especially in a new-er relationship.

Here are a few signs that you might be suffering from Overexposure:

• crabbiness for no apparent reason, with your S.O. – all the time
• you start to notice that you haven’t been out or talked to friends for some time
• any announcement that he has other plans causes you to stifle a ‘thank g-d!’
• if you’re couch could talk, it would tell you two to get a life!

In all seriousness, you know if you are feeling like you need a little space.  Trust this, and act on it.  Take off for the day, or the evening, and gift yourself a play date.  Schedule some time with friends.  Call your family.  Notice what you may have been neglecting in life, and take action to resuscitate.

The great news is that making adjustments to get out of the Overexposed ‘state’, brings so much positive energy to yourself and to your relationship.  This is how we get to rediscover parts of ourselves and our S.O.’s.

It’s fabulous, and it doesn’t require $150 for couple’s therapy!   

With love,

From my savvy heart to yours,

Leslie

The Savvy Woman’s Love Coach

www.BeLoveSavvy.com

Dear Savvy Woman,

I was working with my coach yesterday (I have one too – we all need to walk our talk…) and she asked me how often I check in with my Vision (in this case, my career Vision) these days.

My answer = not much.

Admittedly, I can find myself off-track, and the thought of dedicating some time to connect to my Vision feels like – UGH.

Just like exercising, eating well, or other self-care, if I get off-track, it takes a little wake-up to stretch and get back into the game.   It might feel more comfortable to sit it out, but it’s no fun not playing.

I discovered in talking with Karin, my Fabulous Coach (www.mmmaven.com), that the best way for me to tap into my Vision regularly and effectively is by playing a mind movie.   

A mind movie is simply a Vision you hold in your mind, playing out the future scenario that you are desiring.   I first did this when I anxiously anticipated delivering a presentation to executives in a former job.  I pictured myself confident, calm and equiped to handle anything that came my way.   Sure enough, we oddly lost electricity during the event, and I later received praise from my boss for how unaffected I appeared.  

Mind movies work.  I’ve played them preparing for various events that caused me temporary anxiety (dates, interviews, key meetings, challenging conversations).  It never fails to work.

I committed to Karin yesterday to play my mind movie , at minimum, every day if just for a few minutes.  The key is to really feel into the movie, capturing the energy and vibration of your Vision.  Press pause and hold that space as long as you can in your mind, and feel that energy in your body.  

So, my savvy friend, I encourage you to try this.  You will be amazed.

First, get clear on a Vision.  What are you desiring?   Then, create a future image of you having this in your life, being this Future Self.  Add in details and feeling-tones that make the movie rich and fulfilling – you’re enjoying the fruits of your success.  

Play this movie regularly!

From my savvy heart to yours,

Leslie

The Savvy Woman’s Love Coach

www.BeLoveSavvy.com

Stones & colors: Iridescent shades; metallic; light blue; light green stones of clear and dense properties

Oils & incenses: Patchouli; comfrey; dill; thyme; bay laurel; berries

Mercury and Neptune combined in retrograde motion calls for looking, not just back, but deep within, and, also beyond the mundane. Finding a link to the greater consciousness and a common denominator within humanity will help to open doors of evolution during these times.

Be reaching back and journeying, maybe through astral travel, you will find original intents and purposes of your spirit and collective soul groups. You are in a time now to have revealed to you the answers to many mysteries that have been veiled in time for centuries.

The truth and the wisdom are there and the time for it to emerge is now. Let this be your guiding force to a safer and more abundant and secure lifestyle.

From my savvy heart to yours,

Leslie

The Savvy Woman’s Love Coach

www.BeLoveSavvy.com

Dear Savvy Woman,

I want to share a fun and savvy, not to mention sassy, resource with you :  www.jillianbisinger.com.

Jill is a fabulous photographer here in San Francisco.  I used her for my photos on my website www.BeLoveSavvy.com.   If you peruse her website you’ll see she also takes amazing pregnancy photos, family photos, and events.

Whether you’re looking to upgrade your online profile or just celebrating the New You, you’ll have a great time listening to blues and chatting with Jill like an old friend as she clicks away – complete with outfit changes and hair checks to expand your options, and confidence.  Not only do you walk away with tons of photos to choose from at a reasonable price, but you feel like a Star for a couple of hours! 

What Savvy gal couldn’t use a dose of that once in a while??

From my savvy heart to yours,

Leslie