Your breathe is such an amazing tool. To de-stress. To Be Here Now. For loving yourself.  For bringing your Higher Self more onto the scene of your life and carving out new roads.

This tool is truly so simple and easy, that it just loses people (we get so drawn to shiny objects, struggle and complexity).

I have clients who will call into our session together, and will be so wrapped up in their stories of drama and fear (I say this with love and compassion…I can get wrapped up in my own ,too), so I’ll interrupt and ask them to stop and breathe. And when I do, there can be a lot of resistance.

Breathe?  How do I do that? LOL.  And when I corral them to their breathe at those moments, after explaining to them why I am from a bio/physiological perspective  (science), they’ll eventually give in. ;-)  And we work from the default of shallow, chest breathes, to the deeper, belly breathes. Just for a minute, not forever. A minute of this can launch our coaching into a whole different trajectory of profound impact and action.

Seriously, the breathe is one of the most powerful tools that we have.   For the obvious reasons, we need to breathe.

AND, for all the times that we find ourselves *completely* stuck,  in our heads. So much so that we imagine just entering our head and putting up camp and never, ever leaving….we need to breathe at those times more than ever.

Our breathe, when it comes from our belly, when we start there and draw it up through our solar-plexus, into our hearts and then out our throats as we breathe OUT, can truly change us.

It relaxes, it centers, and it brings us out of our heads and down into our bellies.  We become present. Where our own Buddha lives.  We each have our own little Buddha. Our wisdom. Our Truth.

Breathing is free, it’s on call, and it can seriously change your life when you do it consciously, intentionally.  We can make a new choice. We can pause and create a better thought.

You can do it anytime, anywhere.  And again, it’s FREE.  It’s built-in, mobile and – so brilliant – no one has to know what you’re doing. ;-)

With love ~

Leslie

I’m excited to do a few New Year’s Rituals today – firsts for me. What I usually do is reflect the last few weeks of the year and get clear on some new intentions and goals for myself for the upcoming New Year.  Writing a letter to yourself as if you are at the end of that next year – and what you are grateful for – is a powerful way to seal in your vision.

In that process, I also chose one word (an idea that floated around on Facebook this month that I thought was so simple yet powerful) to capture what I want to embody more of in 2011.  It will be my foundation. I chose ‘Responsibility’.  I’ve realized that as much as I say I want to take on and create for myself in life, I still shy away from taking 100% ownership. (Yikes- not easy to admit to myself! )My journey this year has led me to understand how essential it is to be completely responsible for every thought, feeling, emotion, intention, action, calling, desire, etc that I have.  Be responsible for ME, for my actions and re-actions, and what I create. No one else!

It’s a little un-sexy of a word, I know – it feels kind of heavy from one vantage point at least – but it excites me! And that’s because I know that with this truth and focus, 2011 will be a year unlike any I’ve every experienced. I’m already feeling the ‘fire-walking’ energy of it, and yet I know my soul is on board. Writing this I’m reminded of a fabulous card that I recently found,  with a little girl and a dog sitting side by side in chairs, and it reads, “Life is tough. I recommend getting a manicure, and a really cute helmet.”

What’s your word for 2011?

The rituals I’ll be doing today were suggested by a friend who is so full of gorgeous Goddess-energy and very wise beyond her years. She handed them to me, and so I trusted that this is what I am meant to do today! Mostly because they felt right to me.

1) Write down all the things you are choosing to let go of as you head into 2011 (I know for me these live much more in the land of outworn thoughts & beliefs, behaviors, habits, patterns that no longer serve who I am becoming).

2) Burn that list.

3) Cast 2011 intentions into the ocean at sunset today (a special method she shared that’s too compex for this blog, but you can lay a rock on top of a list of intentions and then throw the rock into the ocean (or place it on an altar or special holding place). Sunset is a time of fertility (who knew?). A time to ‘birth’ these intentions.

No matter what you choose to do as far as goal-setting, my wish is for you to release. Release anything that you know in your heart isn’t serving the YOU that is bursting to be born. The YOU that yearns for more love, new love, less baggage, less drama, more peace, more success.  We always have to move through whatever blocks our path, yet it can be tricky to see and painful to admit. So be very, very gentle with yourself, yet brave.

When we want new love, yet we are not being the love we so long for, we must release something.  When we want new success, yet we are not embodying and acting from that new feeling and place of success, we must release something.  A full glass can’t hold new water. And often, even if ‘He’ isn’t in your life,  you have old beliefs, thoughts and feelings that would probably equal a loooonng line of men out the door.  How is he going to get to your doorstep? Or that new business, or body?

Go with your gut on what those are, write them out, and burn them.  Let 2011 be the year that you step into more of YOU, creating much more of what you want to experience.

I write this for myself as I write this for you.

Happy New Year !!!  I am so grateful to connect here with you.

To your love, success and abundance ~

Leslie

Hi Savvy Friend,

I’m back from what felt like the ‘dead’, which was only about 5 days of being a bit laid up with a cold.  But you know how it feels when you’re not in your best  – or really feeling pretty miserable, weak and sick – and you just want to crawl out of your skin?  I had some of that.  And then I thought of all in the world that are much more sick than I.  And I read a  Sunday NY Times article on South African women – girls- selling sex to Truckers so that they can have a place to sleep that night.  I don’t mean to be too heavy on this Monday morning, but I’m sharing this with you because it was my process and I know it’s often yours too. 

We must be grateful for this moment, and for all that we have.  And when we’re wanting something different – our health, a new opportunity in love, work, or life – to come from a place of appreciation – wholeness ‘as is’ – that is the key.  And it’s the Truth.  It’s ‘what is’.

BE REALLY WHOLE, AND ALL THINGS WILL COME TO YOU. ~ Lao-Tzu

This quote is so simple yet so inclusive.  

Here’s a way to break this down and step into a new perspective:

1) Be REALLY WHOLE….what does this mean for you *today*?   I say today, because we are ever-evolving creatures. Our needs change as we grow, expand, and experience.   What you need to eat for instance to keep healthy today may have changed dramatically from what you typically ate, or needed to eat, last year or 10 years ago. 

What you may need in your relationship – or in the relationship that’s on it’s way to you – might be very different from what you’ve experienced or needed in the past. Relationships are always mirrors of ourselves, who we are BEING, and where we are.  So again, look to yourself now.  What would make *you* BE REALLY WHOLE?  Maybe it’s introducing a new activity or ‘maintenance method’ (even the easiest relationships take some work, and maintaining their luster can involve things like regular ‘I love you because….’ , check-in conversations, and surprises for each other).  If you’re single, what are you creating in your mind and being for what you want to attract?  Single or in relationship – the bottom line is always YOU.  What would have *you* BE REALLY WHOLE? 

2) Chunk this down to *today*. Or what’s *next*.  What can stop us in our tracks in overwhelm, or sabotage this process,  is the common need to broad-stroke things and think in black-and-white, like there’s some million-dollar answer to this question that will bring ever-lasting prosperity and bliss to ourselves and our lives, and our relationships.  There isn’t.  Instead, think baby steps.  Each step being a bread crumb on our trail.

3) Reflecting on this question ‘What would have me BE REALLY WHOLE’, listening to what you receive in terms of insights, answers and inclinations, and then ACTING on that will bring you powerful movement in your life, and….ALL THINGS WILL COME TO YOU.

Are you local to SF?  Our Success Circle is a perfect way to bookmark time for YOU to slow down, get clear and stay accountable to what you are creating and want to create in your life!

You can learn more about this HERE.  Contact Donna at assist@belovesavvy.com to schedule a 10-15 minute chat with me to get any questions on the circle answered & ensure it’s a good fit for you.

From my savvy heart to yours~

Leslie

www.BeLoveSavvy.com

Dear Savvy Woman,

“Feel your power.  Feel the power of your breath. Feel the power of your sound. Feel the power of your love. Feel the power of your forgiveness. Feel the power of your willingness to change. Feel your power. You are beautiful.You are a divine, magnificent being. You deserve all good, not just some, but all good. Feel your power.  Be at peace with it, for you are safe. Welcome this new day with open arms and with love. And so it is.”

This is a meditation taken from the book, “The Power is Within You“, by Louise Hay (a magnificent woman who’s been so far ahead of her time).

How do you feel – what do you think – what do you believe – when you read this above meditation?

I work with women who are ready to create more in their lives – to expand – and to live their desires.  Sometimes it takes a while before they give themselves permission to want what they want - and to believe that it’s theirs for the making. 

Having a coach enables them to step into bigger shoes, and it starts with allowing oneself to envision it, to fully believe it (sometimes we have blocks, one or many), to receivetheir greater good (oy, is it tough for us women sometimes to receive), and to take inspired actions.

Personally, working with a coach and coaching group has not only changed my life, but it truly supports me at times when taking a step and making a change feels so SCARY, or I’m stuck (I get stuck sometimes, too) on  the HOW? on a new step, and it’s simply stopping me from taking action (also fear-based).  And sometimes, I just revel in knowing I have that call on Thursday morning with the group and I can be with others who support me in feeling my power.

I invite you to take a look at the Success Circle program that just launched. It’s all about receiving coaching, feedback & company of San Francisco women who want to feel their power – and act on it.  Women who are looking to up-level their lives and sense they would benefit from inspiration, focus and some accountability to keep them moving.  Is this you?

New members will join in on August 5th!  

Questions?  Feel free to email me directly: leslie@belovesavvy.com.

To your personal power,

Leslie

www.BeLoveSavvy.com

Dear Savvy Woman,

This is in ’Life Improvement 101′,  and it will amaze me when I forget it in my own life - which I can and do!

Although recently I began implementing it into new areas of my life – some areas I hadn’t given myself permission to apply this to in the past – and it’s simply rocking my world!

Do you want to rock your world – shake things up a little bit with yourself?

Well, then….Drum-roll please…

Take INSPIRED actions, only.  What do I mean by this?  Well, I can bet you are like most of us living in this modern life, which is that we are leading very busy lives. So busy in fact that often everything just kind of runs together, gets more and more busy and overwhelming, and eventually you either flat-line in apathy (maybe without knowing it) or you stay on the merry-go-round getting so out of touch with your authentic self and without a minute to spare.  But that’s truly it’s own topic that deserves it’s own attention.

Taking INSPIRED action means both responding to things if and when you feel inspired to do so.  It also applies to -quite beautifully - when you are looking to do the BIG things; the steps that have you feeling trepidation because they are NEW and UNKNOWN.

The brilliance of this, and I can say I am continually surprised, is that energetically everything aligns when you take inspired action.  Rather than operating from shoulds, indecision, or resentment, by taking inspired actions only you align with what’s true for you which aligns with the Universe and it just feels so light and breezy-easy. 

This apples to everything from deciding what you want to do tonight, to who to call back, to placing calls for information-interviews while you’re job hunting.  What happens is that we often act on reaction, or out of ‘musts’ and ‘shoulds’.   We also wimp out when we don’t feel inspired and we’re facing something that feels daunting and unknown.

Things to do to get inspired and into action:

- Get a little quiet.  Pause before you return a call from a negative friend and check in with yourself – is this a Yes or a No?  Give yourself permission to say NO to doing something that may have just become habit.

-Tap into your VISION (don’t have one? search my blog for Vision Box, Mind Movies, etc).   Does this action or response you’re looking to take align? 

-When you’re stepping out & up into something new, focus on  making decisions and taking inspired actions based on where you want to be, not from where you are currently.

Believe me, this isn’t always easy and it takes some awareness  practice, but the dots connect and connect and like any good habit, it becomes easier and more natural as you go along.  I promise.

Much love,

From my savvy heart to yours~

Leslie

www.BeLoveSavvy.com