Dear Savvy Woman,

I truly continue to be in awe of the amazing process of growth….of how we can achieve what we set out to.  What I’m reflecting on is not just the achievements that manifest in our outer world - career transition, a loving partnership, material success, a new business venture….. what truly stills me to sacred silence and rushes blood through my veins is the fact that we are limitless creatures and we can move mountains in regard to our ‘inner’ realities.  These ‘inner’ realities are what enable us to achieve and manifest in the outer world.  How we feel about ourselves.  Who we want to BE.  Now.  And in the future.  Because this achievement comes from looking inside - acknowledging what needs to be changed - looking at who you want to be - and believing that it’s possible.

What we want to manifest in life begins with who we are.  What thoughts we hold.  What beliefs we are living by.  Where we set our sights to be.

I’m inspired to write this because I just ran across an intake form that my first and brilliant coach , Nikki Anderson: www.coachnikki.com, gave me as I began my life coaching work with her a little over 3 years ago.   I felt lost, down and dissatisfied.   Yes, much because my then- relationship hadn’t worked out, and the company I worked for was failing and I wanted out.  It felt overwhelming. 

But the truth, the core, of why I was so distraught was because I knew.  I knew that I wasn’t living to my potential.  I knew I was hiding out, and continuing to make the same choices - over and over. Same choices = same results.  The same unavailable guy, and the same unfulfilling job.  And the same energy-sucking, in-congruent smaller choices woven throughout how I was living. They didn’t fill me up. They kept me down.

I re-read my answer to ‘What role do you see your best self playing in the world? What do you want to model for others?:

My answer , “I want to model achieving my dreams, creative AND focused, nurturing AND strong, feminine AND true to myself, interdependent AND independent.”

I know that when I wrote this answer, it was coming from somewhere within me, and yet looking at my life at that time - I felt that I had no ‘proof’ that I was a woman exemplifying - or capable of - exemplifying these.  This is how many of the clients come to me feeling.  I see the gleam in their eyes when they complete a Future Self exercise and connect to what is true for them.

Then, the fear and disbelief sets in again.  And so the work begins.

I re-read that statement I made to myself and to my coach years ago, and I was in awe of the fact that I was indeed living up to what I had aspired to be.  At least attempting to! I’m by no means declaring perfection here,  nor “I’ve made it!”.   As my friend said to me many years ago, “Some of us are climbers, and others campers, in life.”  I know that I’m a climber.  When do I get to the top?  In this life, when my spirit leaves my body behind.

Every day I can feel the fear that hovers like a cloud, threatening rain.  The beautiful thing is that I’m getting more and more comfortable with the threat.  I don’t hold myself to walking only where the skies are always clear.  That would indicate to me that I wasn’t playing big enough - playing too safe.

So, savvy friends, I encourage you - I urge you - not to stamp out that voice that says, “This is what I want.”  “This is what I know I am meant to be, do, and have.”   This is the voice that knows the real truth.

Don’t talk yourself out of your desires.

With love,

From my savvy heart to yours ~

Leslie

The Savvy Woman’s Love Coach

www.BeLoveSavvy.com

Dear Savvy Friend,

Why is it we are afraid to speak our truth when we’re on a date, or in a relationship?  Some of you, if you’re anything like me, present or past, might also find yourselves sweeping thoughts, desires, and opinions under the rug - in order to be accepted.  As women, many of us have a tendency to swallow our voices because we want to be approved of, liked, loved.  Maybe we do this if only occasionally.  Maybe a lot. 

We’ve all done this, and do this.  Maybe it’s big, or it’s something small.

I have client that I’m currently working with - let’s call her Jill.  Jill wants to find a loving partnership - her desire is for it to grow into marriage, although she’s not so sure about if she wants children one day, or not.

Jill’s interested in “Bill”.  She’s getting to know him, and although there are some questions as to if it could be a work-able situation to date him and see where it goes (it’s long-distance today, age difference, etc), when I asked her to consider asking him some ‘revealing’ questions on their next date, such as ‘where do you see yourself in 5 years & 10 years?’, the thought of it scared her, more than a little.  I’m coaxing her a little on this as ‘Jill’ has three relationships-over, stifled her needs and desires for the guy.  Denying her needs and wants is the ‘known’ - hence, she’s hired me. 

So I ask: Why can’t we express ourselves as we go along?  Why do we pretend to not be feeling what we are feeling? Wanting what we are wanting.   In dating, revealing too much too soon can be ‘death’.  And, not revealing enough, and a little too late = also ‘death’.  Yikes….what a fine line.

And that’s all that I had written.  I must have petered out for whatever reason.

As I scanned all my ’saved drafts’ this morning, I knew this title would trigger more from me.

I’ve been in a bit of funk with my guy, and husband, Larry , in recent days.   Not a huge funk.  We’re speaking, playing, etc.  ‘Normal’.

AND:  somethings not quite the same.  You see, I spoke my Truth recently to him, over something that’s a pretty serious topic, yet not a ‘Huge’ topic (and,unfortunately, I can’t expound any further ). He wasn’t thrilled with my Truth.  He respects it.  But it isn’t received with open arms, a huge smile, and a ‘Thanks, that’s great.’ 

And this is a reality:  sometimes, our Truth doesn’t make the other person very happy.  It can at times cause distance, a decision to be made, change.  

But what is the alternative?  I didn’t have an alternative, as I aspire to be as honest and as direct as possible in my relationship.  It for sure is not always easy. Far from.  

I really don’t like not feeling as close and intimate with my partner as is typical. It’s quite uncomfortable.  AND, it’s part of the experience.  It’s reality.   And that’s why I’m choosing to write about it.

As women, I think we must get really comfy cozy with speaking our Truth.  We must.  It doesn’t always feel sexy, and definitely not fun. 

And, it’s really the only option -isn’t it?

With love,

From my savvy heart to yours,

Leslie

The Savvy Woman’s Love Coach

www.BeLoveSavvy.com

Dear Savvy Woman,

I hear you! I’m with you - I swear!  

Despite being a married woman, I continually experience the ‘experience’ of dating via my clients and other single women in my life.   Lately, I seem to get almost as much content from being out in public next to a ‘loud talker’ at a restaurant, or in Walgreen’s on their cell.

Just last night, I was meeting a friend at a neighborhood restaurant to catch up.  I had arrived first and dove into the menu as I was starving.  I couldn’t help but hear the conversation next to me as I silently studied what I would order.

This couple obviously had just met up for a first date.  Conversation was mechanical.  I had arrived just as they were winding up.  What I over heard was them each reviewing how they ‘filtered’ with their dates:  if they went to bars or not, online dating, and even, yes - the Meyer’s Briggs.

I was so sad for these two.  

I know E-harmony does an assessement for appropriate matching - I was a client years ago.  Nothing against them, or any online dating site.

What’s next - ENFJdateme.com?

Listen, I’m all about personal development and compatibility.  I’m a coach.  

AND, no wonder we’ve lost hope as women when we hear, feel and experience this sort of pursuit of ‘the one’.

How romantic is it to discuss dating strategy with someone you are on a date with?   Absolutely ZERO.

Especially, when these ’strategies’ are all behind a computer screen, or tallying up under ‘Zero Risk’ and ‘Proven’ columns.

Is this the reality of Modern Dating?

Maybe for some. 

But I know you, Savvy Woman. 

You don’t want this. 

And you don’t have to have it. 

The more you know yourself and know what you want, the more confident you can be in acting on what’s true for you.

Acting from love.

Not acting from fear.   Fear wants to hide behind things - take a proven way - and acts in discord from the truth of things.

I know you want to believe that you’ll have tons of fun, pleasure, light, and wonder in dating and partnering with your man.

And you can.

You must believe.

If you do - you’ll trust some of those nudges, inclinations and hunches that will lead you to fun, pleasure, light and wonder - and to him.

With love and light,

From my savvy heart to yours ~

Leslie

The Savvy Woman’s Love Coach

www.BeLoveSavvy.com

Dear Savvy Woman,

How often are you making choices and responding in life from your  Higher Self?   Who is your Higher Self?   What am I talking about, you say? 

My Higher Self is the woman who speaks and acts from her Truth.  She is very confident - she knows what she likes, and what works for her.  She loves  adventure, and takes risks consistently.  She loves from her entire being and she holds no judgement towards others.  She elegantly flows through encounters, challenges, and her days  - aware of her purpose.  My Higher Self focuses on what is important to her, holding on to that vision as she makes choices that reflect and move toward it.  Oh, and she loves pleasure and fun, and survives on a steady diet of each.

How would you describe your Higher Self?  

You’ve met her.  It’s just that sometimes you forget her.  When you do, you live day to day playing small and taking actions based on your past and what you know to be safe and seemingly ‘proven’.   You continue to make choices that get you more of the same, and often that same is not in the direction of your heart’s desires.  

How do you get aquainted  - get introduced - if you feel like you’ve never crossed paths with her?  

Very similarly to what I recommend to clients to do who are ready to meet ‘the one’:

• Slow down. 
• Take time just for you. Make it sacred. Notice what you want more of, and less of.  This time and noticing accrues like a bank account.  Clarity grows.  And clarity attracts clarity.
• Listen to those inclinations, urges, and nudges that come up more as you still yourself.   Follow them.
• Vision.  Picture yourself 10 years from now, living your dreams.  Who is that woman?  Notice what she’s doing, who she’s doing it with, how she’s doing it.  Is she wearing certain clothes? What does she value?    Find ways to step into her being-ness, today. 

Your Higher Self is ready to take more on!

From my savvy heart to yours,

Leslie

The Savvy Woman’s Love Coach

www.BeLoveSavvy.com

Dear Savvy Woman,

I’ve had this book from Sylvia Brown on my bookshelf for probably over 10 years - and after hearing her recently on Hay House Radio, I decided I should give it a go.  I’m a serious book-slut these days.  I’m in no question not faithful to my biggest love and husband, Larry, but jeez…I can’t stay true to just one book to save my life!  But I like it this way.  And no one’s getting hurt.

But, I digress.  Back to Sylvia.  So, I pick up The Other Side and Back - A Psychic’s Guide To Our World and Beyond (given to me by a dear friend after my mom passed away, now 14 years ago) and I decide to flip around a bit and see what she’s offering up.  No surprise, I notice the chapter entitled, “Your Personal Life: A Spiritual Psychic’s View of Relationships and Families“, and decide to dive in there.  I’m curious.

I run across this funny and I’d guess to be very commonly true observation about one’s filter or shall I say, discernment, around people, intimacy and relationships.   Sylvia writes, “From my readings for thousands of clients and my own past mistakes, I’ve come to realize that most of us are more thorough, thoughtful and cautious about shopping for a car than we are about who we allow into our lives…we’ve all done or witnessed essentially that - bought on impulse - and then spent an emotional fortune trying to repair something that will never be worth  as much as we’ve put into it.”

OMG - this resonates , doesn’t it?  Years before I met Larry, my friends and family witnessed me putting my apartment in storage and flying to Toronto, Canada to spend time with a man I had not spent more than a few weeks with.  Regrets - none - but would I have benefited from more of a ‘research -checklist - testdrive’ approach, in that case?  Heck, yeah.

I could go on and on here.  Not just in the context of men and dating , but also looking at the other people I’ve allowed into my life that ended up being emotional vampires, or simply ‘bad energy’.  The more I connect to my truth and trust my gut, the better I get at ‘car shopping’ as it relates to meeting others. Whether they are business relationships, potential clients, or personal acquaintances and friends - I’m aware of when I ‘impulse buy’. 

But, let’s go back to  dating.  Think about the energy and perhaps self-esteem you might protect if you begin to approach your dating life like  you are buying your next vehicle.  Imagine that you’ve been driving a Honda civic for the past 10 years, and you are (hooray!) shopping for an upgrade: a car that you’ve been waiting for. Ready for.  Yes, this will be a stellar relationship.

Think of the checklist and test drive process -Sylvia highlights some great points here:

• Does he make you feel better or worse about yourself?
• Does he have more real friends than you do, or fewer?
• Does he place a higher or lower value than you do on honesty, integrity, and commitment?
• Is he closer to his family members or more estranged, than you are?
• Has he had more success with relationships or less?

Add on more of your own questions.  I do hope you have some. = )  What is so important (and what Sylvia notes, too, actually) is to pay close attention to his behavior.  Does it match who he says he is? And if it doesn’t, believe the behavior!   It’s like  test driving a used car that has a sticker saying ‘Well - maintained’, and it breaks down on you before you return to the lot!  You wouldn’t buy that car, would you?  Some of us have been known to believe the sticker. ‘But it says…!’

Ahhh….cars. Men.  Let’s move on to …shoes!

From my savvy heart to yours,

Leslie

The Savvy Woman’s Love Coach

www.BeLoveSavvy.com

Dear Savvy Woman,

Are you aware of what your current mind-set is?   I hope so.  Because mind-set  is *everything*. And experiencing success in relationships and romance doesn’t escape this truth.  Personal success is as much an inner game as it is an outer one.   Shhhh…. I’m going to quiet you naysayers for a second, the ones who point to Supermodel figures and flawless skin as the ‘must haves’ and say, simply , ENOUGH already.  Hold up.

Naomi Cambell sure ain’t got no satisfaction in her personal life - I’d place big money on it.  All the drama she manifests in her world, just on plane travel alone, points to where her mindset rests.  And it’s not in peace, is it?

You see, I’m still reveling in the experience of listening to Marianne Williamson lecture last week up in Marin, and the topic was Living Miraculously.   Marianne largely spoke about the thoughts that we must hold in order to live out a miraculous life.    And that’s what mind-set is.   Notice: where are your thoughts?   Are they in the past?   Are they sitting up on the ledge of FEAR, trying to predict and see the future?  

And, what are your thoughts?   Are they loving, positive, expansive, and forward-pulling, helping you take the action required to step into a grand, heart-felt vision of what you hold for yourself:  focused on the vision of your dreams?   Or, are they doubt-filled, fear-filled, and focusing on what you don’t want?

In James Arthur Ray’s book, Harmonic Wealth, he highlights the fact that the right mind-set is more important than having the right skills, in the context of discussing accomplishments and success.

Here’s an exercise he gives to prove this to be true:  Write down your top three wins or accomplishments to date.  These could include completing school, landing a job in a competitive industry, writing a book, or marrying the man of your dreams.  This is only about you, so don’t compare relative to others, but write down what is true for you.  Childhood accomplishments can be included too.

Now, look at your list, and choose the event that brings up the strongest feelings of accomplishment, the one that makes you feel that you tackled and conquered something worthwhile. Now, mind-storm a list of qualities that you had that helped you to achieve this win.  How were you thinking?  What were you feeling? What were you doing or not doing?  Qualities like vision,  passion, trust, focus may come up.  Or kindness, patience and enthusiasm.  Come up with as many as you can. 

Now, go back through this quality list and next to each,  write if it’s a mind-set related or more skill related.  Ray bets that most, if not all, the qualities are mind-set related and not skill related.   And I do too.  As Ray points out, and very timely with the Summer Olympics just starting, “Every Olympic athlete has the skills, yet few win the gold.  It’s all about the mental game.” 

I meet many women who desire an amazing, rich life filled with love, passion, and integrity.  Some of them understand that they need to step up and into a bigger game, one that is of the right mind-set.   An inner game.  Many still focus on the skill-sets of the right clothes, hair, make up and dating 101’s to ‘get it right’.   Although folding these things in can not hurt, focusing on these exclusively rather than on mind-set isn’t going to win the gold. It’s just not.  It might be a temporary fix or illusion, but it’s not the stuff that wins the gold.

Get your inner game on, ladies.

From my savvy heart to yours,

Leslie

The Savvy Woman’s Love Coach

www.BeLoveSavvy.com

Dear Savvy Woman, 
This question has  come up a lot recently, as I wrote in the Part 1 post on this topic.

I think there’s a few things at play with this, and, as much as we want a clear line - a Yes or No - this isn’t one of those, unfortunately.

However, I think that the general answer to this is  NO.   It’s not going to kill a romance that’s meant to happen, or turn a guy off that you’re initially meeting, if you let it be known that you have some interest.   It’s flattering!  Men apprecitate receiving  compliments and flattery, too.  And they don’t necessarily mind having some assistance in making the first move.  It takes some pressure off, in fact.

AND, it’s all in the delivery:

- Are you confidently letting someone know you have interest = he senses or hears or sees a ‘Welcome’ sign with you?

-And, are you doing so in a way that still keeps your self-respect and your desire to be pursued and courted in tact?

Again , the general rule, in my experience and in surveying men, is No - no conflict of interest in making your interest known.   Yes, only you can answer these most genuinely for yourself = you are the best judge of what’s comfortable for you, what the situation is feeling like, what the energy is.

I’m not a fan of the Rules book.   Heck, I moved in with my husband after 4 months of dating.  And I was a woman that mouthed about how after living with a boyfriend in my twenties - next time, I would wait for a commitment.  I wanted to have (perceived) control over the outcome going forward, as the stakes felt much higher to me at 35.

But, I made that decision on what I sensed, felt, heard, saw and just knew.  All with the understanding with myself that I could afford to take the risk.  It’s always good to ask yourself what the worst case scenario would be, and do you feel that you could deal with it (of course you can, but our ego can be running the show here).

How showing interest might look:

- Handing a guy your card as you leave a conversation and say something like, “I’ve enjoyed meeting you…I’d be interested in continuing conversation over coffee sometime if you’d like to.”

-Smiling and giving great eye contact, along with other body language that indicates that you are approachable and potentially interested.

-Connecting with someone via Facebook and sending a friendly note.

-Simply asking him for a date!

Just remember, if you are a woman who wants to be pursued and courted, you want this to be conveyed through your actions and reactions, so that the message is clear.  No mixed messages.  This is true whether you get asked out, or do the asking.

From my savvy heart to yours,

Leslie

The Savvy Woman’s Love Coach

www.BeLoveSavvy.com

Hey Savvy Woman,

There’s so much coming out these days on Mind Set, isn’t there?   You’ve probably read or seen The Secret, or at least heard of the Law of Attraction.   Essentially, one large contributing factor of this law, and what brings success to the application of it, is a Positive Mind Set.  One’s thoughts, beliefs and feelings comprise your ‘frequency’ = how you’re vibrating.   Is it Positive?

Positive thoughts equals positive feelings = your vibration increases.   And, per this Law,  Like attracts Like.

Experiencing the powerful effects of positive mind set through my life, and, especially as I got hold of Law Of Attraction and experienced on amazing levels how it truly works,  Positivity is one of the tenants of Being Love Savvy.

It’s not rocket science to observe how the impact of holding a positive attitude with others impacts your interactions and experience, versus the opposite, right?   We’ve all been there.   You’re with a negative-minded friend, and despite the delicious food you shared, or even the good movie you saw  - you leave her and notice yourself feeling e-x-h-a-u-s-t-e-d.   Otherwise known as toxicity, this negative muck has you feeling like you’re sinking in quicksand.  

On the flip side, think about how you feel when you spend time, or even rub elbows, with a positive person.  It’s intoxicating.  It’s uplifting.  Perhaps if you went in to the exchange a little tired, a little agitated,  you notice that you leave it feeling energized. 

This translates most directly into dating and relationships, my savvy friends, as you may well know.   How often have you felt disinterested in someone because he or she just seemed….well, negative?  A downer.  Not so much, huh?

Again, not rocket-science.    But, I’ll tell you,  Positivity shows up in many ways, some of which are not necessarily all verbally given.   Here’s a short list of a few:

• A smile and eye contact
• Supportive, encouraging words
• Openness - approachability, even with body language (no crossing of arms, turning of back)
• Interest - Curiosity in the other person
• Avoidance of gossip or caddy comments
• Laughing, humor (if used in an uplifting way)

Now, if you’re in relationship - how much of this are you doing with your S.O.??   Take inventory, and make sure that your comfort levels haven’t seduced you into the lower-self behaviors of negativity.

Make sure to put yourself in a positive  circle of influence.  Because it rubs off. And with those in your life (certain family members, colleagues, long-term friends) that aren’t so positive, protect your energy and mind-set with structures that help reduce toxic residue:  limit conversations, schedule interactions for a low-stress, low-impact time, and be the bigger person by not jumping in to agree with negative thinking or attitude.

Then, notice the dividends that Positivity pays.   They’re priceless, actually.

From my savvy heart to yours,

Leslie

The Savvy Woman’s Love Coach

www.BeLoveSavvy.com

Dear Savvy Woman,

It’s been a theme this week - clients, friends, new aquaintences - all asking about the concept of approaching men and showing interest.  

One client is on E-Harmony, and is reticent on ’approaching’ a guy online because she’s a woman who really wants to be pursued and doesn’t want to send off the wrong message.

A friend and I were hanging out with my husband Larry - actually on our way to his favorite place in the world other than next to me of course = ) - the golf course - and she asked about what to do when you’re in conversation with someone , you need to leave, and he hasn’t asked for the number.  

 At an event just last night, I met a woman who shared that she was in a dilemma: she felt like she had put out a lot of energy to a new guy.  She seemed a little remorseful, a little curious, a little excited.   It wasn’t yet disastrous - he had just called her that afternoon.  But clearly, she seemed as if she was walking a tightrope. 

All of these scenarios beg the question:  is it a conflict of interest to show interest in a guy?   Will it send a message that I’m an aggressive woman, who doesn’t want to be pursued… courted…. and, let’s face it… cherished?

Stay tuned for Part 2.

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