I wanted to share this weeks ezine from the Queen of Extreme Dreams, Laurie A. Santos.  She has some fantastic tips on how to reach YOUR Extreme Dreams in a way I have not heard or thought of before – and it’s worth the share!

Check this out and enjoy!

To view the entire newsletter, please visit:
http://www.extremedreamtraining.com/TipsOnTuesday/Feb22/

For more information on The Extreme Dream Queen, Laurie A. Santos, and to sign up for her weekly tips visit:
http://www.extremedreamtraining.com

Tips on Tuesdays – Dreaming is Big Business By Laurie A. Santos Executive Summary. When writing a business plan they always begin with an Executive Summary. Summarize your strategy, your profit margins (what you will gain by living out your dream), your analysis and your history and background. Company. View yourself and the dream as the company. Write out the history and background of you and this dream and all that entails. Who are you and what is this dream about? Vision. All businesses have a vision, what’s yours? Aim high, think and feel big then write! Mission. What’s your mission statement? Where do you want to go? What’s this all about? Tap into your essence and higher wisdom self and really get underneath the mission of your dream. Objectives. What do you hope to achieve with your dream? Strategic Plan. Map out a 3, 6, 9 and then 12-month strategy to get your dream lived out. Each month have milestones you’d like to hit and then summarize each quarter the progress you’ve made toward your personal goals. Businesses always review their “wins” and “losses” quarterly and you can do the same when it comes to Dream-Planning. Financial Plan. Write up all the expected costs (financials) of attaining your dream. Perhaps you will need to quit your full-time job in order to travel the world; thus, you will need to factor in that loss of income and how much money you will need to save up for example. Get very clear on the financials of bringing this dream to life. Also, businesses have short-term, mid-term and long-term financial forecasting and it is best to do the same when it comes to your dream. For instance, I quit my full-time job to move to Spain and my Dream Business Plan Financials Section took into consideration the amount of money needed to be saved in order for me to live for one year (without seeking additional employment) once I returned to Spain plus the money needed to (the monthly dollar figure I was accustomed to when having a full-time job) operate my business full-time. I calculated all my outgoing expenses (mortgage, electric bills, etc.) and then came up with a figure that felt comfortable for me to save and live off for 365 days once I returned to the US from Spain. Resources. All businesses need resources to pull from and rely on. Who are the folks you hope to use as a resource during this dream-planning time? What tools will you need and use to help you get this dream achieved? Print and bind. I highly suggest treating this Dream Business Plan like an official document by typing it up, printing it out and going to your local printing press to bind it. This binding job should cost less than 10 USD. Once your Dream Business Plan is bound, this document will become your constant reference, template and guide and will show you the next steps when heading out to live your dream out in the world. When you forget the steps necessary to make your dream come to fruition, all you’ve got to do is look inside the coveted pages of your Dream Business Plan. Taking this document seriously will demonstrate back to you just how sacred and special this dream is. Seek funding. Many entrepreneurs, once their business plan is all typed up and looking pretty, start to shop around their plan to potential investors. You may do the same! Let’s say you need some extra financial support, why not take your Dream Business Plan to a friend or family member, share it with them and see if they will supply you with the additional funds you may need to breathe life into your dream.

Laurie A. Santos, is a Certified Life Coach with over 15 years in Behavioral Sciences, passionate living, and full-out-break-a-big-big-sweat salsa dancing. Laurie is the host of Extreme Dream Radio where every week she challenges folks to step it up, super-size their dreams, and go UNCONVENTIONAL! After living in Angola, Africa in 2009, she set off to Salmiya, Kuwait, where she completed a country report for the UK’s Daily Telegraph on the current changes and expected developments of this small Middle Eastern country. She is currently calling Kuwait home. She owns a home in the San Francisco Bay Area, but is never there because she is too busy walking the world living her Extreme Dream. Last year Laurie visited six countries and in 2010, she also checked out another six amazing destinations, including Egypt, Lebanon, Nepal, and Jordan! Travel plans for 2011 bring Istanbul and Insha’allah (God-willing), a silent retreat in Tibet.

Sometimes, things just happen.  However, sometimes it’s Mercury.

The Mercury Retrograde can be very easily related as “Murphy’s Law”.  Computers crash, software develops unexpected glitches, traffic jams pile up unexpectedly, telephone service drops, letters get lost, machinery breaks down, new projects fail.  Mercury the trickster is at it again pulling out all the stops.  Actually, at least three times a year for approximately 3 weeks Mercury has it’s way with us, playing it’s wild games.

What is Mercury Retrograde?

When we come into a retrograde, it appears that Mercury will actually go backwards across the sky.  This, however, is an optical illusion.  What actually occurs is Mercury slows down and rotate slower which gives the appearance of going backwards.  It is just the same as going down the highway and passing a car going slower than you – they appear to go backwards when they aren’t.

What does Mercury Retrograde do?

Mercury rules communication.  What this brings is basically annoyance and mis-communication if we are too hasty and ‘think’ we know what’s going on, we can actually miss the point or pertinent information.  Anything surrounding communication, verbal activity, technology, trips, primary education, and siblings can all be affected.

Usually the effects of the retrograde are irritating and annoying, but occasionally larger issues can arise.

What should I do during a Retrograde?

There are some things that we can do to make the best of the time we have with Mercury and it’s tricks.  Here are a few pointers to get you through this time with only minor irritations.

1. Stand Back: Mercury may bring up things from our past.  The retrograde gives us time to catch up with ourselves and to look back.  Something from the past might return in a different form.  This can mean people, ideas or buried insights that need to surface for you to move forward.  Watch for these and if they arise, be prepared to learn from the experiences.  Maybe there is something you missed the first time.
2. Just Don’t:  There is a long held belief that it’s best to avoid making set plans during the Mercury Retrgrade.  This means being cautious about things like signing contracts, forming partnerships or corporations, or making big decisions.  If it is not urgent, take some time to step back and contemplate before moving forward.
3. Back up, back up, back up: We all know that we should back up our computer and save our work, but it is increasingly important during the retrograde since computer crashes, lost emails, and other types of technical failures quite often occur during this time.
4. Start Early:  If you are anticipating completing that proposal, a speech, or a new website during the retrograde, give yourself extra time.  If you have finished your ezine the night before it is to be sent, just to find that with the odd turn of fate from Mercury you are unable to gain access to your Email Service Provider – or worse, y0ur internet goes down – you could find yourself a day late.  Always work ahead and get things completed early so if there are any troublesome issues, you have time to work through them before the deadline.  This also is key for getting to appointments on time.  Give yourself the extra time to allow for those possible snags.
5. Sooth Your Mind:  Mercury Retrograde is an energy shift that can create confusion and stress.  Find ways to soothe your mind with music, or rare quiet.  Listen to your own thoughts and be curious about where they are taking you.

In general, take your time, be consistent, and make sure to make some time for you to finish up those lose ends so that you may start fresh!

Here are the dates for the next retrogrades so you are able to keep track and be sure to be ready for the next one.

• March 30, 2011 (8:49 pm GMT) – April 23, 2011 (10:05 am GMT)
• August 3, 2011 (3:51 am GMT) – August 26, 2011 (10:04 pm GMT)
• November 24, 2011 (7:20 am GMT) – December 14, 2011 (1:44 am GMT)
• March 12, 2012 (7:50 am GMT) – April 4, 2012 (10:12 am GMT)
• July 15, 2012 (2:17 am GMT) – August 8, 2012 (5:41 am GMT)
• November 6, 2012 (11:05 pm GMT) – November 26, 2012 (10:49 pm GMT)

Do you know how you learn best? If so how has that information helped you achieve success in your business and personal life? Many people have little awareness of how they learn which leaves them at risk for misunderstanding information and thus missing opportunities. The more you understand how you learn, the greater the potential for success.

There are three primary learning styles – auditory, visual and kinesthetic. Many individuals have a combination of styles.

Auditory learners learn through listening. They take in information through lectures, discussions, listening to others comments and talking things through. They listen for the tone, pitch and nuances in someone’s speech. These individuals may find it helpful to read aloud because information then becomes more meaningful.

Using a tape recorder during lectures and having the opportunity to play it back punctuates their learning. The same is true for recording their presentations. It allows them to “hear” and then modify the information they would like others to learn. When they use a computer having a program which “speaks” the information while they read heightens their ability to understand.

Visual learners need to see the body language and facial expressions of people in order to learn. They often think in pictures and relate well to diagrams, graphs, handouts and flipcharts. These folks tend to take lots of notes during lectures and workshops as a way of retaining the information. The act of writing and then reading it helps to cement the data. When these individuals do presentations they to use many visual aids such as pictures, video clips and charts.

Highlighting when they read and reviewing handouts helps them to consolidate their learning. One client used to highlight reports with different colors. Each color represented a specific aspect that he wanted to follow up on. Another client used a daily planner in which different colors represented various responsibilities in her life. If you are not a visual learner you might actually feel overwhelmed by the use of all that color.

Kinesthetic or tactile learners learn through touching and doing. Often they are described as “hands on” learners. These individuals may have difficulty sitting still for long periods of time: they need to explore their environment. They can become restless during meetings and presentations. This does not mean they are bored but rather sitting and listening is not their primary way of taking in information.

If you want a kinesthetic learner to grasp a new concept, walk them through it while they do it. For instance if a new computer application needs to be learned sit them down at the computer and have them use the program as a way of mastering it.

You may have more than one learning style but knowing how you learn is key. This information is relevant when you move into the work environment. You often will be required to absorb a great deal of information for your job. The more familiar you are with how you learn the better prepared you will be.

It will also be useful for you to note how others learn. If you are a manager or employer the more aware you become of your employees learning styles, the better able you will be to provide the information and direction which suits them. When you prepare a presentation make sure you have included all 3 learning styles as a way of reaching your audience.

Knowing your learning style and being aware of others demonstrates that you recognize the importance of developing a positive work environment and have good leadership skills.

Copyright © 2009 by Gail Solish.  All rights reserved.

About the Author

Gail Solish, MSW is a Communication and Relationship Coach helping people expand their communication skills, develop positive business and personal relationships and create a balanced life. Visit www.actualizeyourgoals.com or email coach@gailsolish.com. Get your Free Report on the 7 Keys to Effective Communication today.