As I clean my office clutter today--making room for new clients--I notice the Post-It Notes that surround my workspace. One says "Be Brave!"and another "Smile!" There's one of my favorite affirmations, "I am Open to Receive." And another asks that poignant question at times of uncertainty, "What Would My Higher Self Do?"

It strikes me that Spirit speaks to me in Post-It Notes. When I need a little guidance or a gentle reminder, I'll think of something and I'm immediately drawn to write it down and stick it where I'll see it and often say it.

Today, I added a new Post-It Note. It says, "I Attract Ideal Clients to Wisdom Mentoring." That's a new service I launched this week that supports the success of entrepreneurs. You can learn more at www.MyWisdomMentor.com.

With so much fear and stress to distract and deflate us, we all need to be reminded of who we are and where we're going. What's on your Post-It Note?

As Labor Day 2009 concludes, I find myself thinking about the different ways people look at work. If you are blessed like me, the work you do is a direct reflection of your purpose and passion. It's who you are and why you're here. Some people look at their job as a means to an end. And, so many this year are searching for a job.

When I talk to audiences and clients about finding their life purpose, I explain it's a combination of your values, key motivators and natural gifts. If your profession doesn't allow you to express what that purpose is--and you're not able or willing to change jobs (or find one right now)--we can joyfully express this purpose in other ways. For example, if you have a passion to protect animals, you might volunteer at a local animal shelter.

When I presented my "CRAVE Your Goals!" program to the women's affinity group at UPS earlier this year and we were sharing how we raise our vibrations and stay positive, UPS employee Teri Darnell announced to the group that she loved photography and just launched her website to display and sell her work. When I visited her site, I was wowed by her creations. They spoke to me about the power of nature and the human spirit. Teri touched me with her photographs. I promptly purchased two prints, one of which is of a dandelion. It reminds me of the pure hope of childhood when we would make a wish and, with one big blow, scatter those seeds until the stem was only left. That's when we knew our wish would come true.

On this Labor Day and throughout the year, I wish you work and/or service that honors who you are and why you're here. You can see the dandelion and more of Teri's photos at www.teridarnell.com

You may have read about The Law of Attraction in the best seller "The Secret" or heard about it on The Oprah Winfrey Show. It's an ancient concept that's often misunderstood in our modern world. Let me simplify it.

Watch Your Vibrations
We are all vibrational energy beings and we vibrate at different levels at different times. Vibrations is just another word for feelings and emotions--our attitude. When we feel appreciated and are taking good care of ourselves, we will vibrate at a high, positive, constructive level. When we are burned out, stressed out, in fear, worried and feel unappreciated, we will vibrate at a low, negative, destructive level. Since energy attracts like energy, we will attract people and circumstances that are our vibrational match.

When it comes to ensuring our business success, it's essential that we maintain a high vibration--a positive attitude. So, how do you do that? Start with self care. Exercise, eat right, get enough sleep and take time to relax and recharge. Use humor in the workplace to defuse stress. Spend time with other positive people and, just as important, avoid the time-wasting, energy-draining negative people.

Ask For What You Want
Now that your vibrations are high, it's time to set your intention for success. First, ask for what you want. That may take the form of writing it down or actually sharing your request with your boss, coworkers or colleagues. Then, use universal principles to keep you positive, focused and productive. Use affirmations on your own and with others like, "I attract ideal clients" or "We have all the resources we need to complete this project on time and within budget."

Visualize the smooth progression and final outcome. Consider using a treasure map or vision board to illustrate your success and the benefits it will bring. Engage all your senses and infuse it with the emotions you'd feel once your goal is achieved, like pride, peace and joy. Allow gratitude to propel you by taking time to celebrate and give thanks for the small successes along the way and the people who support you. Finally, expect success.

It All Begins with Your Thoughts
One of my favorite quotes from "The Secret" is, "Your mind is your garden. Your thoughts are your seeds. You can plant flowers or you can plant weeds." What you think, feel, say to yourself and others, and believe to be true creates your reality. By capitalizing on The Law of Attraction at work, you can create your reality by design and not default. To a bountiful garden!

This morning, while it was still relatively cool, I went for a long, brisk walk in my neighborhood with my personal trainer/muse/golden retriever, Honey. A few minutes into our peaceful walk, a fiesty black poodle charged out of nowhere, yapping and yipping and carrying on. I was startled and then angry that his owner let him run free. Honey, however, simply glanced over and, without missing a beat, continued on our walk. I followed her lead.

That was a good reminder for me that when someone tries to "drive you crazy," we're always in the driver's seat. We can't control what others do but we get to choose how we respond. I'll remember that today. Thanks, Honey!

Social networking can be a powerful business asset and the biggest time waster. It's all about making wise choices. Here's what I've learned so far about social networking with wisdom. I bet you can think of others. Please share your wisdom by posting a comment.

1. Know Your Purpose. Why are you here? Do you want to share your knowledge, learn from others, locate old friends, make new friends, make a difference, establish yourself as the go-to expert, stay in touch with colleagues, clients, prospects and referral sources, have fun, share your life, find a job, connect with those who share your interests, sell your products and services, or all of these? The next time you consider joining another social networking site or post an update, ask yourself if it serves your purpose. Does it support your goals? Otherwise, it could just be an easy diversion from doing what's most important at the moment, like making sales calls or meeting people face-to-face. And, if you're using social networking to sell, make sure you're sharing first.
2. Keep It Simple. There are hundreds of popular social networking sites. To conserve my time and energy and avoid technological overload, I focus on three: LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. What sites work for you?
3. Bigger Isn't Always Better. Though you may disagree, I prefer to follow those whose tweets I resonate with (so I don't auto follow), Friends I know and LinkedIn connections I trust. I'd rather focus on building authentic relationships and not just the size of my database. It feels right to grow organically.
4. Learn from the Best. I learn from social media experts like Chris Brogan, Desiree Scales, David Nour, and Barb Giamanco. They're smart and generous. Who do you learn from?
5. Trust Your Instincts. We're all learning together. Do what feels right to you. Take some chances as you try out new sites. And, most of all, have fun!

I have never been as good a driver as I am now--now that I'm teaching my 15-year-old twins how to drive. They got their learner's permits last month. Almost every day since then we are practicing in our subdivision, empty parking lots and undeveloped communities around us.

When I drive, they notice everything--whether I make a full or rolling stop at the Stop sign, exceed the speed limit or use my turn signal every time. So, I'm on my "best behavior" because I know my example will set the standard for their driving.

That got me thinking. What if we each had a "student" observing us all the time? It could be a child, mentee (with you as the mentor) or perhaps a work intern. What choices would you make each day that are aligned with your goals? You might be less likely to make excuses and more likely to make those tough sales calls, attend that networking meeting or get to the gym.

Today, imagine there is an observer looking to you for guidance and expecting the best you have to give. I will. We deserve to make wise choices.

As always, I welcome your comments.

In my June Working with Wisdom e-newsletter, I wrote about the power of simple affirmations. Just three little words that can help you stay positive, focused and productive. Words like "Life is good," "Let it go," "I am blessed," and All is well." I invited readers to share their three little words and inspire others.

For Janice Hoffman, it's "Roll with it." She says, "I love the Steve Winwood song that starts, 'When life is too much, roll with it baby.' It reminds me not to sweat the small stuff, be more flexible and enjoy life."

Elaine McEachern says she uses four words that get her through stressful times, "God, please help me."

My mom, who had been complaining about aches and pains lately, took my advice and now wakes up each morning and shouts (in her best James Brown), "I feel good!" She said it's made a big difference for her.

Mimi Schroeder says her affirmation is "Gammie did it!" and explains, "In 1939, my grandmother, Ida O'Shaughnessy (Gammie) was widowed in her 30s with four children and one on the way. Her husband just dropped dead from a rare disease. There was no warning. They had a Minnesota dairy farm (brr) that she now had to manage herslf. My dad, William, (pictured) was the oldest at age 12 and he delivered milk by horsecart. He never missed a day, even when his dad died. Gammie successfully ran that dairy farm, through hard times like the pre-war days, until all the kids were grown. That's strength. I try to follow in her footsteps."

What are your "three little words"?

They call this the Great Recession. What's so great about it? In other words, what gifts or lessons have come from this economic downturn that have made you stronger, smarter and more resilient? For me, I've become more patient, intuitive, trusting and creative. I've also found myself relying on gratitude to get me through setbacks and slowdowns.

I recently posed this question on LinkedIn and want to share excerpts of some of the wise responses. I hope you'll add your own comments on this blog so you can inspire others.

• In the Great Recession, there are Great Opportunities to recognize what truly matters to you...to allow and receive the assistance of others...to welcome the interaction of friends and family on a deeper level...to release what no longer serves you. ~Liz Ireland
• I have been reminded that it is not a bad thing to get uncomfortable...In fact, that's where the majority of growth comes from. ~Karen Fedder (Berger)
• I have been prompted to re-examine my habits for inefficiency and waste (of all kinds, including time). I have found new ways to use all my resources more efficiently. ~Diana Nichols
• Be personally responsible--buy only what you can afford--pay off your debt...and live like our grandparents did after the depression. ...In other words, defer gratification. ~Susan Thomas
• I've learned to treasure the little things a lot more...I commit myself daily to work in joy, in place of negativity, and see the positive. ~Michele Petersen
• Very Simple: Don't delay. Invest in innovation now. Come out ahead. ~Robert Brands
• (I) take more chances. Meet with and reach out to people I would never have considered in the past--too young, not my field, too unlikely. Yet it's some of those off-the-margin choices that have so far proven the most promising and fruitful. ~Caitlin Kelly
• There's a sort of 'what the hell' positivity. Might be madness but it feels more real than groping for what I've lost. ~Alicia Griswold

Read more on LinkedIn.

At this week's "CRAVE Your Goals!" talk for the Women of Weather at The Weather Channel, I presented simple strategies to help them reduce stress and stay focused. I recommended using affirmations and creating a vision board or treasure map--a place to post words and images that will support your goals.

After my talk, my Weather Channel contact, Kim Morrise, the director of interactive and local video, invited me to her office. "I have to show you something," she said excitedly. There, on the wall of her office was a white board. A couple of months ago, she had been asked to do something that seemed impossible: capture tornadoes. Her task was to figure out how to put a live shot or live stream on www.weather.com of a crew that chased tornadoes. Some of these shots would take place in a moving car. Not only was that concept a huge task, but she had no connectivity to the network. Essentially, there was no way to get a live shot from the field onto the website. Oh, and she had three weeks to do it.

Kim knew how important it was and was determined to make it work. So, she approached her white board and wrote this statement in different colors, again and again: Live Streaming Vortex 2 will work. Some people laughed when they read the sign. One team member, who was just as determined as Kim, would often visit her office, sit down and repeat that sentence like a mantra until he felt confident enough to continue the work. They were scheduled to launch at noon on Monday, May 11th. The Friday before, they were still not ready. Several workers came by Kim's office to check on the progress. The question was always the same: "How are we on the live stream?" Kim's answer was, "We're not there yet, but we will be. It says so on my board." On the morning of the launch, they overcame the last obstacle, tested it and were ready. At noon, www.weather.com launched their first live stream of a shot from the road. Kim told me she keeps the writing on the board because it reminds her of what's possible--if you believe.

So, what tornado are you trying to capture? What's your biggest work challenge today--that seemingly impossible task? Capitalize on the power of affirmations and visualization. You'll be blown away by what you can accomplish.

Last Saturday, my kids, Connor and Allyson, and my friend, Kate Bakon, and I went whitewater kayaking on the Nantahala River in North Carolina. It was a new experience for me and--as I watched the required safety video before heading out--I wondered if I'd be able to make it down the eight-mile stretch of river without getting banged up by the rocks or thrown from my boat. I was afraid. It's a mild river by most standards with only Class I, II and III rapids but it was the wildest river I've ever been on.

Looking back on this adventure, here are the life lessons learned:

• Keep Your Balance. Whether you're navigating your boat around large rocks and churning whirlpools or trying to juggle work, family and your health, strive for balance and try not to over-react to circumstances.


• Go with the Flow. Paddling upstream often leaves you exhausted, frustrated and in the same place you started. When you feel drawn in a certain direction--like pursuing a new profession or relationship--trust in the flow and go with it. Just as important, when opportunities are not emerging as quickly as you'd like, savor that quiet contemplative time--like the smooth water in between the sections of rapids.


• Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway. The more calculated risks you take, the more rewards you'll enjoy. Do something bold today, something that's out of your comfort zone. You might find yourself as I did--hooting and hollering and smiling all the way. Can't wait to get back on a river.