Gratitude will rock your socks off.

Not just words of gratitude that fall from your lips.

Go deeper than that.

I’m talking about gratitude that you feel running through your entire body.

When you are operating from this space, shit feels like magic.

A woman in this magical space of gratitude…

is smiling on the inside.
Beaming, actually.

does not allow the little things to affect her mood.
When “the angry person in traffic” or “the lady who was short with you” kind of stuff happens, you stay in your own glorious space.

smiles to those around her.
Big and often. (And what gets reflected back to you feeds this magical space even more.) 

exudes love.
Without attachment to the return of it.

is focused on what she wants.
And gravitates towards it.

is highly productive.
Negative mind banter is not present, allowing you to be highly focused.

takes good care of herself.
You aren’t gonna eat shitty or be a lazy bum when you are feeling this good.

is extremely inspired.
You pull it from everything you see and experience.

doesn’t mull over her past.
You realize it’s pointless.

doesn’t worry about the future.
You may plan and take action accordingly, but worry? No way, José.

Nothing beats living life from this place.

How to get in this magical space of gratitude…

Start a Gratitude Journal

Every day, sit down with a dedicated notebook or keep a running document on your computer. (Morning is best, in my opinion. It sets the tone for your day. But do what feels best to you.)

In your daily entry, write down an item for which you are particularly grateful in that moment and then write WHY you are grateful for it.

The WHY is important.

Don’t skip it.

It’s what gets you connected deeper with the gratitude.

Feel It in Your Bones!

After you’ve written the WHY, marinate in it for a bit.

Feel the gratitude for that thing.

What does the gratitude feel like in your body?

Notice it.

Sit with it.

*To get you in tune with what I’m talking about, here’s what I feel….

A fast, but soft vibration in my body. A light and free sensation from within.

Feels amazing.

You may feel something similar. Whatever you feel, sit with it.

Rinse and repeat…

Continue adding items to your gratitude list for the day using the process above.

Some items will make repeat appearances on your daily list. That’s okay! Just tap into your WHY, because that may differ from day to day.

For example, my sister regularly makes my list.

But while one day’s WHY was:

“because of her willingness to share wisdom.“

another day’s WHY was:

“because of her strength and commitment to natural child birth. True example of the strength that comes from the deepest part within.“

See what I mean? Your WHY will be different based on what you’re experiencing and perceiving.

It’s your turn…

Try it out!

This doesn’t have to be a long, drawn-out process.

Give 10 minutes.

It might not even take you that long.

Or you may want to go longer because it feels so nice and the results are rocking your world.

However you do it, you won’t be sorry;)

————-

Use your voice here!

Add your comments and/or suggestions. You can help this article have a more powerful effect for people by commenting below.

P.S. Want a bit more on this? Click here to check out a short post I wrote a couple of years ago on the very same topic!

Dr. Martha Beck’s latest book just came out and it’s her best one yet!

Having been trained by Martha Beck, I know her tools well.

More importantly, I know how to apply them in a way that speaks to you and actually works in your life.

I’m in the thick of studying this little gem of a book and prepping for the book club/group coaching series that’s happening in February, and if you resonate at all with the following – my guess is that you’d be like a pig in mud as a part of this small group of women:)

Check it out and see for yourself…

This Book Club & Group Coaching might be perfect for you if…

…something tugs at you when you hear the song “Man in the Mirror” by Michael Jackson.

…you want more meaning in your life.

…you love Martha Beck’s stuff.

…you’d like to get in tune with your intuition. (Yes, EVERYONE has access to strong intuition.)

…random strangers tend to spill their guts to you.

…you sense that you talk too much.

…you experience loneliness, despite your high levels of social activity.

…you enjoy reading books that simultaneously make you laugh out loud AND learn.

…you sense having a mission or purpose, but are unable to articulate what it might be.

…your compulsion to master certain fields, skills, or professions, is not only for career advancement, but in prep for this half-understood personal mission.

…you like to learn new concepts for improving your life that are backed up by scientific research.

…the thought “I would be a be a good life coach” has ever crossed your mind.

…you have high levels of empathy.

…you’d like to be more compassionate.

…you want less anxiety.

…you have a desire to be less cerebral.

Anything resonate?

GET THE DETAILS HERE OR…

I just announced Spark 2012 this week.

It’s an amazing and affordable 1:1 coaching opportunity for the go-getters (or wanna-be go-getters) out there to hit the ground running in 2012.

What I’ve been hearing…

I’ve detected one common theme from the women that have signed up for Spark 2012, but stated in different ways:

“I’ve floated through 2011.”

“I’ve just gone through the motions this past year.”

“I haven’t made much happen this year.”

“I’ve been busy this year, but didn’t really set specific goals. I’ve just been busy to stay put.”

“I feel like I’ve wasted this year. Even though I know that can’t be true, that’s the way it feels.”

The Common Theme Is…

“I’M READY.”

The Perfect Spot

The beautiful truth behind the statements above is that these women couldn’t have been “READY” without the year that they’ve had.

For whatever reason, they weren’t ready a year ago to make the strides that they are SO ready for now. If they were ready back then, they would have done it back then.

This slow/floating/wasted year has happened perfectly because it has given them all that they need to finally feel READY.

Ready for change.

Ready for betterment.

Ready for specific goals.

Ready for results.

Spark 2012

I created Spark 2012 for those people that are ready.

If you want this year to be extraordinary, you need more than goals and willpower. Goals and willpower, alone, will only give you temporary results. NO FUN, ONCE THOSE WEAR OFF.

You need a plan of action, accountability, creativity, and support to hold you to your highest capability.

If you want to make this year count, check out Spark 2012.

Synchronicities are those things that often get chalked up to “coincidences” in life.

I love it when these tiny miracles show up! (Often I don’t recognize them until later. I’m getting better, though!)

I thought I’d breakdown the unfolding of synchronistic events that I’ve experienced over the last several months, leading me to some truly beautiful people and opportunities. Let this blog post can be an example of what is happening in your life, too! Make no mistake – IT IS HAPPENING FOR ALL OF US, ALL OF THE TIME. Use the following to help you become more open to noticing the amazingness and beauty in your own life.

A personal example of synchronity

• 6 MONTHS AGO: I mentioned to my husband that I wanted to mentor young women to help promote confidence and spark dreams. We talked about different options and I even considered creating curriculum for an after-school program. Eventually, I got distracted and this idea faded into the background of my life.

• 5 MONTHS AGO: As a way to meet inspiring women in my new city, I did a quick search for “inspiring women in chicago” and found Today’s Chicago Woman magazine’s list of 100 Women Making a Difference 2011. On this list, there were two people of which I had the thought “I want to meet her.”

Gina Marotta was one of those women.

I tossed around ideas in my head on how to connect with her.  I must have gotten distracted (shocker) because, once again, the idea quickly faded into the background of my life.

• 4 MONTHS AGO: I met a young woman (Leslie) who, acknowledging that I was new to the city, suggested: “You should get involved with Step Up Women’s Network. You’d meet a lot of great people and probably be able to use your skills.”

**NOTE:  Gina Marotta (yeah, the woman I saw featured on Today’s Chicago Woman mag) leads Step Up Women’s Network. It was about a month earlier that I found the 100 Women Making a Difference 2011, but I had not yet put these things together.

• 2 WEEKS AGO: Divine inspiration hit me to look into the Step Up Women’s Network, remembering what Leslie had said to me. After a bit of research it was a no-brainer to join.

Step Up connects professional women and comes together to benefit underserved teen girls through mentorship. It’s a top-notch organization that remains focused on providing positive influence and opportunities to these teens.

• 2 WEEKS AGO: An automatic email from Gina/Step Up Women’s Network came through, thanking me for becoming a member. Now, the way I have my gmail set up is that to the left of every email I get – it lists the sender’s social media profiles.

I clicked on Gina’s facebook profile, sent a request for friendship, and wrote her a little note so that she knew who I was and why I was friending her.

• 2 WEEKS AGO: Gina replied back and suggested that we get coffee and meet.

• 2 WEEKS AGO: Later, as I was doing the dishes, it hit me that Gina was the SAME woman about whom I had the thought “I want to meet her” nearly 5 months earlier!

• 1 WEEK AGO: Gina and I had an awesome coffee date, full of fascinating conversation.

• 1 WEEK AGO: Immediately following our coffee meet-up, I came home and decided to indulge in the latest episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (my guilty pleasure). And guess who was featured in this episode…STEP UP WOMEN’S NETWORK!!

My mouth dropped open and I began to laugh. All I could do was look up and say “Okay, I get it!” and “THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.”

In closing…

Synchronicities can serve as a guide to your right path.

Don’t try to figure them out, just be willing to let them guide you.

Challenge

1) Think about something good that has come into your life.

2) Think about the series of events that happened for that awesome thing to come into your life.

3) Find the “coincidences” that were a part of the unfolding.

4) Choose to gently shift your perception from “coincidences” to beautiful synchronicities that have assisted in the delivery of the very thing that you treasure.

This shift in perception will open you up to a new level of peace and understanding.

So, I hosted a call earlier this week called How to be Uber-Productive on a Daily Basis: get more done with these practical tips.

I’ve been receiving emails this week with excitement from people about the stuff we talked about.

I gave some really basic, super-important principles and tips about how you can better run your life so that you get TONS done and leave more room in your life FOR your life.

Because of all of the positive feedback, I’ve decided to make the class recording AND the corresponding worksheet available for all who want it:)

For the CLASS RECORDING and WORKSHEET, you can sign up right here on this page (below) or go here.

At the end of the call, you’ll hear me talking about PROJECT boot camp, which is a tiny group of awesomeness that I run. If it interests you, contact me for details on the next one!

IMPLEMENT! And enjoy;)

“How would your life look different if you finally finished what you’ve been talking about?”

I love this question.

Your answer reveals SO much.

I’ve created a 3-month boot camp to get you to “that place” that your answer reveals.

You bring a project (work or life) and we boot-camp it out to completion. TOUGH and with love.

A powerful fusion of structure, support, accountability, and connection (with two other women and myself) produces one gloriously finished project AND  room in your life for more awesomeness.

It’s only for 3 women.

It will be intense and powerful, leaving you with nothing but pure results and freedom.

Join us?

Get all the details and apply here: http://www.melissafostercook.com/project-boot-camp/

NOTE: THIS BOOT CAMP IS NOT FOR WOMEN WHO ARE GOING TO FONDLE THEIR PROJECT FOR THREE MONTHS, WHICH IS WHY THERE IS AN APPLICATION PROCESS.

Questions? Send them to me at melissa@melissafostercook.com and I’ll get back to you quickly:)

Here’s a little video (3 minutes to be exact) shot at my new digs that covers my M.I.A.-ness AND to tell you about how I’m looking to GIVE (yes, give) more stuff (podcasts, videos, tools, etc.) so that you can get that “flow” your looking for.

I see it as my job to make sure you’ve got tools and resources at your fingertips that will really help you.

BUT…

YOU are a part of this what-could-be-beautiful equation (you’ll see what I mean at the 1:15 mark). So check out the video and see how to get the ball rolling with this awesomeness.

Love,
Melissa

P.S. Fully Alive (the e-zine that I decided to take a break from) isn’t coming back just yet. I’ve got some better ideas up my sleeve for you:)

If you have to-do lists containing items that have been on it for more than two weeks, tend to be unsatisfied with your big-picture progress, and/or have begun to experience guilt during your free time because you feel that you should be working – well then, my friend, this article is for you!

It’s time to look at the fundamentals of how you operate.

You see, it’s not just about hammering away at your to-do list or plowing through your schedule. It’s broader and deeper than that.

Below are six easy practices that will create a rock-solid foundation and set you up for the success you desire…

PRACTICE #1: Separating Projects from To-do’s

We LOVE to keep lists, don’t we?!

There’s nothing wrong with that IF you know what you’re doing when you create your lists. Yes, there is an art to list making But don’t worry – it’s super simple!

Every woman needs two lists: A TO-DO LIST and a PROJECT LIST

A to-do list consists of items that require short amounts of effort to actually complete the task. Dishes, making a phone call, sending an email – these are examples of to-dos.

A project list consists of items that are more complex, requiring the completion of two or more steps. Creating marketing plan, cleaning the house, writing an article, booking a vacation – these are PROJECTS, not to-dos!

Once you have this list, you can break down each project into the tiny steps necessary for completion. Place 1-3 tiny steps on your to-do list every week and you’ll be rockin’ through that list of projects before you know it!

PRACTICE #2: Rise Above Your Week

It’s important to take a few minutes to look at your week ahead before your week begins. Not just to look AT it, but to rise above your week and look down on it. Be the puppeteer of your schedule by rearranging activities and events accordingly.

Make sure that your schedule is set up so that there can be a flow and that there is adequate time between scheduled appointments and events, taking into consideration the time it takes for travel, eating, regrouping, etc. Have a look at your to-do list and see where you can get some of those items accomplished.

Carving out some time on Sundays for this practice is powerful, but even Monday mornings before you get going with your day will work just as well. Play around and see what feels best for you.

PRACTICE #3: End of Day Review

Before you walk away from your work for the day, ask yourself, “What needs to shift on tomorrow’s schedule based on what happened today?”

Sometimes things don’t pan out exactly like we thought they would, and it’s important to be flexible and figure out how we can move things around in the following days to accommodate any unfinished business.

It’s important to determine this before you close up shop for the evening. That way it’s all set in place when you show up in the morning, and you can hit the ground running.

PRACTICE #4: Switching Modes After Work

For many of us, the work/life lines are very blurry. That tends to be the case when there is passion involved behind your work. Here is a differentiation that may help you create enough separation between work and personal life so that you aren’t left depleted…

While you are working, you are usually in the mode of serving others in some fashion.

As you wrap up your work, it’s important to deliberately switch modes from serving others to serving yourself. Having something symbolically represent the switching of roles can help tremendously. Some examples may be: changing clothes, taking a shower, petting your dog, a kiss from that special someone in your life, etc. Decide on one and allow it to help you slip out of one role and into the next.

The act of shifting from serving others to serving yourself can help you stay tuned in and present in your own life. THIS IS FUEL. Don’t miss out on it. No one wins with you serving others on an empty tank.

PRACTICE #5 – Stepping Back as You Start Your Day

Spending just 5-10 minutes every morning in gratitude and setting your intention will set the tone for your day in a powerful way.

GRATITUDE
Whether you get your coffee and sit down to write in your gratitude journal or mentally list things for which you are grateful, starting your morning off from a place of gratitude kicks off your day from a state of abundance. And that is the BEST, most productive place to work/create from

INTENTION
Setting an intention for the day promotes productivity in a big way. After glancing over the current day’s schedule, asking yourself, “How do I want to feel today?”

After you’ve chosen how you want to feel (e.g. productive, at peace, creative, playful, amped up, etc.), ask yourself, “What do I need to think and do to make that happen?”

Your answers to these questions help you get clear about how you want to show up and enable you to create it for yourself.

PRACTICE #6: Daily Check-ins

You are always on a journey.

You are reading this article. That’s a journey.

When you watch your favorite TV show – that’s a journey. For example, if you watch The Biggest Loser, you go on a journey where there are extremely overweight people being driven by some pretty ruthless trainers and literally working their asses off. You witness the struggle, the milestones, the weigh-ins, the celebration, etc.

Do you “confide” in a friend or family member about how horrible something/someone is and how you wished things were different? You’re going on a journey.

When you read a magazine/book – you’re going on a journey.

When you sign on to Facebook – you’re going on a journey.

Understanding that we’re always going on journeys, simply begin to check-in with yourself and ask the question that places the power for change in your hands:

“IS THIS JOURNEY TAKING ME TO A PLACE I WANT TO GO?”

Answering this question forces you to be hyper-aware of how you are spending your precious energy. As you become aware of this, just keep asking yourself the question, “Is this a journey I want to take?”

You will stop going on unwanted journeys and will have the power to start consciously selecting where you want to go.

~   ~   ~   ~

So, are you ready to get more done? These six practices will maximize your effort and take your results to new heights. I strongly suggest that you implement one practice (or two, MAX) per week. The process of steady incorporation will facilitate lasting results.

See you at the top!…of your game

Sometimes I hear women say, “I never finish a book,” like it’s a bad thing.

Does this sound like you?

If this is something that you say, check your underlying beliefs. There is probably a little booger of a belief that “NOT finishing a book is a bad thing.”

Your mind will make the repeat-lack of finishing a book to mean one of two things (or both):

• You can’t commit to finishing anything
• You suck at follow-through

Well, let’s start with the language around all of this…

First of all, “CAN’T”? Really?

If you’re reading this, you can read a book. You may CHOOSE NOT TO read a book in its entirety, but you absolutely CAN.

Same principles apply with “Can’t commit to anything.” You COULD commit to anything. But do you really want to?

You will be doing yourself a huge favor to begin using the correct language. It shifts your energy to come from a more truthful (and empowered) place.

Secondly, let’s address the whole “suck at follow-through” bit…

Embrace Your Lack of Follow-through

Considering you are here reading content on my site, I’m going to make a wild prediction that you are an idea person. A visionary. You tend to get bored easily and love to move on to the next thing. It excites you.

Follow-through is not typically a visionary’s strength, so it’s no wonder you don’t tend to finish a book from beginning to end.

Embrace your lack of follow-through because it means that your strengths are in other very important areas…like coming up with game-changing ideas, initiating, and putting things into motion.

The Truth of the Matter

Think of all the books you’ve read (not finished, but read).

Now, take a moment to contemplate all the good nuggets that have come from the read portion of those books.

You’ve gotten so much from what you HAVE read, why focus on what you haven’t?

Catch yourself every time you think or say, “I can’t/don’t ever finish a book.” And replace that thought with “I have read a lot” or “I read a lot.”

So, why is the fact that you don’t finish books a good thing?

Because it means you’re busy being YOU. Doing your thang.

It means your strengths are in key areas. And the fact that follow-through doesn’t happen to be a strength means that you’ve got other strengths to which you could grow and develop if you’d just recognize them.

You take what you need/want and move on. And THAT is a beautiful thing.