Last week I talked about being on an Information Diet.  Well, it’s not a diet.  It’s a freaking detox! And like any good junkie I had my stash and worked excuses out in my mind to justify receiving more outside input.

Yup.  It’s true.  I cheated.  And I cheated a lot.

What can I say?  I didn’t realize I have an addiction until I had to go without.  Is there such a thing as Information Binging?

But, because I’m also a very responsible person I came clean with my coach.  In our next session, I admitted that I was only doing it halfway.  I was only letting go of the self-help information I wanted to let go of and wasn’t really stretching myself.

And then she said, “You’re stuck because you’re getting so much outside input.”

Inside I was like, “No! That’s not true and I can’t miss another free teleseminar!”

But, then she reminded me that the assignment isn’t forever.  That I just need to clean up my input for now so that I can tell the difference between what’s deeply moving for me versus what’s just shiny and new.  I’m clearing the way so that I can delve deep into my own motivations and vision – future parts of the Art Aligned workshop.

Whew!  What a relief.  So I renewed my commitment to the “diet,” which really is a commitment to myself, my vision, and my future clients.  And that feels good regardless of the withdrawal symptoms.

You know, even before this assignment I knew how important receiving internal guidance is.  In fact, I receive it all the time – I’m very good at checking in with Spirit and my heart, mind and soul.  I simply didn’t realize how much outside guidance I was adding to the mix.

Well, now I know and so do you.  So if you don’t see me on Facebook or on your blog know that I’m just taking a little break for now.  And if you do see me cheating on my diet, then please lovingly call me on it.  Thank you!

You see, I’m taking the Art Aligned 3-month workshop led by Kate Watson and my first assignment is to stop looking towards my “competition” for guidance.

No more looking to see what other coaches and creative entrepreneurs are doing and how they’re structuring their programs.

No more checking out their websites.

No more signing up for freebies.

No more teleseminars to have someone else give me the magic key to purpose, passion and profit.  This one is so hard!  There are so many fab & free teleseminars happening right now.

Nope.  It’s time for me to create some space to allow my guidance to come through; to hear my own internal messages.

Oy.  Why is this so uncomfortable?

Why is it triggering resistance?

Why do I want to go run and hide in one of the hundreds (slightly exaggerating here) self-help books on my newly organized bookshelf?  Oh, did I forget to mention that reading self-help books is also off limits?

I do know why.

It’s because it’s powerful and I’m afraid of what will be revealed to me.  I’m afraid that I don’t have the guts to do what I’m being called to do.  What if it’s just too big?  Too different?  Too bold?  I don’t want to step out of my comfortable little box.

And on the other hand, I’m bashing my head against my “comfortable little box” and dying to release myself, to let myself be different, brilliant and simply me.

So this is it.  Today I commit to my Information Diet so that my authentic voice can speak.

Closes eyes
Takes big breath
And dives!

Artwork Inspiration by newbeautiful

Simply Fearless FEMpreneurs

Oh my goodness…I inadvertently called myself one of the most successful FEMpreneurs on the planet! And guess what? I’m not taking it back.

Just this week I decided to dedicate my life coaching practice to  FEMpreneurs {women business owners & founders} and so I rewrote my bio blurb.  Check it out:

If you were to look at Coach Cassandra Rae’s life on paper you would think that she’d be living in the projects and on welfare. In fact, there were many a peeps who told her just that. You see, her life has taken her through domestic violence, homelessness, the welfare system, teenage pregnancy, miscarriage, divorce, drugs, and abortion. And yet, she has risen above it all. As a single mother, she put herself through Hartnell College and the University of California, Berkeley. She has learned how to turn all of her life’s challenges into stepping stones. Today she thrives with her husband and daughter in Sunnyvale, California where she runs her own Life Coaching Practice. She is one of the most unexpected and successful FEMpreneurs on the planet. If she can do it, so can you!

I really only intended for “the most” part to apply to the unexpectedness and not the successful piece, but now that it’s published I am going to leave it as-is.  Oy! The voice of fear is totally piping up, but I am not going to let it stop me.

Do I see myself as one of the most successful FEMpreneurs on the planet? Well, yes and no. Do I qualify in terms of dollars? No. But, do I qualify in terms of talent, passion, and dedication? OH HECK YES!

So I am putting down my editing pen and letting it stand as a declaration to the world {and myself!} that I am one of the most successful FEMpreneurs on the planet.  Here I come, Oprah!

It’s true.  Because productivity isn’t a product of pressure.  Nope.  It’s a product of intention, which is how you approach a job.  It’s where you’re coming from.  And from what I’ve learned, the lighter you approach a job (i.e. the less pressure), the more you can accomplish.  It’s one of the Universe’s cosmic jokes: when you stop trying to prove your worth, you discover your value.  And it’s not that it wasn’t there all along.  It’s just that you couldn’t see it – or more importantly – you couldn’t feel it.

So if you really want to increase your productivity at work, then stop pressuring yourself and start trusting that how you are is just as important as what you are.