by Ann Evanston | Aug 2, 2016 | Influence Factor, Vivrant Woman
I have always been a “selfish woman”. At an early age I saw the value of taking care of myself to be better for others. Maybe it was watching my mom never really have a sense of the beautiful butterfly she really was. Having a selfish space and time for her “self” in her home was actually locked in the bedroom that she shared with her abuser. To this day I still don’t think she been able to claim her space as her own. Yes, she has her home, and is in it every day, it feels like a safe prison versus a space to nurture, grow and be creative. It isn’t a cocoon that allows for transcendence.
As I started my career out of college, counseling abused and neglected teenage girls, I learned about the importance of my own “Sacred Space”. My home was always this “cocoon” of sorts. It is a place to tuck away and “Be Selfish”. And as my career evolved and I worked with more and more women under stress, loss, frustration, and loneliness that space was very important.
But, like I share in my book, The Influence Factor, I had to Empower my truth to truly have a space that created my cocooning and transcending (like the butterfly). See, my “real life” stopped me from creating this sacred space. Not one, but two house fires, the destruction of space, of things with meaning all gone, led me to believe that “space” really did not matter, that things were not that important. Truly claiming my space was not important for many years of my adult life. I not unlike my mother had a safe prison, one that did not allow me to cocoon and transcend. That’s what the caterpillar does correct?
When I had to change this story forever. In order to become the woman I am meant to be in the world, I needed a space that was filed with beauty, energy, love, abundance. Getting in touch with the true spirit of “who” I am allowed me to create a space that was 100% all mine.
One cocoon is my home office. It is a glorious space full of light and natural wood and inspirational quotes and color. (Feisty Red is the primary wall color if you were wondering!) This room has changed my life and business tremendously! It welcomes me every morning. It encourages my creativity. It nurtures the speaker and coach in me. And selfishly, it is all mine.
So many women take their space and its purpose for granted. There is no conscious ritual to creating it. I live with intention in my entire home now. I have taken each room that thought about the parts of me that need to be nurtured in that space. I have done little things that allow me to walk into that space and be reminded of its intention. I have many sacred spaces in my home now. Each one that engage my senses, awaken creativity, allow me to BEcome. As I have transcended once again and work with sexy, bold, brilliant women wanting more in life…this was necessary!
Do you have a sacred space? A cocoon that energetically allows you to transcend?
Since 1997, I have traveled the world speaking to audiences of women about stress, owning their lives, being empowered and happy. I recall once teaching a seminar in Bath England. A woman came to me at the break wanting to speak privately, tears in her eyes. She shared with me a story of how lost she is, pulled in every direction in her life. Her manager, her husband, her mother, her children all seemed to take priority in her life. She wanted to take care of herself first for a change and wanted a resource to take with her, something that could help her learn to care for who she is. That’s why I am called again to bring my psychology of success and self-worth back to women once again. Today I meet women just like her. Beautiful, amazing women, with no place to call their own. That’s why Vivrant Woman was created.
The Vivrant Woman program will allow you to find YOU I all that is your life.
If you are a woman like me who has always created space for yourself, this is still for you. Each of you will discover a path to creating a deeper level of self-love and nurturing. Each of you will find a way to change your life and live with purpose….even every day.
Are you ready to transcend? There is power in having an external space that creates that intention. That cares for the deepest part of who you are. Be Selfish. I believe every woman should. Greater self-love and nurturing leads to greater other love and happiness, and you deserve it. You deserve nirvana and happiness. I am sharing Vivrant Woman with a group of women currently, the branding is coming, more writing about the process to truly transcend will be in my blog as well.
Curious? Want to be a part? Email me!
by Ann Evanston | May 19, 2016 | Indulgent Woman
Yes it’s 4 o’clock in the afternoon on a Monday, I am in the bathtub. Indulging in my favorite bath bombs because they last like 30 minutes and float on the top of the water. (The black and white bag is a hint, of this amazing soap maker and friend!) This blue scent is gypsy….so perfect when indulging.
Think about that: indulging is like being a gypsy! One definition I love is simply “a free-spirited person”. Wow, isn’t that beautiful? Indulgence is all about your free spirit!
So here I am in the tub, I have a glass of wine and trashy novel to read! I also have a notepad and pen because great ideas hit me in the strangest places! (Yeah, writing on my tablet in the tub, not a good idea, lol!)
Indulgence has to happen. It’s a part of what keeps us connected. It helps our soul be happy. It nourishes your mind. It allows you to be fully you and the greatest you have to offer the world. It allows your spirit to be free. It engages your senses. It grounds your personal power and confidence.
Indulgence allows manifesting to occur at its highest energetic level.
We all need to indulge. Especially women. Which is why this blog is for you. I will write about indulgence for each and every woman who knows she wants more. Deserves more. Can feel and see and sense the power of who she is.
I want women to know and see that feminine and strong are not mutually exclusive. That you can step into your personal power in your own authentic way. Sometimes we need to look at how we indulge our SELF to create that in our lives.
This blog series will look at indulgence in many areas: love – emotional healing – fun – relationships – career – and more fabulous topics. You ready to find your spirit and indulge? To see how finding your personal powerful, bestest self will allow your free spirit to emerge? Let’s do this!
Where are you indulging?
by Ann Evanston | May 12, 2016 | Vivrant Woman
Indulgence. Today for my MasterMind training call, (my Bad-Assery Business MasterMind) I pulled out this work I am doing with women. I have been sharing bits and pieces about how I have to stop ignoring what the universe is telling me and focus on my calling.
The call was all about “Worth, Self, and Money.” I shared how they are interconnected psychologically, spiritually and emotionally.
I shared the Warriors Spirit, and the 3 things necessary to be on your authentic path. ⭐
I enlightened the group on essential questions one must ask to see their success. ⭐
I redirected our relationship with goals and therefore money in our careers.⭐
We reconnected values to spirit and our actions on our path. And saw that action creates passion. (not the other way around!) We saw why we hide our true selves from the world, and began steps to BE all the time.
We looked at how our truths are distorted, and how to fix them, with excellence over perfection.
I shared personal stories that the women really reacted to! I am so excited doing this work!
Are you called to step into your greater self as a woman? Indulge in what you’re called to be (this has nothing to do with being an entrepreneur. Corporate, non-profit and government women are welcome)? Want people to SEE, HEAR, and acknowledge your best self?
The work was truly juicy!
I invite you to join me in my new program (revived from my work with women over the years): “Indulgent Woman: Career, Money and Relationships: Stepping into The Best YOU with Confidence, Charisma, and Control!”
This is just part of what my 6-month program will do for women! It launches in June, only FIVE of the 10 spaces are left! Email me to learn more.
I want you to indulge in your life!
by Ann Evanston | May 10, 2016 | Warrior Spirit
Being a Warrior has nothing to do with fighting others. This is the single biggest incorrect assumption about being a Warrior. It is an assumption of those that have not studied or read about great Warriors or books like “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu. The work of a Warrior is an internal battle: fear, shadows, assumptions, and judgements…to name a few, are the “enemies” we face.
I have written before about these things, it seems time to dig deeper within again. Some may recall my blog on “Why a Sword” – it will share with you the deep symbolization and meaning behind a sword, something held true for many centuries in multiple cultures…check it out too.
As you read deeper you’ll notice conquest or fight are NEVER used in my work. Because great Warriors are not trying to conquer. They are working to understand themselves, their triggers, fears and insecurities, so when faced with them, they are ready. They understand. They see clearly and no longer fall into their traps. There are several things that demonstrate you are a Warrior:
- All Great Warriors have an internal battle. I do, so do my clients. My biggest internal battle is not feeling wanted or accepted. I battle it every day. I often LOOK FOR places where I think I am not accepted, and challenge what I see or hear.
- All Great Warriors create a path that often isn’t understood immediately and effortlessly. They somehow know, deep within that they are on a journey that is meant for the greater good. They are often on the path but cannot clearly see the “light”, the calling if you will. I am always thinking I know what that greater good is, but there are so many things I could stand up for, I end up on paths where I lose my mission, my purpose if you will.
- All Great Warriors build the ability to not just do but be. This requires that they challenge the need to “produce”, to complete a “to-do list” and allow themselves to step into who they really are. The battle again is within. Being able to turn off the outside noise and influences challenges me every day.
- All Great Warriors know that their battles disguise themselves in ways to challenge their character when most needed. Character, knowing what you value, and being able to demonstrate it even in the toughest times, is ultimately what it’s about.
Lastly, it’s important to realize that you are a GREAT Warrior if you have been challenged in your life, picked on, told you couldn’t do or achieve something, moved past obstacles or lost someone you loved and adored…and you came out the other side a better person, more loving and giving. That ability to open yourself up, when the challenges make it so easy to want to shut down, close off, be less vulnerable…THAT is the Warrior spirit.
So you got this Great Warrior. You got this.
by Ann Evanston | Sep 23, 2015 | Business Strategy
Achieving business success! It is SO exciting when you start reaching levels you dream of, see that you can earn, have clients that love what you do for them! And then, there is often STUCK. Yes! Stuck after success. I’d call them plateaus.
I remember my first BIG plateau. It happened when I finally started earning over $100,000 a year. I was stuck. I could not, for the life of me earn more than that.
I had two clients hit this plateau of stuck. One has lifted the veil. She has an amazing brand, a topic she’s developed beautifully, a talk that drives the audience to want to work with her, and she’s doing the “old job” instead of this one. Another has had the “owning value, charge what I am worth” breakthrough. She has revamped everything to align with her new mindset. Even planned her calendar out a year in advance to achieve that money….and now she’s “waiting.”
Achieving business success and these kinds of plateaus are interesting! Intellectually you know you want more. You know you deserve it. You are ready for the crazy good that comes with next level success.
Yet, you are stuck.
I think these kinds of plateau’s stuck comes from one of two places. The first isn’t that different from last week’s post on achieving business success. It comes from changing how we think. Or better yet, more like what I talk about in my book, The Influence Factor. The story we tell ourselves that has become a truth.
This is what it was for me. I realized I had a story that stopped my earning. When I first got out of college, $100,000 seemed like a TON of money. I could recall telling myself: “if I ever earn $100,000 a year, I am SOOOO, good! Then I can live the life I want!” This story, became my “truth”. When I started earning $100,000 a year in my business, the mind body connection stepped in. It said: “You did it Ann! Check that one off the list! You are good. You can live the life you want.”
The problem was I wanted to serve MORE people. I knew now that I had a mission. I knew now that I deserved to be compensated for it. To do so I had to rewrite that story.
Do you have a story that has caused your stuck plateau? If so you need to rewrite it. Now I say that earning 6 figures is a privilege based on those I serve. That my potential to earn is limitless!
There is a second reason we get “stuck plateaus.” It relates to something I frequently see: more people are afraid of success than they are of failure. And it’s a pattern in achieving “successes” (success is progressive, true?)
Marilyn Ferguson, a futurist in her time, said: “It’s not so much that we are afraid of change or so in love with our old ways, but it’s the place between that we fear. It’s like being between trapezes. It’s Linus when his blanket is in the dryer. There’s nothing to hold on to.”
When you finally know with everything in your being that you can charge more, you enter this space. When you are at the edge of being KNOWN in a badly needed field as THE ONE to go to, you are on that space. Just like the trapeze. Or Linus without his blanket.
I believe this is why one client went back to doing what she knows how to do so well. Because becoming this amazing keynote speaker getting paid big bucks….her blanket is gone. That’s why the other client hasn’t told the world “my program is worth this much.” She is between the trapezes.
When you plateau in your success and feel stuck, could it be one of these 2 reasons for you? Do you need to pick up my books and uncover stories that have become your truth? Or do you need to deal with this unknown space? The place where we are blind. Where we have to have faith instead of stay where we are sure. Confident.
I love working with my clients on overcoming what gets them stuck. One client, Sherry Prindle said: “There are many coaches who say we will work on mindsets, and never really do. Ann’s program does this work and more.”
Curious to learn more?
