Creating Wealth is MORE than just Money.

Creating Wealth is about CREATING it.
All around you.
All the time.

Wealth is more than money, it is about the things which fulfill you at a deep level. It could be friends, relationships, hobbies, art, work, or helping people. It is about drawing out the best gifts of those around you, to make this world a better place. And yes, sometimes those gifts also include MONEY. Because, let's face it, in general, when we don't have to worry about money, we are less stressed.

So.
Here we go.

My contribution.

I will. For 48 hours, give away my most popular book (in e-format), FREE.


How to Create Wealth

FREE

for 48 hours.


From 12am (PST) on March 22nd
(the New Moon),

until 11:59pm (PST) on March 24th,

you can receive "How to Create Wealth" as an E-Book from Amazon for FREE.

My gift to you. To help get your finances in order (and hopefully relieve some unneeded stress).

The Details:

When: Thursday, March 22, 2012 to Saturday, March 24, 2012

Where: How to Create Wealth on Amazon

Why: To cultivate and create wealth for everyone.

How: In the US, just click the link and download your free Kindle book from Amazon.

*Please confirm that the book price is listed as $0.00. Sometimes it takes Amazon an extra couple hours to complete the price adjustment. After these two days, this book will not be offered for free again. It will return to its regular price of $2.99 for an e-book. ALSO -> This promotion is for the e-book ONLY, the paperback price will not change and will still be offered at $9.95

What:


Summery: Ms. Jones humorously talks about finances and budgets like she talks about diets. Almost everyone needs to work on both, but prefers to avoid the topic if at all possible. This book is chock full of easy to read information, worksheets and baby steps for those who think budgets are too hard to follow. She emphasizes a spending plan, eliminating debt and her secret way to get almost $5k of free money and have close to $20k in your pocket in 10 years. This is a must-read book for anyone who’s looking for a little basic financial information and a whole lot of courage. The book is condensed, the points are concise and the reading is FUN. Highly recommend for anyone thinking (and/or stressing) about their money.

**Get one for yourself and gift as many as you like for your friends through the Amazon Gift button**

**Leave reviews, feedback and comments**

And please SHARE SHARE SHARE and spread the wealth!
(Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, etc, etc, etc - take to the Social Media Airwaves!)

Enjoy!
xoxo

On Twitter, I've created a Hashtag = #WealthIsMoreThanMoney

Have you Heard?

We have Moved!

CLICK HERE

The Value of Passion

I will never forget a lesson I learned when I was young.

"Doing what is popular is not always right, and doing what is right is not always popular."

and reminded:


But, what is "RIGHT" when there is endless debate in politics and social media about everything from:

*The right for LGBT marriage,

*A woman's right for full health care coverage (or denial of such coverage until a government mandated invasive procedure is done) ,

*The #Occupy movement or the

*#Kony2012 awareness campaign.

Everyone has their own opinions, judgements, ideas and passionate displays. Each are controversial, each with passion supporters and detractors.

Is there a 'right' way?

We, as a society, need to stop criticizing each other for our passions, and start doing something productive. Something WE (as individuals) are passionate about. Something more than just sitting down and watching TV at the end of the night. There is so much going on the world, it is a shame to NOT get involved.

I believe:

*Deep down, each person wants to make their world a better place to be.

*Change starts small. It could be one small voice on a school yard that stands up to a bully.

*Everyone has the ability to be great catalyst for change and part of a solution.

My point:
Never stop learning.
Never stop being part of a solution.
Never stop pursuing your passion, dreams or desires.
Never stop doing what you love.
No matter what.

Coffee is my Whipping Boy

I am going to start this post by saying
I LOVE COFFEE!


I love it in all of its shapes and sizes. I love that it never judges me, doesn't care about those extra couple of pounds, or even if my socks match my shirt. I love that it is ALWAYS THERE when I need a warm hug.
Coffee will stay up with me all night watching movies, it will go out dancing with me, it won't care what I look like 'the morning after', and is Always happy to see me.
Coffee is... in fact, the best boyfriend ever.
However....
I've been thinking of cutting back.
So, what do I do? I go around and search on the internet of all the harmful effects.... Here is what I found (full disclosure - I have no idea if any of this is true... I found it on the internet after all):

On Cholesterol
*Coffee consumption is a major contributor to the variation in levels of total cholesterol, of sedentary middle-aged men.
*Increases blood pressure
*Increases Heart rate
*Aggravates coronary heart disease, related to heart attacks by interfering with fatty acid and glucose balances in the blood. 1-5 cups of coffee daily increases the risk of heart attack by 60%. 6 or more cups a day risk is increased to 120%

On the Stomach
*Two small cups stimulates acid secretion and irritate the stomach lining for more than an hour and longer in people with ulcers, therefore will interfere with the healing of ulcers or assist int he development of ulcers. There is a five times higher incidence of stomach cancer in peopel who consume more than 5 cups daily.

On The Adrenal Gland
*This is important for those of you who follow my 'stress-reducing' tactics*
The adrenal gland is the controller of our nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system is our rest and repair mode and the sympathetic nervous system is our fight flight response mode. Caffeine stimulates the epinephrine and norepinephrine hormones to bring about the "caffeine high" turning on the sympathetic nervous system. If this happens too often, the gland becomes exhausted and will eventually be unable to react appropriately to stress. The "caffeine high" briefly increases mental speed for the type of thinking required in mathematics but impairs motor coordination. This effect may last up to 3 hours.

Mutagenic Effect
Caffeine breaks (splits) chromosomes of cells and interferes with the repair of DNA. This inhibits the body's ability to heal itself. (Think Wolverine in X-Men, but backwards)


Other Random Coffee Info:
*Caffeine belong to the same alkaloid group as morphine, nicotine, cocaine and strychnine.
*Been called the 'bad habit glue', increasing urges in users for the consumption of alcohol and nicotine.
*Caffeine is one of 273 poisonous alkaloids in coffee

My conclusion:
According to the internet, coffee is bad for you.
But, that doesn't make me want to quit drinking it.
Besides, everything on the internet is a lie anyway, right?

Yum yum, Lamb for Dinner.

Welcome to March.

The phrase 'In like a Lion, out like a Lamb' apparently has its origins with the constellations Leo, the Lion, and Aries, the ram or lamb. It has to do with the relative positions of these constellations in the sky at the beginning and end of the month. But don't take my word for it... check it here.

Personally, I like March. The word just oozes springtime. The Sun starts it's annual courtship with everything green, and everything green responds.
Flowers start unfurling, trees begin to blossom, and the skies are a little less threatening and a little more flirtatious.
Everything 'march'es forward.
What I love the most is the people. Everyone is wide-eyed in wonder and admiration for the blooms, like it is the very first time they have ever smelled a Daphne, or seen the Sakurai. No one is immune to the beauty.
Hearts open, hugs abound and everyone ventures out of their winter caves to tease their skin to the sun. Even the people bloom in the spring. It is as though everything battles the elements all winter, then summons the courage, beauty and strength to show the fragile, graceful petals that have been hiding underground all winter.

So, to all those embodying the Lion's strength, grace and beauty in blooming this spring, three Rawr's for March-ing forward - oh and a little recipe for dinner, just in case you have the Lion's appetite too.

Rack of Lamb with Pecan Herb Crust


Ingredients:
1 rack of lamb, about 7 or 8 chops to each rack, olive oil,salt and pepper, Herb and pecan mixture (including but not limited to: Rosemary, oregano, parsley, mint, chives and 2/3c chopped/toasted pecans), and Dijon mustard (or bold'n spicy sauce)
Preparation:

Wash lamb and pat dry. Rub with olive oil and salt and pepper. Position meaty side up in roasting pan; roast at 400° for 12 minutes. Remove from oven; let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a mini food processor or chopper, combine herbs and pecans; process until finely chopped. Rub mustard over the lamb, then coat well with the pecan and herb mixture. Return to oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes longer, or to desired done-ness. Cozy up and share with the ones you love.

Rawr!

I love this place... but, I've grown.

It's not you, it's me.

I feel like it is a bit like my last confession.
I love Blogspot.
I've grown up with it, from my very first little blog posting, it was here.
But now, I have needs. Needs which require more personalized attention, needs which blogspot isn't giving me.
I'm sorry, but Blogspot, I have to break-up with you.

I will be soon mitigate a transition over to Wordpress.

Everything will stay here that is already here, but new and improved things will be added (with a little more pizazz, focus and adventurous direction) over at a new wordpress site.

I love you Blogspot.
It's not you...
... it's me.

p.s. and if this move to wordpress brings about the next apocalypse.... it's totally not my fault.

p.p.s. Everything will stay here (including all my contact info), but all new posts and website info will be directed HERE.

Thanks for your patience.

Balance.

Today, in short, was interesting.
A short experience this morning in which my reflection showed someone who needs more balance.

For the past couple months, I have been solely focused on writing. And, when I'm not writing/working, I'm beating myself up for not writing/working. Agonizing over moments of writers block, rather than just taking a time out to do something else.

It was this morning which showed me that, while yes, I do need to continue to write, I also need to take time out and serve. Serve not only myself on a deeper level, but also serve others.

I forgot that.

Service is a big part of why I left a corporate life. Service is a big part of why I was involved with esoteric/spiritual studies and practices for so long. Service is a large part of my life and yet, here I am, not serving myself which translates in not serving others.

Thanks to this experience and reflection this morning, I realized, balance needs to be restored.

Thanks Universe.
I am paying attention.

It's ALIVE!

Kind of like Frankenstein, it is alive!

Meaning...
I finally got a few things up on my shop on Etsy.

See it here (click)

More to come soon...

Fear can help.

Fear is one of the 7 major stress triggers in life. But, it can also help you appreciate abstract art at a new (and deeper) level.
Click here.

(my personal favorite - Jackson Pollock)

Taking a bit of a breath...

My Mac crashed.
Died.
and got infected with a zombie virus. Which means, it's alive again, but .... scarily.

I lost about 15 pages of an upcoming novel, and I was pretty heart broken. So, I need to take a bit of a breather, and get caught up again.

In the meantime, feel free to backtrack to any posts for your needed Stress Relief or Mad Money advice and my books are always available for you.

If stalking is more your style, here are my other connection pages:

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

LinkedIn

Or shoot me a note if you need anything.
xoxo

Stress-Free Friday Freebie

Happy Stress-Free Friday!
Today is a freebie day. Six stress reduction approaches that are easy to learn, simple to use and powerful in their effect.
They'll help you get back in control of your life, and you don't even have to buy my book.

1. Schedule Time Every Day To Center Yourself: A few times a day, stop and take a moment to gather yourself. There are many approaches for this. Here you become still, focus on your breathing, relax your muscles, and manage your mind. This gives you a centered, calm focus for your next activity.

2. Focus On Your Breath: When I used to coach volleyball (and swimming - especially) the first area I work on is their breath control. Notice your breathing, are you breathing shallow? Deepen it up.

3. Know What You Can Control: Make a list of those things you can control, those things partially in your control, and those things out of your control. As you go through your day, let go of those things that you have no control over.


4. Develop The Gratitude Attitude: What are you thankful for? Everyone has people and activities in their life that are good, beautiful, and valuable. Every day make note of this and be thankful.

5. Hit The Reset Button: Just as your computer needs to be rebooted often, your brain needs a reboot. Hit the reset button daily or you will gum up your mental RAM. Take a break, change activities, be with loved ones, or do nothing but meditate. Clear out the junk in your mind, so you can come back refreshed.

6. Start Your Day With Quiet: Clear your mind, quiet your emotions, and let your muscles relax. There is nothing better in the morning but quiet silence, coffee and a few songs from the birds.

The prime concept in stress reduction is to know what you can control, and what you cannot. With the help of a stress management specialist (THAT'S ME!) you can learn a wide array of stress reduction strategies that can help you feel more in control of what happens to you.

Reclaim the power in your life. Contact me for more information on how reducing your stress can improve your life, or check out the books for sale in my shop.

And HAVE A FANTASTIC FRIDAY AND A GREAT WEEKEND!

Thank you.

To those who have forgiven me, as I have forgiven myself.
To those with strength, and reflected to me my own.
To those who have struggled and fought and lashed out, and the single breath that has saved them.
To those that have remained calm in the face of adversary.
To those hero’s in every day life.

Thank you.

Big Pimpin'

Go ahead, take a few minutes, watch the video. Relish the few minutes of time you get to enjoy a trip through memory lane (of the late 90's).

I can tell this is going to make your day.

Check it, instead of writing, I have been surfing the internet with a long board. Reaching my tentacles out into the great depths of the worm-hole known as the interwebs.
Don't worry, I didn't get lost, but I do have some fun new stuff for you.

My NEW (and improved and very awesome) Facebook Fan Page

Pinterest (for those of you who love to window shop)

My very own store with awesome little nugglets of inspiration.

... and don't forget the books.

It is all here because I love you.

Why choose me for an online Money Mentorship?

Despite the tremendous importance of money and finance in all aspects of our lives, very few people seek out any kind of formal guidance in how to deal with either. For most of us, it is simply a case of learning our lessons by watching how those around us deal with financial matters and then muddling through accordingly. Although help is available through formal training for anyone who wishes to improve their sense of financial awareness in the home or business setting, such courses are typically only able to provide generic information which students then have to interpret to fit their own sets of circumstances.

Anyone can receive personalized guidance which is tailor-made to address their own unique situations and needs and geared towards helping them meet their own specific financial aims or those of the business they own or work for.

The ability to understand finance and to be able to budget is vital if families are going to be able to deal with their financial commitments and to prepare for future events such as their children’s educations and weddings or to realize their own personal ambitions such as setting up a small home business. With so much uncertainty in the job market, making sure that they have sufficient assets put away to protect them should the specter of unemployment make its presence felt or just having enough put by to deal with the unexpected can mean that families can live contentedly and without endless stress and worry.

When we work together in a Money Mentorship, one of the enormous benefits that you receive is that the help and guidance is related specifically to your own unique situation. It is provided to you taking into account your own incomings and outgoings, lifestyle, emotional needs and what you hope to achieve at the end of the day.

Click here for more information about the services I offer.

Pinterest - it's the new magical wormhole of the internet

I just joined Pinterest.
I had an invite about six months ago and didn't do anything with it because I was scared to get sucked into yet something else awesome.
I should have stuck to my guns.
Pinterest is awesome.
It is everything the internet should be, with no commitment.

Look at all the stuff I have already pinned...

(If you want an invite, just comment or shoot me a note, i will send you one.)

and... if you don't hear from me for a few days, send help...

It's the symptom, not the problem.

Welcome to Money Monday, and our frank discussion today about Debt.

First, let's be clear. Debt is the symptom, not the problem. Debt is the tummy-ache caused by too much candy and the only way to cure the tummy-ache is not by eating a handful of Tums, but to immediately stop eating candy!
(Even though you have a sweet tooth and it tastes sooo good)

It is simple really. Money problems result from a combination of excessive spending or insufficient income. AND, excessive spending and insufficient income are caused by life habits. That is why debt and credit problems are so difficult to resolve for most people. It is a personal life problem masquerading as a financial problem. You look for financial solutions but they don’t exist because you’re looking in the wrong place.

Everybody knows the cure for debt and credit problems is to make more money or reduce spending. That is the basic premise for budgeting, Duhh! So what? Getting it done is the surprisingly difficult part because the solution looks financial but is actually personal. Of course it is! (This is why you buy that latte every morning instead of saving that $4, Because, you are a complex human being and the latte makes you FEEL good).

You are an emotionally based person with wants and desires which are reflected in a rational currency based economy. The only way to stop the 'tummy-ache' is to address the emotional issues which started it in the first place. That doesn't mean you have to deny your desires for that snickers bar every once in a while, but BALANCE is the key!

So commit to your growth and freedom! Make this year the year you finally break the bonds of consumerism and debt slavery. Make this year the greatest year of personal growth and freedom you have ever had. And, if you need help, I'm just a click away.

A Gift from the Sea

I sit, anxiously awaiting to hear back on a new abode. A new home. A place where I can see the ocean, a place where writing and coffee and eating and living will happen with a 180 degree view of waves and water and salt and infiniteness. It is the year of the Water Dragon, and with my newfound observation of productivity in writing in proximity to the ocean, I am excited about the possibilities. Stressed about the move and yet calm in the assurance of knowing that this just FEELS right.

So, I sit, patient.

In honor of this feeling, in honor of this next year's worth of gifts from the sea, in honor of 2012, the water dragon, the gratitude and everything about life which is enjoyed at a slower speed.... (It is Stress-Free Friday after all)

An excerpt:

A Gift From The Sea

"The beach is not the place to work, to read, write or think. I should have remembered that from other years. Too warm, too damp, too soft for any real mental discipline or sharp flights of spirit. One never learns. Hopefully, one carries down the faded straw bags, lumpy with books, clean paper, long over-due unanswered letters, freshly sharpened pencils, lists, and good intentions. The books remain unread, the pencils break their points, and the pads rest smooth and unblemished as the cloudless sky. No reading, no writing, no thoughts even - at least, not at first.

At first, the tired body takes over completely. As on shipboard, one descends into a deck-chair apathy. One is forced against one's mind, against all tidy resolutions, back into the primeval rhythms of the sea-shore, Rollers on the beach, wind in the pines, the slow flapping of herons across sand dunes, drown out the hectic rhythms of city and suburb, time tables and schedules. One falls under their spell, relaxes, stretches out prone. One becomes, in fact, like the element on which one lies, flattened by the sea, bare, open, empty as the beach, erased by today's tides of all yesterday's scribblings.

And then, some morning in the second week, the mind wakes, comes to life again. Not in a city sense - no - but beach-wise. it begins to drift, to play, to turn over in gentle careless rolls like those lazy waves on the beach. One never knows what change treasures these easy unconscious rollers may toss up, on the smooth white sand of the conscious mind, what perfectly rounded stone, what rare shell from the ocean floor. Perhaps a channelled whelk, a moon shell, or even an argonaut.

But it must not be sought for or - heaven forbid! - dug for. No, no dredging of the sea bottom here. That would defeat one's purpose. The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient. To dig for treasures shows not only impatience and greed, but lack of faith. Patience, patience, patience, is what the sea teaches. Patience and faith. One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach - waiting for a gift from the sea."

~Anne Morrow Lindbergh

A safe explosion.

There is a level of vulnerability when it comes to writing. A vulnerability that comes from the cracking open of one's soul to let the inner most, passionate creation out. In the last few months this observation has never been more keen.

When I was traveling, I wrote 5 books in a little over 4 months. Then, when I got back stateside I (and some friends) helped with editing, cover art, publishing and marketing. It was easy.
They were done.
(and you can get your copy today through my online shop)

Now I am looking at the 5 other books I started when I was on the road and have yet to finish with .... well, with exasperation.

I had such high hopes and expectations of myself to have gotten these done. and each day I look at the pile, those expectations just add a serving size amount of stress onto my poor little shoulders.

I ask: Why was it so easy to write when I was on the road, with no home, no job and no car, and it is so damn difficult now that I am back?

Then I realize....
It takes a huge amount of vulnerability to write. It takes a Universe-sized crack in your soul to open up and let the words flow. It is like the birth of a Universe exploding out of your chest.

For this level of creativity, the deep vulnerability, the passion and birth of something so wonderous, there is one secret little thing I've been missing. One thing I had when I was traveling, one little thing in which I soon hope to have again very soon.

Safety.

Not physical safety, but the emotional kind. The mental space and emotionally safe surroundings to crack through a hard candy shell and reach inside to pull out all the passionate, sticky, universe-exploding, deliciousness.

But don't worry, things are shifting changing and moving and I am too. Very soon, I will be all happy and settled and warm and safe and get back to my debaucherious rantings, writings and wriggly good times.

At 5'9", I'm .... like a Turtle, short and snappy.

It's Friday.
I should post something relevent, entertaining or educations. I should post something about how to manage your stress, get your finances in order or how to keep balance in your life.
I should.

But I'm not.
Not today.
I've been grumpy the last few days.
The grumpy-forever-kind-of-grumpy.
I've been short and snappy.

Like a turtle but human-sized.

I've been stressed.

And this little turtle just wants to crawl inside it's hard shell and live in the silent, warm, darkness forever.

It's been a tough couple of weeks.

But... there is a glimmer of hope, a ray of light, an escape in the near future. Tomorrow to be exact. It is a night of lights and dancing, and fantasmal costumes. Pumping and sexy beats.

Threshold: Enter the Dragon from daflew on Vimeo.

(Watch the video)
It is a night of dragons and dancing girls. Pretty lights and awesome music. A night to work out all the tension and stress in a glorious array of colors and hugs and friends and love. A night of unabashed, unhindered, open, free and accepting of everything crazy I could throw at it.

Including me.

It is a night to celebrate a new year.

Welcome 2012, the year of the Dragon.

I'm going dark.

SOPA Strike.
Read it.
Darth Vader and I are on the same team.... for a day. We are both on the dark side.