Annabel Fisher

On Wednesday, Novemeber 16th, I had the pleasure of interviewing EFT Practitioner and Trainer Annabel Fisher on How to Grow an Authentic Energy Psychology Business.  It was an incredibly candid look at the realities of growing an energy/spirit based business.

It turns out that this was one of the most commented upon – and most viral – interviews I’ve ever done.  So, I wanted to post the recording as a blog post to ensure that it’s easy to find for anyone who would like to listen.

Listen to Annabel Fisher call

Credit: William Cho

It’s time to celebrate!  As some you know, I’ve been working with Sejual Shah to develop a new process called Business Energetics.  After almost 2 years of development, it’s ready to share with the world ..

(Insert favorite celebration music here)

In this blog post, I would like to introduce you to what Business Energetics is and what it means for conscious business people.

Energy Psychology in Business Thus Far

People have been experimenting with energy psychology tools in business for the past decade.  For instance, here’s the link to Steve Wells’ corporate programs using EFT.  On the page, you’ll notice language like this:

How many CEO’s are working hard to avoid pain, driven more by fear of failure than by desire to succeed. If these people overcame the emotional tension associated to their part in getting things to happen or their fear of what might happen if they failed, then what would become possible for … the business?”

Until now, energy psychology in business has been focused on “clearing” – that is, removing the stress, fear of failure, procrastination and other issues that get in way of success.  While this is important, I believe it’s incomplete.

Just What IS Business Energetics??

As far as Sejual and I are aware, Business Energetics is the first energy psychology tool developed specifically for conscious business.  It draws upon the strengths of EFT, Family Constellations and conscious business principles.

Here are the 4 steps in Business Energetics:

1. Set up the constellation. Using an adapted version of Family Constellations, we set up a constellation – a map of important relationships – of a significant business issue the client is facing.  This could be anything from improving marketing results to increasing sales performance to improving communication in a team.
2. Re-regulate the decision maker. In business, every decision can impact your finances and career.  So when it comes to important choices, it’s easy for a client’s nervous system to become “dysregulated”  (i.e. get knocked off center).  In this step, you use energy psychology tools to help the client find his or her way into a more relaxed relationship with the choice they are facing.  Decisions aren’t made at this point.  We often use EFT or Matrix Reimprinting for this step.
3. Engage the client’s wisdom resources. This is the step that is unique to Business Energetics. After the client is more relaxed, you then deliberately invite someone or something that represents the client’s connection with wisdom into the constellation.  This representation can be anything meaningful to the client.  For instance, client’s have reported “a warm light”, a business mentor, and Mother Theresa coming into their constellations.  With wisdom more accessible, you continue the conversation about how the client can best proceed.
4. Close the constellation and help client integrate the wisdom. Like dreams and hypnosis, this process is powerful because it works with deeper than usual levels of consciousness.  So we make sure to help the client ease back into a more regular state.  Then, if it’s welcome, you assist the client in processing the wisdom received.  It’s important to be aware that wisdom lessons often contain multiple layers of meaning.

An Example of Business Energetics

One common theme clients come to Business Energetics with is feeling confused about where to focus their attention.  For example, “Alisa” came to me during a time she was trying to map out a new direction for her business but was riddled with uncertainty.  Here’s how we worked with this using Business Energetics:

In setting up the constellation , it became clear that Alisa had mixed feelings about “leaving” her old business.  I had her dialogue with her business as it had been and honor how it had supported her family.  Using EFT, we tapped on the combination of grief, fear and excitement she was feeling.  The picture in her constellation changed significantly.

Now that she was more relaxed, I asked Alisa to invite a representation of wisdom into the constellation.  A “warm, comforting light” showed up.  We then continued the dialogue between her, her business, and the light about how she could best proceed. The suggestions that emerged included a timeline, marketing approaches and potential partners.  We ended by her thanking her business and the light for their guidance.

The Results

Alisa left the session feeling clear and confident about how to proceed.  She was able to shift her business in a direction that was more enjoyable and profitable.  She also reports having much more energy and says she made more money in 8 weeks after her session than in the previous 6 months.

Want to Find Out More?

On February 5th, Sejual and I will be leading a Business Energetics Retreat.  During this virtual event (no travel fares, hotel fees,  meals away from home, etc),  we’ll teach you how to use Business Energetics for your situation.  Click here for more info.

Credit: H. Koppdelaney

Last night I returned home from a 10 day retreat.  Today, I noticed I was working in a more relaxed and aligned way than I had in some time.  For instance, I took 20 minutes to compose a heartfelt email answering a potential new client’s questions.  That’s longer than usual for me.  As I sent it off, I felt good about taking this step to create meaningful connection.

After 10 days away from my usual fast paced work life, I was able to see that I sometimes miss important opportunities because of feeling time scarcity.

Feeling rushed is the new normal

In our constantly connected world – with email, texting, social media and more – it’s easy to get into a chronic state of feeling like there’s not enough time.  Most of my clients come to me with this complaint.  Honestly, before my retreat, I was slipping back into this mindset myself.

For generations, spiritual teachers have taught that we can feel spacious around time.  And, one of the keys to shifting into this is through cultivating the attitude of patience.

But there’s just not enough time ..

Definition of Patience – quiet, steady perseverance; even-tempered care.
Source: Dictionary.com

Though many people want to feel spacious around time, it can feel tricky in our modern world. I mean who has time for even-tempered care? I often hear people say things like:

1. I have WAY too much to do
2. I’m afraid I won’t get it all done
3. Everyone around me is impatient
4. I have too many responsibilities
5. It won’t do any good

As long as you are going through life feeling impatient and like time is scarce, the Law of Attraction will keep bringing more opportunities to feel rushed and impatient.  Remember, the shift that you are longing for starts on the inside.

Here are some EFT setup phrases you can use to start creating more patience and time abundance in your life:

• Even though this rushed feeling has become normal for me, I’m willing to acknowledge the impact it’s having on my life.
• Even though I don’t know how to stop feeling so rushed and impatient, I choose to accept the situation I’m in anyway.
• Even though I’m afraid I’m too busy to make any real change, I’m willing to be a bit kinder with myself.

Once you start to open more to the positive impact that patience can have on your success, you can use your EFT for abundance skills to help you create more of this feeling.  Use phrases like:

• Even though in the past I used to think it was impossible to have more patience in my busy life,  I’m choosing to be more open to that possibility now.
• Even though I used to think that time spaciousness was very difficult for me, I give myself
  permission to have more of it now.
• Even though I got used to these feelings of rushed and impatient, I choosing to experiment with this feeling of more abundance.

In an economic climate where most people are vibrating impatience and the energy of being rushed, your vibration of even-tempered care will stand out in almost any field.  I invite you to experiment with this feeling of time abundance and to notice the effect it has on your financial abundance as well.

I would love to hear your experience with this.  Please feel free to share your thoughts or questions in the form of a comment below.

Credit: D. Basu

There is a saying in the personal development world – the course (or retreat) starts when you commit to go on it.  As some of you who are connected with me on social media know, on Monday I’m going to be starting a 10-day retreat.

Already this week, I’ve been reflecting more than usual.  I’ve been especially thinking about 2 questions. They are:

1. What the heck happened to create this wonderful year of growth in my business?
2. How can I help others who want more success to learn from this?

Appreciation is like Rocket Fuel

We are in the midst of a global recession. Many coaches are struggling. Some very good ones I know gave up this year. Yet, my business grew to 3 thriving Mastermind groups and a roster of awesome, ongoing individual clients. And there’s even more good stuff on the way for 2011.

A traditional business coach would look at what happened and say things like “You did a major upgrade on your website” and “You improved your copywriting skills.”  While I do think these helped, I don’t think that’s the major reason.  For instance, I consulted with one woman this year who spent over $12,000 on a very fancy website – much slicker than mine – that never brought her a client.

The real secret to my increased success is that I made a decision to vibrate appreciation much more frequently.

Get Specific About Appreciation

I’m not the first Law of Attraction knowledgeable coach to talk about appreciation as a business builder.  But one of the things I’ve done differently is follow the EFT guideline of “Get Specific” when it comes to incorporating appreciation into my business.   Here are 3 Specific Ways to Turbocharge Your Success with Appreciation:

1) Look for opportunities to appreciate your individual clients. You don’t have to be forceful or artificial about this.  Just have your radar tuned for when a client makes a shift – even a small one.  Then say something authentic. Over time, this positive energy will build momentum for the changes they came to you to make.

2) Appreciate whole groups for their strengths. In one of my Mastermind groups, we recently had a situation where someone entered and left quickly because it wasn’t a good fit.  After the dust settled, I appreciate how the group members handled this.  After a year together, this group culture is an awesome healing environment.  A few words of appreciation helped the members to recenter and connect deeper than ever.

3) Don’t just appreciate your paying clients or customers. Many people only think to appreciate their paying clients/customers.  One of the important things I have done differently in 2010 is start appreciating people who are NOT paying clients as well as those who are. I do this through interactions on Facebook and Twitter, appreciating people who comment on my blog, and incorporating the vibration of appreciation in to my newsletter.  People have been increasingly noticing and commenting on this.

I appreciate you!

As we approach Thanksgiving here in the US, I want to say how grateful I am to know you.  If we’ve had the opportunity to connect, I look forward to deepening that connection in 2011.  And, if we haven’t yet connected personally, I invite you to comment on this post or to connect on Facebook.

With much appreciation!

Credit: Sarah Robinson

When I first moved to Santa Fe, there was a “healthy chocolate” craze going on.  People were buzzing about how very pure, naturally sweetened dark chocolate products would supposedly cause miracles.

Now, I LOVE dark chocolate.  And I’m a big believer in natural health products.  I’m also aware of the benefits of eating dark chocolate.  Still, as I write this, I have the distinct feeling of wanting to gag.

Disconnected enthusiasm hurts your business

There is a saying in the business world that “They may forget what you told them, but they will never forget how you made them feel.“  Simply put, the healthy chocolate folks I met created the undesired association of “get me out of here!” when it comes to their stuff.

It’s not because they were dumb or bad people – these were intelligent and caring folks.  What the heck happened?

When you get excited about a product or service, it’s easy for your enthusiasm to get disconnected from your center.  And when it does, the only thing people want to buy when they are around you is a ticket to some place far away.

How do I ground my enthusiasm?

As a reader of this blog, you might recognize that what we just did is use the money and Law of Attraction principle of defining what you DON’T want (unless you’re in the travel business ) to guide you to more of what you DO want.  But how do you ensure that your enthusiasm is connected and grounded?

This is where your EFT for abundance skills can be very helpful.

Start with setup phrases like:

• Even though I don’t really know how to be authentic and relaxed about my business enthusiasm, I choose to acknowledge my situation anyway.
• Even though I probably alienated some people with my disconnected excitement, I’m willing to be a little kinder and more gentle with myself.
• Even though I wish I was clearer about how to express my enthusiasm in a helpful way, I accept myself and my situation.

Once you start being kinder to yourself about ways your disconnected excitement might have hurt your success, you can use your tapping skills to ease into more skillfulness. Here are some setup phrases to try:

• Even though in the past I didn’t know how to be excited about my business and connected to my center, I give myself permission to learn more about this.
• Even though in the past I have got off balance with my enthusiasm, I’m choosing to allow my inner resources to teach me how to be more centered.
• Even though I wish I felt more steady and centered than I have in the past, I am choosing to connect more deeply with my centered excitement now.

Your ability to attract people to do business with you is a key to increasing your income.  I would love to hear your experience and your questions about how to best do this.  Please share your thoughts in the form of a comment below.

Credit: H. Koppdelany

Recently I received an email from a woman – let’s call her Jane – who’s in a tough situation.  At almost 40 years old, she lost her job, moved in with her mom and signed up for government aid.  She asked me for some suggestions about how to use energy psychology tools like EFT for Abundance and the Law of Attraction to turn her situation around.

Here’s how Jane describes things:

I am not currently working and I have no clarity in my career direction. I am in debt and have limiting money beliefs. I want to come off the government aid and my mother’s co-dependent financial support. I want a new lease on life.”

Step 1: Don’t take this personally

For anyone who’s unemployed, underemployed or working in a job they hate, my first suggestion is to take the advice of Don Miguel Ruiz and “Don’t take anything personally”.  This comes from Don Miguel’s extremely popular book, The Four Agreements.

The global economy is in the midst of big changes.  Millions of people are feeling lost or squeezed in this process.  Making money in a recession is MUCH harder when you keep beating yourself up for being where you are.

Here are some EFT setup phrases:

• Even though I’ve been hard on myself for this difficult situation, I’m willing to acknowledge these feelings and the impact they’ve been having.
• Even though I don’t like this situation I’m in, I accept that I have these feelings anyway.
• Even though I wish I could have avoided this whole mess, I’m open to the possibility I could start being kinder to myself anyway.

Step 2: Start your energy management retreat

Now that you’ve stopped beating up on yourself, it’s time for something new.  From now on, you are no longer unemployed or working in a job you hate.  From this moment forward, you are on an energy management retreat.

What the heck is an energy management retreat?  It means a time in your life when you prioritize:

1. Noticing where your energy currently is and
2. Learning to effectively shift your energy in a more positive direction.

To start, print out The Emotional Scale from Abraham-Hick’s book, Ask and It Is Given.  Post it on the fridge or your bathroom mirror and use it at least 3 times per day.  After just a few days, you will start to notice energy patterns.

Step 3: Clear the limiting beliefs

With kind attention, you will start to see that negative feelings are connected to certain thoughts.  For instance, Jane wrote to me about sexual events in her past that she feels very bad about.  Though they happened years ago, they still have a profound effect.

As you notice yourself feeling emotions like fear, unworthiness, and anger, explore what your thoughts are.  Clear these limiting thoughts and you turbocharge your ability to find creative money making opportunities – no matter what the economy is doing.

For instance, from her email it sounds like Jane is feeling unworthy because of the difficult sexual events.  She could use EFT setup statements like:

• Even though I haven’t believed I was worthy of making a good living because of these sexual events, I’m choosing to acknowledge these feelings and the effect they have been having on my career.
• Even though my creativity about my career is stuck because of all this shame I feel, I’m open to being kinder to myself anyway.
• Even though I wish I didn’t have all these limiting beliefs about my abilities, I’m choosing to allow myself to start healing anyway.

Step 4: Create conscious support

Many of you know that my financial world collapsed a number of years ago.  I came to realize that it was time for big changes.  And though they loved me very much, my existing support networks weren’t very helpful.  They had a hard time seeing me in a radically different life.

I got some great advice at that time – create conscious support. I followed that advice and I don’t think I’d have the thriving business I have today (for example, while I was typing this I received an email titled “Referral”) if I hadn’t.

Here are some possibilities:

1. Get active on this blog. The Success for Spiritual People community is getting stronger each month.  It doesn’t cost anything to read the posts and join the conversation via comments.  Just go to the bottom of this post and share your thoughts to start.
2. Consider buying a copy of Elizabeth Hyland’s book Surviving the Unemployment Rollercoaster. It’s a great resource for learning to use Law of Attraction to find a great job.  She also has a wonderful newsletter.
3. Connect with Ingrid Dinter. She’s a veteran EFT Practitioner who’s now working on issues of career transition. Check out her site for great videos on using EFT in this way.

If you’re ready to reinvent making money in a recession, it’s going to take some work.  The steps I’ve outlined above are designed to serve as a map and to avoid unnecessary confusion or pain.  I invite you to let us know what your experience is or ask any questions in the form of a comment below.

Photo credit: Shannon Kringen

On Sunday night, I went for a moonlight walk.  As I was walking through a park near my house, I noticed something in a tree out of the corner of my eye.  Looking closer, I saw a large owl about 15 feet away. For several powerful minutes, the two of us stayed and appreciated each other.  Then the owl flew off, directly over my head.

That night, I had magical dreams and this week has been among the best I’ve ever had in my business. It’s included more depth in my coaching,  wonderful new clients, and increased momentum for my programs in 2011.

Sychronicitiy means you’re on the right path

In our modern culture, we don’t often value or talk about experiences like I had with the owl.  In cultures that value daily spirituality, these experiences are very important.  Daniel Pinchbeck puts it this way:

In shamanic cultures, sychronicities are recognized as signs that you are on the right path.”

When you are on the right path, success is inevitable.  It comes as a natural result of living life aligned with your spiritual purpose.  Struggle is a natural result of walking a life path that isn’t aligned with your spiritual purpose.  More and more of my work is helping people get out of the struggle patterns and recognize the existing signs to their true spiritual path.

But I can’t see these kind of signs ..

Though most spiritual people believe that sychronicity could guide them, I often hear the following reasons (or excuses) why it won’t work:

1. I don’t know what to look for
2. I’m too busy
3. I’m in too much of a mess
4. I’m afraid it will take too long
5. I don’t understand how synchronicity works

As long as you are ignoring your deepest spiritual resources, you will keep struggling.  Because I want you to experience joy and success, I encourage you to use your EFT skills with setup phrases like:

• Even though I don’t completely understand this sychronicity stuff, I’m willing to be kinder to myself anyway.
• Even though I don’t know what signs to look for, I acknowledge that I feel a little spiritually lost.
• Even though I’m afraid I’m too busy and this will take too much time, I choose to accept my situation anyway.

Once you stop fighting the possibility that synchronicity could help you, you can use your EFT for abundance skills to help you start to notice more of this kind of guidance.  Use phrases like:

• Even though in the past I used to miss signs of spiritual guidance, I’m choosing to be more open to noticing them now.
• Even though I used to think sychronicity was very rare for me, I give myself permission to have more of these signs in my life.
• Even though I wish I had more time just for my spirituality, I choosing to allow in more guidance during the course of my daily life.

I look forward to hearing what kinds of spiritual guidance you experience as you use EFT in this way.  Please feel free to post a comment below.

Photo credit: Melody Campbell

I’m sitting at my desk with a big smile on my face.  I’m smiling because on my office wall is a dry erase board with my one page business plan for 2011.  It includes at least 2 exciting new group and several new workshop programs.  For me, 2011 is about helping more people, having more fun and making more money.

(insert your favorite celebration music here)

I’m assuming if you’re reading this that you’d also like more fun, meaning and money in your life in 2011.  So, the first place I want you start is by exploring your opportunities to make more money.  I invite you to write down the options you see.

(insert your favorite task music here)

Look over your list.  Pay particular attention to how you are feeling when you look at your list.

In today’s economy, most people are in what scientists call the “stress response” around money.  When your nervous system is in stress mode, you don’t have access to the most inspired and creative part of your brain.

But there aren’t any great opportunities for me because ..

Though it makes sense that stress gets in the way of seeing your best opportunities, I often hear the following reasons (or excuses) why things can’t change:

1. “I don’t have the right degree or resources to do what I want”
2. “I can’t think of any good opportunities”
3. “The economy is terrible”
4. “All the good opportunities are taken”

As long as this is your self talk, you will keep reinforcing the stress patterns and limiting your ability to see the best opportunities.  Since you deserve a life of success and meaning, I invite you to get out your EFT skills and use setup phrases like:

• Even though I’m afraid seeing my opportunities won’t do any good, I’m willing to be kinder to myself anyway.
• Even though I don’t have the right degree or resources to do what I want, I acknowledge these feelings anyway.
• Even though it’s hard to imagine there are good opportunities in this economy, I choose to accept my situation.

Once you start clearing the blocks, you can use your EFT for abundance skills to help you shift into your full creativity.  Use setup phrases like these:

• Even though in the past I didn’t see great opportunities for me, I’m choosing to be more open to the possibilities now now.
• Even though I used to think I didn’t have what I needed, I give myself permission to think of opportunities that use the resources I do have.
• Even though I used to believe all the good opportunities were taken, I choose to explore ways I could create exciting possibilities now.

Keep tapping and let yourself enjoy the process of exploring your opportunities with all your creativity and power.

Photo credit: John C Abell

A little less than 2 years ago, I left my comfortable social worker’s office for the last time. With quite a bit of uncertainty and not much money in the bank, I took the plunge into coaching full-time.

What a ride it’s been!

I would be lying if I said there were no middle of the night money sweats and even a few thoughts of “maybe I should just go back to agency work”.  But thanks to EFT, a growing understanding of the Law of Attraction and great coaching, I got the tools I needed to work my way through those anxious moments.

Back then, it wasn’t easy to find the kind of support I was longing for.  I met some great EFT and mindset coaches who helped me understand my mental blocks.  However, I was often unsure after our sessions about my next steps in the world.  And, though I had some very knowledgeable business and marketing coaches, they thought the word vibration only applied to cars when the tires aren’t aligned.  They didn’t “get” my spiritual approach.

Welcome to the new Success for Spiritual People

And so, one contact at a time, I started meeting people who shared my passion for an inner and outer for approach to success.  Thanks to this network, my practice grew.

And so it brings me great joy to share with you the new Success for Spiritual People website. As I’ve been out there connecting and listening, I’ve come to realize that there are of thousands and thousands of people who care deeply about living a life of meaning, joy and success.

It is my intention for this new site to create a vibrant community of people who are ready for a life of both deep meaning and prosperity.

Photo credit: Ben Chaney

If this vision speaks to you, I invite you to share in a comment below. Say hi.  Ask about how to use EFT to clear limiting money beliefs or what program is best for sending out an email newsletter.  Tell us your dog’s name.  Say whatever feels natural in front of a group of other of spiritual people who care about your success.

And, once more, I want to express my deepest gratitude.  I look forward to finding ways to help you increase the feelings of joy and purpose in your work.

For many, these are the times of longer workdays.   Tighter deadlines.  Less time with loved ones.  Life can start to feel like a bit of a grind.

Deep down, you want a juicy life.  One full of passion and abundance and fun.  But how do you get from the realities of what it takes to pay the bills right now to the life you think is possible for you?

Remember, the universe responds to your vibration – not your words.  So one of the most helpful things you can do right now to create more of the life you’ve been wanting is to start noticing what’s going well and celebrate it.

But I can’t celebrate more because ..

Though it makes sense that paying attention to what’s going well would be good for your vibration, I often hear the following reasons (or excuses) why it won’t work:

1. “I don’t have the time”
2. “It wont do any good”
3. “I don’t have any money for celebrating”
4. “I can’t think of any way to celebrate”
5. “I’m afraid it’s just wishful thinking”

In today’s competitive world, you can’t improve your success without being highly tuned into your own strengths. And there is no better way to know and build upon them than celebrating them regularly.

So I invite you to get out your EFT skills and use setup phrases like:

• Even though I feel like I don’t have time to celebrate my successes, I accept who I am and how I feel anyway.
• Even though I’m afraid celebrating my successes won’t do any good, I’m willing to be kinder to myself anyway.
• Even though I feel like I don’t have enough money to celebrate, I choose to accept myself and my situation.

Once you start clearing the blocks, you can use EFT to help you start seeing solutions.  Use setup phrases like these:

• Even though in the past I didn’t see how I could celebrate my successes, I’m choosing to notice ways now.
• Even though in the past I didn’t understand the value of noticing my strengths, I give myself permission to notice them now.
• Even though I used to think I was too busy or broke to do this, I choose to find ways to celebrate my successes now.

Keep tapping and enjoy the power that the EFT and Law of Attraction combination has to bring you more of what you want.  And, I would love to hear one recent success you are celebrating in the form of a comment below.