This weekend I had the chance to meet one of my clients… she’s a member of The Spark Lounge and her name is Cassia Marina. (Check out her site, and give her a follow on Instagram, she’s a pro when it comes to Branding and Graphic Design.) Not only do I adore her because she is incredibly driven and hard-working, she also offers insane value to her clients and she’s 100% dedicated to being her best self and living her best life. She’s a fighter, and her spirit is one that can’t be broken.

The cool thing about her is that SHE LIVES IN TRINIDAD, only a few hours away. So when I found myself venturing into her neck of the woods, I thought I might as well give her a shout and see if she’d be able to meet, even if for only 20 minutes. I sent her a message via Instagram, and next thing I knew, there we were, together, sharing stories, over a plate of quesadillas.

Meeting her in person made me realize how very little *in-person, offline time* I have spent with my clients, and how easy it is to forget just how much of a positive impact your products and services are having on people’s lives. Meeting Cassia in person filled me with love and gratitude for the work we’re doing together in The Spark Lounge and the positive changes it’s having in her life and therefore in the lives of those around her too.

And so I wanted to write this blog post to remind you that the work you do in the world does not only positively affect your clients lives, but the lives of those who interact with your clients, too.

Because it’s all a ripple effect right? What a sweet reminder.

So today I’m sitting here in my office, Sunday evening, about to start a brand new week of this brand new month, and I’m feeling so incredibly grateful for having the opportunity to meet Cassia, for the ability to make a difference in people’s lives, and for getting to do what I love and get paid for it.

What a blessing.

Now it’s your turn: set your timer for 5 short minutes and bask in gratitude for the impact you have on the people in your life (your family, your friends, your clients). YOU ARE POWERFUL. We all are. And the more we relish in it, the more we can use it for good. 

Happy Sunday!

xoxo
Alex

Leave a comment: How often do YOU meet your clients in person? What was your takeaway from this blog post?

You may not know this about me … but something I’ve always loved to do, ever since I was a little girl, is journal. My love affair with pens and notebooks and the written word is neverending, and I think the ability to write out your thoughts is one of life’s greatest blessings.

My girl, Katie Dalebout, (who interviewed me on her podcast here) just finished launching her brand new book, Let It Out, and yesterday I was lucky enough to attend her book launch! AHHHHHH! (Side note – check out Gabby Bernstein behind us!) 

After struggling with an eating disorder, Katie realized that journaling was a healing and transformative practice that was literally changing her state of mind. Noticing how powerful it was in her own life, she penned this book, which, as the description states, is “packed with journaling exercises, prompts, and techniques that can be done anywhere and in any order”, giving you a “new way to navigate your daily life, cope with stress, and create exciting, permanent change”.

I’ve just started reading Let It Out, and I can already tell this is going to be a book I come back to *again and again*.

I went to the book launch hoping to get a copy of the book, but by the time I got there – they were all sold out! BOOOOO! So I had to order it via Amazon instead! 🙂

If you’ve been looking for your next transformative read, and *especially* if you want to start making journaling a regular habit, “Let It Out” is for you! Make it yours today, just like I did. (actually, my copy arrives tomorrow????)

As you know, I’m still on my New York City trip. My first week here was really a work week. But my second week here (this week) is really a holiday week. It’s my cousin, Emily’s wedding, and we’re here to come together as a family and celebrate that!

Being the organized individual that I am, I already had a Chatty Tuesday video planned for this week. But it wasn’t until I was getting ready to schedule it out on Tuesday that I realized that due to the new Snapchat changes, it was totally irrelevant and outdated. Fail. 

Not to worry, you can only do your best, right? 

CURRENTLY:

Excited to: welcome my baby cousin into the world (It’s happening today!)
Reading: Let It Out by Katie Dalebout
Wearing: Pyjama pants and a Deftment hoodie
Wanting: To work on The Spark Lounge later today
Repeating: the work I do influences the world positively.
Wondering: If I’ll have time to meditate before breakfast
Preparing for: my upcoming MasterClass on Life + Biz Organization.
Feeling: the air come in and out of my lungs 
Offering: 14 single coaching calls. If you want one, apply here.
Sitting on: a super comfy chair in my NYC hotel room
Stuck in my head: I’m in Control by AlunaGeorge
About to: get ready for breakfast with my parents (follow along on Snapchat – TheAlexBeadon)

Okay, time for me to get dressed and ready for my day. As of now, I can squeeze in a 5 minute meditation! GO ME

Sending you SO MUCH LOVE,
xoxo
Alex
Creator of The Spark Lounge

Comments made easy:

1. Did this post resonate with you?
2. Have you applied to be featured in The Spark Lounge Holiday Gift Guide yet?
3. What’s your favorite Elton John song? Here’s a few of mine.

One of the things I love most about getting older is getting to witness the life changes in the people around me. Today as I sat at the dinner table, staring into the eyes of the people I love the most in this world, my heart gleamed with pride.

Sitting in front of me, my two brilliant parents, who are freshly beginning a new and exciting chapter of retired life. To see them together, so full of energy and love for each other after so many years of marriage makes me so happy. I’m full of so much JOY when I think of them, because I know this new stage is going to be full of absolute greatness.

Watching my sister sit next to me as a grown woman fills me with inspiration and admiration. She’s loving her life, grabbing every opportunity by the horns, and making it a habit to challenge herself to grow and be the best she can be.  She inspires me SO MUCH.

And then there was me, sitting at this table, silently acknowledging the incredible life developments of the people around me, only to realize that I had to stop and do the same for myself. And so there I was, at dinner with my family, a table full of love, taking a good look at myself. Alex Beadon, consciously creating the life of her dreams, bravely experiencing life, asking important questions, a soulful business owner who’s dedicated to creating more freedom and passion in the world.

Today it felt good to be us. It felt good for all of us to be together after so many months apart. It felt good to be eating delicious food at one of our favorite Indian restaurants. It felt good to giggle uncontrollably, and to make brand new inside jokes (TONY!). It felt good to share stories while sipping on wine. It felt good to celebrate each other, and to celebrate ourselves. Today felt good.

Dad, Mom, Lizzie – I love you. Thank you for the richness you bring to my life. Because of you, I feel like the richest woman in the world.

After yesterday’s blog post I received so many email responses from people who courageously shared their dreams and goals with me in delicious detail.

What I noticed is a huge and heavy focus on what it would LOOK like to achieve the goals, and far less of a focus on what it would FEEL like.

So today, when you’re fantasizing about your wildest dreams (which you should absolutely be doing daily), I want you to FEEL IT! What would accomplishing your wildest dreams FEEL LIKE?!?! Feel it in your body, experience it as though it yours today.

Here’s how my wildest dreams feel:

freeing, authentic, supported, expansive, artistic, electric, magical, connected, easy, blissful, powerful, soulful, clear, seen, vibrant, creative, abundant, and courageous.

COMMENT and tell me:

How does accomplishing your wildest dreams FEEL?!?!?

Hey,

I want you to have a straight-up love affair with your wildest dream.

I want you to know that just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.

I want you to spend every spare second fantasizing about exactly what you want.

I want you to put your imagination to use and pretend like it’s already happened, like it’s already yours.

I want you to look yourself in the mirror, and say it out loud in the present tense, as though it is your current reality.

I want you to imagine the impact that it coming true will have, not only on you and your life, but on the lives of others.

It may not currently exist in a place where you can see it and touch it, but anything ever accomplished or created by man first began in thought. Without the thought, the creation itself never would have existed. So if you ask me, the thought is just as real, and just as important, as the creation itself.

Spend some time in deep thought today, and commit yourself to a love affair with your wildest dreams.

Love always,
xoxo
Alex

Confessions … I haven’t been responding to all of my texts or emails. I’ve been drinking a lot more than I normally do. I’ve let myself completely unravel. I’ve taken up running. I’ve been writing a lot. I’ve felt everything and nothing – all at the same time; immense joy and immense sadness; love and heartbreak; deep happiness and debilitating fear. I’ve had panic attacks. I’ve spent plenty of hours curled up in tears on my bathroom floor, surrounded by snotty tissues. I’ve embraced my faith. I’ve alienated and questioned my faith. Without any notice at all, I stopped sending out my VIP List emails. I stopped making videos. I stopped blogging. I found comfort and abundance in the simplest act of being still, like nothing could ever be taken away from me because the richness of this moment is ever-present.

The last three months have been some of the most challenging of my life. Taking steps towards consciously creating the life of your dreams is far from easy. My motivation levels to sit down and get my work done have never been lower, which is highly unlike me, and through all of this change, I have given myself permission to allow my business to take a back seat.

I have been changing and evolving so much as a person, that the discovery of myself has become the most important thing on my plate. Sitting down to chase my business goals has seemed utterly irrelevant lately.

Taking a step back from your business can be scary. But to be honest, I experienced far more fear from the people around me than from myself. They wanted to know, after years of being so present online, how could I stop? Wasn’t I afraid that people would forget about me? That I would lose my momentum, and not be able to pick up from where I left off?

I understood their fears, but shockingly I carried none of them. Somehow I seem to have a deep knowing and understanding of what I’m currently going through. And all of it is necessary: the time off, the step back, the silence, the space – it has all been 100% necessary.

Three months ago I found myself in a position where I had nothing left to give, and no amount of hustle or force was ever going to get me to where I wanted to be.There’s a difference between laziness or letting fear hold you back, and being so drained and depleted that you literally have nothing left to give.

Ultimately, I knew that if I kept creating videos, if I kept sending emails, and if I kept showing up to give more and more of myself, it would be like selling watered-down gas at a gas station. I was running on empty, and I didn’t want to be fake. I was changing, and I didn’t want to hold on to an expired version of myself. Instead, I wanted to get to know the new version of myself so that when the time was right, I could start sharing authentically again.

Of course, I was sure to upkeep all of my existing responsibilities. The main commitment I have within my business is The Spark Lounge. It requires me to create four videos a month, which I place in the private Spark Lounge Library. But for the first time ever, I’ve been delivering exactly what is expected of me. Nothing more. Nothing less.

This has been scary, especially to the people around me who worry for my best interest. But I don’t feel threatened. Instead, I feel excited, expansive, and like I’m on the brink of butterflying.

If you think of a butterfly, do you think it regrets the time it spent transforming in its cocoon? Do you think it curses itself that it couldn’t have  stayed a caterpillar forever? Or do you think it knows that the time in the cocoon was worth it, because it now gets to experience the joys of being a beautiful butterfly?

To me it’s crystal clear that my time away from my business has gifted me the space to transform and evolve. Although my previous way of being was wonderful, there’s something new brewing under the surface, and I’m excited to discover what it is. This time away has been my time for transformation. This “difficult time” has ultimately been for my greatest good.

If you’re going through a difficult time of your own, a time where you feel “stuck” and “out of sync”, be open to the fact that sometimes the best thing you can do is take it easy, catch your breath, and give yourself permission to slow down. A few steps backwards can sometimes do you a world of good, I promise.

Watch this space. 

In a culture where success and notoriety are celebrated as much as they are, it often saddens me to think of how many people are “living quietly” out of the paralyzing, debilitating fear that they’ll never “make it”.

How many closet dancers, hidden painters, wannabe business owners and secret writers are holding themselves back?

How many people yearn to create, yet ignore the calling, not being able to fathom a reality in which they are vulnerable enough to fail, vulnerable enough to create bad art, or vulnerable enough to be laughed at and made fun of?

And so there they are, living quietly, not fully expressing themselves. Stifled, silenced, small. Their greatness never given even a smidgen of a chance.

There are times when I feel this way, too. Even after years of being an artist, of passionately creating, of shamelessly putting myself out there, there are times when the fear and vulnerability of it all can get to be too much, and all I want to do is live quietly. Retreat. Hide. Hold back.

And then I see things like this – a homeless man who spends his time collecting trash, turning it into creative works of art, and then displaying it on a street wall for all to see. And why? I haven’t spoken to him about *why* he creates this art. All I know is he’s been doing it for years. He’s not getting paid, he’s not getting notoriety. But there he is, creating (I assume) for the sake of creating. Just because.

And so whenever I think of playing small, hiding, holding back, repressing … I’m suddenly reminded that there’s too much joy waiting for me on the other side. The actual act of creating, seeing something made out of nothing, being witness to the power of creativity. Whether I like what I’ve created, or I hate what I’ve created, it still feels like I participated in some sort of magic. Something out of nothing.

And I wish that THAT was celebrated. I wish that the pure act of creating was celebrated and revered more than the “success” or “notoriety” that the creation garnered.  Let’s celebrate and revere creative energy itself.

How could we be so selfish and full of ourselves to avoid our “callings to create” in favor of the comfort and safety of staying small? The fear feels real. The fear of how something will be perceived, of how it will come across, of what people will think or say, of whether it will be “a success” or not. How could we ever take ourselves so seriously to allow the fear to win?

The whole point is to simply create out of the pure joy and love of creation, and to let the final product have a life of its own, separate from you, not reflective of you.

And so I’ve dedicated myself to a life of creativity, with the goal of showing up and creating, detached from the outcome as much as I possibly can be, celebrating the creation itself, instead of it’s “success”. Because creative energy is magic energy. And I’m all about that magic energy.

“I never promised the universe I would be a great writer, I just promised the universe that I would be a writer!” – Elizabeth Gilbert

(who greatly inspired this post with her book Big Magic)