PERSONAL

Are you living a life of passion?

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universe

There’s this question I love to ask people: if you could describe yourself in three words, which three words would they be? 

I know, I know – it’s an intense question. And also nearly impossible to answer. I mean, can anyone really describe themselves in only three words? Talk about limitations!

But … I’ve gotta say, it’s always so interesting to hear which words people choose for themselves.

My three words have always been … passionate, creative, and inspiring.

So when I stumbled upon this article called “Lady Gaga and the Life of Passion” I was intrigued. Even more so, was that within this article, I found descriptions of myself, “the passionate person”.

passion person

 

Since so many of you reading this blog are passion-based people, too, I thought I’d share with you my favorite parts:

“I suppose that I didn’t know what I would become, but I always wanted to be extremely brave and I wanted to be a constant reminder to the universe of what passion looks like. What it sounds like. What it feels like.” 

– Lady Gaga 

“People with passion have the courage to be themselves with abandon. We all care what others think about us. People with passion are just less willing to be ruled by the tyranny of public opinion.”
– David Brooks

“Passionate people often discover themselves through play.”
– David Brooks

“As the saying goes, they somehow get on the other side of fear. They get beyond that fog that is scary to approach. Once through it they have more freedom to navigate. They opt out of things that are repetitive, routine and deadening. There’s even sometimes a certain recklessness there, a willingness to throw their imperfect selves out into public view while not really thinking beforehand how people might react.”
– David Brooks 

And so, today I am incredibly proud to be passionate, and I hope you are too.

 

The article referred to in this post was called “Lady Gaga and the Life of Passion” by David Brooks.

 

Call To Action:

  1. Leave a comment: did you feel as though you were being described in the above paragraphs? I DID!
  2. Leave a comment: if you had to describe yourself in three words, which 3 words would you use?

How to create the life of your dreams – Part 1

11 Comments / OVERCOME YOUR FEARS, PERSONAL / By

“Creating the life of your dreams” sounds cliché, I know. But I whole-heartedly believe in the power of consciously creating your lifestyle to reflect what you *really* want in this short life of yours.

So here’s my no-BS guide to actively and consistently creating the life of your dreams.

This step-by-step guide is based on the steps I’ve taken myself to actively do this in my own life. Take what resonates with you, leave the rest.

Before we begin, let’s get a few things very clear:

  • only you know what the “life of your dreams” really looks like.
  • the “life of your dreams” really means your average day.
    (Because the average day is what makes up the entirety of your life.)

HERE IS MY 6-STEP GUIDE TO ACTIVELY + CONSISTENTLY CREATING THE LIFE OF MY DREAMS.

1) Take stock of everything your daily life currently encompasses: the people, the places, the conversations, the story, the message, how you spend your time etc…

2) Be brutally honest with yourself about what you truly desire to experience in your life. This is often the hardest, and most important part. What do you *really* want?

3) Compare and contrast between these two lists, and identify what’s missing from your current daily life that you’re craving more of.

4) Decide for yourself if it’s worth making changes for. Because here’s the thing: change takes time, and it’s hard. It requires a lot of effort to dedicate and commit yourself to creating long-term change in your life, and a lot of faith to carry you along the way. So you need to decide whether or not you think it’s worth fighting for.

5) Once you’ve decided you’re in it to win it, you need a game plan. You need to identify what changes need to be made so that your life can slowly but surely be a better reflection of what you really want.

6) Make the changes bravely, courageously, and without looking back. Implement some kind of system or routine to make sure that you follow through with these changes! (if you want to hear more about my systems and routines, let me know in the comments) 

Call To Action:

(answer at least one question in the comment section below)

  1. What’s one thing your ideal average day would consist of that it doesn’t currently consist of?
  2. On a scale from one to ten, how close to your ideal average day is your current average day?
    (1 being not close at all, 10 being incredibly close)
  3. Which step listed above would be the easiest for you? and the hardest?

Promoting Passion 2015 – My Review

4 Comments / PERSONAL / By
miami-to-port-of-spain
Saturday 5:55pm October 3, 2015. 
On a flight somewhere between Miami and Port of Spain

 

She knocked on my door unexpectedly, and there she was – soaking wet from the pouring rain outside. We squealed with excitement and held each other in a long, tight embrace, and it felt like home.

 

It’s quite a rare occurrence that you meet someone for the very first time and feel the way Brooke made me feel. Her energy is warm, welcoming, vibrant and the very first thing we did together was take a casual stroll, sans-umbrella, in the pouring rain from the room I was staying in to the dining hall. I will adore this fact forever.

What I loved the most about spending time with Brooke that evening was getting to know the woman behind the photographer. I’ve known of Brooke Shaden, the incredibly talented fine art photographer, for a long time. But up until she invited me to speak at the Promoting Passion event, we had never had a prior conversation. I knew she was special, I was excited to meet her – but I truly had no idea how much she would impact me, inspire me, and change me.

Brooke is extraordinary. She radiates kindness, she’s selfless, she’s giving, she’s down to earth, she cares so much – almost to a fault. She’s a natural business woman, she oozes talent and creativity, she’s overflowing with passion and drive, and she genuinely wants to leave her mark on this world and make it a better place.

Every day, I kept pinching myself that I was lucky enough to have been hand-chosen by her to be a part of such a magical event. The fact that I was able to be a part of the very first Promoting Passion Convention, something that is so close to her heart, something that she is so passionate about … and then being able to witness her experience it for the very first time … it did something to me.

 

Watching her live out one of her greatest dreams, and getting to witness her as it actualized into reality … it made me glow. It lit a fire in me, a warmth in my heart that I know has changed me.

 

One of Brooke’s favorite quotes that she shared with us this weekend is by Deepak Chopra who says:

 

deepak

 

Brooke, you changed my life.

 

Without even knowing it, you invited me to step even further into my own power, to let even more of my light shine. You reminded me that we should always be dreaming to achieve things that feel totally out of reach. You reminded me that in order to achieve greatness, I must expand my view of what I am capable of.

 

And for that, I love you.

 

But most of all, I love you for being you. I love you for being brave enough to shine your light. Even though on the surface you make it seem so easy and effortless, I know there’s a lot going on behind the scenes. I know that day-in, day-out, you’re making a conscious effort to be the best person you can possibly be. And I’m so grateful, because it inspires the rest of us to do the same.

 

Promoting Passion was extraordinary. Brooke never succumbed to what the event “should” have been, she embraced creating an event unlike one that has ever been created before. One that felt natural and authentic with an intimate, family-feeling atmosphere. One where the speakers spoke about the topics that truly lit them up. One where the vibe and energy was so undeniably high, everyone could feel it.

 

I applaud you, Brooke. And I am proud to call you my friend. And like I said many times this weekend, I know this is the beginning of a magical friendship. I adore you.

 

 

CALL TO ACTION

  1. Who was the last person who left you feeling utterly inspired?
  2. What was the last convention or event you went to? (Do you recommend it?)

When September Ends

1 Comment / PERSONAL / By

pic

Today is the last day of September. It’s 5:52am and I find myself at the airport waiting for boarding to begin. I’m listening to Ellie Goulding’s new song “On My Mind” and in case you were wondering – I have no agenda for this blog post.

Today I’ll be flying from Trinidad to Miami, and from Miami to North Carolina for the Promoting Passion Convention where I’ve been invited to speak!

I always said I never wanted to do any speaking … but when Brooke Shaden sends you an email inviting you to take part in her convention called Promoting Passion … well, you can’t say no.

Especially since promoting passion is what I’m all about.

Count. Me. In.

Plus, I’m always up for a challenge, stepping out of my comfort zone, doing something that simultaneously makes me feel sick with nerves, and overly excited all at the same time. And this definitely checks both boxes 😉

I have all of my fingers and toes crossed that I don’t have a mini panic attack up on stage and freeze. But if I do, that’ll be a hilarious story for the grandkids ;).

So here’s to feeling the fear and doing it anyway, to saying YES to things that scare us and excite us, and to early morning flights (they’re the best – the airport is empty haha).

Sparkle on,
Alex

Call To Action

  1. What have you done recently that scares you and excites you at the same time?
  2. Will you be joining me at the convention?
  3. Have you heard of Brooke Shaden before?

Look at me, I’m a speaker! [[ Periscope Summit NYC Trip in Pictures ]]

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port-of-spain-to-new-york-city

Remember a while ago when I was asking you to VOTE for me to win the “People’s Choice Award” to speak at this year’s Periscope Summit in NYC? Well, thanks to you, I WON, and last week Tuesday I found myself saying goodbye to the caribbean, and hello to beautiful New York City!

The trip was short, but sweet. I got to spend time with old friends, new friends, Sparklers, and more!

Check out my personal pics from the trip below:

rowflynycviewnightoneearlyhellonewyorkthats-melaura-kuppermanready-to-speak-business-ladiesperiscope-summit-day-1talklaurast-patrickslauspanda

Call to action:

  1. Where was the last place you travelled to?
  2. What’s one thing you thought you’d never want to do that you’ve found yourself doing? (I always said I’d never be a speaker, yet there I was – a speaker!)
  3. Have you ever been to NYC?

I have become bored by the repetitiveness of my content creation.

8 Comments / PERSONAL / By

IMG_1793

September 22 2015 7:07am
Piarco Airport, Trinidad
I have become bored by the repetitiveness of my content creation. And I don’t think that’s a bad thing. I think it’s an invitation to reinvent, to let my inner artist loose on my content creation. Even the word “content” makes me cringe. And that’s my specialty: content creation. I feel so drawn to opening up, sharing from my heart, pure authenticity and creativity, no matter the cost, no matter what fear says. I feel so drawn to following each and every calling and beckoning of my heart, even when my mind says it makes zero sense. I want to lean in, and jump, trusting the net will appear. Trusting, deeply trusting. And above all, enjoying every moment of it, the ups and the downs.

 

Love,
Alex

 

How to let your ideas see the light of day

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blog

Do your ideas ever see the light of day?

Do you find yourself drowning in indecisiveness as to whether your idea is “good” or not? One minute you think it’s an amazing idea, the next minute you find yourself second guessing it. You spend days, weeks, months, maybe even years, going back and forth with it. 

Sadly, you end up putting it to the side, and it gathers dust with the rest of your abandoned dreams. And honestly … that’s just not okay.

I dare you to have more “Failed attempts” than abandoned dreams.

Why? Because you will never know with 100% certainty whether an idea will work or not, and that shouldn’t hold you back from making things happen.

As far as I’m concerned, failure is inevitable.

So let’s go against the status quo here, and let go of the outcome of our idea. In other words, let’s let go of the obsessive need to know with certainty whether it will “succeed” or “fail”.

Instead, let’s look at the actual value of the experience itself.

Because whether your idea is a huge success or a massive failure – is there not immense value in the experience of it?

We get so turned off by the idea of failing, that paralysis takes over and we end up doing nothing.

But as far as I’m concerned, I would rather fail than do nothing.

Even if an idea doesn’t work out the way I want it to, its purpose in my life might have been to teach me a greater, far more valuable lesson than success ever could. And isn’t that worth it? 

That’s why it is my intention to have far more “failed attempts” than abandoned dreams.

Because abandoned dreams? They leave me with nothing.

At least the failed attempts leave me stronger and wiser than I ever was before.

So as you decide whether or not to move forward with your idea, remember this:

Failure does not define us, it prepares us for what’s next on the journey.  It is a stepping stone that leads us closer. Be proud of your failures, they will lead you to success if you let them.

With love,
Alex

P.S. According to my recent survey, most of you on my VIP List want to start your businesses, but haven’t yet. This post is *especially* for YOU!

Meet my new crush …

15 Comments / PERSONAL / By

meetmynew-crush

Hey friends,

Yes, it’s true – I have a new crush.

And no, it’s not what you’re thinking – I’m not crushing on a new guy (Kevin, you can breath a sigh of relief ;))

I’m crushing on an APP that I know you’re gonna love!

It’s called Phhhoto and I absolutely adore it. It allows you to take moving pictures like these:

Pretty cool, right?

Okay, now go check it out for yourself – Phhhoto.

You’re welcome 😉

Oh, and here’s a top tip for you:

If you’re going to post it on Instagram, it automatically adds its “Phhhoto” logo at the end of the video, so be sure to cut that off for a logo-free moving image!

Leave a Comment:

  1. What do you think of Phhhoto so far? Are you as excited to use it as I am?
  2. What are your favorite apps? Sharing is caring!

Remember, friends: one comment can go a long way. Leave a comment, it takes less than 2 minutes! 🙂

With love,
xoxo
Alex

P.S. You are loved.

How I started 2015 with a little bit of magic

44 Comments / PERSONAL / By

how

The clock struck midnight, and as the room erupted with excitement and congratulations I smiled a big smile – 2015 is here!

We all gathered outside to admire the firework show, and before we knew it we were back inside, drinking, laughing, celebrating.

I decided it was the perfect time to sneak away from the crowd….

… and as I slipped out the front door, into the darkness, I was surrounded by nothing but the bitter cold. I found a quiet place to sit, and soon found myself moving my attention away from the excitement of the night to focus on my breath. If you ask me, breath is underrated.

I grabbed my bright pink purse, the happiest purse I own, and buried my hand inside it to pull out my deck of “Goddess Guidance Oracle Cards”. I had been looking forward to this.

On a recent mini-vacation to Delray Beach, I gifted myself this deck of 44 cards, each with a unique, positive and insightful message.

The first thing I wanted to do in 2015 was pull a card from the deck that would be a personal symbol for my year ahead.

As I shuffled the deck in my hands, I grounded myself in the moment, listening to each celebratory sound I could hear in the distance, I felt the beautiful rush of cold air inflate my lungs with each breath, and I felt the power in my hands as I shuffled away.

Suddenly, I stopped shuffling, took a deep breath in, and turned the top card to show its face as I breathed out.

A smile washed over me as my eyes identified the familiar card in the magical street light. The gorgeous image of a woman wrapped up in the petal of a breathtakingly beautiful white flower, as though it was her dress, with the background of the beautiful cosmos, stars and flowers all around her.

aeracura

I grabbed the guidebook that came with the deck, and flipped to page 23 to read the description.

Message from Aeracura:

“In many ways, you are like a flower bud who is ripe and ready to open and grow. Don’t try to rush this process, as it’s part of your beautiful path. Enjoy learning new knowledge and skills. Take your time to gather new ideas. Nurture your body with plenty of fresh air, sunshine, water and healthful food. Soon enough, you’ll get the unmistakable signal that it’s time to put your learning into action.”

In 2014 I learned a lot, and experienced my own set of hardships (more on that later). But I’m happy and honoured to have experienced it all, because the summation of these hardships is ultimately what awakened me.

As I close the chapter of 2014, and start a brand new one for 2015, I feel like I’m at the very beginning of something extraordinary.

And it feels beautiful to have chosen this card, because it is the perfect representation for how I feel about my life. I’m only getting started, and it feels extraordinary because for the first time, I’m not rushing to the finish line, I’m enjoying the ride.

I’m not freaking out over where I “should” be, I’m taking in the goodness of where I’m at.

I’ve experienced a deep shift this year. I start 2015 not only knowing and understanding that my wildest dreams will come true in divine time, but that the real gold is in the here and now. I’ve spent far too long getting so lost in my dreams, that I’ve forgotten to look up and see that I don’t have to try so hard, that I’ve already made it, and that each moment of the ride is worth cherishing.

Using words directly from the guidebook, I affirm:

i-am-blossomingI am like a flower bud who is ripe and ready to open and grow. I won’t try to rush this process, as it’s part of my beautiful path. I enjoy learning new knowledge and skills, and I will take my SWEET TIME to gather new ideas. I will nurture my body with plenty of fresh air, sunshine, water and healthful food. And soon enough, I will get the unmistakable signal that it’s time to put my learning into action.

Until then, I’m living the dream.

 

Here’s to 2015.

I AM BLOSSOMING, and so are you.

With love,

Alex
xoxo

 

How to deal with your inevitable bad day as an entrepreneur.

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how-to-deal-with-a-bad-day

Does this sound uncomfortably familiar?

Things have gone wrong and nothing seems to be going as planned. You love the idea of backing out of whatever commitments you have today. And the only thing you feel like doing is curling up in a ball, hiding under your covers, and falling asleep so that you can escape from the complexities and dramas of the day.

Have you ever felt this way?

If so … fantastic! Because that’s EXACTLY how I have felt today.

From technical difficulties with the Feel Good Blogging Challenge emails (some people received Day 3, some people didn’t) … to having to juggle a to-do list that feels to be a million miles long and never-diminishing … today has, quite simply, been a “bad” day. Today did not go even slightly as well as I had expected for it to.

Today I’m going to be giving you instructions on how to deal with your inevitable bad day as an entrepreneur. 

Because whether we like it or not, bad days are an inevitable part of life. They are here to stay, so it’s vital to find a way to deal with them that works for you.

Here is mine, I hope it helps.

Step 1 – Acknowledge

It’s funny how obvious step 1 seems, yet how it can sometimes be the most difficult step of them all.

Do you know how long it took me today to simply acknowledge that I was

1) having a GOD-AWFUL DAY

and

2) ready to change it?

8pm, my friend. 8pm. That’s late.

The sooner you can acknowledge the negativity, and acknowledge that you’re ready to change it, the better. Because it will mean that you’re ready to move on to Step 2.

Step 2 – Accept

You’ve acknowledged your willingness to move on from your bad day – AMAZING! Now accept the bad day. STOP trying to control it, manipulate the situation, change it. Just STOP. STOP whatever you’re doing and get still. I always love to find a comfortable spot on the floor (it grounds me), and I just focus on being still. If you’re anything like me, when you’re in a bad mood, you try to work through it. You try to force yourself through your work day. But what I’ve come to realize is that it’s one of the worst things you can do. Let it go. Know that nothing good can be created in your business when you’re in a bad mood. So stop. Take a breather. Be still with this day. Look it in the eye. This is normally when I meditate. I get quiet. I focus on my breathing. I calm my mind. I find the place inside of me where I can love the bad day exactly as it is, without wanting to change it. I send the bad day and all of the bad feelings love. Suddenly, I see that today is not necessarily good or bad. Suddenly, the dramas and complexities fade away. So take the time to remind yourself that there are positive lessons to be learned in every seemingly negative situation. And that lessons are one of the greatest blessings in life because they allow us to grow and evolve. So really? This experience is a blessing. Be still. Sit with it. Be grateful for it. Embrace that you cannot control life’s chaos. No matter how much you prepare, and plan, and strategize, it is impossible to control life. Know that what makes life beautiful is the spontaneous chaos. Trust that everything is unfolding exactly as it should be. There WILL be bad days. And that’s okay. 🙂

Step 3 – Do. 

Once you have calmed your mind, and once you have been still, do anything and everything you can to change your energy. Different things work for different people, right? So do something that works for you. Go for a run. Walk your dog. Pray. Ask the universe for help + guidance. Stretch. Dance. Play. Draw. Make tea. Do something that feels incredibly good, something that shifts your energy.

Step 4 – Search 

Try to find the silver lining.

Do your best to turn the bad situation into a good situation. Today, my email system failed me. And it sucks. But you know what? 1,664 beautiful souls have signed up for the Feel Good Blogging Challenge. And this ‘problem’ gives me another opportunity to communicate with these people, another opportunity to reach out to them and serve them even better. Ultimately, this system failure is not the end of the world. I will do everything I can to rectify the situation, and I’m 100% sure that these people will be graciously understanding. So ask yourself – what can you do to turn your negative situation into a positive situation?

Step 5 – Surrender

Acknowledge that your day may not have gone perfectly to your plan, but that it did go perfectly to the ultimate plan of The Universe. Know that you are only seeing one tiny piece of the puzzle, and that there is so much more at play than you could ever imagine. Trust that life is rigged in your favor, because it is. Know that the “bad days” are really “good days” in disguise. Elizabeth Gilbert said it best when she said that perfectionism is just “fear in really good shoes”. Life doesn’t have to play out exactly as you had imagined it. Life is beautiful and magnificent no matter what. It holds this huge key of curiosity and mystery, and if life went according to plan, oh, how boring it would be. Love where you are at, right here, right now. Love the bad day, but be willing to change your perspective, so that you can start seeing it as a good day in disguise.

I hope you enjoyed this post.

And if you did, bookmark it. Feel free to use it as a tool in your toolbox. And whenever you’re feeling down (which you will), I want you to come here. This, my friend, can be your very own secret weapon.

The irony is that, without this “bad” day of mine, I never would have thought to have written a blog post on how to deal with a bad day. And, in my opinion, this is a pretty awesome post. One of my personal favorites. So even if this is the only silver lining? It’s a pretty bad ass silver lining if you ask me ;).