Over the holidays, I received an email from a long time blog reader, Cathy, in response to my annual holiday e-card. (If you aren't on the list and would like to be, please contact me):
"Thanks for all you do. I enjoy reading what you write!"
I was curious. What exactly do I do that my readers benefit from? So I asked Cathy that very question. And here's what she said:
"You are saying and writing the inner dialog that many of us have with ourselves or should have. Our inner cheerleader--the one who encourages us to think of life as an expanding experience full of promise. So much of our daily interactions are negative or limiting. How wonderful when I get your reminders to look for the extra…something...out there and stay open to possibilities."
I was floored--and humbled--when I read the impact I've had, over time:
"I have saved several of your posts and reread them often. Something must have sunk in; I just found a new career this past year, going from writer to librarian. It was a stretch to even think I could do such a job, without having a library science degree. But it's people like you, with your encouragement to change and be honest about life, who helped me do it."
Cathy gave me a huge gift, through her feedback. I couldn't help but cry as I read her words. Photo by BiblioArchives/LibraryArchives
I rarely use this blog to make a pitch for my paid offerings. And I'm doing it today, for the first time in many years, since I started blogging nearly a decade ago. Why? Because when I hear from people like Cathy, I realize that each of us can do remarkable things that we never imagined we could do, when we have the right ongoing support.
Reading a blog for years might not be your version of the right ongoing support. But regular, live conversation, as part of a vibrant community? That just might do it.
What I'm Noticing
- You are who you hang with. Emotions, both positive and negative, are contagious.
- It's easy to become isolated. And without feedback from others, you forget how talented and fabulous you really are.
- You can be your own worst enemy--talking yourself out of great ideas and giving yourself too little credit for trying.
- Your internal thoughts create your external reality. This is not hocus-pocus, new agey stuff. How you show up has a lot to do with whether your idea gets accepted by your colleagues or whether your kids continue throwing tantrums. Your internal dialogue sets the stage for everything else in life.
- Changing your habit of thinking takes practice. And yes, how you think is a habit.
- Stories are powerful. They have the capacity to give hope to the hopeless, encouragement to the discouraged, and inspiration to the uninspired. We need more places to share our stories.
- Conversations matter. With meaningful conversation, a group of strangers can become friends, quickly.
Enter Brilliant Conversations
Brilliant Conversations Community-- the support to help you do big things in 2014. Whether your heart's desire is to change careers, write a book, return to work, live a saner life, build your business, or make your mark in your corner of the world, being a member of the Brilliant Conversations Community can turbo charge your efforts to turn dreams into reality. Photo source: Tumblr.com/blog/permutationsoflove
Brilliant Conversations Community is a gathering place to be immersed in the vibe of pure brilliance--yours, mine, ours--and to share our collective stories. The result? You'll achieve more in life. No question. But more importantly, you'll experience more in life.
In addition to being part of a vibrant, uplifting community that supports you in your goals, you'll also make valuable one-on-one connections through a private Facebook group.
"Carol gets a seemingly disparate group of people together and engages them in finding more about each other, and therefore about themselves.
If this speaks to you, I want you to be a part of this community, to be a part of Brilliant Conversations. We'll meet virtually on a teleseminar, twice a month, for an hour at a time, where you will have access to me and other bright minds. Who are you to be brilliant? As Marianne Williamson says, "Who are you not to be?"
Join the Brilliant Conversations Community for just $45/month. That's the cost of lattes for a month or a few lunches out. Trade those jolts of caffeine or extra calories for something more nurturing, nourishing, and life-changing.
Ready to join me? (I hope you'll say yes!)
The Details
What: An investment in yourself. Brilliant Conversations Community (BCC). Live calls twice a month, facilitated by Carol Ross. You will also have 24/7 access to a private Facebook group. Photo source: Stylemepretty.com
When: Calls are the first and third Mondays of each month, starting on February 3. Calls are scheduled for Feb 3 and 17, Mar 3 and 17, Apr 7 and 21 at 6pm Eastern/ 5pm Central/ 4pm Mountain/ 3pm Pacific. Can't make a live call? Don't worry. All calls are recorded.
Where: Virtual. You can join by webcast, phone, or Skype.
Cost: $45/month. Join by 5pm ET on Thurs, January 23 and you'll get the early bird price of $35/month, for the months of February, March, and April.
And you don't ever have to commit to a certain number of months.
To sign up: Email carol [at] carolrossandassociates [dot] com. Once you contact me, I'll arrange a phone call to get your credit card info. Yes, I could make this easier with a Paypal button and a few clicks. But our short phone call is also a way to connect and to get to know each other, ahead of time. Brilliant Conversations isn't about lurking in the background. It's a place for each of us to show up.
When bright minds and kind hearts gather together, magic happens. It always does. Save your spot now so that you'll be a part of that magic.
What Others Are Saying
"Being a part of Carol's "conversations" is immensely rewarding--from her authentic introduction of where she is "coming from" to her supportive and personal response to each participant's input. She demonstrates the power of personal development work as a conversation, rather than as a solitary exercise in a book or on a website."
"Carol has a way of emphasizing things that really matter."
--Dave Aron, Associate Professor of Marketing, Dominican University
PS. I'm starting the Brilliant Conversations Community to help you jump start a network that would take years to assemble on your own. I've seen too many people try to go it alone. When I ask, "Do you have someone who can be your accountability partner or a mastermind partner?", I get blank stares. I forget how lucky I am to have the network that I have. What's possible with the support of kindred spirits who have curious minds and generous hearts, are wickedly smart and multi-talented, and vibrating, quite frankly, at an energy level way above the mainstream? Find out by joining the Brilliant Conversations Community. Sign up today by contacting me, carol [at] carolrossandassociates [dot] com.
PPS. Quite frankly, I feel a responsibility to have the greatest impact, with the gifts that I've been given. I have a gift for creating forums where honest conversation can unfold. It's what happens when I'm coaching a client or interviewing a book author or writing a blog post. And I know it's what will happen with the Brilliant Conversations Community.
great information. thank you for this.
Posted by: maryjane | June 28, 2017 at 05:49 AM