YOU are LOVE

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

When was the last time you felt that surreal, etheric, connected, divine feeling?

When was the last time you were in the presence of something that you couldn’t explain with words?

For me: Nicole Bridger Show; EcoFashion Week: Vancouver BC; Oct 2011

When I got the invite from Vanguard PR (Thanks Kristin!) to attend this show I was on cloud nine. I’ve been to a bridal fashion show, and the odd in-house store fashion show, but I’ve never been to fashion week. It was a funny night because I had just flown in from 2 days in Vegas (so I was kinda fuzzy), had the FWE Mentor night beforehand where I had a hellova time with my chef hat. (Truth be told…I didn’t want a big kink in my hair – I was off to my 1st fashion show after all! Ha!)

So when the fashion show began and I nearly fell off my seat, it wasn’t because Vegas had finally caught up with me; it was in response to my recognition of the divine intervention that had put me in that seat in the first place. Nothing within the context of my life could provide probable explanation for what was happening.

Firstly, Nicole Bridger is a manifestation of pure love that just so happens to live right here in Vancouver. Before the ‘show’ started they showed a clip of her describing her inspiration for the collection. When I heard her mention meditation, you bet I was all ears – attention! She went on to speak of how she had asked for a sign, or a symbol to represent the essence of the collection she was about to design. In her meditation she saw an image of a rising sun. In that instant - I knew something was going on. Instantly I felt the presence of my higher self/inner wisdom/angel& spirit guides…this image of the rising sun was indeed a symbol, a sign for me as well.

Earlier that week, the Monday before I flew off to Vegas in fact, after making what has been the greatest life change in 4 years, I was out on my patio meditating, staring out in anticipation of what I intuitively knew was on it’s way. A personification, a representation of exactly what (I hoped) was happing in my life. As you probably will know (if you’re a regular follower of the blog) that a major chapter of my life had just closed…and there it was, so big and so bright, there was no denying it: it was indeed a new dawn, a new day, a new life for me. (But before I left for Vegas my circumstances weren’t exactly validating this…) So when I heard Nicole utter these words, and I felt that pitter patter in my heart, I knew that this indeed was coming true for me as well.

Then the show started. Now I have to be honest, I was expecting beautiful, thin, tall women to come in a stream-like fashion, one after the other, down the runway. (Yeah, there’s a big ASS in assumption). So when the show began and an incredible performance of dance, yoga, and yes of course fashion began – my rookie senses were blown away.

The icing on the cake came after the show. I was checking out Nicole Bridger’s pieces that were showcasing out in the lobby area and I saw her hang tags. Ok, the meditating for a fashion designer caught my attention, the rising sun as a symbolic image made my heart skip a beat, but when I saw this….I KNEW this girl was a soul sister.

I’m heading over to Nicole’s retail shop tomorrow and I have a feeling there will be more to this story. What  I was reminded by this experience is that spirt works in divine and infinite ways.

Where in you life is spirit speaking to you?

What signs/signals or clues are showing up to remind you that you indeed are begin divinely guided?

Midnight musings….sweet dreams…..

With love and light,

Heather

Honouring the Night Queen

The other night, after what seemed like the longest day of my life, I was driving home thinking about how excited I was to crawl in to bed and drift off into mindless, blissful rest. However, that was not part of my divine plan….there was another stop plotted on the course of this day.

Before I tell you about what happened, I have to tell you about Maria. Maria Logan is my neighbour and beautiful friend. When we meet in the hall or elevator or on the street for that matter, we greet in the traditional Swiss manor – 3 kisses, left cheek first. Maria is by far one of the highlights of my life. Today she is 94 years old. And if that number sparks any kind of paradigm generated picture in  your mind – scrap it immediately. This woman is a sign of the divine, absolute proof that life force energy is real and true. At 94 she still holds a full schedule. She’s a regular at the Arts Club and VSO (in fact she recently made 2 huge contributions of which she is still being honoured for), a long time member of the Vancouver Swiss Choir, and last year was awarded Canada’s Citizen Award for her efforts in welcoming over 10, 000 new Canadian Citizens over the past 50 years – and she hasn’t quit – she’s still up by 5am every 2nd Friday and heads down to Citizens Court to fulfill her volunteer role. She was the first female Steward to ever be hired by BC Ferries and a Sun Runner right until her 80th birthday – she is by far and away the most inspirational woman I have ever met.

Ok, so back to the other night…

I get home and CB says, Maria is waiting for us, we’ve got to go over there. Now? I said – it’s 11pm. It’s too late. No, she said she’d be waiting up for you.

So across the hall we went.

And there she was, as cute as ever. Of course I was anxious to find out what the heck was going on – was she ok?

She was exstatic.

Her night queen was blooming.

WTF? (Don’t worry, that’s what I thought too!)

It was her Epiphyllium – a member of the Cactus family – a popular house plant – and it was blooming. But as she explained to me – it only blooms at night and she went on to say “we have to give it the pleasure to know that someone is watching this”.

So we watched. We drank gin and tonic, we chatted about her life and we watched this amazing plant bloom.

Nature is so incredible – it takes your breath away, while at the same time filling your soul with wonder as you stand in awe of it’s divinity. I am so grateful to Maria for so many reasons, and now I add another to the list. She’s taught me so much and this particular night she taught me how to honour and celebrate the night queen. She showed me how to sink in to a moment in life and embrace all it’s beauty.

What could I ever say to this incredible woman….other than…

“I would thank you from the bottom of my heart, but for you my heart has no bottom.”  ~ Unknown

I am LOVE, I am LIGHT, I am LIFE

The mind is a powerful force and left to it’s own devices, it can be unruly with it’s messaging. However, evoking your will power in working with your mind, releases the most powerful force of nature: co-creation. It’s easy to let your mind run rampant; it’s far more difficult to take responsibility, to DECIDE what to think and CHOOSE what to say. One way is through affirmations. I recently wrote out a few for a client and I thought I’d pass them along. If they resonate with you – pick them up and take them with you. Allow the feelings of love and peace grow within you.

* My client replaced ‘I’ with ‘you’ as that felt better to her *

With love and light,

Heather

I am not a label. (This was not an affirmation, but a reminder for her (and for me & you) that when we label ourselves, we limit ourselves.)

I am unique beyond measure.

My natural and innate gifts and talents are needed and wanted in the world, right here, right now.

I am a psychic genius, always guided and supported by my intuition and the beautiful flow of life.

My responsibility is to align my human self with my spirit and soul purpose, therefore inspiring and raising the vibration of anyone who is in my presence.

I don’t battle the darkness, but simply turn on the light.

I am love, I am light, I am life.

Livin The Dream

Natalie Sisson, the Mastermind behind The Suitcase Entrepreneur popped me a note on Twitter last night to find out how my start to 2011 had been. When I replied:

2011 start has been ridiculously amazing. Life and ‘work’ are blending beautifully #livingthedream & #lovingthemoments

she messaged me back to find out why and furthermore she asked for the top 3 things that have made this a #livingthedream year.

I don’t think I need three, as in my mind there is one main reason, one major difference from 2010 and that is:

Partnerships

For years I did my life alone. And even though I’m an incredibly social person I still lived mostly inside my head, convinced that if it was to be, then it was up to me. 2010 was a transformational year, in that I opened myself up to being supported by others. Looking back, it all happened serendipitously and it was staggered throughout the year, but, to begin 2011 surrounded and supported by the most amazing team is certainly the #1 reason I’m living the dream!

My Team:

Personal Coach – Willie Carter

Willie was not a 2010 addition to the team as I’ve been working with her since 2007, however, it is because of Willie that any of the ‘team’ thing even happened. Willie, who I more commonly refer to as my ‘Psychic Surgeon’ has been the most incredible partner in my personal and professional development journeys. She has the most innate way to be curious and ask questions that are so pointed they drill instantly the the heart of the matter, while having this gentle and nurturing aura that would make even the most terrified of people feel safe. She is a guiding force in my life and I couldn’t nor do I want to, imagine life without her.

Personal Assistant – Stephanie Lee

Stephanie is an absolute dream come true! A dream that I actually didn’t think was possible, this time last year, and now a reality I would never live without. She is the most organized person I’ve ever met, she thinks even quicker than I do (and for those that know me, that’s no small feat). She knows exactly what I need before I even know I need it. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE her and we’ve never even met in person. She’s completely virtual and yet, I feel her by my side each and everyday!

Personal Trainer – Hannah Fletcher

Last spring I started working with my trainer Hannah when I wanted to get back in to the gym, recover from plaguing injuries and strengthen my body. Never in a million years did I expect to form the partnership and bond that I did. For many years I did fitness on my own. Even when I did lots of aerobics and group fitness, I still felt isolated. With Hannah that has all changed. I feel supported and in partnership with someone who wants the best for me in my physical fitness and in my life. She knows exactly how to bend (not break) me, when to push me harder, and when to let me off the hook. I look forward to seeing her even though I know she’s about to kick my ass. Her knowledge, and expertise combined with her authentic passion for fitness (and life) makes her a tremendous asset and partner. I know for sure, I wouldn’t have gotten here without her.

Housekeeper – Nina

Nina is an absolute godsend. My place is full of windows and the first time she was here (she’s maybe 5′ tall) she cleaned each and every window in this place. I have NO idea how she did it. I’m 5’9″ and I can’t even reach the top of some of these windows. I cannot even begin to describe the changes I’ve experienced in the way I feel, the activities I’m able to accomplish, the excitement I have to come home and/or just to hang out at home, now that I have Nina on board. I never would have predicted that making this kind of change in my life would have had the kind of impact that it did. In a word: incredible.

Biz Partner – Chris Flett

Chris Flett is also not a 2010 addition, but I just wouldn’t feel right without including him on this list. Chris is really the reason I have the means to employ the team I’ve listed above. Chris has taught me so much about business (and life) I would need a book to go in to it all. The common theme however in working with Chris has been mindset. Chris walks his talk so meticulously, that being in his presence over the past 3 years, I couldn’t help but follow his path. Because of Chris I have a thriving business, shares in a couple other thriving businesses, a cross-section of incredible clients, and opportunities out the wazoola. I’m excited everyday when I get out of bed, and look forward, with energetic anticipation, to what lies ahead.

Life Partner – CB

Absolutely NONE  of the above would be possible without the support I get from my incredible partner. Since that first day, 10 years ago, when I saw him, and later moved in with him (YES! It all happened on the same day!) he has been supporting and loving me in ways I didn’t even know were possible. 3 years ago, I’ll never forget walking out on the patio to announce that I was quitting my job and starting a business with a guy he’d never met. He looked over to me and said “Heather, it’s you, you’ll be good at whatever you choose, I’m behind you 100%”. OMG I LOVE him!

Besides these key people I’ve formally listed above, I also have the most amazing friends and family – AND the most amazing network of tremendously talented, intelligent and inspiring colleagues. I’m blessed beyond belief and I truly feel as though I’m living out my fairytale dreams everyday! Here’s to an incredible 2011 and beyond!

Heather

Where’s your safe place?

Last night we had a get together of fabulous women involving 3 important themes: goals, wine and food – now how much better does it get?

Check out Amanda Seller’s awesome blog ‘Tomboy that Wears Makeup’ for her recap of the event with some super duper photos that captured some of the fun.

Not unlike many gatherings of women that I’ve been to in the past there was definitely an elephant in the room. (And no it wasn’t the unpredictable cat-hehe). And it wasn’t the judgemental, cliquy, walking on eggshells kind of elephant either – thank god for that! No, instead the elephant in the room was simply an air of safety. It was a feeling that each and everyone of us had, one that reassured us that even though we were amongst strangers, (many of us had never met) we were safe. Safe to share our secrets, share our dreams, goals and aspirations, safe to share our fears and vulnerabilities. One gal went above and beyond and sang us all a beautiful song while playing her ukulele. (Big time out of her comfort zone).

The whole evening reminded me that even the most ambitious and accomplished people in the world are still human. And as much as we are so beautifully individual, that human connection is one that unites us all, and allows for beautiful synergies of growth and development.

Let’s synergize

I remember when I first started this blog, 3 years ago, and although I’m certainly not getting the kind of traffic that some of my colleagues see, I have seen my readership grow. In the beginning, though, there were many posts that I poured my heart in to, that later after discovering google analytics, realized that no one had read. At first, I was discouraged, thinking “maybe blogging isn’t for me”, “maybe no one is interested in what I have to say”. But when I thought about giving it up, I realized how much I was enjoying writing it – I didn’t want to pack it in.

In truth, I write this blog as much for myself as I do for my readers. The energy that I feel when I’m pondering what to write about, crafting the words as I doze off to sleep only to wake up and dash for my computer, is supernatural. This blog has been better than Christmas morning for me – it gives me excitement and enthusiasm – and for that I’m eternally grateful.

And in recent years, the magic of this blog has grown even more. Today, when I meet someone who tells me that they’ve read my blog and have been inspired by me in some way, I am thrilled beyond belief. I can honestly say there is no better feeling than to know that there has been a transfer of knowledge, or passion, or energy or encouragement that happened as a result of pursing that which makes me so happy. In my world, this is true synergy.

Thank you to this blog, this wordpress platform, and to all of my readers – you inspire me and in turn allow me to inspire you. What could be better than that?

Well, I think one thing could make it better. Hearing from you. What do you want to read more about this year? What questions do you have? What resources do you need? Pop me a comment below, or write me an email (heather@heatherwhite.ca) and let me know how I can better serve YOU!

Together we will make it a definite – Happy New Year!

Much love,

Heather

Beyond Pink

I had the great honour and privilege to speak on Day 1 of Beyond Pink 2010 (#bp2010) and I was so incredibly energized by the whole experience.

Confession #1: The day before the conference I still didn’t feel convinced on what I was going to present. I knew the content I wanted to share (lessons I’ve learned that I think could help others), but, it was more a question of which context? what stories? – I’ve learned so much – which is the most important? what really matters to a 22 yr. old? what will really help them? what do they need to hear?

In reflection, I’m so shocked at how much of a ‘fear’ mode I entered in to when I was in preparing because I was ‘Worrying, stressing, over-thinking etc.’ I wanted so badly to present something amazing, inspirational, life changing, magical….I almost forgot, what they wanted most to hear was ‘how’? How I did it, and how I thought they could do it. All I had to do was tell the truth, tell my story, and be myself – I feel a “that was easy” Staples button push at this moment and I’m sure the 48 hrs leading up to my presentation could have been a lot smoother if I had made this realization a little earlier. But hey, these are the growing ‘pains’ of life.

When I arrived at Beyond Pink, as usual I was blown away. These ladies had put together a meticulously organized event with authentically energized volunteers – it was an amazing experience! They had all the details covered and as a speaker, I’ve been to many conferences – these girls took such amazing care of me – it was definitely a ‘rock star’ feeling – thank you!!!

When I saw how they had so cleverly organized the speaker sessions, of which conference attendees got to choose which sessions they’d go to – I hit major panic mode. Confession # 2 – I saw the bowl for my session and there were only 3 tabs inside to which I assumed (MAJOR MISTAKE) that only 3 people wanted to come to my session. I had an egoic moment where I questioned my entire existence on the planet, and quickly snapped myself back to earth and affirmed the thought ‘I trust that the right people will be in the room for the right reasons and if that is only 3 people – then that is the way it is meant to be.”

It turns out the bowl for my session was originally filled with the # of spots that could be accommodated in the room, and the 3 tabs inside my bowl meant my workshop was practically sold out. (It was a great reminder for me (and to anyone reading this) to not make assumptions!!)

Confession #3: I think I got more out of the experience than anyone. I don’t think there is anything more validating than when people spend time to learn how you’ve navigated your life path with genuine curiosity. The mistakes, the triumphs, the truth. Thank you so much to YWIB and all the amazing women who I met at Beyond Pink 2010. You all left a definite MARK on my heart.

Much love!
Heather

Networking Advice for Small Business: Work the Crowd

I was recently at an event with a bunch of my former colleagues from the large corporation I used to work for. I was there, representing my own company, and although it was great to see them and catch up, I was a bit shocked to notice and furthermore realize – they were all sticking together, not really venturing out in to the crowd to explore and meet new people.

Of course it feels safe and comfortable to stay connected with the people you came with, instead of going out in to the crowd – alone. But, for a small business owner, sticking around with the people you already know, when you’re at an event full of prospecting opportunities, is a big no no!

You have to be curious, you have to be prepared, and you have to work the crowd! Here’s a few more tips for maximizing your success at networking events.

1. Show up early

When you arrive early you often have a great opportunity to connect with the host(s), group or organization who is putting on the event. Knowing these people is a great asset for a variety of reasons. It gives you (at minimum) one person with whom you can connect with, and stay in contact with following the event. Also the old saying ‘birds of a feather flock together’ can come in handy, especially if you’re trying to establish a few networking groups to get involved in. Typically the organizations in your city putting on business networking events know of the other organizations doing the same and often attend one another’s events. Knowing your host can serve you well. Next stop, the bar. Even if you don’t drink (and I don’t recommend having more than 2 drinks at any professional function) it’s always great to know the bartender. Since you’re early, you’ll probably have a chance to strum up a bit of a conversation, until the room starts to fill. You’ll feel more comfortable and more at ease, instead of entering a busy room full of conversations and trying to make your way in to one. By arriving early, you’ll ease in to conversations at a nice pace.

2. Be a card collector, not a card pusher

I’ve had many conversations with my colleagues and clients who seem to think that giving out a lot of business cards is a sign of success when networking. Now I’m not suggesting to hoard your cards, but, instead, be tactful when networking. Be authentic and be curious. Not everyone needs your card, and you don’t need everyone’s either. That said, it’s far more important to leave a networking event, having collected cards of people you’d like to know more about, connect with further, or continue the conversation with, instead of handing your card out to people who may or may not call you again. (I remember being at a conference a few years ago where there were over 3000 people in attendance. To my horror and dismay, in the line for breakfast one morning, there was a gal walking down the aisle, tearing off her perforated business cars, that she must have printed out that morning, and handing them out to everyone in line. I’m pretty sure 99% of the people in line did exactly what I did with her card – trashola!) Networking events are a venue for you to connect with other professionals and EXPLORE whether or not there is value in reconnecting at a later date and time. Passing out your card at random is disrespectful of people and their time, to say the least.

3. Be prepared

Being prepared, as a small business owner, means being able to answer the question: “what do you do?”. And it’s not good enough to say “I’m the owner of 2020 Communications Inc.”, because people don’t know what that means. You have to be prepared to tell people what you actually DO: “I own a training company that works with restaurant owners and managers to train their service staff on how to sell more product at table-side.” See the difference? Don’t feel bad if you’ve been missing this step as many small business owners do. Instead, make this small correction and be prepared forever more for networking success.

Small Business Advice: Form Strategic Alliances

There’s no question that running a small business on a limited marketing and advertising budget is challenging. You have to make your money stretch and you have to make sure there is a strong ROI (return on investment) for the time and money you put in to things. One great way to leverage both your time and money is to form strong relationships with strategic alliances.

A strategic alliance in business is someone who sells complimentary products or services to the same niche market spaces that you do. Forming a relationship and furthermore a joint venture with a strategic alliance can prove to be fruitful for small business owners looking to stretch their cash.

A great example of a recent strategic alliance that I heard of, was formed between a personal trainer and a photographer. The personal trainer, who specializes in training high achieving female clients, paired up with a high-end photographer specializing in capturing natural and authentic beauty. Both service providers serve the same niche market: high achieving female clients who want to look and feel beautiful. They both do a different thing, for the same target client, making a client for one, a client for both. By pairing up they are sharing the cost of prospecting and hunting for new business. A smart move in today’s busy market space.

If you’re an albatross – don’t try to run with the turkeys

I am a HUGE fan and advocate for Goal Setting and earlier this week I was with a group of trailblazing professional women (and one great male facilitator) talking about defining our vision and setting goals. One thing that came up was the concept of sharing your goals with others – a powerful step in the process of achieving goals. However, it did remind me of a clarification I’ve made to this concept over the years. WHO you share with, is just as important as sharing at all.

You have to consider your audience. If the people in your circle don’t think like you, or don’t have the same kind of loftiness to their life vision, you may be let down by their feedback. I remember when I started to share with my inner circle how I was leaving my corporate job and starting a company with a new business partner I’d only known for 6 months. I was on cloud 9, excited with anticipation, scared and giddy all at the same time. But when I started sharing the news – I was shocked when some of the people who I thought would be the most supportive, were the ones being skeptical, asking me if I’d really thought this through, wouldn’t it be easier to start slowly, didn’t I know we were entering into a recession, this isn’t a good time to start a business, maybe I should keep my day job until I knew for sure that I would be successful. In retrospect, of course I logically understand their fear. They didn’t want to see me go through pain, pain that they believed I was setting myself up for. In my mind, because of the way I think, I didn’t see the same risk on the horizon that they saw. They were not wrong and I was not right (well actually it turns out I was right, but…that’s not the point in this case) we just saw a different picture, we were considering the same ‘idea’ from different perspectives.

Sharing your goals with people who will support you and hold you accountable to doing what it takes to make your dreams come true is a must. Many doors have been opened, introductions made and opportunities presented to, me simply because I shared what I was doing, where I was going and what help I needed. My only caution would be to consider the questions: Do they think like me? Do they dream big like me? Can they and will they support me?

“Be careful the environment you choose for it will shape you; be careful the friends you choose for you will become like them.” - W. Clement Stone