In a world brimming with endless possibilities, I always wonder why most people choose to live such ordinary, routine lives?  Lives that ask for too little and are, therefore, not lived to their potential.  Sure it is easier to just go straight up the middle, making the least amount of waves, and settling for the things that happen to come into your path. 

Truth is, we deserve more! Life is such an extraordinary gift that it deserves to be an adventure that is explored from the mystique of our inner spirituality to the far reaches of outer space, and everything in between.  Life is amazing, and we are fortunate to be living it…NOW!

From Mother Teresa to Lady Gaga, we bare witness to the lives of people who have chosen to live in an extraordinary way.  Some people choose to serve others, living a humble life with the simplest path possible.  Others choose fortune and fame, living over the top with all kinds of eccentricities and creativity swirling about them.  The great artists and philosophers, who imprint their unique views of the world, god, and humanity upon us with their stirring works, were all ordinary people who found their extraordinary calling.

We need to ask for more form our lives.  We need to give more of ourselves, if we are to honor the life we have been given.  The world is waiting for us…each and every one of us.

By following your heart and listening to that voice inside, you will know.  Some call it intuition, while other say they have a feeling in their gut. Whatever you call it, listen to it. 

To know great success, we must take chances.  Failure is a great teacher, and one that we need learn from wisely.  To experience wealth, we must bare witness to poverty, and understand its cycle.  Just ask Oprah Winfrey, an extraordinary woman who has impacted so many around the world.  She has risen to extraordinary heights from less than promising childhood circumstances.

Why not make the best of the time we have been given.  It’s up to you and me, to live out our greatest possibilities.  Love til it hurts.  Laugh until you cry. Learn something new everyday. Honor people first.  Explore this wonderful world.  Adventure into the unknown every now and then.  Dream big dreams, then work smarter to make them happen.  Be thankful for what you have, or take action to change those things.  Show gratitude to everyone who touches your world in a positive way, even in the smallest way.

Treasure the gift of life you have been given…

by living an extraordinary life!!!

Thanks to the lovely Amy Desmarais for this thoughtful and dream themed interview! She may be my favorite person who has ever interviewed me…:)

http://www.youtube.com/user/DreamNHV#p/u/48/LB7bh43OXyI

Our daily lives tend to repeat themselves, day in and day out, playing out the same formulaic patterns.  The more comfortable we get, the more we loathe change.  If we are to grow, change is inevitable.  Every choice we make come with an opportunity cost. In choosing a new direction, we are selecting growth over repetition. By opening a new door, we are closing an old one.

We all get stuck in patterns  that keep us where we are, often without even realizing it. The challenge is to recognize what is going on in our lives, so we can assess the situation and make decisions based on that information.  

 Are you happy and satisfied with your career?  Are you involved with sports, activities, and hobbies that you love being part of?  How are you spending your time?  Do you love the relationships you have built with friends, family, and colleagues?  Stuck in any bad habits or lack motivation?

Taking action to change any of the above takes a firm commitment on your behalf, and the desire to live a more fulfilling life.  Begin by listening to your inner voice, the one that talks to you all the time.  Those gut feelings or intuition you have are useless if you do not make use of them.  Have a hunch about something?  Act upon it!   Want to finish(or start) that degree you need to advance your job or make that career change?  Do it!

Stand up tall, looking at yourself in the mirror, and say, I can do this.  Stop talking.  Start walking the walk.  Step by step, creating change, growing, and moving towards a future filled with promise, you will march.

 Every single success story begins much the same way, with an idea, with risk, and with the potential of failure.   It is scary but you can do it.  The cost of doing nothing is your future.   The rewards of taking risks, pushing out, and living the life you deserve to its fullest, is success.  And success is priceless!

“Perceive, believe, persist, achieve”

What are you waiting for?

Empower yourself now!!!

“The Business of You” with Chris Bartlet

These
sessions are based on Chris Bartlet’s blog series, “The Business of
You”, which has 8 entries that move along a progression of a series of
focal points. Beginning with “Baby Steps”, he explores the ideas that
are vital to coming to terms with your skills, as well as, your
passions. This series offers exercises and “to do’s” that will enable
you take a strong look at yourself as “the brand of you”. Join Chris
for these live interactive sessions that will empower you to attain
your potential. The emphasis of these sessions will be on exploration
and discovery! Each week we will cover 2 chapters.

Lunch will be provided by Chris! Thanks Chris!

The Business of You chapters:

Baby Steps: http://chris.followcb.com/post/602103269/the-business-of-you-baby-steps-part-1

Who Are You? http://chris.followcb.com/post/612963558/the-business-of-you-who-are-you-part-2

Inside Out: http://chris.followcb.com/post/621782792/the-business-of-you-inside-out-part-3

What Rocks Your World? http://chris.followcb.com/post/649957837/business-of-you-what-rocks-your-world-part-4

Putting It Together http://chris.followcb.com/post/669784585/the-business-of-you-putting-it-together-part-5

Connect The Dots: http://chris.followcb.com/post/679849437/the-business-of-you-connect-the-dots-part-6

Focusing The Lens: http://chris.followcb.com/post/694468140/the-business-of-you-focusing-the-lens-part-7

WhenWeekly from 12pm to 1pm on Friday from Fri Oct 1 to Fri Oct 22 Eastern TimeWhereThe Grove (map)

A new kind of social space has just arrived in New Haven! The Grove, located at 71 Orange Street, is a really really exciting and innovative concept.  More inspiring than a coffee shop, it is a co-working space where any entrepreneur, small organization, artist, or individual can come to work and play.  The environment, complete with boardroom, WiFi, break-out space, outdoor courtyard, and work stations, is way more connected than your typical office.  It is an open environment where people communicate with one another to bring about effective change. 

The work meets play meets mini conference atmosphere will prove to be far more innovative than working at home.   On a recent stop by to “work for a little while”, I ran into a friend who runs a really large non profit organization in South Africa.  After a few moments of catching up, we both dove into our individual work.  I tapped into the online world, while he donned  headphones to listen to some video content.  While posting some tweets, I see that co-founder, Slate Ballard, has sent out a tweet that I am at The Grove working.  I, of course, re-tweet in response because it is too fun to miss out on all the fun.  This game of twitter launches the two of us into a discussion of effective ways to create and tag a tweet for maximum audience exposure.  Both armed with a couple of new ideas about twitterland, we both go back to work.  Somehow I am getting through my load of emails and having fun.  Moments later an IT guy from Yale pops in, suddenly I am pulled into a conversation about which platform may best serve my swiftly evolving blog, followcb.com.  Who knew so much could happen in slightly over and hour?

Who thought work could be so painless?

This not for profit space offers memberships based on the amount of time you think you might or want to spend there.  There are plans based on the number hours, weeks, months, etc.  There will be all kinds of social and community related functions on site as well.  Need a boardroom or space to impress that special client or potential customer?  Not a problem… It is all possible here at The Grove, a space where it would appear to be as fitting to be sipping on a coffee or nipping on bourbon.  It is an instant office(just add fun) with none of the hassles or expenses associated with the typical work space. 

The Grove does more than imagine the future!  It delivers it to our New Haven area community in 2010!!

“The Grove is a new kind of space that encourages and supports people in their work and the development of new ideas that are solving the social, environmental, economic, and urban problems we face today. The Grove is more than just a space, it is a dynamic community of social innovators, artists, entrepreneurs, and thinkers that are the new face of New Haven.”

I highly encourage everyone who is passionate about work, mixed with a dash of play, to get into the groove.  And get into The Grove!! 

A small state with the opportunity to connect…big time!  Just like our many roads and highways connect our communities, our conversations,  collaborations, and communications, should join us together as people. A people united to better our towns, cities, state, and our lives.  Let’s stand tall, Connecticut!

Let’s make our voices heard.  Join the conversation.  It doesn’t matter how. Online! Offline!  Take action!  What matters is making our voices come together…to create change.  Online conversations will unplug and go live when we all meet up in New Haven for Social Web Week CT, July 10th through July 16th.  New connections will be made, live and in person, with 25 dynamic events developed with an emphasis on “connecting”.

Together we will exchange ideas.  We will learn about the many talented people right here in our small but mighty state. Online friends will meet live. Our voices will all join the conversation as we focus on our potential as a people together.  It’s about you. It’s about me.  It’s about all of us.  We all have an influence.  A voice.

Collaborating on projects…  Actualizing our potential…

Building new relationships…  Changing our lives….

Exploring possibilities…        Growing together….

Uniting people….                Raising our voices…

Connecting Connecticut!

http://www.socialwebct.com/

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New Haven rises to the top becoming the crown jewel of Connecticut.  Where New York is sprawling and overwhelming, New Haven is neatly tucked into  a walkable and more subdued atmosphere.  Occupying an area that stretches from the cliff like faces of East and West Rock to the deep harbor on Long Island Sound, New Haven offers the best of everything Connecticut, and more.

Below an eclectic skyline, which is a panorama of old European spires, quintessential New England rooftops , and modern American skyscrapers, are streets lined with elm trees and diverse architecture.  New Haven is probably one of the few cities that offers hiking trails and a beach, in addition to its beautiful parks.  Downtown centers around the green with its historic three churches.  Here one finds a more hectic pace of people working, shopping, eating, playing, and biking.  People on the move.  Out on the streets. 

New Haven is the epicenter of all things Connecticut.  Home of Yale University,
it’s a college town with an international component that is woven right into the fabric of the culture. New Haven is  an  unrivaled hub for its medical and educational  institutions.  The arts, museums, diverse festivals and events, offer an exciting and dynamic cultural flair.  Arts and ideas.  This is a city where live music, plays, shows, theater, and sports takes stage year round in its many unique and historic venues.

To know New Haven is to taste its many amazing restaurants. The great coffee houses.  The breakfast haunts.  The world famous pizza places. The home of the hamburger.  The neighborhood bars and pubs.  The farmers markets.   The food here knows no limits nor ethnic boundaries.  From top notch world class five star restaurants to food trucks located around town, New Haven is Connecticut’s food destination.

A city of diversity, where the working class walks the streets with students from around the globe. While facing the same challenges many cities face, New Haven still has it all.  There is something  here…for me and for you.

If you get to know New Haven…you will discover there is so much to explore, see and do. 

If you knew New Haven like I do, you would understand that this city is a playground for you…for New Haven is a diamond in the rough. A gem.

So, let’s hear it for New Haven!

Cause it’s right here for me and for “You” Haven!!