Was it a Culture Shock??

I just got back on Tuesday night from a mini vacation/work week in beautiful Puerto Rico. I shared in fun activities with a friend and was also able to spend some time with family.

The work event was a seminar I presented to young entrepreneurs in the beauty industry. The theme was "Exhibe tu Exito en el 2008". Translated, showcase your success in 2008.

And yes, in case you're wondering, the presentation was in Spanish... that's another story :)
It was an awesome experience. It was the first training I've conducted in Spanish in the last 5 years.

I took away some great lessons I want to share with you. They have to do with the importance of knowing the cultural makeup and/or idiosyncrasies of your audience/client.

Even though I hadn't been in front of a culturally different audience in a very long time, I quickly realized I had to adjust my "representational systems" in order to gain acceptance and rapport. I'll tell you more about representational systems and rapport in a different post.

It wasn't difficult but I have to say it was challenging. The person who contracted me had me wait and hour and a half for late arrivals who turned out to be "no shows".
This is a big professional no, no. This is especially unacceptable when conducting a seminar about success!

I was able to address the issue and how not starting on time impacted the process and the people who were on time. However, I was not able to cover all the material as planned.

All in all, the end result was good. It was a small group and their verbal feedback was positive. I guided them through the "5 Steps of Success and Mastery Outcome" process in preparation for next year. One thing's for sure... the people in attendance were ready and eager to work on their success plans for 2008!

They were all beautiful and I'm so very glad to have met them. I will post a group picture with some of their testimonies later.

So what's the moral of the story? Although it was a rewarding experience, there are several things I would do differently next time when working with a "culturally different" group:

• Communicate the work/partnership expectations ahead of time.
• i.e. Duration of training, set-up of room including temperature, and have confirmation of participants.

In addition, I recommend the following in case you ever find yourself in a similar situation. These can apply at work, business, family, community, etc.:

• Know who your audience is.
• Adjust your representational systems accordingly.
• Be flexible.
• Enjoy the experience.

Hasta la proxima!

Decisions, Decisions

We all have to make them. Small, big or life changing—the size doesn’t really matter. Decisions are hard to make.

When confronted with making financial, relational, career… you name it; it all boils down to one thing, we rather not deal with having to make decisions.

For the person agonizing over a difficult situation, simple everyday decisions can be a monumental undertaking. The decision to do and to be is often the most difficult part of their daily living.

Their perspective is blurred by lack of confidence and inability to see beyond that which presents itself as a problem. They become stuck in an emotional and mental rut.

Feeling nothing will get better, hopelessness sets in giving way to confusion and despair. A powerful combination, together they set up camp overtaking the mind and emotions -- resulting in irrational thinking that leads to devastating conclusions.

It is true... decisions are difficult to make. Especially when the decision to be made will have an impact on the way we do life. Oh, and guess what? Not making it doesn't make it better. Because believe it or not, not making the decision can have just a big of an impact, if not greater, on your life and perhaps the lives of the people around you.

Think about it… Does life stop because you're unable, for whatever reason, to make a decision? Does the problem go away? When you put off making a decision you're essentially saying that you are not going to deal with the issue you know you have to confront sooner or later.

So, what kind of decisions am I talking about here? Definitely not whether to make coffee in the morning or not. The decisions I’m referring to are the ones that require full consciousness. Because when you are fully conscious of your decision-making process, will you feel empowered and confident to make them.

Did you know that you have the power to decide to live a better life? And unless you do, you may never reach the heights and depth of all you were created to be! You may never succeed at what only YOU were created to do.

It all starts with a decision. Decide today to go on the greatest journey of your life. That fear will not stop you from experiencing it and receiving it because… YOU are destined for greatness, love, prosperity, happiness and success. The breakthrough to your destiny is within you.

Aaaah, it gets better. There are actually ways to ease the difficulty of decision making. I will teach you a decision-making formula on part 2 of Decisions, Decisions. Stay tuned.

I've Been Thinking About You

I haven't had much time to post lately. It's been a busy summer. But fall is coming along with slower days. I'm really looking forward to them.

I have some thoughts I will be sharing with you soon.

I will be posting about the process of decision-making, how to deal with adversity, coaching students for academic success and much more.

Oh, and soon I will be announcing my new upcoming *FREE* teleseminar series...

Stay tuned.

Love and success,

Sandra

Let Us Never Forget

I will never forget what I was doing and where I was the day we lost so many... The day the landscape of our country changed forever.

My heart and prayer goes out to all those who lost loved ones on 9/11.

26 Days Left...

Summer is well underway... I don't know about you but summer for me is always the time to lay back and relax. It is the season for contemplation, to re-charge and dream.

Summer is also the perfect time to plan ahead. Because let's face it -- even though the year officially starts in January, life really begins in September... Don't you think? It is the start of the hustle and bustle of children going back to school. And our return to what was left undone on our desk before we went on vacation.

Summer is also the perfect time for...
- Planning ahead
- To put in motion the actions that will turn your dreams a reality.

But let me ask you...
- Do you know where to start?
- What is going to take to make your dreams a reality?
- What kind of thinking?
- Planning?
- Actions?

You know I've said it before... The start of something great can be the most difficult. This is one of the main reasons I created the "Breakthrough." .

The "Breakthrough" offers an amazing opportunity for each participant to address the questions above. To think forward and to finally formulate the RIGHT kind of planning to make it all happen!

It will be a day and a half exclusively for you. You will be surrounded with like-minded people that share your desire to make their personal, career, spiritual, financial, and business dreams a reality.

Do you know what happens when 2 or more like-minded people get together?

- There's amazing energy
- The faith to do and to be is ignited
- We become an unstopable force!

Believe me... this will be a rare opportunity. And one you cannot miss!

But remember, the early bird catches the worm. Don't miss on the great savings and Bonus offers. There's very little time left. The SAVINGS and BONUS offers will end soon and space is limited.

The first step to make it happen starts TODAY!

**** Click here for the Special Bonus Offers:
"Breakthrough to Your Destiny." .


I hope to see you there.

Life's Like A Spinning Class (Part Two)

A couple of months ago I posted this two part article "Life's Like a Spinning Class." I edited and submitted part two for syndication this week, and well, the feedback poured in. So I decided to re-post the edited version for those of you who missed it.

Enjoy...


I never thought a Spinning class could teach me so much. Here I was, finally on the bike and on my way to… A total meltdown??

What drama! -- starring yours truly. I was having a terrible mental conversation. And all because:

- I was afraid of feeling vulnerable
- Afraid of failure
- Afraid of not having the stamina to go the whole hour
- Afraid of feeling ridiculous
- Afraid I would have to quit
- Afraid of injury
- Afraid discouragement would keep me from going back… afraid, afraid, afraid!!

Fear... It is the root of all evil!

We see the same thing happening in our business, career, with relationships, personal and family matters. Fear is the number one reason why we get stuck. Why we limit ourselves. And it is why we don’t attract wealth and prosperity. Why we don't soar!

We fear the unknown. The funny thing is that the road ahead can only be revealed as we travel it. It will only remain a mystery when we choose not to go on it.

We only overcome challenges when we face them. As hard as adversity is, it does develop character and inner strength. It also develops and grows the faith needed to go beyond our point of resistance.

Success happens when we do... and persevere... even while experiencing the fear. Quitting, is never an option!

I was bruised and soar after the class. I limped, literally for four days afterwards. But guess what? I bragged about it to my friends for days! And, I took away a very valuable lesson:

- I can do anything I put my “right mind” to
- I can prepare myself better by having the right gear, posture and attitude
- Planning is not necessary sometimes, I just have to do!
- It is okay to feel vulnerable
- Ask for help even when feeling vulnerable
- Never listen to the skeptics
- I will experience a breakthrough if I believe and stick to it long enough
- Keeping my mental conversations in check is crucial to my success
- Let myself go so I can enjoy the moment

The journey is always better when we enjoy what we're doing. When we are bold about our decisions. When we try new things. Happiness, prosperity and wealth will come naturally as part of the process.

Life can definitely be like a spinning class… or not!

As Lance Armstrong said... “Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.”

Change is always painful. Taking a risk on a new career, job, city, or relationship may be scary. But it's all worth it if it means being able to live the kind of life you dream about; Feeling passionate about what you do; Smiling when you wake up in the morning knowing you're existence has purpose!

So what are you doing to spin your way to success? Are you making life happen or are you letting it happen to you? Challenge yourself today. You're meant to live a life of greatness!

Have you checked out my upcoming workshop? It's going to be an intense, fun weekend. We're going to have a great time. I hope to see you there - Click here for the details.

Your Time Is Now... Breakthrough to Your Destiny

During the past several weeks I've been working on my upcoming workshop, "Breakthrough to Your Destiny." .

I am very excited about this project. And am so blessed to have terrific clients and friends supporting me by helping me get the word out about this great event!

The Breakthrough to Your Destiny workshop is scheduled for the 12-13 of October in Boston, Massachusetts. Click here for the details.

It is an intensive two day experiential workshop that takes place over eight hours. Designed specifically for individuals who want to reach their full potential -- personally, spiritually, professionally and in business -- It offers a one of a kind opportunity to discover and embrace an entirely new way of thinking of and relating to life, yourself, others, money and prosperity.

The workshop is ideal for You!

Because you refuse to accept the “hand” that life dealt you... You are dedicated to personal growth... You're hungry for a better quality of life... Are passionate and are on your way to wealth and prosperity!

Plan to attend the "Breakthrough."

I hope to see you there :)