Do you believe in magic?

…it’s a great way to start the day with that song in your head right? As a self-proclaimed practical magician the only thing I fear is ABSOLUTES. In a world full of everyone being “too busy” we seek balance but then still resort to extremes. Do I believe in magic? YES, I DO! Do I believe in hard work? YES, I DO.

Let me tell you a story….

Myself, Grandma, and my little bro ~ Mother’s Day 2014

I have the rare privilege of having a 102-year-old grandmother that can still crack jokes and outrun me with her walker. She is seriously a phenomenon. Just 22 years ago my mom, and my grandmother’s youngest daughter lost a four-year battle to cancer. As a child of loss, I learned the reality of life’s disappointments at a very early age. Before my mother died she gave my grandmother a plant. Grandma is NO JOKE and has nurtured that plant such that it is STILL LIVING 22 years later. On mother’s day grandma noticed all of a sudden a flower bud had bloomed. She was so taken aback and truly believed it was no coincidence. This past Tuesday, September 2^nd, 2014 was the 22^nd anniversary of my Mom’s passing. I called my grandma as I always do and she said “Stephanie! Another flower bud appeared today that was not there yesterday. Isn’t that something?!” Yes, gram, it sure is something.

Miracle? Coincidence? Well that is up to you. I choose magic – but practical magic. Why? My grandmother had to TAKE ACTIONS to contribute to that miracle.

She watered the plant. She took time to go and water than plant on a regular basis for over 20 years. She was not sitting and waiting for a miracle or trying really hard to manifest it in her head. She was creating the conditions such that one could appear.

She made sure it had light. Grandma took careful notice of situating the plant to receive the proper amount of light. She didn’t hide it away in dark room believing that my mother would somehow make it grow from the beyond. She left it in the light to be nurtured.

She PAID ATTENTION. My grandmother paid attention to the plant’s existence. It was a priority to her that reminded her to take action. Being alert and aware of when to water it or move it became a regular practice. A regular practice became a habit, and caring for the plant became second nature.

She believed. Yes, she did. I mean come on the woman is 102, clearly she’s got some magic flowing through her. Belief is actually more of a conscious action that we think. It is something we need to do OVER and OVER as a regular practice to believe that something can be.

Where’s the lesson Mr. Miyagi?

So wait…my grandmother…a plant…where is the “wax on, wax off” moment?? Unfortunately, there are a lot of people making a LOT of money playing off the vulnerability of human beings. Human beings have an insatiable quest for more, better, and the things they believe to be beyond their grasp. We buy programs, go to seminars, and hire coaches who tell us what that hunger WANTS to hear rather than what we actually need to express ourselves. (guilty as charged). We think SOMEONE else has the key to life and we are finally going to get it. Do I know everything? HELL NO! And that is why I will NEVER call myself an expert or a guru. You are the expert. You are the guru. I am the mirror.

I would love to tell you that every dream is attainable – but it’s not. Hold on a minute, I am not being negative. You have an infinite number of dreams and ideas within you that would take ten lifetimes to live out. Sound Change is about helping you choose the professional dreams that actually have a chance of panning out. It’s about guiding you through an adventure and taking calculated informed professional risk. I want you to believe in the magic plant, but I also want you to take the actions necessary to nurture it. I also don’t want you to give me money to do so unless it actually works for you, your life, and your budget. “Sound” is not about security its about viability. If you told me you couldn’t carry a tune and your dream was to win American Idol, I’d be remiss to cheerlead you on to attain that goal.

So meet me in the middle. Your brilliance waits. I believe in SHORT powerful coaching sessions, and charging people reasonable rates to do that. You choose. Find out how to work with me here, and as always you choose from information after speaking to me for 30 gratis minutes. I can’t wait can you?