I continue to evaluate how I can communicate what I do more effectively to help people decide if my work is a good fit for them.  One of the fundamental rules of marketing is to describe what you do as a benefit to your market. The other is to focus on a niche.

I did that in my computer business.  I became an expert in auto body collision management software industry over my 18 year career (talk about a niche) where I helped small auto body shops save time and money running their business.  In that niche I gained skills and experience in sales and marketing, product management and a gazillion other things you learn through business ownership, courting investors and being acquired.  What I learned was it was good to niche, but it is better to do what you love with a niche that you are passionate about.

So after leaving a life of focusing on making money for me through saving money for my customers, I went into the world of service and environmental causes. I do know money is important, but I now know you can focus on both: doing things that improve our communities and our planet and being supported financially.  But even doing that, it is only truly successful when we include doing what we love.

From this I have gotten even clearer about describing who I work with and what they achieve:

I work with entrepreneurs who want to share their greatest gifts to make the world a better place, and help them achieve extraordinary success while they’re at it.

What is Extraordinary Success?

Definition of Extraordinary (websters)

a : going beyond what is usual, regular, or customary <extraordinary powers>
b : exceptional to a very marked extent <extraordinary beauty>

Both of these definitions apply as I feel that extraordinary success is about stepping into something greater than what is easy and usual.  It’s easy to just follow the crowd, get a job, show up and do what you are told.  I know when I live in this way I may feel safe or content, but I don’t feel inspired.  It is about stepping into the unknown, tapping into the greater power we have within us and to experience the excitement of discovering our greater potential.

Definition of suc·cess  (Dictionary.com)
1.the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors.
2.the attainment of wealth, position, honors, or the like.
3. a successful performance or achievement: The play was an instant success.
4. a person or thing that is successful: She was a great success on the talk show.

There are many ways to look at success and I believe that our thoughts about success can actually define our experience of it.  I know many people who look at those who have attained wealth, position, or honors, with disdain as they judge it as bad for a myriad of reasons.  Some people think of those who have achieved success with their book or art as “lucky” and look at them with jealousy.  To some people success is a bad thing.  And I believe that those who have negative beliefs about success, struggle with their own “success” and maybe happiness.

I think the question about how we feel about success is comes through how we define success.  I used to define success through the achievement of my goal of selling my business and making a lot of money.  Now I define success much more broadly because for me success is defined as a way of living.

I define success as doing what I want to be doing most of the time, being healthy, having time for myself (God), my family and friends, and working on and completing projects that stretch me both creatively (spiritually), physically, and mentally.  I define success as knowing what and who I am and feeling at peace with that.  I define success as getting to offer my greatest gifts to lots of people and receiving compensation for the value they receive.

I define extraordinary success as the experience of living in a beautiful place that nurtures my heart, co-creating with the universe, manifesting miracles, having things turn out even better than I ever expected, meeting amazing and inspiring people, serving others, loving everyone, and being present with and in awe of this incredible life.

How do you define extraordinary success?

Want to explore more:  Sign up for an Extraordinary Success Visioning Session HERE.

As much as I have been learning from these teachings coming through me, I continue to get answers that call me to shift my perspective.  Here is one from the Canvas Journals with God.

3/21/10

God, what is the message that I am to bring to the world now?

Hello my love.  You are the message.  Your life is the messenger.  You might think this is backwards, but the truth is who you are being speaks louder than what you are saying.  This is why I keep inviting you to Step 1.  Connect to Source.  This is the only thing that matters.  It is the only thing that will change the world.  Now you will see who you truly are.

Love, God.

This message points to Step 1 in the 4 Steps to Divine Mastery.  God has been asking me to remember to take this Step before I do anything else and the more I remember, the miraculous life is.

Get a Complimentary Consult with me to learn more or read about my next coaching program here.

About 7 years ago I was out on my bike enjoying the scenery (which is where I have many of my conversations with God and others spiritual beings) when I heard a voice that I knew as the Christ Consciousness.  The voice said;  “Put down your sword.  When you hold up your sword to get what you want, you may get compliance, but you only gain distain, distrust, and fear.  It also perpetuates conflict, dishonesty and separation.  Instead, hold your sword with the blade down and stand in your true power – the power of Love.  As you engage with others say ‘I will love you no matter what’.   This is how you will elicit cooperation and communion, and heal the wounds of the past.  This is where you will experience the joy of the oneness that you are.”

As I received this message I realized that I did believe that I had to hold up a sword (energetically fight) to get what I wanted.  I could see that this the normal way that I and so many other people interacted in our society.  And I could see the image of the sword as shaming, blaming, criticizing, anger, dishonesty and fear.  As I questioned how to do this without giving everything away, I got the message that it was not about to rolling over and allowing others to take advantage of me, but for me to hold the sword as my power and the symbol of my unwavering commitment to Truth and Love.

I saw this image as the reminder to “Put down my Sword”.

Over the years I have had to continue to heal myself so I could stand up and hold the Sword of Love.  Sometimes I stand shaking and sometimes I stand strong.  But I have also seen the change in how others respond to me.  I now know that it is only through love that anything of value is created.

Right now I feel we all need to shift from our fearful (conflicted) interactions and consciously choose to stand with the Sword of Love even if it feels difficult.   I believe that each of us must do this to heal the pain of the past and find peace together now.

“Awakening is the process of realizing that you are more than your mind, body, experiences and circumstances.  Awakening is the recognition that you are a part of everything and made of everything.  From here you remember what and who you truly are and the authentic context of the reality in which you live.  And from here you can feel the pure love that lives within you and see your Soul’s true purpose here on earth.

Many people and religions have relegated Awakening, Enlightenment or Divine Experience to a chosen few or make it sound almost unattainable.  But the truth is you can awaken in a single moment and also fall back asleep in an instant.  The truth is you can choose to be awake more and more every day, shifting your perspective and experience of reality.

Some people have no choice as they have become so tired of the pain of being asleep that they spontaneously awaken.  Others receive glimpses of profound peace and joy from this realization, knowing that they want more.  This is how spiritual evolution is happening.  You don’t need to force the awakening in yourself and others, but you can choose it for yourself.  And this is the invitation that I am offering you.”

Love, God.
Journals with God 9-6-12

As I am watching what is happening in the world around me through the news, and through the discussions  in social media, I personally feel the pain of all the divisiveness.  So today in my meditations and journals with God, I focused on Step 1, Divine Realization; shifting into a higher consciousness. I was reminded that Awakening is the most important thing (I) we can do.  As I move into this level of consciousness, I again realize that everything is in perfect Divine Order and that I have been called to help others who want to Awaken.  It is from the Awakened state that there is love and acceptance, healing and forgiveness.  It is where we remember our reason for being here and our beautiful interconnectedness.

As God wrote to me in my Journals a few days ago:
“If you are in judgment, worry, or fear,
your Ego is trying to run the show.
Stop.
Shift your perspective until you are at peace, in love,
and open to all possibilities.
Then your actions will be Divine and your results will be miraculous.”

I’m here to help remind you of who you truly are and inspire you to choose to Awaken every day.  I am offering a complimentary consultation to those looking for support in this process. Allow me to assist you in creating your vision, exploring possibilities and making a plan to move forward.

4 Steps To Divine Mastery 9-Week Course  beginning Oct. 2nd
Shift your perspective and Awaken to profound peace, love and the realm of infinite possibilities.
Learn the tools and processes gifted to me for your Awakening process.

Click here to read testimonials from students in previous classes.
I look forward to connecting with you.

Blessings,

Diane Dandeneau
303-823-0394

I am so excited to be a part of this project and to share the gifts I have been given. This is a beautiful piece and something I look forward to seeing the final work.

Support it here: http://igg.me/p/160859

As I have been offering my Ignite Your Life Summer Intensives, I am painfully aware of the reality of the fires that have been ignited here in Colorado.  I believe that what we are seeing is the fire that comes after years of neglect and suppression and it is devastating and costly on many levels and yet ultimately cleansing and healing on others.

This is a time when I am seeing many people dealing with their own fires in their own lives.  For some it is not just literal and is as real as it can get, and for others it is figurative, yet still as devastating.  The conditions of our world are changing, and the old ways aren’t working any more.  Sometimes the changes show up gradually, like the effects of an ongoing drought, and sometimes the change comes as dramatically as fire.

This story is as old as time – when we succumb to the fire, we sometimes have the opportunity to emerge from the ashes again.

Where are you in your life?  If you are in the middle of the fire, either figuratively or literally, I am sending my prayers to you and am offering a free session to help you connect with God(1) to deal with the pain or find clarity as to what you need to do now and next.  If you are finding yourself in the middle of changing conditions in your life or dealing with the aftermath of your own version of the fire, know that you can be supported to step into the next greatest version of your life… if you are ready.

This is where I would like to invite you to Ignite Your Life – Ignite Your Power to transform your self and the current situation of your life into what is needed now for you and the world.  Learn the 4 most powerful steps you can use to heal and co-create with the Universe.  The next telecourse starts Tuesday July 24th. Please contact me to talk about what you want to achieve in your life, and to learn more about the life changing processes that you can experience so you can manifest miraculous.

Blessings,
Diane Dandeneau

(1) I use the term God as I have discovered that it means the one energy of the universe, which everything is made of and by, and not the judgmental father figure of many religions.  I believe it is important to use this term as the redefining of God is key for the transformation of humanity from separation to oneness.

I apologize for any imperfect grammar or typos.  I have decided to write – and share the messages that I’m being called to bring without hesitation or delay.  I hope you receive its gifts.

Here is the Recording for the 2-28-12 Living a Sacred Life Teleclass

Living a Sacred Life Class Recording.

Do You Live in a Box?

How many times do you say to yourself and others, “that’s how I am”?. Or, how often do you think or say, “that’s how he/she is”?  It seems like we want to spend as little time as possible learning about someone or something (or our selves) and then not have to think about it any more. So we try to put everything and everyone one in the mental category of “I already know about him/her/it”. But when we think we know about something, we put it in a box. So we put our selves in a box, put on the lid, and shut it tight. We don’t allow for it or our perception about it to change.

I am watching a child grow up and am amazed at how many times I hear his mother say: “He won’t like that, or he won’t do that because that is how he is.” Well, I know there are things that mothers just “know”, but I also think that we want to know because it gives us a sense of safety. It is in our box of what we can expect and don’t have to think about any more. But, this also puts the other in a box of not encouraging or allowing growth.

The truth is we are all able to grow and change in every moment and if we decide that we don’t live in our box of what we “know” or how we’ve been, then we can be free to act or respond in new and different ways every day. It starts with being willing to step out of our box even when everyone else in our life is expecting us to live in that box so they can feel safe. And this may be the scariest thing that you do for yourself and the world.

This is the class Recording from 1-24-12.  It is on Forgiveness.

Here is the Channeled Writing for the Class from my Journals with God that I also read on the recording.

Tonight I invite you to join me in the place of knowing the perfection in everything.  And when you understand that everything is perfect, then it is easy to accept what is.  When we accept what is, then peace is experienced.  It is in the mind where the delusion is created. A judgement is made – a resistance to what is, is put in place, then pain is introduced.  This is all within the mind and body.  The pain comes from the resistance.

There is a tool that can release you from your resistance and re-align you with acceptance, and that tool is forgiveness.  Forgiveness is a process of remembering, reframing, and releasing.  The negative energy that is held with a judging thought is poisoness only to you.  (I am now thinking – what about bad things that happen to us?) You are asking about the “bad” things.  The things in life that are harmful require healing.  These things, actions, events, must be regarded with discernment – not judgement.  You are being asked to respond, not react; heal, not hate; accept, not resent.  And if you have found yourself having judged then you can release yourself from your own prison through the process of forgiveness.

Love, God

Living a Sacred Life teleclass on 1-17-12 on Agreements

Here is the writing for the class from my Journals with God:

Agreements are the beautiful way that you co-create with others and the universe.  It is the yes and the no.  It is it the right or the left and it is the other who responds with agreement or disagreement.  Disagreement is beautiful as well and the power of it is most available when spoken.  Then the process of learning and consieration can take place.  The point that life breaks down is when resistance to disagreement shows up or agreement that is not from the heart is made, and resolution and ultimate agreement is thwarted.

Now look at your own level of agreement with you what you have chosen in your life.  What have you said yes to?  What does your heart want to say to you?  What is truly in alignment with your heart and what is not?

This is the great question.  Today I invite you to look at at least one agreement you have made and take it deeper.  Pick one with some energy and see what is there.  This is where the truth within you lives.

Love, God.

This is the Journal entry for today for the Living a Sacred Life Class.

The pain body, parasite and ego (the fear-based part of the ego), is part of what is created in the life form (body) in the material world. It is an identity and a powerful energy that is created and reinforced by the others in your world who are also living from the fear-based perspective. When you believe that the world is dangerous, you will be afraid. And this fear creates an energy body within you that is powerful.

Fear is the true culprit and it is moving beyond fear that is needed to heal this fear-based being. This is the first step in awakening and stepping into soul consciousness. We all feel the pull of the pain body. It is the sense of fear that has no story, until you give it one. You believe that there must be a story and then you begin to look at all the problems and things that aren’t going how you want them, and justify this feeling, this existence.

The learning now is to know that you can choose. It is to know that there is another perspective and another aspect of consciousness that you can step into and heal the pain body. This is not obliterating the ego – the part of you that is needed to operate on earth. But it is taking control from the ego and giving it to the soul.
This process begins when you are so tired of being in pain that you will do anything, including die to be free. But what you need to die to is the past. You need to die to the fear and beliefs that support the fear.

So, it is a two part healing. One part is to release the energy of the pain body by truly facing it – without any stories until you realize that is it not the truth. The next part is to face every belief you have that is negative, fearful, and painful then re-frame and transmute them into the truth of love and possibility.

This is the process of awakening. This is what is needed to move to the next level. This work is done within meditation and intentional connection with Me. And it is miraculous.
Trust this.
Love, God.

Here is the podcast for the Journaling Class.  The Journey to the Soul Workbook is the suggested Reading.

There Are No Secrets
By Diane Dandeneau, December 15, 2011

God does not keep secrets.  People do.

I find myself taken aback when I hear people use the term “secret” to describe their teaching or gift.  It seems to prey on the fears that there must be something that I want, that I need to know, that is being kept from me.  Wanting what I don’t have, leads to me wanting what you have.

I see this used to sell books, workshops, and movies.  Many of the marketing gurus are teaching that using this compelling idea is the way to “sell” expert or spiritual programs.

But, there are no secrets.  There are only distortions.  And this is the opportunity for people to step into their own truth to discern what is authentic and true.

I have been lured into wanting to learn what the “secret” is.  But what I find over and over again is that it is something I already know or maybe a new way of seeing something.  Sometimes the teachings are powerful and inspiring, and other times they are hollow and sensationalized and are just used to sell their product or service.  But mostly, I feel conned and disappointed that the author – teacher – producer felt compelled to use the ploy that they know some secret that they are letting me in on.

I am inviting those who want to live a conscious life, to step into their integrity and say it like it is.  We aren’t sharing any secrets.  You may be sharing your learning, perspective, new understanding, or message.  But, please stop playing the same unconscious game that is being played in the insane world.  They are better at it anyway (check out any car commercial).  The truth is, secrets can be fun for humans to play with, but God does not keep secrets.

What I am offering in my work are the gifts I have been given as I remember who I am and who we are.   On the deepest level, you know it all.  I am just helping you to remember.

Blessings,

Diane Dandeneau

Where is Your Focus:  Inside or Outside?
By Diane Dandeneau
December 11, 2011

I find it interesting that I am seeing similar patterns in the people I am currently associating with in my work and life.  Most of the people I am close to are working with or have some sense of spirituality in their life.  Many people are aware of the Law of Attraction and the benefit of meditation.  Many people understand the mind/body/spirit connection.  But what I am seeing is continuing patterns of using spirituality as the means to get what is wanted on the physical plain – thus using the inside to keep the focus on the outside.

I can see the cycles in my life being mirrored in others.  As things in my life would not be going so well, I would go within, connect to source, find the clarity, power and vision, then focus on the outer physical world and create great things.  I would be happy and feel good.  I would then get too busy to continue to connect, so over time, the visions get stale and things stop working so well.  Each time I would do this, the pain and disillusionment of the fall would be greater and the external conditions would get worse.  My faith in spirituality would dim as I felt it had failed me.

But, the disillusionment is the gift of awakening, and the continued focus on the external being the barometer for my happiness was the failure.  There was a time that I finally got the fact that the internal connection and my relationship with the divine was the point of everything.  And once this was the focus, the external became a reflection of that.  Even when things did not appear to me to be going well, I knew that I had to trust and focus on my part in everything.  I am now able to stay in a place of peace with what is, as I listen and do what I am called to do.  And ultimately, the divine unfolding of what is for the greatest good is revealed.