I’m really fortunate to know many of my clients both personally and professionally. I can honestly say I love this very much as through my work I see only the divine beauty and magnificence of each person exactly as who they are – it’s amazing!

So I recently sat down with Sylvia, whom I have had the pleasure of knowing as a friend and as a client, to gain more insight into what it’s been like for her to work with me over the past year and a half.

When Sylvia first came to me, she had a strong calling that she wanted to be able to stand up for herself, not in a shouting, listen-to-me sort of way, but by being truly herself and asking for what she needed in all areas of her life – work, love, community – all while amplifying the expression of her creative talents and interests.

During our sit-down she shared some powerful reflections on how her life has changed since we began our work together. She used the phrase “restored to me” – she feels she has integrated into being completely ‘herself.’ Along the way she discovered love – how to love every bit of herself: all of who she is, is perfect, even the parts that, in the past, she didn’t want to acknowledge.

As she shared with me, she said, “You know that cliché about loving yourself first before loving anything outside of yourself? Well, I totally feel it now!” Because she now loves every bit of herself – every wounded, broken, hurting, sad, angry, bewildered, struggling bit – and not just the bits that would make anyone proud, she can also wholly embrace others in love. She loves bigger now. Much bigger.

And her sense of wholeness has resulted in a deeper level of trust. First, in herself: the second-guessing is history. She feels confident in making the right choice at every turn, confident that each decision will lead exactly where she wants. Second, in dealing with others: she has started standing up for herself, something that had presented a terrifying, near-paralyzing challenge for her in the past.

Saying ‘no, thank you’ and stating her desires to her boss, friends and lovers were all cause for inner turmoil and conflicting, mixed-up feelings. No more. She tells her boss what she needs and has even asked for vacations – and been granted them – for times that might be considered inconvenient for her employer. She had never been able to do this before: she would always put what she thought should come first – outside obligations – above her needs. She now easefully sifts through offers, opportunities and invitations, accepting what feels right and turning down what doesn’t, no guilt and no explanations needed.

It must be said that Sylvia has been a strong achiever her whole life. She is greatly accomplished in academia, in her career and in her creative endeavors, and probably in everything she pursues – I know her to be an amazing and beautiful dancer. When she’s on the dance floor, everyone is captivated!

But those were largely solo pursuits; dealing with others usually took place with an undercurrent of fear and anxiety. Mind you, an outside observer would never have guessed this because she makes it all look easy. But now, for the first time in her life, she is actually experiencing her life and endeavors with great calm, ease, and peacefulness. She isn’t riding waves of fear and anxiety but has a deeper sense of trusting herself and confidence in only good things resulting from her standing up for herself – an act that as a child would result in a serious beating, physical and/or verbal. She feels safe and grounded in her body and is relating in her life from this sense of wholeness.

Much of what she shared with me isn’t quantifiable because it is a whole-body experience, a radical perspective-shift in living and truly being oneself on a day-to-day basis. But how we live our lives every day, how we relate as who we are, how we make decisions and choices, are all things that constantly affect our ability to feel grounded, connected, acknowledged, and alive, and to plug into our true sense of joy and happiness.

That said, it is still fun to share some of the extraordinary ‘quantifiable’ changes that took place for Sylvia during this past year. Can I tell you that she received two salary increases and one year-end bonus, all numerically significant and during an economic recession? That she has a new title, two new direct reports, and expanded responsibilities that directly align with her love of photography and design and that call for the use of her natural gifts and talents? And that she has taken three paid vacations in six months’ time? Holy smokes! (All this opened up to a woman who felt she couldn’t stand for herself but, as she did, everyone around her responded.)

She has explored relationships, received unbounded love like she never experienced before, and stood for herself in love, holding out for the legendary love that she is now certain she can create with a loving man. She’s currently joyfully and easefully building a relationship on her terms (and her terms are quite unique!) with a man who is also a great dancer – exactly what she’s been awaiting! – and this man tells her continually that her communication skills are phenomenal, and adores her for it!! Yowza!!!

Here’s more in her own words. . .

“I first did only four sessions with Elizabeth Joy, one per month. I enjoyed them so much that months later, when I sensed my life was gearing up for a significant transformation, I signed up for her five-month Soul Signature program. I figured the support would be nice. Nice? It was FUN! Huge fun!

Even better, I went through some intense life challenges fearlessly, feeling gently supported all along. It was awesome. But the best was this: I realized I was inhabiting my body differently, and I stood in this world differently. What a beautiful surprise!

I had been restored to the feeling of wholeness I had last experienced as a little girl. Best investment of my life, these sessions. Better than the top-notch, Ivy League education, better than living in Paris and Florence. Feeling like I never thought I’d ever feel again? Priceless.”

By watching Sylvia and other clients transform through my practice I have observed that deep transformational change occurs over time. As much as we all crave instant gratification – instant access to our intuition, instant change, instant access to great opportunities, instant new jobs and magical relationships – which all can truly arrive in seconds – the Universe is more likely to come through gently, gradually, as you openly allow the natural expansion of who you are in your life, right here and right now.

Does that mean we can’t work together in a series of short sessions to get your mojo back up and moving? Of course not! Every positive choice you make in your life counts and shifts and moves you closer to what’s truly calling through you and tapping on your shoulder.

But, if you are ready to make significant changes, moving beyond the usual patterns and habits that you’ve spent years living out, then giving yourself a significant amount of time to create the positive change you crave is the most supportive choice you can make for yourself.

It stops the urgency, the pushing, the anxiety to accomplish, start, stop or escape whatever is right in front of you. If this lands with you in just the right way. . .if reading these words resonates through your whole body, it may be time to reach out and speak with me about what’s calling your attention in your life and how I can support your journey.

I am aligning my programs to support you from this deep place of transformation. Contact me today and let’s get you scheduled for a Soul Breakthrough. You can reach me at Elizabeth@SoulCallIngsOnline.com or go directly through the website to schedule A SOUL BREAKTHROUGH.

How does Sylvia’s story resonate with you?
What are you ready to evolve in your life?
Share a comment in the boxes below! I’d love to hear from you!

• What do you want love to fill up or complete for you?  Can you name the underlying need that springs forth in your desire for love?

• Do you find it easier to give love or receive love? How can you begin to receive with as big a heart as you give? Or, give with as big a heart as you receive?

• What are you willing to change in order to open to more love in your life?  How can you begin right now to be more loving to yourself, to others, to strangers, to your life as it is?

Last week I went to Los Angeles for a week of business, pleasure, family, and friends.  I jumped on the opportunity to attend a marketing workshop specifically designed for solo-entrepreneurs like myself.  I circulated and learned a lot at the workshop and also had a ball spending time with my family and friends.  It turns out I know quite a few great people in LA and even got invited to a small Hollywood gathering!  Who me?  You just never know where I might end up!

My sister also did some recruiting to try and get me to move out to LA and I was open to exploring the idea.  I spent some time ‘feeling’ it and tuning into the question, “Would L.A. suit me?”  It certainly requires more research but it does have me wondering:  how do we tune in to our intuition to guide us in everyday choices as well as in making those big leaps like moving across the country?

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Earlier this year I spent an afternoon on a tour of art galleries in Chelsea with a dear friend. We were having a blast hopping from one gallery to the next to see the latest in photography, painting, sculpture and more.

About halfway through the tour we came to one of the largest and most famous galleries in all of Chelsea (our guide was sure to point this out).  In this large open space only two large sculptures were on display.  One of them was constructed with a series of metal security doors welded together to form a large intertwining rectangle of rusted metal.

It was a rather distressing piece and left me with a profound sense of despair and the feeling of being locked in or trapped by all these rusted metal doors.

Up until this point I had been having fun looking at the art but this piece made me feel gloomy and heavy.  Clearly the artist intended an effect, which was certainly not uplifting, and even leaving me a bit uneasy, but I was willing to keep checking things out.

The next piece by the same artist was a big coach-style bus.  The guide gave us some background about the piece. It turned out you could also walk through it to see how the had converted the bus, using the same rusted metal security doors as the first piece.

So I went through the bus and as I did, something really terrible struck me.  I suddenly felt claustrophobic and anxious. Something felt very wrong and the feeling took over my whole body.  Every hair on the back of my neck stood up and I had to get out!  Eeek!  I managed to get off the bus without pushing anyone in front of me but it certainly wasn’t fast enough.  Ahhhhhhhh, I immediately went outside to get some air.

How often to do you tune into yourself or your environment before moving forward?  When you sense danger or even just something that feels a little off, do you listen or do you talk yourself out of it?  Do you adjust your actions?  Do you slow down?  How willing are you to trust your own intuition, those internal nudges that subtly ask for attention or, when it’s really trying to get your attention – the hair standing on the back of your neck?

If I had slowed down for even a minute to tune into the feeling I got from that bus, I would have known that I didn’t want to go inside for the tour.  The bus was painted black on the outside and there was something very dark on the inside that was not anything I needed to learn more about.  For me, I just needed to walk away.

Now this was only a bus in an art gallery, but it’s a good example of intuition at work.  It could have just as easily been a potential employer, or a man asking me out on a date, or an invitation to a party.  So what can we do to better focus our ability to tune in to our soul’s messages?

Here are a few tips that I’ve found can bring me back to my own knowing.
1. Slow down. Walk slower. Talk slower.  Open up your awareness to notice the environment around you.
2. Breathe. Deeply. Breathe.
3. Feel your feet connect with the earth (even if you are on a bustling NYC street corner!).  Connect downward through your whole body and remember that we’re all connected to the earth, no matter how much concrete or metal may be between us and the soil.
4. Tune into all your senses. Use all your senses – sights, sounds, smells, sensing, even taste.  Allow your whole body to ‘speak’ to you.
5.  Intuition often speaks through the ‘imagination’ so notice what are you ‘imagining.’  Cultivate ways to allow it in without judging or demanding instant answers.

Intuition often comes through quietly.  It doesn’t demand or get pushy (that’s the mind) and it never gives you a list of ‘to do’s.’ So often we need to cultivate some quiet space to really hear it.

Some people meditate, some go running or rock climbing, some knit or engage in a hobby that allows the creative process to unfold.  Explore and cultivate activities that nourish your spirit and in turn, you will naturally and easefully strengthen your intuition.

After letting all that negativity clear out I joined the final leg of our art exploration. The end of the gallery tour came to a close with some hand-made pieces created from tossed beer labels. It was a great reminder of how to make beauty from what most would consider garbage!  This was spectacular and inspiring!

Do you ever wonder who you really are and what you are here for? If you have, you are not alone. I have asked myself these questions over and over! And in asking myself these questions, I’ve gone searching, asking, researching.

This insisting, nudging and tapping on my shoulder would not go away until it was satisfied and as a result it’s lead me around the world exploring – books, dvds, trainings and to the sources – the teachers, the gurus, the masters, the monks, and even the mountain (Kanchenjunga!).

At the time I may not have really been able to articulate what I was searching for and why – I just had to follow it. It may be that I went to the mountain so you don’t have to! I can show you how to tap into your own passions living your life right now (unless you are dreaming of going to the mountain yourself!).

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What’s your purpose? What are your passions?
Why is it important to even consider these questions?

Because, as you know, no one can answer these questions for you, but you. And, life is too precious to not know (or at least be experimenting) with what’s true for you.

Sometimes when we consider following our desires, it feels as if it will up-end everything in our lives and that feels too overwhelming. We freeze right there. We find a million excuses, reasons, or justifications to keep from taking any steps. It’s safer to stay where we are than to risk shaking up the status quo.

I also know how hard it can be to wade through all the expectations, teachings, learning’s, socializing, habits and beliefs of what you should do or what ought to be.

I doubted myself for a long time and tried many other things – careers, paths, and teachings along the way to get it ‘right’. But no other ‘right’ will satisfy you for long.

I have searched the world to understand my own calling. For nine years, I’ve journeyed to the far corners of the earth seeking out masters, mystics, and healers to teach me how each of us can open to who we are and what we are here for. I’ve been fortunate to study and train in techniques both eastern and western, ancient and modern. I’ve explored over thirty-four modalities in everything from Space Clearing, to Buddhist meditation, to Kundalini yoga, to Soul Awareness healing even Green Medicine.

Only you can discover what’s true for you by tuning into all of you and opening to who you truly are.

That’s it. Yes, being you. Uniquely. Perfectly imperfect. You.

I have to confess the last few weeks have been tough for me. I hit the wall. I had a health crisis. I lost my mojo. I’ve been totally stressed out. I’ve been utterly exhausted. And naturally, in the midst of all this my vision of what I truly want, wavered. It wavered so far away I couldn’t recall what I was really striving for or why. Hmmmmmm, have you felt this way?

Read on to hear more of my own personal story and learn about the opportunity to live soulfully on a month-to-month basis. (You decide when to start and stop!)

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Burned out! . . .
A few weeks ago my own personal wake up call arrived in my hand. Literally, in my left hand. It came in the form of this painful nerve tingling in my palm. It was so odd I had to take notice. I mean I don’t really have these types of things happen to me. I don’t really have lots of pains and aches and complaining in my body. So this was really strange.

Luckily, I already had an acupuncture appointment scheduled so I just decided to show him what was happening. Fast forward a few more acupuncture appointments and some intense and painful massage and the diagnosis, stress. Months of built-up stress in my neck and upper back.

After we started to unravel the knots and tension, I was hit with the exhaustion. Oh my! Now I have months of my insomnia catching up to me. I feel like everything was in slow motion and I can’t make any decisions. I was in the middle of my own standstill.

The timing couldn’t have been better since I’d already planned to spend a week in Las Vegas. Ha, did I catch you there? Yup, I said Las Vegas but no, not an ordinary trip to Las Vegas as I had planned to meet up with my family for a wellness week including out spring cleanse. Restorative. Yes, that’s exactly what I’ve needed to do the last two weeks.

With this has come some re-evaluation from inside out. And with it comes changes in how I will be creating my practice.

The exciting news is that I’ve created a new way of working with me that allows you to determine your own start and stop.
Have you wanted to try out my one-to-one mentoring without a minimum three-month commitment?
Have you decided you want support but you aren’t sure for how long and want to keep it open-ended?
Do you just want to flexibility work together throughout the year depending on what’s coming through and when you need it?
If you felt, “Yes!” then consider my new Soulful Living Month-to-Month Program!

It includes:
Three 75-minute one-to-one sessions per month.
There is one monthly fee. No deposit. No long-term commitment.
You decide when to start and when to end.

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Have you had a wake-up call in your life? How have you managed it?

I confess in the past I’ve just kept pushing myself. Yup, I’m guilty of it, too. We all are. There are endless to do lists, information to be processed, requests to respond to and that doesn’t include all your own desires and dreams that want to be manifested. It’s not like the world slows down just because you are exhausted.

But this time, I responded differently. I started listening much deeper. I literally laid my body down. And all my parts of me said, this has got to be more fun, easier, and feel more supportive. Above all, it’s time to start listening to me.

The funny thing about this is sometimes it feels too scary to really listen to yourself. Have you ever thought to yourself, I just do not want to go in there!

I had a friend call me the other day in a crisis. All of her defense systems were hard at work to keep her believing she was ‘safe.’ The last thing she could hear was her own wisdom. It was buried in all the noise trying to keep her away from the crisis itself.

And that’s the illusion. That if you don’t go in there, you will be safe but those are the exact places that want your attention – are literally demanding your attention.

Those are the exact places that will help you hear the whole story. And when you can start listening, it starts to shift. Big shift. Naturally. Sigh of relief. Now you can really hear what’s happening. Ahhhhhhhhhhh.

Ready to listen to all your parts more deeply? I can facilitate that process so it feels supported, natural and frees you from the old story that is holding you back.

Would you like post your own story or comment to this newsletter?
I’d love to hear from you so please share your own wake-up calls with me! Post a comment!

Today is Valentine’s day.  A holiday of sorts set up around romantic love.  This day, maybe more than any other holiday throughout the year, can really bring up a lot of charge for people.  When I say charge, I mean, excitement, disappointment, romance, elation, dread, frustration, lovesickness, the glaring lack of romance and the list goes on. . . which camp do you fall into? There are the haters of Valentine’s day, the lovers of Valentine’s day, or the neutral (what holiday?).

Screeeeeeaaaccchhhhh!  Sttoppp. Freeze!  Right where you are!

I’d like to propose a re-framing of this day altogether.

Remember when you were in the 2^nd grade, you spent a whole afternoon turning a old shoe box into your valentine receiving box using construction paper, scissors and glue.  It was fun, pretty easy and the box could look anyway you wanted it to look.  It got you all ready to receive lots of Valentine’s from everybody.

Then the next day everyone in class showed up with valentines cards and you ended up with a whole pink shoe box of Valentine’s reminding you of many of the following. . .

Be mine.   I’m yours.

I’m cuckoo for your love.  Cuckoo!  Cuckoo!

No lion, I love you.  Roooaaarrr!

You appeel to me, Banana face.

Lots of silliness.  Lots of candy (which at the time you thought was fabulous). Lots of pink and red.  Lots of fun (you were skipping any real school subjects for cupcakes).

So given this is where you started with Valentine’s day at age seven, let’s just take you right back there.

Let’s make Valentine’s the day you just remind all those people in your life that you care about them and you love ‘em.  It can include your partner or the doorman, your friends and your family, your great aunt Lillian and so on.  Give ‘em one of those silly sappy cards just for the fun of it! Spread your love!

Make Valentine’s day a day to create random acts of kindness.  Better yet, make them anonymous.  Pass on fun, unexpected delights to a total stranger.  Pay ahead for the next five people to get a free coffee or cupcake.  Send an anonymous note to someone who is sad or lonely.  Send flowers to that cranky person at your office who never gives anyone credit for hard work.

When you do these fun little mischievous acts, you’ll notice it actually makes you feel good.

Today, one thing for sure is that you are receiving a BIG BIG Valentine’s greeting from me.  Because I love this day and I love you!  Trust me, I do, in a divine bright love sort of way!!

I’m truly CUCKOO for you!  Happy Valentine’s Day!

Much much love,

Elizabeth

Happy New Year! The transition into 2010 has been exciting, expanding and exhilarating. Usually the month of January is a tough time for me and I come into a new year kicking and screaming but this transition into, not just a new year, but, also a new decade, has felt really different. Many exciting new things are happening in my practice. My programs have reached a liftoff and my clients are heeding their soul callings!

My own 2010 soul callings are inviting me to step out through speaking engagements, launching my Live Authentically Tribe and more!

The question is, how do I make my soul callings come true?

Read on to discover a short, easy yet profoundly revolutionary trick to bringing in your dreams, wishes, and New Year’s resolutions.

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It’s January and you’ve made a list of resolutions, goals, desires, or, said to yourself something has to change. Maybe it is in your career, your relationship, or your health. You know what it is because it is clearly tapping you on the shoulder and when you ignore it, you can feel it. It actually takes effort to ignore it, to push it away. (If I had to guess, I might say you have a soul calling. . . .hmmmmm.)

So here’s a way through it without ‘figuring it out’ because that never works and it just makes everything feel even more difficult.

1. Set a timer for 3-5 minutes. (most phones have this option so you can do it anywhere that is relatively quiet)

2. Choose one area you desire to bring in change. For example, I desire to launch my Live Authentically Tribe with a live event. Or, I desire to bring in my own legendary relationship.

3. Be very clear about the desire or change without blending it. For example, I desire an amazing relationship, to change my career, and to receive a million dollars. This won’t work so choose only one area of focus.

4. Start the timer and for the next 3 to 5 minutes feel what it will be like when your soul calling, dream, or desire is manifested. Go to how it will FEEL to be you and have this already happening in your waking experience.

5. Allow the whole experience of how you would be, what you would feel like, imagine what you are wearing and how it feels to interact with others around you. Imagine feeling really supported and allowing what you want to come in easily and effortlessly. Have some fun, lighten it up, feel that smile on your face having what you always dreamed of! Imagine how much fun it will be for you and others when you are manifesting your soul calling.

6. Don’t go into the action steps, don’t try to figure out how to make it happen – just go straight into the fun part – the having it, the living it, the loving it!

7. Do this once a day. Stick to 3-5 minutes only. Step out of the way and let the magic begin!

When the fun stuff starts rolling in, please send me your story or post a comment so I can share it!

This week, I’ve shared my work in two Soul Callings events. (If you’re interested in hosting one of these small, intimate gatherings contact me today.) It’s been really amazing and the women are experiencing interesting breakthroughs.

But you want to know the funny thing that keeps happening? The women at these events want me to tell them about my own Soul Calling journey.

This comes as such a surprise to me. Me? Really? I’d much prefer to keep the focus on “the work” rather than talk about myself.

But I’ve come to realize that women want to hear how I have tried to do anything but follow my own Soul Callings and where that landed me.

I share my story in hopes that it inspires you to avoid the mistakes I made and to encourage you to stop pretending you don’t hear those soul callings and start listening to them.

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Pretending I don’t have it!

For so long I want to be ‘normal’. I wanted to have a regular job and a career that everyone gets. I wanted to fit in, be like everyone else and keep everyone around me happy.

I’ve tried everything in the book to avoid being the Savvy Soul Messenger. I was a corporate consultant, I ran a successful flower shop, I went to India to find my ‘real’ purpose and so much more.

I kept my gift and soul work studies ‘in the closet’ for many years. Everyone just thought I was into a lot of yoga or something like that.

And yet, no matter how successful I was in my “job,” deep down I knew something was off. Everyday when I would ‘suit up’ for my corporate work I had to shrink my whole self down into a box in order to get out the door. It was an everyday, internal battle.

I had an intuitive sense that if I kept up this charade, I would manifest a serious health crisis or some other soul crisis. That’s what happens you haven’t been listening to your soul callings for years — they become dramatic to get your attention.

Almost two years ago, after trying so hard to fit in as a regular gal, I threw in the towel. I didn’t want to run from who I am and my true gifts anymore. I was too exhausted to keep pretending.

I literally told the universe, “I am done. You’ve got to find some other way for me to be of service.” So I began to share with my friends and my family that I was making a big shift in my life. I admit it. I was terrified. But I also knew, for me, there was no going back.

It was during this time in which I received a very clear message that the work I am here to share with you is to guide, facilitate and teach others to access the Soul.

I am here to show you that your Soul Callings are true, they are real and yours alone.

I am here to show you that you can follow your soul callings regardless of all ‘the rules’ that may have told you otherwise.

I am here to help you know your own truth, your own intuition and your own soul callings.