Hasta La Gadget!

I’m broke.

OK, not totally broke. But broker than I have been in a while.

And yes, I am abundantly blessed overall, but today we are talking down and dirty about the money!

If you read my previous post “Why I Broke Up With My Coach” you learned that I created a coaching program that was a BUST following a “one size-fits all” model recommended by my business coach.

And then in “Why I Traveled 8000 Miles to Find Myself” I shared how disconnected with myself I became, because I majorly postponed all of the self-care and spiritual practices that give me life and give my work purpose.

So, in this post we pick up where I left off.

I came home from a whirlwind trip around the world, with no sales from my busted, misaligned program and all of my energy depleted.

I had lost myself…and then found myself…and now it was time to rebuild myself.

I knew I needed to find my way back, but couldn’t bring myself to create any new products for fear that they would be out of alignment too and just deepen my disconnect.

I had to kick my butt into gear and the only way I knew to do that was to stop creating, stop taking action and to be still.

I was SO desperately craving this, since I had been in totally alpha/ego over-drive for months chasing my BIG MONEY dreams. Not once did I slow down enough to register if I liked what I was creating and whether it was in alignment with my purpose.

Sometimes we have to go back to the basics in order to find our inspiration in life, so that’s what I did.

I decided that I was not going to focus on any new business development. I wasn’t going to create anything, launch anything or sell anything. I was just going to serve my existing clients and otherwise create spaciousness for me to focus on my self-care and spiritual practices.

I was going to get my groove back and get ME back – I didn’t care if I was going to be broke!

I knew it was temporary and that I could always make money. I had to do this now, or else I would get too far off track.

I heard the SOS call loud and clear.

I was going to rescue myself.

Let the Practical Spirituality Bootcamp begin…here was my remedy…if you’re feeling “off” anywhere in your own life, try these steps to realign yourself too:

10 Practices To Create Spiritual Alignment

1. Identify a Sacred Space in Your Home Just for You

2. Create an Altar with Items Representing Your Core Values

3. Design Morning & Evening Rituals Centered Around Gratitude & Intention

4. Get Active

5. Connect With Nature

6. Play, Laugh, Dance & Have Fun

7. Spend Time With Friends

8. Be Present With Your Children

9. Prioritize Romance

10. Practice Self-Care Daily Through Prioritizing Your Needs

I took the time to set up a really beautiful office space and to include my prayer and meditation altar in the room.

I scheduled daily prayer, meditation and journal writing.

I got a massage and got my hair did.

I hung out with all my girlfriends – drank margaritas and danced all night.

I spent time with my man talking about my journey and what kind of support I needed.

Every month, my revenue dipped, but the balance in my self-love account was BOOMING!

I began to get inspired again about creating a new offering – one that would fuse my previous program with all the insights and teachings I learned from this journey.

But I wasn’t ready yet…I still needed time to receive…and so I went off the grid.

Stay tuned for my next post “My 30 Day Adventure Off The Grid” to read what happened next in my adventure back to myself!

I am super excited about my latest free offering — The Super Fly Collection: 19 FREE Guides, Meditations & Action Sheets from the Best Soulful Entrepreneurs in the Biz. If you want to snag it get it HERE: here and come hang with me at my place: www.CeliaWardWallace.com.

Got the Sunday night blues? You’re not alone. Plenty of people aren’t in careers they love, and because work takes up so much of our time, that’s a huge bummer.

This new video from The School Of Life, a London-based organization that focuses on “emotional intelligence and self-understanding,” lists six ways we can find jobs that not only pay the bills, but actually feel fulfilling.

The list includes knowing yourself and what you enjoy doing, thinking about it a lot, trying something — shadow, intern or volunteer on the side — reflecting on what makes people unhappy and being confident in yourself.

“You are more likely to be successful if you have consistent activities, hobbies and tasks that make you happy,” wrote life coach and psychologist Lisabeth Saunders Medlock, Ph.D., as she stressed the importance of finding a career you love in a HuffPost blog post. “The best way to do this is to have a career or job that you love. Because we spend so much of our day at work, it is important to do work that is meaningful and enjoyable. Think about what you wanted to be when you were young, about your perfect job and about the skills and talents you want to utilize. This may mean finding a new career path.”

Watch the video above School Of Life’s six suggested steps. After all, as the video points out, most of us don’t arrive spontaneously at knowing which career path is the perfect choice for us.

If you’re reading this article, then you’ve benefited, at least indirectly, from the laws protecting the satirical French newspaper Charlie Hebdo. These laws support freedom of expression, itself rooted in the political philosophy of Liberalism. Liberalism holds that individual rights are inherent, not granted, and that governments best operate based on a “social contract” between leaders and citizens, rather than divine right or absolute authority. And for all their faults Liberal societies have produced the some of the most prosperous, diverse, and safe places in history. These are places where informed electorates consider minority rights, environmentalism, and economic equality.

This entire way of life is under assault.

***

I’m deeply concerned about where things are headed in the world, specifically regarding the violent struggle between the West and extreme Jihadist groups. This appears to be the defining geopolitical struggle of my adult life, and one far from resolution. It’s not an issue that I’m willing to ignore or merely “outsource” to other people. I also believe that what “we” do – the citizens living in the countries of the world – powerfully influences the future of this struggle. In this era of open economies and borderless communication, people power is more potent than ever.

We must choose what world we want to live in. We must decide what we are willing to tolerate. We must have boundaries around what we hold sacred.

***

As any observer of history will tell you, progress is not irreversible. In the West, advanced societies in ancient Greece and Rome gave way to over a millennium of social barbarism and intellectual hibernation. Rapid modernization in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries led to twentieth-century showdowns with fascism and communism. In the U.S., the abolition of slavery spawned decades of institutional racism, victory in World War Two fostered years of McCarthyism, and the aftermath of 9/11/2001 generated a surveillance state that we’re just now attempting to restrain.
In the East, various periods of openness and progress unleashed horrific militarism in Japan and decades of punishing isolation in China. Progress in India has been wobbly. The Middle East appears up for grabs.

There is no cruise-control setting for Liberalism. No matter how much a society commits to and entrenches itself in democratic institutions, it is never past the point of no return. It takes constant effort and vigilance. We are at a point in the West, and wherever else Liberalism stands as the societal model, of facing a test. How committed are we to this way of life?

***

It’s often tempting to think that we are not at risk of dealing with extremism, that those prone to such danger are other people. We may think, “I’m not a soldier,” or “I’m not an aid worker,” or “I’m not a cartoonist at a satirical newspaper.” Yet we must reflect on the wisdom from people who have faced down and lived through extremist threats in the past.

Consider the words of Martin Niemöller, a prominent Protestant pastor who publicly quarreled with Hilter’s administration in Nazi Germany.

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out–
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out–
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out–
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me–and there was no one left to speak for me.

If we allow paramilitary death squads to target unarmed cartoonists because of how they express their ideas, then we all lose our ability to express ourselves. If we change our way of life to accommodate ideologies of hatred and genocide, then it’s just a matter of time until we’re targeted in the crosshairs of purification.

We have come too far and struggled too mightily to allow radical groups spewing tribal venom to destroy our society. We must stand up for who we are and what we believe in. This may, indeed, be our generation’s mission.

***

Yet it’s the “how to fight this attack on Liberalism” decision that confounds most of us. In short, I suggest, be more liberal. Liberalism celebrates the individual’s choice to direct his or her own life. Embrace it. Choose how to think and how to show up. Avoid the often-automatic responses of blame, cynicism, or retreat. Hate thrives on fear.

We didn’t become prosperous, liberal societies by forming angry mobs and attacking easy targets. There’s a subtle but important line between defending ourselves and succumbing to reactionary revenge.

Consider the following ideas:

1. Speak your mind in whatever way fits. Many people on social media have embraced the hashtag #JeSuisCharlie. In the words of Gandhi, “Be the change that you want to see in the world.”
2. Learn more about interfaith efforts. Check out this link: http://worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com. Get involved. Don’t shy away.
3. Reach out to your friends or acquaintances who are Muslim or have Muslim roots. Let them know that you’re interested in promoting dialogue. These individuals have an important role to play in the future of their culture.
4. Take that next step in your life to express your identity, whatever it is. Start that conversation, ask that person out, open that business, or write that article. Be a role model for those who fear following their dreams. Your courage inspires others.

In closing, I’d like to open for comment the trickiest aspect of this difficult issue. While we can create the world in which we want to live, and we can work to promote our ideals in the world, there are simply people who can’t or won’t play by the same set of rules. The rules for resolving differences in open, liberal societies are to engage in dialogue, debate differences, and then achieve a solution through consensus or voting. But no radical Jihadist groups have signaled an interest in dialogue or debate with any opposition groups. It’s a matter of submitting or dying.
So, how can we retain our values and constructively deal with radical Jihadism?

This article first appeared on the site Good Men Project.

As a coalition of 39 preeminent Latino organizations, the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA) seeks to influence public policy to ensure that Latino interests are taken into account at the national level. This is an important time to reflect on what the Latino advocacy community believes Congress should accomplish and which policy areas Latinos should keep an eye on in the coming weeks. It is all of our responsibility to hold Members of Congress accountable.

As a new Congress convenes, Congressional Republican leaders have repeatedly underscored their desire for bipartisanship. This is a welcome approach and now that they are in the majority they have two years to prove that they are serious about this effort.

While Latinos are impacted by every public policy issue debated at the federal level, there are at least four areas with a tradition of bipartisan cooperation where the 114th Congress should start. NHLA has national campaigns to support these efforts and we look forward to working with Congress to ensure we make real progress on the following:

1. Immigration

Congressional Republicans have complained about President Obama’s executive actions on immigration, which he took as a direct result of the House of Representatives’ inability to pass immigration reform legislation, despite support from a majority of its membership. With a new Congress comes a new opportunity for the House to pass legislation. Everyone agrees that a legislative solution is the best course of action, and the work of the Senate in 2013 demonstrates that a bipartisan solution is achievable.

In the Senate, the majority that passed a bipartisan immigration reform bill in June 2013 remains largely intact after the midterm elections. Of the 68 Senators who voted for the bill, 57 remain in office today, and at least three new Senators are immigration reform supporters, providing a filibuster-proof majority for passing the bill again.

In the meantime, we will continue to support the President’s executive action on administrative relief to fix our broken immigration system. President Obama has the legal authority to execute these actions and they are important measures which will provide much needed relief to our communities as we wait for Congressional action.

Unfortunately, House leadership has chosen to start the 114th Congress in an anti-immigrant and anti-compromise fashion, voting on repealing the President’s immigration actions. Turning the clock back on immigration enforcement that puts people in fear of deportation and family separation is cruel and wrong-headed. There will be no social, economic, or public safety benefit to the nation. Republicans must join the broad coalition of business, labor, and faith groups that support fixing our broken immigration system with comprehensive legislation.

2. The Economy

Latinos were among those hit hardest by the great recession, recent improvements in the economy and job market have been critical for our community. This new Congress can demonstrate sound economic leadership by, first of all, not repeating any of the manufactured crises that caused a government shutdown and brought our nation to the brink of default. The instability these unnecessary crises create harms the economy and hurts Latino businesses and workers alike.

Second, Congress should ensure that its efforts to keep government spending in check do not come at the expense of needed investments in our long term prosperity which depend on adequate funding for education and job-training.

Third, Congress should also permanently extend the 2009 expansions of the refundable portions of the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit – popular tax credits that reward work and keep millions of adults and children out of poverty.

3. Nominees To Serve In The Administration

The confirmation process for the president’s nominees has too often devolved into political point-scoring. Sometimes nominations are even delayed for reasons completely unrelated to the nominee or their qualifications. Latino nominees have been among those to suffer from this dynamic. With the fresh start that this Congress provides, the new majority has the opportunity to put past practices behind it and exercise the role of advice and consent as our constitution’s framers intended. At a minimum, nominations should be brought to the Senate floor in a timely fashion for a straight-forward yes-or-no vote, rather than held in limbo indefinitely.

4. Voting Rights

This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the landmark Voting Rights Act (VRA). This pivotal legislation has repeatedly protected voters, particularly those in minority communities, from those who would seek to perpetuate their own power by denying the democratic voice of others. Unfortunately, discriminatory practices still appear whenever the growth of the minority vote is perceived as threatening to the powerful. The elections season has become litigation season, as voters are often forced to seek judicial recourse when discriminatory changes are put in place and implemented in the weeks and months prior to a vote. The Supreme Court has weakened the deterrent effect of the VRA and eliminated its most efficient component. The 2006 VRA reauthorization – the fourth time the VRA was reauthorized – occurred under a Republican majority in both chambers of Congress. There should remain a strong understanding of the universal support for the right to vote.

What better way for Congress to pay tribute to this 50th anniversary of the VRA than to enact a critical restoration of the one of the most powerful and efficient portions of the venerable act. Amendment of the VRA enjoys strong bipartisan support inside and outside of Congress. As a growing population, Latinos, in particular, need a modernized Voting Rights Act following the Supreme Court’s narrow 2013 decision to strike down the formula for its pre-clearance provisions. Modernization can and should benefit all voters, including particularly those groups whose growth in democratic participation may be wrongly perceived as a threat.

Before Latino voters turn their attention toward the presidential contest next year, both parties in Congress have the opportunity to build a record – not just rhetoric – of pragmatic solutions that support Latino families, workers, businesses, and consumers. This is an opportunity that could pay huge dividends come 2016, where the Latino vote will play a critical role, and our coalition will be scoring these votes.

We all make resolutions for the Near Year. Mostly about what we’re going to eat, how much we’re going to exercise and how many new hobbies we’ll start. And they’re great things to do. But what about relationship resolutions? What about making a promise to yourself to be a little healthier on the dating front this year? At our biz, NeverLikedItAnyway.com, we hear a lot about dating fails. So here are 10 relationships resolutions that can help make you a little healthier and a lot happier in the love department in 2015.

1. Look Up!
Tinder and Hinge and Match are all great, but don’t forget real connections happen in the real world. It might be when you’re buying your coffee, walking your dog or waiting at the doctor’s surgery. Your ‘Meet Cute’ could happen anywhere, so be present.

2. Meet Up!
If you are doing the online thing, forget the perpetual flirty ping-pong and just meet up. You’ll never know unless you actually meet in person. Why prolong it? Rip off the Band-aid and swap the text time for face time (the real kind).

3. Love Yourself
This is the most important relationship (and the longest) one you will ever have. If you can’t get this one right, the other ones are bound to fail. Make sure you make time for number one. Invest in yourself and it will come back tenfold.

4. Forget Your ‘Type’
Types are a trapping. With so many people working hybrid jobs and having hybrid interests, we’re all a bit of everything — and ruling people out not only shortens your pool, but it shortens your chances. Rather than say something too categoric like “I like doctors,” try broadening it to “I like smarts.” It doesn’t matter in what ways they’re clever; the point is they are clever. The rest can be a surprise.

5. Give it More Than One Date
My friend and matchmaker extraordinaire Talia Goldstein at the ThreeDayRule is adamant that one date isn’t enough to tell. She says, “You just never know after a first date. There’s not enough information to make such a decisive call.” So unless it’s a complete train wreck of a situation, go back for seconds. And go back with an open mind.

6. Let Go Of Perfection
There aren’t really any rules any more. If you have a tightly-held notion of how it should all look… what they should say, how they should act and how it should feel, you’re only ever going to be disappointed. Once you let go of all this, you’re open to being swept off your feet in ways you never imagined.

7. Don’t Obsess
Sometimes dates are great. Sometimes they’re horrible. Just let it go and don’t paint everything with the same “this is hopeless” brush after you have a bad one. It doesn’t mean the next will be bad. Smile, be grateful for the funny side (there always is) and move on.

8. Dress The Part
Treat everyday as the day you might meet your perfect person. That little extra love and attention that you put into getting yourself ready to face the day will radiate out through you and change the way you choose to interact with people you meet. In other words, you’ll be a total people magnet!

9. Ask!
If you want to go on more dates, ask your friends to keep you in mind for any potentials they know or might meet. There’s nothing wrong with asking your friends for help — that’s what they’re for, right? Besides, you now have four eyes on the hunt, not two!

10. Have Fun
And if you only take one piece of this advice to heart, let it be this… Have Fun! Fun is infectious. You want to be around people that are having a good time. Do your thing. Live all in and you’ll draw into your life someone that matches the best version of yourself. And it doesn’t get any better than that.