Volume 4, Issue 3 | Mar. 7, 2008
www.shift-it-coach.com | Christina@shift-it-coach.com

Welcome to your March SHIFT-IT e-Zine.

1. A Note From Christina
   
2. Events Calendar
3. Launch of Merkley’s Manifestation Mastermind
4. Feature Article: Your Journey to a Creative-Based Lifestyle
5. Recent Blog Entries
6. More Links & Resources
   
   

Dear %$firstname$%,

Hope you’ve had an enjoyable month.

Since my last e-Zine, I’ve mostly been in ‘physical-recovery’ mode.  Seems I picked up a nasty little parasite from that Mexico trip of mine (tip: don’t eat raw oysters from beachside vendors... duh!).  Couldn’t stand or walk properly for over a month due to the kidney/back pain - geez.  But, I fit back into my skinny jeans now!

However, if this was going to happen, I couldn’t have timed it better.  I thankfully had no travel or client site work that I had to leave the house for – and everything that I did have lined up (coaching, tele-seminars and webinars) I could easily do from my couch.  Such a different scenario from my graphic facilitation/recording days... something like this would have been a major catastrophe!  So I was kind of pleased with it all in a funny way - was a sign of my success in shifting my lifestyle from what it once was.

One of the highlights from this couch bound month was being invited to do a tele-seminar for Cathy Goodwin on “Making Your Business and Adventure Goals a Reality” (if you are a new subscriber joining from the Cathy call – welcome!).

If you haven’t heard the call, you can still download the mp3 here (we actually had to redo it given the interference that occurred on the first call... so its now a full length recording).  Given how personally enjoyable and cathartic this call was for me, and the excellent questions that participants asked, this month’s article is a synopsis of that interview.

Enjoy! See you next month,

Christina Merkley,
The SHIFT-IT Coach

March 16:(2-5pm). NEXT LOA GATHERING:  This month’s fr*ee Law of Attraction Gathering in my Victoria, BC studio.  Watch and discuss LOA videos with like-minded folks.  Suitable for both beginners and more advanced. This month: Vintage Abraham-Hicks. RSVP Now

April 6 – June 22: (Sundays, 10-11:30am PST) MERKLEY’S MASTERMIND: You’ve asked for it, now here it is: my advanced virtual coaching group (conducted via webinar technology). This is a close ‘mastermind-style’ group that provides you with superb ongoing manifestation support –-- like-minded people to hone your Law of Attraction skills to an art with. Plus get the low down on Internet technology tools to support your business, skill, or hobby – or whatever else you want to manifest! Registration begins today. More Info

May 21-22: MEETING GRAPHICS 101 WORKSHOP (level 1): Introductory graphic recording and graphic facilitation skills for facilitators, consultants, trainers, coaches, managers and other process leaders and assistants. Foundational basics for the beginner. No art skills necessary.  More Info  Sold Out! (Wait list and November registration now). 

May 23-24: THE GRAPHIC BOOTCAMP (level 2): More advanced instruction and experiential practice. Offered right after MG 101 for those traveling from afar. Tons of at-the-wall drills. Demos. Template construction. Recording and facilitation practice. Advance icon library. Plus business and sales instruction- how to effectively market the benefits of working visually to create an internal or external practice. More Info  Sold Out! (Wait list and November registrations now).

June 19-21: SHIFT-IT INTENSIVE Spring is in the air – and so is my annual in-person SHIFT-IT Intensive in beautiful Victoria, B.C.  This is the only face-to-face group coaching I offer each year.  I’ll guide you step-by-step through my innovative SHIFT-IT Graphic Coaching Process ® - using both small and wall-size visual methods. You emerge with a clear vision, succinct plan and greatly enhanced inner alignment.  More Info.  12 spots only.

Ongoing: Private Mentoring and In-house Trainings: One-to-one graphic recording and graphic facilitation training for yourself or for your company/group. Come to me or I come to you. More Info.

Via webinar technology and a private Facebook group, we share stories, encouragement, resources and all the great things that occur in a Mastermind style group.  Be with your ‘tribe’ and have a supportive place to come each week, over 90 days.  The inner work of LOA is paired with seminars on real world tactics and techniques as well – a marriage of both the meta-physical and practical techniques I have used to manifest my own SHIFT and success.  Especially suited for those who want to build or enhance their own creative-based lifestyles.  Previous SHIFT-IT or LOA experience required. 

Click Here For All the Juicy Details

Interesting experience last week – I was interviewed about turning work and life goals into reality.  Given the personal nature of some of the callers’ questions, I ended up divulging a lot more of my own personal journey than I usually do (the interviewer, Cathy Goodwin, was a colleague/friend of mine and such a comfy atmosphere was created I just let it all out … its still available on mp3 here, if you’d like to listen). 

Here are a few pointers on the journey of creating an authentic, creative, aligned life – based off of what Cathy’s callers wanted to know most. 

It’s OK to Follow Your Bliss: 
Chances are, you already at least somewhat know what you like and want in your profession and personal life.  If so, let me emphasis that it is ok for you to follow your own bliss.  It’s ok to be into things that others around you perhaps don’t understand or get (at least not yet).  We are each wired with our own likes and preferences.  So, start following the things that YOU like most --- the things, ideas, experiences that bring you joy and pleasure (even if you have NO CLUE about ‘how to make money’ with them). 

You’ll Eventually Shape a Vision:
From following your bliss, you’ll naturally form what I term a ‘personal vision’. This means that you’ll begin to imagine and fantasize about your ‘desired future’.  About the things you want to be doing and the kind of person you want to start being.  Ideas will start to form. You’ll get that mixed excited and scared feeling – when you encounter possibilities that hit the spot.  You’ll start to dream, ponder and hope for the new things that you want to create. 

You’ll Need to Do Your ‘Trouble at the Border’ Work:
Fast on the heels of creating a Vision, is all the resistance that usually emerges as a reaction to your new thoughts and focus.  I call this ‘Trouble at the Border’ … the psychological border between who you are and who you want to become. 

This resistance comes in two forms: internal and external – and you will need to deal with both in order to successfully manifest your vision.

The internal resistance is all of your OWN contradictory inner thoughts and feelings about your Vision.  Creating a new reality for yourself is really an ‘inside game’.  You must ‘get good with you’.  You must learn to better soothe, reframe and support yourself in new ways, so you can emerge as you’d like to. 

The external resistance is the contradictory and less than supportive thoughts and feelings that your Vision provokes from others (the peanut gallery if you will).  This will change and soften as you do your own inner alignment (either the people around you will ‘come around’ or you will start attracting new people).  But to begin with, you will need to learn to deal more constructively and less personally with unsupportive and ‘killjoy’ colleagues, friends, partners, relatives, etc.  Sometimes this requires some significant ‘house cleaning’ as was my case which I shared on the call. 

Longer Segues Are Sometimes Necessary:
If you are like my clients, you aren’t starting your SHIFT to a more creative-based lifestyle right from scratch (even if it sometimes feels like it!).  You have a past and history – a platform that you are building off from.  How much time will it take for you to make your SHIFT?  That depends on you as each situation (and each person), is so unique. 

Where you are starting from … what you want to create … and how internally and externally aligned you are, are the big factors.  Unless you have financial reserves or a strong stomach for fiscal ambiguity, its probably going to take some time and involve making a slow but steady segue.  Like me, you may need to continue your ‘old existence’ to some extent, until your ‘new existence’ supports you – especially if you have a certain level of income that you must maintain. 

In my own case, I was single and needed to support myself.  I had to build my passion work on the side for five years before it could sustain me.  And invested any disposable income in my new venture to help grow it (I still drive a crappy car that I get teased about because my investment priorities are on my business).  Early on, my income was a third of what it was prior.  But bit-by-bit it rebounded, so now I make more than I ever did (and I work less and have much more fun!). 

Take Consistent Actions and Calculated Risks:
The other thing that both Cathy and I talked about in our call is the need to take consistent action and calculated risks.  In order to shift your own work and life for the better – you are going to have to take A LOT of little and not-so-little steps. Nobody will create it for you.  And it doesn’t pop out of thin air without your input (even if you apply Law of Attraction techniques like I do). 

Feel like you don’t have your whole plan worked out?  Don’t worry, nobody who is entrepreneurial ever does.  With an inspiring vision guiding us and a belief in our idea and ourselves, we just know the broad strokes and the first batch of steps and hunches that must be followed. More steps unfold as we take action and get feedback (both internal and external feedback).  We course correct as we go.  Sometimes there are mistakes and missteps.  But we don’t beat ourselves up about them and chalk them up to learning. 

Don’t wait until you’ve got it all figured out – you’ll be waiting forever. The figuring out happens in the process, it unfolds.  Rather, take some action (to the highest level of risk that you can still function and feel ok in) and let the ‘universe’ (or whatever you want to call it) guide you with its input and feedback.  Trust that it’ll reveal what you need to do next and trust yourself that you are capable of handling what comes your way.  Your relationship with yourself and your relationship with life is key!

© 2008 Christina L. Merkley

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this blurb with it:

Christina Merkley, "The SHIFT-IT Coach" and creator of the SHIFT-IT Method® is a Visioning and Strategic Planning Expert specializing in Graphic Facilitation and Law of Attraction techniques. Based in charming Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, she works deeply with individuals, partners and groups in defining and getting what they really, really want. For more information visit: www.shift-it-coach.com

Looking for more rich, SHIFT-IT content? Check out my blog for recent ramblings, resources and general interest features:

• Oprah and Eckhart Tolle... Isn't It Spectacular!
• Christina's Top 10 Recommendations from the Grove Consultants International
• Listen Feb. 26th as Cathy Goodwin, Mid-Life Career Strategist Interviews Me
• Abraham-Hicks Releases New Videos
• More Examples of Vision Boards
• My Experience with Sheila Gillette and Ask Theo
• Pattie Porter Adds Graphic Facilitation to Conflict Resolution

Besides the Blog, there are plenty of articles to read in the Ezine Archives. Browse past issues here.

Click Here to Read SHIFT-IT Blog

Ready to bust out of your status quo? Want to take things up to your next level? Curious how to really apply those Law of Attraction principles you have been hearing about for REAL effect?

Let's work together - by phone or in- person (in my charming Victoria BC studio). I'll get you to see and understand how you are currently creating your reality and bust you through the barriers, self sabotage and limiting beliefs that keep you stuck and locked in your status quo. Through our powerful work together you will systematically attract what you really want (better work, improved relationships, healthier body, enhanced prosperity - whatever it is that you want and need to shift for the better!). See testimonials from my many satisfied clients.

Info on Coaching Options

Can't travel to me? Want to experiment with the SHIFT- IT work on your own? Now Graphic Coaching tools right at your fingertips. Conduct your own SHIFT-IT Graphic Coaching Retreat® - from the privacy of your own home. Your life isn't a dress rehearsal. In fact, its happening right NOW. Is it going the way you want it to? Do you know what you next want? Are you sure you can do it? Get organized and confident with the step-by-step SHIFT-IT Graphic Coaching system.

In this innovative kit, I walk you through your past, present and desired future, so you can plot out your directions and strategies. You also pinpoint and flip the negative beliefs, assumptions and mindsets that stand in your way - to stop sabotaging yourself and your dreams. SHIFT-IT has already helped hundreds live life by design, not by accident. Learn how it can help you too!

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