Volume 4, Issue 7 | July 4, 2008
www.shift-it-coach.com | [email protected]

Welcome to your July SHIFT-IT e-Zine.

1. A Note From Christina
   
2. Events Calendar
3. Feature Article: How to Know When to Go
4. Recent Blog Entries
5. More Links & Resources
   
   

Dear %$firstname$%,

Wow, it’s July, can you believe it?!  It’s a little hard for me to believe, cause I have a big birthday coming up in a few weeks... amazing to me how quickly I got here! 

Lots of changes going on here at SHIFT-IT Coach, Inc.  Going through an ‘adult-ization’ of the business if you will –-- adding more assistants, updating my price structures, automating and creating new systems, etc.  Something about turning the big 4-0 that galvanizes things.  Feels like it’s the time to up the ante and we are! I’m excited about some big things coming up. 

In order to grow consciously, I’ve decided to intentionally prune some services and offerings that aren’t in line with my Vision anymore (I just can’t keep doing everything... as I’ve in essence been running two businesses for the last several years). 

As such, I have decided to officially end my mentoring and training in the skills of graphic recording and graphic facilitation by December 31, 2008. 

In order to be remain sustainable and walk my talk of a balanced, calm lifestyle, something has to go – and after 14+ years of doing and then training these fantastic group facilitation skills, its time to move on, so I can devote my full-time focus to SHIFT-IT Coach and the graphic coaching side of my business (which is growing in leaps and bounds). 

In honor of this segue that I’m personally going through, this month’s article is “How to Know When to Go”.  Oh, and by the way... as part of my ‘business adult-ization’ process I’ll be bumping the delivery of The SHIFT-IT e-Zine up to twice a month... so you’ll see a shorter format version two Fridays from now.

Enjoy! See you next month,

Christina Merkley,
The SHIFT-IT Coach

Sept 15-Oct 27 (Mondays, 4-5:30 pm PST): Level 1: SHIFT-IT Virtual Coaching Group Join like-minded SHIFTers from around the globe for this 7-week coaching group conducted via conf. call and webinar technology.  Get clear, organized and aligned for your next personal or professional SHIFT.  Identify and finally bust through your resistance, procrastination and self-sabotage to Become Your Next (better) Self!  Includes access to the innovative SHIFT-IT suite of visual coaching tools.  More Info and Registration.

Sept 14-Nov 30 (Sundays, 10-11:30am): Level 2: Merkley’s Manifestation Mastermind For SHIFT-IT alums … the next level of Law of Attraction learning, integration and community.  Strap on booster rockets as you precision refine your ability to focus and achieve vibrational alignment with what you want.  Integral marriage of inner and outer tools to support you with your professional and personal manifestation process. More Info. 

Nov. 5-8: Meeting Graphics 101 and The Graphic Bootcamp (level 1 and level 2 combo):  Yes, its true. This is the LAST EVER offering of my popular, inspiring and nurturing graphic skills training series.  Learn the base underlying skills for graphic recording and graphic facilitation, no matter what level of artistic ability. Plus all the inside scoop on marketing, business development and personal mindset … for both internal and external practitioners.  Let my over 14+ years experience live on thru you! More Info.  2 spots left.

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. Only available to the end of this year (alas the graphics training side of my business is concluding on Dec. 31, 2008 – book me while you still can!)  More Info.

Been working in a certain area for a long time?  Ready to move into newer territory?  I hear ya!  But how do you know when it’s truly time to go?  Listening to these signals can make your SHIFT easier and smoother … and enable you to make your transition in style. 

Pay Attention to Your Discomfort:
Chances are you have wanted to make a SHIFT for a while and have been sweeping your uncomfortable feelings under the rug – hoping they might go away or you’ll somehow be saved from having to actually do something.  While this can certainly work for the short-term, it’ll backfire on you eventually. 

Your discomfort is there for a reason … it’s telling you that you are ready for your next level of development and evolution.  If you don’t listen to it, it’ll up the ante and turn up the volume – with results like frustrated outbursts, negative incidences or even health concerns.  Do yourself a favor --- acknowledge how you really feel about your situation (be it personal or professional) and realize that your feelings are your friend not your enemy. 

Use the Negative to Get Clear About What You Really Want:
Negative situations are blessings in disguise. They are the universe’s method of getting us to bust through to our next level.  If we use them properly, they can clearly and concisely point us towards what we do want.  Don’t stop short when you have outgrown your current existence.  Use your discomfort as a springboard. 

For example, a few years back when I was increasingly feeling discomfort at facilitating corporate and not-for-profit strategic planning retreats I used my pain to help me get clear about what I did want.  If I didn’t want long hours, lots of travel, sort of toxic groups, and negativity ---- what did it tell me about what I did want?  I FLIPPED IT … it told me that I wanted humane and flexible hours, clients traveling to me (or working virtually), healthy and functioning individuals, couples or business partners and lots of positive emotions and joy.   

Focus on What You Do Want:
You’ll never get anywhere focused on what doesn’t feel good and what you don’t want.  You have to use the initial negativity to help you get clear … then do your very best to hardly focus on the negative past or uncomfortable present again.  Once you’ve got your new sights set, you need to put your attention there – constantly, repeatedly, almost obsessively (but not so obsessively that you start feeling bad). 

Do visions boards, collages, virtual reality and scripting exercises … anything that gets you off of what is, onto what you want to be. Hang around with people who already there (even if the only access you have to them is reading about them!).  You’ve got to FEEL your new reality.  Grock in it.  Marinate.  Ooze it.  The more you do this then the more you will start identifying yourself with the new you as opposed to the old you. And the more things will subtly (and sometimes shockingly) shift in your outer world to reflect your new vibe. 

Yes, You Are Going to Have to Take Action (and probably a lot!):
I’ve manifested that vision that was born out of my frustrating corporate work from a few years back.  It is now my reality.  I have humane and flexible hours (most of the time … the problem now is I’ve become a little too wanted one-to-one), clients travel to me and I work virtually as well, and my clientele are individuals now not unhappy groups.  And my work is all about the positive and increasing joy and happiness.  It’s a dream come true. 

But I didn’t just dream it.  I took actions.  Lots and lots of little and consistent actions that added up.  When I lined up with my vision … ideas and inspirations came to me. And I acted on them (even when I was scared and unsure … and that was a lot!).  I found people to help me.  I invested in needed training and coaching.  I took risks.  I went for it.  I believed in myself (and loved myself!) deep, deep down (the only place where it really counts). 

It’s An Ongoing Process of Discomfort, Alignment and Discomfort Again:
I now feel new rumblings of discomfort and that is ok. I’ve realized that that is just the way life works.  We get disgruntled, we use that to figure out what we do want, we align with what we want and we take inspired action.  It eventually manifests (in some form or other), then the process starts over again --- maybe not as cleanly as all that, but more or less.  Being ok with life being an ongoing evolutionary process really softens things.  And the softer you can be about things, the easier they get!

© 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:

• Int'l Forum of Visual Practitioners Conference in Chicago, August 6-8
• Good Times at Last Week's SHIFT-IT Intensive
• Sheri's Latest Book Launch - Great Bonuses!
• Really Big Picture View of Life

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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