Have you ever longed to launch something new? Perhaps you want to start your own business, get back in the dating pool or perform live on stage. If you’ve ever kick-started any new venture, you’ve undoubtedly experienced bouts of F-E-A-R that come along for the ride.

While fear is natural, it can also become a debilitating force that stops you dead in your tracks unless you know the right way to handle it.

Here are three useful keys I learned during my first surfing lesson that will help you eliminate fear when launching into something new!

1. Invest in The Right Tools

If you want to expand your skill set in any arena, you’re going to need the right tools. Whether you want to be a better cook, grow your business, or be more successful in relationships, there are tools to help you get there faster and more elegantly. Since I can’t stand being cold, I knew I needed a top-notch wetsuit that would keep me warm and toasty so I could focus on my surfing form.

How about you? What are the right tools for YOUR new venture? Is it software? An audio training program? A piece of physical equipment? The bottom line here is the right tools facilitate fast learning and greatly reduce the fear factor in any new venture.

2. Hire a Great Coach

No matter what you want to learn, launch or create - there is someone who’s been there, done that. The biggest mistake you can make when launching a new venture is to try and figure everything out on your own. Not only will it take you WAY longer to see results, but you’ll run the risk of getting paralyzed with fearful thoughts; constantly wondering “if you’re doing it right.”

For my surfing lesson, I kept asking my instructor questions as they popped up in my mind. This allowed me to stay immersed in learning and out of fear. A great coach helps eliminates fear by giving you constant feedback, direction and encouragement. And don’t be cheap with your venture! Hire the best teachers you can afford with a proven track record of success.

3. Master Your Ability to Manage Your Emotions

Unless you learn how to manage your emotions, fear-driven energy will severely inhibit your ability to fulfill your potential in life. Want the truth? We all have fear. Top athletes, performers and business people have just as much fear as you do. The difference is in how they manage their fear-based emotions.

During my surfing lesson, I freely admitted when I was fearful and let myself experience it. Fear is just a sensation. It’s energy in your body. The secret to eliminating fear is to allow yourself to experience fear without believing the thoughts that accompany those uncomfortable sensations.

When you feel fear without resisting it, fear dissolves. Thankfully, the ability to move ahead including your fear is a skill set anyone can learn! And when you have the right tools and a great coach, managing your fear-driven emotions is a heck-of-a-lot easier.

Of course, there’s a lot more to say on the subject of fear, but these three keys will help you get started right away.

If you’re interested in going WAY beyond your comfort zone and stretching out into a life that’s fully energized, engaged and exciting, then join me for my upcoming “Live In The Moment Booty Camp: Beyond the Basics” course launching September 24th, 2008.

Work with me for six full weeks and learn proven tools to master your emotions, energy and intuition. You’ll also be connected with a global community of like-minded people to support you every step of the way!

Learn more and get registered here: http://www.marieforleo.com/btb

Hey Guys! While I’ve been quiet about posting for a while, it’s not due to a lazy summer.

Don’t get me wrong…we’ve been having a lot of fun in the sun too!

Here I am with some girlfriends at the beach in Sag Harbor. We’re all wearing Jungle Gurl bikinis made from vintage material. These eco-friendly suits are HOT (and totally made for round booties)! The creator, Natalie, is a fiery entrepreneur who we’ll be seeing a lot more from.

Off of the beach, things have been heating up with new programs, products and a BIG new launch I’m working on that is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. While the details aren’t ready yet, just know that we’ll be launching a one-of-a-kind global community that will help you GROW in every sense of the word!

The first big launch of the summer was my Live In The Moment Booty Camp program. It was an AMAZING four-week course that brought people together from all over the world to learn all about the lifestyle of living in the moment. Stay on the lookout for the home study version that will be released in the next few days.

And speaking of Booty Camp, our next offering called “Beyond the Basics: Everything You’ve Wanted to Know About Emotions, Energy and Intution” is open for registration! You can learn more here and get signed up right now. For me it’s back to my “big project” and some coaching calls. Talk to you soon xoxo M

Last Saturday afternoon I was in Sag Harbor and I was about ready to hit the beach - my reward for a morning full of down and dirty gardening

While I was pulling weeds, I realized something interesting:

I LOVE to remove what’s not necessary.

Let me explain…

Note: What I’m about to share next may be TMI (too much information) but that’s never stopped me before so why stop now?

Here’s the thing. I’m a passionate tweezer.

When I find a stray eyebrow or random hair coming out of some place that’s just plain WRONG (ladies…you know what I mean!) I take immense pleasure in plucking those little suckers right out.

And no, I just don’t pluck myself. Nearby friends and loved ones get the benefit of my passion to pull too. Most people will just look at that weird hair growing out of your chin and not say a word. Me? I’ll lovingly pull you aside, whip out my tweezer and have you hairless and presentable in seconds.

Weeds in my garden? Just as fun.

I love removing all unnecessary growth from around my beautiful hydrangeas. This consistent weeding allows the flowers to have all the energy, nourishment and space they need to fully blossom.

Then it hit me like a lightening bolt!

One of the reasons I’m so passionate about teaching people to live in the moment is that it’s just like tweezing and weeding…

It’s all about removing unnecessary crap!

Except rather than nose hairs or dandelions, we get to extract old thoughts, negative ideas, drama, stories, limiting beliefs, false assumptions, old patterns and other crap that gets in the way of our brilliance.

Think about it.

We all have some overgrown “weeds” in our mind that if left untended, will strangle out our dreams and kill the flowers of our aliveness. We all have some unattractive “hairs” that grow automatically, like bad habits, that embarrass us again and again.

But with a little plucking and pruning, the garden of our being can grow healthy, strong and beautiful. Take a look for yourself. What are you ready to tweeze or remove? Any projects? Relationships? Habits? Old thoughts that simply don’t work?

Now if you want a “professional plucker” like me on your team, I’d be glad to help. In fact, you’ve still got time to sign-up for my brand new “Live In the Moment Booty Camp” course. (It started last week, but it’s not too late to listen to the audio replay of the first call and get caught up before the next call, this Wednesday.)

You can find all the details here.

I’m humbled and excited by the number of people registered already. More than 150! It’s an amazing and very diverse group and I would really love YOU to join us too.

And if you know you’re going to sign-up, do it now so we can send out your invite to our “Private Social Network” that’s exclusively for Booty Camp participants. This interactive forum is a place I’ve created for all the participants to meet each other, share “Aha Moments”, ask questions and access my hand picked videos and resources. The most amazing and inspiring posts are already flying back and forth in the forums.

So if you want strengthen your “in the moment muscles” with a fabulous group of like-minded peeps and launch into an entirely new way of living, don’t delay.

Get your buns in the Live In The Moment Booty Camp today!

Just a few hours ago, I was talking with my friend who’s a very talented an accomplished costume designer. (She has over 3,000 of her designs in the Beijing Olympics and recently designed the wardrobe on a Meryl Streep film.) Needless to say, she’s quite successful. She’s also an amazing and beautiful person inside and out. But when she called me, she wasn’t feeling so amazing and successful. Why?

Long story short, an “authority figure” in her industry told her, in not so many words, that she was “not enough” yet and needs another 5 years of assistant type work before she can expect to compete in the “big leagues.” From the “authority figure” point of view, there is a set path to success in that industry and my friend had done her career all wrong. (Always fun to hear that kind of feedback from people you hold in high esteem, right?)

I had to laugh because defying “conventional wisdom” has made me successful time and time again and allows me to enjoy a magical life that most people think is impossible. You see, there IS magic in this world and success can often happen easier, faster and more directly than the rest of the world thinks. And just because someone is an “authority figure” does not mean they live in a space of magic and transformation.

So I asked my friend, “Has following conventional wisdom created success for you before?”

FRIEND: “No.”

ME: “Ok…how about your relationship with your husband? Did that happen in a traditional way…following all the rules?”

FRIEND: “No…of course not. And it’s the most amazing relationship ever!”

ME: “Right. So everything you love about your life has been produced by defying conventional wisdom and living in the space of magic, transformation and unreasonable-ness???”

FRIEND: “Yes!”

Now here’s the cool thing….

Just a few weeks ago, I was told by a mega big PR firm that I did my book launch ALL WRONG and that basically, I should pack it in and give up. I had a few tears and felt devastated for a few minutes, and then….A hot spark of Italian fire lit up inside me and I said “Oh yeah??? I should pack it in? Watch this….”

Fast forward 3 weeks…

Today I got an awesome email from my editor at McGraw-Hill saying that he is thrilled with book sales so far and we’re #7 on Amazon.com for the dating category. My book that I did “all wrong” keeps showing up on their internal “best seller” lists. My point? Do NOT listen to naysayers or people who have narrow and “reasonable” ideas of success.

There are many ways to create results and often, those results can happen much faster, easier and more effortlessly than you think. Reality is how you define it. The reality I now live in is a magical one. It may not be the most popular reality, but it works for me and many people I know and love.

If you have a dream burning in your heart, don’t give up!

Surround yourself with people who think “Why not?” rather than “that’ll never happen…” You have a dream for a reason. And that reason is to make a difference in the world. Take a look for yourself. Are you living in a “normal” way? Do you need to upgrade your reality?

If you want to come play with me, and other like-minded folks in the space of magic and possibilities, sign-up for my Live In The Moment Booty Camp coming up in July:

http://www.marieforleo.com/bc

I’ve added a new social networking component so you can connect with other folks, share Aha-moments and support each other during the journey. Of course, I’ll be with you every step of the way!

Not sure if Booty Camp is right for you? Join me for a free teleseminar, “7 Myths of Living in the Moment.”

If you still have questions, write to question@marieforleo.com and you will be PERSONALLY contacted.

Would you like to get more done? There are a few simple and easy tricks that can radically skyrocket your productivity, income and satisfaction.

But when overwhelm hits, it all comes down to knowing what’s going to make the biggest impact - fast.

Here are my top 7 strategies to get you back on track in an instant:

1. Single-task

Are you a chronic multi-tasker? STOP that! Multi-tasking is moronic. It’s also the biggest productivity killer there is. Why? Because no two things can occupy the same space at the same time. For example, it’s impossible to be EFFECTIVE on the phone and email too. Not only do you miss parts of both tasks, but you make mistakes, drive your stress level sky high and do major damage your relationships. (Just think of how it feels when you’re speaking to someone on the phone who you KNOW is checking their emails!) Single-tasking, or, doing just one thing at a time with excellence is where it’s at.

2. Quit

That’s right. You read it correctly. I said quit! Sometimes we creative entrepreneurs get sucked into every new “bright and shiny” opportunity that comes our way. A few months ago I found myself feeling bogged down and realized I was involved in a project that really wasn’t a good fit for me. But I was scared to back out for fear of what it would do to my reputation. You know what? Getting OUT of that project produced a windfall of other, more profitable projects! Plus I had a surge of energy and time. And honestly, the other person felt relieved too.

3. Shut all the gadgets OFF

Don’t become the victim of your constant ringing phone, IM and emails. When you need to produce results, shut all your gadgets and notifications off. Contrary to popular belief, the world will not come to an end if you disconnect for a few hours. In fact, I guarantee that the more time you regularly “unplug”, the easier it will be for you to complete projects that bring you money and satisfaction.

4. Ditch and delete ruthlessly

Do you have piles of unread mail, newsletters and magazines? How about disorganized files on your computer? Or hundreds of emails in your inbox?

Most of us are buried under heaps of useless information that we collect because we “might need it someday.” PAALLEASE! Let’s get real people. 99% of this information can be chucked. I recently had to re-install the operating system on my computer and lost a good portion of my current inbox. While all my important files and emails are backed up and safe, those 25 or so emails in my inbox got wiped out! Guess what? No harm done and no small children died. Sometimes, the best way to move forward fast it to be bold with your delete key and trash bin.

5. Knock yourself off the Internet

When I’m on traveling on a plane it’s shocking how much writing I get done. Why? Because there’s no frickin’ Internet connection! The crack-head-like-addiction to hit send and receive or check Facebook simply vanishes. (Just to be clear, Facebook rocks. It’s super fun and if you’re on Facebook, add me as your friend!) But every once in a while, if you need to crank out a project fast, unplug your Internet connection and turn off your wireless access. Then dive in to producing results!

6. If it ain’t a ‘hell yes’ it’s a ‘hell no’

My friend Lorrie Morgan-Ferraro shared this quote with me recently and I love it! Take a look around your business and your life. If anything (including a relationship, project, client, outfit, opportunity, etc.) isn’t a “hell yes!” it should be “hell no!” Don’t allow time-suckers and energy drainers into your life. Unless you are absolutely clear you want to invest your time and energy into something or someone, steer clear. This is especially important the more successful you become!

7. Quit complaining

Complaining may be the deadliest time, money and satisfaction killer there is. The trick here is to really pay attention, BE HONEST and notice how much of the time you’re moaning (silently or aloud) about something. Want to know the wild part? Most of us complain so automatically we don’t even realize we’re doing it. In fact, we often complain about things we have absolutely no control over (like the weather) and wonder why we feel exhausted at the end of every day. My suggestion? Quit complaining cold turkey and watch your productivity and well-being rise fast.

Photo originally uploaded by rephlektiv

Confession: I’ve got goosebumps as I write this…

Why? Because I’ve been quietly working on something that I’ve been wanting to do for a LONG time. And it’s finally ready, but before I tell you about it, I want to share a simple, healing idea.

Just this morning I was at Yoga class here in Sag Harbor and I realized something profound:

We human beings need presence and connection. Our bodies, minds and souls long to be connected to one another and connected to the deeper intelligence of life itself.

When we are truly present, something in and around us is healed and energized. It doesn’t require effort or strain. Only guidance,
attention and if you’re lucky, a loving community.

When you have those three things, life becomes sweet. Stress, worry, and “drama” naturally fall away. What’s left is your brilliance. You can interact with any situation with clarity and compassion. You also enjoy an expanded ability to create, enjoy and make a difference in the world. It’s wonderfully ordinary and profoundly extraordinary all at once!

Discovering how to live in this state of presence has truly been the most powerful thing I’ve ever learned in my life.

And now, I’d like to invite YOU to join me on this exciting adventure and bring the power of presence into your own life.

Interested? If so, learn more about what I’ve been working on here. If you’ve been itching for a fun, affordable way to work with me and launch into an entirely new way of living, here’s your chance. I’d love to have you join us!

Millions of people are learning about the benefits of living in the now. From eliminating stress to a total life transformation, it’s the key to a treasure chest of riches. The problem is it often seems impossible to implement. But like any muscle that strenthes with exercise, your ability to be present gets stronger with practice. And the result? A dramatic and rapid increase in not only your personal well-being, but your business growth too. Living in the moment helps you get the right things done faster, tap into your full business potential and connect more authentically to your clients and staff.

Here are 7 tips that will help you start flexing your “in the moment” muscle right now:

1. Do Practice

The first step to being in the moment is to notice where your attention is. If you’re thinking about anything else other than what’s you’re doing right now, stop. Take a breath. Relax your shoulders. Gently redirect your attention and fully engage with what you’re doing. This is especially important when you’re in the presence of other people. There is no greater gift to offer than your full, undivided attention. And don’t beat yourself up if being present consistently is challenging at first. The trick is to simply catch when you’ve drifted off into your thoughts and bring yourself back to be fully where you’re at.

2. Don’t Think About It

One of the biggest mistakes people make when it comes to living in the moment is trying to “think” thir way into it. Unfortuantly, you can’t “think” your way into being present. It’s just something that happens when you get fully engaged in what’s hpapening around you. As Nike says, “Just do it!” HINT: The fastest way to pull yourself into the current moment is to bring enthusiasm and energy to whatever you’re doing right now.

3. Do Get Coaching and Support

Why re-invent the wheel? You’ll learn any new skill 100 times faster by getting a good teacher. The world’s top performers, athletes and business moguls wouldn’t dream of not having people to coach them and help them grow. And while working with someone personally will get the best results, learning comes in a variety of forms. Books, audio programs, and seminars are excellent support tools while friends with a shared commitment to living in the moment can aslo be a source of support and learning.

4. Don’t Be the “Enlightened” Snob

This is a biggie! When people first start to get the knack of being present, they can get snookered into a mind-generated ego trip of being an “enlightened” snob. And “enlightened” snob is someone who thinks she is better than other pople because of her new found awareness of the now. The funny part is that believing you are better than other pople is just the egoic mind sneaking in through the back door masquerading in a “spritiually conscious” dress! Don’t fall into this trap and remember that we’re all doing the very best we can.

5. Do Share It With Others

One of the best ways to master a skill set is to teach it to others. Even if it’s just one “live in the moment” strategy that’s wored for you, be generous and share what you’ve disovered. Most of us grossly underestimate the differenece we make int the world. We disocount our own expertise and assume everyone has the same knowledge that we do. So not true! What you have to say matters.Express yourself and give the gift of well-being.

6. Don’t Make It Another Belief System

Being presnt is not about adopting a new belief system. It’s about recogninzing reality and using practical tools to access a more rich and satisfying experienece of life. While there are principles that will support you in staying centered, they’re more like facts than rules. Much like being aware of gravity helps you avoid stepping off theedge of a cliff, the priniciples of living in the moment help you extricate yourself from stress, overwhelm and upset.

7. Do Have Fun

One of the easiest ways to strengthen your ability to live in the moment is to have more fun.After all, the middle worked in enlightenment is light. One of the strategies that helps me stay centered is to have a sense of humor about everything! This is especially helpful when my mind feels “justified” about getting frustrated. (i.e. Like when my computer acts wonky when I’m working on deadline.) I’ve recognized that 99% of the stress and worry I’ve put myself through is optional. Everything always works out and whether or not I enjoy the ride is up to me.

If you’ve been getting excited about the new “Sex and the City” movie, this is for you. In fact, if you’re a big SATC fan, you’ll remember the classic “Modelizer” episode from Season 1.

The modelizer is the crazy character who would only date models. Guess what? Yours truly landed the “Modelizer”… and I’m not even a model!

The lesson here is no matter who you are or where you live, there are easy ways to boost your irresistible charm. Here are six secrets that helped me land the man of my dreams:

1. Quit Complaining

Many women spend more time complaining about men than actually dating them! Want to turbo boost your irresistibility factor? Be a complaint free zone. That means no complaining about the weather, your job, your body or anything else - whether aloud or in your thoughts.

2. Burn Your Perfect Man Checklist

If you can’t find a guy with the right job, age, income, ethnicity or hair color, chances are you’ve fallen victim to using a Perfect Man Checklist. You know… a list of criteria any man must have before you’ll even consider dating him. The problem with the Perfect Man Checklist is that it’s often an unconscious compilation of ideals and mental pictures of “perfect men” we absorbed growing up. These narrow parameters from our past cut us off from boatloads of loving, single and available men that could be fantastic partners today.

*NOTE: Burning your Perfect Man Checklist does NOT mean your man won’t have the qualities you want (like honesty, loyalty or a sense of humor). It just means he may show up in a different “package” than you expect.

3. Ignite Your Naughty Factor

In the midst of our busy, fast-paced lives, women’s sex lives can often take a back seat. It’s essential for our spiritual and emotional well-being to keep our “sexy” in shape. The way to wake up our sensual irresistibility is to proactively ignite our naughty factor. Take a pole dancing class, wear sexy underwear to work, or buy some erotic fiction. Find ways to strengthen your naughty muscles and stay in irresistible sexual shape.

4. Date for Fun - Not to Find “The One”

These days, dating is often full of pressure and anxiety. Let go of trying to find “Mr. Right” and make FUN the focus of each date (what a concept!). Have an adventure. Laugh. Be silly. Let your true irresistible nature shine through. Remember, on any date you can either be miserable or have a good time. The choice is always yours. *NOTE: This FUN idea applies to couples too!

5. Chuck The Rules

I say rules, shmules. Most dating rules are either someone else’s truth that you’ve adopted as your own OR they’re an old decision you made in the past when you were upset. Either way, rules pollute the present moment with obsolete information from our past. Know this: you can break every rule in the book when you are centered, clear and in touch with your authentic irresistibility.

6. Be Present

Be fully present in whatever you’re doing. This is especially true on dates. Turn off your iPhone, Blackberry or cell phone unless it’s absolutely necessary to keep it on. Give the man you’re with the divine gift of your full, undivided attention. There is nothing more irresistible than a vibrantly alive, fully present woman.

The real secret to being irresistible is to be completely and unapologetically you, exactly as you are.

Most of us grossly underestimate our intrinsic beauty and the powerful difference we make in the world. Trust me, you are more beautiful, attractive and irresistible than you’ll ever know.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have perfect days, every day?

As it turns out, it’s not as impossible as some people might think.

Here’s the secret: each day already is perfect. The trick is to become aware of what you do, or don’t do, that gets in the way of experiencing it! In fact, I’m about to share 5 powerful ways you can start having perfect days…starting right now!

1. Surrender to what is.

Having a perfect day is directly related how well you can surrender to what is. Here’s what I mean. Whatever is, already is. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a thought, sensation, feeling or external circumstance. If your printer breaks, your flight is cancelled or you feel bloated from eating too much Chinese food - if the situation already exists in this moment, what’s the use in arguing against it? There is none. Make no mistake: surrendering to what is doesn’t mean that you won’t take action when appropriate. You’ll just skip the typical “inner fight with life” meltdown that gets in the way of your perfect days.

2. Lighten up. Really.

Do you ever notice how serious you get about life? Whether it’s relationship drama, money woes or finding a parking spot, most of us contract like a sphincter the moment life shows up a bit different than we expect. And incase you haven’t noticed, life doesn’t care how you expect it to go. Really. Life does it’s own thing. And let’s not forget, we all end up the same way: dead. Not to be morbid, but since we already know the ultimate outcome, we might as well have a good time while we’re here, right? And frankly, most people I know who have a sense of lightheartedness about life are making a much bigger difference in the world than those who are seriously trying to get through it.

3. Quit complaining.

Is the weather too warm today? Or did someone not return your email fast enough? Most of us complain so frequently and automatically, we have no awareness we’re even doing it! The problem is complaining about anything is a surefire way to un-perfect your day. One important caveat: there’s a big difference between complaining and commenting. When you complain, you victimize yourself. There’s a whiny, negative energy to your communication. When you comment, however, you state an observation in a neutral way. There is no “pity party” or energetic “dig” against another person when you offer a genuine comment.

4. Be dominated.

No, not in that kind of way, naughty girl! Simply stated: Our lives make requests of us each and every day. The phone rings. The dishwasher needs to be unloaded. Taxes must be paid. You can either resist being dominated by what your life is requesting of you OR you can enthusiastically be dominated by your life! I suggest the latter. By allowing yourself to be enthusiastically dominated by what you have to do, you actually get way more done and life begins to run very smoothly too.

5. Make wherever you are the place to be.

Isn’t it wild how often our minds disagree with where we are? No matter where we find ourselves, we think we should be somewhere else. When we’re at home, we’re thinking we should be at work. When we’re at work, we’re thinking we should be at home. What if the secret to having a perfect day is to make a simple shift so that wherever you are is always the right place to be? Because after all, you can only be where you are in any given moment of now. Why not make where you are the place to be?

By using these tips to have “perfect days,” not only will you have more well-being, but your business and bottom line will grow as well.

Photo originally uploaded by miszbabykiss

I’m honored to have spoken at Joe Polish’s recent “Success With Sanity” event in Tempe, Arizona. It was a fabulous event for entrepreneurs who wanted tools and strategies to grow successful businesses and have successful lives.

Here I am with Joe after my presentation. My crazy but genius friend has a huge heart and the most incredible knack for putting great people together. True to form, Joe provided tons of great content and off-beat entertainment. My favorite was a cute, but weird little flying monkey that he launched around like a sling shot during random times at the event. Never a dull moment with Joe!

Here I am with Dr. Ned Hallowell. Ned is a Harvard-trained psychiatrist (who incidentally, has also taught at Harvard University) and is considered to be the world’s foremost ADD/ADHD expert. He’s also the best selling author of the book “CrazyBusy: Overbooked, Overstretched and About to Snap”

And finally, here I am with fellow presenter David Kekich. David is President of the Maximum Life Foundation and gave an amazing presentation on life extension. Dave obviously follows his own advice because he’s 65 and looks more like 45. The science he shared is truly mind-blowing!