Recession? I was 2008 year end profitable, personally and professional.

We are at 90% employment, that's alot of people working!

People have slowed their consumption just enough to evaluate "hey, what's really important to me?"

Those trapped in scarcity mentality & "watch the TV, live in fear" mode have the opportunity to take a hold of that good ol' American spirit of "Never say die!".

Half full? Half empty? Tragedy? Opportunity? We choose how we frame what has "happened" to us, or what we have brought to ourselves to release us from things we were clinging vehemently to that no longer serve us.

I had my "recession" but I had it back when everyone else was having a darn tootin good time of it. And I am ever so grateful for the experience and where it had led me today.

I am turquoise because ...

after the relativistic consciousness of the greenies unite in saving the planet,

after the yellows regain independence and forge their functional niche to "do what one chooses",

our consciousness shifts into the beautiful experiential joining of integrated beings with other like-thinkers into the global community we all hope the rest of the world catches up to in our lifetimes.

(Spiral Dynamics, Claire W Graves / Don Beck & Chris Cowan.) (Integral Theory, Ken Wilber.)

If you haven't had the pleasure to work with or meet Joe, you are in for a real treat!

Most humans get stuck in "I'm a slave to my brain's auto-responses". Joe has developed cutting edge, extremely effective, painless methods for "how to use your brain to serve you".

Go, see Joe, your life will change for the better!

What a FABULOUS idea for an event Dominic!! I hope to be available to attend a future one!

Sorry to cancel, but I'm taking a chill-day, staying in my jammies & reading an engrossing book today - completely uninterested in putting on my "game face" and networking.

I know, I know, I'm Irish, I need to be celebrating -- catcha'll next year!

How can we make the economy better?

• Follow Brian's advice and turn off the negative nonsense. I heard a radio station say "and today we have 93% employment!". How's your glass?

I was a "victim" of the 2001 "economy". Best things that's EVER happened to me. I have a feeling that a good percentage of folks currently out of work are on a path to rebuilding their lives in a richer, fuller, more emotionally rewarding way.

• Follow Brian's lead and get creative! What are needs I can fill right now??

People need relaxation/stress reduction services now more than ever. I am even finding that clients who are on the brink of a change like I went through are miraculously ending up on my table.

• Realize what Brian pointed out - that it's the "frivolous" economy that is suffering.
  

People are still spending money and they are spending it on things that truly matter to them, pocketing the whim-purchase $ and amassing their wealth for a rainy day.

Just like America "should" be in the first place - $ in the bank, time to go to the zoo, and doing something enjoyable that contributes to the good of society as an income source.

The economy is ... simply adjusting to the new paradigm we are creating for ourselves.

Louise Hay has many helpful affirmations along the lines of "I hear myself with love". I highly recommend getting your hands on her material and using it to create your own personalized affirmations.

At one stage I had a 3x5 index card right by my toothbrush that said

"Good Morning Michelle!
I love you! I love you!
What can I do for you today?
How can I make you happy?"

It was the most wonderful "first thing in the morning" to hear!

And I have to tell you, looking in the mirror, hearing those words from myself ... powerful stuff. I happened to have had a 3-way mirror at that time - fabulous for magnifying all those good things you want to feed your brain.

But I'm posting here to offer a suggestion about what to do with that list of things you don't like about yourself ...

Take each item and use the EFT verbiage on it.

"Even though I ........., I deeply and completely accept myself."

(I stayed with the word "accept" because the word love is sometimes convoluted in our minds "I love my mom" isn't quite the same as "I love ice cream". And the "love" that our innermost being cries for is love-acceptance more than love-desire.)

(EFT = Emotional Freedom Technique)

I have to add one more --- receive relaxation-style massage on a regular basis.

Your nervous system has 2 modes "fight/flight" and "rest/digest". Chronic stress traps you in "fight/flight" far longer than nature intended. (Are you "really" in saber-tooth tiger levels of danger? Or do you just "feel" that way?)

The right LMP (licensed massage practitioner) can induce deep meditative states of relaxation and if you find one that knows the "insomniac stroke" or similar techniques your sleeping life can return to it's former healing glory and enhance the effectiveness of all the wonderful suggestions above.

Wow! What a wonderful discussion!!

Several years ago I rewrote the 4 agreements after learning a little NLP.

The subconscious mind glosses over the word "not" and most of it's variants such as "don't" (interestingly it seems to glom on to "can't" and paralyze you forever in it! Maybe because "do" is a command and "can" is an opinion on ability?).

So the mantra "Don't make assumptions" unfortunately tells your subconscious to "keep making lots of assumptions".

Several folks have commented on asking good questions.

• What assumptions am I making about this situation?
• How can I see this client with all my assumptions set aside for the moment?
• What assumptions are holding me back today?
• How can I rework them to propel me forward?

The core if it all has been touched on by many - being present, working with what's in front of you right now, and flipping that "off" switch on past/belief assumptions as well as future/hope assumptions.

"I assume you'll become my client" can be just as destructive as "I assume you'll never be my client".

"I assume you'll make the very best decision for you and that if you choose to work with me it will flow in a more amazing way than either of us can imagine right now."

Finally! I've been wishing for an event like this - in a slightly more scarry way though - I have always wondered what I would see myself communicating during my intro if it were recorded and I could watch the playback. Yikes! But I figure seeing it would be that dramatic slap on the wrist triggering swift changes in body language.

I hope to see this event again!

(Sadly, my schedule precludes attentance for this one.)

sooo ... two bizniks walk into a bar ....

they both are now vie-ing to get the other person to talk first? There's got to be something I'm missing here!

Sue, I have had that and the exact opposite experience. I started asking people what they do for fun instead of for a living ... and somone thought I was trying to hit on them!

If you're good with people, you're good with them. The rest of us ... well, we just try our best to develop some level of people-skills & hope to, at the very least, not scare them away before they can get to know us a bit better and decide we're decent humans who just happen to suck at "small talk", however hard we try to fein interest in sports, movies & pet antics.

Kevin - "My guess is that they were so busy that the service was awful, food rushed, etc and that people will not be inclined to return."

I had to laugh at this one, because to me, that IS Denny's!

Seattle in the early 90's? Denny's is where everyone in their 20's went after the bars closed at 2am. There was nothing else open - Taco Bell & co hadn't started the late-night drive thru's yet.

You ALWAYS waited forEVER to get a table, the service was ALWAYS awful, food rushed and the waitress stressed out by the hoards of drunk hungry people, BUT no one cared much about all that!

We were getting fed, we were sobering up to avoid a diwi, and there was always a table of cute boys somewhere to flirt with.

I didn't go that day but the campaign brought up fond memories of my younger days & all the fun times with friends which are inextricably linked to "late night" Denny's escapades.

Ken - Thank you so much for your inspiration!

Despite my comments above, I agree with your point about freebie gimmicks. In my profession, it's tempting to give away free massages until your shoulder gives out and then wonder why you're living below the poverty line.

People looking for freebies aren't generally in the psycho-graphic of folks looking to return & pay you lots of money. They are looking for a deal or something more in their price-rage. They'll come back, but only when you offer another deep discount or freebie.

I have friends who were my "practice" clients back in massage school who have yet to pay full price for my services. Why? Because I keep allowing it by offering them deals and free birthday massages!

It's a tactic that works. "Free" this, get them in the door but they actually buy "that" instead.
(If I had received a call from old friends to do a Denny's late night run for the Grand Slam, I would have purchased MY old favorite rather than ordering the freebie.)

It's a legit way to generate quick revenue in a pinch. But as you so eloquently pointed out in your article, nurturing long-term clients who return because you have created a caring, understanding rapport in addition to your stellar product/service is a whole different ball-game.

I work in a nurturing stress-reducing profession where folks need us now more than ever.

Thank you Ken, for reminding me of this fact and inspiring me to sell what they really need, rather than trying to guess-out some gimmicky price-point angle to "get them in the door".

LOVE it!!

wish I had Thursdays free to join you!

What a fabulously fun event!

Not only were we focused on a wonderfully positive topic - our strengths - but we had our creative juices flowing inventing one-word summaries for each other!

I've switched to the Seattle Seminar's -- one spot open, catch it while you can!

Profuse apologies Joe -- park place ... pacific place ... what's the difference?? The difference is missing the event!!! My total bad and my big loss!!

Apologies for cancelling so late! I'm switching to the Seattle meetings & thought I had already un-RSVP'd for someone to take my spot.

Jack's Brainstorming Game is fantastic!!

I've had a sample of it during his Creative Entrepreneurs Round Table and you're going to be AMAZED at how a group under time tested & refined brainstorming rules can catapult your ideas, dreams, and gradiose visions into reality.

If you're not ready for fruition, you're not ready to attend!

Found it!! looks like the networks will be "done filiming" 3:30/4:30pm

Looking forward to cashflow -- it is always an enlightening journey!

Profuse apologies Howard, Patrick and Jack for cancelling so late. I wish you an interactive contributor to fill my spot!!