All About Women | Women

"God gives everyone certain attributes, characteristics, talents, and then He says, "If you use what you have I'll increase it, but if you don't use it, you'll lose it." Use it or lose it; it's a law." ~ Charlie "Tremendous" Jones

"One's philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes ... and the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility." ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

In The Success Principles by Jack Canfield, Principle #1 is: Take 100% Responsibility for Your Life. This principle simply states that no matter what has happened to us in our past, we must suspend blaming someone or something else on what didn’t go right. We are the creators of our own lives and must take full responsibility for the creation process. What went on before is past. We cannot change our past. We can only look back and learn from it. The pieces that went wonderfully, we honor and celebrate; while the pieces that seemed crappy, we reconcile and release.

So, just for today, think about where you are right now. Not last week, last month, or last year – but right this very moment. What is the next inspired action you can take to create a brilliant life? Make it so.

"I was part of that strange race of people aptly described as spending their lives doing things they detest to make money they don't want to buy things they don't need to impress people they dislike." ~ Emile Henry Gauvreau

Part of being a woman of purpose is tapping into issues that are greater than ourselves and giving back, to our own individual communities and to the global community. The Bonita Trust is one such charity. Founded by billionaire entrepreneur Ruth Parasol in 2004 as an independent philanthropic charity, Bonita was created to give back to the communities in which they, the company, and its staff live and work, past and present.

Bonita focuses the majority of its grant-making in five geographic areas: the United Kingdom, India, Israel, Bulgaria and Gibraltar ~ where the company is based. The Bonita Trust is committed to enriching the community through programs geared to health issues ~ prevention and treatment; enterprise and education ~ through technology and leadership development for women; and culture and heritage.

Our online and real time communities of Becoming a Woman of Purpose is committed to the spiritual empowerment and enrichment of women and the issues that concern them. When we are troubled within, this bleeds to the outside and infects as well as affects all areas of our lives. The Bonita Trust is also committed to building community and making a tangible impact on the lives of the people in the community, especially women and children.

Ruth Parasol, born in San Francisco, currently lives in Gibraltar with her husband Russ DeLeon and their three children. To see more of the work of The Bonita Trust, please visit their website http://www.ruthparasol-bonitatrust.org/.

When we are stuck or in a state of uncertainty, it is difficult to move forward on our dreams and intentions. We are inclined to stay in that state of uncertainty instead of moving forward to a place of unknown. Yet, when we think about it, every move forward is a move into the unknown. We take the risk when we are certain that it will benefit us, or if it is a life and death situation; for example, staying in a passionless job because you are afraid of not being able to pay the bills. We resign ourselves to a life of drudgery instead of trusting the process and ourselves and taking a leap of faith.

Our last Becoming a Woman of Purpose Gathering was about those things that hold us back. The most common reason is fear. I believe fear is a catch all phrase for us not knowing and trusting ourselves and the process. If we can truly trust in ourselves, knowing who we are, it is less difficult to take that leap. I still ask the ladies, “Who are you?” and with the exception of my most diligent members (shout out to my girl Jennifer, woot!), no one can fully answer the question. Why is this? Because it is easier to stay stuck, not taking full responsibility for one’s life, than to make decisions that might get you what you want, or might get you evicted. I am by no means saying to make these decisions without proper planning. This planning is all part of the process called life. It pains me that so many women are not in touch with who they really are and what they truly want out of life. Oh yes, we know what we don’t want, but what do we want? Can we name it? Can we allow it once it shows up?

Stopping is a spiritual action

This can be a sticking point for some people, because stopping may seem like resigning or being lazy. This is far from the truth. There is stopping actions all throughout our lives, for a reason. We stop at red lights in order to allow someone else to move. Yet, when we are stopped at a red light, we tap our feet anxiously wanting the light to hurry up and change so we can move on. Move on to what? Just move! Stopping allows us to read the signs of the times, within our own lives and intentions. How can we know what we truly want if we do not take a moment to stop and ask ourselves? Then, if we keep moving like the hamster on the treadmill, and the thing we want shows up, will we stop long enough to allow and receive it? I say we do not and we miss the opportunity.

Once we take the time to stop, we ask ourselves what do we want and when do we want it? Do not worry about how we get it, that part is none of our business. Our part is to just show up in a state of allowing and receiving. We ask for what we want, then promptly negate the request. For example, we may want a new home. Yet, we say but I cannot afford it, the market is bad for buyers, how will I make the payments, on and on and on. Just state the intention, and then allow it to come. You cannot state an intention when you don’t know what the intention is. Stop and ask the questions. Some questions to consider:

Where am I in my life right now?
Where do I want to be right now?
What is the gap between the two?
What do I need to do to bridge that gap?

Also, remain in a state of gratitude. When we are grateful, we are not in a negative place. Remember, love and fear cannot co-exist. When we are in one state, we cannot be in the other. Which state are you choosing? And remember, it is your choice.

Live your life on purpose!

Okay, by now I hope everyone has had a chance to either view or listen to the first class of the Oprah and Tolle A New Earth Series. You can go to Oprah.com to listen or download the class.

One of the things we talk a lot about here at Becoming a Woman of Purpose is our thinking; that is, our limiting beliefs that contribute to the thoughts we have – what Tolle calls the voice in the head or our conditioned thinking. These thoughts were conditioned by our past, our childhood, our upbringing and by the culture we were raised in. all of those things contributed to the condition of our thought processes. When the awakened process begins, a lot of the old voices in the head, the old thoughts still come up.

For myself, the old voices constantly came up, especially in situations where I had to do something new and different. Now, as I begin to awaken, though the conditioned thinking still comes up, I have techniques to keep them in check and keep myself from being controlled by them.

How have you managed your conditioned thoughts – the inner critic or the voice of doom?

Please share your AHA Moments here and help your fellow sister (or brother) on the journey. You can also join the online discussion board at Oprah.com.

Keep flowering,
Coach Carolyn

A landmark interactive spiritual event is on the horizon. Starting Monday, March 3rd at 8pm CST, Oprah Winfrey and best-selling author and spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle will team up to teach a live weekly Web Event centered around “A New Earth,” Oprah’s latest book club selection. This revolutionary Web Event is being hailed as “the biggest classroom ever,” and is free to join.

The Becoming a Woman of Purpose community has been invited to participate in this event. We are one of over 50 different communities – websites, blogs, groups – involved.

Already being heavily discussed on Oprah.com, the Oprah Show, and news networks, this event is creating major buzz around the world. because the book’s main theme “awakening to your life’s purpose,” is central to our discussions, we believe this 10-week transcendent Web Event is bound to inspire activity and discussions within all of our BWP communities.

AHA! Moments
Each week, the course will cover one of the ten chapters in the book. There is already a dynamic discussion on Oprah.com around the AHA! Moment in each chapter.

The AHA! Moment is the flashpoint where the topic of each chapter hits home. This will be a great topic of discussion within the BWP communities.

Author of the #1 New York Times’ Best Seller “The Power of Now,” spiritual teacher and speaker Eckhart Tolle, who teaches heavily on the transformation of consciousness, has devoted his life to helping others find inner peace and greater fulfillment in their lives.

About the Book
Building on the astonishing success of The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle presents readers with an honest look at the current state of humanity: He implores us to see and accept that this state, which is based on an erroneous identification with the egoic mind, is one of dangerous insanity.

Tolle tells us there is good news, however. There is an alternative to this potentially dire situation. Humanity now, perhaps more than in any previous time, has an opportunity to create a new, saner, more loving world. This will involve a radical inner leap from the current egoic consciousness to an entirely new one.

In illuminating the nature of this shift in consciousness, Tolle describes in detail how our current ego-based state of consciousness operates. Then gently, and in very practical terms, he leads us into this new consciousness. We will come to experience who we truly are—which is something infinitely greater than anything we currently think we are—and learn to live and breathe freely. ~ From Amazon.com

Already over 380,000 have registered, so don’t miss out on the web event of the year. If you are serious about awakening to your life’s purpose, then join in this revolutionary event.

BWP Communities
Becoming a Woman of Purpose Blog (You are here!)
Becoming a Woman of Purpose Meetup Discussion
Becoming a Woman of Purpose Facebook Group

Awaken to your power!
Coach Carolyn

Of all the things I love about my life and work is the opportunity to meet amazing and dynamic women. Coaching women to guide them to discover their passion and create a life of purpose and prosperity is the most rewarding thing I could do in life. Watching the women discover inner awarenesses, aha moments, and spiritual breakthroughs is a life altering experience for me. I was again privileged to witness this at our last Becoming a Woman of Purpose gathering in January.

The workshop, entitled “How to Create Your 2008,” brought together a group of ten women who were strangers when they walked into the room to a group of women who were sharing tears (luckily I have tissues at these events), laughter, hugs and breakthroughs. Though there were some tough issues to confront and work through, the energy in the room was electrifying. These women were on fire!

We began with a clearing ritual that brought up lots of nasty baggage for several of the women. Working through the baggage, the women were coaches to one another. Our youngest member of the evening was a twenty-year-old who began the tissue chase. Yet all the women agreed that she had such wisdom for someone so young. She was so in touch with her “shadow side” and she minced no words. She also realized that she needed to be among other women on the journey.

To watch the women take charge and care for one another is truly a gift. We were all sisters separated at birth!

One of the questions I left the women with is one I will post here for your discernment: “What are you excited about in this moment?”

Remember, you are a Divine expression – one of our gals had a tough time with that realization, and the other women were quick to show her her own greatness and divinity. You have the power to create your life – a life of passion, purpose and peace, yielding you amazing prosperity in all areas of your life.

Okay passionate and purposeful divas, Becoming a Woman of Purpose has gone Facebook! Yes, I have launched a BWP Group on Facebook where women can join the conversation from all over the globe. I am quite excited about this because my mission with BWP is to equip, empower, and encourage women worldwide with the message of inner peace, passion, and purpose.

Facebook is a social networking site that not only allows you to connect with friends, but it has so many cool and funky apps. I go to my profile page and just play. I have also made some rockin connections with some cool folks. I have joined many groups, social justice causes, super poked friends, adopted a pet penguin, given and received gifts from friends, and just plain had a blast.

Facebook has become my latest drug of choice! Yes, I am totally addicted. Perhaps you can tell that from my photo on the sidebar of this blog. I so prefer it to MySpace, because being an HSP (highly sensitive person), I find MySpace a bit “loud” for my system. Facebook is a lot calmer, more peaceful. I can stay on Facebook for hours, whereas I can only take MySpace for a few minutes – the intensity of the music and colors are too overwhelming for a sensitive soul like me. I do have a MySpace page that is only a page – nothing on it, except my mug shot.

My Mogulette sister Carmina Perez, who is one of my Facebook buddies, has just gotten bitten by the bug! She has an awesome post about Facebook on her blog, Mogulettes in the Making. Check out her post called Facebook Basics if you are still a bit skittish about yet another social networking site. As Carmina says, "Facebook is networking on steroids!"

So if you are on Facebook, look me up and give me a poke; and I’ll poke you back!

See you on Facebook!
Coach Carolyn