The Wisdom Coach

A Love Hate Relationship
By Carole L. Billingham, MCC

Have you ever fallen in love and realized years later that you are no longer an ideal fit for one another? What was once an ideal relationship has now shifted to a dysfunctional, almost addictive connection that clearly no longer serves you.  I am talking about my love/hate affair with e-mail.

I remember back to 1993 when we first met. At the time, I was excited to find someone who had an e-mail address–usually a techie or amateur techie, who I had very little in common with. 

In 1995, it came in handy when slowly breaking up with my long-distance boyfriend, one of five people in my e-mail address book.  It gave us a means of staying in touch while breaking up yet not breaking the piggy bank in the days of 20 cent per minute long distance.

In 1996 when I published my first e-zine, Dancing Wisdom, I trusted, that although many people were not yet using e-mail, that my ideal clients would be and would be excited to receive an informative and interesting publication via their e-mail inbox.

In 1997 my love affair with e-mail grew as my auto accident necessitated better boundaries between me and my work. I needed more space and the freedom to connect with clients and friends on my own schedule allowed me, with the help of e-mail, to stay in touch, but on my own terms rather than within the constraints of a 9-5 schedule.

Now deeply and utterly in love, the birth of my daughter solidified my oath to my electronic amore. Being able to communicate at all hours of the evening made my infatuation even stronger.  It was then that I discovered having an “open relationship” with not only e-mail, but with the World Wide Web.  I discovered a plethora of loves waiting for me with just the click of a button.

Having moved from a thriving metropolis to a small mountain village and having an entire universe at my finger tips was seductive. I no longer felt the need to leave my home or my little community to get my needs met. I had found paradise. My love was complete.

Having experienced dysfunctional love in my youth, I thought that I was immune to its manipulative ways. Being older (and years of therapy later), I thought myself wise enough not to ever be caught in the clutches of fear-based love. I was wrong.

After 14 years (where did the time go?), I am ready for a change as I can clearly see that I have allowed myself to get caught in a web (no pun intended) of deceit and collusion. I have lost myself and a good chunk of my life to a lover that wanted to own me. Instead of being a partnership, I have given myself and my power to a lover who was never satisfied. Always wanting more from me, I gave and gave until I had nothing left.

Don’t get me wrong, part of our relationship was healthy.  Like being able to transfer documents back and forth with ease, or being able to share data or answer a quick question in a two sentence response.  But when you realize that you no longer chat over the phone with your girlfriends, and you can’t remember the last time you enjoyed having a leisurely cup of coffee with a buddy, you must admit you have a problem.

When you wake up to realize that before you are even awake, your fingers are busy typing at your keyboard–you have a problem.  When you ignore time with your family to go check your e-mail–you have a problem.  When you just check for “one quick sec” before you go to bed, swearing that you’ll never do it again–you have a problem.  When you find yourself making excuses like, “I just need to make sure that . . .”–you have a problem.  When you don’t bother answering your e-mail right way, but “just want to make sure there’s nothing important”–you have a problem. When you realize that your main life line to the outside world is your e-mail–you have a problem.

It is time for me to take back my power and to decide whether this relationship is working for me or not. As I said, I do realize that with the proper boundaries in place that perhaps we don’t need to make an entire split from one another. I just need to get clear about where our relationship is working and where it is not.

What I want is freedom to feel like I have a choice rather than unconsciously behaving in ways that from the outside, would look like I don’t. I want to pick and choose how we interact rather than blindly being sucked in and losing my ??? (and my sanity) . . .

 2006 Carole L. Billingham, MCC 

How I Built My Business Taking Cat Naps:
How napping can lead to business success
By Carole L. Billingham, MCC

If someone had told me years ago that one of the smartest things that I could do for my business was to take cat naps, I would have thought that they were out of their mind!  Well, I have news for you. Sometimes being out of your mind is not a bad thing, especially in business.

Let me tell you what I mean.

I have noticed that the harder we try to make things work, the more that thing that we want most, elude us. I have seen this in myself, and have seen it over and over again with my clients.  That’s the bad news. The good news is that by letting go of things a bit, has a way of making what we want fall perfectly into place. (Remember that saying, what you resist, persists?)

In order to truly let things go you must get “out of your mind” and into your heart. Not an easy thing for most of us super achievers to do.  Most of us have spent a lifetime in our heads and the idea of tapping into another place terrifies us. After all, our heads have done us just fine so far!

But if I were to ask you to quiet yourself a bit, turn off some of that mind chatter, would you not say that there is another place from which you often find your brilliant ideas and insights? Yes, your head may be the place that sorts through those ideas and implements them, but it is your heart, that gives them to your head in the first place?

When is the last time that you’ve made time or space for your heart to communicate with you?  Even more important, do you create time on a regular basis to do so?

Logically, in order to hear the whisper of the heart, we must find a way to quiet the endless (and often loud) chatter of our minds. This takes conscious effort, especially at the beginning.  But like most things, practice does help.

Obviously, meditation is a good way to go about “getting out of our minds,” but there are many other ways to do this as well.  Like napping for instance. I have found that a simple 20 minute nap (often during my lunch hour) is the perfect solution for a mind that is working overtime. 

Not only does napping allow my mind to rest, but it also allows me to clear my thoughts and digest what I am learning along the way. As a business owner, this is invaluable.

Even more important, I am able to go into my afternoon activities with a clear head and a relaxed body. 

Now I realize that depending on one’s circumstances, it is not always easy or appropriate to take a nap in the middle of one’s day, but the power is in the intention. With an intention of creating some “down” time you can find there are many options available to you. For example: taking a walk outside, getting to the gym for a workout, finding a quiet place to do some reading or journaling, or turning your chair away from your door and simply closing your eyes for a few moments. (This is what I used to do when I was a stockbroker with a glass office. I would put on my headset, turn my chair around and close my eyes. From the outside looking in, it looked like I was on the telephone with a client. If only they knew what I was really doing!)

I challenge you to get creative (use your head if you have to) and find a way to “get out of your mind.”  Whether it’s stealing a cat nap or finally making a commitment to meditate, there are amazing things waiting to happen for you. 

Enough Already
By Carole L. Billingham, MCC 

I need not

prove anything

for my presence

is enough

I need not

do anything

for what

I’ve done is

enough

I need not

say anything

for what

I’ve said is

enough

I need not

learn anything

for what

I already know

is enough

Enough already

It is time

for me

to embrace

that I am

enough
just as I am

And that’s

enough

for me

Honoring Your Limitations
By Carole L. Billingham, MCC 

Do you know, and honor, your personal limitations? Or do you wait until you’ve smacked head first into them before you slow down and back off? 

I’ve been pushing myself a lot lately. A few months ago I decided to work on launching a new business that I already knew would demand a great deal of time and energy from me. I knew that it would take extra effort on my part to prioritize, organize and keep my focus as I learned new skills while honoring my commitment to living a balanced and fulfilling life. 

From the inside looking out, it’s been a bumpy ride. Every time I get one task accomplished, five more items instantly appear on my to-do list. Instead of focusing on what is getting done, I’m busy stressing about what isn’t. I find myself up against the relentless and cruel taskmaster within who is never satisfied with my progress or accomplishments. Even my dreams, lately, are filled with chaos and confusion making it clear that it’s time for something to change. 

Before my head injury, my solution to challenges was to simply try harder. Amazingly, that usually seemed to do the trick, until I exhausted all my reserves of energy and ended up with a sinus infection, bronchitis or some other ailment. I guess, in truth, trying harder was a short term fix to a deeper problem that was rooted in being an unrealistic perfectionist. 

Fast forward many years and a head injury later, whether I like it or not, my inner perfectionist is still alive and pushing. To make matters worse, if I haven’t taken the time to pay attention to my inner guidance and slow down, she takes over and runs my life in ways that clearly don’t serve me. It’s not until I wake up with a nasty headache or sore throat, that I realize that I missed the signs. 

Did I mention that my inner perfectionist has unobtainable standards and lacks a sense of humor?  She rationalizes that having high standards is a good thing and conveniently forgets to mention that unobtainable standards are really more about her insecurities than they are about the standards themselves. 

And, her sense of humor? Forget about it. When there’s so much work to be done there’s no time to waste by laughing or being light. That’s simply a waste of one’s resources. 

As I visualize my inner perfectionist, I see her with a whip in her hands yelling wildly, “Keep going!”  As I stop to look into her eyes, I see that she’s afraid. Afraid of life. Afraid of people. Afraid to stop. 

As I continue to make eye contact, I open my heart and send her love. I allow her to recognize that I truly see her and that I love her. A tear wells up in her eyes. I reach for her and see that she’s frightened and unsure of whether to let me in. I let her know that I can be trusted and that I do not judge her. Quite the contrary, I love and acknowledge her for letting me in and having the courage to allow me to connect with her. I reach out and hold her in my arms. I feel the stiffness in her body soften as we connect. I feel her fears and her fierceness melt away as she relinquishes her resistance and lets in my love. 

As I continue to hold her, I realize that she is simply a lost part of me that longs for connection. That like all of us, what she wants most is to be loved and to feel a sense of belonging. By having the courage to be truly seen, she allows herself to be gifted with the understanding that she is worthy. I love her just as she is. She doesn’t need to accomplish anything in order to be loved and valued. Her worth doesn’t need to be earned; it is her birth right. 

She is perfect just as she is. She smiles with understanding as she remembers the truth. As we walk together hand in hand we are grateful. Grateful for our connection, grateful for our friendship, and grateful for the good things to come. 

She whispers into my ear, “Remind others.” And so with a sense of reverence and peace I ask you: is there an inner perfectionist or inner taskmaster crying out for your love and attention? If so, what can you do to make a connection with her/him?  What gifts might await you if you did? 

©2007 Carole L. Billingham, MCC

What Does Your Intuition Say?
by Carole L. Billingham, MCC

“Mommy, what does your intuition say?” Those are the words my 6-year-old started asking me since I sat down with her a few months ago to talk with her about her inner guidance system.

It started in preschool when my daughter would come home from school upset and complaining that someone hurt her feelings. I would explain to her that no one could hurt her feelings without her giving them permission to do so. In other words, her feelings belong to her and that only she can decide what she wants to feel and how long she wants to feel that way. She seemed to understand and soon stopped complaining about how other classmates treated her.

From there, we’d often chat about how important our feelings are and how we can have a positive affect on others by being kind, courteous and compassionate. I wanted her to understand that how we treat others affects them as well as us.

As we talked more about emotions and feelings, I realized that although she was very young, she had a clear understanding of what I was trying to teach her or that she indeed understood that the primary way we find our place in the world is through emotion. I could also see that there was no need for me to teach her these principles as she, in her 6-year-old body, clearly lived in the present moment. What I was doing was simply offering a language she could use and an opportunity to further explore how the world works and how she is a co-creation within it.

Eventually we found ourselves talking about intuition, that quiet voice that lives in our tummy or in our heart, and has the answer to any question we have. We’d be in the car and she’d ask me a question. Often, my response would be, “What does your intuition say about that?”  She’d quickly find an answer that, more times than not, was right on target. She rapidly learned that by taking a moment to go inside herself, she’d find the guidance she was looking for.

Being like a sponge, she took off with the idea of using her intuition and ran with it. She’d come into the kitchen and say, “Mommy, my intuition says it wants a cup of hot chocolate.” Or, “Mommy my intuition says it’s okay to stay up late tonight.”  I’d smile knowing that she indeed was finding her inner guidance and learning not to give her power away by thinking that others have the answer for her―a lesson many adults are still learning.

My recent conversations with my daughter have been reversed, where her question to me is, “Mommy, what does your intuition say?”  My challenge is to remember to remind her that she has her own answers and that I don’t necessarily help her by giving her mine. My intuition is here to guide me just as hers is there to guide her.

I feel so blessed to have such a sacred and special relationship with my daughter. I have known from the time of her conception that she was here to teach me much more than I’d ever be able to teach her. What I didn’t realize is the wonderful opportunity that she’d give me to solidify my own wisdom and to step into the role of being a wise and fully-present mother. Don’t get me wrong, I struggle like everyone else to be the best parent that I can be, but when I get stuck all I have to do is ask, “What does my intuition say?” and I’m back on track again.   

©2007 Carole L. Billingham, MCC

Be The Change That You Want
To See In The World
By Carole L. Billingham, MCC

Did you know that if Gandhi were alive today he would have been 138 years old.

Gandhi’s biggest gift to us was his wisdom and his commitment to using nonviolent resistance to create change. It’s humbling to see that almost 60 years after his death we are still in need of remembering the power of nonviolence. Being the optimist that I am, I believe that although we still have a ways to go we are learning and starting to live from the principles of love, peace and nonviolent resistance. We are starting to understand that violence is never the answer and that peace starts from within.

Gandhi taught us to be the change that we want to see in the world. It’s easy to sit in our armchairs and judge others for the mistakes they are making. In doing so, we feel righteous and eventually more and more powerless to do anything. Worst of all, we continue to feel disconnected from ourselves, from others and from Spirit. As we pivot towards using the wisdom within, we understand that the opportunity that lies before us is to realize that we are not helpless and if we desire to do so, we can in this very moment do something to create healing and peace both for ourselves and for our planet.

The opportunity and challenge before us is to catch ourselves (lovingly) when we are waging war with ourselves and simply to stop. If the change you want to see in the world is more love and compassion, be more loving and compassionate towards yourself. If the change you want to see in the world is more cooperation and generosity, be more cooperative and generous with yourself.  Miraculously you will see that as you make these changes within, you will start to see them manifest in your experiences and interactions with the outer world.

If we are truly One and somehow all interconnected, then there is no “them” and there is only “we” or “us.”  What we do to ourselves we in turn do to others and what we see in the outside world is a reflection of what is happening inside each and every one of us. The good news is that we DO have the power to create change and it lies within us. Not “out there” somewhere, but “in here” somewhere. The even better news is that many of us have already burst through that invisible barrier and are here to help others that want to do the same.  In other words, you are not alone in your craving for peace and love. There are millions of us holding the space for all of humanity to step into a new way of being. I believe that we are already creating the change that we want to see and that as we gather together and create momentum, amazing and wonderful things are in store for us.

Your presence here is not an accident. When you are ready, you can unleash the gifts that you came here to bring. It’s really just a matter of time. How about right now?

©2006 Carole L. Billingham, MCC

Appreciating our Freedom to Choose
By Carole L. Billingham, MCC

For some reason I have been paying attention to and appreciating my freedom more than ever. As an American entrepreneur, I often take for granted the freedoms in my life. When I step back and look at my life from a distance, I can see the decisions I have made to get me here and I can appreciate my freedom even more.

This past week my 6-year-old daughter and I were talking about Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks. I was explaining how not that long ago, in the United States, the freedom that people had (or didn’t have) was often dictated by the color of their skin. She looked at me with indignation and said, “Mommy, that’s stupid.”  I smiled and agreed. I further explained to her that even now, some people still believe that a person’s value is dictated by such factors as the color of their skin, their sex, or their religious beliefs. I was relieved to see that like me, she finds this not only unbelievable, but very, very disappointing.

We also talked about the courage Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks must have had to face such adversity and hatred. We both agreed that they were amazing people and that it’s hard for us to truly understand what it was like for them to live at a time of such turmoil and the courage it took to stand up against so many people and to say “enough!”

Fast forward 30+ years. We’ve come a long way, but the journey is far from finished. It doesn’t take much to see that discrimination is still alive in ways we’d probably rather sweep under the rug than face head on and have the courage to do something about.

If we truly want to live in peace on this planet, it’s time we throw out our “us vs. them” mentality and replace it with “we.”  We all belong to the human race and as Wayne Dyer says, “In a round world, there are no sides.”

So I challenge you this week to lovingly catch yourself when you find you are engaging in judgmental conversation (internal as well as external) or talking in “us vs. them” language. Remember, there is no “them” only “we.” This includes categorizing words like democrats, republicans, liberals, conservatives, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hispanics, whites, blacks, Asians, Native Americans, blue collar, white collar, aristocrat, peasant, veteran, draft dodger, educated, uneducated, male, female, fat, thin, young, old, gay, straight, lower class, middleclass, upper class, feminist, sexist, bigot.  I’ll stop now.  You get the picture. 

In a chaotic and unconscious world that can feel unsafe and overwhelming, we slip into using such terms so that we can categorize people and in turn feel a false sense of order and peace. In truth these words polarize us and amplify our feelings of fear and most importantly, discount the fact that humans are much broader, more complex and certainly more valuable than the labels we like to give them.

Who do you consider the most loving and caring person you know? Perhaps it’s someone you’ve been blessed in knowing personally or perhaps it’s someone you know of (real or imagined) through reputation or study. Imagine yourself being as caring and loving as they are.

Now imagine everyone on our planet being that loving to one another. Wouldn’t that be amazing? Imagine all the present day challenges and conflicts that would simply disappear as we cultivate friendship, love, cooperation and peace. 

Far fetched? I think not. One only need visit a preschool to see that our natural state is one of well-being and happiness.  At any given moment a journey inside the depths of your own heart will remind you that indeed you are a peace-loving being that craves a connection to Spirit, to Self and to those around you. At that moment of remembrance, the wise person puts down their sword and shield and realizes the only armor they need is the courage and wisdom that resides in their own heart. Nothing more, nothing less.

I believe that the journey to peace starts within your own heart.  Why not step fully onto the path and see what happens?

I challenge you this week to spend time in your heart appreciating the freedoms you have, the blessings that surround you, and most importantly, cultivating love and acceptance…starting with love for the Being that is YOU, and Self acceptance. The world is counting on you and quite possibly the future of our planet as well.

©2006 Carole L. Billingham, MCC

Accepting Ourselves Just as We Are
By Carole L. Billingham, MCC

        Learning to accept ourselves just as we are is not an easy thing. There is always just one more thing to do, just one more accomplishment to make, just one more person to befriend before we can relax into a knowingness that we are fine, just as we are.

        I have spent more time, energy and money on “improving myself” than I’d like to admit. When do we decide enough is enough? What if we were to stop the effort to be “better,” turn that energy inward and just love ourselves as we are?

        Although to the outside, doing our best to “reach our potential” looks like a good and noble thing. If it’s fear of not being good enough that drives you, you’re in trouble because unless you heal the fear, you and your success will never be enough. I know, because I’ve been there.

        I thought I had made great strides at learning to let go of my need to succeed.  I suppose, on the outside I did, but what has gotten my attention recently, is that I am still coming from a deficit on the inside.

        Recently, I have been experiencing some side effects of my head injury and instead of surrendering and trusting, I have been pushing, manipulating and “hoping” for healing.  I’ve readjusted my schedule, gone to bed earlier and have seen my brain doctors.  But what I haven’t done is truly accepted that I am worthy and valuable just as I am.

        I have talked about being humbled and embarrassed by my “special needs” but I have not said out loud that I’m okay with it, because I’m not. I’m still struggling with my reaching my “limitless potential” and that some how, some way I can transcend this and in doing so, I have exhausted myself and made matters worse.

        I know what I need and want to do and that is to love and accept myself the way I do others. To love myself with the kindness and gentleness that I share with others, even strangers. I want to laugh and be light with myself and my challenges just like I am with my clients. Mostly, I want to be at peace.

        It feels good to share my inner most thoughts and beliefs with you for there is freedom and healing in doing so. If I thought these thoughts were truly unique there’d be no point in sharing, but I’ve learned that we are so much more alike than we are different. And that although our stories may differ, our hearts are the same.  And perhaps by sharing my heart with you it will spark something within you that will bless you in some way. If nothing else, perhaps it will help you to know that you are not alone and that as isolated as you may sometimes feel, we are all in this together.

        If my head injury has taught me one thing, it is that in sharing one’s heart, we find that we are all connected and we are all loved.

        As I step into my heart’s desire to love, honor and accept myself just as I am, I hold out my hand and invite you to come with me.

        I lovingly request that you set down your pride, your shame, your harsh inner critic and let go of judgment. Step into a fresh new feeling of freedom and notice the breath of fresh air that comes over you.

        Let’s dance, sing and celebrate everything that has brought us to this blessed place in time.

        Let’s give thanks for our wisdom, our guidance and our sense of humor. And let’s trust that this is just the beginning. The beginning of a life filled with joy, magic and wonder sprinkled with humility, laughter and lightness.

        We do enough, we have enough, we ARE enough.

 The Power of Peace
By Carole L. Billingham, MCC

Peace.  A powerful, good-feeling word filled with possibility. World Peace. Two powerful words that when put together create hope often intertwined with a contrary sense of  helplessness. 

I know for a lot of people the idea of creating world peace is a pie in the sky dream.  For dreamers like myself, I not only believe that world peace is possible, but I intend to do my part in making it happen.

On the evening of September 11^th  2001,  I remember holding my little girl closely in my arms and asking myself, “What can I do to help bring peace into our world?  Surely there must be something I can do.” 

As my head filled with images of chaos and confusion, my heart was grounded in knowing that this was a significant day of awakening. A day that would play an important role in shaking us up in order to help us connect to a wise, inner voice calling us to action, calling us to stop living on automatic pilot and to start living consciously and with intention. I suppose many of us have experienced events in our lives such as a life-threatening illness or a death of a loved one that turned us on our heads and requested that we take a deeper look at ourselves and our lives. Life has a way of getting our attention and when the stakes are high enough, we listen.

In asking the question, “What can I do to bring forth peace?” I heard the words, “Be peaceful within your Self and Know that is all that is needed.”  I realized that the wise voice was right, if my inner world was one of cruelty and chaos, then I would be limited in what I could bring forth into my outer world.  I also realized that I had some work to do; a lot of work to do.  In that moment I chose to increase my efforts to heal the hurts of the past, to step fully into my power, embrace my wisdom and trust that somehow, some way that would be enough. At least for now.

So, here we are.  Several years have passed since September 11^th, 2001.  Are you living as an awakened and conscious being?  Or have you slipped back into a state of slumber in hopes that others will do their part (and perhaps your part too) in making the world a better place? 

I would guess that you are someone who has chosen to commit to being awake and to living your life as purposefully as you can.  I acknowledge and celebrate you for making that commitment.  And I am grateful for you for I know that the world is a better place because of the work you are doing (and it does feel like work sometimes doesn’t it?) to live Authentically and with Intention. 

I ask you to take this moment and acknowledge yourself for all that you have done to get to this perfect and important moment. To celebrate the challenges you overcame and to honor the people in your life who helped you get here. 

Now I ask you to think about the friends and friendships that have brought you joy and blessings along the way, the angels in your life who believed in you even when you didn’t.  Give thanks for them and the gifts they bring.  Know that together you are indeed playing an important role in bringing forth Peace into a world that is ready to listen.

It is truly an honor and pleasure to be on this path with you.  I am humbled by your presence and exhilarated to know that we are indeed making a difference.  What could be better than that?

©2006 Carole L. Billingham, MCC

Authenticity
by Carole L. Billingham, MCC

One of the side effects of my brain injury was the inability to hold back my emotions, both the positive and the not so positive ones.  For a not-yet–recovering-perfectionist it was horrifying not to be in full control of myself and the self that I was showing to others.  After all, I’d spent my whole life perfecting the woman that I proudly showed to the world and not to be able to control myself and my image was a nightmare come true.

Once I understood that all my efforts would not and could not change the situation and believe me I tried, I finally surrendered.  What I found was that underneath my inability to control my emotions were a new sense of freedom and an Authentic Woman who was delighted to be able to finally express herself fully and completely.  I also learned that not only did people not reject me (that was by far my deepest fear), but they seemed to like the new, expressive Carole who was starting to emerge.

Last spring while attending a women’s conference, I met a woman who had seen me speak at an event several years ago.  She commented that she sensed and saw a big difference in me.  She said that I was much more grounded and present than I had been when she last saw me and that I seemed a lot happier.  After I stopped beating myself up for not being perfect when she first saw me (ugh!), I was able to embrace the huge compliment that she was giving me.  I realized that my journey had indeed changed me and my life and that perhaps others noticed the difference as well.  I also realized that the changes that I had made could indeed be used to help others in their quest for wholeness and Authenticity.

I think that for many of us, we somehow took hold of the idea that we were to temper ourselves and be the girls or women that others wanted us to be in order for us to be valued and loved in return.  That’s no surprise, as most women find their value and identity in relationship to others.  That’s the way we are wired.  Thankfully, as we mature we find that we have a choice.  As we awaken to the inner voice crying “let me out, let me out!” we find that the price we pay in not listening is simply not worth it. 

The question isn’t are you listening, but do you have the courage to allow those parts of you that you have kept hidden for so long to come to the surface to be expressed, seen and celebrated?  Perhaps you will be happily surprised like I was that not only will you not be rejected, but you will be loved graciously in return.  Perhaps not only you, but the entire world will be better for it.  I’d bet on it.

Even the quote on my latte cup this morning was about living authentically (I can hear my angels giggling. They love it when they get my attention). 

So it is with a full heart, a sense of humor and much humility that I write to you today about setting the Authentic Woman in you free.  Will you allow her to come out and play?  I promise you not only will it be fun, but it will be wildly worth it.

©2006 Carole L. Billingham, MCC