I have a network of well-educated, entrepreneurial, successful business women and men. One of the common themes is that most successful businesses are built on recommendations from family, friends and associates. It is these folks who we have established relationships with that know who we are, what we want to give to others, how we work, and why we want to do the business that we do. Not only are relationships the key to a successful business, they are also the best teachers in our lives. Maintain and nurture these precious relationships.

Any obstacles to knowing the right course of action are within each of us, and so is the right course. Sometimes it seems as though a decision truly hangs in the balance, with such equal values on both sides. You can hear yourself saying, “I was so close to saying no, or yes.” We hold our thumb and forefinger a quarter inch apart. That close may not be close at all; we knew all along what was appropriate. If we let ourselves be still and listen to our inner voice, we usually know what is right for us to do. If we find ourselves faced with a lot of decisions that seem so close apart, maybe we are not acting according to our ideas of what’s right. It might be time to reappraise our values. If we believe one way and act another, we are not being true to SELF.

Do what you have to do so that you can do what you want to do. Believe in yourself that you will do what you need to do to get where you want to go. Take one step at a time and start today!

Develop Self to better understand how we can create the life that we most desire. One of the keys to a better Self is understanding your emotions (fear, anger, sadness, guilt, rage, shame). When you feel an emotion, reflect to see where it is coming from. People can only evoke reactions in us if we choose to let them. By reflecting and going back in time to when you first remember a similar word, situation, person, or incident, you can work through the original incident by replacing those memories with what should have been to make you feel okay. By replacing negative messages with positive ones, we overcome negative programming and become more in harmony with our relationships and our environment. As you begin to understand yourself more and more, you will respond positively to more and more situations and relationships with understanding and compassion.