Our FREE Gift to You!
We know that dreams can have a voice of their own and, now more than ever, dreams that were safely locked away are crying out, asking to be brought to life. As an expression of our ongoing commitment to your realization of life dreams and goals, we are so excited to announce our FREE gift!
When will be the right time for you to breathe life into your dreams? Our stance is right now! Download our Free Book Club Outline and lead your own dream-propelling book club based on this 8-week format, modeled after a proven process. Let it work for you and your friends! http://createyourlifeinc.com/bookshelf.htm
When two or more gather to support one another around their life dreams and goals, creative forces emerge and possibilities reveal themselves. We've seen it time and again in our Dream Circles, one-to-one coaching, and at our signature Dream Party™! We urge and invite you to create this support for yourself by joining forces with one or more of your friends. Together you can:
* Create momentum around your dreams.
* Discover resources that seemed out of reach.
* Allow limiting beliefs to fall away.
* Gain clarity around ideas and visions.
* Celebrate your creations!
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In honor of our Book Club launch,
Are You Pregnant With a Dream?
is more affordable than ever!
For a limited time...
Are You Pregnant With a Dream?
Birthing a Dream: Conception to Age 5
Written by Tara Sage Steeves Illustrated by Liz Halloran
Only $15.00
Includes FREE BONUS E-book!
(Reg. price: print copy $17.94, E-book $7.75)
Order Your Copy Today &
Bring Your Dreams to Life!
http://createyourlifeinc.com/bookshelf.htm
"If you have a longing to fulfill yet unrealized dreams or
simply want to discover if you might be ready to, you owe it
to yourself to read Are You Pregnant With a Dream?"
~ Angel C. Hale, Life Coach
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The Are You Pregnant With a Dream? book club is for anyone who has a dream and has interest in seeing that dream come alive in the world. Download your FREE discussion outline, invite friends, and you'll be on your way to hosting your own supportive, playful group to share in the magic of giving birth to your dreams. Download now!
http://createyourlifeinc.com/bookshelf.htm
March 17, 2009
February 19, 2009
Theory is Biography
Theory is Biography
I had a moment of insight recently when a thoughtful teacher of mine offered that "theory is biography". Theory is biography... Well, what in the world does that mean?!?
Consider for a moment:
What theories or ideas do you have about how to live?
...about how life works best?
...about health, wellness and happiness?
...about how to stay safe?
...about how to behave, survive, think, interact?
What are your ideas about how the world should be?
What are your ideas about how to measure a life well lived?
Your answers to these questions will reveal your theories on living. Now, some of you may be saying to yourself, "my answers aren't THEORIES, they're the TRUTH!" If this is coming up for you, notice that... and consider whether this is more of your theory! :)
Theory or not, your answers to these, and questions like them, will reveal a great deal about the truth of your experience - past, present, and likely, into the future.
We live from and build our life around the ideas of our personal biography. The story of our experiences has shaped who we are, and the lens through which we interpret each moment.
The Importance of Knowing Your Lens
A shift in awareness can change everything.
Which of your theories are serving you and the life you desire? Which parts undermine, or even sabotage, the creation of what you long for? Gaining a strong awareness of this distinction can literally shift the course of your life.
I invite you to join me in doing some personal reflection about how these ideas apply to you. If you feel inclined, please feel free to share your thoughts and insights with me. Contact me (Tara@createyourlifeinc.com)
I had a moment of insight recently when a thoughtful teacher of mine offered that "theory is biography". Theory is biography... Well, what in the world does that mean?!?
Consider for a moment:
What theories or ideas do you have about how to live?
...about how life works best?
...about health, wellness and happiness?
...about how to stay safe?
...about how to behave, survive, think, interact?
What are your ideas about how the world should be?
What are your ideas about how to measure a life well lived?
Your answers to these questions will reveal your theories on living. Now, some of you may be saying to yourself, "my answers aren't THEORIES, they're the TRUTH!" If this is coming up for you, notice that... and consider whether this is more of your theory! :)
Theory or not, your answers to these, and questions like them, will reveal a great deal about the truth of your experience - past, present, and likely, into the future.
We live from and build our life around the ideas of our personal biography. The story of our experiences has shaped who we are, and the lens through which we interpret each moment.
The Importance of Knowing Your Lens
A shift in awareness can change everything.
Which of your theories are serving you and the life you desire? Which parts undermine, or even sabotage, the creation of what you long for? Gaining a strong awareness of this distinction can literally shift the course of your life.
I invite you to join me in doing some personal reflection about how these ideas apply to you. If you feel inclined, please feel free to share your thoughts and insights with me. Contact me (Tara@createyourlifeinc.com)
February 02, 2009
Beyond Guacamole...
Beyond Guacamole...
F*R*E*E Dream Circle Session
Join our Dream Out Loud community
Upcoming Events: Mark Your Calendar
"The man on top of the mountain didn't fall there."
~ Vince Lombardi, Jr.
Celebrate YOUR Dreams!
I am not, in any way, shape, or form, a football fan. For me, the Superbowl is nothing more than an excuse to get together with friends and eat guacamole. However, even with limited knowledge of the rules and no personal interest in who wins, I admit the last quarter was exciting. The one moment that made an evening of football worth it for me, was captured in the photo seen here of Santonio Holmes, who caught the winning touchdown pass. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)
His moment of celebration went way beyond football. This moment captured the realization of a dream and the uncontainable joy of such an achievement. In that moment, his joy resonated as my own.
What dream would have you overflowing with joy in the moment of it's realization?
What single moment would make the sweat and tears worth the journey?
Order Your Copy
Are You Pregnant With a Dream? Birthing a Dream: Conception to Age 5
by, Tara Sage Steeves
Order Your Copy Today & Bring Your Dreams to Life!
http://createyourlifeinc.com/bookshelf.htm
Regardless of sex or age, we are all fertile dreamers. Are Pregnant With a Dream? is a whimsical, detailed guide that offers numerous tools, breakthrough exercises, inspiration, and personal narratives to support every phase of the dream birthing process. The metaphor of pregnancy offers rich, timeless wisdom and universal symbolism to support you in bringing your dreams to full term. This book will have you embracing your labor of love and wearing those stretch marks proudly!
Take our Pregnancy Test at http://createyourlifeinc.com/pregnancytest.htm
Dreams & The Economy
At Create Your Life! we are committed to making the dream realization process available to all who wish to access it. Due to the widespread financial constraints that many are facing right now, we are offering a payment plan option for upcoming Dream Circles. Enroll for only $95, and pay the remaining balance by week 5 of the program. With FREE Facebook group membership, the remaining balance is $80. Without Facebook group membership, the remaining balance is $105.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=34032708327
Dream Circle in Action:
Bonnie's story: "I arrived for week 1 of the 5-week Dream Circle with a dream of having a studio space to create my artwork - a big upgrade from my dining room table! Things happened so fast! My vision ws fully aflame in my heart, but my courage was still just a lone ember. It quickly grew six-fold with the clarity and support of the other Dream Circle members and I realized this didn't have to remain a dream at all. I took action, and was so excited when, on week 5, I hosted the Dream Circle at my new studio!"
* * * * * * * * * *
The Dream Circle is a powerful, affordable, fun incubator for your dreams. It's time.
Learn more at http://createyourlifeinc.com/workshops_retreats.htm
Honor and celebrate the wisdom of your dreams and the longing of your soul with this powerful process of discovery, inspired action and team work.
Questions? Contact Tara@createyourlifeinc.com
January 08, 2009
Hot Off The Presses!
Newspaper & Radio Interviews with Tara
PHOTO BY JACQUELINE MARQUE
RADIO
On Monday, Tara was interviewed by Anne Deidre Smith on Dream Visions 7 Radio. Hear our lively discussion about ways to connect to life dreams and goals, and 3 Simple Guidelines for Successful New Year's Resolutions.
Click here to download (1-5-09) & listen:
HOT OFF THE PRESSES
Tara was also interviewed for the 'off the lip' feature in the January 7-13, 2009 edition of The Mercury Magazine. By, MATT KEEFER
(See below.)
From The Mercury Magazine: 'off the lip' Feature:
DREAM TIME
Need a Radical Change?
She'll Guide You There
Tara Sage Steeves, 33
Dream Realization Coach
Six years ago, she was deep in debt, living in a basement apartment, hating her job and her love life. Now Tara Sage Steeves has great credit, is happily married and runs Create Your Life!, her own Newport-based personal development company helping others transform their lives and make their dreams come true. It starts, oddly enough, with a pregnancy test. Steeves has a list of questions that surround the conception of a dream. Among them: Do you know what makes your heart sing? Have you declared your dream out loud? If your dream arrived today, would you be ready for it? From there, she works with clients to prepare for birth. She has hosted annual Dream Parties™ for the past three years where guests are encouraged to dress up like their future selves, cross a “foot bridge to the future” and shred lists of all their “shoulds.” Her next five-week session of Dream Circle Workshops starts Monday, Jan. 26. Visit her Web site at www.createyourlifeinc.com.
In today's world, what makes your services of use?
I think life coaching services are critical because more and more people are looking at their lives and asking what's important. We all need support and guidance to pinpoint what we truly want, overcome obstacles, and create new patterns in our lives. Fulfilling our deepest desires: what else are we here for, really?
Could this business have succeeded 50 years ago?
I'd like to think so, but I'm glad to be part of a new industry. I think it's a timeless industry because life dreams and goals are timeless. People have been working on fulfilling their dreams since the beginning of time.
What kind of dreams do people hope to accomplish with you?
One client came to me looking for a new job. She really wasn't sure how much she was worth to an employer, and in our work together, she ended up getting a salary that was 40 percent higher than what she would have originally negotiated for. Another client I've worked with is a mom whose kids have grown, and she'd been a closeted artist. Within a year of working together on and off, she opened her own studio and gallery. Another is a man: a father and husband with two kids in college. He felt very trapped in his job as a bank executive, and was really, really miserable. Within five months, he found another job in another bank, doing what he now describes as his "dream job." He's earning more money, he's closer to home, and more than all of that, he has his quality of life back, and feels in control of his destiny. It's really about identifying the thing you're passionate about, and then finding a way to make a living doing it.
What's your dream?
I have many. One is travel. I have traveled quite a bit and my husband and I share a dream of doing a world tour of hot springs. To soak in the minerals of the entire planet... that's a dream of mine. Another involves the Dream Party - which is my signature event - I dream that it will reach people in cities all across the nation.
Should it be a national holiday?
That's an idea, although I envision it more as an event that's held on various occasions. The Dream Party was born from my belief that the world desperately needs more places for people to dream. It'd make a great New Year's Eve party. Retirement party. You name it. Any milestone that would benefit from thinking five years ahead and asking "within the next five years, what do I want my life to be like, what do I truly desire?"
Do you have advice for making New Year's resolutions?
Any day and any moment is an opportunity to create a new path. New Year's is arbitrary, but it's a great opportunity to assess the past year and look forward. Really ask yourself: “what is it about this resolution and this goal that excites me and motivates me?” And tune in to whether it’s something you think you “should” be doing, verses something that you really deeply desire. “Should” is a word I encourage people to eliminate from their vocabulary. Replacing “should” with words like “could” or “will” creates a much more empowering statement. I encourage people to set goals they are excited about.
So there needs to be a deeper motivation inside for “should” I take out the garbage? “Should” Joe get rid of the rats in his basement?
Well, there’s obviously consequences, right? There’s consequences to every decision that we make, and, sure, if you don’t get the rats out of the basement, there are natural consequences. You might ask: What is the cost of not doing it? The answer will help you decide.
You published a book last year, too?
I did. It’s called “Are You Pregnant with a Dream?” and it uses the metaphor of the stages of pregnancy and applies them to dreams and goals for your life. Conception, stretching your limits, labor, nesting. Each stage can be likened to the dream realization process.
How does a guy get pregnant with a dream?
When it comes to a dream, gender and age don’t matter. In the book it says “Regardless of sex or age, you are fertile.” So we have fun with it. There’s even a pregnancy test, which you can also take on my Web site. You know, one male client in particular really enjoyed the book and felt that it really supported him. He said he was expecting triplets! It’s a metaphor that even some men can get their mind around.
What do you enjoy most about this job?
I love the moment when people realize they can have what they want. That is the most enjoyable moment for me. When I see it come over their face, and they say, “wow, I can really do this.” In that moment, I just soar. I love it, I truly do.
You teach your clients; what do you learn from them?
They’re constantly inspiring. They teach me what’s possible. I learn insights right along with them; I’m in process, too, and I don’t have the answers.
So can your clients, say, show you how to hold a guitar?
I play a bit of folk guitar, actually, and here’s a guitar a client of mine gave me. (She picks up and plucks a cigar-box guitar). She made this for me. You can actually plug it in. It really is a privilege to be part of somebody’s process.
December 29, 2008
Top 10 "Top 10" Lists to Create for 2009
"Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it, because what the world needs is people who have come alive."
~ Howard Thurman
TOP 10 "TOP 10" LISTS TO CREATE FOR THE NEW YEAR
Top 10 lists are a quick glance on a range of topics from Hollywood's best dressed, to current events, political issues, and ideas for consideration on personal growth...
As 2008 comes to a close and 2009 begins, it's a great time to get out a notebook or journal and create your own Top 10 Lists...
Use these Top 10 lists to remind yourself of what's good and shining about you and your life. Use them to become more aware of what you know and what you can do to make the world a better place. Use them to reconnect with your dreams, to remember what you truly want. Enjoy!
1. Top 10 Things I Love About My Life
2. Top 10 Moments in 2008
3. Top 10 Priorities for 2009
4. Top 10 Ways I Spread Light in The World
5. Top 10 Things That Are Uniquely "Me"
6. Top 10 Things I'd Like to Do Before I Die
7. Top 10 Reasons for Gratitude in My Life
8. Top 10 Personal & Professional Dreams
9. Top 10 Things I Want to Learn
10. Top 10 Healthy Sources of Energy
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
~ Howard Thurman
TOP 10 "TOP 10" LISTS TO CREATE FOR THE NEW YEAR
Top 10 lists are a quick glance on a range of topics from Hollywood's best dressed, to current events, political issues, and ideas for consideration on personal growth...
As 2008 comes to a close and 2009 begins, it's a great time to get out a notebook or journal and create your own Top 10 Lists...
Use these Top 10 lists to remind yourself of what's good and shining about you and your life. Use them to become more aware of what you know and what you can do to make the world a better place. Use them to reconnect with your dreams, to remember what you truly want. Enjoy!
1. Top 10 Things I Love About My Life
2. Top 10 Moments in 2008
3. Top 10 Priorities for 2009
4. Top 10 Ways I Spread Light in The World
5. Top 10 Things That Are Uniquely "Me"
6. Top 10 Things I'd Like to Do Before I Die
7. Top 10 Reasons for Gratitude in My Life
8. Top 10 Personal & Professional Dreams
9. Top 10 Things I Want to Learn
10. Top 10 Healthy Sources of Energy
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
November 05, 2008
Barack Obama Victory Speech: 11/04/08
If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.
It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference.
It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled — Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of red states and blue states; we are, and always will be, the United States of America.
It's the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.
It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.
I just received a very gracious call from Sen. McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and he's fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Gov. Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.
I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the vice-president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.
I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nation's next first lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House. And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure.
To my campaign manager, David Plouffe; my chief strategist, David Axelrod; and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics — you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done.
But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to — it belongs to you.
I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington — it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.
It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give $5 and $10 and $20 to this cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this earth. This is your victory.
I know you didn't do this just to win an election, and I know you didn't do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime — two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor's bills, or save enough for college. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.
The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year, or even one term, but America — I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you: We as a people will get there.
There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as president, and we know that government can't solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And, above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it's been done in America for 221 years — block by block, brick by brick, callused hand by callused hand.
What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek — it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you.
So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers. In this country, we rise or fall as one nation — as one people.
Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House — a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress.
As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, "We are not enemies, but friends... Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection." And, to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your president, too.
And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world — our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand. To those who would tear this world down: We will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security: We support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright: Tonight, we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.
For that is the true genius of America — that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.
This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election, except for one thing: Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.
She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons — because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.
And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America — the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes, we can.
At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes, we can.
When there was despair in the Dust Bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes, we can.
When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes, we can.
She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome." Yes, we can.
A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes, we can.
America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves: If our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?
This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time — to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can.
Thank you, God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America.
It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference.
It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled — Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of red states and blue states; we are, and always will be, the United States of America.
It's the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.
It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.
I just received a very gracious call from Sen. McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and he's fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Gov. Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.
I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the vice-president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.
I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nation's next first lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House. And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure.
To my campaign manager, David Plouffe; my chief strategist, David Axelrod; and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics — you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done.
But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to — it belongs to you.
I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington — it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.
It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give $5 and $10 and $20 to this cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this earth. This is your victory.
I know you didn't do this just to win an election, and I know you didn't do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime — two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor's bills, or save enough for college. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.
The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year, or even one term, but America — I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you: We as a people will get there.
There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as president, and we know that government can't solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And, above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it's been done in America for 221 years — block by block, brick by brick, callused hand by callused hand.
What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek — it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you.
So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers. In this country, we rise or fall as one nation — as one people.
Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House — a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress.
As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, "We are not enemies, but friends... Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection." And, to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your president, too.
And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world — our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand. To those who would tear this world down: We will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security: We support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright: Tonight, we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.
For that is the true genius of America — that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.
This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election, except for one thing: Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.
She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons — because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.
And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America — the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes, we can.
At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes, we can.
When there was despair in the Dust Bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes, we can.
When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes, we can.
She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome." Yes, we can.
A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes, we can.
America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves: If our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?
This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time — to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can.
Thank you, God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America.
August 14, 2008
Eckhart Tolle, The Dream Party™, and Your Next Inspired Action
I am excited to share an article I wrote entitled: Eckhart Tolle, The Dream Party™, and Your Next Inspired Action. This and numerous other inspiring articles can be found in the Aug/Sept issue of aspire... Magazine. Pick up your complimentary copy today!
Eckhart Tolle, The Dream Party™, and Your Next Inspired Action
by, Tara Sage Steeves
"Future success is dependent upon and inseparable from the consciousness out of which the actions emanate." ~ Eckhart Tolle
I was one of the thousands of people tuned into Oprah's online classroom with Eckhart Tolle, author of A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose. I found his concise and graceful way with words downright riveting. I often read and re-read sentences while allowing them to resonated deep into my being. I was especially struck by what he refers to in the very last chapter as the three modules for awakened doing: acceptance, enjoyment and enthusiasm. He writes, "If you can neither enjoy or bring acceptance to what you do - stop." It would indeed be a new earth if everyone were to live by those words.
What Eckhart calls Awakened Doing, I regularly refer to as Inspired Action. He defines it as "the alignment of your outer purpose (what you do) with your inner purpose (awakening and staying awake)." As a Dream Realization Coach, I often express the importance of pinpointing one's next inspired action as the central focus to the realization of any dream.
In his explanation of these modalities, I noticed his formula says nothing of logic, scarcity, or practicality when determining one's course of action. There seems to be an understanding that when you act from a place of acceptance, enjoyment and/or enthusiasm, what you need will be provided.
This has shown itself to be true in my life, time and time again. For example, in the summer of 2005, I decided to go on a 10-day trip to connect with some friends for an art festival in Nevada. My business was under one year old at the time, and thanks to also being a "landlordess," I managed to squeak by on the combined monthly income. From a bookkeeping perspective, this trip was a bad idea. In addition to the expense of the trip itself, without Internet or phone access for the full ten days, all business would be on hold. Against all logic, I decided to follow a strange certainty that this was my next inspired action.
What transpired during my travels was transformative, joyful, challenging, cathartic, and profoundly heart opening. I immersed myself in the experience and when the time came to return home to Rhode Island, I did so happily, savoring the heart-space I was in.
Once home, however, things changed quickly and dramatically. I found myself crying in parking lots simply because they were parking lots, claustrophobic in cars and even my own living room, acutely aware of the sadness of strangers passing by, and in attempts to describe the experience to friends, I used phrases like "I feel suffocated," "I've expanded," and "I no longer fit my life." When weeks passed and these symptoms showed no signs of letting up, I knew something had to change, and I all but decided to sell my house and buy a one-way ticket anywhere to begin a nomadic lifestyle. Frustrated, I professed, "There just aren't enough places to dream here!" Friends who had been trying to persuade me to stay, reluctantly surrendered to my deep need for change and instead offered to help me pack. I had narrowed my options down to two choices, fight or flight...either create what I longed for, or travel the world looking for it.
The Dream Party™ was born over the next 48 hours, thankfully faster than I could pack! I was awakened in the night by "ideas" and was at the kitchen table writing them down within minutes. The Party was "an excuse for me to stay," I said. While I suspected that others felt a need for such an event, I was admittedly doing it because I needed it. My efforts paid off when over 100 people attended the first Dream Party™, and thank you's and testimonials flowed. Based on the success of two Rhode Island Dream Parties, and the 3rd annual Dream Party™ coming up on October 3, 2008, more people are exposed to it every day.
The moral of this story is... While you may not know where your next inspired action will lead, you are wise to trust that when action is taken in the spirit of sincere acceptance, enjoyment and/or enthusiasm, it is sure to manifest in ways that serve yourself as well as the greater good. Born out of acceptance, enjoyment and enthusiasm, The Dream Party™ has given me many gifts. I never could have predicted that going on an out-of-budget vacation would inspire a way to grow my business while supporting the pursuits of numerous other brave dreamers!
What awakened action will you take today that reflects acceptance, enjoyment and/or enthusiasm? What's your next inspired action?
Tara Sage Steeves is founder of The Dream Party™, a playful and powerful opportunity to embody your dreams and goals while exploring next steps towards their manifestation. The 3rd annual Dream Party™ will be held on Friday, October 3, 2008 at Edgewood Yacht Club in Cranston, RI. Tickets are on sale now at www.createyourlifeinc.com. Aspire Magazine is a proud sponsor of The Dream Party™.
Eckhart Tolle, The Dream Party™, and Your Next Inspired Action
by, Tara Sage Steeves
"Future success is dependent upon and inseparable from the consciousness out of which the actions emanate." ~ Eckhart Tolle
I was one of the thousands of people tuned into Oprah's online classroom with Eckhart Tolle, author of A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose. I found his concise and graceful way with words downright riveting. I often read and re-read sentences while allowing them to resonated deep into my being. I was especially struck by what he refers to in the very last chapter as the three modules for awakened doing: acceptance, enjoyment and enthusiasm. He writes, "If you can neither enjoy or bring acceptance to what you do - stop." It would indeed be a new earth if everyone were to live by those words.
What Eckhart calls Awakened Doing, I regularly refer to as Inspired Action. He defines it as "the alignment of your outer purpose (what you do) with your inner purpose (awakening and staying awake)." As a Dream Realization Coach, I often express the importance of pinpointing one's next inspired action as the central focus to the realization of any dream.
In his explanation of these modalities, I noticed his formula says nothing of logic, scarcity, or practicality when determining one's course of action. There seems to be an understanding that when you act from a place of acceptance, enjoyment and/or enthusiasm, what you need will be provided.
This has shown itself to be true in my life, time and time again. For example, in the summer of 2005, I decided to go on a 10-day trip to connect with some friends for an art festival in Nevada. My business was under one year old at the time, and thanks to also being a "landlordess," I managed to squeak by on the combined monthly income. From a bookkeeping perspective, this trip was a bad idea. In addition to the expense of the trip itself, without Internet or phone access for the full ten days, all business would be on hold. Against all logic, I decided to follow a strange certainty that this was my next inspired action.
What transpired during my travels was transformative, joyful, challenging, cathartic, and profoundly heart opening. I immersed myself in the experience and when the time came to return home to Rhode Island, I did so happily, savoring the heart-space I was in.
Once home, however, things changed quickly and dramatically. I found myself crying in parking lots simply because they were parking lots, claustrophobic in cars and even my own living room, acutely aware of the sadness of strangers passing by, and in attempts to describe the experience to friends, I used phrases like "I feel suffocated," "I've expanded," and "I no longer fit my life." When weeks passed and these symptoms showed no signs of letting up, I knew something had to change, and I all but decided to sell my house and buy a one-way ticket anywhere to begin a nomadic lifestyle. Frustrated, I professed, "There just aren't enough places to dream here!" Friends who had been trying to persuade me to stay, reluctantly surrendered to my deep need for change and instead offered to help me pack. I had narrowed my options down to two choices, fight or flight...either create what I longed for, or travel the world looking for it.
The Dream Party™ was born over the next 48 hours, thankfully faster than I could pack! I was awakened in the night by "ideas" and was at the kitchen table writing them down within minutes. The Party was "an excuse for me to stay," I said. While I suspected that others felt a need for such an event, I was admittedly doing it because I needed it. My efforts paid off when over 100 people attended the first Dream Party™, and thank you's and testimonials flowed. Based on the success of two Rhode Island Dream Parties, and the 3rd annual Dream Party™ coming up on October 3, 2008, more people are exposed to it every day.
The moral of this story is... While you may not know where your next inspired action will lead, you are wise to trust that when action is taken in the spirit of sincere acceptance, enjoyment and/or enthusiasm, it is sure to manifest in ways that serve yourself as well as the greater good. Born out of acceptance, enjoyment and enthusiasm, The Dream Party™ has given me many gifts. I never could have predicted that going on an out-of-budget vacation would inspire a way to grow my business while supporting the pursuits of numerous other brave dreamers!
What awakened action will you take today that reflects acceptance, enjoyment and/or enthusiasm? What's your next inspired action?
Tara Sage Steeves is founder of The Dream Party™, a playful and powerful opportunity to embody your dreams and goals while exploring next steps towards their manifestation. The 3rd annual Dream Party™ will be held on Friday, October 3, 2008 at Edgewood Yacht Club in Cranston, RI. Tickets are on sale now at www.createyourlifeinc.com. Aspire Magazine is a proud sponsor of The Dream Party™.
June 01, 2008
Happiness is a Consequence
TIPS FROM TARA: Happiness is a Consequence
Joy is not frivolous. Despite all sources to the contrary, joy is not a blissful state of ignorance experienced only by the irresponsible. It is not a fleeting luxury of childhood, or the 20's. It is not privately owned by the Pollyannas, nor is it a prize awarded by the stuff-acquiring puppeteers club. Oh no, joy is not frivolous at all.
In Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert writes: "I keep remembering one of my Guru's teaching about happiness. She says that people universally tend to think that happiness is a stroke of luck, something that will maybe descend upon you like fine weather if you're fortunate enough. But that's not how happiness works. Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it, you must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it."
Allow these words to resonate deep inside you. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings... YOU have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings... I have to PARTICIPATE relentlessly in the manifestations of my own blessings...
Joy is for everyone and anyone who ever wants to do something great. It is for anyone who wants to raise stable adaptable children. It's for anyone who wants to look back on their life and smile. Joy is the essential component of the creation of your best life. From joy, grows more joy. From joy, all of life's precious moments become timeless.
Maybe you find yourself fighting for it. Maybe you find yourself striving for it. Maybe you find yourself insisting upon it. Maybe you're searching for it. Or maybe you are making a mighty effort to maintain it.
Where ever you are in your personal quest for a joy-full life, consider the enormous value of setting aside an entire day to laugh by a lake with new friends in a Laughter Yoga class, and engage in playful tools and empowering exercises designed to let joy shine through you and manifest in the world. I hope you'll join us for a co-ed retreat on Saturday, June 28 where we will devote a full day to exploring and experiencing joy. Joy is the essential first step in manifesting your life dreams and goals. See below for details and registration.
Joy is not frivolous. Despite all sources to the contrary, joy is not a blissful state of ignorance experienced only by the irresponsible. It is not a fleeting luxury of childhood, or the 20's. It is not privately owned by the Pollyannas, nor is it a prize awarded by the stuff-acquiring puppeteers club. Oh no, joy is not frivolous at all.
In Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert writes: "I keep remembering one of my Guru's teaching about happiness. She says that people universally tend to think that happiness is a stroke of luck, something that will maybe descend upon you like fine weather if you're fortunate enough. But that's not how happiness works. Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it, you must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it."
Allow these words to resonate deep inside you. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings... YOU have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings... I have to PARTICIPATE relentlessly in the manifestations of my own blessings...
Joy is for everyone and anyone who ever wants to do something great. It is for anyone who wants to raise stable adaptable children. It's for anyone who wants to look back on their life and smile. Joy is the essential component of the creation of your best life. From joy, grows more joy. From joy, all of life's precious moments become timeless.
Maybe you find yourself fighting for it. Maybe you find yourself striving for it. Maybe you find yourself insisting upon it. Maybe you're searching for it. Or maybe you are making a mighty effort to maintain it.
Where ever you are in your personal quest for a joy-full life, consider the enormous value of setting aside an entire day to laugh by a lake with new friends in a Laughter Yoga class, and engage in playful tools and empowering exercises designed to let joy shine through you and manifest in the world. I hope you'll join us for a co-ed retreat on Saturday, June 28 where we will devote a full day to exploring and experiencing joy. Joy is the essential first step in manifesting your life dreams and goals. See below for details and registration.
April 10, 2008
RHODE ISLAND AUTHOR PUBLISHES GUIDE TO BIRTHING YOUR DREAMS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Tara Sage Steeves
(401) 569-7017
Tara@createyourlifeinc.com
www.createyourlifeinc.com
RHODE ISLAND AUTHOR PUBLISHES GUIDE TO BIRTHING YOUR DREAMS
Rhode Island Book Party Launch in Providence April 10
New England Launch Event with Aspire Magazine on April 20
Providence, RI (April 10, 2008) - That business you have always wanted to start.... that new career you aren't sure how to define....the feeling of balance that is missing in your daily life... author Tara Sage Steeves helps readers access their secret and not so secret dreams through her warm and engaging new book, Are You Pregnant With a Dream?.
Are You Pregnant With a Dream? (Create Your Life, © 2008, $17.95, book release party discount price: $15.00) offers numerous tools, reflective exercises, and thought-provoking questions that gently guide people in creating the lives they truly want. The book is based on the author’s years of work with individual clients, through Create Your Life, a Rhode Island-based life coaching and personal development firm.
“Whether birthing a baby, a business, an adventure, a legacy, or any other dream you can conceive of, the experience will be unique -- based on your personality, approach, and situation,” writes Steeves. “I whole-heartedly offer Are You Pregnant With a Dream? (my own labor of love), to the reader as a powerful resource to unlock your inner wisdom, unleash your unique gifts, and reveal your dreams to the world, one step at a time.”
For Steeves, with a background in psychology and holistic health, and an entrepreneurial spirit, the book meets a demand she hears from people regularly. "The book is based on what most people ask me for -- support in clarifying and creating their dreams,” she explains. “Many people know what they want, but are unsure how to bring those secret dreams to life."
Part workbook and part inspirational pep talk, Are You Pregnant With a Dream? weaves simple exercises and personal stories with Steeves’ humor, enthusiasm and warmth. This approachable and thoughtful book will be a supportive companion for people bravely seeking to embrace the full creative potential of their lives.
The Rhode Island launch of the book will take place at Tazza Caffe at 250 Westminster Street, Providence on Thursday, April 10, 2008 from 5:45pm-8:30pm. The event is free and open to the public.
Create Your Life has partnered with Aspire Media, Inc., publisher of aspire magazine, on a New England release of the book at Love, Light and Laughter: An Enchanted Event for Women on April 20 in Qunicy, Massachusetts. Tara Sage Steeves will be a featured speaker at the event.
Are You Pregnant With a Dream? is available for purchase online as well on April 10 through www.CreateYourLifeInc.com.
About the Author
Tara Sage Steeves is a dream realization coach and proud parent of several dreams. Tara is the principal and founder of Create Your Life!, a firm offering coaching services that apply empowerment and behavior modification strategies to help individuals realize life goals and dreams. Tara spent over ten years in the human services industry as a behavior modification therapist and as a member of an addiction treatment research team. Deciding to integrate her commitment to personal growth with her entrepreneurial spirit, Tara launched Create Your Life! in 2004 and has since served numerous clients through individual coaching and popular workshops throughout New England. Tara was highlighted as a dream realization expert in The Sassy Ladies eGuide: How to be Successful In Your First Year In Business. She serves as an Entrepreneurial Training Program Trainer for the University of Massachusetts through Fish Park Consulting. Tara also serves as a volunteer for small businesses through Urban Ventures. Tara is a graduate of Providence College and lives in Newport, RI with her extraordinary husband, William “Rocky” Steeves, a horticulturist and beekeeper.
About Create Your Life
Create Your Life! is a dynamic personal coaching firm that seeks to help people identify, nurture, and manifest their dreams. Create Your Life! offers individual clients services as well as creative workshops, publications and special events. Individual coaching clients are supported in setting their ambitions high and living a life of integrity by pursuing their dreams and balancing work and play. Create Your Life! has particular expertise is supporting clients who have entrepreneurial small business dreams. Retreats and workshops gather experts to offer groups a range of experiences and advice. Workshops have included Strengthening Your Personal Foundation, Making a Successful Transition to Self-Employment, and Women’s Discovery Weekends. The Dream Party™ is a popular annual event that connects people to local dream realization resources within their community. Dream Parties are a unique, fun, and transformative way of empowering attendees to see the feasibility of a dream, while connecting local arts and business networks. To learn more about Create Your Life!, visit www.CreateYourLifeInc.com.
###
CONTACT:
Tara Sage Steeves
(401) 569-7017
Tara@createyourlifeinc.com
www.createyourlifeinc.com
RHODE ISLAND AUTHOR PUBLISHES GUIDE TO BIRTHING YOUR DREAMS
Rhode Island Book Party Launch in Providence April 10
New England Launch Event with Aspire Magazine on April 20
Providence, RI (April 10, 2008) - That business you have always wanted to start.... that new career you aren't sure how to define....the feeling of balance that is missing in your daily life... author Tara Sage Steeves helps readers access their secret and not so secret dreams through her warm and engaging new book, Are You Pregnant With a Dream?.
Are You Pregnant With a Dream? (Create Your Life, © 2008, $17.95, book release party discount price: $15.00) offers numerous tools, reflective exercises, and thought-provoking questions that gently guide people in creating the lives they truly want. The book is based on the author’s years of work with individual clients, through Create Your Life, a Rhode Island-based life coaching and personal development firm.
“Whether birthing a baby, a business, an adventure, a legacy, or any other dream you can conceive of, the experience will be unique -- based on your personality, approach, and situation,” writes Steeves. “I whole-heartedly offer Are You Pregnant With a Dream? (my own labor of love), to the reader as a powerful resource to unlock your inner wisdom, unleash your unique gifts, and reveal your dreams to the world, one step at a time.”
For Steeves, with a background in psychology and holistic health, and an entrepreneurial spirit, the book meets a demand she hears from people regularly. "The book is based on what most people ask me for -- support in clarifying and creating their dreams,” she explains. “Many people know what they want, but are unsure how to bring those secret dreams to life."
Part workbook and part inspirational pep talk, Are You Pregnant With a Dream? weaves simple exercises and personal stories with Steeves’ humor, enthusiasm and warmth. This approachable and thoughtful book will be a supportive companion for people bravely seeking to embrace the full creative potential of their lives.
The Rhode Island launch of the book will take place at Tazza Caffe at 250 Westminster Street, Providence on Thursday, April 10, 2008 from 5:45pm-8:30pm. The event is free and open to the public.
Create Your Life has partnered with Aspire Media, Inc., publisher of aspire magazine, on a New England release of the book at Love, Light and Laughter: An Enchanted Event for Women on April 20 in Qunicy, Massachusetts. Tara Sage Steeves will be a featured speaker at the event.
Are You Pregnant With a Dream? is available for purchase online as well on April 10 through www.CreateYourLifeInc.com.
About the Author
Tara Sage Steeves is a dream realization coach and proud parent of several dreams. Tara is the principal and founder of Create Your Life!, a firm offering coaching services that apply empowerment and behavior modification strategies to help individuals realize life goals and dreams. Tara spent over ten years in the human services industry as a behavior modification therapist and as a member of an addiction treatment research team. Deciding to integrate her commitment to personal growth with her entrepreneurial spirit, Tara launched Create Your Life! in 2004 and has since served numerous clients through individual coaching and popular workshops throughout New England. Tara was highlighted as a dream realization expert in The Sassy Ladies eGuide: How to be Successful In Your First Year In Business. She serves as an Entrepreneurial Training Program Trainer for the University of Massachusetts through Fish Park Consulting. Tara also serves as a volunteer for small businesses through Urban Ventures. Tara is a graduate of Providence College and lives in Newport, RI with her extraordinary husband, William “Rocky” Steeves, a horticulturist and beekeeper.
About Create Your Life
Create Your Life! is a dynamic personal coaching firm that seeks to help people identify, nurture, and manifest their dreams. Create Your Life! offers individual clients services as well as creative workshops, publications and special events. Individual coaching clients are supported in setting their ambitions high and living a life of integrity by pursuing their dreams and balancing work and play. Create Your Life! has particular expertise is supporting clients who have entrepreneurial small business dreams. Retreats and workshops gather experts to offer groups a range of experiences and advice. Workshops have included Strengthening Your Personal Foundation, Making a Successful Transition to Self-Employment, and Women’s Discovery Weekends. The Dream Party™ is a popular annual event that connects people to local dream realization resources within their community. Dream Parties are a unique, fun, and transformative way of empowering attendees to see the feasibility of a dream, while connecting local arts and business networks. To learn more about Create Your Life!, visit www.CreateYourLifeInc.com.
###
January 28, 2008
Horizons & Step 1: Unlock Your Dreams
STEP 1: Unlock Your Dreams
I'm big on horizons.
While on a recent vacation, my husband, Rocky, and I had the blessing of long walks on the beach with the waves lapping at our ankles. As we walked, he searched at his feet for beautiful shells, thrilled by each treasure he found. While I too picked up the occasional shell or sharks tooth that caught my eye, my energy was much more captivated by the enchanting horizon.
He and I often joke saying "Hurry! We're missing it!" while pretending to rush like we're late for something - the joke being the knowledge that the present moment is "it," and that there's no place to hurry up and "get to" aHorizon photot all.
Looking out as far as I could see, I considered my love of horizons (metaphorically and otherwise) and asked myself: Am I missing it? With so many beautiful treasures right at my feet...
No, silly. I wasn't missing a thing! As I savored the span of sky and earth in the distance, that horizon was as much a part of my present experience as those beach treasures were to Rocky. I was simply choosing my point of focus.
As a coach, I am an enthusiastic advocate for establishing the delightful balance of savoring and imagining...it is in this unique cradled balance of present and potential that dreams are born. Savor what's right in front of you AND take the time to imagine what's ahead. Imagination is not just for kids at play! It is through playful imagination that our desires for the future have permission to come into focus.
Dreams live in your heart - right now, in this very moment. One of my favorite quotes says it best: "If what's in your dreams wasn't already real inside you, you couldn't even dream it." Gloria Steinem
Recognizing and naming your dreams in your present experience is the absolute first step in manifesting them. Dreams are born of joy, passion, love, and excitement. Unlocking your dreams is Step 1, and Step 1 can be the most challenging step of all...
What's on your horizon?
Are you looking?
Are you excited about what's ahead?
Are you enjoying the process of moving into your future?
What is your lifelong dream, starting now?
For up-to-date listings of Create Your Life! events full of playful dream-propelling opportunities, visit our web site: www.createyourlifeinc.com
For a complimentary coaching session, contact Tara: Tara@createyourlifeinc.com
May your dreams be born of beauty and imagination,
Tara
November 14, 2007
How The Dream Party™ was Born
In the summer of 2005, I decided to go on a 10-day trip to Nevada to connect with some friends for a grand art festival. I was feeling up for an adventure and eager to get away. With my business under one year old at the time, thanks to also being a “landlordess,” I managed to squeak by on the combined monthly income. From a bookkeeping perspective, going on this trip was a bad idea. In addition to the expense of the trip itself, I was running the risk of halting momentum due to no internet or phone access for the full ten days. All logic said no – yet my intuition said yes.
On faith, I chose intuition as I have done so many times in my life. What transpired over those 10 days in the Nevada desert was transformative, joyful, challenging, cathartic, and most of all, profoundly HEART-OPENING. A sense of expansiveness, timelessness, and present-moment focus gently pervaded my experience with such depth, that the inevitable end of the festival and return home wasn’t given any thought or concern. I was just blissfully “in the experience”. What a gift!
When the time came to return home, I did so happily, savoring the heart-space that I was in. However, once home, things changed quickly and dramatically. I found myself crying in parking lots simply because they were parking lots, claustrophobic in cars and even my own living room, acutely aware of the sadness of strangers passing by, and in attempts to describe the experience to friends, I was using phrases like “I feel suffocated,” “I’ve expanded,” and “I no longer fit my life.” When weeks passed and these symptoms showed no signs of letting up, I knew something had to change, and I all but decided to sell my house and buy a one-way ticket anywhere to begin a nomadic lifestyle. I professed angrily, “There just aren’t enough places to dream here!” Friends who had been trying to persuade me to stay, reluctantly surrendered to my deep need for change and instead offered to help me pack. I had narrowed my options down to two choices, fight or flight…either create what I longed for, or travel the world looking for it.
Alas, The Dream Party™ was born over the next 48 hours, thankfully faster than I could pack! It came to me in chunks. I was awakened in the night by “ideas” and was at the kitchen table writing them down within minutes. The Party was “an excuse for me to stay,” I said. While I suspected that others felt a need for such an event, I was admittedly doing it because I needed it. My efforts paid off when over 100 people attended the first Dream Party™, and thank you’s and testimonials were received.
As you move forward toward your dreams, consider that you can’t know whether your next step will be big or small, or even a “step” at all in terms of where you’re heading. The organic creation of this trademark event has given me the opportunity to reach a national audience of dreamers. I never could have predicted that going on an out-of-budget vacation would prove to be a giant step in propelling my business forward! What’s your next inspired action?
May all your dreams come true,
Tara Sage Steeves
Tara Sage Steeves is Founder and President of Create Your Life! and The Dream Party™. She is also author ofthe book ‘Are You Pregnant With a Dream? Birthing a Dream, Conception to Age 5’. To arrange for acomplimentary coaching session or to find out more about our events, products, or services call (401) 569-7017, email, or visit www.createyourlifeinc.com.
On faith, I chose intuition as I have done so many times in my life. What transpired over those 10 days in the Nevada desert was transformative, joyful, challenging, cathartic, and most of all, profoundly HEART-OPENING. A sense of expansiveness, timelessness, and present-moment focus gently pervaded my experience with such depth, that the inevitable end of the festival and return home wasn’t given any thought or concern. I was just blissfully “in the experience”. What a gift!
When the time came to return home, I did so happily, savoring the heart-space that I was in. However, once home, things changed quickly and dramatically. I found myself crying in parking lots simply because they were parking lots, claustrophobic in cars and even my own living room, acutely aware of the sadness of strangers passing by, and in attempts to describe the experience to friends, I was using phrases like “I feel suffocated,” “I’ve expanded,” and “I no longer fit my life.” When weeks passed and these symptoms showed no signs of letting up, I knew something had to change, and I all but decided to sell my house and buy a one-way ticket anywhere to begin a nomadic lifestyle. I professed angrily, “There just aren’t enough places to dream here!” Friends who had been trying to persuade me to stay, reluctantly surrendered to my deep need for change and instead offered to help me pack. I had narrowed my options down to two choices, fight or flight…either create what I longed for, or travel the world looking for it.
Alas, The Dream Party™ was born over the next 48 hours, thankfully faster than I could pack! It came to me in chunks. I was awakened in the night by “ideas” and was at the kitchen table writing them down within minutes. The Party was “an excuse for me to stay,” I said. While I suspected that others felt a need for such an event, I was admittedly doing it because I needed it. My efforts paid off when over 100 people attended the first Dream Party™, and thank you’s and testimonials were received.
As you move forward toward your dreams, consider that you can’t know whether your next step will be big or small, or even a “step” at all in terms of where you’re heading. The organic creation of this trademark event has given me the opportunity to reach a national audience of dreamers. I never could have predicted that going on an out-of-budget vacation would prove to be a giant step in propelling my business forward! What’s your next inspired action?
May all your dreams come true,
Tara Sage Steeves
Tara Sage Steeves is Founder and President of Create Your Life! and The Dream Party™. She is also author ofthe book ‘Are You Pregnant With a Dream? Birthing a Dream, Conception to Age 5’. To arrange for acomplimentary coaching session or to find out more about our events, products, or services call (401) 569-7017, email, or visit www.createyourlifeinc.com.
November 01, 2007
Book Update!/Your Best Self Advocate
CREATE YOUR LIFE! NEWSLETTER: October 2007
IN THIS ISSUE:
Yes, I Got Married
Book Update & Other Journalistic News
I Work for Your Best Self
Dream Journals for the Holidays!
Be careful what you water your dreams with. Water them with worry and fear and you will produce weeds that choke the life from your dream. Water them with optimism and solutions and you will cultivate success. Always be on the lookout for ways to nurture your dream. - Lao Tzu
DREAM JOURNALS MAKE GREAT HOLIDAY GIFTS!
The Dream Journal is an inspiring tool designed to help you move towards manifesting dreams for the future, one step at a time. The pages are yours to fill with goals, dreams, action steps, ideas, challenges and, of course, successes!
($12 +shipping/handling)
To order securely via Paypal visit our Shopping page at: http://createyourlifeinc.com/shopping.htm
YES, I GOT MARRIED
As some of you have noticed, my last name has changed over the past few months. Truth is, "Gross-Steeves" has been transitional...I've been Gross for long enough! :)
Please note my new full name:
Tara Sage Steeves
We want to extend a sincere THANK YOU to all who have sent words of celebration & blessings in honor of our marriage. We are so blessed to have found one another.
BOOK UPDATE & OTHER JOURNALISTIC NEWS
Coming this Spring!
Tara's first book...
Are You Pregnant With a Dream?
Birthing a Dream: Conception to Age 5
Illustrated by: Liz Halloran
IN OTHER JOURNALISTIC NEWS...
This month in Spirit Side Magazine, Tara's article "4 Steps to Awakening Your Dreams" is highlighted! Spirit Side Magazine is hosted monthly by Body Mind Spirit Expo as a means of exploring the frontiers of new thought.
I WORK FOR YOUR BEST SELF
Coaching is such a powerful tool, and I am so proud to be part of such a phenomenal industry.
With a new client, I always recommend that they make a minimum commitment of three months. The reason for this is two-fold: (1) in doing so they are making a commitment to themselves, and (2) 90 days is generally enough time for significant life changes to take place. However, based on individual pace and ambition, creating the life of your dreams could take 2 months, 2 years, 20 years, or 20 lifetimes. Coaching is a powerful tool that can "get you there" more quickly than you otherwise would. I have seen powerful things take place for my clients, sometimes in as little as 2 sessions. This is a tribute to them taking full advantage of the coaching relationship and all it has to offer.
I am a devoted advocate for your Best Self - the self that could only create and attract your dream life...nothing less. I stand strongly for you at your best, brightest, fullest expression.
You cannot convince me that you:
* Are powerless to your situation
* Can't do what you dream of most deeply
* Don't have everything you need - right now
Consider that your thoughts and behaviors, to date, have created the life you have now. Therefore, if you want (any part of) your life to change, your thoughts and behaviors have to change with it. You have to DO things and THINK things in new ways. As your coach, I will gently challenge you to do these things and offer you unwavering support along your journey. I offer tools, goal setting assistance, milestone celebration, skilled listening, personal challenges, and guidance to help move you forward on your journey to create the life you've dreamed of.
I have been both honored and blessed to have the privilege of supporting and witnessing my clients' journeys towards creating extraordinary lives for themselves. And, a natural byproduct of their joy and success is that it organically spills over into the lives of those around them! Funny how that works, isn't it?
If you'd like to learn more about how I can work for your Best Self, please call or email to arrange for a complimentary session. Since coaching is generally done by telephone, this opportunity is available to you regardless of where you live. Read client testimonials: http://createyourlifeinc.com/testimonials_lc.htm
May all your dreams come true,
Tara Sage Steeves
Founder & President
Create Your Life! & The Dream Party™
IN THIS ISSUE:
Yes, I Got Married
Book Update & Other Journalistic News
I Work for Your Best Self
Dream Journals for the Holidays!
Be careful what you water your dreams with. Water them with worry and fear and you will produce weeds that choke the life from your dream. Water them with optimism and solutions and you will cultivate success. Always be on the lookout for ways to nurture your dream. - Lao Tzu
DREAM JOURNALS MAKE GREAT HOLIDAY GIFTS!
The Dream Journal is an inspiring tool designed to help you move towards manifesting dreams for the future, one step at a time. The pages are yours to fill with goals, dreams, action steps, ideas, challenges and, of course, successes!
($12 +shipping/handling)
To order securely via Paypal visit our Shopping page at: http://createyourlifeinc.com/shopping.htm
YES, I GOT MARRIED
As some of you have noticed, my last name has changed over the past few months. Truth is, "Gross-Steeves" has been transitional...I've been Gross for long enough! :)
Please note my new full name:
Tara Sage Steeves
We want to extend a sincere THANK YOU to all who have sent words of celebration & blessings in honor of our marriage. We are so blessed to have found one another.
BOOK UPDATE & OTHER JOURNALISTIC NEWS
Coming this Spring!
Tara's first book...
Are You Pregnant With a Dream?
Birthing a Dream: Conception to Age 5
Illustrated by: Liz Halloran
IN OTHER JOURNALISTIC NEWS...
This month in Spirit Side Magazine, Tara's article "4 Steps to Awakening Your Dreams" is highlighted! Spirit Side Magazine is hosted monthly by Body Mind Spirit Expo as a means of exploring the frontiers of new thought.
I WORK FOR YOUR BEST SELF
Coaching is such a powerful tool, and I am so proud to be part of such a phenomenal industry.
With a new client, I always recommend that they make a minimum commitment of three months. The reason for this is two-fold: (1) in doing so they are making a commitment to themselves, and (2) 90 days is generally enough time for significant life changes to take place. However, based on individual pace and ambition, creating the life of your dreams could take 2 months, 2 years, 20 years, or 20 lifetimes. Coaching is a powerful tool that can "get you there" more quickly than you otherwise would. I have seen powerful things take place for my clients, sometimes in as little as 2 sessions. This is a tribute to them taking full advantage of the coaching relationship and all it has to offer.
I am a devoted advocate for your Best Self - the self that could only create and attract your dream life...nothing less. I stand strongly for you at your best, brightest, fullest expression.
You cannot convince me that you:
* Are powerless to your situation
* Can't do what you dream of most deeply
* Don't have everything you need - right now
Consider that your thoughts and behaviors, to date, have created the life you have now. Therefore, if you want (any part of) your life to change, your thoughts and behaviors have to change with it. You have to DO things and THINK things in new ways. As your coach, I will gently challenge you to do these things and offer you unwavering support along your journey. I offer tools, goal setting assistance, milestone celebration, skilled listening, personal challenges, and guidance to help move you forward on your journey to create the life you've dreamed of.
I have been both honored and blessed to have the privilege of supporting and witnessing my clients' journeys towards creating extraordinary lives for themselves. And, a natural byproduct of their joy and success is that it organically spills over into the lives of those around them! Funny how that works, isn't it?
If you'd like to learn more about how I can work for your Best Self, please call or email to arrange for a complimentary session. Since coaching is generally done by telephone, this opportunity is available to you regardless of where you live. Read client testimonials: http://createyourlifeinc.com/testimonials_lc.htm
May all your dreams come true,
Tara Sage Steeves
Founder & President
Create Your Life! & The Dream Party™
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