Don’t you love how small efforts, over time, turn into radical shifts?

I recently had one of those “holy sh*t” moments.  You know – when you pause for a minute to take a little inventory of your life and realize, with immense gratitude, how lovely it is.  And, furthermore, you realize just how far you’ve come.

For me, this had shown up in the form of feeling supported, which was something, once upon a time, that felt quite foreign to me.

You see, asking for support is not something I’ve always been good at.  In fact, I used to be pretty awful at it. (I share a funny story in this video below about an 8-month pregnant lady in a bikini moving heavy furniture & yard debris in her front yard. Spoiler alert: That lady was me. And, this is a peek inside how ridiculous I used to be!)

As for “why” – well, that’s a pretty deep subject and a whole other post! I guess I had to prove how strong I was or something. It’s what I call the “superwoman complex” — and it’s a real thing. I see it All. The. Time. We’ll explore that some other time. But, for now, back to the coaching call…

A few years back, I was talking to one of my business/life coaches about how stressed and overwhelmed I was feeling. I had two young daughters at the time (one still in diapers) while trying to run multiple businesses and juggling everything else life was throwing at me. My self-care was practically non-existent and I was feeling the burn. She totally called me out on it: “Well, Dawn, you are really good at a lot of things, but you’re pretty bad at asking for support.” I felt in denial about it at first.  But, then, she continued, “You have so many people that would love to support you and you don’t let them in.”  She asked me when the last time was that I had asked for support and/or took someone up on their offer to help? She quickly added that employees didn’t count.  She made me realize that despite being a giving and generous person, I was shutting people down from being the same to me.

At that point, I decided that I truly wanted to FEEL supported in my life  I knew that I would have to open up to allow the support to flow in. I set that intention in my mind and heart and adopted a new mantra of, “I am supported”. Truth be told, I didn’t even believe those words at first. But, I kept saying them, and thinking them, and feeling them on a daily basis until they became my truth.

Without any grand outward calling for help, and by simply acknowledging my desire, calling it out as my intention, and opening myself up (energetically) to receiving …   support started trickling in for me in big ways. And, it hasn’t let up since.

As for my “holy sh*t” moment of recent: I was just back from a brilliant mastermind in NYC and really loving all the supportive entrepreneurs in the group who “get it” and have my back and want me to succeed as much as I want it for them. I was appreciating how lucky I am to be able to travel for business and personal growth & know that my two daughters are well-loved and taken care of by the supportive family that steps up when I’m away. Also, having just recently graduated from yoga teacher training, I was honoring the fact that I went through that journey with such an amazing and supportive group of teachers and fellow trainees. And, to top it all off, soon after giving up a chunk of safe and steady income doing work that I was grateful for, but didn’t love, all sorts of new opportunities starting showing up: new partnerships, new clients, new programs. In realization of all this and with immense gratitude, I exclaimed out loud, “Holy shit. I AM supported.”  And, it feels pretty darn good.

And, I want this for you as well. Whatever it is that you desire in business and in life, subtle shifts starting right now are going to multiply for you BIG TIME over time.  That is the power of intention and how it creates reality.

The words of Paulo Coelho from one of my favorite books, The Alchemist, ringing in my ears: “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”

Truth.

But, you have to let it be known. And, step into the energy. And, feel it. And, become it. And, as your thoughts change, so do your actions. And, as your actions change, so do your outcomes. And as your outcomes change, your life becomes wide open to all the possibilities and opportunities your heart desires.

It all starts with intention. So, what is yours?

With So Much Love,

Dawn