Imagine yourself living in the reality of your greatest dreams where all those prayers, hopes, and thoughts have come true. Everything is working out just as you imagined and you’re the happiest and most fulfilled you’ve ever been. A beautiful mental picture, isn’t it?

Every one of us is striving every day to get closer to the life we believe we deserve. And somewhere along your life journey, you must have questioned how possible it is to be the achiever you want to be. A part of the human process of understanding self and the universe is the relentless pursuit of what we must do in order to achieve the elixir of life – our purpose!

We are blessed with a powerful imagination that takes us places we’ve never been to and makes us see things as though they’re a reality even when they’re not. Visualization (also called mental imagery) is so powerful that successful athletes have used it for years to improve their performance.

What is a Vision Board?

A vision board is a medium through which you can organize your mental imagery. It is a collection of images, objects, or quotes that represent the future you want; often made out of aesthetically pleasing magazine cut-outs of people you admire or want to meet, places you want to go, things you want to have, companies you want to work with – simply, an assortment of your goals and desires.

Our ancestors in the stone age era expressed their imagination and visualization through cave paintings that historians believe were used to anticipate future danger and prepare adequately to face it – we can say that was the first use of vision boards.

The book, The Secret, is known to have popularized the use of vision boards to make dreams become reality based on the Law of Attraction that suggests our thoughts become things so we attract what we focus on.

Oprah is quoted saying she used a vision board to envision Barack Obama as president – down to the details of the dress she’d wear at the inauguration. Celebrities like Steve Harvey, Katy Perry, Beyonce and others have had their vision boards come to life. Even Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx attributes vision boarding to the success of her business. Spiritual leaders have also used vision boards to manifest their realities.

A survey done by TD Bank reports that people who have images, photos, or vision boards of their goals are twice as confident about achieving them than those who don’t; they’re also less anxious about budgeting, they feel more accomplished and are happier than people who don’t visualize their achievements.

The images on your vision board play a huge role in actualizing your thoughts because of a process in your brain called value tagging. Your brain allocates a higher value to those images you present it with and gives them more importance and attention. What you see is really what you believe and proceed to act on in order to make it come to pass.

How to Create a Vision Board + What You’ll Need

“The reality is that whatever you are looking for is, at the same time, looking for you. It all starts with believing before seeing.” – Dr Robert Anthony

To get started you’ll need a great attitude! This should be a fun process because you’re gathering your dreams in one place. This process can either be a physical or digital one and you can follow this easy process;

1. Goal Setting. What do you want to attract, accomplish or focus on in your life? Goals are best divided into different areas of your life to make it easier for you to zone in on each. Your goals could be divided into personal, physical (health), mental, family, and career goals. This is best done monthly, quarterly or yearly. Write all of them down in a notebook.
2. Search for images that represent your goals from magazines, old photos, newspapers, books, etc. Make sure they’re an accurate description of what you wish to manifest. You can also use Google or Pinterest. Make the cut-outs or download the images.
3. Arrange them on a physical board or digitally on Canva. Before you glue them to the board, arrange and re-arrange them in a layout until they make you inspired. Use motivating words, phrases, quotes, and embellishments if you want. Glue them to the board when you’re satisfied.
4. Place your vision board where you can see it every day either in the morning or evening before you sleep. Remember, seeing is believing and you looking at it constantly will serve as a reminder and inspiration of where you want to be. If you don’t want other people to see it, look at your board when they’re not around.

Mistakes to Avoid When Making a Vision Board

1. Not being specific with your goals. Vagueness sends a message to the universe that you don’t know exactly what you want. It’s not more money; it’s 10,000 dollars. It’s not to travel more often; it’s to travel to Thailand. It’s not losing weight; it’s losing 50 pounds. Assign figures and names to your dreams because that’s what your subconscious will start to register as true.
2. Not believing in the realization of your dreams. Making a vision board is one thing, believing the possibility of it coming true is another. Let your imagination, thoughts, and beliefs work in harmony to steer your dreams forward. Speak it all to existence as though it was already true.
3. Not taking action. You are a co-creator with the universe and all the good energies around you; your part is to put in the work needed to make your dreams a reality. It’s the actions that separate achievers from wishful thinkers. The vision board serves as a guide, inspiration, and reminder of the little steps you’re supposed to take. If you don’t work out or make healthier lifestyle choices, the chances of you achieving your body goals are significantly low. You hold the key to unlocking the possibilities that your vision board presents to you.

Your best life is a vision board away. The time to make one is now. A little guidance will go a long way to help you set ultra-clear goals depending on your strengths and opportunities for growth. Book your free consultation call with me to get you started and unstuck!

The post Unlock Your Greatest Dreams by Creating a Vision Board appeared first on LIFE PURPOSE ADVISOR.

The five levels, starting with the lowest are…

1.       Physiological needs (air, water, food, shelter, sleep, clothing, and reproduction): the most basic level of needs includes things we all need for survival, such as food, water and adequate sleep and shelter. According to Maslow, these basic needs must be fully met for people to move to the next level of fulfillment.
2.       Safety needs (personal security, employment, resources, health, property): this next level of basic human needs includes emotional, mental, and financial stability and security. Feeling safe motivates people to move forward and seek and achieve fulfillment at the next level.
3.       Love and belonging (friendship, intimacy, family, and sense of connection): according to the hierarchy of needs, this is the last level of basic needs that every individual must adequately fulfill to move up and live a rich and full life. This level of love and belonging includes family bonds, deep rooted friendships built on trust and mutual interest, sexual and emotional intimacy with a partner or spouse and being part of a community of like-minded individuals (this can be being part of a sports team, being in a book club or being part of a networking group). Once a person feels like they have a sense of belonging and they have loving, trusting relationships, they can move up to the next level of human fulfillment.
4.       Esteem needs (respect, self-esteem, status, recognition, strength, freedom): this is a higher need, according to Maslow, and involves confidence in self and a belief that you are valuable and worthy of love and respect. These needs are fulfilled when others acknowledge your capabilities and accomplishments and when you, yourself, feel confident in your own strengths and abilities.
5.       Self-actualization (desire to become the most that one can be): the highest level of needs, according to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, involves reaching and fulfilling your full potential as a person. These types of high-level needs include higher education, skill development, serving and caring for others, recognizing and developing your own personal talents, traveling the world to gain new experiences and learn from other people, and winning awards for sharing your talents.

Fulfilling Deficiency Needs to Get to Growth Needs

According to Maslow, the highest level of needs, self-actualization, is a “growth need,” which is completely separate from the first four levels which he calls “deficiency needs.” According to his theory, people that fail to adequately meet their deficiency needs will experience emotional and physical pain in their lives such as loneliness, depression, illness, and starvation. So, really we cannot jump to the highest level of fulfillment if we don’t first take care of our deficiency needs.

If we practice this theory, we can look at all the things that make up our deficiency needs and evaluate where we need to make adjustments. Where are we lacking? What can we do to make sure those needs are fully met and not just superficially met?  For instance… Are we emotionally and financially stable? Do we have relationships where we feel valued, trusted and seen? Are we confident in our capabilities and know what our strengths are? Do we believe in ourselves and truly believe we are worthy of love and dignity?

Once we dig deep into the first four levels of hierarchy, we can determine what needs are and are NOT being fully met. Then it is up to us to do the work until each level is fulfilled. This can be uncomfortable, but until all these needs are met, we cannot rise to the highest level and truly grow into our full potential.

Are You Ready to Reach Your Highest Level?

If you are feeling movement, it is time to grow! Your life purpose is calling you and it is time to step into your growth and unlock your true potential.

The time is now my friends… let’s go!

If you are ready to reach your highest level, plan a free consultation with me here!

The post What is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs? appeared first on LIFE PURPOSE ADVISOR.

This is easy for me to say because I am the onlooker, the witness, the mentor, the see’er, the alchemist, the one who’s held many hearts while they wiggle and squeeze out of the tiniest holes just like a baby chicken that can no longer stay in its shell because it’s gotten too big.  The evolution of the egg, to baby chickie, to adult chicken is unquestionable. 

We know this is a fact of life and we expect it to happen. 

We even anticipate that it will and enjoy every growth step as we wait for the egg to crack and the happy little chick to emerge.  We humans are the same and just like a baby chicken, we experience pain and discomfort when our “shells” get too small for our souls.  We have to break out and move forward.  We writhe and wiggle and get uncomfortable.  We get confused and anxious.  Something in our lives has come along to be our catalyst for growth but all we can recognize is the negative impact on us.  

If we don’t make time to pay attention, the body gets more involved and helps us feel more uncomfortable and sometimes even ill so that we have no choice but to pay attention.  We get anxious, depressed, our body starts to reject the foods we’ve eaten our whole lives.  We have headaches, other aches and pains and have trouble sleeping.  And so much more.

I’m wondering why this has to be such a surprise to us and such a painful process.

What if we knew that just like the chick inside an egg that our time for growth would arrive and what if we were taught in adolescence that a big event in our lives would be an indicator of our purpose breaking through?  What if it was methodical and planned just not scheduled because “when” is the unknown?  

As a parent, I wish to help my daughter avoid pain and discomfort whenever possible.  I think most Gen X parents feel the same.  But what if my biggest job as a parent (after loving and being present of course) is to train her for what’s coming down the line?  To help remove the stigma around the pain of awakening and the call to grow? “Hey honey, somewhere down the line, a big event is going to happen to make you question what you’ve learned so far in life.  Once that event occurs, you’ll be able to open this magic book of instructions.  Just say the secret password.” 

How would things be different for my lovely clients if their parents had the wisdom to speak to them in such terms? 

Maybe they would be ahead of the game a little or maybe they wouldn’t have listened.  We don’t know.  What I do know is that these kids (kids to me but really younger adults) might have a chance to do that for their kiddos.  I know this because we are moving into a time of higher levels of consciousness than ever before and in my heart I know things will be different.  How do I know?  I know because I see so many people doing the work to clear their baggage and let their hearts shine.  This allows them to step into higher levels of their purpose and live a more impactful life just because of who they become.  When we change ourselves, we change the world….one answer to The Call to Grow at a time.

Once again, I’m wondering….

What content would we include in a magical book of instructions?  Here’s a few things I’d be sure to include.

• A book that helps them understand who they are.  I would include pragmatic things like personality assessments, a family tree of details about their ancestors including profession, vices, ailments and talents and a list of the things they’ve always loved and disliked.  I’d also include those esoteric things like astrology readings, numerology reports and maybe a psychic reading just for fun.
• A step-by-step guide to how to take care of themself now that their great growth moment has arrived including a big toolbox of practices and rituals for them to use from.  
• A list of possible hints that the time for their Call to Grow has arrived.  The list would include bodily ailments and an explanation of the most likely emotional tie in that needs their attention.
• A guide to help them form or add to their tribe so that they are supported and loved by a sangha of people who understand what’s happening and can be their safety net as they morph and change.
• Some sacred jewelry, stones, mallas, beads, sage, palo santo and a big empty journal.
• A bottle of magic elixir for them to sip on the days that were more challenging.  (Maybe this would have to be a paloma or a kombucha but hey, the power of suggestion can be very impactful even from a placebo….and the bottle could look like it came from a great wizard).  
• A personal note from me reassuring them this is your right of passage and just like so many before you, you’ll be okay.  I’d include all my love and best wishes.

That’s my first pass of ideas.  What would you include that maybe I’ve forgotten?

It’s really fun to imagine that society might actually work this way again.  Many cultures had some version of this coming of age process long ago.  We’ve disconnected from rituals and sacred ceremonial actions where one generation fosters the growth of another.  I wonder how quickly our culture will build this back into our regime.  Quickly I hope.

Now that I’ve pondered what gifts we could give to our children and I look back over this list.  I’m prompted to ask…

How many of you are ready to give this gift to yourself? 

The time is now. 

A bigger version of your life is waiting for you to step up and unfold it. 

Let’s go!

The post The Call to Grow appeared first on LIFE PURPOSE ADVISOR.

Each week Dr. Robert Connor interviews small business owners, salespeople and health professionals who excel in their field. He created The Prospecting Show to help listeners that are seeking to hone their message, reach their perfect audience and explain what they do. 

Episode 122: The Pillars of Your Purpose with Angie Swartz

In the episode, The Pillars of Your Purpose, Dr. Connor interviews Angie and asks her about her specific style of coaching and how it can help entrepreneurs looking to shift gears and grow their businesses. She talks about her own personal career path and journey, how she became a life coach, and how she uses her own experiences to help others find their life purpose and true happiness.

“Things started happening and doors started opening and I started opening them,” Angie told Dr. Connor. “I coach clients one on one by choice, I teach courses and I am in the middle of launching an online school with five classes that I really love…On top of that I am writing a book.”

Angie and Dr. Connor talk about how Covid is affecting people in their careers and forcing them to change their lives because they have no choice. Angie points out that with the forced isolation, very successful people are starting to realize that they haven’t spent time building relationships or true friendships because they have been so busy with their heads down in their work.

She says the pandemic is making people want to make changes and movements in their lives and their careers to find true happiness. They then talk about how Angie’s work helps people make the necessary changes in their lives and careers.

Angie’s Nonlinear Coaching Approach

Dr. Connor talks about how most coaching is very linear. He points out that Angie gives people all aspects of life and business coaching together in one piece. She touches on how she pulls from her business background and her spiritual background to help people reach a holistic, happy life.

“You can improve all you want in your career,” Angie says. “But if you haven’t dealt with the other sides of your life, you’re eventually going to fail on that side because you’re not going to be holistically built to be happy.”

Dr. Connor talks about how this non-linear holistic approach can really help entrepreneurs and people seeking change. He also talks about how it can help listeners who are ready to advance their careers and enrich their lives.  

Angie tells Dr. Connor that one of her favorite things to do is coach people who are ready to leave their corporate careers and focus on their side hustle.

She talks about her new online training program and coaching. “All of my coaching programs have four basic modules that we work through,” she says.

She talks about the modules and how they all have an underlying premise that there is something bigger out there helping us along. After that underlying premise there is “know thyself,” “practicing daily rituals” (creating daily practice to help you be more present), “transforming the body” (transforming your body to make decisions), and “being mindful” (paying attention to the messages that are coming in all around you).

Aligning with Your Real-Life Purpose

Angie also talks about how she loves to help people align with their real-life purpose. She says she believes that everyone knows what their purpose is deep down and that we must go through experiences to realize what that is. Dr. Connor and Angie discuss how people are often being pulled to where they want to go, and eventually, they make a purposeful change.

Angie’s biggest advice for entrepreneurs and people desiring to grow their own business is to delegate so they can focus on the part of their business they love to do. First thing is to hire an accountant, she says. And then, think about what your business team should look like. If you don’t have the money to do that, get creative! She recommends trading services, hiring interns, and using other creative strategies to create a team of people to help. She says if you don’t put a team together to help your business grow, you will always be stuck. 

Listen here to the full episode! 

The post Angie Swartz, a Featured Guest on The Prospecting Show appeared first on LIFE PURPOSE ADVISOR.

Thursday, January 19th Agenda:
5:30 – 6:00 pm check in and networking
6:00 – 6:15 Announcements
6:15 – 7:00 Dinner
7:00 – 7:45 Speaker
7:45 – 8:00 Closing and Drawing
Join us at Filippi’s in Kearny Mesa for some pizza, pasta,
salad and mini cannolis.
Soft drinks, tea, and coffee are included.
Members & Students $27.00
Guest $35.00
Scholarship Prizes
To be announced
1 ticket = $5.00 3 tickets = $10.00
You can Pre-Purchase your tickets when you register!
Click on the link below to register or RSVP.
REGISTER NOW!
Photo Credit: William Iven

The post Angie Swartz Speaking at Accounting and Financial Women’s Alliance appeared first on LIFE PURPOSE ADVISOR.

A GREAT BIG HEARTFELT THANK YOU to all of my 52 wonderful guests.  Your stories inspired so many and change lives every day.  

Download the Top 10 Life Purpose Advisor Podcast Interviews PDF!  (And read the insights from our Top 10 Interviews)

1. Don Jose Ruiz: Claiming Responsibility for Our Own Happiness[spp-player optin=”off” ctabuttons=”off” url=http://traffic.libsyn.com/lifepurposeadvisor/AS_Don_Jose_Ruiz-rev-1.mp3]
2. Wendy Craig-Purcell: Transforming the World With Love[spp-player optin=”off” ctabuttons=”off” url=http://traffic.libsyn.com/lifepurposeadvisor/AS_Wendy_Craig_Purcell_rev-1.mp3]
3. Parker J. Palmer: Enhancing the Human Possibility[spp-player optin=”off” ctabuttons=”off” url= http://traffic.libsyn.com/lifepurposeadvisor/AS_Parker_Palmer_rev-1.mp3]
4. Susan Piver: The Life Purpose of Modern Day Buddhist Teacher[spp-player optin=”off” ctabuttons=”off” url=http://traffic.libsyn.com/lifepurposeadvisor/LPA_Susan_Piver_Ep_43_Edited_mixdown.mp3]
5. Mari Smith: Raising Consciousness with Facebook and Her Very Bright Light[spp-player optin=”off” ctabuttons=”off” url=http://traffic.libsyn.com/lifepurposeadvisor/AS_Mari_Smith_rev-1.mp3]
6. Mark Lovett: The Life Purpose of Connecting the Dots[spp-player optin=”off” ctabuttons=”off” url=http://traffic.libsyn.com/lifepurposeadvisor/AS_Mark_Lovette_rev-1.mp3]
7. Dave Goldberg: The Life Purpose of a Peaceful Aikido Warrior[spp-player optin=”off” ctabuttons=”off” url=http://traffic.libsyn.com/lifepurposeadvisor/AS_Dave_Goldberg_rev-2.mp3]
8. Lynda Bunnell: The Life Purpose of Helping Others Find Their Truth[spp-player optin=”off” ctabuttons=”off” url=http://traffic.libsyn.com/lifepurposeadvisor/AS_Lynda_Bunnell_rev-1.mp3]
9. Christina Baldwin: The Life Purpose of a Spiritual Storyteller[spp-player optin=”off” ctabuttons=”off” url=http://traffic.libsyn.com/lifepurposeadvisor/LPA_49__Christina_Baldwin_Edited_mixdown.mp3]
10. Bret Mosher:  The Life Purpose of Healing with Chinese Medicine[spp-player optin=”off” ctabuttons=”off” url=http://traffic.libsyn.com/lifepurposeadvisor/AS_Bret_Mosher_rev-1.mp3]

Don’t Miss Season 2 of the Life Purpose Advisor Podcast!  Listen and Subscribe here.

The post Top 10 Life Purpose Advisor Podcast Interviews from 2015 appeared first on LIFE PURPOSE ADVISOR.

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The Power of Gratitude Event Details

What: Connected Conversations Monthly Meeting
Topic:  The Power of Gratitude
When:  Tuesday, November 19, 2013.  6:30-8:30pm
Where:  The Unity Center, 8999 Activity Road, San Diego, Ca 92126
Cost:  $25
[add_to_cart item=”CC_111913″ style=”padding-right:80px;” showprice=”no” text=”Register Here” ]
Suggested Reading:  “Guidepost #4, Cultivating Gratitude and Joy:  Letting Go of Scarcity and Fear of the Dark”, from The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown

 “Without exception, every person I interviewed who described living a joyful life or who described themselves as joyful, actively practiced gratitude and attributed their joyfulness to their gratitude practice.” –Brene Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection

How might your life change if you included a gratitude practice in your life?  Come join in the great energy of other like-minded friends and co-create something wonderful for your life.

About Connected Conversations

Connected Conversations is a monthly meeting group hosted by Life Purpose Advisor and Angie Swartz.  It is the place where you can connect with like-minded people interested in finding their life purpose, navigating life transitions, improving personal mastery, developing self-awareness, increasing personal leadership, living a more meaningful life, answering a higher calling, growing spirituality and much more. Monthly Connected Conversation meetings will include speakers, group discussion, circle talk, workshops, and always the opportunity to contribute, connect and ask questions.  The events are educational as well as offer you the opportunity to make new friends and get to know others on a deeper level.

Upcoming Connected Conversations Events

December :15:  Holiday Brunch
January 16:  Spiritual Goal Setting
February 20:  Know Thyself –  Love In Its Best Form
March 20:  Ritual  –  The Ides of March
April 17:  Transforming the Body and The Power to Heal with Bret Mosher
May 15:  Mindfulness Circle

The post November Connected Conversations: The Power of Gratitude appeared first on LIFE PURPOSE ADVISOR.

“We were born to unite with our fellow men, and to join in community with the human race.” –Cicero
It is my great pleasure to introduce our new monthly discussion group, Connected Conversations.  Connected Conversations is the place where you can connect with like-minded people interested in finding their life purpose, navigating life transitions, personal mastery, self awareness, personal leadership, living a more meaningful life, answering a higher calling, spirituality and much more.
Monthly Connected Conversation meetings will include speakers, group discussion, circle talk, workshops, and always the opportunity to contribute, connect and ask questions.  The events are educational as well as offer you the opportunity to make new friends and get to know others on a deeper level.
When you are a seeker of truth and doing the sometimes difficult personal development work to find your life purpose, surrounding yourself with like-minded friends can make all the difference.  I hope to see you at one of our monthly Connected Conversations meetings.   (Virtual meetings on Google Hangouts starting in 2014).

con·ver·sa·tion 

noun \ˌkän-vər-ˈsā-shən\

Upcoming Connected Conversations

October 24:  The Harvesting of Your Spirit  with Lisa Jaffe
November 19:  Gratitude Circle
December :15:  Holiday Brunch
January 16:  Spiritual Goal Setting
February 20:  Know Thyself –  Love In Its Best Form
March 20:  Ritual  –  The Ides of March
April 17:  Transforming the Body and The Power to Heal with Bret Mosher
May 15:  Mindfulness Circle

Connected Conversations Meeting Details

Where:  San Diego County Locations (Details given at registration for private locations)
When:  The Third Tuesday or Thursday of Each Month
What:  Group Discussion, Circle Talk, Workshops, Connecting
How:  Monthly meetings are facilitated by Angie Swartz and will include outside presenters.
Why:  To develop a community of like-minded people interested in Spiritual Growth and Finding Life Purpose.
Cost:  Monthly meetings range from$25-$75 depending on the agenda and services offered.

How do I register for Connected Conversations?

You can register and pay for the October  meeting on Facebook.
Register for October 24:  The Harvesting of Your Spirit with Lisa Jaffe by clicking here.

The post Connected Conversations: A New Opportunity for Discussion and Friendship appeared first on LIFE PURPOSE ADVISOR.

I am always looking for resources for finding your life purpose.  Below is a growing list of life purpose resources.  If you are doing the work to find your life purpose, you want to make sure to consult with many different sources.  You never know just what  will fit and what you need for personal growth.

Do You Know a Great Life Purpose Resource?

Do you use another site which you can recommend? Simply add it to the list by clicking on the pink “Add to list” button & submitting the url.

You are Welcome to Share and Use Life Purpose List

Please share this list with your friends so other people can also benefit.  Feel free to share via email, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc.  You are also welcome to embed the list on any of your websites and blog posts.  Sharing will help the resource grow and keep getting better as more people add great resources for additional content.
[listly id=”2ZS” theme=”light” layout=”full” numbered=”yes” image=”yes” items=”all”]

The post A Great List of Life Purpose Resources for You appeared first on LIFE PURPOSE ADVISOR.