I’m a New Yorker … and while I love being in the Hamptons for the summer, riding my horse, writing my book, dining with friends, walking along the beach, looking for shooting stars … Part of me is also glad I have big obligations to drive me forward and challenges to sink into – a book publishing deadline, two new classes starting next month, a daughter about to start her last year of high school.
I’m often asked how I do it … I’m in my fifties, but I feel 30. I’m super active, I love to sing and dance (as anyone who has attended a class or Intro can attest). I’ve got life and spark and energy. I run a thriving business and I do it all from the craziest busy city ever. As a single mom. While teaching classes nearly year-round.
My answer is simple, but not easy.
There is so much amazing information out there about what to do (business strategy, online techniques, productivity management, and on and on).
For me, my attention has always been less on the “what to do” and instead been on “how I do it.”
How do I be in my body and in my mind?
What’s the energy and style I bring?
How do I tap into my inner truth when making decisions?
How do I FEEL, and what’s my sense of flow as I’m doing it?
How do I stay plugged in to the divine?
So here is my simple, straightforward formula for how I create the impossible. These are my 3 secrets for success. They sound simple – and they are – but actually, they go pretty deep (so keep reading).
My 3-step secret is:
– have a go-to set of practices you’ve mastered
– get in action, and stay in action, to use them effectively
– apply them inside a community of supportive sisterhood
What? Sounds too simple? Often the simplest ideas are the most challenging practices. Let’s explore a bit more …
Twelve years ago, I wrote a book that laid out 8 of my essential practices and mindsets for life called The Womanly Arts. To this day I still use them all the time. These are:
Whetting Your Own Appetite
Having Fun No Matter What
Sensual Pleasure
Flirtation
Owning Your Beauty
Partying with Your Inner Bitch
Owning and Operating Men
Inviting Abundance
These Arts are my core frames and practices, but honestly, you could pick another set of practices from a different teacher, or another school of thought.
The most important thing is to pay attention to how the mindsets and practices make you feel, in your body.
Do they have you feel alive inside your life, and bring your energy and soul online, so you are energized and lit up to handle what life dishes out?
That’s the key experience you need to manifest magic in your life, so when you use practices that accomplish that – you’re golden.
Once you’ve chosen a set of concepts and practices that you feel are right for you – be rigorous and be consistent.
For me, I’ve only ever been able to accomplish that inside of community, inside of sisterhood.
On my own, I get off-track. With the support of other women, I can do almost anything.
I know, without fail, that if I connect with a friend every day to do the a simple exercises that I know work for me (and teach in my classes), then I’ll have more energy and focus to accomplish the huge list to do list in front of me.
When I’m not doing this frequently, I tend to space out, or drink too much coffee to help me focus. Or complain to anyone in my life who will listen, which will actually make me more tired and less able to get to that yoga class or push out the latest chapter of my book.
Sisterhood helps me cut through that vicious cycle, and take advantage of a virtuous cycle.
When my energy or courage flags, my community of practice holds my feet to the fire, and helps me push through.
When I am stuck, someone in my sisterhood will have an answer or tip for me. And I will do the same for her.
And finally, as women, it can be hard to hold our center, to stay in our body, and stay true to what we want. (We also tend to forget that anything we want is possible!)
A community of women who listens to your desires and dreams, who uplifts and uprides you … well, it’s actually the secret sauce to being a powerful successful woman.
Recognizing all of that, a few years ago, I created a course called Virtual Pleasure Boot Camp.
It was my way to create a practice community of women, from all over the world, to get in action and stay in action, with the Womanly Arts. And I wanted them to be able to do it from anywhere, from home.
I wanted a powerful, moving, energized distance learning container where women could bring their problems, bring their struggles, bring where they are stuck – and have change happen.
I know that it’s with the Arts, a community and structure that gets you into action, and a supportive sisterhood, that real magic happens.
At the beginning, I wondered if we could make magic happen at a distance. After 1,000 class graduates, I’m happy to say I know it does. (Don’t take my word for it, check out the success stories from grads first hand.)
Let’s face it … this life, this culture, the way we live, it just flat out does not support us as women.
We’re taught to put our needs last.
We’re taught to get our answers outside ourselves, outside of our body.
We’re taught to be at war with our bodies and emotions, instead of using them as a source of power.
We all need a practice community of other women, a sisterhood of support around us to take back what is our birthright: to live as powerful, radiant, turned on, embodied women.
That’s how we create magic in our lives, that’s what imbues our “what we do” and gets us incredible success. Yes, it takes technical skills to get results – but it also takes all of you. All of your woman. All of your body.
That’s where I think there is so much untapped potential, untapped resource, the place where a little bit goes a long way. I think this is actually probably the secret ingredient in this work… that we help you tap a vein of inspiration and magic you didn’t even know was there for you.
Certainly for me, when I’m stuck or not getting what I want in a certain area, I ask: How can I bring more of me to it? How can I bring more flow, more energy, more movement? And then I do my 3 steps and inevitably things immediately improve – and sometimes they accelerate at an even faster pace than I could have imagined.
A few years ago, I would never have guessed things could be in a place where I could be at the beach all summer, writing my next book. Life felt too full, too busy, too stressed for that to ever be possible.
I wonder, when you read this, what do you feel inspired to tackle now? What part of your life do you want different, and what specific Womanly Art or two do you think could help? And, what has already popped for you, from using the Arts? Also, which Arts will you bring into practice this week, and in what way? Add a comment below and let’s inspire each other!
Let’s see just how much we can create in a week. I’m right there with you, and can’t wait to connect in the comments!
In so much love and pleasure,
p.s. I just heard from my team that we’ve filled all the Boot Camp early bird spots. I’ve decided to extend it for another few days, so now early bird pricing (a savings of $150) is yours through Tuesday. If you’re interested, check out Boot Camp (how it works, what results to expect, and all the details right here on the website.
You can also talk one-on-one with Lauren, a long-time grad of all our courses, and head of enrollment here at the School. Just book a time via her online scheduler link, right here.
