This Week in ATSuccess

As usual in our secret Facebook ATSuccess group - a wide variety of topics came up for inquiry. Here is a sampling of some of my comments and answers posted to the group. Some group members prefer just to read my summaries, and not participate in the group. I think each of us needs to find a way to make mentoring work, but I am adamant that being in a mentoring group like this will accelerate, deepen and satisfy your desire to create a healthy Alexander Technique teaching practise. Why not jump on board this month to learn more about Facebook? On Your Relationship With Time Walter Carrington, in an article in DIRECTION Journal, once framed time beautifully - rather than "take" time to do things, he suggested we "give" time to ourselves. I love that, and yes - I will blog on this in March. But before I blog, I will investigate it consciously in my own living - how well do I apply what I have already learnt? - and blog about the results of that when I have something to blog about. It's a deeply rewarding project for me to take on. On Dealing With Fear Go into the fear - be a failure in your own mind. Find the worst, most terrible thing that could happen (what is that?) and then ask: "Will I still be OK?" My guess is that you will. Sometimes the antidote to fear is the fear itself. Unexamined, it gathers more power than inherently exists. The more you go "against it" the stronger it's presence becomes. Go into it, see what's on the other side of disaster. On Saying Inappropriate Things My brother has an interesting rule - about emails in this case - he only makes statements about another people in his emails that he is prepared for them to read too. In other words, he would not mind if they accidentally saw his email. It's a mindful practise which I use myself. I don't always succeed, but it does give me pause - when I am venting - to consider the other side. On Making Heart-Breaking Decisions What gave clarity for me was that when I made my BCLA decision, I felt a huge relief sweep through my system. Holding on to something that is falling from your grasp? Letting it go may be the biggest relief. The effort to hold on may not be the thing to do anymore. Only you know. I don't know. This was my experience. On Writing Too Much You wrote a moving portrait and I was happy to read about your process. There is a mysterious element to it - the universe, once we are in harmony, constantly surprises us - so it was gratifying and encouraging to read your experience in depth. On to 2014 then! On Studying in ATSuccess Do you want can - the aim is not to read everything, the aim is to figure out what will best serve your life today. You need to carve your own path, but you want to do that in an environment that is supporting, encouraging and reminding you to do that. On How To Use Time How we use time is a good month long topic? Yes, I have many strategies on how I use my time, and they become increasingly important as the demands ramp up. I keep away from emails in the morning - use this time for creative writing (blogs) answering questions here, meditation, reflection. The "working ON your biz" part. Later in the day is teaching, the "working IN your biz part" if I have sessions. As BodyChance grows, I am increasingly becoming an ON person, not an IN person. I have a team to run - that's a month of blogs to tell right there! I don't always keep to best time use practices, because I have an ADHD personality and I don't function well being entrapped by "systems." Lots more to say, but I will draw this all out in March when I devote my blog to time management issues. Personal Facebook Group Messages The remaining posts contain personal or specific information that participants feel is inappropriate for public scrutiny. One aspect of our Facebook group is that participants can express things they would not dare say on a public Facebook group. You'll have to join to find out what!

*On Learning About Google + For Marketing I go into overwhelm so my mantra is: Beware the "bright and shinny objects" syndrome. There are probably 50+ ways to effectively market your business, and becoming a Master of one first, will ultimately be more effective than trying to know a little about each of them all at the same time. *On A Giveaway Audio Message I haven't read everyone's comment yet as I wanted to add my own first: any giveaway works when it is pitched to a need of the person coming to get it. Listening to your voice - how connected will it be to the needs of people coming? How satisfied will they feel by listening to this? As I always suggest - get feedback. Offer it, and ask people's responses. This is for new people right? So... Ask them. I think you need to educate the listener if you keep the pauses long. I also thought it had turned off and was about to check what went wrong. "This tape will be filled with silences that you can use..." etc. Still - what is the context of the whole thing? I can't judge it by parts, only by whole. Whole is your niche, your website, your service, your hook, your delivery on promises etc. etc. It's a part of a whole, and can only by understood that way. Hmmm, that sounds like something else know.... *On Dealing With Demons Oh Veronique - I think you and I struggle with the same demons. Celebration is one of my methods for that these days. Just listing all the things that I am grateful for: like having a chair to sit in. Wow. And an apartment to live in. And two healthy daughters. And warm cloths. And a heater. A HEATER! REALLY - try this. It starts as words, but joyful emotion soon begins kicking in then it is hard to stay depressed. You are doing wonderfully, perfectly. There is no other way than the one you do. *On Performance Fear As A Niche Yes, a musician's fear of performing is not handled by Toastmasters. This is a big aspect of Basil's message and it quickly takes you to the place of self-worth and spirituality - but from a position where results can be measured. *On Tango As A Niche Tango dancers pay a lot of money to go to Argentina for their work! There's not that many though - how many in the whole niche in San F? Worth checking out the big picture while you drill down to individuals. *On Helping Students Dana what you wrote reminds me of something Eileen once told me about her own practise (correct me if I am wrong Eileen!): "When I stopped trying to teach Alexander Technique and started to help them solve their problems, my practise got much busier." It stuck with me that comment, and Dana's experience with her student echoes it. We want to benefit people however we can, and Alexander Technique is our tool to do it. But we are not teaching Alexander Technique, we are helping people with their problems. *On Your New Website First and foremost - congratulations Constance! You got it done. Stage One anyway. A website is a process, not an object. A living thing: changing by day, by week. Set aside a regular development time for it. For example - one thing to put on the list - re-write the Intro to talk directly to the readers. Rather than "Constance can do this, Constance can do that" (it's you writing that right?) say "I can do this, I can do that" and make sure the next sentence has proof of that (a testimonial will work for that). Get rid of the royal "we" and start using "you". Remember people are thinking selfishly about their own needs and wants, so providing you get close to matching that, your words will work better in 1st person singular. Keep it going - congratulations! -- Any comments on all this? https://www.facebook.com/groups/ATCSProMembers/