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Articles from Valencia Ray | Selfgrowth.com
- Diversity and Inclusion Begins at the CORE - by Submitted on May 21, 2012 from Valencia RayDiversity as a consulting arena was not something I was attracted to historically—until now. I notice that it too often seems to be only representation, which is better than nothing, or somewhat anyway. Just to have physical bodies in a room is really not creating a culture of inclusion and ...
Views: 15 - Set your Mindset for Success Instead of Sabotage - by Submitted on May 15, 2012 from Valencia RayThe mindset “not good enough” or “not enough” is blamed on our brain as if it is the brain’s fault. There’s a great reason why you want to take responsibility for this and not once again blame it on something you think you cannot control. The reason is you are not likely to change what you ...
Views: 49(2 votes) - Innovation Requires Courage to Confront Reality - by Submitted on May 08, 2012 from Valencia Ray“Innovation,” “Collaborative Leadership,” and “Trust” are three terms I’m seeing tossed around quite a bit in the articles and books I’m coming across. I agree that we are in need of change—in fact, transformation—but what I’m not seeing much of is how to confront reality. What does it take to ...
Views: 95(1 vote) - Team Building: Meaning Motivates - by Submitted on May 01, 2012 from Valencia RayTeam building is too often looked upon as “some things” to do instead of “some ones” to become. Teams are composed of people, not parts like a machine. In fact, it is time to stop treating your body and life as parts, somehow separated into bits and pieces. If we only use our left-brain mental ...
Views: 64 - The Power of Vulnerability is Fear-Less - by Submitted on Apr 23, 2012 from Valencia RayLack of vulnerability is one reason why team relationships are so dysfunctional. The lack of trust leads to people putting on their “persona” (the root word in ‘personality’) masks. In our culture, vulnerability is confused with the concept of weakness. I’ve got news for you—vulnerability is ...
Views: 77(1 vote) - Leadership is an Affair of the Heart and Mind - by Submitted on Apr 17, 2012 from Valencia RayCollaborative Leadership is a partnership between the head and the heart, or the mind and the heart. It begins at this level before you can collaborate with other people. Gone are the days when people were willing to be dominated and controlled. I’m not saying that fear can no longer be used ...
Views: 118(1 vote) - 5 Tips to Boost Brain Power and Productivity - by Submitted on Apr 09, 2012 from Valencia RayAchieving business success requires more than collecting advanced degrees and learning sales and marketing strategies. These things are useful, but we are so ‘dis-integrated’ in our thinking these days that we miss the forest (the big picture) because we are so busy trying to cut down trees ...
Views: 55 - Not Enough Time? Change Your Focus - by Submitted on Apr 03, 2012 from Valencia RayProductivity needs to be defined as accomplishing goals and dreams, not simply being ‘so busy’. In fact, if you keep talking about how busy and time-poor you are, you will likely waste time and energy. Why? Because talking about it is revealing that you are focused on lack of time instead of ...
Views: 64 - 3 Clear Steps to Radically Change Your Life for the Better Today - by Submitted on Mar 27, 2012 from Valencia RayCollaborative leadership, networking, team building and communication skills are all considered valuable and vital to business success in the evolving workplace. Typically, when a person decides that he or she wants to learn skill sets related to these areas, they proceed to learn techniques. ...
Views: 112 - How You React or Respond to Crisis Can Make or Break Your Life - by Submitted on Mar 20, 2012 from Valencia RayYour true potential will be elusive if you are fearful of change. In fact, if you want to expand the vision for your life, you will have to stop looking for the status quo. Most people have warning signs that they need to move on before things get to the point of crisis. Yet they tend to react ...
Views: 79 - Happiness Helps Your Business – and Health – Bottom Line - by Submitted on Mar 13, 2012 from Valencia RayHappiness is a perception that is subject to how one sees life, how one interprets their circumstances. Brain research essentially shows we create our reality by assigning the meaning to our lives. Research shows that our ability to create and manage positive emotions is one of the foundations ...
Views: 84 - Does Leadership Really Have a Gender? - by Submitted on Mar 06, 2012 from Valencia RayThe topic of leadership is being discussed online more than ever these days, or perhaps it’s just that I’m paying more attention now. Since we are undergoing rapid change in our social institutions, the need for real leadership is more urgent than ever before in my lifetime. I’ve noticed more ...
Views: 114 - I Believe What I Believe Until… - by Submitted on Feb 28, 2012 from Valencia RayI believe what I believe until I change my mind. Seasons change. And you have a birthright and choice to change yours too when it is expedient to do so. It’s not about what you believe as right or wrong as much as it is expanding your sense of self-actualization (as Maslow would have said), ...
Views: 62 - Self-Acceptance and Confidence Make Business Networking Easier - by Submitted on Feb 21, 2012 from Valencia RayFace it—social networking is not a new concept; it’s ancient. Human beings are social creatures and in-person contact cannot be replaced in its entirety by online social networking. I’ve thought about this before, and today I read an article in Fast Company on the topic. Skype is certainly ...
Views: 73 - Going Through Hell? – Keep Going! - by Submitted on Feb 13, 2012 from Valencia RayEmotions are contagious, and how you focus your attention can either keep you stuck on how you feel or switch gears to where you want to go. It is our attention that is sitting in the driver’s seat of our mind. Most people seem not to know this. They think that if they keep talking about ...
Views: 100 - Self-Love and Compassion Are Good For You – Finally Some Research! - by Submitted on Feb 06, 2012 from Valencia RaySelf-love and compassion are things I have intermittently blogged about for three years now. I typically include the disclaimer that I’m not referring to “narcissism” or “conceit” because, believe it or not, that’s the way it is defined in some reference dictionaries! Finally, some research for ...
Views: 95 - Leading Change: Emotion Can Make or Break the Best Laid Logic - by Submitted on Jan 30, 2012 from Valencia RayLeading change can be tricky because not only does it take courage to innovate, it takes courage to breach subjects that make “stuck” cultures… well, stuck! There has been a tacit agreement in business culture to avoid addressing emotion/feelings at all costs. Yet, it is this very issue that ...
Views: 62 - Self-Love is Narcissism; Really? - by Submitted on Jan 23, 2012 from Valencia RaySelf-love gets a bum rap. Why? It’s because of the way we define it as a culture, and since “perception is reality,” we start to believe that this is “just the way life is.” I looked up the definition of “self-love” on Dictionary.com, and it is defined as: 1. the instinct by which one’s ...
Views: 68 - The Rarely Traveled Path to Likeability - by Submitted on Jan 17, 2012 from Valencia RayLikeability is good for your relationship health. I’m reading “The Likeability Factor” by Tim Sanders, and he also gives lots of WIIFM (What’s In It For Me) reasons why one should choose to be likeable. It will impact your health, wealth and relationships — the “big three” for most people. I’m ...
Views: 60 - The Courage to Stare Down Fear - by Submitted on Jan 10, 2012 from Valencia RayThe courage to stare down fear requires more than meets the eye. In fact, if you keep your focus and attention on what scares you, you will feel more afraid. Yet, you will need to face your fear, name your fear, and then tap into your spiritual power of courage. Courage is not of the head; it’s ...
Views: 97 - Transforming Your Business Starts with Transforming YOU - by Submitted on Jan 03, 2012 from Valencia RayTransformation feels scary. Why? It is mostly because we’ve been conditioned unwittingly to think of change as “life threatening.” Granted, we have an instinct for survival wired into our brain, yet we have a greater authority – conscious choice – that can temper the violence of this ...
Views: 109 - Ready, Fire – Got Aim? - by Submitted on Dec 27, 2011 from Valencia RayBefore you do another thing, are you clear about where you are going and why? We’ve become a society of frantic doers, not taking the time to reflect and get clear before taking massive action. And even when we do create a strategy, it is often in the old way of thinking, and so our plans have ...
Views: 122 - The Real Root of All Evil - by Submitted on Dec 20, 2011 from Valencia RayThe real root of all evil is not money; it’s lack of self-acceptance. By the way, even the Bible doesn’t say it’s money. There it says the “love of money” and love as used in the proper translation would be “lust” or attachment – in other words, greed. This is where lack of self-acceptance comes ...
Views: 116 - 3 Practical Spirituality Tips for Daily Earth Living - by Submitted on Dec 12, 2011 from Valencia RayPractical spirituality is essential to live a whole, healthy, and integrated lifestyle. Your spirit/soul is actually the source of your “consciousness,” the root of your awareness, and the spark of life that is the core, real YOU. If you ignore it, it can negatively impact your overall wellness, ...
Views: 78 - Want More Personal Power? Feel Into It! - by Submitted on Dec 05, 2011 from Valencia RayPersonal power is something that many people think they can “get” by controlling or manipulating others. Actually, power comes from “being” personal power. It’s a quality of radiance. I would not call power over others, personal power. I see that as mere force, based in scarcity and fear ...
Views: 111 - Innovation: Why We Need It, Want It, and Fear It - by Submitted on Dec 01, 2011 from Valencia RayInnovation is a hot topic right now. The search is on for the next new thing, the new business frontier. We certainly do need to innovate, as our infrastructure appears to be falling apart. We need to make changes in how we “think life is,” for one thing. Survival of the fittest is only a ...
Views: 180 - Own Your Magnificence and Stop Playing Small - by Submitted on Nov 27, 2011 from Valencia RayGreatness, magnificence, and brilliance – do you realize that these are words that really refer to your unique “Self”? Then why do we tend to feel so uncomfortable applying these words to our self? For that matter, we tend to only apply them to other people, after they have died. Van Gogh, ...
Views: 164 - If You’re Not Afraid… - by Submitted on Nov 18, 2011 from Valencia RayYou are not growing. Growth will take you into the unknown. Why is growth so scary? The most likely reason for many, many people is that they are conditioned unconsciously to fear change. This is rooted in perception. It is not a universal law that human beings must function this way. You ...
Views: 144 - Purposeful Living: Clarify and Distinguish Vision from Mission - by Submitted on Nov 08, 2011 from Valencia RayOur life purpose platform needs to be built on a foundation built upon the rock of our truth, who we feel (with heart) we are, not just who we “think” (head) we are. Belief is based more in a sense of feeling, not thinking, actually. I’ve discovered the hard way, that allowing society and ...
Views: 108(1 vote) - The Authentic You: What, Who, and Why it Matters - by Submitted on Nov 08, 2011 from Valencia RayAuthenticity and personal power are linked. Authenticity is something I’m hearing or reading about quite a bit these days. What is authenticity, who is the authentic you, and why does it matter to your life? Authenticity is about mind with heart congruity, which leads to integrity, honesty, ...
Views: 159(1 vote) - Women in Business: Secrets Revealed from the Soul of Money - by Submitted on Oct 25, 2011 from Valencia RayWomen-owned businesses have been the fastest growing segment of new start-up entrepreneurial endeavors. I’m glad to see this, as I’ve been a professional and an entrepreneur for many (yes, many) years now. I have found being an entrepreneur takes a special kind of courage, and it can be an ...
Views: 122 - The Power of Networking: Heart, Lies, and Videotapes - by Submitted on Oct 17, 2011 from Valencia RayNetworking and personal power are vital to growing your business and being a successful leader. This is true whether you are a one-person business, a professional, or a corporate leader running a billion-dollar business. Nowadays, this is truer than ever. We have systematically been taught in ...
Views: 145(2 votes) - Visioning by Design: What’s the Difference Between Thinking and Believing? - by Submitted on Oct 10, 2011 from Valencia RayLaw of Attraction is tied to what I call “visioning by design.” Visioning by design is applicable to your business or to your personal life. As an eye surgeon, vision has always been near and dear to my heart in the literal sense, and as someone who has always had an interest in personal growth ...
Views: 101 - 3 Feelings That Can Harm Your Health and the Health of Your Dreams - by Submitted on Oct 09, 2011 from Valencia RayPersonal power is not often linked to the types of feelings that we have. In fact, most people would rather not acknowledge their feelings at all, which is unfortunate as research has shown that the magnetic energy of feelings is 5,000 times greater than that of thought. Our culture ...
Views: 133 - Releasing your Creativity May Help Prevent Alzheimer’s - by Submitted on Sep 27, 2011 from Valencia RayCreativity and intuition are both right brain hemisphere qualities that have been ignored and disrespected for generations now. Finally, thanks to neuroscience research the importance of respecting the contributions of both of our brain hemispheres is coming into vogue. I have advocated trusting ...
Views: 161 - 3 Steps to Deal with that Perfectionistic Inner Critic - by Submitted on Sep 23, 2011 from Valencia RayPerfectionism will reduce your personal power and effectiveness. I used to take pride in saying I was a “perfectionist” until I started to realize WHY I was a perfectionist. Truth was, I felt insecure and “making a mistake” pushed my “not good enough” button that I was doing my best to conceal. ...
Views: 133 - Personal Power: Is 'Shame on You' Still Holding You Back? - by Submitted on Sep 12, 2011 from Valencia RayShame and guilt are two feelings that not only limit one’s sense of personal power – they can also subtly cause things like procrastination and fear of “getting out there” in our business. . Shame is a feeling connected to your sense of identity, who you think you are, whereas guilt is not ...
Views: 67 - Feminine Power: What Is It and Is It Female? - by Submitted on Mar 22, 2011 from Valencia RayI’ve read several articles on feminine power recently and I’ve seen groups formed online with feminine power as the title. I even participate in one on Facebook. The Dalai Lama has been quoted as saying, “the western woman will save the world”. So, is feminine power limited to women? I don’t ...
Views: 86 - Mindset Matters: Are You Producing Results or Just Doing Too Much? - by Submitted on Mar 18, 2011 from Valencia RayResults matter to your life’s bottom line. Accomplishment vs Doing: They are not the same thing. You can accomplish more by doing less if you have clarity and focus, which comes from a quiet and clear mind. There’s no denying that actions still speaks louder than words. There are a lot of ...
Views: 109 - The Paradox of Declining Happiness in Women - by Submitted on Mar 11, 2011 from Valencia RayI came across a study by Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers in the American Economic Journal: the link is at the end of this post. The conclusion was essentially that women are not happier despite educational gains, social status and higher levels of economic power; in fact maybe they are less ...
Views: 94 - Is Your Mindset Causing You to Disintegrate (Dis-Integrate)? - by Submitted on Mar 01, 2011 from Valencia RayUnderstanding mindset as the root of what causes your outcomes in life can be a tricky thing as its operation is often out of our awareness. One of the reasons it is so easy to overlook the connection between how we think and feel and the results that we get in life is because we are so not ...
Views: 115(1 vote) - 5 Keys to Attracting the Change that You Want in Business and Life - by Submitted on Feb 23, 2011 from Valencia RayBusiness and personal life are directly connected, with the common denominator being you, haven’t you noticed? It’s time to integrate ourselves into the whole being that we are. Law of Attraction is simply this: the vibrational pattern of energy from thought and feeling that is affecting your ...
Views: 169 - Collaborative Change is Creating the New Order of Business - by Submitted on Feb 15, 2011 from Valencia RayCollaboration is the here to stay; the days of “The Lone Ranger” are numbered and rightfully so. It is unnatural to live isolated with the old ‘survival of the fittest’ mentality and this was only a paradigm anyway. Disregarding others is like cutting off your nose to spite your own face. ...
Views: 135 - Intuition in Business: Trust Your Gut; It is More Insightful Than You (Can) Think - by Submitted on Feb 11, 2011 from Valencia RayIntuition is helpful in business success on several levels, not to mention its usefulness in everyday living. It can help you with innovation, hiring, and even choosing your ideal clients or whom you should take on as a client. It is being studied more in science and this is a great idea – ...
Views: 98 - Women in Business: Your Brain is Essentially a Computer – Know How to Operate It? - by Submitted on Feb 05, 2011 from Valencia RayWomen entrepreneurs are a rapidly growing demographic, yet the key is not to simply start a business but to also be successful at it. I owned and operated a very successful medical and surgical practice before selling it to now share insights into business and life that I’ve applied personally ...
Views: 119 - 3 Key Reasons Why Self-Love Is Not Narcissism And Why Should You Care - by Submitted on Nov 02, 2010 from Valencia RayConfidence is a key element to empowerment. If you can't speak up, take risks or all too often buckle under the opinions of others, your gifts and talents will likely never reach authentic expression. Let me say that confidence from the core, authentic self is what I am referring to. Not the ...
Views: 263 - 3 Key Questions To Determine If Your Opinions Are Harmful To Your Health - by Submitted on Nov 02, 2010 from Valencia RayStaying healthy is more important than ever considering the rising rates of cancer and chronic disease in our world - not to mention the expense of healthcare and the emotional fallout. While I personally have healthy nutrition habits and exercise regularly, I do very little specific teaching on ...
Views: 445(2 votes) - I Want To Be An Entrepreneur-So Why Am I So Stuck? - by Submitted on Nov 02, 2010 from Valencia RayCareer transition is quite common considering that many people are searching for more meaning in what they do, or by sheer necessity, they have to make some hard choices. Why are they so hard? Life is really meant to be enjoyed, not one week of drudgery after another. I heard someone I know ...
Views: 201(3 votes) - Practical Spirituality: EGO Is Not The Enemy - by Submitted on Nov 02, 2010 from Valencia RayEgo often gets a bum rap. I was happy to see the video of Dr. Jill Bolte-Taylor, author of "My Stroke of Insight", a while back as she exemplifies why we need an ego and why is not a good idea to try to "get rid" of it. First of all, unless you want to damage the left hemisphere of your brain ...
Views: 230(1 vote) - Money and Career: The Real Truth About Manifesting Your Bliss - by Submitted on Nov 02, 2010 from Valencia RayCareer transition has money and career on many women's minds lately. Since many women are sensing the change in the air, I've heard several comments about using this time of workplace instability to "find your bliss". What I've noticed is that often it is believed that if you "just do what ...
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