Create Freedom Today! Vol 1 Issue 9

CREATEFREEDOM !tod

ay

Volume 1, Issue 9 A MsXMedia Publication

Bridging Business and Purpose

Don’t Gamble onYour “Plan A”7 questions to answer BEFORE breaking those golden handcuff s

SPARK:Busting the Myths toBeing Creative

Financial Balance

in this Unbalanced

Economy

Next Month: What is YOUR Purpose Equation? | Managing Personal Energy

We are all born creative and whole.

Yet the world tells us we are not, and we listen.

We each have gift s and talents

uniquely our own.

Then why are we told to work on our weaknesses?

And each of us has a purpose.

So why do we try to be like everyone else?

Break the cycle and

claim your personal power.

It is gloriously YOU!

MermaidsInPowerSuits.com

...and MORE

WordWorthyThis months suggested reading

“The Medici Eff ect”

Entrepreneur SpotlightAn interview with an innovator

already living their “Plan A”

Ask Ms.XFrom business to creativity,

answers to member submitted questions.

ResourcesLooking for inspiration or help - our trusted resource partners

are the best!

Publisher LetterAn inside look at what this issue

of Create Freedom Today magazine is all about.

FEATURES

“PLAN A”Instead of settling for the

standard Plan B, answer these 7 questions for a better “Plan A” -

everyone needs one!

ENERGYHarness your ability of shifting between masculine, feminine

and integrated energy for maxi-mum health and performance.

MONEYAre you balanced in this unbal-anced economy? Four fi nancial domains that help balance debt

and insecurity.

CREATEDo you think the sky has to be

blue? Even if you are not an “artist”, these myths may be

holding you back!

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8

4

16

12

CREATEFREEDOM !tod

ayVolume 1, Issue 9 A MsXMedia Publication

Bridging Business and Purpose

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Create Freedom Today magazine is published monthly by Ms X Media. Free subscriptions are available by signing up at www.MsXmedia.com. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the consent of the publisher. Interested in advertising? Please contact [email protected]

The statements and opinions of the contributing writers and artists are their own, no warranty or results are assumed or guaranteed by publisher.

Check out Page 11 for Technology & Marketing News

Marjorie Schoelles

CEO, MsXmedia.com | High Voltage MarketingMermaids In Power Suits | Mermaid Sand | Seahorse Gallery

As we move from summer to fall

I fi nd myself refl ecting on the

amazing gift s these past few years

have brought.

For most of my corporate career

I was the stereotypical driven

executive, concentrating on the

road ahead and everything still

undone.

As I went from thinking about a

“Plan B” to realizing what I really

wanted was a purpose centered

“Plan A,” so many other things

shift ed as well.

SELF CARE

Th is was a new one to me - the

idea that I deserved to take time

for just me, with no particular

agenda or demands. Sure, I had

long been a fan of spa days, but

even then I was making mental

lists of what came next.

Th e idea of fl oating around in the

pool, surrendering to the mo-

ment, being present to feel the

breeze and hear the cry of the

hawk overhead - that has been a

slowly developing skill and much

appreciated gift .

MONEY TALK

I has oft en struck me as odd that

we can talk budgets in the board-

room and at times will willingly

discuss intimate details of our

lives with friends, but seldom talk

real money matters with those we

are closest to.

In the book review this issue we

highlight portions from “Th e

Energy of Money.”

For many of us, money was not

discussed within our family

growing up, or if it was, it may

have been around scarcity of it or

how others had more.

So many emotional issues are tied

up with subject, yet if you look

at money as a resource, tool and

ultimately, energy - what a shift in

perception.

I use the analogy of my nurturing

and respect of money to taking

care of my car with regular main-

tenance and keeping personal

promises to myself. Respect and

positive action go a long way with

all of our “life tools.”

MY INNER ARTIST

Getting back to my theme of

amazing gift s these past few years

I was fortunate to be part of an

inspiring mastermind group that

expanded my boundaries and

helped defi ne my true purpose.

I’m not sure there is a greater gift

than that, aside from the love and

health of my family and friends.

With the expansion came stagger-

ing bursts of creativity in business

and my personal art.

With gratitude, thank you Baeth

Davis, Ben Th ole and my fellow

Ignite Mentoring members - you

are gift ed, brilliant and have in-

spired me to new heights!

Mermaid in The Moon - Tree of Life SeriesMarjorie Schoelles

2 Claim You FREE Subscription of Create Freedom Today! at MsXmedia.com

Publisher Letter

Create Freedom Today! MsXmedia 3

Why Referral Incentives Fail

If only it was this simple…

Find someone who really likes what you sell and pay them a few bucks or give ‘em

something cool (everybody wants a free iPad, right?) every time they bring you a

new client.

Too bad referral incentives almost never work.

Th ere are two underlying reasons:

#1 – Most people are uncomfortable with the self-interest that’s injected into their

recommendation of your business. Th ey worry that if they disclose the incentive

they’ll hurt their relationship with the person being referred. And if they keep it a

secret…they worry that they’ll be found out.

#2 – Th e oft -overlooked reason these schemes fail is that selling is hard when you

do it for a living, have training and experience. It’s nearly impossible when you’re

part-time, virtually unpaid and completely un-trained.

Th e idea behind incentives is good…align your client’s self-interest with your

own.

Steve Gordon | SteveGordonMarketing.com

Interested in the “real deal” of referrals?

Grab your copy of Steve Gordon’s best selling book on Amazon today!

Advertisement

There are two basic oppos-

ing energies that comprise

everything in the physical

universe. At an atomic level, we

see this in the proton (positive

charge) and the electron (negative

charge). Since everything that

physically exists is made of atoms,

we can say that these two energies

are in all that we can experience

with our 5 sensory system.

Almost like going back to school,

for the purposes of this article,

we’re going to examine the behav-

ior of the electron, the negatively

charged particle in the atom. It

fl ies around the center or nucleus

of the atom, containing and hold-

ing everything inside the core,

including the proton (the positive

charge) and the neutron (neutral

charge). It “contains” the atom by

connectivity.

Connectivity, the Primary Feminine Principle (and how this applies

to everything in your life)

So, what does this have to do with

you, your health, your relation-

ships, your business, and your

success? EVERYTHING.

Th e feminine dynamic is

“plugged in” to the felt sense of

being connected to All Creation.

Th e awareness of that connec-

tion is relational and drives the

feminine to ask, “Is this choice

supportive for the whole?” Th is

is connectivity.

When we are aware of the femi-

nine quality of connectivity, we

are aware that what we do im-

pacts every facet of our lives as

well as every facet of the rest of

our community. We also feel and

experience the whole system of

creation and our part to play in it.

In addition, we feel the benefi t of

support, success and belonging.

Th e feminine dynamic, by na-

ture, attends to the needs and

operation of the whole, whatever

that whole may be. A “whole” is

another word for a system. Th e

keen awareness of what is life af-

fi rming to a system as a whole is

the foundation of life itself.

Th e health of a system is depen-

dent on the choices made by the

elements of that system. If the

elements or members of that sys-

tem consistently make choices

that undermine the balance of

that system, the system will suff er

a lack of health. Th e members

of systems are therefore charged

with responsibility for the health

of the system, and making choic-

es that are life affi rming for that

system.

Licia Berry’s multi part series on recognizing, balancing and integrating the masculine and feminine within us.

“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.” ~ John Muir

Licia Berry 2014


Separation, the Primary MasculinePrincipleTh e masculine dynamic creates

separation, a needed quality in

a physical universe! If we didn’t

have separation, there would be

no creation, no stars, no people,

no parts. In all of the creation

of the physical, the masculine

dynamic is responsible for the

continued expansion of life. Th e

masculine energy of Individua-

tion is what made the parts of the

whole. Th e masculine dynamic

works to separate from the sys-

tem, while the feminine works to

keep the system intact.

In our culture, we’ve been trained

to value the masculine quality of

Individuation to the point that we

may forget the feminine quality of

Connectivity. We may feel alone,

afraid, like we have to compete to

win. We may feel a lack of pas-

sion, purpose, connection.

We can remedy this by:• Choosing to be more aware

of our part in the community-

what unique powers do we

bring?

• Acknowledging that we have

an impact on our relationships

and choosing to act with aware-

ness

• Learn more about the part-

nership of feminine and mas-

culine principles in how we live

day to day

Next Month: we will explore how feminine energy is Inclusive. Th e defense

of the parts, the boundaries to identify and delineate those parts, and the defense

of those boundaries is all given to the masculine dynamic, which is Exclusive; ap-

propriate defense of boundaries is a needed aspect of physical life.

Licia Berry is president and CEO of Illumined Arts, a health and well-being curriculum consortium. A veteran educator and speaker for 25 years, she en-joys working with individuals and groups who seek consciousness, freedom and success in all areas of their lives. Learn more at http://liciaberry.com

A personal story from Licia on experiencing connectivity.

I sat across the room from a young woman, an acquaintance, who was clearly in pain. Her face

showed her internal struggle to stay outwardly calm, but it was obvious where her power was engaged.

I knew this because as I looked at her, suddenly I felt her broken heart and her shock, as well as her

grief. What appeared to be a solid person, entirely distinct and separate from me, now seemed to be

living through me. I was taking on her pain, and in my knowledge of transmutation and healing, I

was assisting her to fi nd a way to manage her pain.

Inside myself, I took ownership of what I was feeling, and brought my healing tools into the holy work

of mending what’s been torn asunder. As I saw my broken heart healing, I felt the grief come to the

surface. Later, I cried for the woman who would not allow herself to cry, hot tears of genuine sorrow

and loss. As I did this rite for her, I kept her face in my thoughts. Akin to prayer, my act of healing

lift ed her up into awareness, and an ability to deal with her loss. My love for another aspect of All

Creation melded me to her, and affi rmed how connected we are to one another. ~ Licia


Listen to the Radio Interview about our September 20 Workshop, so much great information and ideas! h� p://www.blogtalkradio.com/liciaberry/2014/08/27/busi-ness-energy-and-purpose

Listen to the Radio Interview about our September 20 Workshop, so much greatinformation and ideas! h� p://www.blogtalkradio.com/liciaberry/2014/08/27/busi-ness-energy-and-purpose


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The Energy Of PurposeThe Energy Of Purpose

8 Create Freedom Today! MsXmedia

We’ve talked about our “Plan B”

for years. What we would do if:

~ a “restructuring” happens

~ we get a new boss that drives

us crazy

~ the company merges and we

now do the job of 4 people

or we are getting close to fi nally

saying ENOUGH!

Our Plan B dreams range from

better pay, better benefi ts, more

vacation or even starting our own

business.

Th e risk is not looking seriously

at what is making you long for a

diff erent pasture. Sometimes the

grass is greener on the other side

because there is more sh*! - um...

fertilizer.

And let’s be honest - why settle?

Don’t you want your next stage to

be stellar? A little self examina-

tion and introspection can go a

long way toward creating an fi rst

rate “Plan A.”

7 Questions to Answer Before You Leap

What is it about your current situation you like the most?

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

What do you like the least?

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

1

2


What is your current satisfaction with the level of (give examples if possible - why you like one thing and care less for another)

Freedom: _________________________________________________________________

Benefi ts: __________________________________________________________________

Responsibility / Authority: ____________________________________________________

Insert your own “hot button” here: ____________________________________________

To what degree can you infl uence a change in your current situation (sometimes we forget that we have 100% responsibility for our own actions and reactions)

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

If you were considering a diff erent job, what are the deal breakers (important to note before you get into the heat of interviewing and negotiating)

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

Take a moment to also list the “Must Haves” and “Negotiables”

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

continued on next page...

5

4

3


What discovery work have you done for what your true purpose in life is? Very often we go through our day-to-day routines doing what we “should” rather than what we are “meant” to do. List programs, masterminds, mentorships and the results in helping you get a crystal clear purpose. See resources at the bottom of the page.

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

To help gauge where you are on the fl ight or fi ght scale, if you had to imagine your life in 6 months, what is your level of satisfaction/frustration if things remain the same? List them in priority.

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

6

7

Remember the line before about

the grass may be greener on the

other side for a reason? Well, it

may be something more attrac-

tive then fertilizer - maybe it is

more autonomy, better benefi ts or

much desired freedom.

Our point is to know the “why”

you want something diff erent and

the “how” of getting there.

And a special note about your

purpose. We are each born with

our own unique talents and gift s.

Living and working in congru-

ency with our life purpose is far

easier and more rewarding on all

levels than struggling through the

normal grind.

Many folks have moved toward

their purpose with various pro-

grams (some of which we note

below.) We encourage everyone

to invest the time, energy and ef-

fort in to growing in your knowl-

edge and stepping into your full

potential.

Resources:

Interested in knowing how the world sees you? Try the Fascinate Profi le at

HowToFascinate.com (last we checked is was $37 for a single profi le)

What about your Human Design? https://www.humandesignamerica.com/chart

And if you want your current situation or new endeavor to be built on your purpose, in-

cluding identifying what holds you back and what can catapult your forward, SURGE and

PowerHouse levels may be for you. www.MermaidsInPowerSuits.com/surge


Th e latest in Technology,

Marketing and

Social Media Tips (and anything else we come across that we think

will help elevate your business to the next level)

From a recent post on MOZ.com

Local Event Marketing: Earn Links,

Build Citations, Get Reviews, Increase

Foot Traffi c, and Win at Local SEO

“Th e recent Google Pigeon update that

aff ected local search was just another

example of why marketer’s should never

put all of their eggs in one basket.

Online marketing has been rapidly

evolving over the years and a major

paradigm shift has happened which has

caused marketers to stop building links

and start thinking of how to earn them.”

Check out the article to learn how a well

planned event marketing strategy can

help you over some of Google’s hurdles.

http://moz.com/blog/local-event-mar-

keting

Social Media - Use it the way consum-

ers want you to, not the way you think

will drive sales.

According to a recent Gallup Poll,

social may not be the strongest infl uenc-

er for purchasing, but it trumps about

everything else for connection.

Brands like Coke have learned that the

conversation with a consumer goes

much further on social than a straight

pitch. (check out some of the fun they

have been having with their “name”

campaign: https://www.facebook.com/

cocacola)

Two way communication can also be

a way to sway grumpy customers to

raving fans by addressing concerns in

the open. Especially with Millenials.

Authenticity and transparency are both

tremendous trust builders and key to

having your page, posts and products

shared and liked.

We were told to color

inside the lines.

Th e grass is green,

the sky blue.

Th ey don’t have to be.

~ Marjorie Painting Above

Green Skies | Tree of Life Series

Artist | Marjorie Schoelles


What myths are holding you back from exploring your dreams, living a fully creative life?

CREATIVITY

First, let’s start with how you defi ne creativity. Do

you have a preconceived notion that it is about

paints, pencils, brushes...a camera perhaps?

Look at the fi rst part of the word, brought from

CREATE. It can be as simple as reclining on a

blanket in the park with your family, fi nding

faces in the clouds. Or as complex as writing a

play.

Th e point is to acknowledge what your core cre-

ativity yearns for, nurture the desire and honor

the time it may take to explore as an investment

in yourself.

Give yourself permission and support to explore your creative ideas.

OPINION

Have you ever thought “Th at’s not good enough”

about any of your creative expressions? At any

point, were you graded on how well you could

make a still life look like a photograph? Or

maybe it was a story that had to follow a certain

structure. Or cooking class that demanded a

certain consistency to the soup.

Our own opinion of what is good enough oft en

leads to a slippery slope of perfectionism and

frustration. Combine that with any external

infl uences and it’s a wonder stores like Michaels

stays in business. It is a testament to our innate

optimism and curiosity that we revisit, reinvent

or start anew in our creative endeavours.

Enjoy the process and be less concerned with the outcome.

WASTE

For some, there is a pervading myth that un-

less an action leads to a concrete result (money,

networking, leverage, recognition) it is a waste of

resources. Perhaps the real waste is in not simply

allowing yourself to “be yourself ” instead of be-

ing driven in so many areas.

Allow yourself moments of stillness, looking inward to fi nd that spark of innate desire to create.

Challenge: What three creative moments, ac-

tions, ideas will you honor in the coming month?

_______________________________

_______________________________

_______________________________

Interested in exploring more? Being Inspired? Having support as you recapture your creativity?

Find all this and more at www.MermaidsInPowerSuits.com/SPARK


Each month Create Freedom Today magazine interviews an Entrepreneur that brings tremendous value to their clients, our readers and the world.

Th is issue, we have Denise Dee,

a true rebel that has broken the

mold of tradition and stepped

forth to speak her truth.

Q: Please give us a bit of your story?

Denise: One of the biggest things

I teach is that our most painful

personal journeys point us in the

direction we can best serve. What

we try hardest to bury is what

ends up being the greatest source

of inspiration for others.

I was highly psychic as a child.

I joke that I was not so much

“reading between the lines” as I

was reading silence. My child-

hood home was full of secrets and

lies—and I swore when I grew

up I would do everything I could

to help other people not feel so

alone.

I was determined to fi ght boxes

and defi nitions of “good” and

“evil.” I fought with my mother,

the nuns and any form of outside

authority telling me what was the

“truth.”

At the age of 12 I got tired of

fi ghting. I bit the “apple of good

and evil,” swallowed, and started

stuffi ng my feelings. I was an-

orexic and came close to dying.

Th e thing that brought me back

to wanting to live was when my

hair started to fall out.

A few years later, Punk Rock

came on the scene and gave me

back my voice!!! It sparked my

rage, my passion, my creativity.

I had 20 or so fabulous years—

writing, drumming, shooting

photos. Th en I got married. My

husband was very creative but

lacked the drive I had. I began to

not want to “outshine” him. Yes,

really!

He left me for another woman.

And that sent me deep into

myself. I swore I would stay

celibate until I “fi xed” what was

“wrong” with me before I dated

again. Th is sent me running from

person to person, astrologers,

psychics, healers, trying to fi nd

the “answer.”

It wasn’t until l took my fi rst

channeling class that I fully

rediscovered the DEPTH of my

psychic gift s. My teacher said

I had a room full of guides and

that I needed to be reading and

teaching yesterday. Even before I

fi nished the course she urged me

to charge professional rates—as

much as she was charging.

So I was BORN to reconnect you

with your gift s!!!

Q: What are you working on right now?

Denise: I’m working on a book

“Th e Rebel’s Guide to Manifest-

ing” and am currently teaching

people how to meet their guides

and meet the parts of themselves

they may be hiding in my course

“Meet Your Guides” fi nd out

more here http://denisedee.com/

meet-your-guides/

Q: What three projects/busi-ness ventures/changes have come before?

Denise: I published punk

litzines Lobster Tendencies and

I help highly creative women who are in psychic pain reclaim their most

deeply buried gift s so that they can live with no shame making

fabulous money being all of who they are. ~ Denise Dee


Th e Closest Penguins in the 80’s

and 90’s. Th ese were photo-cop-

ied 8 ½ by 11 zines that brought

together a wide range of artists,

musicians and writers who were

considered outcasts and gave

them a stage to talk about what

really mattered to them.

Th is was before the days of the in-

ternet and I mailed these zines to

people all over the U.S.A. and in

many other countries. Th is was

my fi rst sense of how far-reaching

my message was and that I had to

go fi nd my tribe.

2) I ran an art gallery Th e East-

side Ten out of my house in

Flagstaff , AZ. My house was on

the ‘working class’ side of town

and brought people in to see art

who had never stepped foot in a

gallery before. I hung art on the

outside walls of the house as well

as inside and themed each show

to a pressing issue that needed

more diverse points of view.

3) I wrote, directed and produced

my play “Th e Family Tree” at the

San Francisco Fringe Festival.

Th is was the fi rst play I wrote

(since childhood) and it received

major acclaim winning ‘Best

New Drama’ and most Innova-

tive Staging. Th e theme that ran

through all of these was fi nding

outside the box ways to get my

message and the message of my

‘community’ out into the world.

Q: What has made the biggest diff erence to elevating your success?

Denise: Having a hand analy-

sis done. Discovering my Life

Purpose and more importantly

the Gift Markings that I have

- because if we are not using

those gift markings we are in the

‘penalty zone’. I was keeping

myself a bit hidden because of the

‘no one understands me’ that my

Innovator Life Purpose has on the

student path. And because of my

gift s not being appreciated when I

was a child. As I like to say “Th e

Truth Teller is not always Wel-

come”

Having a mentor who is also an

Innovator . And having a no-

holds barred brand that states

openly who I am. As soon as I

started calling myself “Th e Rebel

Seer” my business skyrocketed. I

changed that to the Rebel Mani-

festor because I wanted to em-

phasis that I help people manifest.

A note from Denise: I spent most of my life rebelling.

As a child, as an artist and as a

business person.

I know what it feels like to feel as

if no one sees you or understands

you. I know what it feels like to

have people tell you that what

you want to do is not practical or

realistic. I know how annoying it

is to have people tell you to ‘let it

go’ or ‘release’ things. I have been

through anorexia and addiction

and I will fi ght for your beaten

down spirit and body to come

back to life - as strongly as I

fought for mine. I don’t have the

answer - none of us do. Th is is

a random chaotic world and yet

what I do know is that we are

here to use our gift s fully. You

may not get results until you fully

understand who you are. And

all those parts someone told you

to get rid of like your anger, your

rage, your questing and question-

ing. Your “Who said so?” and

“Why?” - until you fully FEEL

and OWN those parts of you- you

are going to feel half-alive. As

soon as I started fully feeling and

expressing ALL of me- I started

making more money. Getting

pissed off and frustrated can

release the Voice and the message

you buried.

A True Rebel knows that the most

Creative Act of Rebellion is to

Take Charge of your Own Life

and your Ability to Manifest

Denise Dee

If you are truly ready to see where and why you are stuck and blocked, the

answers are in your hands. I will identify your Gift Markings- which are

extra potential gift s - if you are not using these you could be in the penalty

zone Find out more here: Gift Marking reading http://rebelseer.com/gift-markings-special/

RebelSeer.com 415-426-9318 denise @rebelseer.com

Achieving Financial Balance and Confi dence in an

Unbalanced Economy

There is much confusion

and chaos as it relates to

fi nancial information. Just

look at the headlines regarding

real estate values, the stock mar-

ket volatility, low interest rates,

and worries about infl ation. Add

to this all the rhetoric being pre-

sented by both political parties,

no wonder people are paralyzed

and afraid to make fi nancial deci-

sions. Can you blame them?

I think it’s important to under-

stand what got us where we are.

Most people are simply out of

balance, fi nancially speaking.

We’ve become a nation of

spenders. We have too much

mortgage debt and credit card

debt. We’ve forgotten how to save

money.

When working with my clients, I

use a program called Th e Living

Balance Sheet®. We focus on four

fi nancial domains: Protection,

Assets, Liabilities, and Cash Flow.

I’ll give you a brief overview of

each of these fi nancial domains

and the rules applying to these

domains .

Protection: we focus on protec-

tion fi rst, full replacement and

lifetime protection. I want my

clients to be fully protected in

the event of an unplanned and

untimely event such as a car

accident, a hurricane, a fi re or

unexpected medical problems. I

also want to make sure they never

lose the protection.

Assets: in this domain, the focus

is on helping increasing your

rate of return, with minimal risk,

we look for tax advantages, and

liquidity. Many people are in

trouble today because they focus

just on the rate of return and

are taking undue risk.

Liabilities: here we work on

helping eliminating debt, reduc-

ing taxes, and mortgage selection.

Many foreclosures are because

people chose the wrong type of

mortgage.

Cash Flow: our planning process

encourages clients to increase

their income, protect themselves

fi rst, build cost of living savings,

look for debt and tax effi ciency,

and live a budgeted lifestyle.

I fi nd it interesting that all of a

sudden the fi nancial press is tell-

ing us to be more conservative,

save money and spend less.

By using Th e Living Balance

Sheet®, we always suggest that our

clients do these things and to be

prepared for Life’s Unplanned and

Untimely Event.


John H. CurryCLU®, ChFC®,

AEP, MSFS®, CLTC

FREE Report

Understanding the Real Cost

of Living

www.JohnHCurry.com/LBS

Decide where your position is on the scale from 1 (disagree with statement) to 10 (completely agree with statement).

NAME: _____________________________________ DATE: ______________________________

I have a clear, well-defined vision of my future

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

I have clear retirement goals 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

I have a strategy to grow, protect my wealth, and optimize my retirement

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

I have a step-by-step action plan to achieve my retirement goals

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

My finances are organized and efficient

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

I am confident about the performance of my investments

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

I have a single source of trusted advice and I am able to make informed decisions

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

I have a trusted team of advisors helping me achieve my goals

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

I have a plan to protect and enhance my lifestyle

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

I have a strong sense of confidence about my future

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

ADD COLUMN TOTALS

Your Score

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

THE SECURE RETIREMENT SCORECARD™THE SECURE RETIREMENT SCORECARD™

John H Curry, CLU®, ChFC®, AEP, MSFS®, CLTC - Registered Representative and Financial Advisor of Park Avenue Securities LLC (PAS), 3664 Coolidge Court, Tallahassee, FL 32311. Securities products/services and advisory services are offered through PAS, a Registered Broker-Dealer and Investment Advisor. 1 (850) 562-3000. Financial Representative, The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian), New York, NY. PAS is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Guardian. North Florida Financial Corporation is not an affiliate or subsidiary of PAS or Guardian.

PAS is a member FINRA, SIPC.

COMMENTS Statement Rating

I’VE NEVER UNDERSTOODWHY MY HUMAN WON’T LEAVE THE HOUSE WITHOUT HER LEASH.I THINK SHE’S AFRAlD OF GETTING LOST. BUT IT’S OK, I KIND OF LIKESHOWING HER AROUND.

— HARPER adopted 08-18-09

Okay, technically I don’t have to go by Ms X,

the mystery guest or speaker any longer, but it’s still fun

to remember how I was able to build so much while still

working my full time job. ~ Marjorie

See my full story at MermaidsInPowerSuits.com/Marjories-Story

Q: I have an idea for a product, what can I do to

see if I should develop it further?

A: If it is a physical product you would want to sell

in stores and on Amazon I would follow a similar

path to what I did with the Mermaid Sand products.

Do some keyword research, see what people are

looking for and make prototypes for testing.

I started with the language and idea formatted in a

parchment scroll - when I saw my target audience

with tears in their eyes, clutching it to their chest

and wanting to know where they could buy more,

I went further. Start small and as inexpensive as

you can (the fi rst issue of the book was soft cover

and sold for $15) and go to festivals, trade shows or

events (wherever the target client can be found) and

pay close attention to price and quality obstacles

and listen to their feedback.

What I WOULD NOT do is base it solely on “I love

the idea so other people will too” or the fact that

Aunt Edna thinks you are brilliant. You may be bril-

liant, but that doesn’t necessarily sell product.

I would also read Masterson’s book “Ready, Fire,

Aim.” Some folks fi nd him annoying, I found it

helpful as I was launching the testing.

One of the toughest things is to NOT be married to

the outcome - the market needs to decide for you.

Q: I am currently employed and want to start

on my “Plan A” as you call it :-) I’ve done some

consulting and have a simple website, but not much

else. What should my next step(s) be?

A: Congratulations on looking to multiply your

streams of income! You sent me the link to your

website and the basic structure is there and looks

like you are using Word Press - good. I would sug-

gest:

• Creating a way to engage with people that come

to your site. Building “the list” is one of the top

priorities you have. You need an “opt-in” for

folks to subscribe to your newsletter or receive

a special report. Otherwise, your traffi c and

engagement die off as soon as someone clicks

away. Th ere is a saying in that the “riches are in

the niches but the real money is in your list.”

• Depending on your current employment,

speaking gigs is a great way to gain new clients.

And many events are on the weekends - check

your local media and chamber calendars for

ideas.

Without knowing your life purpose, I hesitate to go

further not knowing if you are meant to be in the

spotlight, or have gift markings that point toward a

more defi ned path.

But it’s hard to go wrong with list building and out-

reach. And a fi nal note, unless it confl icts with your

current job, I would suggest publishing articles on

Linked In and your local paper. It elevates you as an

authority in a crowded marketplace. You indicated

you enjoy writing so I would encourage you to

leverage the passion and skill.

Interested in having your question answered here? Simply email: [email protected]

We do our best to pick the most oft en asked questions, so check every issue. Not a subscriber yet?

Please visit MsXmedia.com and opt-in to our FREE magazine off er!


Th e Medici Eff ectFrans Johansson, 2006

From the book cover “Why do so many world-

changing insights come from people with little or no

related experience? Charles Darwin was a geologist

when he proposed the theory of evolution. And it

was an astronomer who fi nally explained what hap-

pened to the dinosaurs.”

Th e Medici Eff ect clearly demands an elevation of

thinking about how we currently work, plan and

innovate. Of particular importance is the idea that

innovation comes when you create an intersection

of fi elds, disciplines or cultures, shift ing existing

concepts into new ideas.

It’s about breaking down the silos that exist when

we say “Th is is an accounting department meet-

ing - operations wouldn’t know what we are talking

about.” Yet the subject of the meeting may be about

workfl ow, and what better person than a logistical

minded operations individual that is geared toward

deadlines and streamlining.

Th at’s a small and simplistic view of the much

broader idea of the three main areas of the book.

Th e Intersection: where, like the Medici family of

the Renaissance, you bring together people from

diff erent disciplines to work out creative solutions.

Sounds simple, and it’s a true mastermind approach,

but how many of us do it?

Creating the Medici Eff ect: Breaking Down the Bar-

riers Between Fields (or labels within an offi ce and

organization) and both Igniting and Capturing the

Explosion of Ideas.

Making Intersectional Ideas Happen: Th is is get-

ting you over the hurdle with focus on Executing

Past Your Failures and Breaking Out of Your Own

Network.

One of the greatest risks we face in business is too

narrowly focusing on where our ideas and solutions

come from. Don’t let habit or the fear of change hold

you back from looking outside for inspiration!

~ Marjorie

Th d ff

A photo of Marjorie’s personal copy!


“Ever since I remember, I have been wondering: What makes people happy? After retiring from a full time corporate job, I am doing exactly what makes me happy - help-ing people from the Woodstock Generation design and live a life of their dreams. As a professional coach, I am devoted to working 1:1 with a select few, who want to “reinvent” themselves. Using my unique TIP (Talents, Inspirations, Purpose) process I help you to uncover your brilliance and passions – so you do not die with your dream still inside you.” Elizabeth Haines

To hear my story, click on the video. goo.gl/jVe13J To connect with me, email [email protected]

Make your Word Press site look EXACTLY like YOU want!

Tired of the endless struggle with copy formatting and lack of design options in Word Press? The good news is you can keep all your Word Press pages AND add in incredible fl exibility. A few of our sites we’ve used the Content Builder plug-in on are: MsXmedia.com MermaidsInPowerSuits.com and

HighVoltageMarketing.com all very diff erent sites and all using Content Builder by Thrive Themes.

We love it so much we have become an affi liate partner. Check out the link below! And by the way -

their training is top notch.http://thrivethemes.com/affi liates/ref.php?id=946

Create Freedom Today Magazine | Resource DirectoryHave you subscribed yet? FREE at MsXmedia.com

Interested in advertising your business or service in Create Freedom Today magazine? Email [email protected] for rates and publication deadlines.

Kathryn Orford - Best Selling Author of

BECOME YOUR #1 FAN ~ HOW TO SILENCE YOUR INNER CRITIC AND LIVE THE LIFE OF YOUR DREAMS

Speaker, Author, Peak Performance Coach, Personal Development Facilitator

I have had only two sessions with Kathryn and I have to say it changed my life. My outcome for the sessions was to equip myself with techniques and strategies to change my way of thinking, and empower me to be in “peak mental condition” for my auditions. Kathryn was absolutely

amazing in showing me exactly where I had gone off track in the past. Kathryn used clear and simple methods to allow me to see my goals clearly. Thank you so very much Kathryn.

I’m forever grateful!!! Judit Lorincz, Opera SingerKathryn Orfordwww.theconfi dencecoach.netEmail: Kathryn@theconfi dencecoach.net

SPARK!: Exploring your creativity and

recapturing lost dreams.

SURGE: Craft a fulfi lled and joyful life while

discovering your purpose.

PowerHouse: Take your life and business to the

next level of living abundantly, full integrated in

your purpose, gift s, desires and energy.

If you are ready to be supported while taking your next

steps in creating the life you are meant to live, sign up for

our 20 minute Purpose Discovery Preview.

Email: [email protected]

Interested in knowing more about our three levels of

membership and mentoring?

Explore MermaidsInPowerSuits.com

Create Freedom Today! Vol 1 Issue 9

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Transcript of Create Freedom Today! Vol 1 Issue 9