Do you apologize too much? This is a habit a lot of peope have, and that I used to suffer from. In this video, I get to the root of the problem, and why it’s so harmful to your relationships.  I also teach you the (ingenious!) solution — and thereby how to improve your relationship to yourself and others!

Plus, I’ll make you laugh out loud from the silliness

WEEKLY ASSIGNMENT: Comment below and let me know when & to whom you apologize unnecessarily and how you are going to implement this practice. And share this with any friends who suffer from this problem! 

I’m so looking forward to hear how you implement this!
Zoë

PS. I AM SO ON TRACK WITH MY RUNNING!!! Thanks for all the lovely support & emails! How are you doing with your commitment??

What’s some GOAL that you’ve been wanting to achieve but keep putting off?

In this video I explain the difference between “deciding” and “committing” – some of the biggest obstacles to to fulfilling our resolutions – and give you the steps to ACHIEVE WHAT YOU DREAM, fast!

I also do something super scary for me, and get really vulnerable about one of my own goals…

 WEEKLY ASSIGNMENT: Comment below and tell us your scary & exciting goal – and what your RIVER is! 

Check out my AMAZING INSPIRING friend Ellen by clicking here! Ellen is a superstar coach and maven of inspiration for creative visionaries.  And she’s super fun, loving and fierce too!

and don’t forget to check out the fabulous Shelli Johnson: www.yourepiclife.com

Have fun, push yourself & dream big this week!

Zoë

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back– Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth that ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.” ~ Goethe

This week something broke in our home and it got me thinking about letting go…and how hard it can be!

In this video, I share 4 simple questions that will end your overwhelm and simplify decision making so you can feel light and easy this Spring: 

Let me know what you discover and decide to get rid of! Also, THANKS! to those of you sending in juicy questions for the vlog! It’s so much more fun for me when I get a direct question to answer!  It makes me feel even more connected to you. Awww.

Homework: Write down these questions and choose a room, closet or your whole house to go over with them!
Bonus: Choose 5-10 habits & beliefs to apply the questions to as well!

Have fun with your inner & outer spring cleaning!
Zoë

So, what’s your faith story?

Find out what type/stage of faith you have in this video — where we’ll go into the 2nd and 3rd types of Faith (the 3rd is pretty radically different from the first two).  Do you have faith? in what? Did you always? Did it grow over time? Was it ever challenged? Do you have other questions about it??? Let me know below or on facebook  and I will write you back–hit me up! 

Oh, and enjoy this:

Hello! 

Today I want to talk to you about The F Word. I got a little carried away…so this is Part 1 – and I’ll post Part 2 in a few days…I’m really excited to hear what your take is and your personal story with the F word.

HOMEWORK: COMMENT BELOW and tell us a personal F Word Story on facebook. What are your biggest questions about F___?

Have a great week!
Zoë

Don’t forget to leave comments here or on facebook. Your feedback really helps me! What else do you want to hear about? Send me your Q’s and I will do my best to A them!

This week’s assignment: Do this!! At least once, let go of your usual pattern to avoid or numb or defend and go back through the layers of self to re-connect with your authentic self!

Have courage my friend. This is not easy, but I know you can do it!

Zoë

If we are not fully ourselves, truly in the present moment, we miss everything. ~Thich Nhat Hanh

In today’s video I show you the layers of yourself, your authentic self, what happened to disconnect you from that, and what you can do to reconnect to it. If you’ve ever wondered who you are, and why you feel out of touch with yourself and others…this video will rock your world. Seriously.

WEEKLY ASSIGNMENT:

Leave a comment below or on facebook and let me know:
1) What are your core negative, limiting self beliefs?

2) What are your self-created protective identities?
Here’s to being 100% ourselves in the world.  I, for one, really want to know the AUTHENTIC YOU!

A different world is possible, but it has to start with each of us.

Have Courage!
Zoë

We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
~T.S. Eliot

So many of us want to give back — but it can be hard when we feel like we have so little extra time and money.

In this week’s article I share several creative and effective ways to give back (and feel more joy, connection, love and purpose) without giving up your job, vacation time or your life savings!

Q: Hi Zoe, I have only one vacation this year. The truth is, I have been working so hard at my new job that I could use that vacation. But then that seems selfish! So, I want to volunteer abroad. I wish I could take time off forever and help people, but at least for now I can’t.  Do you know any stellar opportunities out there? Where? What? Thanks, E. from NY

Hi E.,

It’s very honorable that you want to give back the little time you have and yet it sounds to me like you are working so hard, you may need to TAKE the vacation for yourself! I know I couldn’t do the work and service I do without taking a vacation now and then. It’s inhuman how this culture views work time v. vacation time! We humans need to recharge in order to be productive and creative, let alone healthy. It’s cyclical: we can’t only give in one direction–we need to give to ourselves in order to be able to give to others!

That said, here are some other possibilities to satisfy your desire to give back, without giving up your precious time for yourself:



1. Why wait? Volunteer Locally. 

Instead of wating until your vacation, volunteer locally once per week or twice per month (or even once per month). I used to volunteer with New York Cares (there’s one in nearly every city) or you can check with www.volunteermatch.org (nationally), on craigslist, or with my favorite assistant: google. Find something that speaks to your passions and fits your schedule.  I also volunteer in hospice.  Pick something that calls to you!  It will also positively affect your psyche deeply if you are helping in small doses on a regular basis.



2. Buddy Up & Tithe Yourself 

If you don’t have time to volunteer regularly, find an organization that supports a cause you you really love and are passionate about (whether it’s saving the whales, feeding the hungry, saving the rainforest, or child artists) and then tithe yourself–take 5-10% of your income monthly and make a regular donation to that one organization. You will start to build up a beautiful energetic connection to this particular cause and organization. This is a wonderful thing to do.  And, if you stick to one cause, you can really make a difference: a few whales, acres of rainforest or a child might get saved JUST BECAUSE OF YOU.  Amazing! Some I like are Kiva, Buddhist Global Relief Fund, The Nature Conservancy and many, many more! Do your research!



3. Think Closer.

We don’t have to go to other countries to find people in need.  Make a list of people you know in your own life who are in need of support financially or emotionally and do something nice for them. Pick one per month. Make a package, bake some cookies, invite them to a movie, send a card, etc. It’s amazing how many people will fly across the planet to help someone, but won’t go read to their blind aunt a mile away.

4. The Gift that Keeps on Giving!

One of my favorite organizations is www.kiva.org.  I donate a part of my income to kiva regularly.  Find out more, here. Kiva is a micro-lending company. That means that you are actually joining with others to loan seed money to entrepreneurs in developing countries, so that they can get the leg up they need to create a business and change their lives.  The key part of the model is that they pay you back — and then you can reloan that SAME money to someone else in the kiva network! This is so cool because it is a) empowering for everyone and b) a way to have your bucks keep giving over and over again!  Genius, right? I love kiva big time.



5. Ok, so you still want to volunteer abroad…

If you still want to travel to volunteer that is awesome! I hear you about a burning desire and there is something about being in the 2/3 world that is very powerful and transformative. In my experience volunteering is some of the most rewarding travel I have ever done. For just two weeks there are limited options. My mom leads Habitat for Humanities trips — so I know a lot about them and they seem great–and you have a range of choices about where you go, so you can get some beach in too! 

I went on a trip with Global Volunteers but it wasn’t so well organized. 

You could check out this site
 to find many others.  Hopefully my readers will also have some to recommend!  If you really want to do this full time — maybe YOU need to start a company!

How do YOU like to give back? Comment below or let me know on the facebook page!  
 What are your favorite volunteer abroad organizations?

Weekly assignment: Take on one of these ways of giving back and give it a try! Or, if you feel totally overloaded — find a way to give back to yourself!

Have a great week,
Zoë

I had one of those days this week, and it inspired me to make this video about what to do when you just want to go back under the covers and skip today:

Leave a comment below &/or on facebook to let me know what your “story” is on bad days–I wonder how many of us have the same ones?

Isn’t being human a trip??

Love,
Zoë

The Guest House

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

~Rumi~

We also begin to touch on techniques to develop and sustain passion, intimacy, variety and longevity in monogamous relationships, which I will be going into in further detail in upcoming articles and offerings.

Instead of a video this week, I thought you might enjoy this powerful call–especially with Valentine’s Day right around the corner–and I’d love to hear what you learn from it, and your favorite relationship tips!

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW NOW: 

BAY AREA FOLKS: We are also offering a couple’s workshop on some of these principles on Sunday, Feb 12th CHECK OUT THE DETAILS HERE. So much better than the usual fancy dinner!  Read glowing reviews from previous workshops here.

What do you think? Does monogamy have to be monotonous? Post on the facebook page or comment below and let me know!