Personal Growth Princess » Announcements

September self-help book summary added to member page

Nina East — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:10:17 +0000

All new September content is now available in the Members-Only area.

This month’s featured book summary is The Passion Principle: Discover Your Personal Passion Signature and the Secrets to Deeper Relationships in Love, Life and Work, by best-selling author, Donna LeBlanc, M.Ed.

I had a chance to meet Donna in person on a recent visit to New York City. She was incredibly gracious, inviting me to her beautiful home near Central Park. It felt more like “old friends gabbing” than “business owner meeting incredible best-selling author.”

I was so moved by my experience reading her book, interviewing her, and then meeting with her in person, that I hired her for some personal coaching. So far it has been exhilarating, though not necessarily easy.

Donna & Nina!

Each of us has a particular “style” we use to express ourselves in the world. In The Passion Principle: Discover Your Personal Passion Signature and the Secrets to Deeper Relationships in Love, Life and Work, Donna LeBlanc describes the five signature styles she has discovered through her 20+ years as a spiritual psychotherapist.

Each of the styles has a powerful, positive manifestation, as well as a corresponding survival, defensive style. Understanding your signature style(s), healing the wounded parts and embracing the evolutionary gifts, is the key to breaking the self-destructive and self-defeating patterns that hold you back from the success and fulfillment you both desire and deserve.

Until you break through these patterns (which have become imprinted on your nervous system), what you really want will continue to evade you, you will continue to feel less than wonderfully worthy, and may be afraid that someone will discover you aren’t as great as they think you are.

One premise of The Passion Principle is that there are things in this world only you can do. Others may do something similar, but only you can do it the way you do it. You have special gifts to share, and, quite literally, there will never be another person exactly like you. Most people lose touch with this by the time they are adults. You have “forgotten who you were born to be, so you denied your radiance and hid it beneath multiple layers of self-protection, secrecy and disguise.”

I know you will enjoy learning about the 5 Passion Signatures, as well as the “shadow side” of each, through this book summary.

Also, Donna LeBlanc has generously gifted members of Personal Growth Princess with detailed explanations about each style’s triggers, ways of thinking, and pathways out of the self-destructive patterns.

Members, make sure to access your book summary, audio interview and transcripts, plus a whole basketful of bonuses from Donna via the Members page!

The Trophy Effect: You are not your mind – 55 minutes that will change your Life!

Nina East — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 17:15:11 +0000

Last month’s self-help book summary was on The Trophy Effect: Destroying Self-Doubt, Discovering Your True Self, & Taking Control of Your Life Forever by Michael Nitti.
(If you haven’t had a chance to read the book summary, it will be available for 2 more weeks in the members only area.)

Michael Nitti is making it easy for you to get the Trophy Effect experience first-hand. You may remember me talking about the individual Trophy Effect coaching session I had with Michael. It was powerful in that it provided such a simple reframe – that resulted in an overwhelming shift. I continue to use the lessons from the Trophy Effect – sometimes laughing at myself for the silly traps I get myself into.

Michael is offering a teleclass on The Trophy Effect – this time for free. He says this will likely be the last time it is free. My guess is that after hitting the best-seller list, and handling the swell of coaching clients at the Anthony Robbins Companies that have flowed in since the launch of the new television series, he isn’t going to have a lot of time in the future for doing a lot of “freebies”.

During this transformational teleseminar, Michael will be leading you on an extremely revealing (and entertaining) tour of your own mind, where you will not only observe first-hand the source of that “little voice” that seems to thwart your every intention, but will actually learn how to over-ride it every time! In less than an hour, you will discover how to break free of all your fears and to move toward your future with clarity and purpose. After the seminar, you will be provided with access to an amazing series of Exercises (also free), which will empower (and condition) you to live “intentionally” rather than “in reaction” to your circumstances; resulting in a greater sense of freedom, connectedness, and joy!

I highly recommend registering for the teleclass which will be held on Thursday, August 26th, 6pm Pacific time (7pm Mountain, 8pm Central, 9pm Eastern).

p.s. You can participate in this class whether you are a member of Personal Growth Princess or not, though I highly recommend reading the book summary prior to taking the class. You can become a member of Personal Growth Princess by going here.
(Remember, for a limited time, new members will receive a copy of The Think Big Manifesto by Michael Port as a special Founding Princess gift!)

Is your work great – or just ho-hum?

Nina East — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 15:16:42 +0000

What kind of work are you doing? Not the tasks themselves, but the quality or nature of your work? Are you doing good work? Not so good work? Bad work, even? Or are you amping up the meaning of what you’re doing so that it becomes Great Work?

The book being featured this month as a self-help book summary for members at PersonalGrowthPrincess.com is Do More Great Work by Michael Bungay Stanier. In this, his latest book, Michael sets out a course, or a path, to identifying what your Great Work might be.

Great Work is meaningful work. It is work that you know makes a difference and it makes you feel good – maybe even proud – to be doing it. It “inspires, stretches, and provokes” you. In short, it is work that matters – to you, first and foremost, and ultimately to others (even if they are oblivious to the work you’re doing, or of the need for it). When you are doing Great Work, you feel fully engaged, like you are “in the flow”.

But Great Work also brings with it paradoxes. It often has the quality of uncertainty and discomfort along with the thrill and flow. It is frequently new and challenging (discomfort) and may have possible risks (uncertainty). But this is also what drives innovation and evolution.

Everyone is capable of Great Work, but the 6 Great Work Paradoxes explain why it’s easy to be ambivalent about doing it – as well as why it’s hard to stick with it.

#1 – You don’t need to save the world…and…you DO need to make a difference.
You may have a grand vision or powerful purpose, but you don’t need to be a martyr, give up your friends, quit your job, embrace poverty, etc. in order to do Great Work. You also don’t have to attempt to save the entire world or solve all its problems. Sometimes changes on a small scale can make the biggest difference.

The desire to do Great Work is simply a call to do more meaningful work. It can be very simple or subtle. The point is that if/when you feel called to do something meaningful, you design your life so that you can.

#2 – Great Work is private…and…Great Work can be public.
Doing Great Work isn’t about getting recognition or winning awards – though that can certainly be a by-product. If you’re doing the work for the accolades, you can pretty uch be assured it’s not going to be Great. According to Michael, “because it is a subjective matter – Great Work is what is meaningful for you”. Often the reward or recognition is a private, internal one. YOU will know you’ve done something that matters. Others may or may not know it.

#3 – Great Work is needed…and…Great Work isn’t wanted.
The desire to do Great Work often comes from a personal sense of “I must change this.” Maybe it’s changing the status quo, maybe you just can’t stand by and watch the way something is being managed. Maybe the cost of tolerating something has become too great. Michael says that “Great Work shows up at the intersection where what needs to change in your world meets what’s important to you”.

The paradox is that sometimes Great Work is not wanted. You might be rocking the boat. Sometimes people doing Good Work feel threatened by someone doing Great Work. It can be a challenge, but because it is needed, you need to step up. (I remember being asked by a former boss to start doing things more half-way because I was making everyone else look bad. Shocking, yes? And clearly a sign that Great Work isn’t always celebrated by others.)

#4 – Great Work is easy…and…Great Work is difficult.
The ever annoying paradox. Many times when you are doing Great Work you’re in flow. You lose track of time, things come together as if by magic. But, lest you think it’s all wine and roses, Great Work can also be a grind. There’s a fair amount of discipline involved – you have to keep at it even when the flow is dammed up. It means dealing with things not working, with other people’s negativity, and all the other tests that life puts you through. (In the book, or in the book summary, you will learn about ways to manage this.)

#5 – Great Work is about doing what’s meaningful…and…Great Work isn’t about doing it well.
Great Work, by definition, is new and uncharted territory. You haven’t done it before, at least not at this level of meaningfulness. That means it won’t be perfect. But it isn’t expected to be. The impact you have, or the meaning the work has, is far more important than whether it is delivered perfectly. In order to do great work, you have to get comfortable with making mistakes,

#6 – Great Work can take a moment…and…Great Work can take a lifetime.
Sometimes great work happens in a single moment – a moment of you being at your best, a singular moment of impact. It can also be what looks like a single moment that is really the culmination of years of dedication that coalesces in that one beautiful moment. It can also be a life-long project, something that develops over time. Remember that Great Work can be difficult, so not every moment along the project will feel great, but what it all adds up to is Great.

If you’ve ever done work, or tried to do work, that is extremely meaningful to you, you have no doubt run up against one or more of these paradoxes.

How did you handle it? How did it stretch you and help you to grow?

Leave a comment below and let us know. Maybe sharing your experience here will help someone else…now that would be Great Work.

Personal Growth Princess featured on WordPress review site!

Nina East — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:24:06 +0000

I don’t know how many of you are aware of this, but not only did I create Personal Growth Princess, I also designed the site myself. Virtually from scratch.

As you know, I always say “To be someone you are not is to waste the person you are.”
And that’s what Personal Growth Princess is all about – embracing all the parts of you.

So, over the past year I’ve gotten in touch with my inner-geek. Apparently she’s been lurking in there for quite awhile.

The result is what has been recognized as an outstanding example of website design.

As a hugely gratifying testament to the quality of the site, we have just been featured as the very first in a “Spotlight” series at The WordPress Chick, a well-known website development, training and review site. To have Kim Doyal, the owner, shout out about Princess is a gigantic feather in my hat – er, crown.

Oh, and in case you’re curious about web design or blog setups, take a look at Basic Blog Setup…my sister site.

New Self-Help Book Summary & Content Added for July

Nina East — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 13:12:31 +0000

All the new July content is now live in the Members Area!

This month’s featured book summary is The Trophy Effect by Michael A. Nitti

- published in 2010 and already an Amazon Best-Seller.

Be sure to check in to read the book summary (or listen to the audio version).

Plus listen to the exciting interview with the author, or download the transcript for quick reading.

Also be sure to check the Members Bonus are for new goodies – like this high resolution image for high-quality printing and framing! —->

Not a member yet? That’s easily remedied.

Learn more about self-help book summaries for women and join us at the castle!
(We’re still in the special-savings Founding Princess phase – so be sure to take advantage of the early-bird offer!)

You Are A Spirit [Book Review]

Nina East — Tue, 18 May 2010 14:17:04 +0000

You Are A Spirit: Nine Steps to Heaven on Earth, co-authored by Kayhan Ghodsi and Stephanie Gunning (one of our Fairy Godmothers), has just been published by Yaas Press. In fact, Wednesday, May 19th, is the official launch of the book.

This is a simple, yet deep, guide to help you become more aware of who you really are – more than just a physical body existing here on earth. You are more than what you think you are – you are a spirit, and your body allows you to exist and experience in the physical realm. For those who are more “new age” minded, you will likely have the experience of thinking “Ah, yes, this makes perfect sense now.” For others, the stretch will be bigger. The beauty in the book is that it is not dogmatic, nor are you expected to believe anything the authors say. In fact, they encourage you not to take their word for it, but to check it out for yourself.

Each of the nine steps (such as “You are Perfect in the Present”, “You Are Not Your Body”, “You Can Choose Joy”) requires you to stretch and consider possibilities or ideas you may not have thought of before. Each step ends with a meditation. The simplicity of the meditations make them great for the beginner who is not familiar with meditation or may be a bit intimidated by it, but don’t let the apparent simplicity lull you into thinking they are “easy” or that nothing is happening.

In the first step, “You Are A Creator”, the authors state:

Here’s the secret to living as a spirit in a body: If you consider that you are the creator of your life – in other words, the cause, rather than the effect of your experiences – just by considering this idea, your life changes.

(This statement connects with how Kim Marcille Romaner talks about the role of the observer in scientific experiments – that the act of observing automatically affects the outcome. See the book summary for The Science of Making Things Happen in the members area for the full story, or read the post about The Science of Making Things Happen and the Dynamic Opportunity Model.)

There is a lot of hype out there about being in the “now”, yet rarely are we given any ways to experience this in a way that make sense to the average person. After all, if you haven’t been living in the “now”, how would you know how to do it? That is where I found this book to be most valuable.

The authors give examples of how to know you are not living in the present moment, such as when you are worrying (the future) or ruminating (the past). By projecting yourself into the past or future, you are disconnecting with the present moment, and disconnecting from your ability to create your reality.

The meditations accompanying each step not only show you how to bring your awareness into the present moment in ways you can relate, they are designed so that you actually experience it right then, in the moment. Of course, as with all meditation, the authors remind you that it is practice over time that will make it easier and more automatic.

The ultimate message of the book is to release judgment and trust yourself to be guided in your choices and actions – because after all, you, as a spirit, are the one doing the guiding. When you realize this, you realize you can experience heaven on earth because you will experience certainty and absolute faith, and because you never really left heaven in the first place.

Remember that Wednesday, May 19, 2010 is the official launch of the book. To accompany the launch are special bonus offerings, so be sure to grab yours. You can also view the video trailer, and sign up for a free teleseminar being offered today, May 18th.

Leave a comment below and let me know what you think of the book. And remember to grab your bonuses if/when you purchase You Are A Spirit.

My baby (my cat) is 19 years old today!

Nina East — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 14:50:19 +0000

My baby!

Anyone who knows me knows how important my pets are to me! And you know how important animals are to me in general since I donate a portion of all Princess proceeds to animal rescue organizations.

Well, today is Little Moon’s 19th birthday!

I don’t know what that makes him in cat years, but “old” is a safe estimate.

I’ve had him since he was a baby, and I still think of him as my baby kitty.
This is one of my favorite pictures of him….the gigantic shadow was a bit of foreshadowing to come. Little Moon grew to be 16 pounds, just like his Dad.

This photo below is what he looks like now, though you can’t really tell how skinny he is. Older cats tend to become hyperthyroid, so he is really quite thin. But still super lovey-dovey and very much a lap kitty.

The last picture below is Little Moon with his dad, Pumpkin Pie. Pumpkin was his favorite buddy, and he went through a definite period of sadness when his dad died.

I’ve joked that since his dad’s last name was “Pie”, that Little Moon’s full name was really “Little Moon Pie”.

His dad lived to be 15, his mom, Snickerdoodle (I was on a food theme for sure) lived to 17 years. So he comes from very healthy stock. I’m grateful to still have him, that he’s in pretty good shape, and most of the time he can jump on the bed by himself. (I do have stairs in place, but he prefers to jump when he can.)

Little Moon today...though skinnier than you can tell in this photo.

Thanks for letting me share!

What are your furry family members up to?

What do they mean in your life?

Little Moon and his dad, Pumpkin Piemean in your life?

Personal Growth on National Puppy Day!

Nina East — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 00:48:25 +0000

Today is National Puppy Day!

Scout as a puppy

National Puppy Day is sponsored by the Animal Miracle Foundation & Network, an organization that supports adopting pets, not shopping for them.

Given that a portion of all profits from this site go to the Animal Protection Society – where I adopted my little girl, Scout - it seems appropriate to honor the day in a way that also serves your personal growth.

So, here’s a fun freebie for you.

It’s the story of a very active dog. But of course, it’s more than a story about a dog. You knew that, right?

This story and what Sadie went through has significant parallels for those of us trying or wanting to live a life of passion and joy.

It’s a great opportunity to think about yourself, what’s important to you, how you manage your own energy.
It’s a fable – a story with a moral.

I hope you enjoy it!!

Just click “The Rescue Dog” image and enjoy!!
(If you want to download it, just right click and save to your computer.)

Please feel free to share this with anyone you think might be inspired.

And, if you’ve been thinking about getting a puppy, or a full grown dog, I encourage you to consider getting a pound puppy. They make fabulous family members! I also encourage you to think very carefully and clearly about what kind of dog you want, how much time you’ll be able to spend with it, who in the family will ultimately be responsible for the dog, how much training you’re willing to do, etc. Dogs are amazing – AND, they are a long-term commitment.

Do you have a dog (or pet) story to share? I’d love to hear how your pets have made a difference in your life.
Just make a comment below!

Good morning – with a Princess mug

Nina East — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:17:18 +0000

Greetings – and welcome to the new unveiling of PersonalGrowthPrincess.com – your resource for the best self-help book summaries on the planet.

We’ve been hard at work sprucing up the castle, clearing out the cobwebs, and getting all the fairy godmothers in order.

As luck would have it, 19 is a lucky number for princesses, so it is apropos that Personal Growth Princess would fling the doors wide on the 19th of March.

This is just a quick little video to welcome you back – and to show you one of the great bonuses you receive in your welcome basket when you become a member of Personal Growth Princess.
(video quality isn’t the best – but you’ll get the picture. )

So…what sort of personal growth have you been blossoming up lately?

Nina and Scout go on retreat…

Nina East — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:10:16 +0000

Just a quick video message from my Princess planning retreat in Asheville with my good friend Cheri Britton.
We brought our dogs, too!!