Try 2012 Without Resolutions

Laurie Weiss — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:04:48 +0000

Happy New Year!

Do you do any kind of formal or informal year-end review? My mail box has been filled with instructions about how to make 2012 your (my) best year yet. Aren’t you relieved that I have no similar instructions for you?

I have always hated to set specific goals. Instead I’ve decided on my priorities and check to see whether the choices I make are aligned with them. Keeping a journal makes this process easier for me, and besides, it’s fun to discover what I have to say almost every day.

I rarely read my journal, but on New Year’s Day I was counting my considerable blessings and looked to see what my day had been like a year ago. This year’s entry was so much happier than last years that I spend some time reflecting on how I made such a dramatic shift. My answer was involvement – involvement in writing “99 Things Women Wish They Knew Before Saying I Do” and in practicing and teaching Logosynthesis.

So naturally I intend to stay involved. The book is done so as soon as it is released my focus will shift to letting the world know it exists. The short, pre-publication reviews are wonderful and I’ll share them soon. Meanwhile, I have already started writing lots of brief articles about relationship issues to publicize the book. I think you’ll enjoy the two most recent that I’ve posted. Check them out and leave a comment.

She Cheated On Him: Should She Stay or Go?
Lisa cheated on her long term boyfriend when she was really drunk a… http://t.co/CbmWMsdi

Alcohol Abuse: What Will Help? Kirsten wants advice because she Is tired of the “stupid crap” she’s been puttin… http://t.co/vbZpVBdb

Only you know what you should do this year. No matter what it is, I suggest you include figuring out what makes you feel best about yourself and about other people and doing as much of it as you can.

By the way, if you live in the Denver area come to the free introductory program on Logosynthesis Jonathan and I are offering at People House in Denver on January 25^th at 6:30 pm. Let me know at laurieweiss@empowermentsystems.com if you would like to attend. And please share this information with anyone who might be interested.

I Didn’t Need This Experience

Laurie Weiss — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 03:10:42 +0000

Imagine sitting in a cramped airplane seat, working on your laptop which hasn’t been backed up for a while, turning to your companion, and suddenly seeing tea pouring onto your keyboard.

Yes, it happened to me. Panic! It was over in a split second. We were holding the laptop upside down with tea dripping out and I went into shock!

All I could think of was the things I had promised to send people in the next few days and the manuscript waiting For me add the finishing touches and the backup to a new system that had been interrupted by our cruise with our Internet marketing friends. I just sat and stared while Jonathan tried to restart the computer. It was dead!

Logosynthesis the rescue — not of the computer — of me! Jonathan led me through the sentences that let me recover my energy from our disaster. Surprisingly, the target sentence that had the most impact involved the belief that I had made a mistake. Accidents happen, but I have spent most of my life putting energy into avoiding them. Something definitely shifted and I was able to be involved in other things during the rest of our 14-hour trip home.

We were lucky. Hours later the computer had dried out enough to restart. The only noticeable damage is that the U key on my keyboard stopped working. A new keyboard is on order and I’m using Word recognition software in the meantime. I had no idea how many words contain the letter U.

The seminars during the "at sea" days focused on different ways to invite people to view our various websites. One of those strategies is to answer questions posted at Yahoo questions. I’ve created two answers so far and will be doing lots of others. I’ll be posting them on this blog. Watch for them.

Meanwhile I’m grateful to be home again after our exciting travels during the last couple of months. I am happy that I can offer you another chance to take advantage of one of our special 30 minute telephone or Skype sessions to help you find a new way to manage difficult holiday encounters that are causing you unnecessary stress.

Yes, we do use Logosynthesis — and yes, it really does work. You can see what our students have said at http://www.EmpowermentSystems.com .

We expect to celebrate quiet, peaceful holidays at home this year so we have time to help December 19-23 and 26 to 30. Just email Jonathan at Weiss@empowermentsystems.com or me at laurieweiss@empowermentsystems.com .

Meanwhile Jonathan and I both wish you a joyful, blessed, and relaxed holiday season.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Remember to schedule your own energy recovery Logosynthesis session. Each 30 minute session is available for only $75. We can accept payment with Visa, MC or PayPal. All you need to do is email Jonathan at Weiss@empowermentsystems.com or me at laurieweiss@empowermentsystems.com to schedule an appointment. Let us know a few times that work for you.

Weebles wobble, but they don’t fall down…

Laurie Weiss — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 22:32:21 +0000

Balance is something I have heard about but I think it must be a mirage. I haven’t been able to find any trace of it all summer long. And now it’s August and I keep reaping the rewards of saying yes.

And like the weebles* in action I seem to tip first in one direction and then another, grounded but always seeming about to go too far.

Yes, I want my grandchildren to visit — of course I do — they light up my life. And when they are here I get way behind on my other chosen tasks. Right now my email inbox reads 280. Before they came it was down to 70.

Yes, I want to share Logosynthesis. I love helping people release their blocked energy quickly and use it for joyful and amazingly productive activities. And that means scheduling more talks and self-coaching classes. We offered a 5 session class. There were 9 participants and near perfect attendance. (One person was out of town for one session.)

Jonathan has posted their feedback and information about our upcoming free talks at People House in Denver on September 14^th and October 19^th at http://www.EmpowermentSystems.com . You can also read what our participants say about their experiences.

In October we return from the Nova Scotia Logosynthesis Advanced Training Program with Willem Lammers the same day we do the second talk. (We adapted to a schedule change because we don’t want to miss anything.)

And yes, of course I was happy to be interviewed about relationships. I had two marvelous conversations with Coach Steve Toth, and I just realized that I don’t have the links for you yet.

And yes, of course I am helping with writing the USATAA (That’s USA Transactional Analysis Association) conference publicity. The conference is October 27 -29 in San Antonio, Texas. The program, focused on Healing Relationships Everywhere, looks very exciting. Check it out here. http://www.usataaconference.org/ Come if you can.

And yes, I am writing 99 Things Women Wish They Knew Before Saying I Do. I just finished the first draft of 6 of my 11 chapters. I’ll send another letter about my Facebook page adventures soon.

And yes, I still work directly with some clients – and I’m enjoying it thoroughly.

And yes, I do all this from a stable base. Sometimes I feel like I have gone too far in one direction or another, but I recover. Physical activity helps. I do exercise at least 5 times a week and I can balance on one foot for long enough to surprise myself when I am paying attention.

Focusing so intensively in one area often means neglecting others — like writing these letters. I apologize.

Now it’s your turn. Where are you out of balance? And how do you maintain your stability? Let me know. Post your Comments here.

And do check out the new materials on Logosynthesis Jonathan has posted at http://www.EmpowermentSystems.com . Stay to explore a bit. Someone just asked to reprint The Top Ten Principles for Telling the Truth in Business Relationships. It is hidden in the Publication section under articles.

*Children’s roly-poly toys originating in Hasbro’s Playskool division on July 23, 1971.

Seduced By Logo-What?

Laurie Weiss — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 18:51:44 +0000

In between visits of different sets of grandchildren – the
little boys 5 & 7 and the big boys 10 & 13 – and planning
for our own upcoming vacation followed by more time with the
big boys, I am juggling plans for the fall.

I sometimes wonder how I created this delightful confusion
in my life. The truth is, I volunteered. Part of the problem
is that I am being willingly seduced by the power of a new
tool that appears to help people make remarkably rapid
positive changes in their lives.

We just completed our first experimental "Logosynthesis
Self-Coaching Study Group" and learned how easily we can
teach interested people to use a few focused sentences to
dissolve their reactions to past, present or anticipated
stressful situations.

Nobody knows how or why this psycho-spiritual energy-
shifting process works but I do want to share what some of
the participants shared with us as they completed the
workshop. I will share just one of my favorites here and
the others at the end of the letter.

"My first experience of it was a demonstration working with
my wife, Barbara, on her tendency to overreact to what she
sees when she’s a passenger in a car. This is something I
had experienced for many years and which seemed to be
getting worse. It happened frequently and involved a
stomping foot or that gasp somebody might make as they
suddenly see the train that’s about to take them out. It
stopped completely after the one five or ten minute process.
Barbara expressed her own amazement for days afterward. She
continues to ride with remarkable equanimity, especially
when you consider that my driving habits haven’t changed."
Woody M.

Many of our participants’ experiences are far less dramatic
but still impressive. It used to take us many sessions with
a client to accomplish similar results.

Now I need to decide how much of my time to devote to
spreading the word about our new tool. I have lots of other
interests, including my agreement to complete the book,"99
Things Women Wish They Knew Before Saying I Do."
I plan to do most of the writing in August. I will let you know
when I start sharing the process on my Facebook page.

Everything I want to do is important. I can’t do it all at once
and I bet you can’t either. But I can prioritize and hopefully
get everything done — and so can you. Starting tomorrow,
grandchildren are at the top of the list.

Today I was interviewed about relationships on two different
radio shows. I’ll tell you how to access the interviews as soon
as I know.

We do have another "Logosynthesis Self-Coaching Study Group"
scheduled in Colorado this summer: http://tinyurl.com/65ntwgz
and you can get more information about the process at
http://www.Logosynthesis.net.

If you would like help from Jonathan or me to dissolve your
own reactions to stressful situations just call or email to
arrange a coaching appointment. We have been very successful
using the process over the phone and on Skype as well as in
person.

Have a great summer.

Warmly,
Laurie

PS If you want to experience a Logosynthesis presentation, invite us to
speak to speak to any Denver area group about the process. The power
of the process only occurs when we have the opportunity to demonstrate
it with volunteers. We have not yet tried a teleclass model but there is
always a first time.

PPS Here are some of the other results reported by members of the
Logosynthesis Study Group.

"[Most powerful] was the work we did regarding my always
background fear that if I speak up on anything I haven’t
studied thoroughly, I risk being judged as a fool or worse.
The process brought forth a prominent image from my
childhood. I can’t imagine a credible way to describe how
easily this memory was scrubbed of its influence in my
present. It’s actually difficult for me to even remember how
powerful it used to be."
Woody M.

"I attended only two Logosynthesis sessions. I was burdened
by negative emotions related to past events. Focusing on the
kernel of emotion that was causing distress, through the
technique of Logosynthesis released my attachment to the
emotion. Afterwards I felt relief and freedom."
Deborah K.

"I thought I could not get rid of old stuck thinking that
easily. I felt stuck with some issues for years. Now I do
feel an opening and some bravery for some new ideas."
Linda L.

"I did not realize the extent to which much of my energy has
been bound up in my relationship with my late father. The
application of the simple Logosynthesis processes taught by
Jonathan and Laurie have produced immediate results in my
life. I feel much more able and powerful in my daily life,
and am producing demonstrable results, particularly in the
area of my business."
Foster B.

"I realize that it’s possible to be less sensitive. This at
least helps me dial back my reactions to my own overload.
Before Logosynthesis I couldn’t control my eating or my
computer game playing. I didn’t even use the full technique
on this problem, but just decided that I needed to. I
pictured myself sitting in front of my computer reading and
being with the verses, but was doing something else at the
time and never got around to doing it. This was three or
four weeks ago, and I find that most days I do not play on
the computer too much and I am eating a far more healthy
diet – I’m even cooking."
Cyndeth A.

The Secret at work?

Laurie Weiss — Tue, 10 May 2011 02:30:59 +0000

Have you ever put a random wish that you thought was off the wall, impossible out into the universe and have it come true? It’s about to happen to me and I’m still scratching my head in amazement.

Let me explain. A few weeks ago I was interviewing a fan of one of my books. I met Rhonda by accident at the “Y” where we have both worked out for years. I don’t remember how I found out that she had my book but I had wanted to interview her for a long time. However the book was out of print, so it wasn’t a priority. But I recently republished I Don’t Need Therapy … But Where Do I Turn for Answers? for the Kindle and other e-readers.

She told me, “I have two copies. I keep one in my purse and use it just like an app for my iPhone — even in the grocery store or while teaching school. I use it often so if I’m having a down day and something has gone wrong with something, I find what I need in this book. It helps me relax.

I really enjoy it because I think there’s a lot in it that you can’t find in other longer books in this area that are filled with jargon. I find this really comforting and to the point. I get a lot of information out of every page. It’s written like I’m really talking to someone.

I really like how it packs so much into such a small space. Who has time to go through a 200 page book in this world? I barely have time to get to the grocery store anymore but I do have time for this because it is so concise and well done.

Because it’s so concise I can just navigate anywhere around the book — anyone could. I could give this to a high-schooler or even a middle-schooler and they could easily use it.

I had had it for about 15 years and I have recommended it to a lot of people. My sister and brother-in-law are reading it right now. I was recently talking about it with some other people and said I think it’s like an application on an iPhone but without the phone.

This really could be an application on a phone if you could just get someone to do it for you."

Rhonda went on to tell me about her favorite part of the book and what a difference learning to ask for what she wants has made in her life.

Can you imagine how I felt? I am always thrilled when my work makes a difference in someone’s life but it’s rare that I get to hear about it — especially in such glowing terms. (Hint, hint: if my work is made a difference to you I’ve love to hear about that too.) However, I had no clue about how I could possibly get the book turned into an app. None of the people I asked knew how either.

Then the astonishing thing happened! I got an e-mail from www.smashwords.com , publisher of books for e-readers. They said that all of the books on their preferred list, which includes I Don’t Need Therapy … But Where Do I Turn for Answers? are going to be turned into apps. I don’t have to do anything except wait for it to happen!

It isn’t really magic even though it feels as if it is. Joe Vitale www.mrfire.com who appears in The Secret explains in The MISSING Secret, that thinking about what you want to happen isn’t enough. Taking what he calls right action is necessary. My right action was rereleasing my book on the e-readers at smashwords.com.

What right action do you need you need to take right now to make it possible for one of your wishes come true?

I don’t know when the app will be ready. Believe me I’ll tell you what I find out. You don’t have to wait though. If you have an e-reader or even an e-reader app on your computer, you can get I Don’t Need Therapy … But Where Do I Turn for Answers? now at either of these links: Kindle; other e-readers

Tell me about your right action here in the Comments Section and do let me know how my work has made a difference in your life.

What Does Mud Season Have To Do With It?

Laurie Weiss — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 17:41:53 +0000

This week Jonathan and I are kicking back and relaxing at a condo in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. This ski resort in "mud season" is very, very quiet and we are loving it. (Mud season is what happens when the snow melts and the skiers go home.)

I’m taking a few minutes to write this to let you know about an interview that’s being published today.

If you are thinking about writing a book or wondering about what goes into publishing a book, you’ll especially enjoy this print (not audio) interview that is featured at http://selfpublishingexperts.com

I dictated the answers to the questions about writing and publishing that Lisa Schultz sent me into my wonderful voice-recognition Dragon software. She posts them on her website for you to see. Since I have written 5 books and only one is independently published, my answers are pretty far ranging.

I have been organizing the responses to my question, "What do you wish you had known before getting married?" for book #6. Some are profound and I am looking forward to organizing and writing 99 Things Women Wish They Knew Before Saying I Do.

We’re enjoying the gorgeous scenery. The most exciting thing we’ve managed to do is visit the rustic and wonderful Strawberry Hot Springs and soaked in 4 different hot pools. Jonathan tried the ice cold one fed by melting snow too. Not me! I like my comfort.

Here is the link for the interview again: http://selfpublishingexperts.com. Take a look now.

Do It Yourself: A Gift

Laurie Weiss — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 20:12:20 +0000

Ok, I was about to write something very focused about the new book contract and the help I need but I just had my mind blown in two directions at once, so that will have to wait.

I just watched a squirrel dither! Right outside my second floor window two squirrels ran across a thick telephone cord and one made a perilous leap onto a small, unsteady branch of a big tree. The second stopped and starred!

It turned and went back up the wire. Stopped, starred at the branch, turned again, stopped, looked at its companion scampering in the big tree, focused on a still smaller branch, turned again. I called Jonathan from another room. He came in and we watched together as this performance was repeated several more times.

Finally it leaped. I can only imagine what if anything it was thinking. Maybe, “Oh what the hell!” or “Here goes nothing!” or “I think I can, I think I can!” It could and it did and grasped the smallest branch, gained confidence and ran upside down onto a strong branch and on to continue the fun and games – or romance – who knows – with its friend. Awesome!

Then I picked up my laptop and noticed a blinking Skype message from Dr. Willem Lammers, inventor/discoverer of Logosynthesis. Remember that’s the tool that is helping us help so many people relieve emotional distress so quickly.

Last week he created a video to help people who were feeling frightened by the Japanese disasters and other disturbing international events. I kept meaning to send out the link but just never got to it. But this brief movie to enable you to use the tool immediately is incredible.

Take a few minutes right now and view it here. You can just go through it quickly to see what it’s like and know you have it available any time you need it.

This is an incredible gift. Dr. Lammers even offers help on the Logosynthesis Facebook page. We can help too. Contact us at Empowerment Systems

Rediscover This Treasure

Laurie Weiss — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 23:00:20 +0000

Did you ever get an A+ on a paper in school? Did you bring it home and proudly show it off? Did you save it for a long time? It was fun, wasn’t it?

My 10-year-old grandson, R, called me on Skype the other day to delightedly show off his first place team ribbon in a math tournament. Of course I was thrilled and excited with him.

So will you help me celebrate something that happened a long time ago and is happening again?

I’ve had my books favorably reviewed many times, but once, the reviewer raved about the book and said it was absolutely wonderful! I felt like I received an A+.

I Don’t Need Therapy … But Where Do I Turn for Answers? did well and sold about 10,000 copies, but it has been out of print for years. Now I can share both the book and the review again. I’ve included part of the review as a preface for the new edition.

So, if you have a Kindle or a Kindle App on your device or computer — or if you have some other Ebook reader or app, you can actually get it again NOW.

Wow, not too long ago that sentence would have been gibberish to me! I love the miracles of technology even if they sometimes drive me crazy.

Usually Jonathan does all of the technical heavy lifting and I just get to enjoy the results but this time I wanted to do it (at least partly) by myself — and I did. I am so proud of myself!

Please go check it out now. Kindle is at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004P1IYIU and to sample or purchase I Don’t Need Therapy ,.. but Where, Do I Turn for Answers? in all formats (including Kindle) go to http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/43645 (On Amazon.com, you need to scroll down the page to read the description.)

By the way, I just discovered http://www.Smashwords.com and it is an amazing resource.

Not only am I excited about being able to make this book available again, I am excited about all of the other possibilities this format opens up. I can make parts of my other books available there too. More than enough to keep me busy for a very long time.

And I’ll let you in on my secret: I am about to sign a contract to write another book!

Laurie

Elephants Hate New Year’s Resolutions

Laurie Weiss — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 19:17:45 +0000

I have been trying to ride my elephant in your direction for several days and this is the first time I have convinced her to cooperate with me.

Let me explain. During the holidays I encountered Chip and Dan Heath’s marvelous book, "Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard." They use rider and elephant as metaphors for your logical and comfort seeking parts that often operate by trying to go in different directions.

In Transactional Analysis (TA) terms, my Parent and Adult ego states want to be productive and my Child ego state would rather curl up and read a good book. Visualizing my elephant is less precise but more fun. Especially since I have ridden two different living elephants in my adult life and have pictures to prove it.

I digress. This is supposed to be about the promise of a new year. I do hope that yours has started wonderfully well. Mine has. We spent the holidays with all of our children (2) and grandchildren (5) gathered in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

It’s been hard to recreate my home life after being away for 43 of 81 days.

Each of our 5 different trips was wonderful in its own way. However, a side effect seems to be that my elephant has forgotten how much she truly enjoys connecting with you this way.

"Switch" is well worth reading. It is filled with strategies for facilitating change – mostly in work situations – that include helping our elephants feel safe and comfortable enough to allow their riders to guide them in productive directions.

Just incidentally, it makes it very obvious why elephants undermine New Year’s resolutions so effectively.

Our new tools for helping people make rather amazing changes seem to be connected to calming the elephant about things that make it uncomfortable and resistant to change. We continue to be amazed at how gentle and effective Logosynthesis is proving to be.

So far our own changes are holding firm. I managed air travel delays and discomforts without any particular stress and have come through the entire experience weighing the same as when I started – without even thinking about it. We have helped others resolve overwhelming stress, stage fright, traffic terrors, balance issues, seasickness, talking to authority figures, quieting critical internal voices, living with the stress of remodeling, feelings about historic parental neglect, cold symptoms (but not the cold itself), sleep disturbances, humiliation, etc.

It’s not that we couldn’t help with a lot of this before – we could. But it took a long time and a lot of energy. This is much quicker and easier.

Logosynthesis has become a regular part of our coaching, consulting and therapy practices. As you know we work with people if a variety of ways – in person, by phone and by Skype.

We are thinking about offering some coaching groups where we can demonstrate the process by working with individual issues. Witnesses seem to get great value just from observing the process. So if you would like some help yourself or know someone who would, please let us know. Just email laurieweiss@empowermentsystems.com or phone the office at (303)794-5379(US). We are excited about our new ability to help in this way.

(See the previous post. to catch up on the story)

What questions am I stimulating for you? Please share them here.

Personal Sharing

Laurie Weiss — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 03:40:54 +0000

I thought our Mexican vacation at Emerald Bay in Mazatlan would be about getting back to writing about lessons learned in 50 years of marriage. It didn’t happen that way. I also wanted to finish reading the Willem Lammers book, "Phrases to Freedom."

I did finish the book, but very slowly because nearly every chapter opened something new, usually some small toleration I expected to keep for the rest of my life. For example, I have never managed to relax about my weight. For most of my adult life, I have stayed close to my ideal weight through constant vigilance.

I have felt very unhappy whenever my weight drifts up a few pounds. And it has become more and more difficult to discipline myself to take off the added pounds. It has also become more and more difficult to actually achieve weight adjustment as I have gotten older.

Each time I travel, which I do a lot, it’s been a battle between fear that I will add more weight and the desire to go unconscious about food and eat what everyone else does and guarantee that I gain a little. The conversation in my mind goes on and on. Yesterday I did Logosynthesis® work about that issue. I did not record what words I used and it seems to be in the nature of the work that I forget it as soon as I complete it so I can’t share exactly what I did.

Anyhow, something is different. My internal conversation about whether and how much to eat has vanished. I have no idea what will happen next but I know I am much happier without the conversation. I will do my best to keep you informed. The test will come soon because our next trip is a seminar/cruise/outrageous vacation with internet marketer, Jim Edwards.

(Jim interviewed us for a "Quick Read Audio Book" about "The Top 10 Hidden Beliefs About Relationships And How To Stop Them From Poisoning Your Marriage" a few months ago. It should be available on Amazon very soon.)

The most remarkable "Logo" experience so far happened when I began to feel ill shortly after eating lunch one day. This has happened before and led to most unpleasant intestinal consequences. I asked Jonathan for help and managed to release all of the negative energy and images and within about 15 minutes I felt fine and have stayed fine throughout this entire trip. We were amazed and delighted.

Look for my blog posts about releasing newly hatched baby turtles and about watching a very tame wild iguana devour a lunch of brightly colored flowers topped off by two maraschino cherries. I actually held one of the baby turtles — pictures are posted too, at http://tinyurl.com/3y6gan8. Unfortunately we didn’t have a camera when we watched the iguana.

This was written in Mexico. I’m home now and I weigh a little less than I did when we left on this trip. That is definitely something new. I also feel more relaxed about "Afterburn" from my last trip running into my "Reachback" for the next one. (Eric Berne’s words describing what happens when the aftereffects of an event and the preparation for another event happen at the same time.) I used Logosynthesis today with a coaching client with immediate positive results. And I am still deep in the process of opening mail and unpacking while making piles for my next trip.