Will you be a leader in 2013?

I have to put my hand up and admit I've always been bossy.

There I've said it.. and the world hasn't fallen in on me.

Except that being bossy backfired on me more times than enough in my twenties and thirties and so I started moving in the opposite direction... not being bossy.

Which was fine except I began to realise that in some company, I seemed to come out all wimpish.

Are you the one who's the centre of attention or hovering on the edge of the group?

Recently I went to our local theatre, amateur companies only, to watch a performance of Round and Round the Garden, one of Alan Ayckbourn's Norman Conquest Trilogy. In that is a very bossy woman who tries to organise everyone else. She fails of course because most of us resist being organised, even if secretly we'd like someone to take charge of all the things we hate to do.

So what is leadership anyway?

My trusty dictionary tells me that a leader is:

• a person who leads, commands or precedes a group, organisation or country

Being out in front means high visibility, commanding has too many nuances of being bossy, but maybe precedes might work.

When I look at the verb what I find is much more to my liking:

• cause a person to go with one by drawing them along
• show a person the way by preceding or accompanying them

Recently I went to a TEDx on family and community and a young woman talked about leading by serving others.

Then I found a definition that said a leader was someone who had the courage to go first. Unlike the character in Gilbert and Sullivan The Gondoliers who led always from the rear.

How cand you and I be leaders next year?

During the Writing From Your Heart Online Gathering, I received some wonderful feedback. Much of it focused on the same points.

How the writer appreciated the practical nature of the interviews and how touched they were by the courage I was showing by being vulnerable.

Was it deliberate on my part? To a certain extent it was... because I knew that if I wasn't authentic then I might as well not bother to host the event. I am as I am, with all my insecurities and hang ups. And my talents and strengths. 

All of which I have to admit to.

What does 2013 hold for us?

Let's face it. We have no real idea. We make plans, we vision, we dream, we hope. But we have no real idea what will turn up from one moment to the next.

Whether positive or not, we will be surprised by the year. We'll take some decisions with clear sight and others more hoping for a good outcome.

What I'm challenging myself on for 2013 is becoming the leader I need to be. And I think it's important because I have a role to play in the greater scheme of things. 

Whatever the size of my dreams, whatever scope I'm envisaging, I will have to take the steps out in front... before I can expect anyone to follow me. Whether it's to be part of my community or as a helper to create that community.

So how about you?

What will you be the leader for in the next year?

I'd love to hear about your visions and your thoughts about leadership.

Let me know and if you're not already signed up for my Monthly Enfolding join our community

Lynn Serafinn on 5 fears of writing and marketing

Wednesday 14th November 7pm I'm lucky enough to have captured Lynn Serafinn and pinned her down for an hour. She's having a whirlwind year with the success of her book, The 7 Graces of Marketing and her Global Conference that followed it up earlier this year.

Lynn Serafinn is nothing short of a phenomenon: author, radio host, marketing and social media expert.

Not only that, she's holding a global vision for the way we do business. Her indepth analysis of what's wrong with the way we sell now and plan to change it, could revolutionise the way you do business.

Sign up here:
 Listen to Lynn Serafinn live or on replay

Eileen Parr speaks on Writing From Your Heart Online Gathering tday

Never meant to speak. Didn't think I had anything much to say. Find out tonight at 7PM UK and 11AM Pacific, how and why that changed. Tune in live or on replay by signing up at www.writingfromyourheart.com 

Amethyst Wyldfyre asks - Are you Hiding Your True Power by not Speaking Out

A challenging interview in store for us today on Writing From Your Heart Online Gathering. Amethyst Wyldfyre offers a provocative perspective on how writers need to tackle these dangerous questions.

Like speaking out... and making money.

Still not reached your full potential? Do you know yet what your full potential might be... if you were prepared to speak out?

Come and join us in this most contentious conversation. Can we be heart centred... and rich? If not why not?

It's a topic that's been an obstacle for me for many years, and this year I'm tackling it head on. I do think it's time I sorted it. If that's you too, well join me as I talk to Amethyst. You can post questions if you join us live and I'll make sure they're covered in the interview.

Not yet registered for the event? That's easy to sort out - just go to www.writingfromyourheart.com. Takes seconds to register.

Amethyst has long experience of shaking people up... to help them fulfil their potential.

I'm prepared... I think!

Come and join us and see what happens.

For more on Amethyst and why I wanted to share her with you, www.theempoweredmessenger.com

For the Gathering Twitter conversation #WFYH12

Derek Rydall and The Law of Emergence: why it's the only law you need to achieve your full potential

Today's interview on the Writing From Your Heart Online Gathering, is with Derek Rydall, Hollywood actor, script writer, and author.

Never made the Law of Attraction work for you? Find out why and how you can finally accept you're perfect as you are.

Sceptical? Come and listen to Derek and park your sceptism for an hour while he explains what he means.

Find out why there's a buzz of conversation over at #WFYH12 and join in with your ideas on what it takes to be a heart centred writer.

As you might expect of an actor, Derek is a powerful speaker, but his words are from his experience and from his heart.  To get access to all the calls go to:

www.writingfromyourheart.com

For more about Derek visit www.lawofemergence.com

Joe Nunziata on Busting Your Karma to Heal Your Life

Today on Writing From Your Heart Online Gathering, I'll be interviewing Joe Nunziata, author of Karma Buster.

Have you ever wondered why you don't make any headway and you keep getting stuck in patterns that make no real sense to you? Listen to Joe and let him show you ways to dissolve those patterns.

Eight years ago I met up with Joe, telephonically when he coached me as a newbie in the writing business. Practical, focused and thorough, he helped me enormously and it will be a pleasure to talk to him again.

As a practitioner, not a theorist, Joe always looks for ways that work to move you on. So I'm expecting an  energetic and life affirming session with him.

If you haven't yet signed up to our community of writers, check us out at www.writingfromyourheart.com
You'll find like minded people trying to develop as heart centred writers, helping each other because we know when one grows, we all thrive.

Make a connection on Twitter at #WFYH12

We'd love to hear about your challenges, your successes and your needs.

For more about Joe's work www.JoeNunz.com

Writing From Your Heart Online Gathering

It's very odd beavering away, writing for this bit of software then that. Autoresponder message, emails, social media messages. So much of it is done here in my attic office with the huge window through which I can see blue sky and fluffy clouds.

The messages though are going out all over the world and that's the wonderful, exciting and miraculous journey they're taking. At the moment I have no idea about the people who are receiving them. That's what I want to happen as the Gathering begins and builds momentum.

Over the weekend, thanks to one of my speakers Linda Joy from Aspire Magazine, my contacts had quite a boost and I began to feel connected to others. That's the key intention of Writing From Your Heart. This is such an important time for all of us who attempt every day to live from the heart. Despite all the challenges and the obstacles, we open our hearts to others.

My daily meditation about the gathering includes a visualisation of me being a pin prick of light on the planet. Then I imagine other lights appearing all over the planet with connecting lines till I see a matrix of lines shooting off all over the place.

From the first idea, or I should say, nudge from Spirit, this event has emerged into being. I send it love and light every day and it is growing. What its outcomes will be I have no idea and it isn't important that I know all the connections that will be made during the event. All that's important is that they are made and we are all supported and encouraged as a result.

Writing From Your Heart Online Gathering 2012

Just been chatting with one of my event speakers, Linda Joy of Aspire Magazine. Lovely lady and so supportive of what I'm trying to do.

Which is create a safe space online for us to discuss how we can live and write from the heart.

For me it's been a scary topic for a long time. It's interesting that Sharon Crawford my wonderful telesummit trainer, remarked that the event website, www.writingfromyourheart.com reflected my gentle energy.

It took me a few minutes to accept the comment because I've tried to keep quiet about that side of me for a long time. In the business world, the gentle approach was not exactly the most successful approach. Certainly not 25 years ago when I went to a business meeting and was one of only 3 women among the grey suits.

Thank goodness it's changing now. And not only changing but accelerating as more people, particularly women are no longer prepared to put up a front.

It's been a year of significant change for me and I've surrendered to working from my heart in a way I never have before. Scary it has been... taking me into areas of activity I've never tried before.

I've had to face head on my tech phobia.
I've had to stick my head above the parapet in a big way.
I've had to accept the work Spirit wants me to do.

The only reason I felt able to do it is because I said I was doing it for other people.

Now of course I have to admit, while that's true, it's not the only truth. It can't help but be for me as well.
Just contacting all the speakers has influenced me and what will happen when we do the interviews I have no idea.

My life externally as well as internally looks very different now from six months ago. And I'm glad of it, because it was going nowhere as it was.

If you have any interest in writing from your heart, then I invite you to join our gathering. We begin on 23 October and that's such an exciting prospect. To be able to interview, 14 world class authors, speakers and agents of transformation.

Check out the website for the full list but they include Julia McCutchen and Tom Evans from the UK and Linda Joy and August Gold from the US. (and we have two Canadians)