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Afraid of Success? Think Again.

Written by Barbara Huson

We met for drinks, when she sheepishly admitted, “I think I’m afraid of success. I can see little ways I’m holding myself back.”

“What are you scared of?” I asked

“I’m afraid people will want more of me than I can give them. I’m so busy now, I’m afraid I’ll have no time for myself. I’m scared it will all be too much.”

At that moment, I knew she was describing an often misunderstood struggle unique to women. She wasn’t afraid of success. She was afraid of power.

There’s a critical difference. Success is the outcome we desire to achieve (the good stuff). Power is what it takes to achieve it (the scary stuff).

By nature, we women are all about relationships. We want everyone to like us.

Success, however, requires rocking the boat, speaking our truth, setting strong boundaries. What scares us is the consequences of ruffling feathers, ‘making’ people mad or unhappy.

As I learned from successful women, the key to claiming our power lies is shifting in our thinking. And the shift sounds like this: In the world of work, I’d rather be respected than liked.

“I tried to be nice rather than stand by my convictions,” a successful woman once told me. “But I learned you can’t always be liked, but you can definitely be respected.”

As I conveyed these thoughts to my friend, she nodded her head and smiled knowingly. Then I raised my wine glass as she lifted hers.

“To your success,” I toasted.

“To our power,” she replied.

If you enjoyed these “Words of Wealth”, head over to my website and sign-up for my FREE weekly newsletter at: www.barbarastanny.com

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Is this YOUR Drug of Choice?

Written by Barbara Huson

I’m here to tell you, constant busyness can be hazardous to your health and well being!

I call it ATBS–Addicted to Busyness Syndrome. 

And it’s epidemic among women. We stuff every cranny of our lives with so much activity that we’ve lost touch with what’s truly essential and what’s really irrelevant.

Busyness has become our drug of choice.

And I’m the first to admit—busyness is a bitch to give up!

Without endless activity, we’re left with empty space. And empty space gives rise to painful feelings.  Rather than experience the pain, we fill up the spaces.

But, as I’ve learned from my own busyness detox, when  you face what you fear, you find it no longer controls you. When you eliminate the unnecessary, you discover what really matters. And, though detoxing from frenetic activity is never easy or comfortable, it’s freeing beyond anything I expected.

When I slowed down, I saw my life more clearly. Decisions became obvious, thus easier to make. Opportunities abounded and I had the energy—and time—to grab them.

If you enjoyed these “Words of Wealth”, head over to my website and sign-up for my FREE weekly newsletter at: www.barbarastanny.com

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Fear Got You Stuck??

Written by Barbara Huson

“Do what you fear because that’s how you grow.” ~~Barbara Stanny

Whenever I feel stuck, I always ask myself the same question: “What am I most afraid to do?” I rarely like the answer. But I know it’s my ticket to success.

Because success always lies just outside our comfort zone. When you tackle what terrifies you, miracles occur, dreams come true, our confidence soars.

It’s the one act that separates High Earners from Underearners—a life of joy from one of quiet desperation.

As a result, you will notice two things happening…guaranteed.

  1. The closer you get to what you fear, it’s never as scary as you expect.
  2. There’s a direct correlation between the level of fear you feel and the amount of power awaiting you on the other side.

So, I ask you: What are you most afraid to do?

Now go do it.

If you enjoyed these “Words of Wealth”, head over to my website and sign-up for my FREE weekly newsletter at: www.barbarastanny.com

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8 Things I Wish I Knew About Money When I Graduated College

Written by Barbara Huson

In honor of graduation season, I offer these Words of Wealth as a gift to all college grads (and their parents)

1. If you can’t afford something, don’t buy it. Delayed gratification is the doorway to wealth (and a sign of maturity).

2. Make savings a habit. Every month, have a small amount–say $5 to $10–automatically transferred from your checking account to a savings account.

3. Exploit the miracle of compounding: your money earns interest, then your interest earns interest, and then that interest earns interest. Before you know it, you’ve accumulated wealth.

4. Never, I mean NEVER, get into credit card debt. Mounting credit card bills destroys your peace of mind and your quality of life.

5. Learn about investing. To make sure you don’t outlive your money, put at least some of your cash in long term assets (like stocks & bonds) that will grow faster than inflation and taxes will take it away.

6. Never invest in anything you don’t understand. Otherwise, you won’t know what you’re buying. You won’t know when to sell. And you can’t accurately evaluate the advice you’re given.

7. Don’t put off investing until you’re older. If you start now, regularly investing small amounts (in mutual funds), your money will grow into millions. (See #3)

8. Own and respect your value. Never settle for less than you deserve or desire. Always ask for more than feels comfortable.

If you enjoyed these “Words of Wealth”, head over to my website and sign-up for my FREE weekly newsletter at: www.barbarastanny.com

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Letting Go is Hard to Do

Written by Barbara Huson

“If better is to come, good must stand aside.” ~~Carl Jung.

I’ll never forget when I first saw the above quote by Carl Jung. I was living in Kansas City, raising two little kids, running a thriving career counseling firm. Business was hopping, but I wasn’t happy.

A ridiculous idea kept tugging at me, and wouldn’t go away. I was longing to live near water and write…which made no sense at all.

I had never written anything. And there was no water in KC (at least none that I’d want to live near!). Why would I give up a flourishing business, uproot my kids, leave behind a network of friends and reliable babysitters?

Then I saw Jung’s quote. I grabbed onto those words and refused to let go.

The moment I decided to give up my business, someone offered to buy it.

Within 6 months I was living on the side of a hill outside San Francisco, overlooking water, and out of the blue, a national magazine hired me to write a monthly career column!!!

I was officially a writer.

Now, 7 books later, I have enormous respect for the power of Letting Go. I also realize: the scarier something is to release, the more magical the results.

If you enjoyed these “Words of Wealth”, head over to my website and sign-up for my FREE weekly newsletter at: www.barbarastanny.com

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Got Luck?

Written by Barbara Huson

“Everything that happens is for your own best interest.”
A Course In Miracles

Luck is a fascinating and frequently misunderstood phenomenon.

For one thing, luck can only be recognized in hindsight. We actually don’t know, at the time, what anything really means.

What we initially perceive as “bad luck” may, in the long run, be the best thing that could ever happen.

Take my story.

When I got a tax bill for over $1 million dollars, I felt like the unluckiest person on the planet. No one could’ve ever convinced me otherwise.

My ex-husband, who got me in this mess, left the country. My father refused to lend me the money. I had nowhere to turn.

Fast forward 30 years. I now realize that my father’s refusal was a stroke of luck. If he’d bailed me out, I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing today.

I’m convinced you can amp up your luck by altering your point of view.

When I got the tax bill, my friend gave me an affirmation to say when I’d freak out: “This million is making me millions.”

And it actually did!

The key: instead of bemoaning a “raw deal,” start searching for the potential gift. Luck comes to those who suspend judgment and seek out lessons.

If you enjoyed these “Words of Wealth”, head over to my website and sign-up for my FREE weekly newsletter at: www.barbarastanny.com

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Those Dreaded Down-Times

Written by Barbara Huson

I love watching nature come to life again, the days growing longer, the daffodils in colorful bloom.

Here in the Northwest, our winters are long, dark, cold and dismal. Yet, I’ve come to appreciate these dark times—be it winter, or my own unproductive periods.

We all have them—those times when nothing seems to be happening. I believe, in our society, fallow times are seriously under-rated.

We get discouraged, frustrated, impatient, eager to rush through them.

We fail to appreciate that the darkness has a purpose. It encourages us to hunker down, go within, reflect, re-evaluate, in preparation for the coming growth spurt, which always follows.

Our challenge is to remember that even when it looks like nothing is happening, there’s a lot going on under the surface.

I challenge you to love and appreciate wherever you find yourself today–whether it be a bountiful spring or a barren winter–for its essential contribution to your personal growth and future success.

Give yourself the gift of 4 Days to clarify your purpose, claim your power and discover your Path to Greatness. Only 2 seats left for Sacred Success!

Learn More!

If you enjoyed these “Words of Wealth”, head over to my website and sign-up for my FREE weekly newsletter at: www.barbarastanny.com

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The Legend of Sacred Success

Written by Barbara Huson

            “The way to do is to be.” Lao Tzu

    There once lived a woman whose life was abundant.

            She had a beautiful home, happy children, a wonderful man, a successful career, and a healthy portfolio of stocks and bonds.

But one day, a very strange thing happened. She woke up feeling ‘blah.’ Something was missing.  Subtle at first, these feelings grew more insistent.

Her happiness took a nose-dive.  Her creativity all but disappeared. And her ambition (this was one really driven woman) completely vanished.

She tried pretending all was well.  But the guilt made that impossible.  How could she, who had so much, feel this empty? People would think she was crazy.  Fact is, she felt crazy.  This went on for months.

Until an angel appeared (disguised as a coach) with some sage advice. “You’re too into ‘doing,’” the angel told her. “You need time for ‘being.’”

And the woman knew the angel was right. So off the woman went, to be by herself, in search of the missing something.

The very first morning, she awoke with a prayer:  “Tell me what I need to know.”  She didn’t expect an answer. But one came immediately.

“Go for Greatness,” a voice replied. She stopped in her tracks. Suddenly, everything made sense.

She realized her symptoms were signals from her soul, summoning her to a higher level. She was being asked to pursue her soul’s purpose, doing what she was put on this planet to do, in a bigger way than ever before. And she knew, for a fact, she wasn’t alone. Countless others were receiving this same Call.

At that moment, the blahs evaporated, her energy returned.  She’d found what was missing.  She called it Sacred Success®. Her life was never the same. All that was good became even greater. She accomplished more with much less effort. Financial success came with ease and grace. Her closest friends all noticed the difference.

If you’re  feeling something similar—like you’re stuck, burned out, something’s missing, or you’re right on the verge of greatness-THIS woman deeply desires to share what she learned with you.  Her Sacred Success Retreat is May 18-21, in Baltimore, MD. There are only 4 seats left.   Will you be in one of them?

Included in the fee: room, meals, workbook, private coaching session, and a full year of follow up!!!

LEARN MORE!

If you enjoyed these “Words of Wealth”, head over to my website and sign-up for my FREE weekly newsletter at: www.barbarastanny.com

Treasure Chest

8 Secrets to Higher Earnings

Written by Barbara Huson

When I interviewed six-figure women, I discovered 8 secrets to becoming a high earner.

They weren’t at all what I expected.

I’ve listed them below.  Try them on. Test them out. Apply them to your situation. Do any conflict with your current assumptions?

Secret #1: Financial Success is possible in almost any field, and lack of education doesn’t have to hold you back!

Secret #2: Working hard doesn’t mean working all the time.

Secret #3: Focus on fulfilling your values rather than achieving financial goals.

Secret #4: Loving what you do is much more important than what you do.

Secret #5: Feel the fear. Have the doubts. Go for it anyway.

Secret #6: Think in terms of trade-offs, not sacrifices, to find a workable balance.

Secret #7: Sometimes you just have to shrug it off and have a good laugh.

Secret #8: Appreciate abundance

These 8 secrets became the guiding principles that shaped these women’s success. They certainly shaped mine. May they do the same for you.

Want to know more about Wealth Building? Listen to the recording of this call I hosted, The Wisdom of Wealth: Unraveling the Secrets to Creating Wealth & Power…as Women! Click here to listen.

If you enjoyed these “Words of Wealth”, head over to my website and sign-up for my FREE weekly newsletter at: www.barbarastanny.com

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Who Said Money = Power?

Written by Barbara Huson

Money does not give you power. Power comes from the choices you make. That’s a very important distinction.

Not all high earners are powerful women.

Successful women fall into two groups. The Successful High Earners and the Hard-driven High Earners.

The hard-driven ones I describe as superwomen on steroids, classic workaholics.  They’ll breakdown before they’ll slow down.

These were not powerful women. In fact, they have more in common with underearners than their higher paid peers. They live in deprivation…not necessarily of money, but time, joy, freedom, and control of their life.

One of the defining characteristics of Successful High Earners is that they actually take time for relaxation and self-reflection, to figure out what is really important. Their decisions are based, not on fear, but on their most cherished values.

I remember talking to a woman who went to a workshop where she was asked this question: If you were on your deathbed, looking back at your life, what would make you feel happiest and satisfied with how you lived?  From that came a list of her top 5 values.

Soon after, a friend asked her to be on the board of a business he was starting in China. The meetings would be all expense paid weekends in San Francisco. There was a time she would’ve jumped at the chance but, she realized, Chinese business wasn’t one of her priorities.

“It would’ve been fun,” she told me. “I would’ve met interesting people, but it would’ve taken me away from my partner, the book I was writing, all those things that are really important.

Have you looked at your top values lately? Are you living your priorities?

Are your ready to pursue your purpose, claim your power & build wealth? Take my Sacred Success Quiz to find out.

If you enjoyed these “Words of Wealth”, head over to my website and sign-up for my FREE weekly newsletter at: www.barbarastanny.com

Meet Barbara Huson

When a devastating financial crisis rocked her world, Barbara Huson knew she had to get smart about money… and she did. Now, she wants to empower every women to take charge of their money and take charge of their lives! She’s doing just that with her best-selling books, life changing retreats and private financial coaching.

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