It’s January and we’ve just entered a new year. Some people even say the year 2012 is the beginning of a new era. But regardless of whether 2012 will reveal some special power or not, surely we can see many things around us going through a state of change. Old systems are breaking down. New systems must take their place.

And people are changing too. Maybe you are one of those people. While we might be fearful of these changes, we also know these times offer us the exciting opportunity to create great things, and make a better world.

So where does each of us stand amidst these changes? What are we meant to bring the world? How do we find fulfillment and joy in who we are and what we do? Do we have a true purpose in life? And if so, how do we find it?

In other words:

How Can We Discover Our Ultimate Destiny?

TODAY TUESDAY JANUARY 17TH, 2012, a brand new book called The Destiny Discovery: Find Your Soul’s Path To Success by Michelle L. Casto is coming to answer that very question.

The Destiny Discovery teaches readers how to connect with their Soul to live their greatest life. This book will touch and inspire people from all walks of life who are looking to wake up to their purpose, access their personal power, and be a contribution to themselves and the world.

In this enlightening book, author Michelle L. Casto combines her proven Destiny Discovery Process and professional expertise in personal transformation and career guidance, to take you on an exciting journey of discovery toward the destiny that already lives in your heart. There are more than a dozen practical exercises, tools and insights in this book that will guide you to transform hidden self-limiting thoughts and beliefs, increase your self-knowledge, and empower you to “be” your true greatness.

You can buy this book today, and receive a beautiful collection of free gifts at:

http://www.liveyourdivinedestiny.com/book-launch/pages/launch.php

Michelle L. Casto aka “Bright Michelle” is a renowned Life & Business Coach, and advocate for ‘everyday enlightenment’ and full soul expression. Throughout her 20-year career, she has published over 30 life empowerment and career development books, including Get Your Career on the Fast Track. A former university lecturer and career counselor, Michelle has worked with thousands of international clientele to find their ideal career path. A natural-born empath and healer, Michelle has become well known for her “potent magic” that transforms people into knowing & honoring who they are at a very deep level. Michelle’s mission is to awaken people to their soul purpose through her unique Destiny Success Process.

You can receive a complete library of beautiful free gifts, from dozens of Michelle’s friends and colleagues, when you buy The Destiny Discovery in paperback or Kindle from Amazon on TODAY, including over 4 hours of MP3s from Michelle’s “Discover Your Divine Destiny Telesummit with 12 outstanding guest speakers AND an invitation to attend a free live class with Michelle, who will personally guide you through her Destiny Discovery Process.

To buy the book and claim your gifts, just go to this link TODAY: http://www.liveyourdivinedestiny.com/book-launch/pages/launch.php

Wishing you a destiny-filled 2012!

Lynn’s books:

Dec 2011 – International #1 Bestseller in Business Ethics, Marketing and Communication:

• The 7 Graces of Marketing: how to heal humanity and the planet by changing the way we sell (PAPERBACK)
• The 7 Graces of Marketing: how to heal humanity and the planet by changing the way we sell (KINDLE)

Jan 2012 – Bestseller Web Marketing, eCommerce

• Social Media on Autopilot – (KINDLE_eBook)

2009 – Spirituality Bestseller:

• The Garden of the Soul: lessons from four flowers that unearth the Self (2009)

To contact Lynn for coaching, campaign management or media appearances, please fill in the form at http://spiritauthors.com/contact.

At the exact same time I was launching Spirit Authors, I began writing a new book, which originally was intended to be a book for all those sensitive souls who didn’t like marketing, but needed to do it. I thought if I could help create a new paradigm for these kinds of people, it might be useful. But after I started diving deeply into the subject of marketing, I discovered so many revealing (and sometimes shocking) things about its history, intention and practice, and so many serious issues arising from consumer culture, that I knew this book was going to be something altogether different from what I had originally intended.

And now, after 2 years of daily writing, researching and pulling it all together, TODAY–Tuesday December 13th, 2011–is the big Amazon launch for my new book The 7 Graces of Marketing: how to heal humanity and the planet by changing the way we sell. (Click the title to find buy the book and receive some great gifts).

The 7 Graces of Marketing is a bold, holistic and often spiritual examination not merely of the world of advertising, but also of our entire world view. It reveals how our relationships with Self, others, our businesses, our economy and the Earth impact our health, our economy and the delicate ecological balance of our natural world. As much for the conscious consumer as the business owner, this book shows why traditional ways of selling are ultimately doomed to fail, and how both business owners and consumers can begin to heal the world by embracing a new paradigm I call ‘The 7 Graces of Marketing.’

When you buy the book TODAY you can receive the complete set of 7 MP3s (over 10 hours of audio) from last week’s 7 Graces of Marketing Telesummit, with 24 internationally renowned speakers, such as Joe Vitale, Eric Pearl and 22 others, speaking about the ‘7 Deadly Sins’ of marketing and the ‘7 Graces’ of marketing. You’ll also receive dozens of other gifts offered by my friends and colleagues, to express our appreciation for your support. To buy the book, and claim your MP3s from the 7 Graces Telesummit, and receive a fabulous selection of gifts from my friends and colleauges, here’s all you need to do:

1. Sometime TODAY, go to http://the7gracesofmarketing.com/book-launch/pages/launch.html. This is the “launch” page.
2. On that page, you will see links to buy the book on Amazon US, Canada or UK (yes, you may purchase the book from another Amazon site; we just didn’t have room for all the links)
3. Click a link to buy the book on the Amazon of your choice. You may buy the book in either paperback or Kindle version
4. After you have purchased the book, Amazon will give you a purchase code. The purchase code is a 17-digit number, and it looks like this: 123-1234567-1234567. Copy this number to your computer clipboard.
5. Return to the “launch page” and enter your name, email AND your Amazon purchase code in the form.
6. When you hit the button that says “Yes, Please!” you will be taken immediately to the “bonus” page. This page has all the links to take you to the bonus gifts.
7. Just click the links of the gifts you would like to download.

That’s all there is to it! I am extremely passionate about this subject (as you will have heard if you listened to last week’s telesummit), and I am dedicated to getting the dialogue started in the business sector so we can change the way we do marketing, and make a brighter, healthier, happier world for our children and children’s children. I do hope you’ll check out The 7 Graces of Marketing.

Click HERE to get the book, the MP3s and free gifts now

Please PAY NO ATTENTION if Amazon says, “Only 3 left in stock” or “Ships in 1-4 weeks”. We have test ordered the book, and it takes about a 7-10 days to ship, and it is IMPOSSIBLE to “be out of stock” because this is a “print on demand” book, which means the book will be printed and shipped to you whenever you place an order.

If you have any questions or experience any problems, please do not hesitate to contact me via http://spiritauthors.com/contact

AND, I’d love to hear what you have to say about the book after you have read it, so be sure to subscribe to The 7 Graces of Marketing blog . I’m also starting a 7 Graces of Marketing Community for everyone who has bought the book, and who would like to meet others of like mind who want to bring ethics and values back into our business and marketing. So please do stay in touch.

With gratitude and appreciation,

Lynn Serafinn Author, coach, author promotions

http://spiritauthors.com

http://spiritauthorscoach.com

http://the7gracesofmarketing.com

Author Carolyn A. Brent, M.B.A. is a former clinical educational manager in the pharmaceutical industry. She is an avid activist and advocate working with the U.S. Congress for the purpose of creating change to protect seniors and veterans from financial and medical abuse. She has appeared on many local and national TV and radio shows, and is a sought-after keynote speaker.

Today, I’d like to share with you a recent interview I had with Carolyn on my BlogTalkRadio show, when I got to ask her some questions on her work. It was a very rich interview that I know will help many, many families and care givers through difficult times. It’s one of the most practical and useful interviews I think you’ll ever hear on the topic. I hope you enjoy it and get a lot of great information from it:

If you cannot see the flash player, click this link
to hear the interview on the BlogTalkRadio site.

I hope you enjoyed this interview with Carolyn A. Brent and that you’ll check out her book Why Wait? The Baby Boomers’ Guide to Preparing Emotionally, Financially and Legally for a Parent’s Death at http://www.babyboomersguide.org/book-launch/pre-launch.html

Here Are Two Reasons Why:

FREE 3-DAY PASS

When you visit the page at the link above and request a “launch reminder”, you will automatically receive a FREE pass to Carolyn’s 3-day “Why Wait? Telesummit”, with a panel leading experts preparing emotionally, financially and legally for the death of a parent. You can listen to the telesummit online in the comfort of your own home, and even ask questions during the broadcast

This telesummit is a completely free
“no purchase necessary” gift from Carolyn

To register, go to

http://www.babyboomersguide.org/book-launch/telesummit.html

FREE GIFTS

When you buy Carolyn’s book on Tuesday November 15, 2011, you can ALSO receive a complete library of beautiful personal development gifts from authors, speakers, coaches and other enlightened professionals from around the globe including one from me: TWO free audios on personal transformation.

To claim your 3-Day Pass and read about the free gifts, go to:
http://www.babyboomersguide.org/book-launch/pre-launch.html

Thanks for reading! As usual, please feel free to share your comments and thoughts below. I love reading your feedback.

AND… be sure to follow Carolyn tomorrow when the next stop on the Virtual Blog Tour is on the Writers in the Sky Blog at http://bit.ly/stdkG4 .

Mike O'Mary, Founder of The Note Project

Mike O’Mary (pictured left) believes every one of us has the power to change someone’s life.

When Mike was a teenager, his brothers and sisters were placed in an orphanage. He moved away to live with his father, but he visited his siblings whenever he could. While Mike always tried to do something special during the time they spent together, he never really knew what his brothers and sisters thought of him or his visits with them.

But many years later, Mike received a letter in the mail. He opened it to find a hand-written note from his youngest sister. In that note, she told Mike how much she appreciated his kindness during one of his visits, when he took her out to choose a Christmas tree. She said it was the first time anyone had ever taken her to pick out a tree, and how after all this time she had never forgotten how wonderful she had felt that day.

That note healed years of self-doubt Mike had carried with him since he was a youth. He was so moved by his sister’s note he could not help but reread it many, many times.

But then one day, Mike realized there was tremendous power in this simple note, and he decided it would be a good idea to share the story of his sister’s note with other people. First he told the story in a newspaper article. Later, he wrote a book called The Note. Mike was encouraged by the response he received from the public.

But one day, Mike woke up and thought, “If one simple hand-written note can change my life so profoundly, what if I could inspire one million people to write a note of appreciation? It could make the world a million times better.”

And that, in a nutshell, is the essence of Mike’s latest creation:

The Note Project

http://noteproject.com

The Note Project is a global movement to make the world a million times better by inspiring 1 million people to write a note of appreciation to someone who made a difference in their lives. It is free to join AND because Mike is so passionate about writing notes of appreciation, a portion of all proceeds from the sale of his book The Note on The Note Project website goes to charities that support literacy projects around the world.

Mike’s vision for how The Note Project will change the world is pretty inspiring. He says, “Everyone has the power to make the world a million times better. And it’s so simple. Just think of all the people who have made a difference in your life, whether friends, family members, neighbors, teachers, employers, co-workers, old classmates. Think of the good times you had together or the nice things they did for you…Maybe they cheered you up when you were sad or made you feel special when you were questioning your self-worth…Whatever it was, a simple note of appreciation from you could make their day, their week, and maybe even their whole year!”

To celebrate the launch of The Note Project, Mike is hosting a FREE 3-day online Note Project Telesummit where you will hear wisdom from 10 world-renowned authors, artists and speakers on the topic of “Appreciation as a Way of Life.”

The Note Project Telesummit

Mon April 18, Tues April 19, Wed April 20

12pm Pacific, 3pm Eastern, 8pm UK

Register FREE at

http://noteproject.com/launch/pages/telesummit.html

Here’s the great line up of guest speakers:

• Mike O’Mary - author, publisher, Founder of The Note Project
• Lynn Serafinn – transformation coach, author, humanity-based marketer
• Dan Millman – champion athlete, author of The Peaceful Warrior
• John Kralik - author of 365 Thank Yous
• Michael McMillan – designer, motivational speaker; author of Pink Bat
• Florence Isaacs – author, journalist, media expert
• Chester Elton –author of The Carrot Principle and The Orange Revolution
• Nia Peeples – actress, singer, charity relief worker, Founder of Elements of Life
• Brenda Adelman – actress, spiritual mentor, “Queen of Forgiveness”
• Gail Goodwin – author, founder of InspireMeToday.com

If you cannot make the live event, you can download the audio later if you register.

I hope you’ll join me in tuning in to what just might be the best “feel good broadcast” of 2011– The Note Project Telesummit on April 18-20.

Warm wishes,
Lynn Serafinn
Questions/contact:
http://spiritauthors.com/contact

P.S.: It’s completely free to join the movement to make your pledge to send a note at http://noteproject.com. But if you need a little help to think of ways to write your note, check out Mike’s book The Note on his website. It’s available either as a full color gift book (for $14.95) or as an eBook (for only $1). When you buy the book during the month of April, you can receive a great collection of free gifts. See http://noteproject.com/launch/pages/ekit.html for details.

Once upon a time there was a caterpillar. She crawled upon the ground, very low to the Earth. Most of the time, her head was down, looking at where she was walking or what she was eating. Sometimes, she became daring and would climb very tall trees as high as she could go. When she got there, she found herself in a canopy of rich green leaves, full of deliciousness that filled her belly. But never did she see what was above that thick green canopy. Little did she know that beyond her tiny but sensual world lay a vast, wide sky of blue and unlimited worlds that stretched out into infinity.

Then, one day something started happening to her. She couldn’t understand why she began to feel so different. She grew tired of climbing, tired of eating, tired of moving about in her little world. All she wanted was to retreat into a world of dreams, but she didn’t know what that meant, or why she felt so called into slumber. She started to slow down. She wanted to get rid of all she had been carrying around with her. She found a cosy place for herself, and allowed the fuzzy black and green skin which she had always identified as her body to slip away until all that was left was a formless goo!

She felt confused. She didn’t feel like her old self anymore, but she wasn’t yet sure of who (or what) she was. But trusting a still somewhat unfamiliar intuition that told her it was time now to go inward and do the work of transformation, she simply allowed whatever the World had in mind for her without resistance.

Soon, she was deep in slumber. The formless goo hardened into a protective home for her, and she began to dream. All sorts of strange dreams she had while in that magical slumber! She saw herself rising up above the rich green canopy of her former existence to find something she found both exciting and terrifying. There were colours she had never seen before—with brightness and warmth that were beyond her wildest imaginings.

And then, in her dream, she felt herself start to rise above the world below. As her heart pounded, she felt the wind against her legs—no!—it was not her legs she felt but something altogether different! What were these strange and beautiful new arms had she grow? So full of colour! So light and wide-spreading!

As she allowed the updraft of the wind pull her into that bright expanse above her, she heard it whisper in her ear: “These are your wings so you can fly into the great blue sky.”

Day in and day out, these dreams became more and more vivid. She became enthralled by them, and was simultaneously both charmed and afraid of her own beauty and power in these dreams.

Who AM I? the caterpillar wondered. On the one hand, I don’t feel like myself anymore. But on the other hand, I feel more like myself than I did before. What is happening? ….

…. If you want to find out the END of the story (and I think you’ll want to), click PLAY on the video above.
If you are reading this via email, you won’t see the video, so click HERE instead.

THEN join me and my very good friends and colleagues Douglas Crawford and Altair de Almeida
as we host a very special FREE webinar called:

“Waking Up from the Dream of Separation”
Thursday February 24th, 2011
8pm – 9.30pm UK time
3pm – 430pm EST

When we will be talking about the
3 stages of true and permanent transformation:

What is the Dream?
Who is the Dreamer?
What happens when we finally wake up?

This call WILL be recorded, so if you cannot make the live event,
do please register anyway.

REGISTER FREE AT
http://spiritauthors.com/pages/workshops/pages/webinar-2011-02-24.html

This call will give you a FREE taste of the content Douglas, Altair and I
will be presenting in our brand new 6-month experiential program

The Transformation Trilogy
Starts March 25th in Cheltenham, England

Click HERE to read all about this exciting
and comprehensive program
and find out how to save £100 off the cost if you register before March 4th.

Back in September 2008, I wrote an article called “How a Broken TV Made Me a Wealthy Woman.” Perhaps some of you might remember it. In that article, I reflected upon all the wonderful things that had opened up for me since my television blew up in February 2008, and I made a decision not to replace it.

I explained how I utilised my new-found free time to start a community project, build a network of wonderful friends and business contacts, learn new online skills and finish writing my book—The Garden of the Soul.

But most of all, I discussed how my anxieties over money had not only shifted, but disappeared, as I was no longer being ‘fed’ a daily diet of fear and scarcity messages via the media and marketing companies. This inner freedom opened up so much space within me, I was able to invent new, innovative ways to grow my business and create a more fulfilling way of life.

At so many levels, my broken TV made me a wealthy woman.

It is now coming up to the 3-year anniversary of when my television blew up. I have still not replaced my old set. In fact, a few months ago I finally rearranged my living room in such a way that there is not even any space for a television. My home feels cosier, homier and more inviting. The chairs face each other, intended for interpersonal conversation, rather than having them all facing the same direction, waiting to be programmed by the incandescent god in the corner of the room.

Since learning how to live without a television, I have achieved many things:

I self-published a bestselling book and got signed by an A-list literary agent.

I built my extended network to nearly 30,000 strong and created several #1-selling book launch campaigns reaching millions of people.

I helped my own daughter achieve her dream of launching her first book. It went to the top of the charts in its category.

I became Chair of our local Transition Town movement, where I work towards helping others shift their lifestyle from petroleum dependency to a healthier, more natural and sustainable model. I’ve organised a garden share with a neighbour, who now grows vegetables in my backyard.

I worked with dozens of private clients and delivered hundreds of radio shows, webinars, telesummits, workshops, lectures and online classes.

I won a couple of awards.

I made lots of videos.

I wrote two online courses for authors.

I remodelled my home.

I travelled to Italy, Spain and all over the UK.

I took uncountable walks along the river.

I taught my grandson how to tell ‘knock knock jokes’.

But most of all, the more time I spent without a television, the more I saw all of my anxieties and insecurities about money, self-image, relationships, health, and other things dissolve into thin air.

Not only do I no longer stress about money, but I have also created a steady flow of income.

Not only have I created a steady flow of income, but I am also no longer in debt.

Not only am I out of debt, but I have also learned how to live without credit.

Not only have I learned to live without credit, but I am also positively convinced the whole notion of credit is second only to television as being the ‘drug of the nation(s)’!

Never again will I own another credit card.

My consciousness has grown. I look around me and I see things I never saw before. I see people who are feeling trapped, and they don’t know why. I see good, decent and sensitive people unable to fend for themselves economically without a clue as to what to do. I see CEOs of big corporations feeling disconnected and fearful, but they dare not allow anyone see them with their defences down.

My heart aches for humanity. It aches for our planet. I want to shout from the rooftops.

Why? Because I know what is making us ill—

Marketing!

I don’t just mean advertising of products and services. I mean the whole industry of selling beliefs and ideas. I mean the subtle mind wars in which we are led to believe we need things we cannot get, and the emptiness we feel when we try in vain to acquire that which is impossible to attain.

And this is why I became a ‘marketer’—to help others clean up the mess we’ve all made over the past century. This is also why my next book, which is coming out on June 21, 2011, is called The 7 Graces of Marketing: how to heal humanity and the planet by changing the way we sell.

If this topic gets your juices going, and you happen to be in northern California this month, I’d love to invite you to my talk ‘The 7 Graces of Marketing’ at the Insight Lecture Salon in Nevada City, on January 18th. Doors open at 6.30pm. Tickets are $20. To find out more, or to book your ticket, go to http://www.insightlecture.com/speakers/the-7-graces-of-marketing-by-lynn-serafinn-maed-cpcc/

And in the mean time, turn off the telly and see what opens up for you today.

Warm wishes,
Lynn

About Lynn Serafinn, Creator of Spirit Authors

Lynn Serafinn is a transformation coach, book promotion coach, radio host and bestselling author of the book The Garden of the Soul: lessons from four flowers that unearth the Self. She also works as a campaign manager for mind-body-spirit authors and has produced several top-10 book campaigns, including four #1-sellers, in 2010 alone. She created Spirit Authors to offer training, coaching, business-building and inspiration for mind-body-spirit authors, whether established or aspiring. Contact Lynn about YOUR book project at at http://spiritauthors.com/contact.

Sign up for Lynn’s bi-monthly newsletter Creative Spirit (fill in form BELOW) packed with inspirational articles, online networking tips, broadcast guide to her radio show, and news about upcoming spiritual author book releases.

Throughout the year, Lynn also hosts large-scale telesummits with world-class speakers on a range of mind-body-spirit topics. Your subscription to Creative Spirit will ensure you’ll be the first to know how to attend these free events.

Angry Twitter Bird sketch by Aaron Riddle. www.acriddle.com

Book promotion coach and social media expert Lynn Serafinn shares her 5 most disliked behaviours on Twitter.

This week I felt I had to express myself. I love Twitter. I love what Twitter has done for my business. I love the people I have met through Twitter over the past year.

But I have been grumbling a bit this past week. My Twitter following has increased a lot over the past month, and there are a few things I’ve noticed in the way some Tweeple  (fortunately a minority) behave on Twitter that really puts me off.

So let me vent just a bit… and let me know if these “Twitter Turn-Offs” ring true for you as well.

Turn-Off Number 1: True Twit

True Twit is a service that allows you to see if the people who want to follow you are “real” people and not “bots”. I HATE it. This is really sending an a-social message to your followers. I’ve made a vow not to bother with people who use True Twit anymore. I’ve got almost 11,000 followers on my main account (nearly 20,000 if you count all 4 accounts I have), and am following over 11,000. I’m tired of having to verify I am a real person. Hello?!

Another reason why I hate it so much is that half of the people who are sending me these True Twit requests are because I auto-followed them in the first place! In other words, I gladly allowed them the “privilege” of following me, but they are asking me permission to follow them. It’s really twisted.

My policy on Twitter is an open door. I would much prefer to weed out the spammers by hand rather than put off new networking friends by making them “work” to follow my tweets.

Turn-Off Number 2: Protected Tweets

Geez zowie, how I hate it when people protect their tweets. From whom? What are they talking about? Are they really using Twitter for sensitive, personal communication?

Basically when I see someone with protected tweets, it sends the following 2 messages:

1)    They don’t really WANT me to follow them and

2)    They don’t trust people very much.

Neither of these messages is very welcoming.

Whenever I go to http://justunfollow.com to see who isn’t following me, the first people I unfollow are the ones with protected tweets.

Turn-Off Number 3: Not following back

People are not OBLIGATED to follow you back on Twitter. However, when I have been following someone for a long time, and even had different @ conversations with them, and they don’t follow back, that’s a turn off.

Again, I prefer to have my account on auto-follow (I use http://socialoomph.com for that) to give the courtesy of following people back who follow me. I think it sends an open message of trust and willingness to connect.

Disconnecting from an unwanted connection on Twitter is far easier than re-establishing rapport with someone who has disconnected from you due to your aloofness towards them. Be open. Be reciprocal. Be trusting.

The only Tweeple who have a valid “excuse” for not following back are

1)    application bots, e.g., @ListNotify

2)    info portals, e.g., @Mashable

3)    large companies that do not represent the thoughts of one particular person, or

4)    Twitter accounts that were set up to send news to fans about celebrities who never (or hardly ever) use the Twitter account themselves.

Turn-Off Number 4: One-Way Tweeting

Ok, I use Twitter for business—a LOT. And I tweet about my business—a LOT. However, I also RT others’ tweets and engage in 2-way conversation—a LOT. I look at people’s profiles and try to address them by first name as much as possible. I recommend them on Follow Fridays. I share the things they post that I think others would like to know about. I meet and make new networking partners, clients and friends on Twitter.

I hate, hate, hate it when someone (unless they are in one of the 4 categories mentioned above) only ever tweets about their business (sometimes the same thing over and over) and never interacts with other people. It tells me they are only there to “get” and not to connect. It’s such a turn-off.

Ugh!

Turn-Off Number 5: Playing the ‘Celebrity Card’

All right, now this one sometimes goes hand in hand with some of the others. In other words, the kinds of people who do some of the above things also frequently ‘play the celebrity card.’

What do I mean by ‘playing the celebrity card’? I mean when people have like 1000 followers and follow less than 10% of these back. Come on! Do you think 1000 followers makes you in SUCH demand that you can actually turn your back on 900 of them and send the message that they are not worthy of your attention? Do you think they will stay following you?

When I go to weed out my non-followers, these are the ones that go next, after the protected tweets.

If you are NOT a ‘legitimate’ celebrity (or, frankly, even if you are), the most inviting Twitter ratio of followers to following is ALWAYS as close as you can get to 1:1. By legitimate celebrity I mean someone whom millions of people want to follow, not because of your tweets, but because of who you are outside of Twitter. You know. Like Oprah. BTW, Oprah has almost 5 million followers, follows only 20 people (all of whom are industry people) but has sent out fewer than 200 tweets. Clearly Oprah does not use Twitter as a business building tool (she doesn’t need to!), but rather as a connection point for people who want to know about what’s happening behind the scenes.

If you are in a similar position with your fans, you can play the ‘celebrity card’ too. But if you are using Twitter to grow your business, don’t play the celebrity card or you will lose your audience fast.

TIP: Ok, so if you are concerned how you can possibly FOLLOW the tweets of all the people who are following you, the answer is: “You don’t have to.” There is an easy solution to the information overload you might experience from following thousands of people on Twitter:

• Make yourself a private Twitter list of your “VIPs” so you can make sure you are catching the updates of your best friends, colleagues, inspirational leader, movers/shakers or whomever else you wish to follow closely.
• Then, create a column for this list in TweetDeck so you can be sure to catch the tweets of your VIPs.
• Then, just scan the “All Followers” column for new people and interesting tweets. Maybe someone new will catch your eye. It’s the easiest way to build your network without going into Twitter overwhelm.

Bonus Turn-Off: SPAMMERS

I almost didn’t bother to mention this because it’s sort of a ‘given’. Spamming isn’t merely a turn-off. It’s grounds for getting you banned from Twitter. DO NOT ever @ someone unless you are engaged in a conversation with them. Sending an @ or a DM message to someone on Twitter (apart from a welcome DM) directing them to click a link is spam. End of subject. I have no tolerance for spammers and feel no guilt whatsoever for reporting them. If I know you, that’s different. If we’re friends, you can send me all the links you want.

Some dead giveways that someone is a spammer:

1)   Their profile pic us usually either the Twitter default pic or a picture of some unknown sexy girl

2)   All their tweets are the same

3)    They have no followers

4)    They @ everyone the same message and it always contains a link. Do yourself a favour and DON’T click these links no matter how tempting they may be. Very often they are phishing for your Twitter password.

So what do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? Do you have others to add to the list?

Let’s connect! Here are my Twitter IDs:

• @LynnSerafinn - tweeting about everything I do, business or otherwise
• @SpiritAuthors – tweeting about writing, self-publishing, book promotion, especially for mind-body-spirit authors
• @7GracesMarketng - tweeting about healing our fragmented society by changing the way we do business, and info about my upcoming book, talks, etc., “The 7 Graces of Marketing”
• @GardenOfTheSoul - tweeting about my radio show and book of the same name
• @TeknochikUK - tweeting about cool techie innovations that help you develop your social media platform.

And, if you want to see some “positive” tips about using Twitter, subscribe to my Spirit Authors blog. I’ll be posting my article “My Top 5 Twitter Apps” there very soon.

While you’re there, check out my Spirit Authors course “100 Days to Build Your Online Promotional Platform” (Module 2).

About Lynn Serafinn

Lynn Serafinn is transformation coach, bestselling author, radio host and promotional manager for a long list of #1 selling mind-body-spirit authors. She is the author of the bestseller The Garden of the Soul: lessons from four flowers that unearth the Self as well as the upcoming book The 7 Graces of Marketing: how to heal humanity and the planet by changing the way we sell (http://the7GracesOfMarketing.com )

Her membership site Spirit Authors (http://spiritauthors.com) offers training, coaching, business-building and inspiration for mind-body-spirit authors, whether established or aspiring. Contact Lynn about YOUR book project at at http://spiritauthors.com/contact.

Sign up for Lynn’s bi-monthly newsletter Creative Spirit (fill in form BELOW) packed with inspirational articles, online networking tips, broadcast guide to her radio show, and news about upcoming spiritual author book releases.

Throughout the year, Lynn also hosts large-scale telesummits with world-class speakers on a range of mind-body-spirit topics. Your subscription to Creative Spirit will ensure you’ll be the first to know how to attend these free events.

Transformation coach Lynn Serafinn shares life experiences with fear and its impact upon her health, and tells us about Luis Diaz’s new course on releasing fear.

PLEASE share this article with others.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few months ago, I wrote an article for my volunteer Transition Town group in which I shared my thoughts upon the link between oil dependency, disconnection, fear and suffering:

Our dependency upon oil has made us disconnected from the Earth and the ultimate Source of Creation in just so many ways. Most of us in “developed” nations (an irony) don’t grow our own food and have become dependent upon big businesses and mass transport (i.e., supermarkets, trucking, air freight) for the very basics that keep us alive. In the past, all we were dependent upon was the weather for our “daily bread”. But nowadays, we are dependent not only upon the ever-changing weather patterns, but also upon oil, global economies, foreign policy and corporations. What a vulnerable place in which to be! And to me, as someone who works with people and their emotions on a daily basis in my work as a life coach and teacher, I know the emotional and physical impact of long-term vulnerability. People begin to feel helpless. Helplessness leads to fear. Fear leads to depression and even disease. It can also lead to violence and crime.

While these words were originally written to support my observations about the connection between oil dependency and our wellbeing at a societal level, on a very personal level I have witnessed over and over again how feelings of helplessness lead to fear, and how fear ultimately leads to depression, disease and overall unhappiness.

I grew up in a fear-riddled household in which it felt like the roof was going to explode at any given minute. I was educated in a fear-driven parochial school where beating children (and in front of their peers) was still the norm. Later, I went on to enter a violent marriage and stayed there for 22 years, continually walking on eggshells, fearful of the next outbreak of rage. My lifelong relationship with fear had caused me to become so disconnected I didn’t even realise I had suffered multiple cases of whiplash as a result of abuse (I was diagnosed years later), which still case health issues today. It is small wonder that by the age of 40, I was diagnosed with a case of fibromyalgia so severe I felt like I was 80 years old. When my rheumatologist told me there was no cure or treatment, I broke down into a flood of uncontrollable tears at the thought of living for the rest of my life in such extreme, constant pain.

Fear is arguably the most primordial emotion of all living beings, and for human beings, I believe it is at the root of many other emotions such as anger, shame, sadness, uncertainty of self and chronic anxiety. Without a doubt, it has profound effects upon both our physical and spiritual wellbeing.

For me, I discovered the link between fear and health after I left my marriage, and started to notice that my fibromyalgia, by which I had been seriously impaired for 7 or 8 years, was vanishing day by day, until it was completely gone. I also noticed that I no longer suffered from heart palpitations, night-time panic attacks, severe digestive disorders and relentless back problems.

To give a complete comparison, these days my back problems still flare up from time to time, which is understandable after more than 20 decades of physical violence. But while, in the past, these problems were my constant companion every day of the year, nowadays I have a minor flare up once every year or two, and my body is able to heal after a single osteopathic treatment. In the past, when my life was overwhelmed with fear and anger, my body was so resistant to healing I would typically have to go to the chiropractor two or three days every week for years and the spasms and pain never totally stopped.

Looking back upon my experiences, I am 100% convinced that fear, and all the chemical and neurological by-products of it, had been deeply lodged in the very cells of my body for many decades. And I cannot tell you how lucky I feel that I finally woke up one day back in 2002 and started my long process of healing. I fumbled my way through it and discovered these things as I went along. It took me about 6 years to heal from fear fully, and believe me I really WORKED at it very hard, with personal development training (including my coaching training) coming out of my ears.

In other words, I did it the “hard way”: on my own, not sure of where I was headed, and taking years to get there.

That’s why, when I met my client (and now good friend) Luis Angel Diaz, and he told me about the work that he does, I was extremely enthusiastic.

Luis is arguably one of the world’s foremost authorities on emotional healing, and has been a holistic health practitioner since his early 20s with qualifications in dozens of traditional and holistic therapies. Those of you who have followed my work will also recognise him as the author of the international #1 best-seller Memory in the Cells: how to change behavioral patterns and release the pain body. He is also the founder of a technique called “Cellular Memory Release” (CMR). Over the years he has worked with thousands of clients at his three successful practices in Argentina and California, helping them transform their long-term pain and illness into aliveness and joy.

The goal of Luis’s work is basically to take people from where I was back in 1995 to where I am today—without going it on their own, or taking years to get there, like I did. The CMR process is a teachable process where people learn how to identify their emotions, experience them fully and release them, so they can make room for the self-healing their bodies already know how to do naturally.

I’ve done several online events with Luis over the past few months, and I am delighted to be able to invite him back to my radio show this week on Blog Talk Radio:

Transforming Fear with Luis Angel Diaz

On Lynn Serafinn’s Garden of the Soul

@BlogTalkRadio
Wednesday December 1st
6pm UK / 1pm EST / 10am Pacific
Listen LIVE or catch the replay at:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lynn-serafinn/2010/12/01/ep88-transforming-fear-with-luis-angel-diaz

I hope you’ll tune in. You can even ask Luis questions live on the air via the chat room, Skype or by calling in on the phone at 646-727-3449 (US Number).

And then, for those of you who want take this process further, I do encourage you to check out Luis’s 2-session course that starts next week:

Releasing Toxic Emotions from Our Bodies

How to Transform FEAR into Inner Peace, Joy and Wellbeing

Tuesday Dec 7 and Tuesday Dec 14
PLUS full forum support

http://tinyurl.com/fear-dec2010
This course normally costs $197
But this December ONLY
Luis is offering it at the discount price of only $157

AND if you tune into the show today (or listen to the audio replay before Friday), you’ll find out how you can apply for one of 20 $100 scholarships he will be giving away to attend this course for only $97. Tune into the show for full details, or check out the registration page above for more info.

Hope you’ll be joining us on the show!

Wishing you a lifetime connection, wellbeing and joy,
Lynn

About Lynn Serafinn, Creator of Spirit Authors

Lynn Serafinn is a transformation coach, book promotion coach, radio host and bestselling author of the book The Garden of the Soul: lessons from four flowers that unearth the Self. She also works as a campaign manager for mind-body-spirit authors and has produced several top-10 book campaigns, including FOUR #1-sellers, in 2010 alone. She created Spirit Authors to offer training, coaching, business-building and inspiration for mind-body-spirit authors, whether established or aspiring. Contact Lynn about YOUR book project at at http://spiritauthors.com/contact.

Be sure to subscribe to this blog for regular book writing and promotion tips (just fill in form at right of your screen).

Sign up for Lynn’s bi-monthly newsletter Creative Spirit (fill in form below) packed with inspirational articles, online networking tips, broadcast guide to her radio show, and news about upcoming spiritual author book releases.

Throughout the year, Lynn also hosts large-scale telesummits with world-class speakers on a range of mind-body-spirit topics. Your subscription to Creative Spirit will ensure you’ll be the first to know how to attend these free events.

Lynn

“One of the main causes of suffering is the lack of Emotional Education.” ~ Luis Angel Diaz

Every living entity experiences pain in their lives. But what exactly is pain? Why do we have it? How does it affect us? How can we overcome the distress it causes?

The term “Pain Body” is a term you might have read in many of today’s popular books on physical, emotional and spiritual healing. Most notably, world renowned spiritual author and teacher Eckhart Tolle uses the term in his classic books The Power of Now and A New Earth. But in spite of the widespread use of the term, very few people know exactly what the “Pain Body” is. Even fewer know how we can release its grip upon us.

International bestselling author and holistic healer Luis Angel Diaz has been working with pain for more than 20 years, and has developed a technique called “Pain Body Release” (PBR), which is part of his extensive system of healing called “Cellular Memory Release” (CMR). On Tuesday November 30th, you have the opportunity to attend a FREE online class from Luis:

“Self Healing and Transformation through Pain Body Release”
FREE webinar

Tuesday, November 30, 2010
12 noon PST / 3 pm Eastern / 8pm UK
90 minutes Taught by Luis Angel Diaz
holistic healer and author of the international #1 bestseller
Memory in the Cells:
how to change behavorial patte
rns and release the pain body

Hosted by Lynn Serafinn, the Spirit Authors Coach

Register FREE at http://tinyurl.com/selfhealingNov30

If you cannot attend the live event, register anyway.
You will be able to download the audio after the event is over

On this free webinar, Luis will discuss the Pain Body and introduce you to the basics of Pain Body Release, so you can learn the answers to these questions:

• How does the Pain Body affect our lives, physically, emotionally and spiritually?
• How can we liberate ourselves from self-destructive behavioral patterns?
• How can we overcome fear and anxiety?
• What is the Pain Body Release (PBR) process and what can it bring us?
• How can we access the Joy Body within us?

I hope you will join us for this informative 90-minute class, so you can find out how to begin the process of releasing pain from your body, mind and heart.

Again, you can register FREE at http://tinyurl.com/selfhealingNov30

See you there!

About Lynn Serafinn, Creator of Spirit Authors

Lynn Serafinn is a transformation coach, book promotion coach, radio host and bestselling author of the book The Garden of the Soul: lessons from four flowers that unearth the Self. She also works as a campaign manager for mind-body-spirit authors and has produced several top-10 book campaigns, including FOUR #1-sellers, in 2010 alone. She created Spirit Authors to offer training, coaching, business-building and inspiration for mind-body-spirit authors, whether established or aspiring. Contact Lynn about YOUR book project at at http://spiritauthors.com/contact.

Be sure to subscribe to this blog for regular book writing and promotion tips (just fill in form at right of your screen).

Sign up for Lynn’s bi-monthly newsletter Creative Spirit (fill in form below) packed with inspirational articles, online networking tips, broadcast guide to her radio show, and news about upcoming spiritual author book releases.

Throughout the year, Lynn also hosts large-scale telesummits with world-class speakers on a range of mind-body-spirit topics. Your subscription to Creative Spirit will ensure you’ll be the first to know how to attend these free events.

Lynn explores the many ways our inner fears contribute to our stopping short of unbridled Joy in our lives.

PICTURED LEFT: photo of an actual wooden “stairway to heaven” ascending more than 50 metres, used by the famous “Voladores de Papantla” in Central America, whose breathtaking annual springtime “flying” ritual is famous worldwide.

A few years ago, I enrolled on a mega-personal-development course where I had to complete a series of physical challenges, many involving heights. One of the first challenges was to climb up to a balance beam about 25 feet high and walk across it–blindfolded. Of course, there was absolutely no danger involved, as all of us had secure harnesses attached to our bodies, with a team of strong people ensuring our safety at all times. But the ego-mind is very good at creating its own messages, even if your logical brain knows you are perfectly safe. And what is so interesting is that the messages it creates might not have anything whatsoever to do with the current situation. In all likelihood, you might find yourself replaying some very old “tapes” in your head that you might not even have thought of for years.

And that is precisely what happened to me. As I got close to the top of the pole I was climbing to get up to the balance beam, I suddenly froze. There was no way I could bring myself to make those few last steps to stand up on that beam.

Why?

Because all I could think of when faced with the prospect of walking across that 25-foot high plank of wood were images of me in 10th Grade, as I wobbled fearfully along a 3-foot high balance beam in my P.E. class, and the teacher made fun of me in front of the class saying, “Serafinn, you’re fat and you’re useless. Can’t you do anything?”

And as I replayed that mouldy, old tape (which I hadn’t even realised I still carried with me), the voices in my head said, You have NEVER been able to walk across a balance beam in the past, and you will NEVER walk across this one either. Your body is fat and useless. Don’t’ even think about this. Get OUT now!

Totally “triggered” by this inner drama, an overwhelming sense of panic, shame and sheer terror made me freeze. I simply couldn’t move. I shouted down to my course leader, “No, no, I can’t do this. I know I can’t. I’m bailing. I need to get down NOW.” And immediately I let go of the pole and sailed down to the ground on my guide ropes (even letting go was a challenge). When I landed, my entire body shook uncontrollably from the adrenaline flooding my every muscle. My legs collapsed under me and my hands were in intense pain from all the stress hormones.

My hands shaking the whole time, I took out my journal and wrote for a few minutes, exploring my flurry of emotions around this strange experience. But later, when I returned to watch some of the others on the course, I noticed that many people started out scared to death, but became elated when they got on top of, and eventually across, the beam. As I watched, I saw they were actually enjoying themselves in spite of–or maybe even because of–the fear.

My sense of “shame” and “failure” made me angry–at myself. I realised I had convinced myself I would fail, and had deprived myself of the elation others were experiencing when they had gone past their own limits.

I harnessed this anger as I approached the next challenge–climbing now a 30-foot telephone pole to the top. It looked REALLY high! But this time, I was not going to stop. I growled with anger. I shouted. I grunted. I swore. I told myself I WILL make it to the top. I will. I will. I will.

And after overcoming a few obstacles here and there along the way, I climbed just high enough to touch the “cookie” on the top of the pole. I was really happy, and felt so proud of myself.

But then, my course leader called up to me and said, “That’s great, Lynn! So, what do you want to do now?

“Now?” I asked. “But I’ve already reached the top. What do you mean?”

“Well, would you like to stand on TOP of the pole too?”

In my head, I was saying, What? On top? You want me to stand up on top of a 10-inch diameter surface 30 feet in the air? Are you kidding?

But what I replied was, “Uh, no thanks, I’m happy enough with this.” And I took a moment to hug the pole, which had carried me to the top.

I came down feeling really proud of myself. After all, I hadn’t bailed out of the challenge. But in spite of feeling happy, I noticed I didn’t feel that real rush of elation I saw others express who did choose to stand atop the pole and free-fall down to earth (on the guide ropes, of course).

After meditating upon this, I began to understand that the thing that had stopped me short of that elation was my perspective. I had viewed climbing onto the top of the pole as a danger that threatened my happiness; I didn’t want to ruin my happiness by trying something so risky. But actually, the Universe was offering me the opportunity to experience more joy. But I chose not to receive it– for the moment.

Fortunately, I had the chance to stretch my limits one last time a few months later. This time, the challenge was a 35-foot high tightrope walk! But this wasn’t just a solo walk. I had to synchronise my walk with a partner who was walking on another rope a fair distance across from me, using a balancing pole.

Well, let me tell you, every single step I took climbing up to the tightrope made my heart POUND with sheer terror! But by this time, I had finally learned how to stop, acknowledge the fear, wait a moment, and continue. When I finally stepped onto the tightrope, I was completely and utterly thrilled. I had never actually STOOD so high up before, what to speak of being on a narrow, unstable wire, and working with a partner to boot!

Every step we took together was a sheer (terrifying) joy.

But then, when we got just past the halfway mark, one of my feet slipped off the wire, and for safety reasons I was instructed to let go of the pole and glide back down to the ground.

As I touched down, I felt, at long last, the rush, the elation, the sheer ecstatic JOY I had previously only witnessed in others. My partner and I were jumping up and down and hugging each other, delighted that we had survived the challenge without quitting, even if we hadn’t made it all the way across. I was buzzing. I was alive. I was so pleased with myself for mastering the art of walking WITH fear instead of fighting against it.

But then, our course leader came over to us and asked, “You two were the first in the group to do this activity, and other people have learned from watching what you did. Would you like another chance to try it again later?”

And do you know what my brain said?

It said, What if you go up and you cannot get past your fear this time? Then, it will take away all the joy you are experiencing now. No, don’t do it again. You don’t need to finish the task. You have enough joy for now.

Enough joy??

That was 3 years ago, and a heck of a lot about me has changed since then.

Looking back on it now, I can see that while I definitely had made some major breakthroughs during that whole process, what I had not yet fully learned was the depth of my own willingness to accept less than the very best for myself. I seemed to be satisfied with overcoming my obstacles, rather than being passionately desirous of true, unfettered joy. And this was not limited to physical challenges–it actually entered into every aspect of my life: from career and financial success, to health, to love, to fun, to spiritual fulfilment.

And I as looked around me, I saw I was not the only one.

Everywhere I looked, I could see people living lives in which they felt “happy enough” by:

• Focussing on getting out of financial hardship versus wanting to create genuine wealth
• Focussing on overcoming physical ailments versus wanting to create true health and vitality
• Focussing on resolving conflict versus wanting to create true intimacy
• Focussing on “making a living” versus wanting to create a lasting legacy

Nope. Not anymore. Not me. No more “happy enough.”

Now, I’m ready to stand on top of that telephone pole–to feel the ecstasy of reaching “The Pinnacle.”

And on that note, I would like to invite you to join me and my very good friend, Allison Maslan for a warm and wonderful 2-session teleseminar called:

“10 Steps to Reach YOUR Pinnacle”

With Life and Business Strategist Allison Maslan

#1 Selling Author of the book Blast Off!

Wednesday November 3rd and Thursday November 4th*

5pm Pacific / 8pm Eastern

90 minutes duration

Register FR*EE at http://tinyurl.com/YourPinnacle

(*Please note, this is a date change from previous announcement)

On these two calls, we’ll be talking about 10 secrets that help you reach your Pinnacle in your business and your personal life, so you never find yourself settling for being “happy enough” again.

I hope to see you there!

P.S.: And if you’re REALLY serious, Allison also has a great new mastermind group called “The Pinnacle Program.” It’s starting in January in San Diego, California. I’ll be there (for sure!). Have a look and apply if you want to join us at http://tinyurl.com/PinnacleProgram