Cara Lumen

I had subscribed to her e-magazine for several months. I found her blog and
subscribed to her RSS feed. Every other day or so I got a notice of
something she had written. Some I stopped to read, some I copied to save,
and some I skipped over knowing I wasn’t ready or wasn’t interested in the
information. 

One day I said to myself, “This has value to me. I want to become an
affiliate of her work and tell others about her.”  And I did. 

What brought to me that decision? What shift occurred to make me decide her
work had value to me? How had I arrived at that point? What, I wondered,
creates trust? 

Trust Is Built Over Time

My process in reaching this decision, had taken time. I was drawn to her
energy by all the magical ways we are drawn or led to each other. I
accepted her invitation to opt in to her newsletter. It apparently came at
times that worked for me, (as in not too often) and most of all, I liked
what I read. I learned something, it triggered new ideas, it made a
difference in my awareness and spawned new insights.

Trust Involves Similar Values

Trust often involves identifying with the person’s values and respecting or
being stimulated by what they say and do. Sometimes trust involves feeling
safe and comfortable with someone. We trust someone’s success, when we see
them accomplish what we’d like to do. We trust someone’s integrity when we
seem the choices they make in adverse situations.

How do I build trust in myself?

If I want to build trust with you, what do I do? I begin by expressing my
true self—not some version of what I think you might want to hear. I place
myself deeply in service. Then I give and give and give some more. I fill
my contributions to our relationship with value. I fully participate in our
exchange with joy and love and respect. 

Trust Is Vital To Success

Trust is something we must build in our business and our lives. Our clients
and customers must trust us to deliver what we promise. They must trust us
to keep our word and act with integrity. Trust is something we must have in
a nourishing relationship. We can’t push trust, we can only nurture it and
let it find its own footing. 
Exchange Is The Reward

The reward of trust in relationships is exchange. Whether it is a service
or a product or friendship, we must continually place ourselves in the
service of others. Over time, they will come to trust us, our product, our
services, and our friendship. 

Keep In Touch—Give Your Best

Trust comes from continued contact. Whether it is phone calls, letters,
e-mails, or e-magazines, communication is the key to building trust. Who do
you need to contact today? Where would you like to deepen your trust? In
your work environment, in your business, in your life, bring to it the best
you have within you and trust will follow. 

Trust Builds Confidence

When you have built a trusting relationship, people will have confidence in
you, they will believe in you and your ability. They will have faith that
you will provide value at every turn. They will ask for your service, your
product, or your advice. 

Trust Is The Basic Factor Needed For Cooperation

When we trust, when we open our eyes to another’s humanness, it makes room
for a natural flow of openness and affection. It clarifies our
understanding of each other. Trust allows us to be honest with each other,
to be affectionate, to take risks and love. 

Build Trust

Increase the value of your service. Give more that is expected in your
home, in your work, in your life. Work to build long lasting relationships
that are mutually nurturing, that provide for and sustain you. As Mother
Teresa said, “Go out into the world today and love the people you meet. Let
your presence light new light in the hearts of people.”

c2006 Cara Lumen

If you create a business for strugglers, you will create a struggling business. If you create a business for achievers, you will soar.

 You want to attract and align yourself with achievers, whatever field you are in. You want to work with people who carry their share, who take the initiative, who are open to change and are willing to think big. These are the hallmarks of an achiever.

Feel the difference when I describe a person who procrastinates, who complains, who doesn’t do their share, who only follows and has to be told what to do. These people are fearful of change and very content within their own small world. Their life is a constant struggle.

It is possible that you have a desire to help this struggling person and that certainly is a place to serve, but at least look at the difference between the two and see where your heart leads.

And, you notice, the amount of money they have is not a hallmark. The difference between an achiever and a struggler is attitude.

I certainly take deep pleasure in coaching someone to believe in themselves and their own ability. I help them translate their soul’s calling into a life of empowerment and choice. That is a joyous place to be in service. Moreover, when they get a better sense of their own value, they step up to the plate and make big things happen.

Those are the kind of clients that grow me.

You realize, of course, that each person you draw to you has a gift just for you. In order to attract a certain type of client you have to align your consciousness with an intended desire. You have to put out the vibration of what you seek. You must become your own ideal client or customer.

Make a list of the qualities in your perfect client. This might include:

· People in service to others

· A willingness to learn

· A willingness to explore

· A willingness to expand their expectations

· An open heart

· An eagerness to make the project happen

· A strong sense of their innate calling

· A person who follows through

· A person who takes initiative

 You may get more specific than that. Do take a moment and describe your ideal client or customer.

 You might even give your ideal client a name. Mine is "Sage." She is a wise woman in service to others. Make this ideal client your best friend. Create your products to please her. Create your copy to attract her. Design your services to help her.

 Build the image in your mind and your ideal client will come.

 Look around at the clients and customers you are attracting. Are you struggling with strugglers? Or are you achieving with achievers?

 It’s your choice.

© Cara Lumen 2006

We sure know about goals. We’ve been taught about goal setting at every turn. But have you ever thought that there might be a difference between an inner goal and an outer goal? Consider this.

In my first marketing class we spent a lot of time trying to distill what we were doing into one benefit laden "elevator speech," the seven to nine words you could say to someone on a short elevator ride that would capture the essence of what you do—or are. My first one was "I help seekers deepen their spiritual experience."

However, I recently went hunting for my most intimate inner goal. Why was I here? What was my mission? How am I being called to serve? I went very deep. I went past the e-books and teleclasses and coaching. I went past the specifics of the skills I have been gifted with. I went to my heart looking for my life purpose, my calling, my divine place of service.

I thought about what I love most in life, what I love to do, who I want to touch, how I want to touch them, what brings me joy and happiness and satisfaction. And I found it.

"I help you translate your Soul’s Calling into a journey of empowerment and choice."

I can’t get more fundamental than that. At least not that I am aware of at this point in my life.

As I hold this inner goal in my heart and test every other goal up against it, I begin a journey of alignment. When an idea for a new e-book shows up I test it—will this help someone translate their Soul’s Calling into a journey of empowerment and choice? When I set an outer goal to create a new teleclass, I hold it up to see if it is aligned with my inner goal. Before each coaching call, I focus myself and tune into the person I am to work with to hear and feel and understand their Soul’s Calling to be certain our work is on purpose. I use my inner goal to help me define my outer goals.

Find your inner goal, your inner purpose, your inner calling. Define it for yourself and test it against your actions and choices. Adjust it as your awareness increases. Keep it in your heart and your consciousness. Let it be the driving force in your thoughts and awareness. Let your inner goal radiate out so everyone can feel it. Let your inner goal be a part of every outer goal. Align yourself with your heart’s calling.

What is your inner goal?

 © Cara Lumen 2006

It’s really rather a miracle. Out of the invisible nothingness, an idea appeared in my mind. It was just a one-stop idea that I noticed and then went on my merry way.

Then another version of the idea appeared, and I absentmindedly paired them into a larger idea.

That idea niggled and jiggled in the back of my mind until I took a small action to explore the idea further and found there was a need for it.

In an afternoon, the idea had taken shape. The form was clear, the content was clear, the way it was to be delivered was clear. It was written down. It had been born.

It was a miracle.

It’s as if a small spark lights the kindling of our mind and when we blow on it even a little, it bursts into flame. Amazing!

How does this happen? What takes place that allows the idea to appear in the first place?

Each of us has a specific purpose in this world. We have been given the skills and talents and yes, the desire, to put our passion to work. I see the ideas as coming from the Master Builder. And each of us is considered a necessary part of the whole construction, the Grand Plan.

The Master Builder gives us nudges in the form of ideas. Sometimes we need two nudges. Sometimes more. Sometimes we take the Master Builder up on the idea and run with it. That’s part of the Grand Plan. Sometimes we fumble the idea; we let it slid by us, and someone else picks it up and runs with it. That too is part of the Grand Plan.

But when it is our idea, ours to birth, ours to bring into view, how beautiful and miraculous is the process.

I keep a list of ideas on my computer desktop. Every idea I get I put down on that list. Some ideas have been there a long time and have not yet risen to the top. Others barely make the list before they take shape and form. But always, I write them down, for they are gifts. They come from that part of me that is creative, deeply in service, enthusiastic, and passionate. They are my Soul’s gift to my life experience.

I think of an idea as a pinpoint of light that gathers strength until it floods the stage. It is a spark that flies out to hearts all over the world. It is a gift that is mine to birth, to give life to, and to share with others.

Ideas are the whispering of Spirit in my ear. I love the way it speaks.

Go ahead, I’m listening.

© Cara Lumen 2006