New Life Resolutions #Abundance Now

So it's that time of year again. Some of us loved 2015 and some of us can't wait for it to be over.
The older I get the less New Year's Eve is about parties and more about spending some quality time with Me Myself and I, planning and preparing for the year ahead. Looking back at this year, the good the bad and the funky.
For me it was a year of really stepping into my better self and living with it. It's been some ride.
A wonderful life coach +Janet Brown introduced me to the work of a motivational speaker, author and CEO of Motivating The Masses  Lisa Nichols.

What can I say, she's a Powerhouse woman for sure. Her work shows incredible passion, content and pure inspiration.

I listened to her teleseminars for a week just before the Christmas holidays. Of course the lessons are far too many to mention. A principle I feel is relevant to this time of year is about making "New Life Resolutions". I don't really make new year's resolutions so resolutions aren't really my thing. I believe everyday is an opportunity to change my life. I gotta say I love the idea of "New Life Resolutions" though. So instead of making New Year's Resolutions, that you might forget about by March (I really mean February), how about making "New Life Resolutions". It doesn't have to be massive bodacious resolutions. It can be small changes you add and discard,  that will make for a better life, not just in 2016 but for the rest of your life. How cool is that right!!

Here's an powerful and touching interview of Lisa Nichols speaking on the Steve Harvey Show 
Get tissues it will make you cry...

I have some friends and family that just think me and my personal development journey is "Kooki", which is fair enough. I don't need anyone else to understand or agree what my truth is, simply because it's mine not theirs.

Because of this personal journey of learning and growth, I've never been happier, more at peace and have a sense of self acceptance, so there will be many many more years of "Kookiness".

SIDE NOTE: Not everyone shares the same truth and we don't have to. 

I just think it would be wonderful if we can respect and appreciate each other's truths.

So my one of my must read books for Jan 2016 is Lisa Nichols new book Abundance Now.

That book is a whole other conversation.

I wish for you and yours a 2016 filled with an abundance of blessings, laughter and Joy.

Happy New Year!!

Please leave comments below, share this post and most importantly enjoy!!! 

Keep on growing!!! #learnsharegrow

Instagram:evettelaunicafranklin  

www.facebook.com/evette.franklin

                              https://twitter.com/evettejelaunica

Enjoy The Ride

We live in such goal driven times. So many of us are working towards a better something....
Better job, better relationship, better vision of yourself.  We're almost at that time of year where many of us question where we are, did we achieve what we wanted to achieve this year?  Some of us can't wait for 2015 to be over so we can get "It" right. Whatever "It" may be and whatever "Right" means to us.

SIDE NOTE! Not everyone is goal driven or even searching. Some of us are just living. Going with the flow. There's no right or wrong. There's just what you choose to be your truth.

Two things that got me thinking about enjoying the ride called Life.
Firstly a mentor of mine +Eric Gusevik talked to a small group of us at a seminar about some of his principles. If you know Eric you know him has Happy Happy Happy!! He lives his life that way. He always comes from a place of pure joy. He talked to us about how we can show up in the world with a smile. How we can spread joy and happiness. Of course life has it's challenges. What if you greeted those challenges with a smile?
I have a similar philosophy about freaking out. When challenges come (and they will) don't freak out. You can't think of solutions if you're freaking out. You can't accept help if you're freaking out. Lastly freaking out doesn't change anything for the better. It just leaves feeling awful right!?
So after hearing Eric speak I heard this song. Listen to the words!

What's my point?? Enjoy the Ride!! We get so caught up in life. I live in London, the City of Busy!

We work hard here. We're so busy, you have to make appointments to see your friends and loved ones and very often Life happens, Something comes up and you have to cancel or reschedule those appointments. We're so busy,   going, doing, living. Ask yourself "Am I enjoying the ride?" If the answer is no, ask yourself  this. What could you add or take out of your life so you can start enjoying the ride? This is the one life we have. I don't remember who said it but "This ain't no dress rehearsal". This is it, the one life, the one present. My wonderful Cub (my 8yr old boy) makes me belly laugh everyday. My incredible Mummy is my # 1 inspiration, my incredible friends that empower and celebrate me and I  Live in gratitude for my daily blessings. These are just some ways I'm enjoying this ride called life.

Enjoy The Ride!! 

Please leave comments below, share this post and most importantly enjoy!!! 

Keep on growing!!! #learnsharegrow

Instagram:evettelaunicafranklin  

www.facebook.com/evette.franklin

                              https://twitter.com/evettejelaunica

Friends with Terms & Conditions

I envy my 8yr old Cub. His friendships are based on Arsenal Football Club and Lego. That's who is crew is and even if they don't agree on Arsenal they'll definitively agree on how awesome Lego is.


Where am I going with this? A friend recently told me not to share with her something that I'm developing.  I'm really excited about it. It's something I've chosen  to build and put my time an energy into.  It's bigger that me and business. I get to be surrounded by amazing people. I get to influence and effect peoples lives in a positive way. Of course if change and growth is what they want, and if the timing is right.
"Time is the Master" (classic reggae song by  John Holt). Just thought I'd throw the video in ;-)

So this friend messaged me back and said "don't tell me about that stuff (i'm paraphrasing) tell me about your life, about when we can have coffee and catch up".
And my first reaction was not very enlightened at all it went  F***K YOU AND THE HORSE YOU RODE IN ON.
How can you call yourself a friend but you only want to hear, about some parts of my life and not others and have the cheek to say which parts, I'm allowed to share with you and which not.
That's what I call "terms and conditions".
When I think of the friends I really care about. You know, the ones that are like family to you and You love them to bits.  Whatever they choose to do with their lives as long as their not deliberately hurting anyone I really believe I'd support them.

SIDE NOTE!: My Real Friends are there in the highs and lows. They call you on your S*IT and they celebrate you, cry with you, pick you up when you fall. Love all that who you are.

I might not understand what they do. I have friends that are bankers I have no clue what they do I really don't get it. I do however know that he's a great guy.  Genuine straight up no BS good people.
Am I being over sensitive?! Absolutely. I shouldn't take it personally.  It's one of my mantras. "Don't take anything personally". Everything every one says, does towards you is never about you and always about them. The good the bad a the loving it's always all about them.

SIDE NOTE!: Don't take anything personally 

I guess my lesson as I type this and reflect is Don't take it personally. Everyone is different.  I do however have to re-evaluate our friendship. To be aware of the agreements, of "terms and conditions" that come with a particular friendship. To stay true to myself.   I found this great video with Bishop T D Jakes about types of friendship. It's incredible how he breaks down the kids of people/friends that come in and out of our lives and how each type is a blessing (if you let it be so) .

Enjoy! Bishop T. D. Jakes on Three Types of "Friends"

The principle "Don't take anything personally" is taken from the book The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz  

Keep on growing!!! #learnsharegrowPlease leave comments below, share this post and most importantly enjoy!!! 

Instagram:evettelaunicafranklin  

www.facebook.com/evette.franklin

                              https://twitter.com/evettejelaunica

Mind Your Business

I'm a woman who's really easily distracted. On top of that I bought into the idea that women are great at multitasking. Don't even get me started on that one. That's another day, another chat.

SIDE NOTE: Nowadays I tend to do a task at a time and complete it. I find I'm more productive that way

Right now I'm a single mother. I run two businesses. I'm Co-chair of the PTA at my Cub's primary school. I volunteer with some amazing people to run personal development and business seminars. I'm an Ambassador for a company and it's incredible, (best on the market) training  programmes. When I can I do Capoeira. So obviously I have enough to do right? Agreed.
Sometimes I'm in the groove doing what I've gotta do. Prioritising my time, schedule and activities as well as Cub's very busy 8yr old social butterfly life.

Hold on! Like I said I'm easily distracted. So the phone rings I answer it and BAM!!!. Someone else's world, someone else's troubles and strife's.

I say all that to say this, "Evette Mind ya business"
I consider myself a good friend and a good listener. I like to help my friends find solutions to problems if I can.  

SIDE NOTE: Is it rude to say "I love you but you need to sort this one out yourself"?

Recently I got caught up in just that but just as I was in the middle of the WHOHA! I was reminded of a promise I made to myself and it was this. Do not spend your time energy or resources with, in or on people or situations that do not benefit my personal or business growth.
Simples!!!
But easy to forget. The thing is as we get mixed up in other people business several things happen. We take away the opportunity for them to sort out or deal with what they have to deal with. 

We take time away from other things perhaps more important things that we could be focused on. 

We make the assumption that we need to be in their business because we're being helpful in someway.
So now my way of reminding myself to not get involved is to stay aware of the conversations and interactions I'm having And "mind my business"

Think about it if we all took the time to just take care of our own business and allow others to do the same what kind of impact would that have.

I'm not saying we can't discuss our problems or lend an ear to someone who needs us to listen. I'm just saying let the solution come from them. At the end of the day we all have instincts. We all have the answers. We just need to listen and take care of our own sh*t.

Just saying!!

Keep on growing!!! #learnsharegrow

Please leave comments below, share this post and most importantly enjoy!!! 

Instagram:evettelaunicafranklin  

www.facebook.com/evette.franklin

                              https://twitter.com/evettejelaunica

A Juicylicious Week

I had the most wonderful experience last week of a friend recommending something to me at the exact right time when I need it.

I'd been having the worst stomach problems. Went to the GP (he was shocked to see me as I hardly ever go). So he examined me and sent me for blood test and ultra sound, the works.

SIDE NOTE! Since I'm now 40 the GP will send me for tests without me even asking. I actually had a proper diagnosis and everything. Don't get me started on why I hate going to the GP that's just a silly rant not worth having.

Anyway! This time last week after talking to my friend about my doggy tummy. She sent me a link to sign up for +Jason Vale's  5 Day Juice Challenge.  I didn't hesitate at all because I was so sick and tired of feeling sick, sluggish bloated and just plain shitty.
So I jumped on it. Got myself a bog standard juicer from Argos on Monday morning and by 10am I was having my 1st Ginger Shot.

Then enjoying my first juice of the day.  It was all going pretty well till about 3pm when I got a headache, that felt like some one was kicking me continuously in the head with her 5inch heels. She kept kicking throughout the night and when I woke up in the morning I was shocked that I even slept.  
The cool thing was I expected it because +Jason Vale  has these fantastic coaching videos that talked me through what the mental and physical withdrawals would be like.

It was awesome. I pretty much keep the fact that I was doing this challenge to myself so, I didn't have to listen to any "experts". You know the "experts". When you're pregnant these "experts are filled with wise do's and don'ts. When you're on a growth journey,
going to seminars on a weekend, they tell you why they know it's a waste of time. So of course when your Juicing for 5 days they ask you stupid sh**t like "but where will you get your calcium"? or "that doesn't sound healthy". My favorite was my Cub when I picked him up from school and told him about my Juice Challenge  he said very dramatically "NO WAY!! YOU'LL STARVE MUMMY" Bless him.

So I woke up the 2nd day and kept juicing. I was satisfied with the juice and even cooked for my Cub (7yr old boy) and for my friend who was staying with us, I wasn't tempted to eat at all. Like I said the juices satisfied me. They were totally delicious and there's an awesome Facebook community of people who were sharing their pictures, stories, experiences, excitement and most importantly we encouraged each other to keep Juicing On ;)
The week flew by. I even drank beetroot and I HATE beetroot. It was combined with berries and other yummy fruit and I LOVED IT!!

By the end of the fifth day I was bouncing off the walls.
SIDE NOTE!! My friends who know me well, who are reading this are thinking "Your always bouncing off the walls" True!! But this was a different kinda Bounce. It was a feeling good inside and out Bounce!.  It was my jeans that I used to have to squeeze into slipped on with ease, Bounce!.  It was that I slept soundly an sweetly every night for 4 nights, Bounce!  It was that I found a solution to an ongoing health issue without using drugs Bounce! Thank You Jason Vale and Team

So of course I bounced out of bed Saturday morning. Made my Ginger Shot, Juice in my bag and out the door with Cub for a busy sunny Saturday, feeling Fabulocious.

I watched a film Jason Vale made called Super Juice Me! It was an amazing film. He takes 8 people on an incredible journey that empowers them to take control of their health.

He's not suggesting that Juicing is the cure to all or any health problems we have in this crazy modern world of fast, processed and plastic food. He just makes a great point, with genuine passion and authenticity, that if we start putting fresh nutrients found in fruits and vegetables into our bodies on a daily basis we give our bodies what it needs to heal.

Jason Vale – Super Juice Me! Documentary

I love learning new things that just make my life better and Jason Vale's  5 Day Challenge definitely made life better. Happy Juicing ;) Check out this fab results video from our 5 Day Juicy Challenge 

Keep on growing!!! #learnsharegrow
Please leave comments below, share this post and most importantly enjoy!!! 

Instagram:evettelaunicafranklin   www.facebook.com/evette.franklin

                              https://twitter.com/evettejelaunica

What's The Big Hurry!!!

Have you ever been on a Ryanair flight and as soon as the plane hits the Tarmac, you hear the clicking of seat-belts being undone. The flight attendant announces (with a tone of annoyance, because she probably says hundreds of times a day) "please remain in your seats with your seat belts fastened until the seat-belt sign is switched off"

Where are they rushing to? Are they trying to get a head start through the doors that aren't open yet? Or make it first down the stairs that aren't there yet? And did you ever notice that those same people, that literally wanna knock you over so they get out first, are always there waiting to pick up their bags? Nothing happens quicker for them because their in such a hurry. What's your point Evette??

I randomly found a pdf/book on my tablet that I completely forgot I had. 

It's called The Majesty of Calmness.
Ironically or not I was reading it on a 2hr flight to Madrid where I noticed the "big hurry people" from a new perspective. What's the big hurry?

This incredible book was written by William George Jordan and originally  published in 1902
But the principles and social commentary is so relevant to our time here and now.

The following is taken from a chapter called  Hurry, the Scourge of America

Hurry is a counterfeit of haste. Haste has an ideal, a distinct aim to be realized by the quickest, direct methods. Haste has a single compass upon which it relies for direction and in harmony with which its course is determined. Hurry says: I must move faster. I will get three compasses; I will have them different; I will be guided by all of them. One of them will probably be right. Hurry never realizes that slow, careful foundation work is the quickest in the end.

So as I read it, I had an instant reaction to it. I'm always in a hurry, I'm not a stress bunny about it. But as a single mother who runs two businesses life's busy. So imagine me asking myself "are my actions hurry or haste?" Haste remember "
Haste has an ideal, a distinct aim to be realized by the quickest, direct methods."

I tell you I never get tired of the simplicity of "truth" and the continuous learning life and times bring me.

Thanks to the awesomeness of the Internet I can share this incredible pdf/book with you.

It's 18 pages of pure gold that gave me a paradigm shift on a 2hr flight.

Stepped off the plane a slightly different version of myself.

I guess that's how quickly change affects you if you're open to it.

The Majesty of Calmness PDF

Keep on growing!!! #learnsharegrow
Please leave comments below, share this post and most importantly enjoy!!! 

  

 

Instagram:evettelaunicafranklin

Just Keep Swimming Swimming Swimming!!

If you're a parent of small children and you watch a lot more than your fair share of Disney/Dreamworks/Animation Movies. You'll get the Finding Nemo reference of "Just Keep Swimming" Let  me explain the reference. In Finding Nemo while looking for his lost son Nemo,  a father meets a absent minded fish 

(as you do). She often forgets where she is, what she's doing, but she lifts her spirits and his by saying whatever life gets her down, she just keeps swimming.                                                   

The point is basically to encourage him to keep looking for his son no matter how hard the journey gets.

Side Note! I love those films. I think when or if my cub outgrows them, I'll watch them anyway. They often have some thought provoking and empowering messages hidden the tale.

That reference brings me to, a conversation I had yesterday with a friend. She's phenomenal lady. She's an author, coach, speaker, trainer and single mother of a teenage and a toddelr. I spin out just saying all that nevermind about living it.  Anyway we were discussing the sacrifices we make sometimes. Times that we can't be with our children.
Times we have to be up early and up in the crazy hours in the morning. The thing is her vision for the life and legacy she creating with and on purpose is so huge, stopping is not an option. Distraction is not an option. Mediocrity is definitely not an option.

Building a foundation for greatness is hard. Being the best version of yourself is challenging. But growth and learning is so rewarding in my book. So what if it's not easy. I know just as my friend does that the work and the sacrifice and everything is a price worth paying for the life and legacy I'm creating, with and on purpose. So whenever life get rough, Just Keep Swimming! Swimming Swimming. Most importantly I think is to just enjoy the ride. But that's another topic right?!

Keep on growing!!! #learnsharegrow

Please leave comments below, share this post and most importantly enjoy!!! 

 

Instergram:evettelaunicafranklin

EMOTIONALLY!!!

How many times have you heard someone say "People, Human beings, We, are creators of emotion not logic?" As many times as I have or more? I've often heard it said when talking about appealing to a person's emotional side, in order to empathise, influence, inspire or even getting someone to make a decision. The right decision for them.

So I read this post on facebook and I shared it too. It resonated, made sense. But then it got me thinking and that gets me writing.
"Don't let your emotions distract you from what needs to be done. Control your emotions or your emotions will control you"
Again! I totally get it. I'll give you an example.
You know those days where you just have one thing after the other going pear shaped (Translation - very wrong) but you manage to keep your eye on the ball, you keep the main thing, the main thing. You manage not to get distracted, or to give in to the urge to just scream and shout or freak out. You really don't even have time for it today. Plus you know it's totally counter productive Right!! Right!!
But who can keep that up all the time? And doesn't all that energy, that emotion have to be released somewhere, sometime, aimed at someone?
You've seen that too, I'm sure. The moment when someone just lets you have it, full barrels and you know full well it has nothing to do with you. You're just there when the implosion hits. A case of wrong place, wrong time.
Speaking for myself.  Most of the time I'm positive, optimistic, calm and solution conscious. Other times I just let my B**CH out and let her rip.

The thing is both emotional control and emotional release feel great. Sometimes!!

A few weeks back my phone got grabbed by some guys on a moped while I was on my way to a meeting. I still went to my meeting, talked to really unhelpful police and equally unhelpful mobile company and, and and..... the day got worse.
I kept myself  calm and stayed solution conscious and that felt GOOD!

A few months ago working at an event and a special person (rude, obnoxious, so and so) came along and gave me grief, I let him have it! Briefly!!! And I'm telling you, that   felt GOOD!!
Now that I think of it I needed hugs and a friendly ear after both emotionally charged situations.

Side Note! I really believe there are no simple black and white right and wrong good and bad there are colours and shades and hues to infinity.

My take on the whole thing is simply this, be true to your feelings. Honor them but be mindful who's in control, You, or Your emotions?  Be it fear, love, doubt, anger, faith..... who's in control?

                                      
                                      And of course it's not that simple! Or is it?

I have a 7yr old boy aka cub and I teach him that he controls him. That no one makes him feel anything. He gives meaning to the situations and peoples behaviour towards him. In my mind he might as well know this from now.  It's not so easy though, when he comes home upset.

He doesn't want to do his after school club anymore. Some of the kids laugh at him cause he missed a goal or made a mistake.  He doesn't wanna hear me go on about "you control you" stuff, he wants to express that he feels bad about it.

He wants to be emotional. I tried to tell him that he shouldn't stop doing something he likes to do because of the actions of others. That he decides how it makes him feel. He wasn't hearing me. At that point I just had to listen and comfort him, as it wasn't the time to re-enforce a life lesson.  He just wanted to feel what he was feeling and I decided to honor that.  Oh! and not to mention stopping myself from getting pissed off at those little brats upsetting my cub. Such is life. So much to learn so much growing to be done. So stay true to you and how you feel! We are emotional beings after all Right??!!

Keep on growing!!! #learnsharegrow

Please leave comments below, share this post and most importantly enjoy!!! 

 

Instergram:evettelaunicafranklin

So What If You Dont like Me!!??

I was very blessed to be brought up by my grandparents until the age of 9yrs old.  So I had a very traditional Caribbean upbringing. Those raised that way know what I mean and everyone else, maybe I'll fill you in some other time ;-)  My grandparents would always say things that at the time made no sense to me but as I got older the expressions all made more sense.  I would find myself at random times understanding these expressions as the made sense in a particular situation. I could write a book I think called "things Grandma and Grandad used to say"

So the expression that's going round my head today is "What people think about you is none of your business".
That one was a puzzle for me for years.  Of course they never come with an explanation. I guess that would defeat the point of figuring it out for yourself.  But doesn't everyone like to be liked?
I had an interesting conversation with a friend as she relayed an incident between mutual friends who had a misunderstanding.
They decided that they couldn't stand each other. Even though they are both the sweetest people you'll ever meet.
The story got a bit playground, in the sense of "well! you don't like me so I don't like you either.
May I add that they are both GROWN people!
Anyway!
The thing that I kept wondering was, "so what if you don't like her and she doesn't like you?"
Aren't we big enough to take that on the chin now? I mean, you really have no control over whether someone likes you or not.  At some point in life you have to decide that people need to take you or leave you as you are and be comfortable, even happy in that.

My mentor +Marc Accetta says "Whether you like me or not is your choice, whether you respect me or not is mine!" What does he mean by that? Well it's simple really, be a respectful person, a person of integrity among other things. 
Marc is an very successful entrepreneur, international speaker and trainer. I feel so blessed to be learning from him.

So with +Marc Accetta as a mentor I've learnt too many things to share right now.   What I will share tonight was a HUGE catalyst, that created a paradigm shift which changed my life.  It's all about personalities.  I took a very simple personality test.  The point of this test was not to "find myself".  It was more about who I am and how I relate to other personalities.

Side Note! Have you ever met someone that just annoyed the hell out of you and you didn't know why but they just do? Or you met someone that just cant stand you and you have no idea why, but they just do.

So once I learnt what personality I was and how I communicate, I began to work on becoming a
better communicator.

I learnt how to interact with people who had personality traits that were completely opposite to mine.
It most definitely affected my relationships, especially with my siblings. I now know why I used to annoy the hell out of them lol!! Live and learn baby, live and learn!

So I bet you'd love to know what personality type you are wouldn't you?
Firstly here's a short intro video where Marc talks about the personality test. Please watch it before you take the test: Marc Accetta Personality Test
Then go to this link and Take the Personality Test

After taking the test you'll get an explanation of all colours. The personalities are described and grouped as colours, which is genius to me, as it's so easy to remember and recognise who is who.
I love this subject. I make an effort to study it, using this amazing tool that Marc developed called "Living In Full Color" .  When I think of how important it is to me to find ways to communicate effectively in life, relationships and business. I'm so grateful that I learnt these tools. Saying that Marc always reminds us that "You don't know what you don't know"

Keep on growing!!!

Please leave comments below, share this post and most importantly enjoy!!! 

    

Instergram:evettelaunicafranklin