Today, there is so much negativity in the air surrounding the recession, it’s actually amazing that entrepreneurs find the fortitude to forge ahead strong – in the face of uncertainty and struggle.  Entrepreneurs by nature are risk takers and seem to come alive when presented with great challenges. These economic times test our metal.

Whether you have just gotten your pink slip, lost your biggest contract, or fallen victim to the prime lending fiasco and are facing foreclosure, there is hope.  This is the time to pull out all of the stops that sets the true entrepreneur apart from others.  Why, because we know how to innovate, focus, rebound, rebuild and reinvent in times of economic uncertainty. This is part-one of a three-part article on what we should be doing right now to remain strong during at such a time as this.

1. Revamp Your Mindset.

You must Know Why You Do What You Do!  If you are in business only  to make money you are likely to be disappointed.  You must connect to a deeper purpose that drives you to succeed.  Your gifts and contributions to the world go far beyond your self  and focuses on solving the problems of others.  It is an intrinsic knowing that what you offer really makes a difference. When you are motivated by helping others, your value will be recognized and create a demand for your services.

2.  Enlarge Your Circle.

You must think and act outside the box. This is a new decade, a new world,  and you are a part of it.  Refuse to isolate yourself and make a point of networking with people in your profession on a weekly basis. Network with smart people who share your drive and interests.   Read and Keep up with industry  social, economic, technical, and geo-political trends so that you are fresh in your ideas, strategies and practices. Connect to other communities (on-line and offline), mastermind groups  and stay current. Business is no place for the ‘Lone Ranger’- stay connected!

3.  Maintain High Visibility.

Out of touch is out of mind. When times get  tough,  there is a tendency to drop out – which is just the opposite of what you need to do.  While others are pulling back and retrenching, this is the time for you to pop out of the crowd.  This is the time to be Present and to get noticed.  When the dust settles, your customers and other publics will remember those that maintained high visibility and consistency in the marketplace. Everybody wants to be associated with a winner!

Identify community based groups that need your expertise and begin sharing your talents on a volunteer basis and they will discover your unique gifts and be anxious to publicize and refer your services to others. Offering to plan a fundraiser or to emcee a program will garner exposure for you that you can’t  pay for but will give you instant recognition and  credibility to your brand.   A pied piper is a valued asset.

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The next article will discuss Getting Clarity About What You Want and Attracting Your Target  Market,

Mable Cannings  is the President and CEO of Mable Cannings International, a personal development and marketing company as well as the publisher of Fuel for the Soul, and best selling author of “The Heart and Soul of Business: One Woman’s Journey.  Check out her website at www.mablecannings.com and follow her on www.Twitter.com/mablecannings.com, and www.myspace.com/mablecannings.  If you are interested in booking Ms. Cannings as a speaker, seminar leader, or media interviews, you may contact her via email at info@mablecannings.com.

……“Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who am I not to be? I am a child of God. My playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around me. I am meant to shine, as children do. I was born to make manifest the glory of God. That is within me. It’s not just in me; it’s in everyone.
And as I let my own light shine, I unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As I am liberated from my own fear, my presence automatically liberates others.”
– - – - – - – - – - Author unknown

In March, I traveled to San Francisco California with a business partner to attend a “Building Sponsorships Conference”. The conference experience was great! As I returned home and began reflecting on the week, I realized it was worth far more than the technical aspects and content of the sessions, it helped me re-discover myself and who I really am.

Several years ago, I made a decision to relocate to a small East Texas town. We purchased a small mediteranean home that anyone would love. Over time I began to shrink and play small just so that I didn’t overshadow others. But this runs counter to my true personality. I am multi-talented, naturally outgoing, and love being active and meeting and communicating with others.

From the very first day in San Francisco, I was approached several times by perfect strangers who wanted to engage me and to learn more about me and spoke of my energy, my voice, and the aura that I exuded.

The week long experience in San Francisco, with other creative entrepreneurs was a good barometer for me because the contrast helped me to realize that I had learned to hide myself pretty well in this small community.

My take-a-way from the experience is that you cannot hide your “essence”. It is you! You may choose to kill it or suppress it, but it is what makes you unique. Thus, I will shine! I will not play small so that others can fill more secure. I will be my authentic self, no matter where I am and who I am with! I will not allow others to throw a blanket over my brilliance because I am a child of the King of the most High who expects each of us to be a light in a dark world. Nothing more and nothing less.

Are you liberated yet to just be you? This is what people really need to see! Just focus on getting your gift to the world!

I invite you to go to my website to sign my guest book for future books, articles and personal development workshops.www.mablecannings.com.
You may also sign up for my RSS Feed to this blog.
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Mable Cannings is a speaker, personal development coach and author of ‘The Heart and Soul of Business: One Woman’s Journey” which can be purchased on www.amazon.com. You may follow her on Twitter and Facebook.com/mablecannings.

Over the course of our lives we may “Do” many things in an effort to find fulfillment. That search often-times takes us to many lands searching for that right fit. A fit that resonates with your heart and soul.

Think about it, depending on where you are in life, you have probably worked on at least a dozen different jobs and might have lived in several different cities, and after a while, for one reason or the other, you simply moved on!

At the end of February, I conducted my first bus tour in five years. I escorted a group of African American’s from Nacogdoches, TX to Natchez Mississippi and it was Heaven! It reminded me of how much I truly love travel. It broadens ones understanding of other cultures and just how much we have in common, no matter what the differences might be. There is a shared human experience.

After a thrilling tour of several antebellum homes and reviewing the past struggle of African American’s as slaves forced into servitude for generations and their resilience to survive unspeakable and inhumane conditions, I am reminded that I can do anything but fail!

I returned to my life and my business energized and determined to go forward with my purpose and calling, no matter what!

From the struggle to put this trip together and the great reward and joy that I experienced, I gained some new perspective about my purpose. I realized that although I have chosen a different path for my life’s pursuit as a writer and speaker that I must embrace and use the experiences of my past to inspire and educate others. The lesson is to never “Do” anything that does not have meaning to you. All of your choices about your business, life, career, and family must be rooted in the values that you hold close. It is important to never give one minute of your life to a business, profession, activity, or cause with the wrong motivation. If you “Do” what you do from peer pressure or to please others, you will grow to hate the “thing” and experience emptiness at the end of the road.

Invaribly, the pursuit of vanity, pleasure, fame or wealth will be a dead end.

Now I know that I can pursue travel because it aligns with a deeper intrinsic value – to educate and inspire others, which is my passion. I find that the quest ends, when you find yourself. The journey is worth taking if you understand that your passion and what you do are inextricably interwoven.

I hope you find some value in my sharing this post.

Everyone, God Bless. Next week, I travel to San Francisco, a manifestation of a long awaited dream.
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Mable Cannings is the publisher of “Fuel for the Soul” and CEO/President of Mable Cannings International, a personal development and marketing company. She is also bestselling author of “The Heart and Soul of Business: One Woman’s Journey”. Please check out the website www.mablecannings.com.

Thinking of Haiti and Dr. M.L.King’s Birthday

Thoughts of the devastation of Haiti and Dr. Kings birthday this week, provoked questions in my mind about what kind of legacy I would leave if I were suddenly taken from this life in a moment – just as Dr. King and thousands of Haitians were this past week.

Although not pretty, these incidents underscore an eventuality that all of us will one day have to face. Because life is short and uncertain, it seems reasonable that we value every moment and live to the fullest each day. But what does that mean?

Thoughts about our legacy is a valid issue to ponder and act upon. While we scurry about each day focusing on making money, we should stop long enough to ask these important questions: Am I using my gifts to make a difference in the world? Are all of my entrepreneurial pursuits self serving or ‘other’ serving? How am I using my time right now? What do I really value and how much of my time is spent doing the things that I value? What dreams have I invested in and what is the cost/benefit of those dreams? What has my life been about up to now? Who have I helped? What have I done to live a life that my family would be proud of? Have I made my family my first priority? Have I loved enough?

If nothing else, these times should have inspired deep introspection and action in each of us. There is something about ‘Now’ that should drive you to action each day to make sure you focus your energy and time on those things that will have eternal significance. Think of it as a long-term investment.

So, instead of shrinking and playing it safe in your limited comfort zone – think of living your entrepreneurial lives to the fullest – as creative expressions of who God is in your life.

This is the time to let your light shine. This Is The Time To Be All You Can Be!

To live life full out, there are two final questions I would challenge you to ponder:

1. If you knew that you only had one day to live, how would you spend it? Go do it now and do it often.
2. Have you given your heart to God? Go do it now.

Well, as you can see, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. How about you?
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Mable Cannings is President and CEO of Mable Cannings International, a personal development and marketing company as well as the publisher of Fuel for the Soul and best selling author of “The Heart and Soul of Business:One Woman’s Journey. If you are interested in booking Ms. Cannings as a speaker, trainer, coach, author forum, or media interviews, etc., you may contact her through the website www.mablecannings.com Follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

What are you doing right now to drive yourself into the New Year? Are you spending the last days of the year analyzing what you’ve accomplished in 2009 and where you are going in 2010? Have you put all of the systems in place to work smarter and not harder next year. Have you hired a VA to give you the help you need to explode your business? If so, I want you to re-focus for a just a moment to consider this:

Focusing on all of the external issues is good and necessary, but I want to remind you to focus on the internal as well. Plan a ‘Mental Health Day” for yourself to unwind, re-think, and regroup. It is during our rest and quiet-times that we gain our spiritual focus and began to allow the unconscious mind to help us form creative solutions and visions for the future.

The pressures of business oftentimes negatively effects our state of emotional and social well being in such a way that we become less able to adapt to change, cope with adversity, and perform successfully in our personal and business life. That is why we need a ‘Mental Health Day’. We should plan to retreat often to do ‘nothing’ so that we bring ourselves back into alignment.

Thanksgiving week-end was just that kind of a time for me recently. I took a trip to the beach which did me a lot of good. I was able to clear my mind which is one of the biggest challenges entrepreneurs face – lack of clarity and lack of focus.

If you are planning to play big in 2010 or to come back strong from a downturn in your business, then getting away from everything you do ordinarily, would be a great move.

Write me and tell what you do to get clarity and focus. I would love to hear your ideas.
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Mable Cannings is the President and CEO of Mable Cannings International, a personal development and marketing company as well as the publisher of Fuel for the Soul, and best selling author of “The Heart and Soul of Business: One Woman’s Journey. Check out her website at www.mablecannings.com and follow her on Twitter, Linked-in, Myspace and Facebook. If you are interested in booking Ms. Cannings as a speaker, seminar leader, or media interviews, you may contact her via email at info@mablecannings.com.

Last week I got some bad news. The royalty check that I had been expecting from book sales from my new book “The Heart and Soul of Business: One Woman’s Journey” was still in the mail and would be dismally less than what I expected.

After months of book signings and self marketing of my book , I felt that the wind had been knocked out of my sail. We work so hard for validation and we certainly hope for the economic rewards to be commensurate with our labor. Well, my friends, it doesn’t always work out that way — at least immediately!

It was discouraging, but over the week-end I began to think about my purpose. I didn’t write the book purely for money. I wrote the book to empower other women who struggle to “rise” in their personal lives as well as solo-entrepreneurs who desire to impact the world. On Saturday evening I received an email from a young woman who had participated in one of my Breakthrough meetings for women who had just completed my book and recently attended a book signing. She wrote me to express how the book had impacted her life — so much so that she has returned to school full time to pursue a degree in Social Work.

The very next day, during our Sunday meet and greet, another young woman who has participated in one of my seminars in a housing complex, stepped up to hug me and asked, when are you going to present another seminar for the women out there? We really need you. Both of these incidences are just too much for coincidence.

This was a direct confirmation to me to stay the course and to not get too perturbed that the money has not yet caught up with the effort. I resolved to be grateful for the opportunity to just serve others. It was motivation for me to be persistent and consistent and to never give up because the reward is far precious than silver or gold. It is eternal.

Our lives become perpetual by what we deposit in others. Entrepreneurs, if you have begun a journey and you are sure of the vision God has placed in you. Keep on walking in that direction, don’t let distractions deter you from your goal. Never give up. Keep moving forward with your dreams.

If you will follow your passion, the money will come. God knows exactly what you need. Are you passionate about what you are doing? I’d love to hear your comments.
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Mable Cannings is President and CEO of Mable Cannings International, a professional development and marketing company as well as the publisher of Fuel for the Soul and author of “The Heart and Soul of Business:One Woman’s Journey. If you are interested in booking Ms. Cannings as a speaker, trainer, coach, author forum, or media interviews, etc., you may contact her through the website www.mablecannings.com