If you’re a “do-er” like I am, you probably tend to have a lengthy “To Do”  list and love checking things off that list. It brings that sense of accomplishment which in turn boosts one’s self-esteem. I have to confess that right now I have no fewer than 35 items on my ongoing personal/business To Do list (I had 38, but when I went to count, realized I had actually completed three of them!).

Ahhh…
This past Thanksgiving weekend, I set aside my To Do list and allowed myself to play with my scrapbooking, rubber stamping and card-making supplies. I love making handmade greeting cards. I have a ton of scrapbooking supplies that I have loving collected over the years; all with the intention of creating beautiful cards and scrapbook pages.

The problem is, I feel guilty if I “take time off” from my business to just play at creating these little works of art. It seems so indulgent, to allow my right-brain the chance to come out and be part of my world. I get so caught up in the drive to create the next product, promote the next offering, craft the next group coaching call. Do you ever feel this way?

The Truth
The truth is, we need to express both our left- and right-brain activities in order to have flow. When we give too much attention to one, the other gets “stopped up” and we wonder what’s wrong.

Over the past several months I’ve been allowing myself time for creativity, dance and reading for pleasure (not just business books!). I am amazed at the difference it has made in my outlook, my work and my relationships. The more I’ve allowed flow, life’s natural rhythms, the more I’ve found that I’m happier, work comes easier and I enjoy husband, family and friends much more (and more easily!)

Your Rhythm
This holiday season, I invite you to take a look at your professional and personal life. Where are you blocking flow? Where are you allowing it? What strategies or activities do you engage in to help things flow more easily in your life?

Today’s hula lesson is, “Know Your Audience” or “Don’t dance by the Bunny Farm!”

If you are passionate about what you have to share with the world (and if you’re reading this, I’m guessing you are!) it’s easy to say “yes” when someone asks you to present your message to their audience. However, there are some critical questions to ask the person who is inviting you and there are some critical questions to ask yourself.

I learned this the hard way when I agreed to share my Hula for the Soul™ message at a large craft and vendor faire. The promoter told me that there would be approximately 500-600 people attending the faire that day and that I would be “on stage” for 30-45 minutes. The event was family-oriented so I had hoped to reach some of the moms coming through and perhaps even teach a keiki (children’s) hula to any willing participants.

The Bunny Farm Experience

The day of the event I dressed in my performance wear, complete with flower in my hair of course, loaded up my car with my newsletter sign-up sheets, special offer flyers, MP3 stereo (just in case their A/V wasn’t working), lauhala mat (a large mat made of woven palm fronds), pareos for decoration and all my hula implements. I drove the 90-minutes up and around the San Francisco bay to the location, excited to share my gift and my message with the audience.

The faire had both indoor and outdoor areas. It was a cloudless summer day and the outside temperature was easily in the low 90′s. I went indoors to find the promoter and asked her where the stage was so I could begin to set up. She told me that there was no stage and the best place for me to “perform” was outside between the two entry/exit doors. She told me that I was “on” in 10 minutes and that she would be outside to announce and introduce me. Then she rushed off to take care of someone else.

I went outside and discovered that the area she indicated was about 5 ft. wide, in direct sunlight and on hot concrete. Ever the professional, I used my lauhala mat and pareos to cover the area where I would present, placed my MP3 stereo on the top of a standing ashtray, and waited for her to come out. I have to say, it was awkward because there were people entering and exiting the doors on either side of me as I was setting up and later, during the performance.

My "stage" was between the pillars.

When the promoter finally came out, instead of picking up a microphone and announcing or introducing me, she literally just stood a few feet in front of me and hollered, “We’re having a hula performance right now,” first to the left, then to the right. Yes, she hollered.

And speaking of the right, as I turned to look (I had been so busy setting up), I suddenly realized that five feet from where I stood, just on the other side of the entry door to my right, was a PETTING ZOO! Yes, that’s right…farm animals! And the best part about it was the little hand-painted sign that read, “Bunny Farm!!!”

I sweated, I danced and I taught hula to 2 children that day who only participated because their mom made them do it. Needless to say I didn’t invite people to sign up for my newsletter or make an offer.

What I DID do, is learn a valuable “hula” lesson.

The Lesson

When someone invites you to speak, present or perform, make sure you ask them specifics about who the audience members are, where you will be presenting, what audio/visual equipment will be provided (microphone, music, projector, screen, etc.), how the room/area will be set up for the audience (classroom, theater, rounds, etc.) and other details.

And remember to ask YOURSELF some questions. Are the audience members people I want to reach? They may not be your ideal clients, but are they influencers or decision-makers? Might they belong to a company, group or association that needs to hear your message? What intentions and expectations do you have for the event and how can you ensure that they manifest?

How You Can Avoid Learning The Lesson Yourself

I invite you to go to my Speaking page and click on the link to have me speak at your next event. You’ll find a detailed form that I require people to fill out before considering whether or not to speak, present or perform at their event. You are welcome to model it for your own use.

I hope you learn something from this “hula lesson” and that this has served you so you never have to “dance by the bunny farm!”

Warmest aloha,
~Yvonne

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What happened was amazing.

People came out of curiosity: what’s this hula thing all about and are we really going to learn to dance the hula?
People came to shake off jet lag: many had traveled internationally and wanted to get their bodies moving
People came to network: connecting with old friends and making new ones is good for business

And everyone learned to hula!

Now that may not sound like a big deal, but when you’re trying to figure out how to live your true purpose, to find meaning in your existence and do what you were truly put on this earth to do and you do it and people participate in that, well…

It’s amazing.

It took me a long time to get here. It took some life lessons and a great loss. But I’m here and I’m answering the call. It still takes courage to get up and do this every day. I still (sometimes) wonder if people will “get” it. I still wonder if this is what I’m supposed to do.

Then I see a room full of women, each one unique in her beauty and talent, swaying and moving to the rhythm as one, smiling and expressing joy at their new “accomplishment.”

And I know it’s why I’m here and why I do what I do.

Share with me why you’re here and why you do what you do…

It is rhythm and freedom and expression. It is storytelling and connecting with your inner voice.

And, if you have courage…

it is an expression of your soul