Volume 2 Issue 3 January 2009 In This Issue: Message from Marlene Who Do You Think You Are? Change the World by Reinventing Your Identity Is This You? Register for the Signature Series

Message From Marlene

Who are you? I was 14 years old the first time I asked that question. The question made me cry because I didn’t know who I was.  This is a question I ask myself and others on a regular basis.  In the past, I have defined myself in many ways: Factory worker, wife, daughter, state title holder in bodybuilding, professional speaker, and author.  

At certain points on my journey I have defined myself by my career, the roles I play and even by my physical appearance.  What I know now at midlife is this: Everyone reinvents either out of desire or desperation. Many of us are feeling the desperation of economic uncertainty and change.

These big changes require us to boldly reinvent from a place of conscious choice.

My article today is about getting clear on the most important question: Who am I?

Who Do You Think You Are?

Is your personal identity tied to your career, your status, your education, your appearance or your wealth? The amount of attachment you have to your identity is in proportion to the amount of drama you will feel when your identity changes.

You will most likely change careers. You will lose the youthful appearance you had in your 20’s and 30’s.  You may even lose your title, position or wealth. If you are a parent, your kids will leave the nest. If you are married there’s at least a 50% chance you will go through a divorce. In other words, either by desire or by desperation you will reinvent.

If you define yourself as “an investor” who are you when the stock market crashes? If you primarily get your sense of worth as a parent, who are you when your kids leave the nest? If you lose your career, go bankrupt, have a divorce, then who are you?  If you are proud of your attractiveness, what happens when old age wins the battle and even cosmetics or surgery doesn’t help? Then what?

Who you “THINK” you are, is not who you “REALLY” are. You are not your career. You are not your marriage. You are not your beauty. You are not your wealth. You are not even the judgments that others have about you.  When you really question who you are, you will likely go through what I call “The Identity Drama.”

Besides your titles, career, money and looks how do you really see yourself? Do you see yourself as superior or unworthy? Do you “fit in” or do you feel like an outsider?

The reason I’m making you dig deep is that I know something so important that it will impact your life in every area: The way you view yourself and the way you view others impacts every area of your life.   

For example, if you judge yourself to be inferior you might spend valuable time on needless activities trying to prove your worth. You may spend more money than you can afford on expensive clothing so that you “fit in.”  You will join the board of directors for approval rather than because of passion.  See how the identity drama can cost you in time, money and passion?

Another manifestation is what we might call self-sabotage. You are not able to get what you want because your self-judgment keeps you separated from others.
 You avoid successful people altogether.  You don’t invest in yourself. You don’t go to the social event.  You don’t ask for the sale. You don’t initiate the conversation. You aren’t curious about others. You find it difficult to compliment someone else. Because you fear failure you don’t ask for the sale, you won’t initiate a call, and you don’t accept the invitation to network.

Now is the time to step up and claim who you really are.  Here is a challenge. Answer the question “Who am I” in a different way.  Find a WAY OF BEING to define who you are and see how this impacts your whole life.

Change the World by Reinventing Your Identity

Jim Carey said on Oprah that he defines himself in three words: “I am Love.”
Can you see how this belief would make you behave around others? If you define yourself as “I am love” then how do you

• Respond to criticism
• Treat yourself
• Treat others
• Interact with your children
• Deal with customers

Can you see how the way you define yourself makes all the difference?
Everyday even if we don’t intend to, we still answer the question, “who am I?”
We answer it in our behaviors, in our words, and in our moment-by-moment choices.

I believe we could change the world if each one of us would just reinvent a new identity.

Is This You?

Are you a successful, spiritually minded person ready to participate in an intense weekly mastermind with 5-9 other successful savvy business owners or entrepreneurs who want to leverage the mastermind principle?   

I’m seeking a specific type of person who is ready to go to the next level through my signature process that I’m revealing for the very first time in a group setting. Click here to see if you qualify and to see the details of the program.

Register for the Signature Series

If you liked today’s article then I want to urge you to register for the signature series teleseminars. All you have to do is register once to be on the list to get the call in number and the access code. On the registration page you will see some of the topics for conversation. And…if you have a topic you want to see addressed, please e-mail me.

Register Here

You got the first copy of “The Drama Stops Here” because you have a relationship with Marlene Chism. If you want to continue to receive this ezine, go here to register.

If you have friends or business associates who would appreciate this information, please forward this ezine and invite them to register.

Many surprises, ideas and business resources are coming your way.