January 1, 2007

BE, LIVE, HAPPY YEAR!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
It has been one heck of a year!
Thank you to each member of my incredible family for their constant love, support, honesty and laughter.
Thank you to each of my wonderful friends who have held me through the tears and laughed and shared the joys. A special shout out to Nelressa, Jenny, Carolyn, Julia, Emilie, Rebecca, Andrea and Marvin. THANK YOU!
Thank you to each of my customers and supporters. You will never know how much your trust and support mean to me. Thank you Stefan, Joanne,and to my 90 Day Dream Team Crew!


Call to Action: Give Gratitude!
BELIEVE you will have a good year and YOU WILL!


The Time of Your Life
Learning to Slow Down
Throughout our lives, we are taught to value speed and getting things done quickly. We learn that doing is more valuable than merely being, and that making the most of life is a matter of forging ahead at a hurried pace. Yet as we lurch forward in search of some elusive sense of fulfillment, we find ourselves feeling increasingly harried and disconnected. More importantly, we fail to notice the simple beauty of living. When we learn to slow down, we rediscover the significance of seemingly inconsequential aspects of life. Mealtimes become meditative celebrations of nourishment. A job well-done becomes a source of profound pleasure, no matter what the nature of our labors. In essence, we give ourselves the gift of time—time to indulge our curiosity, to enjoy the moment, to appreciate worldly wonders, to sit and think, to connect with others, and to explore our inner landscapes more fully.

A life savored slowly need not be passive, inefficient, or slothful. Conducting ourselves at a slower pace enables us to be selective in how we spend our time and to fully appreciate each passing moment. Slowness can even be a boon in situations that seem to demand haste. When we pace ourselves for even a few moments as we address urgent matters, we can center ourselves before moving ahead with our plans. Embracing simplicity allows us to gradually purge from our lives those commitments and activities that do not benefit us in some way. The extra time we consequently gain can seem like vast, empty stretches of wasted potential. But as we learn to slow down, we soon realize that eliminating unnecessary rapidity from our experiences allows us to fill that time in a constructive, fulfilling, and agreeable way. We can relish our morning rituals, linger over quality time with loved ones, immerse ourselves wholeheartedly in our work, and take advantage of opportunities to nurture ! ourselves every single day.

You may find it challenging to avoid giving in to the temptation to rush, particularly if you have acclimated to a world of split-second communication, cell phones, email and overflowing agendas. Yet the sense of continuous accomplishment you lose when you slow down will quickly be replaced by feelings of magnificent contentment. Your relaxed tempo will open your mind and heart to deeper levels of awareness that help you discover the true gloriousness of being alive.



ANNOUNCEMENTS:
For Women Only
Emotional Money Dinner Seminar
Woodhull Institute for Ethical Leadership
Wednesday, January 10, 2006
6:30-8pm $10
770 Broadway (East 4th & Broadway)
Must RSVP 646-495-6060
or call me at 718-350-6095or to email: click here
Cost: Free to paid members, $10 for non-paid members
For more info visit www.woodhull.org
(click on "programs" then click on "dinner seminar")

Please RSVP for this event as seating is limited.


Healing One-On-One Seminar
Monday, January 22, 2006
7pm-9pm $20
520 8th Avenue (37th & 8th)
(one-on-one financial consultation, massage, oil treatments and more)
RSVP 718-350-6095 or email samarra_am_management@yahoo.com



UPCOMING EVENTS:
Andre & Judy de Zanger
IDEA CAFE Jan 8th, Monday Night. You are invited to an "IDEA CAFE"
where you can - Explore new Ideas, Re-invent Yourself and your Business
and meet some great people. We will meet on Jan 8th (Monday night) from
6:00 to 7:00 for dinner and Networking and the session from 7 to 9. We
will be exploring “The Typology of AHA” - the 4 Quadrants of Creativity
and INVENTIUM , an Inventing Card Game, which can give you an answer
to almost any problem. So bring a personal or business problem and see
what these creative tools can do for you.
Burger Heaven Restaurant 1534 3rd Ave (Between 86th
and 87th Street)RSVP at 212 289-8856
or creativityinstitute@juno.com Cost $10


Journey to Yourself
is a unique and powerful six-month program for
women who lead busy lives, yet yearn for a deeper, more fertile way of being
and living. As a participant, you will create what you want for your
life and have opportunities to experience yourself as sacred and
powerful. The program weaves unique activities in with rich discussion
to create a transformative and empowering experience. It is designed to
help women: Become leaders in their communities, Engage life in a new
way, Become an agent of change in their lives, Honor their body as
sacred; Network with a supportive and like-minded community of women;
and Deepen thier relationship to the feminine divine.

For more information, please visit www.womanvis.com or contact us at
info@womanvis.com or 212-501-3892

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Any affirmations, suggestions, requests, job notices, teleseminars or events please email me at samarra_am_management@yahoo.com.

Any comments regarding any of the weekly "Emotional Money" issues please post and join in the conversation.

To unsubscribe to "Emotional Money" weekly ezine type in subject line "unsubscribe Emotional Money." To unsubscribe to all notices regarding Samarra Am Management events type in subject line "unsubscribe Samarra Am Management."



Copyright 2007

December 25, 2006

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I hope that each of you are having a wonderful day filled with peace, good food and lots of laughter. I will keep it short and sweet today.

I asked my mom this week: Mom, does life ever get any easier?" She laughed and said "no, but it does get clearer. You get less ambivalent about who you're trying to please." During this holiday season-I wish you many moments of decisions and actions made from your core, FOR YOU!

Call to Action: Lay Back Baby and Enjoy the Ride!

ANNOUNCEMENT: Woodhull Institute Dinner Seminar featuring me:
Emotional Money - Understanding how emotions impact our finances, your first step toward financial abundance

Are you tired of making and breaking the same New Year's resolutions around your spending habits? How many times have you promised yourself that you won't waste your money? Why is it that you know how to develop a budget or open an investment account but never seem to get around to it? How many times by the second week of January have you''ve realized that you are spending more than you should but feel powerless to change? Please join us on Wednesday, January 10th to start the year discovering new possibilities for your financial health. By the end of the dinner seminar you will know:

o When you think about your money, what else is being triggered
o When you talk about your bills, what you are really saying
o When you plan for your future, what's being controlled by your past

This dinner seminar will help you understand what hidden roadblocks are hindering you from achieving your financial goals. By understanding your emotions around money, you will learn how to develop healthier financial habits. Don't be frustrated and blame your "money" any longer. Start 2007 being financially inspired.

Date: Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Time: 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Location: Woodhull Office, 770 Broadway, 2nd Floor, New York City.
Entrance to the building is on 9th street between Broadway and 4th Avenue.
RSVP: Telephone 646-495-6060, or to email: Click Here
Cost: Free to paid members, $10 for non-paid members
for Woodhull Membership Information: www.woodhull.org
Click on "Programs" then click on "Dinner Seminars"

Please RSVP for this event as seating is limited.

UPCOMING EVENTS:
Andre & Judy de Zanger
IDEA CAFE Jan 8th, Monday Night. You are invited to an "IDEA CAFE"
where you can - Explore new Ideas, Re-invent Yourself and your Business
and meet some great people. We will meet on Jan 8th (Monday night) from
6:00 to 7:00 for dinner and Networking and the session from 7 to 9. We
will be exploring “The Typology of AHA” - the 4 Quadrants of Creativity
and INVENTIUM , an Inventing Card Game, which can give you an answer
to almost any problem. So bring a personal or business problem and see
what these creative tools can do for you.

We will meet at Burger Heaven Restaurant 1534 3rd Ave (Between 86th
and 87th Street), in the upstairs room ( We have the whole room
reserved just for us). RSVP at 212 289-8856
or creativityinstitute@juno.com so we know how many people to expect.
This will be a great NETWORKING opportunity to meet Creative - "like
minded” people (bring lots of Business Cards to share). Bring pen and
paper to capture your great ideas. Cost $10


Journey to Yourself
is a unique and powerful six-month program for
women who lead busy lives, yet yearn for a deeper, more fertile way of being
and living. As a participant, you will create what you want for your
life and have opportunities to experience yourself as sacred and
powerful. The program weaves unique activities in with rich discussion
to create a transformative and empowering experience. It is designed to
help women: Become leaders in their communities, Engage life in a new
way, Become an agent of change in their lives, Honor their body as
sacred; Network with a supportive and like-minded community of women;
and Deepen thier relationship to the feminine divine.

For more information, please visit www.womanvis.com or contact us at
info@womanvis.com or 212-501-3892

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Any affirmations, suggestions, requests, job notices, teleseminars or events please email me at samarra_am_management@yahoo.com.

Any comments regarding any of the weekly "Emotional Money" issues please post and join in the conversation.

To unsubscribe to "Emotional Money" weekly ezine type in subject line "unsubscribe Emotional Money." To unsubscribe to all notices regarding Samarra Am Management events type in subject line "unsubscribe Samarra Am Management."



Copyright 2006

December 18, 2006

TAKE THE NEXT STEP


"There is a vitality, a life force,
an energy, a quickening
that is translated through you
into action,
and because there is only one of you in all of time,
this expression is unique.
And if you block it,
it will never exist through any other medium
and be lost.
The world will not have it.
It is not your business to determine how good it is
nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions.
It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly,
to keep the channel open.
You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work.
You have to keep open and aware directly
of the urges that motivate you.
Keep the channel open
by Martha Graham



What was your approach to life this week?
What was your approach to the call to action this week?
Did you read it and say all week you'd do it and then didn't?

At the same time are you feeling stuck around your finances, constantly complaining about the state of your finances? And yet doing the exact same "actions" and expecting different results. Be honest with yourself. It's important because the only person you're hurting is you. So simply take the first step and be honest. We are no longer children that can continue to blame our teachers, parents, husbands and wives for the state of our lives now. Well, we can and we often do but the truth is if we really want to create something different for ourselves, we can. We have to be willing to step out of our comfort zones. We have to be willing to look at ourselves. We have no control over what other people do or feel so it doesn't serve us at all to go down that road. All it does is soothe our ego and let us complain and jabber, but have you noticed it dosen't get us any closer to our goal or alter the circumstances?

I have a goal to get out of debt by September 2007 and to have at least a trillion dollars by 2016. I got a full time job but I am still me. The tape in my head always says "I don't have enough money." I knew I needed to hire a financial advisor. (I see first hand everyday how we block ourselves and just having a coach outside of ourselves leads to major breakthroughs.) My first response of course (all together now) "I don't have enough money." I noticed my familiar language. Stopped. Thought about my goal. Hired them anyway. Guess what? Not only did I actually have the money, more money came-a bonus check from my job, a babysitting opportunity...I took responsibility, took the next step and not only was the money already there, more money followed. Trusting that even if I don't have all the answers, staying open to the "urges that motivate" my core will lead me toward "actions" that will get me (us) out of my (our) comfort zone and closer to my (our) hearts desires!


Here is a story from Andrea Reese who was touched by last week's blog (see
"Reconnecting" at www.emotionalmoney.blogspot.com) She displays clearly the action of taking The Next Step. We can no longer blame those from our past. Now, as adults, if we don't do it, we have no where to look but at ourselves. Stay open, follow your core and here is an example of the rewards that are possible when you dare to TAKE THE NEXT STEP.

"I love the blog post you wrote today. It's so tragic when teachers tell kids
that they either cannot or should not do something they love.

When I was 10, my grandmother took me to a restaurant with a belly dancer. I
decided then and there that I wanted to be a belly dancer. I thought the
dancing was so beautiful and free. I taught myself tons of moves and at the
end of the school year, I belly danced at my school's talent show.

After my performance, one of my school teachers cornered me and said my
dancing was immoral, against god, etc. Although I wasn't from a religious
background, she scared me, and I stopped dancing right then and there.

20 years later an acting teacher suggested I go back to belly dancing. I
took a 3-session Learning Annex class and at the end of the first session,
the teacher pulled me aside and told me I had real talent and should study
seriously, which I did for 2 years. I ended up dancing in a movie, a PBS
special, and a few other things, and also teaching belly dancing to
beginners."


Thank you Andrea for sharing your beautiful and inspiring story.
(20 years later many of us still would not have followed our hearts desire based on what the teacher said in the past.) We're adults now-push beyond the past emotion and trust and listen to your core.


CALL TO ACTION:
1) Write down any money you spend this week. The item and the amount.
2) Write down your financial heart's desire?
On Sunday (Christams Eve)
Look over the emotion you identified the first week, your self-made calendar from last week and the money you spent this week? Are they in line with you attaining your heart's financial desire?

To get the most from these Call to Action's contact me for your free consultation
(Free only until December 31st)
email: samarra_am_management@yahoo.com.
phone: 718-350-6095




ANNOUNCEMENT:
Samarra Am Management
Healing One on One
Monday, Janary 22nd at Ripley Grier Studios in Midtown.
Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details.

UPCOMING EVENT:
Andra & Judy de Zanger
Topology of Creativity
January 8th-7pm-9pm
To learn more about this incredible creative team visit their website:
www.creativityinstitute.net
or call 212-289-8856

JOBS:
Full Time receptionist position at 42nd and 5th Ave.
Fax resume to Marie at 212-993-9581

BLOGS/WEBSITES TO CHECK OUT:

If you are a business owner and would like to list your specials for "Emotional Money" readers please email me your info by Saturday of the week and I'll post it.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.woodhull.org
www.thewomensmosaic.org
www.womensstudiocenter.org

www.bestcoachesinc.com
www.landmarkeducation.org

www.TheHealthyPlan.biz
www.nelressamonique.com
www.thewomensmosaic.org
www.eatingfear.blogspot.com
www.turnontolife.com
www.15secondpitch.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Any affirmations, suggestions, requests, job notices, teleseminars or events please email me at samarra_am_management@yahoo.com.

Any comments regarding any of the weekly "Emotional Money" issues please post and join in the conversation.

To unsubscribe to "Emotional Money" weekly ezine type in subject line "unsubscribe Emotional Money." To unsubscribe to all notices regarding Samarra Am Management events type in subject line "unsubscribe Samarra Am Management."



Copyright 2006

December 11, 2006

RECONNECTING!

During the holidays we often think of connecting with family and friends.
I invite you to reconnect with yourself. I took a drawing/art class and there were about 8 adults gluing, coloring, making collages, sculpting, and drawing. The weighed-down thinking adults who entered the room were all smiling and loose when we exited. I remember my art teacher in 4th grade made it clear to me and the class that I couldn't draw. That was true. However prior to his comment I enjoyed drawing. The process was more important to me than worrying about the outcome. After his comment-I only thought about the result and the process was ruined. I hated drawing. But I had a blast this weekend. I didn't care about the result. I reconnected to the fun of the process. The fun of cutting out pictures from magazines, getting glue all over my fingers and yes-even actually drawing-my favorite-making swirls in bright peach, yellow and blue.

I read an article in the newspaper last week. They were talking about the $938 million dollar surplus that the subway system has this year. The next line said
"But next year will be a different story, there is going to be a deficit." While there is a surplus they are predicting the deficit. Who says there has to be a deficit? "They" do-my teacher, the media, the president, the advertisers, the... And you know what? Since "they" said IT, IT WILL probably happen. So unless we reconnect to our own centers, how do we know if we are creating in our lives what we truly want? Are we simply allowing what "they" say is going to happen-to happen? The teacher said I couldn't draw so I didn't. He said it but I didn't have to allow it to ruin my enjoyment of the process for the next 20 years. Someone might have told you you were bad at numbers, or bad with money or bad at... and therefore guess what? You are. But reconnect with yourself. Before someone else said IT did you actually enjoy IT?

There are 2 weeks before Christmas and the rule from "them"is connect outside yourself. Every second of everyday leading up to Christmas day we are told get those presents, buy, buy. buy. What if as a child you used to write or draw, paint, sculpt, sing, do math, science, chemistry, and that was the gift you gave yourself. To reconnect to your process. To reconnect to you. I have an entire plastic bag of art pieces. Me.
AND they were pretty damn good, too.
To my 4th grade art teacher-how ya like me now?
I don't care. I reconnected to ME.
THAT IS ALL THAT MATTERS.

I'm still bellowing MINGA! (see December 4th blog-"Butterflies of Bliss")


CALL TO ACTION:
Make a calendar. Do this with crayons, color paper, clay, a chess board, sheet music, glue-anything that as a child you had fun playing with. Follow these steps as the child in you that welcomed projects as a new adventure.

December 2006

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31


Step 1: Gather all of your Bills-(If this sentence makes you cringe just choose 3 bills)

Step 2: Write the bill and amount due on the corresponding calendar date
(i.e. Comcast-$100 written in space for December 15th on calendar)

Step 3: Gather your income (make sure accurate amt. after taxes, etc.)

Step 4: Write the souce and the income amount on the corresponding date(s) on calendar


What do you notice?

Notice certain weeks you have more income than expenses.
Notice certain weeks you have more expenses than income.
Notice how you can work your money versus your money working you.

For example: If you have more income the second week of the month and many more bills the last week of the month then the “extra” from the second week you pay towards the bills that are due the last week of the month. Instead of getting to the last week and saying “I don’t have enough money.”

If you know you want to go out for dinner or take a vacation the same principle applies: Write it on the calendar. Don’t think of all the circumstances as why you can’t simply write it down. You see on your calendar your income and expenses-if you save $20 each week at the end you’ll have $80. So instead of eating out every day for lunch you’ll take your lunch and save the “extra” for your vacation, shoes, dinner etc. Write it down-claim it.

Make a plan and work your plan.



After completing the exercise: How do you feel now?
What did you rediscover about you?

For a free consultation (only until December 31st) email me at
samarra_am_management@yahoo.com. or call 718-350-6095!
____________________________________________________________________________________

ANNOUNCEMENT:
Samarra Am Management seminar entitled
Healing One on One
Monday, Janary 22nd in Midtown.
Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details.

UPCOMING EVENT:
The Women's Mosiac Holiday Bazzar Fundraiser
"Buy that pefect gift, learn something new, support dynamic women and have fun!"
I'll be one of the speakers-Hope to see you there!
This Wednesday, December 13, 2006 from 6:30pm-9pm.
web: http://www.thewomensmosaic.org

JOBS:
Full Time receptionist position at 42nd and 5th Ave.
Fax resume to Marie at 212-993-9581

BLOGS/WEBSITES TO CHECK OUT:

If you are a business owner and would like to list your specials for "Emotional Money" readers please email me your info by Saturday of the week and I'll post it.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

www.womensstudiocenter.org (beautiful space where I attended class)
www.creativityinstitute@juno.com

www.bestcoachesinc.com
www.landmarkeducation.org

www.TheHealthyPlan.biz
www.nelressamonique.com
www.thewomensmosaic.org
www.eatingfear.blogspot.com
www.turnontolife.com
www.15secondpitch.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Any affirmations, suggestions, requests, job notices, teleseminars or events please email me at samarra_am_management@yahoo.com.

Any comments regarding any of the weekly "Emotional Money" issues please post and join in the conversation.

To unsubscribe to "Emotional Money" weekly ezine type in subject line "unsubscribe Emotional Money." To unsubscribe to all notices regarding Samarra Am Management events type in subject line "unsubscribe Samarra Am Management."



Copyright 2006

December 4, 2006

BUTTERFLIES OF GLEE!

Have you ever heard of a "minga"? I was reading an article in The Epoch Times entitled Me to We. It was by Craig and Marc Kielburger-founders of Free The Children,(www.freethechildren.com) who went to the mountains of Ecoduar with a group of North American school aged children to build a school for a local community. "They worked feverishly for two weeks" but they weren't going to be able to finish the school before they would have to leave. They went to the "village chief to break the bad news." Through a translator, she said "no problem, I'll just call a... minga. Craig and Marc had no idea what a minga was. She went to her door, and bellowed in a giant voice, 'Tomorrow...there will be a minga'." The next day the village square was filled with hundreds of people that had come from miles around. The school was finished in one day. They accomplished in a few hours what it would have taken weeks to finish. A minga is a call to action - a coming together of community for the benefit of all.


Today was the first time since starting my blog on September 3rd that it took me a long time to figure out what I wanted to say. It has been such a hard yet amazing week that I didn't have any idea where to begin. I'm dedicating the month of December to focusing on stories and issues regarding finances. So I guess I'll start there. The emotion running my financial picture sounds like "I can't, because I don't have the money." Growing up everything I ever started and loved, I had to stop because there wasn't enough money to continue. Modeling, ballet, skiing, even staying at my first choice college. Even when I was older and my mom's financial picture improved considerably-that was still my conversation. If there was something I really wanted to do-my first thought was "I don't have the money." I wouldn't do it and blame it all on lack of money.

This truly affected my life because I would see something I wanted and before I could even get to, "I don't have enough money" I just automatically would reject that which I really wanted. I would feel the emotion of glee inside and immeidately clamp down and turn away from it. Not look at the price tag, not even explore any options, savings, other resources; I'd simply settle and turn away from anything that gave me butterflies of glee. I had taken control. The problem of course is that my control meant that I was denying myself even the possibility of being able to have exactly what I wanted. We all know the example of the flea's in the jar. At first the flea's bang against the lid. After a while they fly but they don't crash into the lid anymore. But after the lid is off the fleas still only jump to the height of where the lid used to be. Depriving themselves of the freedom that is now right there. Each time I counsel someone I see myself in them and it helps to remind me. I don't have to deny myself anymore. It's not about the money, it's about my energy and belief. I've seen it in my life and in my customers so I know it is true! It is not about the physical money. But I developed this habit over two decades so sometimes I forget. My "Wham" (see last weeks blog at www.emotionalmoney.blogspot.com) has turned out to be such a blessing. I love the new job-it's organization heaven, challenging and there is down time but without the interruption of the phones. And I got a raise. Once I admitted to myself I really like the job than I realized I wasn't willing to settle. Much more work for the same money for 3 more months. I couldn't. I asked them for a raise, they agreed.

Now I wish it was that simple. But we are talking about me. First I was upset because I liked the job. Then got over that. After asking for the raise when they told me a number I was upset-just like when they gave me the promotion. But I said fine I'll take it. Then 5 hours later I was doing the math and I realized it was that number times 4 AND per year it was $1800 more than what I was going to ask for. Thank goodness GOD has dreams for me bigger than my own. I was so close to leaving-to another FT receptionist position. And I had everything I wanted right here. The difference this time. I listened to the angels-people around me-emails I received in response to "Wham" and realized what I was doing BEFORE I put a clamp on my butterflies and walked away justified and in control. This time because I wasn't alone in my own head: from coaching others, being in community and sharing, THIS TIME I get to have the butterflies of glee.

Do you know what your emotion is that is running your financial picture-your life?
What has it stopped you from doing/dreaming/being?
This past emotion is something that affects all areas of your life. If you get to the root-the actual emotion-it will surprise you. If it dosen't feel like a new discovery, then that is not it.

I invite you to do a free 30-45 minute consulatition with me.(These consultations will no longer be free after December 31st.) I guarantee you, you will be inspired afterwards. You will have the reason for why you feel stuck, unfulfilled, like something is missing... The discovery is that you are the cause. It's inspiring because when you see how you're the cause then you know that you create something different. The new year is right around the corner-"Emotional Money" for the month of December will be calling you to each week take an action.

Believe me the Wham's lead to Butterflies of Glee-it's soooooo worth it!!!

I'm bellowing to YOU- MINGA!




CALL TO ACTION:
Identify the past emotion running your finances and your life.
Contact me at samarra_am_management@yahoo.com or 718-350-6095 for a free consultation.


BLOGS/WEBSITES TO CHECK OUT:

If you are a business owner and would like to list your specials for "Emotional Money" readers please email me your info by Saturday of the week and I'll post it.

In time for the holidays: Here is a message and info from a good friend, actor and business owner: Mike Lesser:
I am now a Polestar Certified Pilates Instructor. And I also own my own online shopping web site. Here is my way to combine all of the above and help out organizations that I believe in. They are: American Cancer Society, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, The Actors' Fund & Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids. My goal is to raise $1000 for these organizations.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pilates
My current rates are:
Intro session--$35/hr. Single--$70/hr. 5 Sessions for $250 10 Sessions for $450.
If purchased between now and December 31, 2006.
10 sessions- $50 will go to your choice from the above Organizations.
5 sessions- $25 will go to your choice from the above Organizations.
So think about the people in your life and give the gift of Pilates. Or just give it to yourself.
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What is The Healthy Plan?
I sell over 877+ products. Some of the Lines are: Anti-Aging, Auto Care, Cosmetics(same manufacturers as MAC, Este Lauder), Gourmet Coffee, Health & Nutrition, Home & Garden, Personal Care, Pet Care, Transitions Weight Management System (Low glycemic eating), Water Filtrations System and more.

www.TheHealthyPlan.biz
Incentive-10% off to you for all Purchases from now until December 31, 2006
(In order to get the 10% off you must contact me so I can put the order through manually in order to ensure that it goes through properly.)
5% will be donated from the order to be split among the Organizations.
You can choose to donate all 15% of the order if you like, but not obligated to.
(If you choose this option you can place the order directly on the site, using your credit card and it will be processed.)
Discover, MasterCard & Visa. Credit Cards are preferred. Checks & Cash are acceptable.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

www.bestcoachesinc.com
www.landmarkeducation.org

www.nelressamonique.com
www.thewomensmosaic.org
www.eatingfear.blogspot.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Any affirmations, suggestions, requests, job notices, teleseminars or events please email me at samarra_am_management@yahoo.com.

Any comments regarding any of the weekly "Emotional Money" issues please post and join in the conversation.

To unsubscribe to "Emotional Money" weekly ezine type in subject line "unsubscribe Emotional Money." To unsubscribe to all notices regarding Samarra Am Management events type in subject line "unsubscribe Samarra Am Management."



Copyright 2006

November 27, 2006

WHAM!

I got fired oops I mean promoted. Depending on the day you ask me I got fired! I got promoted! For those of you that have been following "Emotional Money" I was overjoyed when I landed my Full Time Receptionist position. I had dreamed it up 6 months before. I got that position-busy but not too busy, weekly pay check, my own island-lots of paper work and I was able to set up my own systems. Well the first week I started the job, I also started rehearsals for my play and I had a business seminar approaching. Business seminar was a dream, my show closed last Saturday and I was looking forward to having some time to simply chill. On Friday, November 17th I'm called into the Vice Presidents office. "Samarra since we're not happy with your phone work but everyone likes you and your paperwork is always wonderful instead of throwing you out on the street we're promoting you to contract administrator position." WHAM!!!! The wind was knocked out of me, the color gone from my face. It was very clear I was not happy about "the promotion." It was also very clear to me that my ideal job was already gone. I had handed the application to my replacement and hadn't even known it. It was Friday at 12 noon and starting Monday I was to report to the 2nd Floor for my new position with no change in money. After 3 more months of probabtion than maybe a raise...Never mind that I was on the end of my third month as a receptionist and had already been counting on that raise. As a matter of fact, I thought that's why I was being called in the office. After all I had set systems in place, received compliments daily from people about how wonderful I was on the phone etc. etc. Unfortunately I had no idea that I was doing anything wrong or that they were unhappy with me. Unfortunately, I also didn't have the funds or energy frankly to simply walk out and look for another job. So on Monday I started my new position. I had to admit I liked having my own desk. And a place to be at lunch time, but as the receptionist I knew what I was doing-it was very easy. I have enough challenges acting and running my own business-my job I need it to be stress free. Easy and a steady paycheck. Period. But this new position is challenging-different computer systems and contracts I have to answer to 3 people directly-I won't have the freedom to schedule my conference calls anymore because my lunch won't always be when I want it to be if there is a contract that has to get out. I remember saying to one of my co-workers when I was going to be gone for a day to do a workshop. Please be sure I have a job to come back to. (I guess I should have been more specific.) The job was so perfect and everything-show and business was going well and I had some fears about something happening. This job is too perfect. So did my fear that things were going too well actually cause my WHAM! HMMMMMM! I guess I'll never know.

I don't have any words of wisdom this week. I'm thankful I still have a job. I'm simply sharing along with the positive come the WHAMS! I guess that's the thing about the journey-we get on the horse and get thrown off again and then we get back on and get thrown off again. And it just repeats over and over. I guess the variable is how long it takes to get back on the horse. (Of course, it's not really about the job-it's about trust. Call me naive but the smiles and comradie of the environment in no way prepared me for the fact that during those smiles they had been planning my fire/promotion unbeknowst to me.) If faced with this same thing again I need to be able to know I have the energy and resources to do what's best for me and not allow others to have so much control over my journey be it positive or negative. WHAM!!!!

Here is a beautiful story a reader emailed me after reading my blog-Whose Fault Is It Anyway? "When I was a child, I wanted to give away money -- my notion was to fly (with wings or my arms) around the world and drop money, probably pennies in those days, to people who were in need. I completely let go of that dream, forgot about it actually. Then in my early 40's, I worked for a foundation that gives money to grassroots organizations in Africa. I of course had to fly there to meet with groups, which I selected as possibilities and then recommended to the board for funding. And at some point I realized I was living my dream of giving away money, and flying to do so."

Virginia Hubbs, Boalsburg, PA

Thank you for sharing such a beautiful story.

UPCOMING DECEMBER BLOGS: I will be focusing on tools, tips, and stories related to our finances. Of course, the emotions under the money.

BLOGS/WEBSITES TO CHECK OUT:

1) If you need a copyeditor/PR/Marketing person for any field/any project please visit:

www.nelressamonique.com

(She is truly an amazing writer with unlimited enthusiasm and creative ideas)

2) Upcoming fundraiser and event on December 13th. If you have your own business or would like to check out women owned businesses in time for the holiday please visit:

www.thewomensmosaic.org

3) Barbara Sher, a pioneer in the coaching field. She's the NY Times best-sellingauthor of 7 books, and she has 4 PBS specials.Her website is http://barbarasher.com/

(I participated in an incredible teleconference call of hers which inspired last weeks blog-"Resistance Is Futile")

4) Andrea Reese-Actress/Playwright

(Incredible woman who has her own one-woman show. Check out her blog which has very insightful information regarding vegetarianism and her love of animals.)

www.JACKIEOSHOW.COM

http://eatingfear.blogspot.com

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: ONLY THE HEART KNOWS HOW TO FIND WHAT IS PRECIOUS

Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Any affirmations, suggestions, requests, job notices, teleseminars or events please email me at samarra_am_management@yahoo.com.

Any comments regarding any of the weekly "Emotional Money" issues please post and join in the conversation.

To unsubscribe to "Emotional Money" weekly ezine type in subject line "unsubscribe Emotional Money." To unsubscribe to all notices regarding Samarra Am Management events type in subject line "unsubscribe Samarra Am Management."

Copyright 2006

November 20, 2006



RESISTANCE IS FUTILE

I was walking in the Port Authority at 2 in the morning. Somehow I had gotten lost and I was on a side that I didn't recognize. There was a woman on the ground. Her body was not coorporating at all. It was very clear her intent was to get up and walk but none of her limbs were working. As people passed they asked if she wanted help. She very adamately said "no- leave me alone." Because she was so clearly embarassed and angry, people obeyed her command despite what they saw. A very well dressed completely helpless woman on the floor of Port Authority. I walked over to her and asked if she wanted help. Her response to me was the same. "No, leave me alone, I'm fine." I tried to leave her alone but I couldn't. So I walked a few steps back and decided to stand there with her. Through this process which was probably about 10 minutes she was continously stuggling to get up and she would simply just writhe on the floor. Nothing was working. Finally she yelled at her body in anger and then cried. I came closer. I sat on the floor with her and said it's going to be okay. People had stopped walking through-it was suddenly a ghost town. So we just sat. Now she relaxed and cried. And I just said over and over "its going to be okay." She then started telling me how she had just missed the last bus going to her town. How could she possibly get home? What was she going to do? Her friends she had met with had already left and she couldn't understand what was happening with her body. What was she going to do? I just kept rubbing her back and saying everything was going to be okay. I then asked her general questions about her home and family. Eventually we both relaxed even more. After about 10 minutes she decided she was going to try to stand. She made it to her knees. And then we just looked at eachother and smiled. Then holding hands we stood. Two strangers at 2 in the morning estastic and now hugging. She was standing and able to walk with absolutely no problem whatsoever. I had been with her as she had writhed on the floor and it was difficult for me even to believe that just minutes before this was the same woman. She realized that she could call a driver service she had used in the past. She was fine and refused further assistance. We hugged again and smiled and we each went, forever changed, our seperate ways.

As we've lost Gerald Lavert and Ed Bradely and countless others in the last few weeks, I'm amazed at how short and unpredicatable live is. How regardless of money, status, connection, etc. life is only ours in the present moment that we have it. The next moment truly is not guaranteed.

The holidays are upon us. I usually always resist them. I don't feel like traveling, I don't have a partner, I don't have any money, I don't have any money, I don't etc. But this year I think I'll try something different. Relaxing, smiling, stroking my own back and repeating everything is going to be okay. Resisting is futile-of course that's never stopped me from resisting in the past. But the process of pushing against does cause the body and mind to writhe unnecessarily and uncontrollably. I think I'll try relaxing this holiday season and maybe I'll be waving in the new year forever changed but with a smile, hug and an embrace of my power, and an appreciation for being ALIVE.


I wish you all a peaceful and joyful Thanksgiving!!

Here is a beautiful story a friend emailed me after reading last weeks blog-"Whose Fault Is It Anyway?"

When I was a child, I wanted to give away money -- my notion was to fly (with wings or my arms) around the world and drop money, probably pennies in those days, to people who were in need. I completely let go of that dream, forgot about it actually. Then in my early 40's, I worked for a foundation that gives money to grassroots organizations in Africa. I of course had to fly there to meet with groups, which I selected as possibilities and then recommended to the board for funding. And at some point I realized I was living my dream of giving away money, and flying to do so.
Virginia Hubbs, Boalsburg, PA


Adventures in Abundance was an incredible success. I have CD ROM's for sale for only $5.00 )plus $2.00 shipping and handling) that has inspiring tools from each of us:

Laura Allen: 15secondpitch
Scott Foster: Clean and Feed Total Health Solution
Samarra Mbenga: Samarra Am Management
Curtis Schmitt: Turn On To Life

Increase your abundance around your time, money, health and passion. To get your copy call me at 718-350-6095 or email me at samarra_am_management@yahoo.com.



FOOD FOR THOUGHT: A QUITTER NEVER WINS AND A WINNER NEVER QUITS





Any affirmations, suggestions, requests, job notices, teleseminars or events please email me at samarra_am_management@yahoo.com.


Any comments regarding any of the weekly "Emotional Money" issues please post and join in the conversation.
Thank you to the many of you that emailed me personally regarding last week's blog-"Whose Fault Is It Anyway?" Tears came to my eyes hearing about the memories of the dreams you'd attained. Thank you so much for sharing.


To unsubscribe to "Emotional Money" weekly ezine type in subject line "unsubscribe Emotional Money." To unsubscribe to all notices regarding Samarra Am Management events type in subject line "unsubscribe Samarra Am Management."





Copyright 2006

November 13, 2006

DREAMS DEFERRED

I realized today, what if every dream I've ever had, the only reason I haven't attained it is simply because I didn't believe I could? Throughout my life, even from a very young age I had very specific things I wanted-to wear those perfectly fitted costumes on stage, to have long hair that would move when the wind blew, to live in a place that wasn't Arlington, Va. but that was just like it. These dreams I've attained, but completly unexpectedly. I had the thought and really wanted it. I dreamed it and then let it go. They were easy to let go of because they all seemed farfetched. My mind couldn't make a plan, so it was easy to let them go. Then in a moment the memory of the dream would return as I was looking in the mirror at myself in a perfectly fitted costume. The first time I felt MY hair blowing in the wind and as I live in East Orange, NJ which is so much like Arlington, Va. I want the formula so I can figure it out-how do we get our dreams? For those that my mind thinks I can master-like getting the perfect partner, or acquiring a certain amount of money, the perfect job or the perfect part, I think I have a formula, an answer. I don't let it go and then everything gets off track-my insecurities come back to haunt me and the voice of doubt looms over everything. Because I'm using my mind to try to force things to happen. But today for some reason it hit me that if you have a dream, dream, take steps and actions towards your dream but mostly just let it go. Assume it's already done-the difference in how we move forward when we already know we have it, versus how we move forward when we already know we don't.

How are you moving forward in your days?

Are you prepared to take on the responsibility that your dreams that have been deferred, only you had the power to defer them?

Speaking of Dreams, Adventures in Abundance was an incredible success. Thank you so much to each of you that attended. Those that weren't able to make it we have a CD ROM for sale for only $5 that has inspiring tools from each of us:

Laura Allen: 15secondpitch

Scott Foster: Clean and Feed Total Health Solution

Samarra Mbenga: Samarra Am Management

Curtis Schmitt: Turn On To Life

Increase your abundance around your time, money, health and passion. To get your copy call me at 718-350-6095 or email me at samarra_am_management@yahoo.com.

The power of community-it was only going to be that one event, but due to popular demand we've scheduled another adventure in abundance in January! Stay tuned for details!

AFFIRMATION: THERE IS NOTHING TO FEAR

FREE TELESEMINARS:

Curtis G. Schmitt: Register for Time Management Mastery: The 5 Master Keys to Effective Time Management & Planning @ http://www.turnontolife.com/

Saturday, Nov. 18, 2006, 10:00 AM EST

JOBS:
Morgan Contracting Company:
Full time, salary $30,000
detailed, able to work in fast paced environment-in charge of getting drawings to subcontractors-keeping track copying and getting them to them by specific due dates.
If interested, please call Mark Wedderburn at 212-377-2600.

Any affirmations, suggestions, requests, job notices, teleseminars or events please email me at samarra_am_management@yahoo.com.

Any comments regarding any of the weekly "Emotional Money" issues please post and join in the conversation.

To unsubscribe to "Emotional Money" weekly ezine type in subject line "unsubscribe Emotional Money." To unsubscribe to all notices regarding Samarra Am Management events type in subject line "unsubscribe Samarra Am Management."

Copyright 2006

November 6, 2006

TODAY IS YOUR DAY!

Life is so very short. Everyday we hear on the news about a pedestrian struck and killed instantly. All we have is the present. The moment right now. We may as well spend those moments doing what we love. But most times we don't. We focus on the mistakes of the past and the fears of what the future will bring. Last night coming home I looked up at the full moon and the ring of light surrounding it. So beautiful. That moment, precious.

Tonight is the much anticipated seminar: Adventures in Abundance: Ignite Your Time, Money, Passion and Health! If you want to come but the circumstances of money, time, health or lack of passion is your reason for not coming, I invite you to take this opportunity to only follow your gut. What do you really want right now-if there were no "circumstances" holding you back from doing it. If you want to come, come-state your case and walk in the door. If you want to come, come. As we were putting together this seminar-I was opening a show while working a full-time job, another one of us moved from one state to another, another had a vacation already planned and would be out of touch for a week, another had 2 to 3 speaking engagements each week that had to be fulfilled. Each of us could have said we don't have the time, money, or stamina to do this right now. But because what we are doing is our passion none of the circumstances mattered.

Don't let the "cicumstances" that we are born into, or having been doing as a habit continue to dictate your present and future. Whether you are able to attend the seminar or not, in all you do stop for a moment. Look up at the sky and see the beauty of mother nature, see people around you that treat you well and let you know you are loved, go to work looking forward to your day-go forth positive and watch the miracles that occur. When you follow your passion, live in the present and expect only the best for yourself THAT is what you make manifest! TODAY IS YOUR DAY!

I hope to see you all at Adventures in Abundance:Ignite Your Money, Time, Health and Passion. Guaranteed it will not be your typical lecture series seminar. Growth, laughter, refreshments and FUN!

AFFIRMATION: MY WORLD IS FILLED WITH ABUNDANCE!

SEMINAR:
ADVENTURES IN ABUNDANCE: IGNITE YOUR MONEY, TIME, PASSION AND HEALTH
When: TONIGHT MONDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2006
Where: RIPLEY GRIER STUDIOS
520 8TH AVENUE (37th & 8th)
Cost: ONLY $15 OR 2 FOR ONLY $20
REGISTER TODAY AT www.adventuresinabundance.com
or show up at the door.

FREE TELESEMINARS:
Curtis G. Schmitt: Register for Time Management Mastery: The 5 Master Keys to Effective Time Management & Planning @ http://www.turnontolife.com/
Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2006, 8:00 PM EST
Saturday, Nov. 18, 2006, 10:00 AM EST

JOBS:

Morgan Contracting Company:

Full time, salary $30,000

detailed, able to work in fast paced environment-in charge of getting drawings to subcontractors-keeping track copying and getting them to them by specific due dates.

If interested, please call Mark Wedderburn at 212-377-2600.

Any affirmations, suggestions, requests, job notices, teleseminars or events please email me at samarra_am_management@yahoo.com.

Any comments regarding any of the weekly "Emotional Money" issues please post and join in the conversation.

To unsubscribe to "Emotional Money" weekly ezine type in subject line "unsubscribe Emotional Money." To unsubscribe to all notices regarding Samarra Am Management events type in subject line "unsubscribe Samarra Am Management."

Copyright 2006

October 30, 2006

JUST HAVE FUN!

"Whoever wants to reach a distant goal must take many small steps." Helmut Schmidt

What I noticed from each of the amazing interviews from the last 3 weeks was that each person, once the interview was over, took a moment and realized all they'd done, gotten through and accomplished in their lives. They'd forgotten. And it was such a gift to hear them get how great they are. We are all so busy, busy, busy, doing, doing, doing that we often forget how truly amazing we are. Take a moment and reflect back on all that you've been, done, accomplished and dreamed over your lifetime.

These last few weeks have been extremely challenging. For the first time in my career the normal small steps I take to research weren't leading me anywhere, each rehearsal I was getting more frustrated than relieved, going into tech I felt like I didn't have a clue who any of my characters were. Being told by a good friend "do you know anything about positive affirmations." "Yes, of course" I thought to myself. That's the whole premise of my weekly blogs-positive affirmations. My friend said to me well I think you need to practice-your negativity and frustration is not only affecting you but everyone around you. I notice you do it a lot and I think it's time for you to stop. Okay, all together now OOUUUCHHHH!!!!!

Whew, there is nothing more eye opening than truth. I was reminded of more than 15 years ago after one of my performances. After the show, my mom and others came to say how well I'd done and I went into my usual "I didn't do this and I didn't do that etc." Finally my mom had had enough and she said to me- I am so sick of you doing this. We try to compliment you because we actually enjoyed the performance and you ruin it everytime because we have to sit and listen to your complaints and critique and I'm sick of it, stop it. If you're unhappy with your performance-keep it to yourself and stop ruining it for everyone else.

I stopped of course because it was my mom but now I was forced to say nothing but "Thank You." It was uncomfortable at first because I wanted to dispute them. But then when I was listening and just being with them then I got to just enjoy their experience. Then a funny thing happened-I started to focus on the positive myself and my very negative mind chatter was not as loud as the positive. Here it was all these years later and I was doing it again. Focusing on the negative. What I hadn't done or figured out or accomplished. This play "Imaginary Invalid" by Moliere-has the character that focuses on being sick to get attention and the lovers that fall in love at first sight and break all rules, constraints and boundaries to get their loves. My experience with love, relationships etc. has been nothing except drama and anx and I was taking a character free of all that and putting on the anx and hopelessness. I was taking the Samarra who wants to be free of all that drama and have seminars dedicated to creating abundance and fun and forgetting I need to practice it in my own life-day to day. One thing about acting-it has always forced me to have to deal with myself-no wonder I quit the business for 4 years. (A very "easy" but very stagnant 4 years.) Once the audience was there and with the words of my friend in my ear-what choice did I have? Just to let go-be free and have fun. Guess what? Just like I had learned years ago-it is so much lighter and easier to simply have fun! I keep forgetting.

The seasons change, no longer a time for anx and drama. It's now a time for lightness, freedom and fun. The kicker, both are always there but it's up to me to choose which one I'm going to focus on and allow in! Thank you Moliere, friend, mom, Curtis, Laura, Scott and my kitten Panther. I'm ready for some freaking fun! Here's to all the small steps!

I hope to see you all at Adventures in Abundance:Ignite Your Money, Time, Health and Passion. Guaranteed it will not be your typical lecture series seminar. There will be "Ouch" moments because that's simply the nature of growth but there will also be an unlimited supply of laughter, refreshments and FUN!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: ANGELS FLY BECAUSE THEY TAKE THEMSELVES LIGHTLY!

(I HAD TO REPEAT THIS ONE FROM LAST WEEK FOR OBVIOUS REASONS)

AFFIRMATION: IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER! SO WHAT I'LL HANDLE IT!

SEMINAR:

ADVENTURES IN ABUNDANCE: IGNITE YOUR MONEY, TIME, PASSION AND HEALTH

When: MONDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2006

Where: RIPLEY GRIER STUDIOS

520 8TH AVENUE (37th & 8th)

Cost: ONLY $15 OR 2 FOR ONLY $20

REGISTER TODAY AT www.adventuresinabundance.com

FREE TELESEMINARS:

Curtis G. Schmitt: Register for Time Management Mastery: The 5 Master Keys to Effective Time Management & Planning @ www.TurnOnToLife.com

Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2006, 8:00 PM EST

Saturday, Nov. 18, 2006, 10:00 AM EST

Any affirmations, suggestions, requests, job notices, teleseminars or events please email me at samarra_am_management@yahoo.com.

Any comments regarding any of the weekly "Emotional Money" issues please post and join in the conversation.

To unsubscribe to "Emotional Money" weekly ezine type in subject line "unsubscribe Emotional Money." To unsubscribe to all notices regarding Samarra Am Management events type in subject line "unsubscribe Samarra Am Management."

Copyright 2006

October 23, 2006

INTERVIEW: CURTIS G. SCHMITT

TURN ON TO LIFE

If you are joining us for the first time today. Welcome! Today is the last of a 3 part series of interviews with the co-presenters of Adventures In Abundance: Ignite Your Time, Money, Passion and Health, which will take place on Monday, November 6th. Please visit our website at www.adventuresinabundance.com. I guarantee you that it will be an evening you will not want to miss.

Curtis G. Schmitt and I met over the phone on May 2, 2006. We were on a business conference call with Best Coaches Inc. which we'd signed up for to "help jumpstart your business in 90 days." From that very first phone call we realized right away that we had very similar ways of thinking, interests and beliefs. The program was for three months-2 conference calls a week. We met face to face when he traveled from Shetler Island to be on my production team for my first seminar on July 31st. After Best Coaches ended we didn't know how but we knew we'd have to continue to work together. Throughout those three months what always impressed me about Curtis, besides his great heart, and want to make a difference in the world was his ability to always look at himself-what his part of the responsibility was for whatever was occuring. The sign of a true leader. True to Curtis one of the first moments of the interview he said:

"There were times in my life when I was a real dick. Very judgemental. The shift came when I read the author Robert Anton Wilson and he challenged my idea of certainty. From him I fell in love with the idea that nothing really IS. Everything is a paradigm. Everything is perspective. You can’t take that concept in without it changing how you look at yourself.”

Of course we know many people, ourselves for instance, that have many judgements and opinions but we never think that they apply to us.
For Curtis this was a simple truth. To not only learn about the concept but to apply it to himself. Please read on to learn how this man went from majoring in Math and German, to pursuing a music career to being the owner of Turn On To Life.


Samarra: Where did you grow up?
Curtis: Setauket, NY in Long Island.

Samarra: Do you have any siblings?
Curtis: Yes, I have a sister that is 2 ½ years younger than me. She has 2 beautiful daughters.

Samarra: Where did you go to college?
Curtis: I went to Williams College, a libral arts college and majored in Math and German.

Samarra: What did you want to “be when you grew up?”
Curtis: In Junior High School I wanted to be a writer-I wrote a lot of short stories and wrote for the school paper. In High School my focus shifted to music, I learned to play the guitar, I started writing songs and I wanted to be in a band. After graduating from college I moved to Arizona to pursue my music career. Until my late 20’s I never really had to make a real choice. Lots of people have had tough lives but until that point in my life I never really had had to work hard for something. For instance, I wanted to go to college. My parents had the money to pay for me to go to college. Life has always been comfortable…this mediocrity.

Samarra: Do you think being "comfortable" is "mediocrity"?
Curtis: When it’s limiting, yes. I became trapped by being comfortable. I had never pursued what I loved because it was hard-I’d pursue it to a point, but when it got hard, then I'd say, “Oh well, that must be the wrong thing.” After college I pursued my dream of music-that was hard- so then I got a job in a warehouse, that was easy-then the job wasn't satisfying-I started a web site design company-hard, run back and get an IT a job-easy. The result was that by my late 20’s I was in a very bad depression. By this time I had been an IT person for the last 4 years and I felt like the walls were closing in on me. Sometimes I couldn’t breath, there would be moments when I would hear a sad song and I couldn’t turn it off fast enough. It was overwhelming. Since college, I had always had a deep, underlying unfullifillment. An emptiness.

Samarra: What do you love?
Curtis: Moving people to take charge, To Turn On To Life.
There are a lot of people who are comfortable. They’re not turned on to life, not passionate. My core belief is that the more people who are pursuing their passion, the better the world will be.


When I was feeling overwhelmed my office mate at the time, Scott Foster (please see October 9th interview to learn more about Scott) told me about Kripalu Yoga Center. I went there for about a week. It was the beginning of a new chapter in my life. When filling out their feedback form, under “occupation” I wrote “unpublished screenwriter/filmmaker.” I didn't know where it came from but it was something that I wanted. When I returned home, my friend and I started to write a screen play and I knew we would make the film. It was the first time I felt like I was making a choice for myself. It felt different. The things I would do in the past, I felt like I was pretending, playing at things for the benefit of other people. This time it was a choice for myself and I knew that I would see it through. And I did. It wasn’t easy-the process was difficult, but I persisted because it was something I was doing for me.

Samarra: What is the name of the film?
Curtis: "What Remains" and it's about a drifter who can’t let go of the past. It was chosen in 4 festivals the largest being the Stony Brook International Film Festival where it was shown to over 500 people.

Samarra: How did you feel?
Curtis: Hmmmm-good question- I felt really good. Prior to this experience with most of my “victories” I only felt relief. They weren’t met with joy-because they weren’t my choices or my passions, I only felt relief that it wasn’t a failure. It’s not only important to find your passion and pursue it, it’s also important that you feel that passion. Otherwise you rob the moment that you’re in.

Samarra: Congratulations, I can’t wait to see your film. How did you transition from filmmaking to starting your business as a life coach?
Curtis: I started Turn On To Life in January of 2005. Although I was happy I made the film and loved doing it-there was something still missing. I realized it was very important that the contribution I make in the world had to be a direct line, and filmmaking wasn't direct enough for me. I remember even in college people would seek me out for my perspective. I love to learn. I have always been a problem solver.
When declaring my business I had a similar feeling-knowing this was a choice I was making not because it was path of least resistance but because it felt right for me.

Samarra: What is your advice to those that are comfortable but miserable?
Curtis: In my business I focus on time management because people will often say “I don’t have enough time.” When in fact "time" is not the issue-they are just not spending time on what is truly important to them and that is where the dissatisfaction is coming from.
First, start with asking yourself the question-is the problem that you think is the problem really the problem? Are you really pursuing things that you want to do? I look back at that film and I didn’t know it couldn’t be done-I didn’t know I couldn’t build a bathroom with running water in my dad’s garage. Those who’d done films said I couldn’t but I did because through ignorance I was forced to focus only on the steps in front of me. When pursuing or spending time on what you love, that passion forces you to simply move forward one step at a time.

Samarra: Hence your tag line at the end of all of your written correspondence:

“Peace and Passion.”

Curtis: (laughter) Exactly.





Thank you so much Curtis, Laura and Scott for sharing your incredible stories. Regardless of our backgrounds, income and experiences we are all connected...we've all started or thought we knew what our lives were going to look like. We pursued that and when it wasn't enough continued moving forward and have found that our businesses combine all that we've spent our lives doing from the very beginning. No matter where each of us are in the journey just keep tuning into YOU-be honest-are you fulfilled? That is the beginning.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: ANGELS FLY BECAUSE THEY TAKE THEMSELVES LIGHTLY!

FREE TELESEMINARS:

Curtis G. Schmitt: Register for Time Management Mastery: The 5 Master Keys to Effective Time Management & Planning @ www.TurnOnToLife.com
Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2006, 8:00 PM EST
Saturday, Nov. 18, 2006, 10:00 AM EST

Curtis has created a home study course putting the ideas he talked about in the interview into a tangible system of steps just for you!

Nancy Feth: It’s the Pause that Refreshes: Register today at www.PassionClarityandAction.com.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006 11:00 am EST

Wednesday, November 1, 2006 11:00 am EST

JOBS:

Morgan Contracting Company FT position. Must be able to multi-task, attention to detail and comfortable working in a face paced environment. Call Mark Wedderburn at 212-377-2100.

Any affirmations, suggestions, requests, job notices, teleseminars or events please email me at samarra_am_management@yahoo.com.

Any comments regarding any of the weekly "Emotional Money" issues please post and join in the conversation. To unsubscribe to "Emotional Money" weekly ezine type in subject line "unsubscribe Emotional Money." To unsubscribe to all notices regarding Samarra Am Management events type in subject line "unsubscribe Samarra Am Management."

Copyright 2006

October 16, 2006



INTERVIEW: LAURA ALLEN
CO-OWNER 15SECOND PITCH


Today is the second interview in a three part series featuring the presenters at Adventures in Abundance: Ignite Your Time, Money, Pasion and Health seminar being held on November 6th in Midtown. Please visit our website www.adventuresinabundance.com to learn more. Please read on to find out how Laura Allen, a a 5'2 red head with a nose ring went from wanting to be a rock star, to being at the forefront of several major internet businesses to walking Manhattan streets in tears because she couldn't even get a job that paid $5 an hour hearing repeatedely "you're over qualified," to being a full-time business owner for the last four years.

Laura: I was the lead singer in a few rock bands but I learned early on that talent had nothing to do with getting signed by a label, but it was mostly about how you marketed yourself. Then I thought I'd be a writer (non-fiction, journalism) but realized that the economics of it weren't really possible. Writers have to do a lot of hussling and it's difficult to make a living.
My singular focus was that I wanted to live in the city. At 18 years old I accomplished that. I went to the prestigious Eugene Lang School and majored in writing and then went to The New School to get my Masters in Media Studies. The entire time in school I had to work 2 or 3 jobs. During my school years I probably only saw 1 or 2 movies that entire time. I felt school was my only opportunity. And at the same time I had to do well in school so I wouldn't lose my scholarship. But I burned myself out and two classes away from earning my masters I had to quit school.

Samarra: If you had it to do over again do you feel "work, work, working" is the answer?
Laura: We all have choices. My singular focus was that I wanted to live in Manhattan. I could have went to Syracuse and lived at home but that's not what I wanted. And once being in the city I did not want to have to move back home. I felt if I went home I'd never get back to the city. Working the way I did was what I felt I needed to do to survive.
After leaving school I went to work for an advertising agency. I left school with $60,000 in debt and my first job paid $17,500. I was naive about what it would take to live in Manhattan. I wish I had had a mentor that could have better explained to me the realities. But I loved the creative process of the advertising business-this is where I learned to pitch to clients. But what I didn't like was they weren't the most ethical people. At the New School I had a professor, Hazen Reed, who was a visionary and saw the potential of the internet, this is back when it was brand new. I didn't know much about computers and he saw my promise and instilled in me the necessity and importance of the internet. I learned first hand how one person can make such a difference in your life. He's the reason why so much of what I do now is internet based. From the ad agency I saw an ad that said "most connected person in Silicon Alley." I wanted to work with that guy. And I did. His company focused on internet advertising which at the time was brand new. While working with him I went to a networking event. Tim Drapper(who created Hotmail-a new concept att he time-free internet) was the speaker, charismatic, funny and after speaking he'd have only ten minutes before he was off to his next event. I knew I had to pitch Silicon Alley to him. I was the only woman in a crowd of all men in very expensive business suits. After he spoke eveyone rushed towards him. How could I, a 5'2 red head with a nose ring get his attention. As everyone was crowded around him I got a cocktail napkin and wrote "Silicon Alley.com" and waved it in the air. Then I heard this guttaral laugh and he said "see boys this is how its done. I think I can get you a few million dollars for that." That's when I realized this pitching thing is fun.

Samarra: Wow, what an incredible story.

Laura: From there I went to work with two people from Silicon Alley who were forming their own company. A sort of Hotmail on steroids. They had the idea that businesses would want to connect with customers through the internet. But the challenge was they had to break through the perception at the time of spam. We became a multimillion dollar company. I was responsible for hiring people, talking about the product (which at the time didn't exist) and getting clients. I was there for two years and helped build it and it was the perfect education for starting my own business.

Samarra: When did you realize you wanted to start your own business?
Laura: I always knew I wanted to do something for myself.

At one point in college I received an eviction notice. I had tried everything. I had put out resumes everywhere. I had another interview one day and it was only paying $5.00/hour. But I needed a job. I could tell during the interview that I wasn't going to get the job. As I had been hearing constantly, I tried McDonalds, factories everywhere I heard "you're overqualified." I said to him-what if I guarantee you that I will stay for one year. Still he wasn't going to hire me and I started crying. The interview was near Grand Central station and I didn't have the money to take the subway so I had to walk. I had on a hot polyester suit and these cardboard platforms I'd gotten from Payless shoe store and they were cutting into my feet. When I got to Gramercy Park I just cried openly the rest of the way home. I finally had to take my shoes off they hurt so bad. There I was a smart college graduate walking barefoot on the hot tar in Manhattan unable to get hired anywhere. At one point I remember looking up at the sky and saying if I find a way out of this, I'll help other people. When I got home I said to myself I've done all I can. Sometimes you do everything you can do and that's all you can do.

Then my phone rang and it was my friend saying why don't you come work for me-I can't pay you much but..and that was the ad agency job. I look back and it scares the crap out of me.

Samarra: What do you love?
Laura: I love connecting people. Seeing people who have potential and connecting them with people who can further their goals.

Samarra: In your darkest moments what has kept you moving forward?
Laura: My belief that I could turn things around. In the moments when I lost the belief, those moments were complete and total darkness.

Samarra: In the moments of complete and total darkness what brought you back?
Laura: Sometimes it was the good people around me and I saw them struggling to and they would get a job and that would provide inspiration. The belief would come back and that would prompt things to happen.

Samarra: How did 15secondpitch come about?
Laura: In the beginning of 2001 I went to work with Jim. Jim had been an entrepreneur for over 15 years. He was focused on technology but hated promoting/marketing. So it was a perfect fit professionally and personally. After 9/11 everything stopped. Business stopped, people stopped. I went back and forth from a false arrogance, "I can make this happen" to being scared-I didn't want to go back to being poor again. We had a comapny with an office space and employees and everyday I'd wake up-"okay how are we going to pay for this.." and Jim said "you can't think your way out of this problem." I was a person that had always connected people and people were calling me. And for the first time I couldn't tell them anything. There were no jobs-I was watching people with more experience then me being laid off and having to move back home with their parents. I was scared but I was more terrified for these people. I had been poor before but a lot of the people that were calling me they had never experienced this before.

At one point Jim and I went to a marketing event in LA. Historically, technology based people have trouble explaining what they do. And we met Mack (I still remember his name) we asked him what he did and he said "who knows what I do for a living" and he went on and on and it was like a stand up comedy routine. Jim and I talked about Mack all night-it was a light moment in a very dark time. Over the next few weeks together we came up with the idea to give people a baseball card with their picture and pitch about what they do. We'd go to an event, know who'd be there-get their picture from the website and then write based on what it said on their website. We'd give them about 30 free cards. They'd love it and then others would see it and love it and that's how we started. (This week Laura will be doing her 2 hour workshop with inner city high school kids. Then they will go across the street to a networking event that was set up for them with professional business people and have the opportunity to "pitch" themselves.)

Samarra: Laura you are keeping your promise that you made that day walking home in tears.
Laura: Yes, but it took me a few years to get there.

Samarra: What advice do you have for those at the crossroads.
Laura: The promise of the internet is that it has the potential to level the playing field. Things are much cheaper so it allows for everyone to have the same opportunities. Internet will be more of an equalizer. But it is still important to meet people face to face. How you market yourself-how you speak and dress are things that are very important. I didn't know how important when I was growing up. A good pitch today is better than a perfect pitch tomorrow. You never know when the opportunity is going to present itself.

Samarra: Thank you so much for sharing your inspirational story!

I cried, laughed and was inspired. Please visit her website at www.15seconpitch.com. With her expertise, what an honor that she will be a speaker at the Adventures in Abundance seminar on Monday, November 6th at Ripley Greir Studios. Please check out our website
www.adventuresinabundance.com and register today.




Affirmation: (please repeat every morning and every evening until next Monday.)
"I AM FINDING VALUE IN EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS TO ME: LET GO!"




Free Teleseminar:
Laura Allen :The 4 Key Elements of a Successful 15 Second Pitch
This Wednesday October 18th at 7:00pm. Please visit and register at www.15secondpitch.com.



JOBS:
Morgan Contracting Company
FT position. Must able to multi-task, attention to detail and able to work in face paced environment.
Call Mark Weddeburn at 212-377-2100.

Any suggestions, requests, job notices, teleseminars or events please email me at samarra_am_management@yahoo.com.
Any comments regarding any of the weekly "Emotional Money" issues please post and join in the conversation.

To unsubscribe to "Emotional Money" weekly ezine type in subject line "unsubscribe Emotional Money." To unsubscribe to all notices regarding Samarra Am Management events type in subject line "unsubscribe Samarra Am Management."
Copyright 2006

October 9, 2006


INTERVIEW: SCOTT FOSTER
CLEAN AND FEED TOTAL HEALTH SOLUTION

If you are just joining "Emotional Money" for the first time "Welcome!" For the month of October each week I will be doing an interview with the business owners that will be featured at our upcoming seminar: Adventures in Abundance: Ignite your Time, Money, Passion and Health. To register and for more information, please visit our website at www.adventuresinabundance.com. I invite you to look at the past issues from the month of September which feature my opinions regarding different aspects of my observations in life. Please fill free to post your comments. I'm dedicated to building a community in action: living with a philosphy to create abundance in health, wealth and spirit! Welcome!

I dedicate this issue of "Emotional Money" to the many who feel that because they haven't already arrived-then what's the point? This interview points out so clearly that everything we do in our lives serves a purpose. It is not about the destination but about the journey.

FEATURE:
Scott Foster owner of Clean and Feed Total Health Solution started his business about a year ago. He's a computer consultant. He lives in Manorville, New York with his wife, 3 children (17, 15 and 8) a dog and a cat. He grew up in Carmel, NY. He went to Cortlandt University and majored in music and graduated from NYU with honors majoring in film/tv.

Samarra: Many of my readers are at a crossroads in their lives feeling like their circumstances are overwhelming. What advice do you have for them-how can they focus on their health when they are trying to survive the daily grind?
Scott: Don't change anything your doing. Just start adding things.
Start with the food you're already eating. For example if you like broccoli with cheese. Okay have the brocilli with cheese-at least you are having broccoli. Start from where you are-don't change anything. Eventually the new things will begin to take up more room in your life.

Samarra: On your website www.cleanandfeed.com you talk about "the testament of truth in each of us.." What do you believe that is?
Scott: There is a fundamental truth that we all share. This truth exists outside of our opinions. We all have different ways of plugging into it-career, spirtual...but the same truth exist within each of us. For example there are all different kinds of flowers but they all need the sun to survive. Without the sun-the source-there is no life. The source of survival-the same truth-exists in each of us.

Samarra: How did you develop your Clean and Feed Philosphy?
Scott: It has been a process. I am a real trier of everything. Sort of a gypsy. I immerse myself in things from the inside. I've studied dietetics, vegetarianism, zen buddism, symbology, hyra christna, green food years before it became "popular", vitamins, meditations, went to Kripalu for a month (my family really thought I was going off the deep end) and through all my years of studying various practices, faith, spirtualities, meditations I noticed a simililarity and consistent theme with each of them. I noticed the "answers" are right there-it's much simpler than we think. At the heart of everything. The earth moves in a circular pattern, the tide goes in and out, the atoms in our bodies-all the same pattern. At the base of everything-there is a cleansing and feeding cycle. And the 4 Pillars are the tools that people can utilize to connect the dots. Very powerful and very simple. Everything we need we already have. It's simply about reestablishing the connection that is already right there within each of us.

Samarra: What your 4 Pillars of Health and which do you think is the most important?
Scott: The 4 Pillars of Health are Live Food, Oxygen, Positive Emotion and Water.
Positive Emotion is the most important.
Because that is what is inside you. (Zen monks would drink posion to show the power of belief) I teach that Emotion is 50% and physical is 50% but in actuality what is inside you-your belief is everything. I don't teach emotion is 100% because no one is ready for that-I'm not even ready for that. Where does reality begin? With our beliefs, which is why it is most important.

Samarra: Did you grow up with "health" being practiced in your house?
Scott: No, in fact the running joke is my parents always say to me "you ate oreos and you turned out fine."

Samarra: What has led you to practice and follow your dreams despite your circumstances or the lack of support from family and friends?
Scott: The death of both of my brothers. After losing my second brother my first few months in college it launched me into asking more spirtual questions. During that time, I remember seeing an episode of David and Goliath and one of them had fallen into a hole and he kept hearing
"God Is Everywhere, Everywhere, Everywhere." And that stuck with me. Like a mantra "God is Everywhere, Everywhere, Everywhere."

Samarra: How did you go from film/tv to computer consultant to health?
Scott: Trial and Error. After graduating from school I realized I wasn't interested in working the crappy jobs that went along with the film/tv industry for example sitting in a truck all night to make sure it wasn't ripped off. I started pitching show/magazine ideas. Ironically the topics were around health. I even had aninterview with Time magazine that was interested in one of my ideas. But they never materialized. I was painting houses, my own business, at the time and realized I didn't want to do that anymore either. I saw an ad for computer teachers and got that job with no experience-I just knew I liked computers. And to this day that is how I earn the majority of my income. Throughout all my my careers and experiences I've always been studying and immersing myself in health and spirtually realted topics and settings. My business simply combines what I've always been doing.

Samarra: But what finally caused you to be in action and do it?
Scott: I have a lot of friends my same age that have been diagosed with cancer. My passion and my love as always been discovering ways to learn and improve myself spirtually and physically. I have this burning fire. What am I going to do with it? I have a gift and a skill set-seeing, feeling, understanding the fundamental truth and tools to allow people from exactly where they are to get them healthier spirtually and physically. As I improve myself, I improve the world because I'm apart of the world. At some point I had to take responsibility and own my gifts. My son is currently asking the questions and as we're taught he's looking outside of himself to find the answers. I'm teaching him to look within. We're each the pebble in the pond creating a ripple. We're each on our own solo journey but as a friend told me: Always open your circle-the truth of our spirtual journey doesn't move us toward or away from others but it encompasses. As I help myself I help others and vice versa and we all help the world. All encompassing. Don't change anything you're doing. Simply add. Take deeper breaths, drink more water, eat more live food and know the answer is RIGHT THERE -in our noses (the air we breath), underneath our noses (the food we eat.)


Thank you so much Scott for a wonderful and enlightening conversation. You can visit his website at www.cleanandfeed.com.
You do not want to miss his workshop on Novemeber 6th. Find out specifically for you and your life how to improve your spirtual and physical health from what you are already doing. Please go to our website www.adventuresinabundance.com to register today. Seating is limited.




Affirmation: (please repeat every morning and every night until next Monday):
"I AM NOW CREATING A HEALTHY RADIANT BODY AND MIND!"



Next Monday (October 16th) on Emotional Money: Interview with Laura Allen co-owner of 15secondpitch.com. An incredible, inspirational woman who has spent her life connecting dots regardless of circumstances. An interview you will not want to miss.



Free Teleseminars:
Laura Allen-featured guest next week on "Emotional Money"
"The 4 Key Elements of a Successful 15 Second Pitch" Thursday October 18th at 7:00pm.
Please visit and register at www.15secondpitch.com.

Curtis Schmitt-"for time management advice that won't waste your time"
Register for Time Management Mastery: The 5 Master Keys to effective
Time Management & Planning.
This Saturday, October 14 at 10am.
Please visit and register at www.TurnOnToLife.com.



Any suggestions, requests, job notices, teleseminars or events please email me at samarra_am_management@yahoo.com.
Any comments regarding any of the weekly "Emotional Money" issues please post and join in the conversation.


To unsubscribe to "Emotional Money" weekly ezine type in subject line "unsubscribe Emotional Money." To unsubscribe to all notices regarding Samarra Am Management events type in subject line "unsubscribe Samarra Am Management."


"What the mind can conceive and believe, it can ACHIEVE."
Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill


Copyright 2006