Sunday, December 16, 2007

Words DO have power!

I received a fantastic email from a reader and attendee at one of my recent presentations. Her story and moment of "aha" is so familiar to my first, early in my career, and I thought those reading this blog might enjoy it. Thanks Bonny!

Hi Kelley,

I saw you in Red Deer when you were here speaking to the Independent Achievers group. We spoke afterwards about car accidents, pain, numbness etc.

I just finished your book and loved it.

I wanted to share my experience with choosing the words we use. Several years ago I lived in Grande Prairie and was selling real estate. I was feeling overwhelmed, like I was going in circles, and certainly not very productive. One day I had an "aha" moment and realized when someone asked me how I was doing, I consistently responded with "busy, really busy". As a fairly new realtor I felt it was important to let everyone know I was actually doing something. I made a deal with myself, for one month I was not allowed to use the word "busy" as a response to anyone asking how I was doing. I had to replace it with awesome, terrific or some such adjective. At first it was hard and it was kind of comical watching the reactions as that is not what most people are expecting. And then as I got more comfortable with my new words I started adding on "I have so much time" or something like that. It was worth it just for the shock value. And sometimes hard not justify why I had any spare time. After one month I was working less, and through the summer I was taking at least 2 days a week off, I golfed the most that summer I had golfed in the previous 10 years and I was way more productive. I was working much less but making much more. The deals were coming easily and effortlessly, clients were fun to work with.

So thank you for that great reminder. I had forgotten all about that until I read "Words have Power" in your book. There were many of those moments reading your book. I have read all the books you referenced so it was awesome to read the great quotes and bits of those amazing authors combined with your own experiences and stories. It was like a refresher course.

I'm looking forward to starting your 2nd book. And certainly seeing you as a speaker at some great event soon!

Have fun,


Bonny

Monday, November 12, 2007

I was WOW'd by the women at WOW

I had the great honour and privilege of speaking at the WOW - Woman of Worth Conference - in Kelowna and Vancouver the past few weekends. WOW indeed! The energy of 200 women in Kelowna and nearly 1,000 in Vancouver was exhilarating!

My heartfelt thanks to all of you that stopped me in person and later emailed with your thoughts. Here's a note from Laura ... thanks for your touching missive. I've responded at the end of your note.

Hi Kelley,

I attended the WOW conference in Vancouver a few weeks ago. Your talk was the only talk I stayed in my seat for! I was skeptical at first, b/c my financial situation is a bit scary, as my husband is a full-time student, and I am home on EI with our ten month-old. Can you say DEBT CITY?

But then you said something that really spoke to me. I am still processing it and integrating it into my life. First you said that we are all millionaires. Hmm...That made me feel a bit more confident. You explained that if we play the lottery (which, sadly, I do), that when the money shows up, we'll just be thankful for it, but not surprised or reliant on it. (You put this all much more eloquently, but this is what I got from it.) I went home that day and thought, since I am a millionaire, I should start acting like one, thinking like one, and most importantly, TREATING MY MONEY like one. To me that means actually checking in on my bank account and looking the negative number in the eye. It means not hiding stashes of cash around the house, or leaving change on the floor of my car.

I took a lottery ticket to get checked that day and I won $10.00. Pretty funny! Later that day I asked for a scholarship to attend a Nia trainers course (remember the demo?), and I got a partial scholarship!I had to get out of dreamland (imagining my Vancouver home on Point Grey Rd. that I would live in after we won the lottery...), and into reality. And a reality that factually tells me that I am a millionaire is something I can live in. It is pretty hard work, keeping those negative thoughts out, (I'm not using a real rubber band, but I am doing it), but I am working at it everyday.

Thanks again for your talk. It really helped me get some perspective.

Yours,

Laura

And thank YOU for your note Laura. I applaud you and am so very proud of you for taking the responsibility to change your financial future. Debt City isn't fun and it doesn't have to be forever. You hit it on the nail...a millionaire DOES look at their financial situation openly and objectively and doesn't take on the debt or excess personally. Remember, the true millionaire at heart doesn't use money or the lack of it to define their worth. Many, many wealthy individuals have lost everything and got it back quickly only because their true worth lives within. I'm so thrilled that you took this home with you.

On a side note, it's ironic that I was running through my keynote presentation with my business coach before WOW. He's always stuck on my part where I believe and tell my audience that they truly are worth millions. Time and time again, he's tried to convince me that I should re-work my wording or preface that, in his words, "they're not really millionaires". I couldn't disagree with him more, and from your note and the many others I've received in the past, I'm never taking it out. In thinking about how I might convince you and my other audience members further, I've dug up this tremendous story by Earl Nightingale called Acres of Diamonds. (see below).

Blessings to you Laura and I'll look forward to hearing from you when your dollars do show up just as you knew they would.

Until then, live prosperously!

*******************************************
ACRES OF DIAMONDS

The story — a true one — is told of an African farmer who heard tales about other farmers who had made millions by discovering diamond mines. These tales so excited the farmer that he could hardly wait to sell his farm and go prospecting for diamonds himself. He sold the farm and spent the rest of his life wandering the African continent searching unsuccessfully for the gleaming gems that brought such high prices on the markets of the world. Finally, worn out and in a fit of despondency, he threw himself into a river and drowned.

Meanwhile, the man who had bought his farm happened to be crossing the small stream on the property one day, when suddenly there was a bright flash of blue and red light from the stream bottom. He bent down and picked up a stone. It was a good-sized stone, and admiring it, he brought it home and put it on his fireplace mantel as an interesting curiosity.

Several weeks later a visitor picked up the stone, looked closely at it, hefted it in his hand, and nearly fainted. He asked the farmer if he knew what he'd found. When the farmer said, no, that he thought it was a piece of crystal, the visitor told him he had found one of the largest diamonds ever discovered. The farmer had trouble believing that. He told the man that his creek was full of such stones, not all as large as the one on the mantel, but sprinkled generously throughout the creek bottom.

The farm the first farmer had sold, so that he might find a diamond mine, turned out to be one of the most productive diamond mines on the entire African continent.The first farmer had owned, free and clear ... acres of diamonds. But he had sold them for practically nothing, in order to look for them elsewhere. The moral is clear: If the first farmer had only taken the time to study and prepare himself to learn what diamonds looked like in their rough state, and to thoroughly explore the property he had before looking elsewhere, all of his wildest dreams would have come true.

The thing about this story that has so profoundly affected millions of people is the idea that each of us is, at this very moment, standing in the middle of our own acres of diamonds. If we had only had the wisdom and patience to intelligently and effectively explore the work in which we're now engaged, to explore ourselves, we would most likely find the riches we seek, whether they be financial or intangible or both.

Before you go running off to what you think are greener pastures, make sure that your own is not just as green or perhaps even greener. It has been said that if the other guy's pasture appears to be greener than ours, it's quite possible that it's getting better care. Besides, while you're looking at other pastures, other people are looking at yours.

Monday, August 13, 2007

6 Degrees update

Hi friends,

For those of you participating and following the 6 degrees experiment, you can view all of the details at http://www.kelleykeehn.com/6degrees_000.html. You may need to cut and paste this link. Or just visit my site at www.kelleykeehn.com and there's a link on the face page.

Thanks for your support!

Friday, August 10, 2007

Random acts of kindness

Who doesn't appreciate the genuine extention of love from a fellow human being? And it's most special when repayment isn't an option.

If you've read any of my books, you know that I list ideas for Random Acts of Kindess in all of them and I'm always looking for new ideas...so please post your comments here.

One I hadn't thought of and I was blown away by occurred recently at a Tokyo Express here in Edmonton. Generally, I'm touring, jetting somewhere or intensely writing at home and rarely go out when home (my sweetie so kindly does all the grocery shopping, etc.). One day I decided to get dinner...you guessed it...a bowl at Tokyo Express. I know what you're thinking...but it's filling, generally a pretty healthy fast food decision and quick. Of course I wait until rush hour to finally head out and can't believe how popular this spot is. Apparently everyone in town had the same idea.

Somewhat sheltered from reality and the local scene these days, when I do venture out in my own city, I really take in every detail I can. While waiting in line for what seemed like forever (probably only 15 minutes), I couldn't help but notice how lovely and well dressed the woman in front of me was. A young corporate type, extremely elegant and curiously patient. I on the other hand was starting to appreciate my experience less and my triple "A" personality had me tapping my foot and impatiently wondering how a "bowl" can take so long to prepare.

I was trilled when my number was called, started pressing the automatic car door opening even before leaving the establishment and there, as I headed out the door was the lovely young woman that was in line before me.

"What was she doing" I thought? She had handed her bag which looked like it had a large bowl, some other sides and an ice tea to a young homeless man that I only gave a few loonies to on the way in.

"What is this" I thought. She waited, what seemed like after a long day at the office very patiently in line for a dinner that wasn't even going to be hers. Hmmmmm...what a fantastic act of kindness indeed!

Monday, July 23, 2007

Who can we help?

Hi friends,

Wow! I'm joyfully taken back with how many of you have emailed with your support and ideas for my 6 degrees game.

Now is my chance to help you or someone in your life and I'll be YOUR first link in a chain if you'd like to start one.

Do you know of someone in your life...a child, senior, an individual needing a self-worth boost that would really like to meet someone they never thought they could?

If so, please let me know and I'll make the first connection for you. Please post your comments and ideas directly on this blog or email me at kelley.keehn@gmail.com.

Be sure to let me know a little about the person you'd like to help (or maybe it's you) and who the end person is that they'd like to meet.

And just a small caveat...if you'd like to help a child connect to someone, please ensure parental supervision along the way. Unfortunately, there are some predators lurking.

Happy connecting!

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Would you like to participate in my experiment?

Hello friends,

Thanks for checking in on this new blog.

If you're willing, I need your help for an experiment. You might be familiar with the Small
World Theory or at the very least, the 6 Degrees theory. The idea is that within one's social network, an individual can connect to virtually anyone on earth. True? I'm not sure. Thus the experiment.

The Purpose

Actually, I believe that the possibility greatly exists and encourage readers of my newest book, The Prosperity Factor for Kids that the notion deserves a try. Can you imagine how your life might be different if you were told growing up that you could potentially meet anyone on earth? How might that have changed your future? And with the natural affinity kids have with technology including blogs, texting, etc., our youth are more connected than I could have ever imagined growing up.

On to the challenge...

The goal:
1. to see if it works
2. determine how many degrees or human connections it will actually take
3. to chart the progress for my readers - I've included it in my newest book
4. could be fun for all involved

I promised my readers (and I'm really behind in getting this going) that I would first try the experiment personally and chart my progress, successes, broken chains, etc. so they might learn from them and help their children do the same.

So, I'm looking for a number of people that will start a human chain hopefully linking me to my end person and each chain will race to see if one chain can find my end person in less than 6 steps (hence the 6 degrees notion).

My end person in Oprah. I can't think of a more balanced woman; with money, gifting to the community, making a difference on this planet and breaking stereotypes daily. As an author, I further admire her quest to continue to make North Americans more literate through her book club. Lastly, come on. What author wouldn't want to be on Oprah. One show pretty much guarantees success.

You might ask why myself or my publisher doesn't just contact Oprah directly? First, this is an experiment to see if the Small World Theory holds up and if in fact my network can connect me to her. Second, you can't imagine how nearly impossible it is to "break" into getting on Oprah as so many try. What better way to have a chance with her than to have someone introduce us or better yet, hand her one of my books.

What's in it for you?

1. A small gift for the first five chains
2. A promise of reciprocity if you'd like to try this experiment yourself
3. My unyielding gratitude

First, I hope that you're at least curious as to the possibility of success with this experiment. If it works, it could change your outlook on how you connect to people in the future.

Second, for the first five chains or people to reply, I will offer you and each person that you link to in your chain (to a maximum of 10 people per chain) my first book, The Prosperity Factor. I will gift you and each person in your chain a book and will even ship it free of charge.

Lastly, I would also like to start a number of chains (no maximum) that are willing to participate without a gift and only the promise of reciprocity ...that if you or anyone in your chain would like to try this experiment yourself, I'll be the first to sign up for you. I hope that I can prove to my readers that you don't need to always entice participation with a gift. That many will assist just to see if the Small World Theory works and to connect a few fellow human beings.

What's needed from you

What I need from each participant:
1. A willingness and commitment to find just one person within your network that you think could connect me to Oprah.
2. Convince that person to do the same with the chain

I need you to reply ASAP and please only do so if you're interested. Also let me know if you're willing to be in the second group of chains NOT requiring a gift. The entire experiment should only take a few moments of your time (other than reading this verbose blog) to call or email someone you know that you think could then know someone that could possibly connect this project, in 5 steps or less (you're step one). For example, you might think of those you work with or for, your spouse, family, friends, doctor, pastor, lawyer, groups...someone who might know someone in the entertainment field, a publicist, etc. etc. Or anyone you think is well connected.

I do need your commitment that you'll do your best to keep your chain moving and will enlist the help of others that will also keep their chain moving. If there's a broken link, I'll ask the one that broke it to re-connect with someone and if that doesn't work, will move back up the chain for repair.

But remember....this is a race...

The first team to reach Oprah could be the one on her show. Who knows. One can dream right?

Lastly, I need your agreement to fill out a small registration form with just your name and contact info, your age and occupation. I will keep this information absolutely confidential and is only needed if we need to reach you or send you a gift (or to contact you when Oprah calls). You will also need to please gather this information from the person you introduce this experiment to, pass it on to me, explain the rules and so forth.

Very lastly, to chart the progress of the various chains as I have promised my readers, I will need your agreement to post your FIRST name only, last name initial and occupation and city.

If you've made it this far in my note, I extend my heartfelt thanks for your interest and participation. Think how the success of this experiment could change the life of a child with the crazy notion that even the least amongst us can link in to the awesome power that our social network holds the key to.

Please post your comments, ideas, thoughts and email me at kelley.keehn@gmail.com if you'd like to sign up.

Live prosperously!

Kelley

Monday, June 11, 2007

Welcome!


Welcome!
Thanks for checking out my blog. I'll be posting reader comments and questions along with recent insights shortly.
Check back soon and please email me personally with your questions and comments any time at kelley.keehn@gmail.com.
Live prosperously!
Kelley