8 Essentials to Living Out Your Dream

According to spiritual numerology 8 represents new beginnings. For many of us God wants to give us a new beginning but we continue to hold on to old things that are comfortable yet killing us at the same time.

To receive something new/different we will have to be willing to be (1) transformed in our mind (2) change our current posture/position (3) be open to the unfamiliar and willing to let go of the past.

No outside force can prevent us from walking in purpose.

The only force that can stop you is YOU.

1. Know Who You Are in Christ & What You Are Entitled To As a Daughter of THE KING
   1. Know that you have a birthright
   2. All of Heaven is backing you
   3. You are no longer an orphan
   4. You are not forgotten
   5. You are not on your own
2. Be Careful Not to Chase Someone Else’s Dream
   1. Purpose was placed within you before the foundation of the earth.
   2. Just because they are called to it doesn’t mean that is your set territory
   3. Celebrate others on their win but stay in your lane and DOMINATE!
   4. What God has placed within you is enough.
   5. Rid yourself of the spirit of comparison.
   6. Comparison leads to paralysis.
3. Fall in Love With Yourself
   1. This will kill the spirit of competition
   2. Accept every flaw
   3. Strive to emerge into the YOU Christ has predestined you to be and not the you in which you are comfortable with being.
   4. It’s easy to be ratchet and loose tongued. It takes maturity and discipline to know when to walk away, when to speak up and when to remain silent.
   5. Self-love is essential to being a Kingdom B.O.S.S. Woman
   6. Begin to love yourself too much to partake in foolery.
4. Define Success on Your Own Terms
   1. What does success mean to YOU?
   2. Success to me is being in alignment with God’s will for my life.
   3. Success is more than money and earthly possessions.
   4. Success to me is peace of mind.
5. Don’t Be Afraid to Walk Alone
   1. At first it may be lonely but know that God is with you.
   2. Connect with mentors/coaches who speak your language and whom you can be accountable to.
   3. During your transition from mediocrity to extraordinary it will be scary.
   4. You will second guess yourself.
   5. You will wonder if it’s worth it.
   6. You will feel as if you stick out like a sore thumb.
   7. But once you find your tribe it will all be worth it!
6. Hire the Help You Need
   1. Sunday services were designed to activate our spirit so that we can go out in the world and win in our daily endeavors.
   2. However, if your desire is to build a business, write a book, start a non-profit, own your own medical facility or beyond you won’t be able to get there on your own.
   3. You must connect with others in your industry who are doing what you desire to do and rely on their wisdom to guide you through the process.
   4. It takes too much energy to reinvent the wheel.
   5. Duplicate systems, methods and processes while creating your own content.
   6. Hire a coach, sign up for their program to learn how to leverage your book to scale your business.
   7. When I wanted to shift my business by including more programs and increasing value to my clients, I hired a coach by signing up for her coaching program. In return I learned a new method, duplicated her system while adding my own content to a system she already had in place.
   8. You are worth the investment in yourself.
7. READ READ READ READ
   1. Read more books
   2. Books are more than words on a page, they are full of instruction, impartation, wisdom and will help you walk through whatever situation you are currently facing.
      1. For spiritual alignment I discipline myself to study the Word of God every day. I am currently studying the book of Mark.
         1. I began a study of reviewing the 4 Gospels to learn how Jesus handled turbulence.
         2. How did He respond to his critics?
         3. What did he do when he was surrounded daily by disciples who still didn’t have a clue?
         4. How did he handle betrayal by someone within his camp?
         5. The Word of God is my FIRST SOURCE! It helps me as a woman, mother, leader and entrepreneur.
      2. For spiritual development I am currently reading: The 40 Day Soul Fast by Dr. Cindy Trimm. I have the book, workbook and DVD. Although I have never met her I am being mentored by her. This is my practice of self-love by taking time to pour into myself as I so often pour into others.

• For personal growth & deeper healing I am reading Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: It’s Impossible to Be Spiritually Mature While Remaining Emotionally Immature by Peter Scazeero
  1. I often feel abandoned by my natural father and to ensure that spirit doesn’t come in and suck the life out of my business/ministry I am constantly reading to ensure I deal with every ounce of it as well as equip myself in case it tries to resurface.

1. For business/mindset development I am reading: Million Dollar Habits: Proven Power Practices to Double & Triple Your Income by Brian Tracy.

8. PACE YOURSELF
   1. Don’t try to do it all at once.
   2. Rome wasn’t built in a day.
   3. Make less announcements and more B.O.S.S. moves!
   4. All that God has promised you will take place in due time. Do what you CAN and trust God to do what you CAN’T!

Do you desire to live out your dream life? I’d love the opportunity to coach you to what I call “Kingdom Success” by (1) Providing key solutions to overcoming whatever turbulence you may be experiencing, (2) Teaching you new strategies you can implement right away that in turn will scale your business and (3) Act as your accountability partner to keep you on track with the goals you set out to accomplish!

Click here to sign up to work with me today: http://carlacannon.com/trailblazer-1-on-1-coaching/

10 SUCCESS PRINCIPLES That Changed My Life Forever

Wouldn’t it be great to do what you love and get paid for it? I know what it feels like to work a 9 to 5 and dread coming to work even so to the point that you begin to dislike your coworkers and even the people you are there to serve. Yep, been there and done that.

Just four years ago I was in that place until I made a decision to be fearless and put in my two week resignation on my job. There was no guarantee that being a speaker, writer and coach would work for me.

But guess what? I married Plan A and made zero room for Plan B therefore, it had to work. Was I afraid? Absolutely but sometimes it’s what you do while afraid that makes the biggest impact of your life.

Here are are 10 Success Principles that Changed My Life Forever: 

1. Knowing What I Wanted to Do: Get clear on what you desire and ask yourself, if money was not an issue what would I do. Then, find a way to get paid for it.
2. Decide on What That Is Then DO IT: Once you are clear on what you desire to do the next step of courage is to step out and do it. I encourage you to develop a plan on how you will do it and include ways to bulletproof your business in the process.
3. Learn From the Greats: Reading autobiographies is a great way to learn from those who are where you desire to be! Success leaves clues and most often they are shared within the pages of a book that most won’t read.
4. Find the Right Team: Connecting with the right team will free you to focus on what you are great at and hire them to do what you aren’t so good at. This will allow you to spend more time working on your business than in it.
5. Set Clear & Concise Goals While Revisiting them Daily: The key to achieving every goal you set is to provide a clear path and process on how you to intend to succeed. In the midst of identifying what you desire to do be sure to include how by creating a strategic plan of action.
6. Always Educate Yourself: You’re not a business man/woman but you are the business. As you grow your business will also expand.
7. Establish Rules & Responsibilities for Each Task– Identify what you plan to accomplish by giving each day direction. This also includes the role of your business partners, contractors and employees.
8. Hire a Coach: No one can get there alone and hiring the right coach will save you time, energy and money. A great coach will protect and prevent you from repeating some of the same mistakes they made if you’ll listen and apply the knowledge.
9. Move to Uncomfortable Boulevard: Nothing great was ever birthed outside of comfort zones.
10. Be Integral: Gifts and talents are nothing without integrity. Your gifts will take you through many doors but it is your integrity that will keep you there!

Carla R. Cannon, The Trailblazer is an 8X Best-Selling Author who specializes in teaching emerging and established entrepreneurs how to bankroll their brilliance and bulletproof their business. She does this by way of live and virtual events, VIP Coaching and more!

Click below to learn how you can hire her as your coach today:! http://carlacannon.com/trailblazer-1-on-1-coaching/

10 Mistakes Every Entrepreneur Should Avoid

As I approach my 8 year anniversary of being an entrepreneur there are a few things I learned and I would love to share them with you!

I am a firm believer that success leaves clues therefore, if we can avoid falling in a ditch that someone else once fell in then why not heed their wisdom?

1. Doing it for the money. – Don’t do it for the money. It is your service that will bring fulfillment not the amount of money you make.
2. Not being true to your brand– Nowadays everyone is coming up with cute brand names and tag lines; just be sure that you can live up to all the hype you may receive from it.
3. Picking and choosing what days you have your business hat on– It is perfectly okay to profit from your passion. Everyone may not be able to afford your service and that is okay. That just means you have to adjust your marketing to fit your targeted audience. P.S. Your audience will be able to pay for your services.
4. Trying to bring everyone along with you- Truth is, you have worked your butt off to get where you are. Stop handing out free passes to those who do not have as much invested as you do.
5. Failing to delegate– If you want to stay small try to do it alone. If you want to go global develop a team and DELEGATE!
6. Not staying focused on the big picture– Things will happen. Life will happen but you must develop mental toughness and resilience to jump through every hurdle and maintain your stance in the marketplace.
7. Comparing your brand to others– It’s okay to look and learn from the greats; but be careful not to compare your 10 years of experience to someone else’s 50 years of experience. Lean and glean then dominate in your lane and on your level.
8. Spending more time working IN your business rather than ON your business– Hire virtual assistants; etc to do what you no longer have time to do. Don’t say you can’t afford it; truth is you can’t afford not to hire help. Trying to do it all alone will leave you burned out and ineffective.
9. Failing to take care of yourself- In the midst of building your brand, be sure to make time for yourself and your family. You often hear it’s lonely at the top or between levels. Truth is, many forfeit their family and loved ones for their dream only to achieve their dream and have no one around to enjoy it with. Don’t let this be YOU!
10. Listening to too many opinions- Be careful who you lend your ear to. Not everyone has your best interest at heart. So what they are well known and wealthy; weigh all information on the peace scale and then decide whether you should a.) implement it, b.) shelf it or c.) throw it out! Don’t be so gullible into thinking because they make more money than you that you should always listen to them. Someone else’s way, may not be your way.

Are you in need of a business coach? I’d love to assist you with strategies on how to scale your business to achieve mega success! Click here to learn more & sign up today: http://carlacannon.com/trailblazer-1-on-1-coaching/

The Power of Hitting Rock Bottom

I never thought I would be living the current life I live. Four years ago I worked in Corporate America, unhappy with my life and was barely making ends meet. Two years prior to that my daughter and I experienced homelessness and had to go and live with a complete stranger while I took two months to get my stuff together.

It took me hitting rock bottom to make a decision to never allow myself or my daughter to get this low ever again! That was 6 years ago and since then I have transitioned off my 9 to 5 which within 6 months of leaving I tripled my income by simply pursuing my passion: talking. LOL

I have always been the type to never meet a stranger and could spark up a conversation with a dog if he could talk back!

(Pictured with Celebrity Stylist J. Bolin in PA where we both were speakers for an event. I never thought I’d be on a platform with celebrities, let alone on a platform PERIOD!) 

Helping others has always been a passion of mine as well. So I decided to put the two together and began helping women solve problems that was hindering their success in life. I later learned this was called coaching so I went, got certified and began to be compensated for my services.

Services? Products? Speaking platform? ME? Absolutely NOT! I never saw this in my future but I am so glad the plan of God trumps our plan any day!

Here’s how I learned to make my rock bottom experience work for me (and you can too):

1. I identified HOW I got there to ensure I never ended up in this place again.
2. I got serious about what I wanted because homelessness and unable to pay my bills definitely wasn’t it.
3. I did some deep soul searching and identified bad habits I needed to break and developed a plan to not only break them but also what I needed to replace them with.

Perhaps you are experiencing your rock bottom right now. I encourage you to take a moment and evaluate where you are, how you got here, where you desire to be and what it will take for you to get there.

Doing the above is a self-coaching technique I use on myself anytime I feel stuck and need a push. I no longer seek outside sources to motivate me but I’ve learned to empower me to be great! You too can be the same!

Down is not your destiny therefore, get up and make this experience work for you!

I’d love to coach you to success! Click here to invest in a 1-on-1 coaching session with me today: http://carlacannon.com/trailblazer-1-on-1-coaching/!

Why NOT to Be Jealous of Others

I know today’s topic is kind of straight forward but it’s so necessary. You think celebrities like Cardi B & Nicki Minaj are the only ones that experience jealousy in their line of work?

Absolutely not! It happens to all women and if a woman says they never felt an ounce of jealousy toward another woman’s success, marriage, new baby, loving support system, album sales and beyond they are not being truthful.

Jealousy is an emotion like anything else that you can’t prevent yourself from feeling. But what you can do is determine how long it stays. It’s like a seed, will you feed it with negative thoughts about the person who is winning, comparing yourself or even finding ways to tear them down.

OR will you pay attention to your own blessings, congratulate them and know your time is coming? Prayerfully you will choose the latter.

Often times we do real good at talking sisterhood but not so great at walking sisterhood.

(The late great Whitney Houston & Mariah Carey. Society constantly tried to make us choose between who we liked the best when the truth is they were both dope and had amazing range vocally.)

When I experienced a real life moment today of witnessing one of my fellow colleagues get her new talk show immediately I had mixed feelings.

I was happy for her but at the same time I was wondering, God why do I feel stuck in this area or when are things really going to take off for me?

As if God had not done enough already. I admit, I am a young woman and I have found myself more than once slightly coveting the success of women who were ten or more years older than me.

Surprised I shared that? Don’t be! I used to stalk one lady’s page so much in the name of “inspiration” that was really “comparison” that I had to block her just so I wouldn’t keep going to her page to see what new amazing thing she had done! (laughs) It’s funny now but I promise you this is a true story!

(The late greats Michael Jackson & Prince. Competition was often stirred between these two great artists when clearly they both had a place in the world!)

After recognizing this emotion I then had to pause and reflect while doing some self-coaching.

Here’s what it sounded like: 

“Carla, you are 33 years young. You run and operate a 6-figure business while raising your teenage daughter. You host your own events in which women travel across the country to sit at your feet and heed your wisdom. You are an 8x best-selling author! You are soon to turn 34! You now have an amazing team of women who are in your corner and have your back in life and business. Your health is great! You’re much closer to being healed completely from all of your childhood wounds than you were previously. You have an amazing support system not to mention again you are only 33 years old and  built your business/brand from the bottom up. You don’t have a major ministry or business backing you and yet you continue to thrive! Really Carla? Get over yourself and tell the Lord thank you!”

If we are not careful that spirit of jealousy will creep up on us before we even know it. As ministry leaders and business owners, and people as a whole we must stop comparing our process to others who have been in the game much longer than we have. Sure, it was prophesied to me that I’d have my own talk show. But hey, if the opportunity hasn’t come yet, it’s because it’s not time yet. Get it? YET!

(Lupita & Beyonce’: Why when two women wear the same dress we allow society to encourage us to “cast our vote” on Who wore it better? Why can’t the headlines read: Both Beautiful Queens Rocked Elegant Green! Nah, that would be too empowering and way too simple!)

So what if the real test of my readiness was if I could celebrate someone else who got first what I am currently waiting on? A powerful point to ponder huh?

Here are some things to keep in mind the next time that mean monster called jealousy tries to creep in: 

1. Jealousy is not cute although it is a real emotion.
2. God is no respecter of persons therefore, He has not forgotten me
3. I am not ready for the next level if I can not celebrate someone else in their moment.
4. God has done so many amazing things in my life that if he doesn’t do anything else He has done enough!
5. Never covet someone else’s moment. You never know what it took to get them there!

(What if we never chose a side: East Coast VS West Coast, would Tupac & Biggie still be alive today? When is enough, enough? Oh yeah the spirit of comparison definitely happens among brothers as well. Ladies, it’s not just us. Men just hide it better LOL)

After having this quick pep-talk with myself I thought, hey… I’m sure I am not the only one who has experienced moments like this. I know we don’t like to talk about them but it’s healthy to do so and will help you overcome and continue to work on yourself while celebrating others in their “wins” in the process.

Did today’s blog resonate with you? Comment below and share a time you experienced being jealous of someone else’s win and how you handled it. No need to be ashamed! As you can see we are all in this together!

 

3 Mistakes I Made in My Business & How YOU Can Avoid Them

WOW! I literally just realized that October of this year will be 8 years since I launched my brand, Women of Standard and 4 years since I walked away from my job in Corporate America.

I was the girl who was willing to put the time in building “God’s dream” for my life in the  midst of going to work everyday and putting in 40+ hours a week.

During this process of building my brand, I made a lot of mistakes and today I want to share a few of them with you today.

Despite my success today as a 6-figure earner through my coaching & consulting, and publishing business, there are things I experienced early on that if you take heed to could save you a lot of time, energy and money.

Here they are: 

1. I didn’t develop a financial plan before leaving my job- Now, for me, my exit from my 9 to 5 was a straight up faith move. I turned in my two week resignation and at the end of its term I was now on my own with only $250 in the bank with the words, “Will you trust me?” repeating in my ear.

   For me, this was a faith walk because I had no desire to step out and do the things I felt called to do such as host events, launch a magazine and inspire people around the world. Initially I was scared to death and often wondered if I had made the right decision.

   The first three weeks were rough. I had no clue what to do with myself. I hadn’t created a plan on how I was going to make money or take care of my daughter. I cried for two weeks straight feeling as if I had made the wrong decision.

   Then one day something snapped and it was as if I could now hear and see clearly and I sat down at my computer and ideas to create trainings, programs, events (both live and online) began to flow. Now everything was up from there and truth is my lights never got cut off, my car was never repossessed, my daughter and I never went without a meal. I stood flatfooted on the scripture that says, ” The blessings of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.” (Proverbs 10:22)

   Now although this worked for me I don’t advise everyone to try this. I am all for Faithing It; however, one must know that they know, that they know, that they know that God has called them down that path. I know people who thought they heard God and moved prematurely and it cost them everything including their wife.

   Why am I sharing this? Because there’s absolutely nothing wrong with being sure. Write out what you desire to do, How much money you desire to make, How you intend to make it, the turn around time in which you hope to do so. Write out EVERYTHING. Then after you write it out, pray over it and seek wise counsel.

   I remember when the Lord laid it on my heart to become an entrepreneur, I went to my pastor at the time to discuss it with him. Being that he his background was in Corporate America and he was making over a hundred thousand dollars a year I just knew he would encourage me and have plenty of strategies to share with me.

   NOT! I sat in his office for over an hour as he shared every failed business adventure with me. Not one idea did he share with me that worked;and he had many successful endeavors.

   I remember him telling me basically that there was no time for dreaming and I couldn’t gamble my life because I must always ensure my daughter had a place to call home. I was told to focus on my daughter…in my mind… she was all I was thinking about.

   I left there feeling defeated, disappointed and confused. If my own pastor didn’t believe in me then how the heck was I going to get this done. Note: I had never really (at this time) been validated by my natural father.

   I cried for weeks after that and because my pastor was a trusted voice in my life I began to lean in to him more than I was to God.

   Until one day the Lord placed a woman by the name of Real Talk Kim into my life. After sharing what I had felt the Lord was telling me, Kim was wide open and said, “You better obey God! Nobody has to understand but you and God!” She then went on to share her journey of coming off her job at Bloomingdale’s. It wasn’t until last year at my Women of Standard Experience Charlotte that I learned when I was actually the first person to book Kim as a speaker for my event after she quit her job. How awesome is that?
   

2.  I wanted to help EVERYBODY!– I will keep this one short and to the point. If you are going to lead a profitable business you are going to have to get clear/specific on who you are called to serve.

My problem was that as a “church girl” I wanted to help everybody and it wasn’t until one day I was in prayer and literally felt that I heard the Lord’s audible voice say to me, “The Gospel is for everyone but your business is only those whom I have assigned for you to serve. 

It was then that I had to purchase books on business and attend webinars, workshops and trainings to get educated on how to find my target audience, identify my niche and stand out in a crowded market.

Know that what you have no matter how great it is, someone will reject it. That’s okay, because it was not intended for everyone.

3. I hadn’t deal with my rejection issues- One thing I learned early on was that if I wanted to thrive as a business woman I had to first be healthy as a WOMAN.

What no one tells you when you decide to go into business is to first: GET YOURSELF TOGETHER!

Before you can try to help everybody else you must first deal with your own demons, fears and issues because if not the first time someone says, “No thanks,” and you have unattended wounds of rejection you’ll take it personal and could possible shut down your entire operation because of one person.

Even with your personal finances; however you are with your personal finances is the exact same way you’ll be in your business. Get a hold of your personal funds and you will properly handle your company’s funds.

If you found today’s blog to be helpful and you are an aspiring, emerging or even an established entrepreneur and currently find yourself stuck, I’d love to assist you as I too know how that feels. Click below to learn how we can work together. I’d love to be your coach- http://carlacannon.com/trailblazer-1-on-1-coaching/

Overcoming Traumatic Experiences

Trauma can be defined as an emotional upset, or a disordered psychic or behavioral state resulting from severe mental or emotional stress or physical injury.

Growing up I experienced a traumatic childhood which led to me having severe nightmares in which certain scenes replayed in my psychological mind as well as issues that led into my adulthood. I had issues with trusting people as well as loving myself.

It wasn’t until I was in my mid twenties that the nightmares stopped. However, as a woman soon to enter my mid thirties those traumatic experiences tend to creep up on me every now and then.

This happened recently when my Mom and I released our new book, Redeeming the Time. We hosted a live event Mother’s Day weekend in an effort to help bridge the gap between mothers and daughters worldwide.

(My Mom & I on the Day of Our Book Release: May 12, 2018)

During the event as we discussed different scenarios from my childhood, I began to struggle in my seat and fight back tears because I literally began to feel the pain from those life changing moments I had experienced. WOW! It’s amazing how traumatic experiences that happened over twenty years ago can still trigger certain emotions.

(Some of the attendees of Redeeming the Time Live Event & Book Release)

Growing up I remember feeling like I was crazy because I was put on medication, talked all the time and always got in trouble to the point I was forced to go talk with a therapist. I used to literally think something was wrong with me.

When I was eighteen years old I tried to terminate my life by taking a bottle of pills. Ironically I awakened to the worst headache ever! In the midst of it all none of what I have been through had the power to terminate my life; not even my own attempt.

Perhaps you are experiencing the pain from your childhood, a failed marriage, emotional or physical trauma of any sort. Be encouraged today knowing that you will live through all of this.

Writing this book with my Mom was the hardest out of all the (eight) books I’ve written. Why? Because I had to accept the fact that my Mom and I remember certain things differently and where it was traumatic for me a lot of those things she was able to “block out” of her memory. However, I have yet been able to do so. But that is the interesting thing about relationships, none are perfect but are necessary. You can’t just divorce your family; although some people try. I believe the Lord has given us the family we have for a reason; a purpose; to help birth out of us all He has placed within us.

After a fabulous event on Saturday, I was awakened at 4AM with an upset stomach and tears streaming down my face as I relived the trauma of my childhood when my mom was married to her second husband (who physically abused me.) I didn’t call anyone because I didn’t think anyone would understand and besides I was embarrassed because my Mom and I had literally just released this new book that was already helping many especially those who attended the event.

I admit, in those moments I cried out to God asking Him why did I have to do this? I remember the ache in my heart being so severe that I thought I was having a heart attack. I remember coaching myself through various breathing techniques.

In that moment I grew angry with my Mom all over again. I was confused as to what I was feeling and even questioned God, “Will this pain ever go away permanently?”  I began to regret hosting the event and writing the book. The cost was too severe. Having that conversation live was like someone had yanked the scab off my wounds.

After crying out to the Lord in prayer I learned that more healing was needed in my life as well as between my Mom and I. Often times as writers and even artists the words we write, or the pictures we paint are to bring personal healing into our lives first.

Being led to turn on the television, I came across the Unsung story of Marvin Sapp. He shared how each of his songs that hit the Billboard charts were all birthed out of tremendously painful experiences such as the lost of his father, his wife and beyond. He said he remembered telling God “I don’t know if I want another #1 record. It cost too much.”

I too can relate to this because every book I’ve written have become a best seller (with my 1st book, The Power in Waiting & The Entrepreneur Blueprint being my TOP best-sellers) and cost me tremendously. Since 2013 I have been sharing different portions of my story in different books and now I am ready to shift into writing novels.

In an effort to experience deeper healing I created a character named Chelsea (whom I introduced in my book: Turbulence) whom I get to use to release all of the creativity I have bottled up inside. There are certain parts of my story that I don’t feel comfortable sharing however, the great thing about novels is you can write a “fictional” story that may include some of your life truths. How awesome is that?

(In Florida on Vacation this past weekend)

Writing has always therapeutic for me although it’s not easy being transparent I always feel much better after I share especially after I receive feedback from others who have shared the same experiences as I have and my story encouraged them not to give up on life.

If you are going through a tough time remember this: The suffering of your present time isn’t worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18) Despite what it may currently feel like, know that all you are facing now is only temporary. Sure, you may be facing a tremendous mountain but remember you have the power to declare a thing and it shall be so! (Mark 11:23)

There is comfort in God’s presence as well as His word. Whatever you are in the midst of working on today I encourage you to FINISH! Sure, it may cause you great pain but God needs people in the earth who are willing to echo His voice in the Earth and in order to reign with God we must also be willing to suffer with Him. (II Timothy 2:12).

I encourage you to grab a copy of my Mom & I new book, Redeeming the Time which is guaranteed to provide a deeper outlook on the value of relationships not only between mother and daughter but monogamous and platonic connections as well.

No relationship is beyond repair and either we surrender to the healing process now or later; either way eventually we will have to deal with the hurt, pain, frustrations, disappointments, unforgiveness; and decide to forgive and work through our process. 

Click the link to purchase your copy: bit.ly/redeemingthetimebook!

Why You Can’t Give Up Now

Never allow what you’re going through to deter you from what God told you to do. One way that I remain encouraged is by studying the Word of God. If I listened to what others have said about me or allowed my mistakes to define me I would remain stuck and in bondage.

However, I choose to gain strength through my relationship with Christ and allow His word to reveal itself in my life. I encourage you to do the same. I know life happens and it gets tough but you are a lot tougher than you realize.

Where you are is not where you will always be and you must believe that and accept it as your truth. God has great plans for your life but you have to make a decision to trust and believe in Him and allow Him to direct your path.

For years I allowed my pain to lead me; but no more! I am now driven by the love of God and I trust His thoughts toward me. I encourage you to do the same.

You can not remain stuck where you are, too many are relying on your freedom to experience their’s God uses people and I encourage you to let Him use you to help someone else!

Scripture References: Proverbs 3:5-6|Isaiah 26:3|Jeremiah 17:7-8

What I Love the Most About Entrepreneurship

One of the things I absolutely love the most about entrepreneurship is the freedom to implement creativity, determine how much money I want to make and set my own schedule!

Doesn’t that sound amazing? This year will make 7 years since I started my own business and I tell you, I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world!

Now let’s break down the top 3 things I love the most about entrepreneurship:

(1) Implementing Creativity- As a Kingdom Entrepreneur you are able to be as creative as you want and there really are no boundaries. You determine what type of services you desire to provide to your clients and the fun thing about it is you can do it in your own way!

The ways I implemented creativity into my business was through writing books, hosting live events, providing coaching & consulting services, speaking at other people’s events & starting my own publishing company.

I can recall in 2013 when my first shipment of books arrived at my door step! I almost fainted! It’s like I believed it could happen for me but then again I didn’t believe it could happen for me!

Then two years later I took it a step further and began to help others package their brilliance by teaching book writing and now I am hosting my third tour entitled, WRITE LIKE A BOSS! How awesome is that!

Sure success leaves clues however, entrepreneurship enables you to insert your personality into your business. At the end of the day we all aren’t teaching anything different or new. What many are investing in is our process, and our relational skills. I know it may sound weird. But there is a reason why my clients choose to work with me rather than someone else and there is a reason why someone chooses to patronize your business rather than your competitor. The #1 key in business is building relationships.

Many tend to focus on selling to prospects rather than learning what is hurting their prospects. Once someone knows that you actually care about what keeps them up at night no amount of money will keep them from working with you!

(2) Setting My Own Pay: The thing that trips me out the most is (3) years ago I was afraid to walk away from my corporate job because I couldn’t wrap my head around how in the heck someone would actually pay me for helping them become better! 

(Hosting my very own Women’s Empowerment event entitled, Girl You ROCK! in 2015)

Once I built up enough courage to actually quit and do my own thing full time it was then that I learned that there are tons of people who desire to learn how to do the things that come naturally to me!

So in setting my own pay here’s what I did:

I sat down and got rid of every expense that I did not need. I cancelled magazine subscriptions, Pandora and more.

Next, I totaled all of my bills and said ok I need “X” amount of revenue coming in each month; this is what I called my SURVIVAL budget.

I then took a walk into the future and asked myself: After you generate the necessary funds needed to reach your SURVIVAL budget what would your THRIVING budget be?

A THRIVING budget is the amount of money you need to be comfortable in life on a day to day basis. This number is what keeps you motivated and on your grind as a Kingdom Entrepreneur.

Finally, I took my survival budget and began to create products that could help me generate the income needed and the first place I started was coaching. I started out charging $75/hour for one on one coaching sessions. I absolutely loved it but eventually working all day on my 9 to 5 and then spending (4) hours in the evening coaching four different clients for the duration of an hour each became old pretty quickly and I was burned out.

It wasn’t until later that I learned I could charge more and serve less clients; quality clients and continue to enjoy what I do and prevent having a mental or physical breakdown in the process.

I often hear entrepreneurs desiring to help everyone and anyone. This mindset will lead you in a downward spiral fast! Be specific on who you want to serve; seek out your tribe; locate your remnant and then create a value ladder on how you plan to “stair step” them into your business!

(My Superstar Client, Lawanda Todd, holding her book Hey, Are You Listening? Published by Cannon Publishing. http://www.cannonpublishing.net)

Identifying your “why” is a great way to maintain momentum as you journey through the different transitions every entrepreneur has experienced at one time or another!

(My 15 Year old daughter, Patience is my “WHY.”
Your “WHY” will keep you going when the going gets tough!)

(3) Creating My Own Schedule: Having the flexibility to do what I want to do when I want is the best feeling EVER! I knew towards the end of 2017 that I no longer wanted to work full days. Therefore, I prayed, strategized and then met with my Administrator and informed her that effective immediately I would only meet with clients Tues-Thurs between 9AM-1PM.

Mondays are my vision planning days and Fridays are my evaluation and preparation days. I use Mondays and Fridays to focus on my personal brand as a speaker, author and trainer.

Did I fear that I would lose clients because I was no longer available between 9am-5pm? Absolutely not! Want to know why? Say, “tell me girl tell me” (laughs)

Because I learned a secret… want to know? Lean in.. come a little closer…

YOUR REMNANT WILL MAKE THE NECESSARY SACRIFICES NEEDED TO WORK WITH YOU!

I have clients that meet with me on their lunch break, they rearrange their schedules to meet with Coach C (what they call me)

So from 2012 I started out working a 9 to 5 and I coached clients on my lunch break and at night after I got off work while raising my daughter in a single parent home. I did this for hmmm about 4 years.

Once I went full time I increased my prices and said no more working after 5pm.

Now fast forward to 6 1/2 years later and I no longer see clients after 1pm and only on Tues-Thurs.

What’s my point? Whatever you desire in life you must pursue it and be willing to make the necessary sacrifices in order to make your dream a reality. Whatever you want is within your reach but the question is HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT?

***For more information on understanding how to develop a SURVIVAL and THRIVING budget as well as position yourself to exit your job, check out my online training course entitled, FIRE YOUR BOSS! Click here for more information:

http://carlacannon.com/fire-boss-self-study-program/

P.S. Catch me on my WRITE LIKE A BOSS Tour and consider bringing it to your city by becoming an ambassador!

 

How I Overcame the Spirit of Offense & You Can Too

In life there will come a time that something someone says (or doesn’t say) or do (or don’t do) will come across as offensive to you in regards to your standard or expectation of what you felt should have occurred in each specific incident.

Offense is defined as an annoyance or resentment brought about by a perceived insult to or disregard for oneself or one’s standards or principles.

After much evaluation and self-reflection I admit that I wasted much of my life mad at people who had no idea I was upset, or even confronting people who were clueless to my approach when sharing what they did that offended me.

In most cases I learned it was simply a matter of maturity. Sure, there will be things people will say or do that will rub us the wrong way but we can choose whether to overlook it or determine if it is serious enough to address.

In speaking of the spirit of offense, I like you have been on both sides of the spectrum. I’ve disconnected from people who I felt did not value me enough to change their behavior in relation how I felt they were or were not treating me. I also have had individuals who became offended if I did not reply to their text message or message they may have sent me on social media as quickly as they would have liked me to.

I know this sounds petty but so is the spirit of offense. Here is the number one thing that set me free: PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE. People are going to be people. People are going to mess up. People are going to disappoint; some intentionally and others unintentionally but either way at one time or another friction is going to occur.

My evaluation of this is that it isn’t about what others do or don’t do that’s the most important. What matters the most is how we choose to handle the situation before it leads to an offense or even further a fall out with a family or friend.

Here’s How I Overcame and You Can Too: 

1. Understand we all are flawed.
2. Be patient with people while sharing your expectation
3. Never try to control people.
4. Place people in the proper position. Perhaps you are trying to make someone a friend who does not possess the necessary qualities. Or trying to make someone a mate who simply can not bring to the table what you desire of them.
5. Take everything to the Lord in prayer.
6. Weigh the situation on the peace scale. Do you have peace about going to the person? Is it really that big of a deal? Or does it continue to reoccur and bother you and you feel disrespected.
7. Learn to observe more than you speak. People will always show us exactly who they are and what they are capable of if we will pay attention.
8. Ask God to purge your heart and strengthen you so that everything doesn’t bother you.
9. Don’t keep it bottled up. Journal it and only have necessary conversations with those who matter the most. The girl who accidentally bumped you in the mall isn’t important enough for you to lose your cool publicly. However, someone whom you continue to bump heads with in business may be of importance for you to have a conversation.
10. Learn how to communicate effectively- Often times we talk while failing to communicate. Listen closely with the intention to understand rather than to respond. Then choose your words wisely and avoid beginning conversations with “You.” Instead try “When you do ______, it makes me feel ___________.”

In following the above steps the spirit of offense will have no space in your life.