Thank you for such a thoughtful and helpful response. It makes me so
happy to know that there are others out there who support me on my
path and I will continue to do my best to support you and other
innerpreneurs on theirs.

Everything you wrote was so sincere and full of love. I can see that
you are speaking from a place of great wisdom and you words have
really resonated with me. I try my best to give more than I receive
but I must admit that there is still a place of hurt in my heart when
I feel unsupported by those that love me. Perhaps it is because I have
never been more happy and fulfilled in my life, and while I may not be
following a traditional path, it pains me to understand that those I
love are blind to my happiness and instead only see that I am not
doing what they think I should. Regardless, I try and love them,
supported or not, with all my might for I understand that my actions
are not dictated by others and never should be.

I also enjoyed your thoughts on structure in the day as I agree that a
strict routine will not be my friend. After all, one of the many
reasons I decided to pursue the innerpreneurial path was because I
felt stifled by the rules of “9 to 5″ living. I already feel much more
balanced in my day — I am stretching each morning, eating all my
meals (this was a problem at first), taking walks and ensuring that I
don't drive myself batty with the many demands I place on myself in a
day. I've come to understand that everything will be done in due time
and that I need to take things day by day. In essence, I've relieved
the great pressure I was putting on myself to achieve.

The next step is really delving into meditation. Thank you for
pointing out that it will help me maximize my day more as I think I
often excuse myself from it by determining that I need to get moving
in the morning and start my “work”. Tomorrow is a new day and one that
I intend to start with meditation. No more excuses.

Thank you so much for all the wisdom you have shared with me, Liviu. I
look forward to learning more from you.

Tara

As for the solutions you seek, I'm sure you'll find them. The very fact that you are looking for 'holistic solutions' will help you get the right balance. Having read the previous comments, I'd like to add that you are not alone in feeling unsupported or perhaps not understood by some of those you love. That's probably true for many who decide to follow their path and live from the level of the soul, living a trail behind, rather than conform to commonly accepted (and sometimes imposed) thinking and way of life. There is safety in the crowd, but rarely magic and fulfilment; real joy comes from within. I'd suggest to love everybody irrespective of the understanding and support one offers, and to give yourself that freedom and energy that will help bring to light that which your soul wants to express. Connecting with like-minded people is going to be helpful, and I already see your business moving in this direction.

As a creative person, just be aware that you may not be able to, and perhaps you should not try to follow consistently a strict daily routine/structure. Seeking a healthy balance and having an overall control of your direction and time may be a better and more achievable goal. This will also allow you to live and enjoy the present moment, follow your heart, and make adjustments 'on the go' when needed.

To find that healthy balance between creativity and structure, I think that you should indeed meditate daily. What worked best for me was to start the day with yoga and meditation, even if only for 30-40 minutes. You get centered, the mind gets calm and focused, and you have a more productive day. Soon you'll notice that you will want to grow to 45 min, than perhaps 1 hour, and you will still achieve more than you used to. This is not wasted time, but time well invested for you, your life, and consequently for your business.

Thanks for the wonderful idea of bringing the term 'innerpreneur' to the worldwide public; and Well Done!

Best wishes,
Liviu Caliman

That really does sound doable. And I have to admit, so far this year I
have not begun meditating as I had hoped. I really like this idea,
thank you for sharing it.

It reminds me of an Oprah episode I once watched where she suggested
that every person save $1 each day. That they set up an automatic
withdrawal of $1 each day into a saving account. The amount is so
small that you don't notice it gone and before you realize, you will
have saved a decent amount of money over the years. I liked the idea
though, again, I have yet to implement it;)

Thanks for sharing, Claudia. It was very helpful.

Tara

I LOVE how this suggestion give us permission to start and grow a new practise slowly and surely.

It almost seems doable

Thank you for the kind words and for such helpful suggestions.

The idea of meditating in bed really resonates with me. My issue with
working it into my schedule is that once I get up, I am quickly
distracted away from meditation by the tasks of the day. It could be
as simple as going to the bathroom but even that causes my mind to
begin thinking about the day and what I would like to achieve. I need
to learn not to get so swept up in the day but I think a great first
step to doing that is calming and focusing myself before I rise. Thank
you for the suggestion.

As well, I am going to begin setting a time for when I would like to
arise and setting a time that I must eat by (i.e., 2pm every day). I
am not one for alarms (I prefer to use my internal clock) but I am
going to begin setting it and see how it changes my day. The
affirmations are also very important and while I have never really
used them before, I think now is a perfect time. Some times I really
do need a sign or message to remind me of all that is wonderful about
myself.

Thank you again for taking the time to share your wisdom, Amy. I wish
you a magnificent 2009 full of prosperity and joy.

Tara

To develop routine: start with one thing at a time. Start with something, like when you wake up. Set an alarm for that time. Aim to actually get out of bed then. If it is super early compared to your current wake up time, then work back slowly.. Then your meals and bedtime will naturally follow. I have a 14 month baby and I do this with her and it works great! Also, set alarms for your meals. i know it sounds strange, but it is so easy to forget about them, so remind yourself with a pretty song or something.

and for your inner critic, blast it with affirmations. post them in your office, on your desk, on the mirror in your bathroom. Surround yourself with self-affirming statements that focus on what strengths you have and wish to exemplify. It might sound cheesy but after a while you just feel what you see all around you. It's reprogramming.

I bless you with a beautiful year. I have declared 2009 the year of Prosperity and I know that you will achieve it!

Blessings
Amy

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts and tips with me.

After reading your suggestion for #1 re: meditating I realize that there is nothing that is going to cause me to do it other than self-motivation and discipline. I need to cut out the excuses for why I am not doing it, I have made them for too long. If I want structure or time to meditate I must create it. I must adapt, whether that be rising earlier, taking more breaks during the day or finding time at night. I must create this for myself. As you have so clearly pointed out, there is time in every person's day, no matter their circumstances, they just must be aware that it is there and take action to use it in a positive, healing way.

As for #6, at times I think I know why but to be honest, I'm not totally sure. I theorize that I hold anxiety about not being supported in my passions. I don't think there is anything I find more hurtful than feeling unsupported by my loved ones. I think this fear causes me to be silent of my achievements as I am preemptively preventing others from judging and disapproving of them. What is so interesting about this aspect of myself is that I have always been fiercely independent and cared little for the approval of others. I understand that it doesn't matter what others think but perhaps when it comes to “others” that I know and care for, this truth falls to the wayside.

What is also funny is that I find it much easier to share my feelings, thoughts and inner kudos with my readers. Perhaps because I don't get immediate feedback, perhaps because it is unlikely I will receive negative judgments in return. Or perhaps it is just easier today because I am consciously trying to work on it and writing about it is my first step in improving myself in this area.

Enough rambling from me now;) Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and advice. You really got me thinking.

Tara

Thank you, as always, for the support, love, and kindness. You have been invaluable to my continued growth as an innerpreneur, blogger and creative being.

I look forward to our next read in our The Next Chapter book blogging group. I am hoping that 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women will provide me with more help and ideas to create the support and structure that will work for me in my creative projects.

Looking forward to growing with you in 2009,

Tara

After reading your goals for the New Year I felt like commenting on a few.
#1 Meditating regularly, that’s hard for a busy professional without a daily structure. I’m a small business owner; I live with out a daily structure, sometimes with out regular meals. Finding time to meditate can often be elusive, however here are some tips. If you can wake up early in the morning before everyone is getting going, set down 5 or 20 mins to meditate. The early morning is powerfully quiet, right before everyone gets moving, it can energize you for the rest of the day. Also periodically there are times during the day that you have “5 mins” of downtime, maybe you are on hold (phone), waiting for people, or just a little early for a meeting. I find that I have many different blocks of “5 mins” through out the day. Take that time to clear your mind and focus on your breathing (mini meditation).
#6 I think you know why you are embarrassed and ashamed of your achievements. I’m almost certain you do. Understanding that is paramount. Also this article is all about self-promotion from number 1 to 7, and it’s far from being secret, so you are on the right path.

And I'll take tips #3 for 100, hehe. I found it makes a huge difference to have support and structure for staying focused on motivated. I do this by having a coach and an accountability group. I find it makes all the difference.

Here's to a brilliant 2009 where innerpreneurship flourishes in you and around you!