To stand on that stage, facing fears I didn’t know I had. 

I was scared out of my mind …

…And into my heart

I felt my VOICE for first time in a long time, pleading to be heard. 

DOING IT wasn’t near as scary as thinking about it was. In fact, I came alive in a very real way. Colors brightened and it seemed as though I finally took my first breath

I have since attended many personal development retreats, and still I will always be grateful for that first one—Good to Great in Belize—where I learned that life begins outside of my comfort zone.

 It’s where I began to believe that maybe – – just maybe – –my VOICE is WORTH hearing. 

And now it’s my turn to invite you onto that proverbial stage. 

I can’t wait to hear YOUR voice 

Are you ready? 

You’re worth it!

I just spent a weekend in Kelowna, British Columbia, where I spent some time with my coach and friend, David TS Wood. He was the facilitator of the Good  to Great Retreat that began my quest to Awaken my VOICE!

My vision for the Awaken your VOICE Retreat  has been to duplicate the journey that I have been on for the last decade and condense it into two and half days. I am super excited because I really believe that we did just that!!!

Join me May 16th- 18th 2019 in beautiful St. George, UT, for the AWAKEN YOUR VOICE RETREAT!!!
Check theyouconnection.com for details!

The post Awaken Your Voice first appeared on Cary MacArthur.

The post Awaken Your Voice appeared first on Cary MacArthur.

Talk about your fears, your struggles, your sorrows; give voice to your thoughts, ideas, and dreams.

Find & Speak your VOICE!

ARE YOU READY to CONNECT to YOU again?
JOIN US!!

Connect to your Value, your Power, and your Purpose at the FIND YOUR VOICE RETREAT!

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW theYOUconnection.com

The post Sharing What's Going On Inside Of You Will Set You Free first appeared on Cary MacArthur.

The post Sharing What's Going On Inside Of You Will Set You Free appeared first on Cary MacArthur.

One of my favorite mentors, Sandra Yancey, said that to me, and I love it. It reminds me that I am being guided by a higher power; it also reminds me of how much I am worth, and I’m worth a lot; we all are. But it’s way too easy to forget that as we go throughout our lives, and we fall into habits and routines that are beneath us. There is a reason it’s not good enough to only be living life day by day, and that’s because we all want to become the biggest, and fullest manifestation of ourselves that we can be. We are progressive beings! It is in our nature to want to be the best that we can be. We all have a psychological need to matter!
And still, we tend to forget… So let me remind you,

You have a purpose. You may or may not know it yet. You can discover it by asking yourself “Who Am I–Really?” and then, once you feel the answer, by being true to yourself. Sit quietly and find out who you are, then set your sites to BE that!
And “don’t insult that which is guiding you by aiming too low,” because you WILL be guided.

The gist is that finding your voice-finding yourself-is how you find your purpose. It’s easy to get very distracted as we’re searching because sometimes we get thrown through loops and get sent on roller coasters. Most of the time, we will not just get from point A to point B without trials, right? But if we keep going, we WILL get there. It takes patience, determination, and perseverance. Think of it as going on a road trip – You pack your things, get in the car, and embark on your journey. It is a given that you will encounter some red lights, stop signs, traffic, and you’ll even have to stop to fill up your tank once or twice. And I’m pretty sure that these “trials” very rarely make anyone turn around and go right back home where they’re more comfortable, and that is because they KNOW that if they keep driving, they WILL reach their destination.

Life is no different.

You will get there if you don’t turn around and go back home to where you’re comfortable.

We work together in one purpose because we all connect together in a higher purpose. Still, we all have our own individual personalities & we all have our own individual purpose. We all have our own individual desires, the things that make us tick, the talents that we’ve been given. My purpose is why I’m here; it’s what drives me every day. It can also be defined as my vision, and it becomes more clear as I move toward my purpose.
I encourage you to find time daily to sit in silence, using that time to connect the power of the Divine Creator to the power that is within you. Allow that connection to flow through you, and then recheck your vision and your purpose to bring them into a more clear and defined alignment with who you are designed to be.

The post Getting Clear: Discovering Your Clearly Defined Purpose first appeared on Cary MacArthur.

The post Getting Clear: Discovering Your Clearly Defined Purpose appeared first on Cary MacArthur.

Boffo: 1) (n) highly effective or successful; “Brain On Fast FOrward”

Cary: Can you tell us how you came up with the idea for BOFFO?

Marilyn: As a teacher, I wanted people to not only be creative but also to recognize their ability to do it. BOFFO creates space to be creative and provides a tool for you to know you can come up with breakthrough ideas quickly. I also wanted people to know that they can be creative on the spot, predictively.  BOFFO is played in a Green Light manner, which means it encourages a positive and supportive environment that encourages risk taking and is conducive to creativity. It’s easier, more light-hearted, and safe.

Cary: I was hesitant to believe that a board game could do what you said it would do–increase my ability to think creatively–and after playing a couple of rounds, I knew I had to interview you. Could you explain why it works?

Marilyn: Our brains are so incredibly powerful, and for the most part we only use a tiny part of it. BOFFO triggers a huge part of our brain. You take a “thing,” which is a “launcher,” and an action, called a “booster,” and you put them together to make something new. Then, as you play the game a little bit more, you add a “target” where you put the idea to work. Using a launcher and a booster together allows you to think of new possibilities that wouldn’t have been thought of before, and that triggers other possibilities, and more and more.

It’s a really fascinating process! Creating new synapses, expanding possibilities for your brain to create new ideas, new ways of interacting with people, and initiating unity and teamwork.

“As soon as you sit down and start playing BOFFO, you are in the moment and that “other stuff” falls away.

So it’s a great thing to do to shift moods, and shift conversations as well.” -Marilyn

Enjoy this introduction to my cute friend, Marilyn, and to BOFFO!!! Learn more about how to create “ah-has in the moment” and “all things Marilyn” at her website: www.GoGreenLightWay.com.

The post BOFFO! (Brain on Fast Forward): Interview with Marilyn Schoeman first appeared on Cary MacArthur.

The post BOFFO! (Brain on Fast Forward): Interview with Marilyn Schoeman appeared first on Cary MacArthur.

Does anyone else ask this question: “WHO AM I TO BE…? I mean, SHE is gorgeous and extremely talented.  How could I ever fit into a group of such fabulous people?” I wish I could say I was completely past all of this type of thinking…truth is, that negative voice still exists in my mind. I have shared that dancing and wearing lipstick have moved me to a place where I can actually see beauty in myself, and still that snide “yeah, right…” remark is much stronger than I would like it to be… on many days, I still struggle with my selfie-confidence.

I am so inspired by the answer Marianne Williamson gives after she asks the question, “Who am I to be … gorgeous…?”

“Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God.” 

I believe this statement so much that it brings me to tears! I want more than anything for the belief to outshine the doubt, so the journey continues. To help me strengthen my belief, my coach, David TS Wood, came up with the “selfie challenge” as my next step. ‘Take a selfie every day for 30 days (or more, depending on the level of “selfie-confidence” at that time) and send it to me. No filter. Just you, falling madly in love with the camera and with yourself.”

I hate this challenge…which is why I know I must do it.

The thing I notice about the times when the insecurity becomes louder than my shaky new level of self-confidence is that it becomes the weakest when I begin to feel that “power beyond measure” rising up from within myself.

“Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

So how do I become liberated from my own fear?  Following my own “Five Fundamental Steps to Finding My Voice” has moved me further than anything else I have done:

V-finding Value in myself
O-being Open to learning and trying new things
I-setting an Intention to move forward and then acting on that intention
C–Clearing false beliefs and fears out of my subconsciousness by replacing them with new awareness
E-reinforce my new beliefs by Expressing them every day

All of these steps have been vital to owning and manifesting the power of God within me. Learning to Value who I am and having courage to Express myself with an audible voice are foundational cornerstones to the process. The keystone, however–the piece that fuels the fire and holds everything together is Acting with Intention! Accepting and being 100% committed to all of these silly challenges that I have been given are helping me to step out of fear and into greatness, and that is why I keep going.

SO! Back to the selfie challenge…some days it seems easy; other days I want to throw my phone across the room. Coach Wood says that’s sign that I’m getting closer and that I still have a ways to go. So, I will keep going.

It would be so much more fun, however, if others would join me!! Is anyone up for a selfie challenge? We could post them on my Facebook page– #selfieconfidence and #selfiechallenge. 

What if we all start showing up with with greater confidence?  Imagine the difference we could make!  

The post Challenge: Creating Selfie-Confidence first appeared on Cary MacArthur.

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Careful… that’s the key word. Be careful not to attempt anything that you can’t be good at. That way, you won’t have to face the perfectionism demons that lie waiting to attack every flaw, every fault, every mistake.

Perfectionism: (n) a personal standard, attitude, or philosophy that demands perfection

and rejects anything else.

Rejects anything else–to the point of avoidance maybe? To the point of missing out on the experience completely in the name of being perfect?

So yes, I understand perfectionism. I understand it so well that I discovered the backdoor approach to avoiding the demons–I simply avoided the demons. I can’t be perfect, so instead of stressing about it, find a way to just not do it.

So–rejecting anything that keeps me from being perfect keeps me…perfect…

Hmmm…

Could that be why it’s been about a month since I created a blog post? Instead of spending hours putting my thoughts into words that would perfectly illustrate my point, I got busy. I created  a task list so long and laborious that avoiding the blog “just one more week” was the best obvious solution. I mean, if I justify not blogging by finding “more important” things to do, even though I promised myself that I would be consistent, I won’t really be breaking a promise I made to myself. Right?

I saw the big picture of what I was doing during a romantic trip with my husband to the Cayman Islands. I experienced the anxiety-provoking effects of my incongruous beliefs and behaviors in a somewhat surprising yet very real and raw way. Somehow being faced with to-the-core vulnerability–swimsuit, wet hair, athletic incompetence–while having every intention of being fully present with Dave left me nowhere I could hide. Behaving in a way that is inconsistent with belief is a prime cause of anxiety, and boy! Did I feel it!

I talk about facing fear all the time; I am all about walking my talk; and in this moment of being completely exposed with nowhere to hide, I came face-to-face with my “hypocrisy.” I didn’t like it.

Lucky for me, I am extremely introspective. I am also quite committed. When I put my mind to something, I do it. No matter what. I’m not always 100% willing. In fact, I can be quite stubborn. Sometimes I fight myself from every angle, and when there are no convincing angles left, “Stubborn Me” gives in to “Determined Me,” and I take another step toward “Congruent Me.”

To me, being congruent means being in full voice, which also means passionate and powerfully approaching my purpose. That makes me happy–and Happy is the goal.

**Fun side bar: By putting my new awareness into action, this particular blog post only took 30 minutes instead of several hours. It may not be perfect; it’s definitely progress!

“Men (and women) are that they might have JOY.”

The post Blogging, Beach Anxiety, and Perfectionism first appeared on Cary MacArthur.

The post Blogging, Beach Anxiety, and Perfectionism appeared first on Cary MacArthur.

I have had two daughters basically grow up at Diamond Talent. Both of them are powerful dreamers and have learned the art of working hard for what they want. They have been also surrounded by other like-minded friends (who eventually grow to feel like family) who have similar passion and purpose, and I have witnessed many of them leave the studio and venture out into the world to make their dreams come true, no matter what they are. Not all of them become dancers or performers–there are many who become business owners, entrepreneurs, powerful parents, athletes… they understand who they are and they are not afraid to BE that. Even though some of them may find a different path than the one they thought they would pursue, they still are able to tap into the power of belief that they gained by associating themselves as and with dreamers and believers.

I have watched one young woman in particular follow her dream of being a professional dancer go from “one magnificent win to the next.” Her name is Emily Tate. At age 22, she is a Juilliard graduate and was recently selected to be a part of the Broadway Revival of CATS. Because she is extremely busy with rehearsals, I conducted her interview via email. I am excited to share her story with you.

Prepare to be inspired!!

CM: When did you start dreaming? When did you know what you wanted to be?

ET:  I was lucky to grow up in a family that has always supported big dreams and following passions. I started taking dance lessons at Diamond Talent when I was 8 years old and by the time I was 11, I knew that I would be a professional dancer. My determination to make dancing and performing the career that would lead my life has not wavered since.

CM:  What have you done to hold that dream both as you grew up and now as you have grown up and moved into being it?

ET:  Hard work and dedication is what has kept dance alive through my many ups and downs. I have a deep love and passion for dance and performing, but it is not always easy to keep it at the forefront every single day. Without the structure, support and inspiration from my incredible teachers and family, it would have been harder to keep a clear vision of what I was working towards. I think it’s vital for young people to have a passion that they are committed to developing on a daily basis. Our culture is full of instant gratification but developing a skill set or talent that requires years of hard work builds confidence and character in ways that nothing else can. Being in the dance companies at Diamond Talent gave me that commitment and support to keep my dream alive. The positive work ethic that I developed while growing up is what hasmade a professional career possible for me. The other part of keeping the dream alive for me is continually staying inspired. For me, inspiration comes from seeing shows, taking class, being in nature, listening to music, teaching the next generation and talking with teachers and friends who I admire.

CM:  What motivates you a daily? Do you have a routine? a mantra? a quote or an inspiration that you turn to?

ET:  At this stage in my life, my inspiration on a daily basis comes primarily from people who believe in and caredeeply about me: Alex, my parents, siblings and friends, and Brian and Melinda. I am lucky to have these people who continue to encourage my dreams. I am so much happier and healthier when I am dancing on a regular basis, so knowing that, motivates me to get my butt into class! There are so many dancers in NYC pursuing this career (for example, over fifteen hundred dancers auditioned for the Broadway Revival of Cats). Going to several auditions a week surrounded by hundreds of excellent performers makes keeping self-confidence and belief in myself challenging to say the least! This business is not for the weak of heart!!! You must LOVE it to survive and you must persevere through the rejection that you WILL face more often than successes. My mantra every time I go to an audition is a quote I heard from a Broadway leading lady, Sierra Boggess:

CM:  How has your dream grown?

ET:  My dream has grown because gratefully it has HAD to! I am living my dreams. It is challenging and kicks my butt all the time. I have received far more no’s than yes’ but I have had the courage, confidence, passion and support to not let the disappointments stop me. The lowest lows have made the highs in my life SO much more satisfying (as cliche as it sounds). I auditioned for more than fifteen other shows this audition season. From summer stocks to regional theaters and TV movies, I auditioned for them all and didn’t get ONE of them! But my life had another plan just around the corner that ended up being the biggest dream and blessing I’ve had in my life. After 7 intense callbacks and weeks of waiting, I got the exciting call offering me a role in the original cast of the Broadway revival of Cats! If I had let the many no’s in the months previous get me down, I wouldn’t have been able to do my best in the callbacks for Cats and therefore would’ve stopped myself from achieving this dream! Every time a dream becomes real in my life, my joy, my gratitude and my dreams grow exponentially.  I believe that by living my life whole heartedly and pursuing my dreams I am encouraging and giving permission to those around me to do the same. Jim Carrey said it best, “You can fail at what you don’t want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.”

The post Emily Tate: A Young Lady with Powerful Purpose first appeared on Cary MacArthur.

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