Your Prosperity Future

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Thank you for your commitment to creating a more prosperous future. It’s a spiritual mandate.

Kris Stecker

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One of our graduates was talking about how he has struggled to gain success that is equal to his skills. This wasn’t just in his new profession but also in a secondary profession that he has been dedicated to for his whole life. The question behind the comment was, why do some people make it and others struggle for a long time without success.

From my experience it comes down to a very simple thing: Having a plan and actually working the plan.

There are a lot of talented people that generally know what they want or have a desire for success, but they never seem to attain it. They may be perpetual students, always feeling like they need to learn more before they are ready. Or they may spend a lot of time thinking about what they want or even fantasizing about it, but just can’t move beyond this phase.

Some of what holds people back is the fear to commit to doing something. But the biggest thing seems to be a lack of a plan or the discipline to use it. In the hilarious movie, “What About Bob” the character has to focus on baby steps to overcome his fears and accomplish his goals. The lesson is that to succeed you need a plan but you also need to become a master of Baby Steps.

Focus on the next step. Don’t think about the whole plan and outcome. It can be overwhelming. Figure out what the very next step is and do it. It could be as simple as getting a notebook to record your plan. Is your plan written already? Then look at your plan and see what the very next step is.

Often people are not clear on the next step so they get stuck. This is where becoming a master of baby steps is crucial. Let’s break down and example.

• Your plan may call for getting financial backing to open an office but you have been stuck at that step without progress for some time. Why? Because that isn’t the next step.
• Your next step may be to decide what type of backing you need. But if you break that down you find that you actually need to learn more about need to learn more about what the different financing options may be. You may have been thinking about loans but don’t have a banking relationship where you can get a business loan. But you don’t know how to set up that type of relationship and a bank loan may not be the best route but you don’t know what else you can do.
• So the next step now becomes talking to people who can give you guidance. But who? Possible options might be found at the Small Business Administration, a local Chamber of Commerce or Business Networking Group, or from other successful people who you know or don’t know who are in the industry.
• So the next step is to make a list of who may be able to help you to come up with a plan to finance your business. (Of course you should  have a written business plan before you ask for their time and ideas.)
• And then the next step is to get the phone number, make the call and set up 2 or 3 meetings.

This is the process you must master. One step at a time. Everything that is has been accomplished one step at a time. Larger projects may have multiple simultaneous paths but each path is one step at a time. Some paths may be dead ends and others may have obstacles, but every path must be taken one step at a time. There are no shortcuts if you want a solid outcome. However there are a lot of detours if you don’t have a plan to start with.

Which brings up a very important point about baby steps and plans. Often the next step is to modify something in the plan. Plans are developed from the point in the journey where you are. You can’t always know all the opportunities or obstacles that may be around the corner. You will find them as you progress down the path, one step at a time.

When you see a new opportunity or encounter and obstacle, it’s very important to take the time to modify your plan. This is where using the S.W.O.T techniques is a powerful next step that should be built into your plan at important benchmarks along the way.

The final part of the process is personal accountability to act. Your progress is totally up to you. You have to take another step in your plan daily. The more steps you take the faster you will get to your success. Get rid of your TV. Get rid of all distractions. Any time you are not taking a step forward, figure out why. If two days go by without taking steps, you are in the danger zone. Your next step is to figure out why and to take the next step in your plan within 24 hours.

You have to be relentless about taking at least one step a day. Think of that. At the end of a year of taking one step a day, you will be 365 steps into your plan. Would that change your life? Would that make you plan happen?

I look forward to watching your success and hearing about your accomplishments. Your questions an perspective are always appreciated. Thank you for sharing them as comments on this post.

In Prosperity,

Kris

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One of our colleagues was saying how the anti-business climate along with the challenges of running a business was harder than she anticipated and often had regrets about having her own business. She has been in the field for 8 years so this is an important time.

As far as the anti-business climate, I understand the challenge as we are up against it with all the government regulation of schools. The state and federal governments are very anti-business. They seem to forget that tax revenue comes from successful businesses that create jobs. Their focus is on two things: How to regulate everything and how to collect money from anyone who has it. That being said, the more important issue is this: How can you make your business succeed?

Nancy and I have been through huge financial challenges with the school in the past. A lot of people would have thrown in the towel but our mission to bring this work into the world kept us focused and strong. Recently we reached a place where things are more solid but we are still making less personally than we did as practitioners who were offering a weekend workshop in Polarity. We also have less personal time. However, both of these are conditions that we have chosen as we continue to reinvest everything back into teaching people to have successful careers that they love.

One thing that we have learned over the past 30 years is how much our business followed a similar sequence of changes that children go through. For instance, in the beginning, it is an infant that demands constant attention to do anything. As it gets to 2 or 3 years old it starts to be able to communicate more and gets stronger but is also more accident prone. Around 7 years it starts to have a life of its own and then come the teenage years. Oh boy those can be challenging times as it attempts to go it’s own direction without you. Then it becomes progressively more independent of you as it moves into it’s 20′s and 30′s. At this point it reaches a more stable and mature process. I would guess the next challenge comes when it reaches mid-life crisis but we have a few years to find out about that.

Franchises or businesses that have very accelerated business plans will have a different trajectory but the sequence of stages still remain relatively the same.

Why is this important? Two reasons: It’s important to understand that whatever phase you’re in, it will pass and just like a child, you have to stick with it. It’s important to never give up. Do not let your business die just because it’s going through a difficult stage. And also don’t lose your focus when it becomes more independent. Just like a teenager, you have to watch it very closely to make sure it’s making good decisions.

Remember, you are doing something amazing that a very small percentage of people know how to do. You’re not only creating something that’s good for the community you are also creating something that is good for you. But the question is, what do you do during the difficult times. How do you get through?

The challenge is that the problems in the business are often your primary focus. As you focus on the problems it can keep you from seeing the opportunities. To break out of it you have to face a very important fact. There are massage, salon and spa businesses that do make money and succeed. If some can succeed then that means it’s possible for your business to succeed.

This is a powerful and important lesson. It’s important to draw the correct conclusion: Not that you have failed but that you are still learning how to make it work. The challenge is to stay with it until you figure it out. Tenacity is the key to success. You have to keep educating yourself in business, marketing and communications and eventually things will happen the way you want. It’s not a question of if, it’s a question of when.

This blog is full of ideas to help you succeed but it is only a small portion of what you need. I also recommend studying successful companies (including outside the industry like Disney, Olive Garden, Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks and others) to see what they are doing. You may not do it the same but there are lessons to be learned everywhere you go. When we would go to Disney with our daughter we were like sponges taking in everything we could. When we would get a call to go to a time share presentation we would go just for the value of seeing what they did right and what they did wrong. We went to the Inc Magazine conference and were surrounded by 1000 business people whose stories were all pretty much the same, no matter the size of their company.

Make sure you join your Chamber of Commerce and go to meetings so you get to be around other business owners. Join a business networking group (again to be around other business owners and professionals) and take some vacations to be around people who have succeeded. Make a personal board of directors that meets 2 or 4 times a year to ask you about your business and keep you focused. Work with a professional organizer to reduce the friction in your business and make it more efficient.

One of the most difficult and important things to do is to stay focused on what you want to create. It’s easy to focus on the work and the difficulties, particularly the bills, because they demand attention. It’s much harder to stay focused on the good you are bringing to your community, the jobs and opportunities you are creating and the fact that you have the freedom to have a business. This is an opportunity that many people do not have.

As my friend from India used to say, when he worked for another one of my friends who would complain about the problems in his business, “I will gratefully take your business and problems and opportunities.” He now has several of his own businesses. Some work out and others don’t. But he never gives up and he never complains. One day he is going to be very successful.

So remember, you are doing something amazing that most people don’t understand and never will. And when you figure out how to make it work for you as well as everyone else, people will tell you, “You sure were lucky.” Just smile and stay focused on your good fortune. It’s a gift.

Well-being and prosperity are one in the same. The flow of energy that creates well-being comes from a prosperous focus. Please check out the additional topics to help you succeed.

Thank you for the opportunity.

Kris Stecker

Spa Tech Institute

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Some will cheer and some will jeer. The Occupy Wall Street, T.E.A Party, Arab Spring and other movements are flashpoints that deserve consideration rather than reflexive reactions. Understanding what is happening is the path to your prosperity in whatever form you desire.

Key to all movements is this: It is an organic process. All organisms, whether they are animals, civilizations, economic or political systems, societies, corporations or religions are subject to certain organic patterns. They are in a constant state of flux and change. Change is the norm because everything is energy and energy is always in motion. And at the heart of all manifestation is the flow of energy.

This is a key point to be understood: The more energy moves the more prosperity there is because the more manifestation there is. For instance, a battery holds potential energy but it’s not until that energy is set in motion that you can create heat, light or movement. A seed is full of energy but until the seed is activated it is just a seed. Once the energy is set in motion something grows and can produce thousands or millions of seeds. So energy in motion is vital to manifesting prosperity.

Understanding that organizations are energy and change is energy in motion is the starting point for understanding why it’s important to pay attention to movements that show change. What has to be in place are several components for a movement to exist. There has to be an organism with systems that attempt to maintain balance, something that is leading to imbalance and a mechanism for self correction of the organism. This is the same process that takes place in a healthy body. When something is out of balance, the body creates an infection to attempt to bring the system back into balance.  An infection can produce heat, discharge and discomfort and consume energy from the body. Sometimes the imbalance can be so severe that the infection consumes the organism and leads to death. There are counter measures that can be used to manage the infection so it doesn’t kill the organism in most cases. Does any of this sound like what’s happening in the world today?

At the core of most infections is discomfort. It’s how the organism becomes focused on the infection to find the cause and the remedy. That is what we may experience in our response to different movements that come up in the society. It’s our opportunity to examine what is the cause and the possible solution. How we react is the most important part. How we react determines the value of the outcome. We have many options: Learn, ignore, deny, stifle, experience or experiment. Depending on the path we choose leads us to the outcome we experience.

So how can we use Occupy Wall Street, T.E.A. Party or other movements to increase our prosperity? It starts by watching your initial reaction and learning about yourself. What does your reaction to a movement tell you about what your assumed positions are on the issue that is presented. What can you learn about the way you perceive and move in the world? What is your relationship to change and evolution? How do you manifest your being and mission in the world? These are all extremely important starting points for understanding what your opportunities are to grow and manifest more of what you want in your life.

One consistent theme of most movements is that a group of people are moving from victimization to actualization. This is a powerful and exciting prospect for us as a civilization. Victimization is a form of slavery. Whether it’s from a government, society, economic system, religion or belief, no civilization can prosper while people are enslaved. It may give the appearance of thriving for a period of time but every resource that is enslaved is not able to bring their full creativity to the benefit of the civilization. The civilization with the highest creative participation will always be the most successful civilization.

And herein is the basis of prosperity. Prosperity is the natural offshoot of creative effort. And creative effort comes when people believe they are the source of their abundance.

Often there appears to be statements that people feel they are entitled to have more. It’s expressed in many different ways but at the core seems to be the feeling that something that they think they should have is not there. It manifests as statements that the government is taking too much of what they produce or the wealthy are not giving enough back, but underlying the message is that, “We are entitled to more than what we are getting.”

I completely agree with the underlying message and have a very different view of what it means.

My view is that what people are really upset about is that people have become separated from their most basic entitlement or birth right: The ability to be connected with source. This is a deeply spiritual and fundamental core entitlement that we are born knowing and have lost in this materialistic culture. Our education, economic systems and cosmology have created a focus on a material and sensual experience that is enslaving the majority of the civilization. The debt that we are experiencing is a debt of connection to source. Source is the Alpha and Omega. It’s the well spring of creative and generative energy. It’s the thing that makes us whole and healthy. Without it we are simply living a life where we feel enslaved to paying bills and getting stuff.

The challenge is that our addiction to the material world is the hardest kind of slavery to escape. It’s deeply ingrained and our survival (on the physical plane) appears to depend on the very thing that enslaves us. That’s what’s exciting about it. That’s what makes this such a worthwhile challenge to overcome.

The problem isn’t really Wall Street, Capitalism or the wealthiest 1%. They are just the symbols of the problem. The problem is our self enslavement to not knowing how to manifest what we want in the world. We haven’t acquired the tools or understanding to learn how to connect with our source creativity and create what we want. If it was really about the 99% against the 1%, Steve Jobs would be the poster child of the movement. But he isn’t and I believe it’s because people see that he was connected with his creative source and was able to create what they want.

In fact, Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerburg, Bill Gates and others could never have created all the cool things people love without capitalism and the flow of money (energy) within the economy. So it’s important to get beyond the symbols that stand for what people are protesting against and are not really the issue.

So how do you gain your true freedom and connect with your source so you can learn to manifest yourself fully? That’s what the rest of http://blog.prsoperity.spatech.edu is all about.

I hope you are able to get fully connected and manifest all of your creativity and abundance. We all need to manifest together to create a better world. Keep up the good work.

Sincerely.

Kris

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This was the headline of an article on the CNBC site on 9/16/11.

“Consumer Hope for Future Hits Lowest Level Since 1980″

It’s great news and here’s why.

In 1980 people were hopeless because:

• National Debt:  $0.914 Trillion. We are at $14.731 Trillion as of 9/16/11 but it’s climbing fast. Check the National Debt Clock for updates.
• The Iran Hostage Situation and President Jimmy Carter were in the news daily
• The economy was melting down with 13.5% inflation and 7.1% unemployment (which peaked at 9.7% in 1982)
• The Middle East was in turmoil and OPEC and the Oil Embargo was causing $1.25 per gallon gas

Notice the similarities? But how is this great news?

Even though the “traditional” economy appeared to be a mess, we were actually on the threshold of a huge change in the economy from a resource/manufacturing based economy that was 80% materialistic to an information based economy that could scale quickly. The IBM PC was being developed, Microsoft was in the early stages of development and Apple was gaining traction.There was also a paradigm shift giving birth to a new spiritual awakening: The integration of the western, eastern and shamanistic traditions.

It didn’t change with a bang but it did go though a lot of labor pains. The tension between people who were resisting the change and those who wanted the change created disharmony or dissonance in all areas. Disharmony and dissonance are a highly energized state that creates a drive for resolution.This abundant energy was a key driver of what followed.

It was also a major step forward in the paradigm shift in wellness. If you look at the medical and pharmaceutical culture at the time the mantra was that modern medicine was the only legitimate form of healing. The very few alternative practitioners (massage therapists, herbalists and others) operated under the radar and served a small but loyal group of early adopters.

Polarity Therapy was in it’s formative stages and a lot of other therapies were being developed by pioneers in the field.  Anyone with public exposure and success was soon attacked by the American Medical Association (AMA) and drug companies as quacks. Some had to move to South America or Europe to practice. The process forced people to dig deeper and do even better to bring it into the world.But what very few people knew about back then is common knowledge and household words today.

Because the AMA and the medical/pharmaceutical/government relationship was so rigid it pushed people to break out of the traditional thinking and create something new. The birth of alternative medicine, education and spirituality all have strong roots to these times. (On a side note, that was the year that Nancy Risley started the Polarity Realization Institute which is now Spa Tech Institute.)

Great News! The Time for Change is Here!

Crisis is the catalyst for change. When people are losing hope it means that we are turning the corner.  It breaks the pattern of doing things the same way over and over again and expecting the same outcome (which is also one of the definitions of insanity). It strips away what isn’t working. Whereas most people feel defeated or lose hope, it also creates the perfect environment for the futurists and optimists to launch their creations.

I predict that the people who are launching new ventures during this time are creating the next wave of powerful and exciting technologies and enterprises. So look around and see who is getting started now to find the people who can see beyond the illusion of hardship or problems. These are the people who see the possibilities and opportunities where others see obstacles. These are the people who, without knowing it, are creating the future opportunities for others as well. It may start with them learning a new skill and starting a private or group practice. Or maybe they are developing a new product line or technique. It may take several years or a decade or two, but in time, what they are starting will grow. Do you know why?

It’s simple: They knew how to connect with a source energy that is more powerful than the illusion of what is happening in the economy. They understand in their core that by connecting with this source and being the conduit for this energy, they can create something that was true and good. It isn’t that they have a big plan, although some may have a very well developed plan. It’s that they found a path with heart. It’s a frequency that they resonate with and that amplifies something in their frequency. It comes from a place of alignment that is unique to them. And they have the courage to follow it because it’s the only thing that feels right to them.

Of course there are a lot of good existing companies that have this same understanding as part of their DNA who will also thrive and grow during these times. They do best when the environment supports innovation and out of the box thinking. They will thrive along with the other ventures that are starting at this time.

It’s not about “Build It and They Will Come” kind of thinking. That’s bubble economy thinking. It’s about finding your true mission and finding the courage, energy and support to follow that mission. It is a powerful and compelling force that drives creative energy and attracts others to help. It’s the spirit that built this country in the beginning and it’s the spirit that will rebuild this country or any country that has it.

How Do You Do It?

Start by choosing to be around people who are moving forward. Say goodbye to those who are stuck in their fear and focus on the people who are transforming themselves. Hang out with people who have a vision and a mission.

If you already know what it is you want to do but don’t seem to be able to do it, there are many things you can do right now to get started. Write it down. Write about what you want to create and what’s holding you back. Read some of the other entries on this blog about manifestation. Get a polarity or RYSE session to help you get clear and help you manifest. Keep a journal for what you want to create.

If you know you want to do something but you don’t know what, start writing about not knowing what you want to do. Make lists of what you have done in the past and see if there is a consistent theme. What’s behind the theme. Don’t get stuck thinking about what “jobs” you can get that apply to the theme. Focus on the feeling of what it would be like to be living a mission directed life. You don’t need to know what you are doing for work yet. Just focus on the feeling of doing something that is truly exciting for you and that you feel passionate about. Use the Treasure Mapping techniques. And of course, get polarity sessions and do the RYSE exercises. The clearer you get, the more clearly you will know what you need.

If you just want things to stay the same and not change, all I can do is wish you luck and surround you in light. I really don’t know how to deal with that position. It’s never been in my DNA. Sorry.

I look forward to watching your creations manifest into this exciting new wave of energy and transformation. I can hardly wait to see what you are going to do. Thank you all for being part of this adventure.

Sincerely.

Kris Stecker

p.s. If you have questions or additional insights you would like to share, please add your comments. This is a new age of collaboration. Working together is to create a better future is the gift that we have received. I look forward to your comments.

p.p.s. Please share this with others so we can get as much creative energy mobilized as possible. Thank you.

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This may push a few buttons but here is an interesting thread from Facebook:

SO,LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT…If you cross the North Korean border illegally, you get 12 yrs. hard labor. If you cross the Afghanistan border illegally, you get shot. Two Americans just got eight years for crossing the Iranian border. If you cross the U.S. border illegally you get a job, a drivers license, food stamps, a place to live, health care, housing & child benefits, education, & a tax free business for 7 yrs.

Me: Ironic?

Linda: we wonder what is wrong in this Country…

Me: Just for clarity, I’m pretty sure that many of the people who come here illegally are good people who are simply doing whatever it takes to take care of their families. They are risking their lives to make things work. I suspect we are cut from the same clothe.

Elle: Ireland, England, Greek, Italian and a full blooded MicMac through the borders of Canada allow my daughter to live in this beautiful free country. My only fear is that our generousity may humble us. Everything in moderation

Laurene:  My grandparents came here from Italy. Nothing was given to them for free. They paid their way in and worked their tails off to survive. If you ask me…I wish they stayed in Italy.

Kris: One thing that made this country prosperous is the ability to move about freely to follow opportunity. I wonder what would happen to world wide prosperity if there were no borders?

Susan: this is true…..I am proud to be in a country that respects life, and cares for people regardless if they were born here or not. The system I agree is not perfect but we are showing other countries the way. what needs to happen is to reduce the greed of our leaders and focus on reducing excessive spending in the wrong direction. I also feel we as a people need to be more creative and take charge of our own lives. I see many very talented people doing nothing with their gifts……..Think big and creative. Find a need and fill that need. You can’t change everything in life but you can change YOU and how you see things and react to your surroundings. Be the one to make the differance. Who said you can’t suceed in life just because all the rules have changed!!!!!! I plan on making a differance by staying positive, not negative………………

[Comments at time of writing]

Interestingly, these comments were made by job creators. Every single person has created at least one job (their own) in the past 3 years and some have created many more. This is powerful. Notice the way job creators think. Pay particular attention to Susan’s thinking. She is a very strong job creator.

What’s the Answer? What’s the Question?

The issue often gets focused on the wrong thing. The problem is not immigration. The problem is the welfare state or an entitlement mentality. We should have a way for hard working people to come into this country. Making it hard for them to get in is a Darwinian bargain that insures that the hardest working and biggest risk takers are entering the country. These are exactly the people we want to attract. These are the people who will be the most successful and the most likely to create additional jobs in this country.

But the safety net is what’s draining the country of life force. It’s too easy for people to take advantage of it. When interviewing people for positions over the past 3 years, it was clear that a surprisingly large percentage preferred to stay unemployed for as long as possible. They were taking an extended vacation from working that was being paid for by the government (i.e. tax revenues from businesses and 40% borrowed money to be paid back by us, our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren). They were playing the system and more worried about if an extension of benefits would be approved rather than getting creative and motivated to make something happen. The people that were doing this were not the legal or illegal immigrants. It was mostly the third and fourth generation Americans that have developed the entitlement mentality.

Entitlement Mentality Trap

On the one hand there are people who really do need support. But there are a lot of people who are making decisions based on the support landscape. Take a look around and who do you see opening and running small businesses like childcare, landscaping, small retail stores, salons and restaurants? And for each one of these small businesses that opens, how many of these people also employ 2, 3 or more additional people? If you think about it, at 10% unemployment, theoretically all it would take is 1 in 10 employed people to create at least 1 new job and we should be at 0% unemployment.

Ultimately, many of these people have lower rates of pay but because they are willing (and thankful) to be able to work more hours, they end up making money. And they invest that money. Categorically, they don’t go out and spend it on fancy clothes, cars or big houses. They invest it in other businesses that family members start, thereby creating even more jobs.

But somehow the American Dream got hijacked to being about imposing hire minimum wages, more benefits, more taxes on anyone who has worked hard to build wealth and an entitlement state that cannot support all the promises that have been made. Until the entitlement mentality trap is disengaged, the country cannot prosper.

Why Prosperity of Illegal Immigration?

Oddly enough, who do you think is going to be a stronger, more creative, more successful worker? Someone who grew up in a wealthy family that could afford to pay off the right people so their children can escape their country of origin or someone who is willing to risk everything, survive a dangerous desert crossing and if they gain entry, do whatever they can to become successful. Who is going to be better at identifying and using opportunity: Someone who has grown up in the lap of luxury and had everything given to them or someone who has had to scramble to make ends meet. While one is thinking about their inheritance the other is looking for opportunities. Who will create more jobs and more prosperity?

It would be amazing to think of a world without borders. After all, that is a major source of prosperity (both economic, genetic and cultural). The US thrives because of the openness of commerce within the country. There would be an adjustment period but eventually the world would also be more prosperous when energy is going into solving the need for water, energy, healthcare and food instead of going into defending borders.

Distrust is very expensive.

So isn’t it time that we stop vilifying the motivated and innovative people who are trying to work here and address the real issue which is all the people who are unwilling to pull their own weight?

Be well and prosperous.

Kris

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I started this post back in June of 2010 but didn’t post it at the time. It felt like there was something that needed to happen before it was posted. A year later and what I started to write is truer than ever so I’m publishing it now. Here it is.

Here is what I wrote on 6/10/2010:

There is no question that there is a lot of bad news about the economy right now. But what is true and what is hyperbole meant to sell advertising space? And even more importantly, what does it mean for you and your future?

The answer is: A lot!

Even though the stock market is off and there is talk of a double dip recession, it’s important to remember that what matters is how you view the future and that you are clear about what you want to create. Remember, what you focus on you will get more of. So if the news is causing you to focus on fear and a loss of faith, that is what you will be dealing with.

I know there are some of you who will react to this statement due to your situation and I appreciate what you are going through. I also know from experience that until I got focused on what I wanted to create, instead of what I didn’t have, things stayed the same. Nothing changed which just reinforced my belief that it was the way things were. It can be difficult because our minds are very invested in protecting us from failure. As long as we treat our situation as failure, it becomes self fulfilling.

It is much more constructive, and satisfying, to reboot our mind to simply say, “Wow, I’m being given a great opportunity to make changes.” The two things I have found are that the people who see it as an opportunity come through it the best and often they realize that they had been asking for the opportunity well before it happened. The lesson: When you know what you want you can either go for it or wait for the energy to force you to do it.

That being said, the reality is that for many people, this is actually an amazing time to start a business or a new career. There are still some attractive financial resources available to people who are motivated. With the state of the deficit it’s hard to say this will remain true. It’s not unusual for the government to get over extended and then pull back. I anticipate the funding may dry up as the reality of the deficit hits home.

If you are not convinced, consider that even though over 90% of the people are employed the news is primarily about the 9.7% who are unemployed. Yes it is hard for many of these people. But did you know that there are a lot of people who are choosing to stay unemployed because they get paid more than the jobs they are offered?

This is important. The argument goes as follows: I used to be paid a certain amount to do a job and I don’t want to work until I’m paid that much again.

Reality check: What people were being paid before was financed, it was not real. This is the economy without the bubble of false credit. This is what people should have been paid but we got ahead of ourselves. Competition caused businesses to borrow to keep up. It was easy to borrow money which made it easy to spend more than they had. Consumers were doing the same things and we all went down the road together believing that it would go on for ever.

Many businesses have grown and thrived while others (the ones in the news) struggled or disappeared. The ones who have done well stayed focused on the positive aspects of what they are doing and also adapted their offerings to fit what people wanted.

During this time most people and businesses have worked hard at reducing debt and saving more. This has actually made the situation worse as people stopped spending. But this is also creating pent up demand for the future. People will do without for a while but as the money in their savings grow, so does the pressure to acquire delayed purchases.

The big shift we are seeing this year is with employers in this area. They are still being careful but unlike last year when things were very uncertain, this year they feel much more confident that the economy is getting back on track. When you consider that the Gulf  Coast and Caribean are going to be poor destinations for months or years to come due to the oil spill, the future for the New England tourist economy looks very robust.

The key moving forward is to position yourself for the future. It’s clear that jobs that are not location dependent (administrative, engineering, service and on-line sales) will continue to move over seas. As those jobs move many management jobs will also be eliminated in this country. Manufacturing is another major area that is easily moved to cheaper producing countries. The difference in payroll and regulations is much too big for businesses to ignore.

However, careers that require hands on and personal contact such as bodywork, cosmetology, spa related services and other health related businesses will continue to prosper. There is no way to outsource these professions and with the coming changes in healthcare, more people than ever will realize that they need to stay healthy.

The biggest issue is to reboot our understanding of work and careers. The myth of  security (working for big employers) has been pretty much destroyed. This is going to hit the state and local government workforce next as the states and towns run out of money. What people are discovering is that the only real security comes from being able to create your own future. Entrepreneurship is already growing and will continue to be the path to true security. This may be a difficult concept for people to grasp at first. It requires a lot of self motivation, adaptation and self-reliance but in the end, if you work hard and pay attention to the details, you will always find a way to prosper.

Looking forward it is time to stop calling what we are in a recession and recognize that this is actually the real economy. What we had for the past 15 years was an illusion bought on credit. Now we are dealing with what is real instead of what was financed. The sooner we recognize that this is the real economy we will be free to move forward. Right now the danger of waiting on the sidelines until things pick up is to miss new opportunities.

End of post from 6/10/2010

Here we are over a year later and things are pretty much the same. Unemployment is over 9%, the stock market is still bouncing around and the talk of double dip recession continues. The government is still trying to pump up the economy by printing money and the world economy is on the edge of the cliff.

But the bodywork, cosmetology and spa industries continue to hire people and graduates are finding employment. In fact, we can’t train massage therapists fast enough for the companies that are hiring. And many of the people who have opened their own business are doing quite well.

There are differences coming. The voters elected people who said they would shrink the size of government and keep taxes low. Borders has gone out of business and many companies are profitable even though they are smaller. The political process seems more broken than ever and the news will continue to be bad (since bad news hooks people in which sells advertising).

But there is also a very interesting shift we have seen. There is a surge in people interested in polarity therapy and RYSE as people are becoming open to being self-sufficient and creative. People are also looking to take care of themselves better as they realize that being healthy is the best and most important part of dealing with a changing environment.

The most important thing for anyone who is “waiting” for the recession to pass and for life to return to normal is this: Stop waiting. The future is here. This is the new normal. Savings and retirement are being replaced by inflation and working later in life. Creating your own business is replacing working for big companies. And having a career instead of a job is more important than ever.

So let go of the past and create your future. Everything you need is here. Take an inventory and figure out how to make your life work now.

In Prosperity,

Kris

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I was raised on Doctor Seuss. One of the first books I remember was “Happy Birthday to You” which is truly amazing. If you haven’t seen it I highly recommend it. You deserve it.

But what does this have to do with prosperity? A lot!

Your birthday is the first day of your life in the world outside your mother. It is the most important day of your life. Everything that happened sets the tone for everything that will follow. The first minutes are the most important and with every passing moment, the importance drops exponentially. How you enter the world sets the direction of your life.

Oh great, you say. You were born in a hospital, possibly under the influence of drugs, were pulled out in bright lights, something caustic was dumped in your eyes and someone held you up by your feet and slapped your ass. How is this a good thing?

Of course, depending on your parents, you could have a very different experience, either better or worse. But no matter what your experience, it has been a subtle underlying determinant of what has followed. How you were treated in those first moments can never be changed but they can be mitigated. That’s the value of celebrating your birthday.

What happens is your energy system is transformed by the birth process from what you experienced in utero into how you will manifest your life. Birth trauma can alter the energy field to be weaker or have various patterns (like if the umbilical cord is around your neck) that can effect how you interact with the world. A long birth process with complications can introdue a variety of opportunities for growth later in life. Or one that created separation and distance or coldness can also follow you throughout your life.

It can also make you stronger if you acquire the love, attention and support you need during the birth process. If you were in a nurturing, positive, love filled and conscious process where you were connected with your parents and community in an act of supreme love, adoration and celebration that focused positive energy on your birth and integration into the world, well, you get the idea.

So once a year you are reminded of how you came into the world. You may not realize it but your body does. Based on the season, the time of day, year, smells, the angle of the sun, seasonal sounds and many other subtle cues, your body remembers the experience.

The week before and after your birth day are often difficult times because your body flashes back and remembers what it went through. The week before can feel claustrophobic and like there isn’t enough space for you. You may be antsy and feeling like you need a change. You may find that you are disagreeable and tend to get more stressed out than usual. And you have no idea why. Well now you do. It’s the memory of that time when you had outgrown the space you were in and you needed to get out and stretch.

This intensifies up to your birthday. Do you love your birthday? Are you excited? Or maybe if you look closer you find that you are actually really distressed on your birthday. You may overindulge to the point of feeling out of control or sick and you wind up with a less than positive day. Or maybe you have a perfect day. Whatever the result, at the very least it’s important information to pay attention to if you want to grow and change.

Then the week following your birthday is an adjustment period until you feel like yourself again. Every day you feel a little more secure and less shaky. You gain strength and clarity and you are relieved to have your birthday behind you for another year.

Does any of this sound familiar? That’s because it’s what happens. And this is actually good news because it gives you an opportunity. You can use this time to re-map your birth experience through conscious and energetic means.  You can rebirth yourself the way you wish you had been born and set your life on a stronger course.

My recommendation is to start by understanding how your life started. Then define the perfect start for you and design a celebration that reinforces the new start to your life. Use your birthday to rebirth yourself, every year. It’s a powerful time for your body and spirit. If you use it correctly every year, you will find amazing changes will integrate into your life.

Here are some ideas of ways you can get the most out of the re-birthing process.

• Get massage or bodywork to help your body feel good during this time and release old trauma.
• Get energy work to reprogram your energy system. It’s particularly open to change at this time so if you can change it while it’s open it will hold much better for the rest of the year. I recommend Polarity and RYSE but anything will help.
• Do breath work. There is some great work around re-birthing.
• Find out when your actual birth time was (adjust for time zones if you have moved) and carefully create a celebration to coincide with your actual birth time. Go from a time of meditation, maybe in a hot bath or isolation tank and emerge at the appropriate time into the care and support of the people who hold your highest potential. 
• Orchestrate what your rebirth community will do when you are reborn. Pick a nurturing, beautiful setting that’s perfect for you to come into the world and be gently and warmly celebrated and supported. Choose the music, food and activities carefully to create the perfect start to your new life.
• Give thanks for the opportunity to have life and to be a creative and productive being in the physical realm. (You may want to include http://blog.prosperity.spatech.edu/2009/06/18/treasure-mapping-allowing-your-desires-to-take-shape/ as part of the process. It creates powerful results.)
• Repeat the process every year to refine the ceremony. There is no end to the changes it can create in your life.

So, Happy Birthday. May this be the beginning of a great new life full of prosperity and abundance of everything you desire and deserve.

Sincerely.
Kris

p.s. Please share your experiences of how this has worked for you or any ideas on how to make this work even better. Together we can all refine this process and live fuller, happier and more successful lives. Thank you in advance for your contribution.

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Have you heard of the Flight or Fight response that is programmed into our subconscious? There is a third reflexive response that is often ignored, is the one that happens most often and is the most influential in your life.

It’s the Freeze response or avoidance reflex.   

If you are like a lot of people who find change uncomfortable, or if someone in your life is afraid of having you make a change, the tendency is to freeze up or do nothing. This is not bad, it just is. It has it’s place but if it prevents you from moving forward then it is no longer useful. 

If you watch small animals its obvious why Freezing is such a primary response. If you are a rabbit and a dog is chasing you the reflex is to run. However, if a dog is simply walking around an area that is near you, you are much better off  freezing until the dog goes away. If you run, it will see you and you may be lunch.

But how does this apply to success and prosperity? Simple, to gain prosperity and success you must continue to grow. No one attains success by staying the same and not taking risks. The only way to succeed is to grow, try new things and stretch beyond your capabilities. Whether you’re an artist, musician, business person or healer, you have to take risks in order to succeed.

How you respond to taking risks is the critical factor in your actual ability to succeed.

In the education industry we often see people who know they need to make a change and will initiate the process. However, part way into the process they run up against an issue that causes them to freeze or go into avoidance patterns. They stop communicating with us because they are frozen or avoiding taking the next step.

We know that the reflexive response is to not call back or respond because they feel uncertain about what will happen. We also know that by simply calling or emailing us they are taking a very important step in changing their life. 

Every time they face their fear and take a positive action, it changes the pattern and makes it easier to move forward when they encounter their next block. Changing this pattern may be the most important step of their life.  

It starts by asking yourself: What’s the worst that can happen? The answer is: Nothing! There is no downside to this. Just make the call and watch how it changes your life for the better. 

We have helped a lot of people get beyond their resistance and go on to have a successful career that changed their life for the better. Sometimes it takes a few weeks and for other people it may take years. The people who have struggled with it for 5 or 10 years before they make a change always say the same thing: I wish I didn’t wait. 

We all sympathize with this. In fact, I think almost everyone has had the same experience at least once in their life. The important part is: You are not alone.

There are always people who are willing to help. In our schools we have people that their whole job is to help people overcome their reflexive response to freezing. They persistently follow up with people because they know that breaking the pattern is the first step to improving the person’s life.

How to apply this to your life

Each time you see that you are freezing up and take the step to take an action anyway, no matter what it is, it reinforces a new pattern of moving forward. The more you repeat the new pattern the more reflexive it becomes. Once the new pattern is in place you will be amazed at how much better your life becomes.

I personally applaud your courage to face the fact that there is something you want to improve in your life. Taking steps to change your life is always significant. And I also know that everyone has their own process: Some people know what they want and just go for it and others struggle to be clear or to overcome obstacles to accomplishing their goals. 

A lot of people hit blocks along the way and that’s why we are here. That is normal and I believe it’s actually desirable. What that tells me is that they are really thinking it through and that they want to be sure they will succeed before they begin. They are going to be a good student and they are going to be ready and committed to succeeding as long as they can overcome their reflexive Freeze or Avoidance pattern. 

And that’s why we are persistent about reaching them. We like what we see and we want to be part of their success. This is why you also need to be persistent, both with yourself as well as with others you are trying to help make changes in their lives.

However, no one can do it for them. Ultimately they (or you) have to take the next step. As with all things, there are windows of opportunity. Time waits for no one and when an opportunity passes, it may never come around again.

I hope this is helpful for everyone as you continue your journey to greater prosperity.  The  journey has no end since there are always more ways to make the world a better place. Thank you for the part you are playing in making this happen. 

Sincerely,
Kris Stecker, President

Spa Tech Institute 

p.s. Time is of the essence. Success usually breeds more success so the sooner you get started, the more opportunities you will have.

As always, your comments or stories about how you overcame resistance and moved forward are helpful for everyone. Thank you in advance for your contribution.

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The Summer Solstice is a pivotal energy shift that can be used to increase your prosperity. The key is to be conscious of the shift and position your energy to benefit from the shift.

This is the completion of the expansion cycle and the beginning of the contraction cycle. The expansion started with the Winter Solstice around December 21st. It was when the energy shifted from collecting energy into setting up the patterns for what you wanted to manifest in the next cycle. It was a good time to set goals for the next six months of transformation and manifestation. Think of the goals as the seeds of your future which used the cycle of expansion to sprout and grow.

Now you are at the completion of the cycle of germination and growth and are moving into the collection of the results of the expansion. It is a time to focus first, foremost and constantly on gratitude. Gratitude is the magnet that prepares your energy for receiving everything that is coming to you. The most powerful position is to be open to receive the Divine gifts of transformation that you have initiated coming to you. This only can happen if you are open to receiving. Gratitude is the antenna that allows you to get good reception.

It’s important to recognize the scope of what you are about to receive to maximize the benefits and the abundance. Remember that you are a work in progress that is constantly being transformed. The core of your transformation comes from what you receive in energy, lessons, connections and support. Be aware and grateful for all of these areas. Objects and possessions are at the end of the list and of the lowest value so do not let that be the focus of your gratitude. There is nothing wrong with objects, it’s just that too many people focus on objects and miss the amazing abundance that is coming to them all the time. When the focus is on objects it can block the reception of all of the other great abundance that comes to you.

A great tool for expanding your reception is to journal. Every day write down all that has come into your life. This includes experiences and lessons that you may not understand as being what you wanted but ultimately, if they come to you there is a reason. By capturing the information in your journal, it gives you time to reflect on it and use the information in the future. Have gratitude as you record each new manifestation. Meditate on it and receive it into you. Feel the joy of receiving a gift, especially if it is something that you don’t understand or think you didn’t want. Often the challenging events or energies are the most precious for moving you forward on your path.

During the collection and reception phase the energy cycle is also contracting or pulling more deeply inside. Since the Summer Solstice is the peak openness it is a great time to feel yourself absorb the bounty at the highest rate. As the season progresses into Autumn and Winter, the rate of reception reduces but the intensity of what you have within you increases. As the contraction tightens is the time to use all of the energy, experiences and events that you have been harvesting all summer and use it to transform yourself to the core in preparation for the next cycle of expansion and growth.

Getting the Most Out of the Solstice

1. Take a few moments to breath deeply and feel all the light you can, expanding into your being. You can breath in more light and energy today than any other day of the year. This is the peak expansion moment.
2. Lock in your reception mode by starting a new journal for the new cycle. Buy a note book and start it today. The more you use it, the better the results.
3. Take time to do a gratitude meditation, preferably with like minded people who understand the power of the Solstice. The more gratitude you can collectively focus on, the more you will all attract to yourself. Give thanks for the opportunity to grow and ask that you may have an abundance of what you need to continue to transform yourself and that it comes to you in the most harmonious and easy way.

By making this part of your daily reality, you will experience the coming cycle of transformation on a very profound and perpetual level. Repetition is key to gaining the benefits of the cycles. Constant focus is the key. If you have ever studied a guru, saint, master or teacher who is enlightened, you will see that the only difference between you and them is that they have mastered focusing on the Divine every moment of the day and night. The more they focused on the Divine, the more exulted their state. The key is to create the environment that will keep you focused on receiving the abundance of the Divine.

So celebrate the Summer Solstice and use the energy to receive the abundance you deserve.

Sincerely,
Kris

p.s. What are you going to do to receive your abundance?

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