Were You Changed?

Were You Changed?

A lofty experiment was launched before the end of 2008. One man made a decision to ask a group of people if they would like to participate in an opportunity….

For a variety of reasons, people gathered from all over the world…some for the business opportunity, some in support of the preservation of Mother Earth, others for “learning,” and still others, perhaps, out of curiosity.

Something happened. I still cannot say whether the intent of that one man has been achieved, but in the process, I learned the greatest lesson of all…

That it is possible to create global community. It is possible, if only for one minute to drop the boundaries, of race, creed, color, culture, language and “ownership”…and to make a stand for human possibility.

All of the participants brought forth their best, their time, their hearts, their creativity, their humor, their passion, and their tears….to JOIN together and to make a difference.

I have been changed, in the process.

I have “let go” of the idea of what I think is “right action.” Right action, comes when one man, woman, child, song, picture, “note,” or other communication pierces another, to their soul….and one is ‘touched.’

That is art and creation, of the highest accord. It is pure, it is without reserve and it is what human interaction CAN be like.

How amazing it is that we have all joined hands around the world to do so.

Now it does not go without saying that I have, on days felt like “The Lawnmower Man.”…Jumping inside the virtual world, not to see the light of day today…while I syndicated, twittered, facebook’ed, digg’d, U tube’d, google friend connected and “roaming headed” a new landscape and a new frontier.

Through technology, I have discovered the beauty of human nature. For it appears in the vast ocean of the world wide web, there is less need to be “reserved.” There is less need to be self conscious, and there is a genuine communication style that is direct, clear, truthful, and enrapturing, and there are times it appears much like the frontier of the Wild Wild West.

I am changed.

What is more spectacular, is the discovery, is that we may not change the world, but one by one, if others were as affected as I, and they too were changed, we have succeeded….for when change is realized within, one cannot stop or help but to adopt a new path, and a new awareness for what IS possible.

It was intimate, it was authentic, and it has imprinted on my heart in a way that is causing change around me, as well….Old friends are getting in touch, greatness is rising in the kids in the families that I know, healing of old wounds is occurring and love is rising, in a manner that is profound.

A state of “naturalness” has occurred, and what better gift could we impart to Mother Earth, than allowing our naturalness to now, and thus rise, and to “be” in harmony with the natural world.

It’s as idigenous people once lived, on instinct, and in reverence of the natural world, and although I have always sought a way to inspire “naturalness” in my fellow man, it is a completely technological platform that created the greatest impact….

How ironic that is.

A Message Jonathan Rivera...

I wanted to invite you to share in a social marketing experiment that has been started by Neil Ashworth. Please read on and join us in this experiment.

Once you've been tagged in this note, copy and paste the note and send it out again tagging 20 of your facebook friends or contacts. Tag the person who tagged you to let them know you're taking part in this event. If I tagged you, it's because I believe you believe in doing the right thing.

(To do this, go to "notes" under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, copy and paste the whole article below, tag 20 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.

Here you go...

'First, ten'

This, in two words, is the secret of the new marketing.

Seth Godin's recent post below certainly makes you think a little doesn't it? Take a quick look and then read on and I'm going to show you how to see where you are in the social media battleground right now; fighting on the losing side with only a couple of old school friends standing beside you or out there leading the charge with an army of followers ready to shed blood and tears as you take them on towards the next great adventure...

Seth goes on...

Find ten people. Ten people who trust you/respect you/need you/listen to you...

Those ten people need what you have to sell, or want it. And if they love it, you win. If they love it, they'll each find you ten more people (or a hundred or a thousand or, perhaps, just three). Repeat.

If they don't love it, you need a new product. Start over.

Your idea spreads. Your business grows. Not as fast as you want, but faster than you could ever imagine.

This approach changes the posture and timing of everything you do.

You can no longer market to the anonymous masses. They're not anonymous and they're not masses.

You can only market to people who are willing participants. Like this group of ten.

The timing means that the idea of a 'launch' and press releases and the big unveiling is nuts. Instead, plan on the gradual build that turns into a tidal wave. Organize for it and spend money appropriately. The fact is, the curve of money spent (big hump, then it tails off) is precisely backwards to what you actually need.

Three years from now, this advice will be so common as to be boring. Today, it's almost certainly the opposite of what you're doing.


It's that simple right? So, here's the deal guys...

I don't want your business (not right now, although yes it might be good to work together in the future perhaps, who knows) but I'd like to see if I have any sway over your actions – that would be interesting in itself wouldn't it?

I know most of you through our facebook groups, discussions, chats and content exchange and I've grown to like all of you for different reasons. We are all unique and yet here sharing the same small space and I kind of like that. I guess you do too.

So, I'm going to ask you to take action in two very simple ways that won't benefit me any more than that – I'll simply know if I'm leading the charge or getting the shinola kicked out of me in the middle of some online peat bog!

I want to invite you all to take part in the Earth Day Birthday campaign which is running full speed towards April 22 under the leadership and direction of my friends Simon Ford and Glen Crosier. If you don't know what the campaign is about follow the link at the bottom of the page but before you do here is your call to action;

1.Save $10 (or £, € or any other currency) and put it to one side for the Earth Day Birthday campaign. Social Traffic will give you a few ideas how you can make a difference to the planet while saving your $10 but if you don't have the time then the $10 will just have to do. The money will not be going to Social Traffic but directly to a charity making a positive impact on the planet so keep hold of it and we'll tell you where to donate over the next couple of weeks.

2.Pass this message on as a note by copying and pasting everything from the top into a new note and then add 20 friends who you believe would value two things. Our planet and its future and a knowledge of where they stand in the social media networking landscape.

Once you've done that don't forget to play your part in the plan to save mother earth while flexing your social networking muscles in all the right places.

Social Traffic is a movement of like minded individuals who have come together to exchange ideas and create a powerful community in order to effect positive change on the new media landscape. Have a look what they're doing right now..

Earth Day Birthday

Three Years, No Fear

Three Years, No Fear….

It has been no small task for each one of us to choose to participate with Simon U Ford, Social Traffic, and today, “The ART of Story Telling.” He politely invited us to participate, asked each of us to “raise” our hand and volunteer willingly to join him on this journey and to become of part of the ultimate story and its realization. It has taken great commitment…

“Boldness has genius….” We of Social Traffic are taking that risk. The journey is uncertain, and there is no turning back…

How does one step into a new life, a new character, a voyage of discovery without first having a willingness to consider and to overcome one’s fears It is an adventure of significant task, magnitude and courage.

I would venture to guess that most people have not given themselves the opportunity to face the devil, encounter one’s deepest fears head on, and to consider, without reserve, jumping in.

I certainly do not stand on top of a soap box here, to challenge one to a duel. I only share, for having been asked to do so, a three year journey that included facing the most unimaginable fears. I had grown tired of feeling afraid. I had grown weary of saying I can’t, based on that fear. I had grown disgusted with myself, allowing fear to control my life.

So it was with ease that I said yes to Simon. It was a gut reaction, a knowing, if you will, that Social Traffic was the new path for me. And per his request, I post the journey of “Three Years, No Fear.”

1) I agreed to create a one – woman show, featuring all the skills and creative talents of then painter, artist, Sian, with a culmination of an art exhibition of all of my recent paintings in one location at a really amazing theater in Vancouver, BC, Theater in the Sky, Grouse Mountain. inclusive of sharing my visuals, my songs, my poetry, my clothing design, and handled the task of inviting 100 people per night to the show. ( I had the covers over my head for 3 days following the commitment, scared out of mind, as to that which I had just committed)

2) I had myself “dropped” into a Wildnerness Area on the North Coast of Vancouver Island to SEE if my instincts were well in tact. I was not eaten by bears, but I assure you they were present

3) I have been scuba diving all around the Hawaiian Islands, Figi, and Guam, and have NO certificate) inclusive of NIGHT diving, and although terrifying, I got to eat the result….fresh caught lobsters. I LOVE it.

4) I devoted myself to singing “live” at every opportunity. Although I know I’ll never be a singer, now you cannot “shut me up” in public speaking events, related to the arts….Love that too

5) I traveled to Sweden and lived for a year teaching, when I thought, what on earth doI know that anyone would want to hear. I was invited to stay and open a Arts School in Malmo, Sweden, as so many benefited from an explosion of creativity.

6) I rented a car in California and let myself “find” my new home by allowing my intuition to create the road map. What a journey …. I ended up loving and living just outside of Vancouver, BC in a little place called Point Roberts, Washington.

7) I was willing to learn how and to work with abused horses, the risk, getting kicked in the head. Once I learned the language of Equus, as taught by Steve Sikora, renowned trainer affiliate of John Lyons, I was never again afraid of horses

8) I was willing to dance in and amongst professional Flamenco Dancers as part of the troupe, when I had no right to consider this whatsoever. It was empassioned, exhilarating, and so much fun.

9) I learned how to drive a HUGE truck rig dragging horses, and other things, and have even mastered backing it up successfully and then drove cross country, twice

10) I dabbled in internet dating…now that was “freaky”

11) I hiked a lava tube in Haleakala Crater on Maui that winds about for a mile underground, and is quite close quartered…I have significant claustrophobia, so I was quite breathless and terrified as it was black, dark and tricky to find one’s way. I did it.

12) I fell madly in love with the man of my dreams and risked looking foolish in pursuing him. Although we never ultimately married, the willingness to allow my heart to beat fully, was one of the best things I ever did. Both in the exhilarating feeling of it, and the pain of its refusal…I am a better person for having loved, truly.

13) I have stood up in front of thousands of people and have asked direct questions to teachers, mentors and others that concerned me about their integrity. Those persons, among them Tony Robbins, have become trusted colleagues.

14) In designing clothing, I had always used pieces of existing patterns to create new designs. One day I threw the fabric out on the floor and trusted my own hand. I had many, many custom orders for those subsequent original creations.

15) I have written my own original music and have sung them in public…Aretha is my “idol” yet all of my material came out in the Country Western genre…interesting that this timing was right before Country Music got really big…!!! “ Mama Don’t Send Me No Schoolboys “ And I taught myself how to play the guitar to accompany myself.

16) I picked up the phone and cold called anyone, and usually got through, and had my request reviewed.

17) For two years I sought the introduction to Robert Redford, I’ve never actually gotten to the man, as he is quite well insulated. Just last night I had a dream that he set a meeting with me and that he liked the business concept I was pitching…Will advise.

18) When getting divorced, I boldly fired the judge and all the attorney’s and my husband, IN the courtroom, to come to decision about our unique futures without legal fingers in the pie.

19) I opened my own stores after Dolphin Galleries which were more along the line of “locations of inspiration” and gathered speakers to come to present in that location. How did I know that Gary Zukav, ( who eventually ended up on Oprah, in series presentations, about Seat of the Soul) Paul Lowe and others had followings that had people lined up around the block. We had to expand and continue for days to accommodate all of those who wanted to hear. I just “liked” their books.

20) I rode the Wild Tidal Bore on the Bay of Fundy, while 7 months pregnant…..that was a blast !!!

21) I tell my children, Katie and Nicholas the truth, always.

22) I let go of money as the reason to LIVE, a long time ago, and have allowed myself to be guided by my gut…money happens, but its never because I’ve planned my finances into the future.

23) I’ve quit smoking several times. This one I’ve not mastered…If anyone can help me discover my need to continue this bad habit, that would be great. Not sure why its still with me….but its sure scary when you throw the pack out and walk away from it….

24) I have planned a large scale Cirque – style event called Increible, like Cavalia, combining the poetry of Peruvian Paso Horses, and the Passions of Flamenco Dance. It requires 2.5 million dollars to produce. I have been asking for 2 years, to no avail, yet…..but I’ve not given up on my next dream of seeing it to fruition. I’ll even get over the judgements I’ve been subject to by prospective investors…Remember Walt Disney went bankrupt, was it 7 times, before Mickey became a reality.

25) I never give up, I never back up, and although I must admit, sometimes I wonder why I push this envelope of my fear so much. I just can’t imagine, laying on my death bed at some point in time, and thinking “ I regret……..having LIVED.”