2022 May

in this

Learn to tune into your own energy and inner guidance to reach your goals

THE FOUR BODIES

A trade magazine for the mindful retailer

Paying attention to your needs can help those around you LEADERSHIP & MENTAL HEALTH

5 affordable ways to update your store without breaking the bank

Inspiration :

" T h e g r e a t e s t l e a d e r i s n o t n e c e s s a r i l y

t h e o n e w h o d o e s t h e g r e a t e s t t h i n g s . H e

i s t h e o n e t h a t g e t s t h e p e o p l e t o d o t h e g r e a t e s t t h i n g s . " R o n a l d R e a g a n

“Don’t let your struggle become your identity.”

– Unknown

From the Editor

Take time for yourself

In this issue, we’ve curated a great selection of mindful topics so you can capture the essence and the importance of healthy thoughts and the good habits behind any spiritual laws. Equipped with this knowledge, you’ll be able to welcome the power they can provide to help with your success and well-being. The first step on that journey is to realize we can’t go full-speed every day without risking an eventual breakdown.

As entrepreneurs, we may tend to hold ourselves overly accountable for the role we play at work or for the business that we own, allowing the self-judgment to sabotage our skills and ability at times. It’s tough to take a step back and a deep breath and evaluate our health and how taking care of ourselves can be the best path forward, even if it seems like we can’t spare a moment. It’s time to realize that you need to find time for you to look to your well-being. Find the spark that brings joy and happiness or relaxation. Identify the something that will help your body and mind feel good and heathy again. It could be something as small as a 10-minute walk during the course of your day, or regular breathing exercises. Maybe you can manage to fit in a trip

to a spa or a meet with a book club. You know what makes you feel happy and rejuvenated — and if you don’t, now is a great time to get the answer! I encourage you to start practicing healthy habits daily. In short time, you will notice the benefits on both your life and work. Everything is connected. I speak from a place of personal experience. When I decided it was time for me to make some changes in my routine and add some ‘me time’ on the calendar, I quickly noticed how my routine at home and work improved. A small change helped improve my concentration, creativity, decision making, and my mood, finding the balance I needed in my life and work without letting all the competing pressures ruin my day. Big results start with simple changes! I hope you can find yours this season. I hope to see you healthy and happy for the July/August issue. Until then…

Have an insightful reading,

Roberta

G.

Roberta Gazzarolle

Editorial

Retailing Insight Magazine is a bimonthly trade magazine specializing in the conscious living retail market. The magazine is published exclusively for qualified retailers and small independent businesses in the United States. Our mission is to share one on business advice, product reviews, advertisement from top sellers and makers in the industry, and exclusive topics to help business continue to thrive.

Editor-in-Chief

Roberta Gazzarolle

Copyeditor

Sean Ruck

Designer Marina Avila

Digital Media & Sales

Karen Johnson

Contributing Writers

Dyan Garris

Steven Halpern

Andrea Hein

Allison Humphries

Megy Karydes

Margaret Ann Lembo

Rhonda Petit

Jacki Smith

Maureen J. St. Germain

Angela Wix

©2022 New Way Publishing, LLC.  All rights reserved. ISSN 2372-7977. Volume 36/ Issue 3/ May-June 2022. The magazine is published bimonthly/ six times a year (January, March, May, July, September, November) by New Way Publishing, LLC. 4117 Park Road, 12252, Charlotte, NC 28220. Periodicals postage paid at Charlotte, NC and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER send address changes to Retailing Insight Magazine, P.O. Box 12252, Charlotte, NC 28220.

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Retailing Insight Magazine is published by New Way Publishing, LLC. 101 S Tryon Street, 27th Floor Charlotte, NC 28280 800-730-1147 I circ@retailinginsight.com

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FEATURES

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE:

Differentiation is Key

CONVENIENCE IS GOOD, but excellence is, well, excellent. To create long-lasting customer engagement that gives you a real competitive advantage, you need to think beyond the basics of experience and explore how your brand will stand out.

When it comes to customer experience in North America, consumers tell us that true excellence is still elusive. In our latest consumer research, Digital Innovation for the Experience Economy: Retail, more than 70% of North American consumers agree that digital technologies have made their shopping experiences more convenient — but only 1 in 5 rate the current retail experience as “excellent.”

Forward-thinking retailers have an opportunity to own not just customer experience, but excellence. As more brands develop robust customer experience strategies, offering a standout CX based on broadly

defined values is becoming less revolutionary and more table stakes.

To stay ahead of the game in increasingly crowded markets, you now need to think beyond CX and enhance your own experience with three key differences: empathy, personalization, and satisfaction.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: ALLISON HUMPHRIES is a seasoned strategist with over 20 years experience creating innovative, business-building, multi-national experiences for some of the world’s leading brands. Allison is also the Vice President of Strategy, Americas at Appnovation, a global full-service digital agency, where she is responsible for leading a team of strategy and insights professionals who partner with clients to deliver positive outcomes for their customers and their business. Visit www.appnovation.com to know more.

Ensure Empathy as a Foundation of Strategy

We hear many companies talking about the importance of empathy. Lots of brands claim to have a customer-first approach, but very few do it well. When done right, an empathetic approach gives you a chance to truly step into your customers’ shoes and make strategic decisions that resonate with them.

—Deepak Chopra, MD,

Without a thoughtful approach to how you’re employing a genuinely empathetic lens that results in aligned actions, you’re just guessing. There are several ways to distill empathy into actions, but ultimately it boils down to finding the right opportunities to listen first and act second. This doesn’t need to take a long time, and in fact, it shouldn’t.

bestselling author

• Regular phases of lean research like interviews and surveys can be conducted in real-time and are effective.

• If you want to build a bigger picture, ethnographic research is an opportunity to observe your customers’

motivations and behaviors in the real world.

• It’s also important to tap into areas where conversations are already happening. Customer care and sales reps are on the front line and filled with incredibly valuable insights that too many organizations leave untapped.

Data-Driven Insights Today, Personalization Tomorrow

Data can help you understand what your customers are currently doing. More importantly, knowledge of what’s most important to them can give you ideas on influencing and triggering the behaviors you most want to encourage.

The biggest challenge I see is organizations with data coming and no clear sense of how (or why) they should bring it together to inform actionable insights.

• Ensure your data is diverse and flowing from multiple sources.

• Be clear on how you’re bringing data together from multiple channels into one powerful and cohesive story.

• Look for opportunities to bring value to individual customers but also stay aware of how you can glean broader insights for the business at large.

Customer Satisfaction Is

Key

Next-level customer experiences don’t merely meet basic expectations – you need to surpass them to leave customers with a sense of deep satisfaction and complete fulfillment. Put a fresh lens on how you see yourself and think of your organization, not as a company that sells products, but rather one that sells satisfaction

The role of CX is to ensure that every interaction a customer has with your brand is not merely positive but delivers differentiated value. Something that they can’t get anywhere else.

What does this look like in the real world? Relative newcomers like Glossier are a great example. Not only have they built a digital shopping experience their customers love, but they’ve integrated their customer service agents into their marketing team. They’ve energized a culture internally that’s encouraged to harness recommendations directly from consumers, with a shared process to continuously enhance everything they do in service of creating a demonstrably different customer experience.

Thinking about these three next-level approaches will enable a more differentiated customer experience, help drive competitive advantage, and deliver experiences that are nothing short of delightful, creating loyalty and love for your brand.

BUSINESS & MARKETING

Channel Your Calm

RETAILERS AND WHOLESALERS are in the business of making customers happy, day in and day out. It’s no wonder many are finding themselves overwhelmed, burned out and stressed.

In late February, an entrepreneur in New Zealand posted on Facebook how hard it was to run a business. Within two weeks, Jordan Moore’s post traveled the world as almost 10,000 people — many of them retailers and wholesalers — shared it along with their thoughts on how running an independent business has taken a toll on their mental health.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MEGY KARYDES is writing a book on how to calm the body and mind using our five senses. Sign up for her free newsletter at www.megykarydes.com to stay abreast on the progress.

“What they don’t tell you is that it can cause severe stress and anxiety, and drains you mentally to the point of depression in even the most laid back people,” Moore posted.

“People will talk about you, compare you to others, use you, they will view you as a service and not a person anymore,” he continued.

Mandisa Jones, LSW, is a licensed clinical social worker and founder of Ashé Counseling & Coaching. With offices in Chicago, Austin and New Orleans, many of her clients are entrepreneurs, artists or professionals who are extremely busy.

“When you’re running a small business, there is always something to be anxious about,” Jones says. As a small business owner herself, she understands the stresses and uncertainties involved, especially during COVID-19 when many stores, restaurants and gyms couldn’t open. Today, those same businesses

are still battling supply chain issues, higher transportation and shipping costs, and customers concerned about their health and well-being.

Rather than focusing on what we can’t control, focus on what you can control, Jones advises her clients and small business owners. Look at opportunities to support your business instead of worrying about things you don’t have the ability to get a handle on.

“Focus on that and even get creative,” Jones recommends.

For example, can you redesign your retail space, update your website or branding materials, or create a library of images so you can post on social media? Entrepreneurs are creative and resourceful, so think about things like repainting the store, changing the color scheme or rearranging the furniture. These are all creative ways to engage and helps distract us from things we cannot control while also making us feel better and improving our business as a whole.

Brendan Cournane, a personal and professional development coach and founder of Coach Brendan, often works with clients who are burned out or stressed. When life gets too hectic or stressful, he recommends you revert to four elements of a mindfulness practice:

Breathing ~ Meditation Exercise ~ Gratitude

“Pausing for a few minutes and exercising box breathing will help center the individual,” Cournane says.

To practice box breathing, Cournane recommends standing with both legs flat on the ground, feet spread about shoulder width, weight evenly distributed. Close your eyes, or if uncomfortable closing your eyes, shift your gaze downward with a focal point about 20 feet in front. Place a hand on your diaphragm, slightly above your stomach. Take a few deep breaths, inhaling and exhaling. Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth. Then, inhale for a count of four, pause for a count of four, exhale for a count of four, pause for a count of four.

“Repeat this for four more cycles, and with each cycle, imagine the flow of oxygen through the body,

entering through the nose, circulating throughout the body and exhaling through the mouth,” he adds.

“Meditation can be practiced as well, using a metta poem, repeating the words:

‘May I be safe, May I be happy, May I be healthy.’” he notes.

For exercise, Cournane appreciates the power of a short walk. If you’re short on time, walk just 10 to 15 feet. “The goal is to feel your foot on the ground with each step, as well as the fluidity of motion while concentrating on lifting the leg, reaching out while extending, and reconnecting with the ground with each step,” he explains.

And even if the world seems to have gone off the rails and you’re really overwhelmed, Cournane reminds us there is always something for which we can be grateful. He asks us to pause, take a deep breath and think of three to five things. “I find this to be extremely helpful when I am angry or resentful towards someone else,” he admits.

“There is a psychological theory called ‘reciprocal inhibition’ which states that the mind cannot simultaneously hold two conflicting thoughts,” Cournane says. “By focusing on things for which to be grateful, the mind pushes out feelings of anger or resentment.”

Making customers and clients happy doesn’t have to come at the expense of our mental health. That cost is too high. While there will always be uncertainty when running a small business, practicing some ways to channel calm can not only benefit us, but our customers, family and community, too. •

FEATURES

Leadership & Mental Health

HOW’S THAT SELF-CARE GOING? If you recall, in the January issue of Retailing Insight, I shared with you some exercises in self-care to prep your mind for the next 12 months to help you get into the mindset you need for success. I challenged you to find your word for the year that defines how you want to feel. So, did you start doing things that help you feel the way you want to feel? Or have you — like most business owners — sometimes forgotten about the

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: JACKI SMITH is the co-owner of Coventry Creations. Her passion for personal empowerment and small business has been the driving for ce in her success and her journey of lifelong learning. Jacki is a regular contributor to the magazine and loves sharing her experience, successes, and cautionary tales.

part of any business growth — the personal part that involves self-care of the mental health kind!

We are all aware that business owners are the last people to take care of their mental health. There are too many other things in mind that are urgent and seems to always require our attention. They feel more urgent than going for a walk, meditating or searching for other forms of therapy.

I am in the class of leadership with you where the self-care that involves my own mental health gets pushed far down the list at times and I start to resent anyone around me that really takes the time to care for themselves. When that happens, it’s a warning telling me that I am about to crash into burnout. Being the brain and heart of any business puts you smack dab in the place where you are mentally and emotionally competing with stories like Mark Zuckerberg or Sara Blakely.

Even if you are not competing with them in your mind, our society — including your well-meaning support system — is measuring you against those successful stories as you grow your own enterprise. The idolization of the Fortune 500 and the hustle it takes to get there is real, as is the “fake it till you make it” attitude that forces business owners to hide their vulnerabilities and look at mental health self-care as things only weak people need. This pressure may push entrepreneurs past limits and blocks, but is not sustainable as a lifestyle.

My first search for studies and information on mental health for business owners before I started writing this article was to focus on the mental health of employees and the importance of leaders and business owners to highlight their employee’s mental health. Instead, I found more proof of how business owners, like parents and caregivers, put their well-being last.

There is an assumption that if you got to the place of ownership and leadership, you have your act together. Don’t forget, this group of Type A personalities is again the perfect “fake it till you make it’ crowd and self-care is not often in focus for the growing busines owner. Yet, as the flight safety instruction says before a plane takes off, “place the mask over your own mouth and nose before assisting others.” Have you ever wondered why that is? It’s to ensure you are not disoriented when helping others. When you care

for all parts of yourself, including your body, your mind, your emotions, and your spirit, you are not making yourself the limiting factor that restricts your business growth.

What Are Self-Care and Mental Health?

Self-care and mental health are not buzz words. Yes, they seem to be co-opted in marketing from skincare to candles, but not everyone’s self-care looks the same, not everyone’s mental health is managed in the same way. Going back to the exercises published in January, it will tell the tale of how best to continue your own self-care and check in on your mental health. How to celebrate your wins, find your gratitude, admit your challenges and align with how you want to feel, and learn how to capture that in a word to inspire you for the year.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, self-care is, “taking

the time to do things that help you live well and improve both your physical and mental health. Self-care can help you manage stress, lower your risk of illness, and boost your energy. Even small acts of self-care in your daily routine can have a big impact.”

They go on to state that this looks different for everyone from exercise to sleep, eating healthy to staying connected to people. In the insightful world, we know it can also mean setting healthy boundaries, taking time to meditate, cleansing our energy regularly, and watching our reactions to mundane interactions.

Care for your mental health also means maintaining a healthy relationship with yourself. When you are always giving to others and not taking time to refill your mind and spirit with things that bring you joy, exhaustion quickly follows. Burnout can be overlooked as chronic colds or flu, depression, insomnia, changes in eating habits, body aches, and even changes in alcohol or drug use. It sneaks up on you and can take a long time to recover from, especially when you can’t just quit and find a new job, ‘cos you own the joint!

Through working with my coaches and therapist I have found a few ways to continue to build a healthy relationship with myself, put self-care toward the top of the list and check in on my mental health on a regular basis. The more I value my own mental health, the more I can value and support it in others, clarify my boundaries, stop reactions before they are irreparable, and stay out of others’ drama.

that.” We want to make sense of the world around us so we can move on with certainty. But guess what? There is way more uncertainty than we realize, and it belongs to someone else. It is not ours to control and that can leave us feeling very uncomfortable.

When I am getting swept up in the emotional drama of what is happening, it’s time to check the facts and ditch the story. This is doubly important when you are already in an emotionally agitated state because you are probably just looking for something to keep you angry. The facts are what specifically happened, the story is what you assumed the motivations or thoughts of the other person were. The story is never about you and is always about the other person. For instance, noticing they walked loudly into the room is a fact. Thinking they stomped into the room is a story. Stomped implies motivation or thought from the other person. Ask questions before you create a story. Tell people how you are being affected by their actions and that it is creating a story in your head so they can share with you their facts.

Nothing is Wrong Here

Is there anything wrong? Seriously? Check in. Is there anything actually wrong? Sometimes a lot of stress, a lot of change, even a lot of success can make it feel like something is wrong or someone is doing you wrong. This question goes along with unraveling the story. Often, there is nothing wrong, it is just different. People are doing things differently than you would. They are reacting in an unexpected way.

Ditch the Story

There is a big difference between the facts of the moment and the story we create in gaps of what we don’t know. We naturally create a story when we are uncomfortable with the void of information, thinking “they probably meant this” or “I bet she thought

Maybe sales are not what you want them to be, yet nothing is wrong.

Those past two years were a test. Everything was different and we needed new solutions for every area of our business and lives, yet in most cases, nothing was wrong. The tool of de-caring that there is nothing wrong and checking in taps into your mind, emotions, and intuition. It also requires you to take a quiet

moment to reflect on how you are feeling. Are you emotionally reacting, are you seeing something that is out of the norm, is your intuition telling you to pay attention? Eliminating the story of other people will help you tap into your intuition to see if really, there is something wrong, or something different.

Sit in the Suck

Sometimes we need to sit in the suck, understand it, understand how we got here, figure out the lesson, and then… stand up. Sit in it, then get out of it, both things are important. When you avoid the suck, the uncomfortable truth, you are bound to repeat it and the next time will be worse. Sitting the suck may seem counterintuitive to mental health self-care, but delusion is certainly not a healthy alternative. I have made some pretty bad decisions in my time as a business owner. When I excuse them away, make them someone else’s fault, and stay in the story of “you just don’t understand,” I am being delusional. I end up repeating those mistakes in a more damaging way. When I make a bad decision and take a moment to sit in the suck, own that choice, and admit I was wrong, I am now free. I can now look at the circumstances that led up to the decision and learn from them. The circumstances didn’t change, but my perspective did.

Recess

Recess time is not only for kids, but also important for adults. It allows time for all the input or chatter in your brain to clear. Five minutes, five hours, five days, every one of us needs time to recharge our batteries, aka mental health. Cooking, painting, singing, walking, traveling, gardening, etc. Everyone has a variety of hobbies or interests that are their own personal recess to refill and recharge.

Business owners are often the last ones to take that vacation, but why? You can be so refreshed when you return. Your mind is clearer, and you are ready to tackle what is next. When I ask my entrepreneur colleagues, they are riddles with guilt for spending the money and time away from their business or they don’t trust their staff to keep the doors open while they are gone.

Find a way, an hour at a time, to start creating recess for yourself.

Do something not associated with your business and explore a new side of yourself. Take a class on something you don’t have to be an expert at. Make a terrible vase in pottery class or lopsided cake in a cooking class. For a few years, I took a martial arts class and would not test for a belt. I stayed a white belt at the end of the line for as long as I could and it was a relief not to be in charge of one single thing.

Celebrate

Entrepreneurs move from one thing to the next and forget to celebrate the wins along the way. I guess you don’t need to be an entrepreneur or business owner to qualify for that statement. We are all on the hustle, “that’s done, what’s next?” It starts to feel like a never-ending grind and not worth the price we are paying. This week, think about one thing that you and your team accomplished and celebrate it. Put a goal on the board and when everyone achieves it, have a reward or a party. At the very least, get some poppers and whoop it up for a few moments. Rewarding your staff for a job well-done is an excellent retention tool, rewarding yourself is equally

important. It’s good for you as the boss to get the kudos too. That way, you are more likely to hand them out easier. If you don’t reward yourself or celebrate your own winning moments, you may become miserly with praise to others.

Time to Call in the Experts

After my company hit a major milestone that I was working towards for a decade, I fell apart. There was no “going to Disney World” now that I hit that goal. There was only a lot of anxiety and fear that I would lose everything I had gained. I had PTSD over past losses and was looking for the next betrayal in every team member. I needed help to figure out how to be a successful business owner instead of a struggling one. I knew how to survive. I didn’t know how to thrive.

So I found a therapist and

a business coach.

Yes, they were both expensive. Yes, I fit them into the non-existent budget. Miraculously, I was able to afford them because as I improved, my business improved. Imagine that. Often, we think we cannot afford this self-care because we need to fix something or create something that will have a more specific

return on investment. At the end of the day though, you are the most important investment in your business. Your personal return on investment is immeasurable, yet it can also make a profound change to your bottom line. The National Institute of Mental Health advises us to reach out for support if we are experiencing any of the following symptoms for more than two weeks as they are a sign of burnout:

• Difficulty sleeping

• Appetite changes that result in unwanted weight changes

• Struggling to get out of bed in the morning

• Difficulty concentrating

• Loss of interest in things you usually find enjoyable

• Inability to perform usual daily functions and responsibilities.

As inspirational writer Alan Cohen says, “do not wait until the conditions are perfect to begin. Beginning makes the conditions perfect.” Take care of yourself as the precious resource you are as there is only one of you and you are crucial to your business. After 30 years in business, I have discovered that there will always be another crisis, urgent phone call, upset customer, missing inventory, and the list can go on… but the bottom line is that it will never be an ideal time to step away from your business to take care of yourself, until you make it a priority. •

The Spirit of Selling:

FEATURES

PLAYING THE GAME OF LIFE can be fun when you understand the rules. The good news is that the rules and principles for the game are universal and never change. Divine Mind, Energy, God, has a vibration that is called Universal Law. When we operate in perfect rhythm and harmony with the “law,”— the Universal Mind — we have access to our inner power and potential to co-create anything we want for the harmonious good of all.

To unpack it a bit, do you ever wonder what fuels the most successful people in the world? Those people who are just unstoppable and untouchable? They take everything in stride and keep going no matter what. Their power comes from the fact that they are in touch with and remember their purpose. Purpose fuels their desires, allows them to make decisions easily, puts order in their mind and gives them the experience of joy and fulfillment.

Universal Law Connects You to Your Purpose

Successful people are in alignment with their Dharma, their purpose and the WHY behind everything.

Would you like that for yourself? Imagine if you woke up each day excited to go to work. What if you loved what you did, so you worked for fulfillment instead of duty? I’m sure it sounds too good to be true, but it’s completely possible if you are willing to put some work and effort into understanding yourself and why you are here.

Dharma actually translates to “purpose in life.” The Law of Dharma is the belief and knowing that we are all here to serve humanity in some way with our unique talent and ways of expressing that talent. It’s your essence, your spirit, your purpose and your divine assignment. And when the need for what you do is matched

up with your creative expression of that talent at an excellence level, affluence is created.

There is a Difference Between Purpose and Work

ABOUT THE AUTHOR – RHONDA PETIT is a Sales and Business Peak Performance Coach and the Founder and CEO of 3x5 Sales. Prior to launching her coaching business, Rhonda worked in sales for 35 years with clients at Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 companies. Her book, The Spirit of Selling: Using Universal Laws for Sales Success, contains actionable insight into the universal laws that govern successful selling. Visit www.3x5coaching.com to know more.

Keep in mind, there is a huge difference between purpose and your work. Purpose never changes, although the forms to express the spirit’s essence may change. Think of your purpose as the center of your divinity. You are a soul with a mind living in a physical body. You operate on three planes simultaneously. Your job may or may not be a direct link to your essence. Often people find themselves in a job out of duty instead of purpose. Work was designed

for you so you can express your talents. Do what you love. Ask yourself, “What is my purpose?” and start looking for the answer.

Understanding Universal Law Changed My Life

I’ve been successful in sales for over 35 years. I now know, on a conscious level, why I experience success in this area and why at certain times in my career, I failed. In the past, when I unknowingly worked in alignment with these laws, I experienced success, and vice versa. Understanding the laws and being conscious of

how they work has allowed me to streamline my work for even greater success and a continued increased awareness.

The best thing about Universal Law? The laws are predicated on the concept that hard work is not the cause of success alone. Rather, success is the understanding of human nature.

Which means that all we need to do to apply them to our life is have an awareness of their existence.

Here’s

10 Tips for How to Tap into Universal Law 1.

Become obsessed with the Laws for Creation

There are seven Universal Laws for Creation. It’s easier to win by being obsessed with creation. Pros Create, amateurs compete. You are

A m i n d t h a t i s s t r e t c h e d b y a n e w e x p e r i e n c e

c a n n e v e r g o b a c k t o i t s o l d d i m e n s i o n s .

O l i v e r W e n d e l l H o l m e s J r .

always moving; the question is in which direction? Are you moving forward or drifting backwards? You either create or disintegrate — there is no neutral in life.

2.Understand that competition and comparison are a waste of time

When you are focused on competing and comparing yourself with others, you have your attention on objective reality. Pros create from their subjective reality. For example, look at Tiger Woods or Tom Brady. They don’t compete. Instead, they work to create something new, bringing more of themselves to the surface.

3.

Examine your “meaning” behind sacrifice

The pros know sacrifice is giving up something of a lower nature for a higher nature. Nature abhors a vacuum. The pros are always in the habit of sacrificing to grow and expand to become the best version of themselves.

4.

Recognize that humility is your best ally

It’s time to face the fact that you don’t know everything and you never will. Allow yourself to say “I don’t know.” This allows us to view the world through the lens of curiosity, awe, and wonder.

5.

Make every choice a conscious one

Mastery requires “conscious choice,” the ability to respond versus reacting.

Remember every choice brings about a sacrifice. Sacrifice allows for transformation and requires DECISION.

6.

Learn how to make better decisions

Decision is the opposite of procrastination. There is a difference between “preference” and “decision.” Decision has no ambivalence in it. A committed decision means to “cut from” and a willingness to do whatever it takes. Lack of decision is near the head of the list of the 30

major causes of failure from Napoleon Hill’s book, Think and Grow Rich. The better you are at making decisions, the easier it will be for your clients to do the same.

7.Be confident

Confidence is the opposite of insecurity. Successful people have confidence and it’s built by taking actions and risks. Accept the fact there will be course corrections. Examine the meaning you place on failure. Failure is nothing more than a lesson

learned, and opportunity for course correction. You never fail unless you quit. The more you exercise action with decision, the more confident you become. Confidence is the union of the soul with spirit. It’s when you lean into your inner power and use it.

8.Raise your standards

The better you become at raising your standards, making decisions, and having the willingness to embrace sacrifice for your continual transformation, the easier it will be for you to lead others. Your example will serve as a model for your team to do the same, thus earning you more sales.

9.

Understand how to win

You are always sitting on an acre of diamonds. The more you expand

and raise your awareness by creation, the more opportunities will be revealed to you. Ignorance is the only thing that will ever hold you back. Be willing to undergo pressure, to be cut, polished, and purified like a diamond so you can reveal your brilliance. The more value you create in the marketplace, the more valuable you become to the marketplace.

10.Remember, you are your awareness

Remember, where your attention goes, the energy flows. Move your attention off competition and into creation following the seven universal laws and you will always be winning. Creation

increases your awareness and once you have that awareness, no one can ever take it from you. It’s your forever.

I did the work and found my purpose. I now understand Universal Law and how it works in my life, and it has been such a blessing and an energy boost for me.

I make decisions aligned with my purpose.

It took me 50 years to figure this out. I was so conditioned and programmed by the world around me that I couldn’t see what was always here. My hope and intention are that my advice can provide you with a blueprint of timeless principles to create your destiny with ease and level up your professional life. •

M y d e a r f r i e n d , c l e a r y o u r m i n d o f c a n ’ t .

S a m u e l J o h n s o n

I release the past.

I trust in the present .

Part 1: The Mental Body TheFour Bodies

THERE ARE FOUR LOWER BODIES as referred to the spiritual literature. Mental, Physical, Emotional and Etheric.

The mental body is an expression of an aspect of you — that is often referred to through the Four Lower Bodies. The four lower bodies are representative of certain energy systems that are connected to the “field” — the vibrational data set also referred to as the matrix. And they are also connected to the Chakra system, as the Chakras receive, and supply information from those around you, as well as from the field.

The four lower bodies are light vehicles that have consciousness and are directly related to your consciousness. They do not lead, but reflect the experiences that you take in.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MAUREEN J. ST. GERMAIN is the founder of Transformational Enterprises and has led trainings in personal development and spiritual awakening in more than 24 countries. The founder of Akashic Records Guides International, she is also the author, musician, and producer of more than 15 guided-meditation CDs. An internationally recognized teacher and intuitive, she is the author of several books including her latest release Mastering Your 5D Self. Visit www.stgermainmysteryschool.com to know more about her.

Therefore, they are receptors and warehouses for information collected from human experiences. Know that they are collecting data from the five senses along with the seven chakras. If your Higher Self is connected and used regularly it is also contributing to the data expansion. Know that all that data is (orgasmic) to source. It is so pleasing and expansive that it contributes to Source’s delight. Your every experience is your raison d’être (the most important purpose for being). Be in gratitude that you are the resource for this expansion.

Know that your mental body is alive, with juiciness, like all the four lower bodies. It carefully curates all incoming experience to form a cohesive and coherent whole. To keep your mental body clear, keep your thoughts clean and pure. Invite uplifting experiences to amplify and intensify your spiritual mastery.

We are starting this four-part series with The Mental Body because humanity is so very mental these days. For sure it is not the most important aspect of who you are, but it is an important element of you that may have become out of balance!

Your mental body is the container of your thoughts. Your thoughts are not you, although many discussions of consciousness indicate that when you think makes you conscious. That may seem backwards, but a thinking man is conscious. We do NOT imagine (even if it is so) that animals “think” or have consciousness. We know, that when we contemplate our awareness, we are accessing consciousness. Our consciousness is mostly contained in the mental body. When we think about ourselves, what we experience emotionally, physically or energetically all impact consciousness, and are “sorted and defined’ by our mental body.

An important purpose of the mental body is to sort and define all experiences.

In this way we are able to “add to the data base.” Adding to the data base, or “experiences” are why we incarnate. Else, why bother if you are already part of everything? Humans separate from that which is inseparable, in order to expand the consciousness of Source!

Your mental body also helps you form mental images based on your needs and desires, along with the material world you live in. You use your mental body to project your ideas along with your sense of who you are, your identity. This impacts what you think you can do. As you open up to your gifts your mental body will record those perceptions as well. It is important to remain neutral, and not permit your mind to interpret these subtle experiences, but allow them into the soup of higher consciousness, to meld and blend into your fully awakened self.

Mass consciousness has influenced the mental body and has succeeded in programing the human’s mental body. Not everyone is influenced thusly.

Mass agreement may cause mass psychosis. Programing being broadcast over the airwaves such as cell phone antennas, along with microwaves towers are broadcasting programing to help you forget who you really are, a God-Free Being, and may program you to forget the Truth that you read about and hear. Yes, but how will you remember who you are? Your primary vehicle to remember your God-Self is meditation. This will enable you to elevate yourself beyond the projections on mass consciousness. This is because mass consciousness mostly exists at a certain frequency. If your frequency is not the mass consciousness level (usually around 350-440 according to the David Hawkins scale) and you are above those numbers, then you will not be impacted by those broadcasts. Your meditation and other spiritual practices will elevate you beyond those frequencies. You do not need to shield yourself from these broadcasts, instead elevate yourself beyond them.

Remember that your mental body is receiving these waves like a radio. If you are not tuned to those frequencies, you will not need to be concerned about their impact on you. However, you may wish to be aware of the impact on others. Also, it is important to note that your ability to receive and then vibrate

at higher frequencies does not make you better than others. This is a common attitude that actually lowers your frequency. Instead look for ways to advance your abilities so that you can broadcast the higher frequencies towards others, elevating them, that they too may be able to rise above the mass consciousness programing.

Your mental body is a gateway for information that you can accept or reject. Humanity is on the cusp of major transformation. You are a wayshower.

There are many ways humans receive information. They do this through subtle and not so subtle ways. You use your mental body to receive data and sort data. If you allow your mental body to “run the show” you will not be able to understand the subtleties of the other receptors of information such as the Chakras and the other lower bodies. •

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SERIES

Angels & Archangels

ANGELS AND ARCHANGELS ARE MESSENGERS.

They bring messages and guidance from the Divine and provide inspiration. The telepathic assistance from the angelic realm is a very real. Their guidance is part of my life, and it can easily become a very real part of your life and make your life much easier.

The angels are beings of light, each of them associated with a color or range of colors. Therefore, the use of gemstones are perfect reminders to maintain a focus on intended goals and aspirations because the gemstones also resonate with the color or ray of the angels and archangels. Teaming up the angelic world with crystals helps ground the connection and adds another layer to divinatory messages.

Angels act and react based on your thoughts

Angels respond to prayers, requests, and petitions. They act as Divine messengers, communicating

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MARGARET ANN LEMBO is the author of The Essential Guide to Everyday Angels, The Essential Guide to Crystals, Minerals and Stones, Angels and Gemstone Guardians Cards, Archangels and Gemstone Guardians Cards, and many more. She is an evolutionary aromatherapist and the owner of The Crystal Garden – the conscious living store of the Palm Beaches, established in 1988. Visit www.margaretannlembo.com or www.thecrystalgarden.com to know more.

guidance and wisdom as well as the orchestration of synchronicity upon request based on Divine will and the highest good of all concerned.

Archangels are messenger angels of high rank

They are beings of love and light with designated responsibilities to guide and assist us here on Earth. Despite their masculine- or feminine-sounding names, they are genderless light beings. They are available to help us when invoked or petitioned for a specific purpose in alignment with the Divine plan.

Talking with angels is easy. Simply imagine their energy standing or sitting near you as they listen to what you are feeling, fearing, and hoping. Use your imagination and activate your ability to make believe. Then, tell the angels how you would like their help and support. Get to know your own personal angels and ask for their help. They are waiting for instructions. Angels can’t intervene until you request their assistance. Using decks that incorporate angels, archangels, and gemstones, it is easy to receive guidance and inspiration to shine light on a given challenge or dilemma. Let’s use an example. When you suffle the decks Angels and Gemstone Guardian Cards or Archangels and Gemstone Guardians

Cards you will find that you can pull a card and receive guidance and affirmations.

Let’s say you pull the Amazonite with the Angel of Truth and Honesty card.

The gemstone Amazonite on one side of the card asks that you contemplate this:

Are you holding back something you need to say?

The truth about a certain matter needs to be spoken. Honesty is important at this time. Have the courage to speak up with grace.

Loving words have the power to heal or improve a situation.

The Angel of Truth and Honesty on the other side of the card encourages you to use positive thoughts and affirmations as follows to keep yourself aligned with your personal truth:

I live my truth and honestly communicate what is on my mind with ease. I effortlessly find the words to express my truth and speak eloquently and lovingly. I surround myself with people who are not afraid to honestly express themselves.

Then, you pull the Ammonite and Archangel

Gabriel card from the Archangels & Gemstone Guardians Cards. The ammonite fossil on one side of the card wants you to think about this:

Are you spiraling round and round? Are trying to find the answers? It is time to stop, go within and allow yourself to step into the deep recesses of your mind and emotions to uncover the truth.

When you flip that card over, Archangel Gabriel asks you to align yourself with these good thoughts:

I know the truth in the center of myself. All the answers lie within. Ancient knowledge and wisdom are available to me.

I recall my dreams when I wake and use them as tools to help guide me in my waking life.

Take the time to integrate how this message relates to the question you had in mind. With a bit of thought and inner reflection you will see the connection and use the message to improve your life. You can align with angels and archangels every day and night. Use your imagination and visualize that you have an entourage of angels at your beck and call. •

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LIFESTYLE

Tapping into Intuition to Reach Your Goals

“YOU HAVE a very strong intuition, don’t you?” my college advisor observed. While the world of subtle abilities and all things psychic was a secret passion of mine, it caught me off guard to have it called out in everyday life. How had I given myself away?

“What do you mean?” I asked. We’d been discussing a switch

in my undergraduate focus. I’d originally enrolled with a major in elementary education, something many of my friends had done. Since I hadn’t known what else was fitting for me, I’d followed their lead. At the time, a quiet feeling told me it wasn’t the right direction, but logically it seemed like a smart choice. Still, the more I resisted, the louder the feeling

got, until it manifested in very uncomfortable ways.

After weeks of going to bed with racing anxiety and horrible stomachaches, I finally switched to a double major in English and Art. My mind told me it was too risky, but I’d immediately felt back in alignment after making the switch. After a year of college, I was once again sensing that same nudging feeling, this time about changing my minor. I was listening to it with less resistance this second time around.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: ANGELA A. WIX is an acquiring editor for body-mind-spirit titles at Llewellyn Worldwide and is the author of The Secret Psychic and Llewellyn’s Little Book of Unicorns. She is a Certified Massage Therapist (CMT), Certified Medical Reiki Master (CMRM), and lifelong intuitive medium-in-training. She continues to be a passionate student of holistic practices and her artwork has appeared in hospitals and healing clinics as part of the Phipps Center for the Arts healing arts program. Visit her at www.AngelaAnn.Wix.com/arts and on social media @AngelaAWix.

“You feel when something isn’t quite right for you and you follow that message,” my advisor replied. It was as though she’d shattered the glass. I could finally

see that I had been making use of my intuition. Unknowingly, I had been tapping into it to reach my goals, even though at that point those goals were still hard to clarify. Intuition was guiding me to some unknown destination. If I was willing to listen, who knew where it could take me?

The Everyday Intuitive

The fact is you are psychic. I know this because everyone has these subtle abilities. They show up in various forms and are stronger or weaker in some ways from one person to another, but no matter how they show up, they

are always there. You might get hit with a sense of “knowing,” where suddenly you have the answer to a question, even though you may not know how it came to you. You might receive useful knowledge in dreams, get flashes of insight as images in your mind, or hear messages that you’re likely to assume are just your own thoughts. In my case, I very often feel. I process subtle information through emotion and body sensation.

This ability has always been such an ingrained skill to me that I wasn’t aware of it until someone else called it out. Perhaps this is also the case for you. If so, I hope I’ve just shattered the glass. On the other hand, if you feel like psychic abilities don’t apply to you, know that for some it takes more effort to tap into than it does for

others. Here are a couple of tools you can practice in order to make use of intuition to reach your own goals:

Tuning In

A great starting point is learning to tune in to your own energy and inner guidance. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be able to find this stillness within yourself even in the middle of a busy external environment. Breathing is your first step. If you ever feel lost thinking of how to go about tuning in, look to your breath.

STEP 1: Settle in and Find Stillness

Close your eyes. Take a deep breath and let it out. On your next breath, feel it go all the way down to your belly before you let it out. Repeat this deep breathing until you feel your body and mind really settle into relaxation mode. Once you feel that stillness, tune in to your energy. Pay attention to whether it feels as though it’s reaching out externally. For example, while you’re trying to relax, you might notice that you’re also anticipating someone needing your attention. Or maybe a part of you is trying to time your practice so that you can move on to your next task. If you find these types of reaching-out energies, notice them and see yourself bringing that energy back into

yourself. Like an octopus with all its outstretched limbs, pull each arm back in one by one until all your energy is centered. Sit in this stillness and continue deep breathing until you feel ready to move on to the next step.

STEP 2: Yes or No

I think of this step as something akin to muscle testing. A practitioner might first have you state something true, like “My name is (your name).” With your arm outstretched, the practitioner presses against it while you hold your arm strong to keep it in place. With a true statement, you’ll notice that you’re stronger, while with a false statement, when resistance is applied it’s much easier for your arm to be moved. The same is true for things that are beneficial or not beneficial for you.

There are versions of this practice that you can do without a practitioner. In one version, I would lean forward if something was yes/beneficial, and I would feel a sense of being pushed backward if something was no/not beneficial. I eventually discovered that it was easier for me to do this practice internally, which also makes it much more discreet.

In my version, I take a deep breath, let it out, and settle my energy. This means that I’m not reaching out to listen to the

music or observe other shoppers or noticing whatever else is going on around me. I’m tuned in to my own energy and inner world. Once settled, I silently ask a yes/ no question. In my mind I see a lotus flower. If the answer to my question is yes, I see a closed lotus flower that opens its petals wide. If the answer is no, I see an open lotus that closes its petals tightly back up. Open means yes and closed means no. In your version you might just see the word yes or no like a sign that is being held up for you, or maybe you won’t see anything, but instead you’ll hear the words or feel certain sensations.

Try it now. Close your eyes and take a couple of deep breaths.

Medicine Buddha

Settle in and find stillness. Now ask, “What is my intuitive sign for yes?” Once you understand that, ask, “What is my intuitive sign for no?” Now to confirm them, say, “My name is ” and say your correct name. Tune in and see which sign pops up. Repeat again, but this time use a name that isn’t actually your name. See what sign pops up. Once you have those signs, jot them down to help cement them in your mind.

This technique can be used as a way to connect with your energy and listen for the message of your inner guidance in many different situations, such as in the pursuit of various goals. Maybe you want to see a clear yes or no response on whether you should make plans on a certain day, which job to consider, whether a certain relationship is something to continue putting your energy into, and more. The possibilities are endless.

Download Your Intuitive Voicemails

Part of tapping into your intuition for achieving goals means intentionally listening to the messages that intuition has for you. This is a simple and fun practice. Have paper and pen available. Get comfortable and take some deep breaths. Progressively relax all areas of your body and deepen your breathing. When you feel settled in, tune in and ask your

intuition to reveal any messages it’s holding for you.

Don’t force it or try to engage. Just allow the details to naturally rise into your awareness. If you have additional questions that you want to ask, wait to ask them until you’ve first downloaded the messages that your intuition has for you without any additional prompting on your part. As you would when taking a phone message, jot down the key details that are shared with you.

After you receive your messages, you can end the meditation. Or, if you want, you can now ask any questions you have and end when you feel the responses winding down. To end the practice, write down this statement: “I will only intuitively receive information that is in my highest good.” Include this as a closing every time you do this practice.

Following the lead of our subtle abilities is such a gift when we learn how to tap into it. These practices can help train your intuition to provide insight at appropriate times and empower you to consciously access subtle information that is waiting to be acknowledged. With these newfound tools, I hope you’re soon reaching your goals and realizing your wildest dreams! •

OM NAMAH SHIVAYA

WHEN I WAS INVITED to discuss how the music industry promotes wellness, I saw a problem. It would have been a very short article, because promoting wellness simply isn’t a priority.

The music industry does not promote Wellness in general. In fact, for many years, it actively suppressed music that advertised its healing and health-supporting qualities. That’s why visionary musicians created an entirely new genre in the ‘70s to fill this need. This has now expanded to be music for well-being and optimal health. In the early days, New Age music wasn’t consider ‘real music.’ It took years before the industry executives realized there was a huge market for this new genre, so they tried to take it over.

New Age music emerged as a genre with health-enhancing potential and medical proof, so have the knockoffs and false advertising claims. Recent Top Ten Billboard New Age charts include almost half the entries of Disney piano versions of their cartoon megahits. Songs like “Let it Go” may be fun and entertaining, but they will not evoke the meaningful state of relaxation which is fundamental to optimal health.

Current research proves the deleterious effects that negative emotions have on our health. What effect do you think pop/rock music has on an audience — including your customers?

When it comes to music for wellness and optimal health, different criteria are involved. The therapeutic massage field and the spa industry, both of which really became popular in the past 25 years, honor and incorporate music for wellness in their healing environment.

The biggest consideration is the beat, the rhythmic core of most music. The physical law of rhythm entrainment describes how your body will synchronize to the beat of an external drummer. While this often manifests visually with the tapping of a foot or nodding of a head, it also helps synch hidden systems, like your heart. If the tempo of the music is faster than a relaxed heartbeat, about 60 beats per minute (60 BPM) it’s virtually impossible to relax. It is like trying to drive a car with your foot simultaneously on the brake pedal and the gas pedal, or trying to sleep after drinking three cups of coffee. With that much caffeine coursing through your body, sleep is not on the menu. That’s why I call such music 'audio

caffeine.' Numerous best-seller authors now emphasize the importance of stress reduction in promoting optimal health, such as Dr. Deepak Chopra in Super Genes, and Dr. Herbert Benson in The Relaxation Response

|

Music For Relaxation

We are all culturally conditioned to unconsciously analyze and predict where the music is going to next. We anticipate the future, and that is precisely what keeps us out of the present moment, and out of a mindful state of balance and inner peace, with pop, rock or classical.

When listening to music for wellbeing and optimal health, relaxation can only happens in the present moment — is the power of now. So learn to be in the moment. Be aware of your breathing, become aware of the physical sensations inside your chest when listening to relaxation music and see how your body respondes to it. You can view a short video I’ve uploaded to YouTube1 for more details.

Dr. John Diamond, author of Your Body Doesn’t Lie, discovered that the typical rhythm of many rock and pop songs creates stress, because it is opposite to the natural rhythm of the heart. In many cases, this stopped anapestic rhythm can actually engage an addictive, stressful and weakening response. Unknown to the public but well understood by the industry, addictive qualities in music makes it entertaining. It makes for hit records, but not necessarily wellness and optimal health.

If the goal is wellbeing, set the perfect ambience in your business to make customers feel relaxed and invited when they walk in by sharing music that will enable them to become more conscious and educated consumers, helping enhance their optimal health. •

1 https://youtu.be/-Ml8KiWH_1E

Books

PRINTFINEPRINT

BY THE EDITOR

A curated selection of new & upcoming releases in body-mind-spirit

The Art of Sacred Smoke: Energy-Balancing Rituals to Cleanse, Protect, and Empower

by Neelou Malekpour, illustrated by Louise Androlia

Published by Penguin

ISBN 9780593329450

Pages: 240 I Price: $21.49

At a time when many of us are looking for mindful solutions to the chaos of modern life, The Art of Sacred Smoke offers an empowering new way to connect to nature and to your best self.

With The Art of Sacred Smoke, Malekpour is ready to share the rituals that are essential to aligning and calibrating your energy. Learn how to use the natural ingredients she employs in her practices—and in her frequency-raising business, SMUDGED—from rose petals to palo santo, and how to source them responsibly.

Sacred Medicine: A Doctor’s Quest to Unravel the Mysteries of Healing

by Lissa Rankin, MD

Published by Sounds True

ISBN 9781683647423

Pages: 368 I Price: $27.99

In Sacred Medicine, you’ll follow Dr. Rankin around the world to meet healers gifted and flawed, go on pilgrimage to sacred sites, investigate the science of healing, and learn how to stay safe when seeking a healer. You’ll receive the wisdom offered by Indigenous cultures for whom healing begins with our sacred connection to Mother Earth, and dive deep into the cutting-edge trauma research that is igniting a medical revolution. Rich with practices and protocols that Dr. Rankin has found particularly effective, Sacred Medicine delivers a thoughtful, grounded exploration of questions around how we heal — and a path of hope for those in need.

How Are You, Really? Living Your Truth One Answer at a Time

by Jenna Kutcher

Published by Harper Collins

ISBN 9780063221949

Pages: 320 I Price: $24.99

Divided into three sections, How Are You, Really? is a guide to creating such a life. In Part One: Who You Are, Jenna uses stories from her childhood, some career false starts, her marriage and path to motherhood, and more to show how to crystallize your sense of your own identity. Because how can you know what you really, truly want out of your future if you don’t see yourself clearly in the present? In Part Two: Who You Have, and Who Has You, Jenna shows the benefits of a support system, how mentorship and kindness can come in surprising ways and from surprising sources, and how to build your own authentic community. In Part Three: What You’re Going to Do About It, Jenna guides you through illustrations from her career on how to turn your deepest dream into a life that brings success, joy, and — most importantly —the time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. We all want, simply put, a life well-lived. So, ask yourself the question you’ve been avoiding. How are you, really? It’s time to find your answer and start living.

Chatter:

The Voice in Our Head, Why It Matters, and How to Harness It

By Ethan Kross

Published by Crown Publishing

ISBN 9780525575245

Pages: 288 I Price $21.99

In Chatter, acclaimed psychologist Ethan Kross explores the silent conversations we have with ourselves. Interweaving groundbreaking behavioral and brain research from his own lab with real-world case studies from a pitcher who forgets how to pitch, to a Harvard undergrad negotiating her double life as a spy, Kross explains how these conversations shape our lives, work, and relationships. He warns that giving in to negative and disorienting self-talk what he calls “chatter”— can tank our health, sink our moods, strain our social connections, and cause us to fold under pressure. Brilliantly argued, expertly researched, and filled with compelling stories, Chatter gives us the power to change the most important conversation we have each day: the one we have with ourselves.

Playlist

REVIEWS OF GREAT MUSIC TO SELL & ENJOY

ELEMENTS

Lis Addison, All Aglow www.lisaddison.com

Lis is an award-winning composer of spiritually based electroacoustic vocal music. In these 8-tracks, exquisite in every detail, Lis pairs English lyrics with Sanskrit mantras honoring the four elements plus ‘light above’, ‘green below’, and ‘happiness within”. We are invited to remember all that truly brings us joy. There is something magical about her voice too. It’s as if she unlocks every mystery in the universe with that voice. Not surprisingly, she also works with the Akashic records as a soul path guide. We feel ourselves effortlessly absorbing love rather than simply listening. Phenomenal, intriguing, and completely captivating in every direction.

HOME

Michele Mclaughlin, CD Baby www.michelemclaughlin.com

It’s often said there’s no place like home. And we can definitively say there is no solo pianist quite like award-winning Michele McLaughlin. With over 1.5 billion streams on major digital platforms, she’s doing something right. Home is about the journey she and her boyfriend embarked upon while searching for their perfect home. Here, from the enchanting ‘cozy’ cover to the 12 delightful solo piano tracks, we are invited along on that joyful journey. Heartfelt, authentic, uplifting, celebratory, and optimistic for all, the universal themes of love, home, and hearth shine through in this must-have solo piano album.

THE WATER OF LIFE

Kerani, Kerani Music www.kerani-music.com

Music from Kerani is always magical. An award-winning composer of neo-classical and symphonic New Age music, her new 10-track album The Water of Life contains some of the most beautiful music you’ll ever hear. Along with synth, keyboard, and ethereal vocals, she has also incorporated a live string section, perfectly capturing the essence of water in its many forms: Sometimes gentle, sometimes not, but always representing the flow of life. This contemporary instrumental music is heartfelt, cinematic, and rich, with every note and nuance carefully crafted. Here, we can effortlessly come back to our true essence just by listening. Healing and rejuvenating.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: DYAN GARRIS is an award-winning New Age recording artist, award-winning author, and music reviewer, who has recorded and produced 14 albums. Garris’ recordings include a series of independently tested music and meditation CDs that earned The National Health & Wellness Stamp of Approval. Her music is found on Pandora, Spotify, iTunes, SiriusXM, Muzak, Music Choice, airlines, website, and more. Visit www.dyangarrismusic.com to know more.

Attend the 2022 August WESA Trade Show

August 25-28, 2022 in Dallas, TX! Join us at the WESA Trade Show in Dallas, TX Visit our website for more info: WESAtradeshow.com

#WESAtradeshow Where the Industry Meets August 25-28, 2022

The Association just celebrated its 100th Anniversary of the WESA Trade Show. Join the Western/ English Industry at the August WESA Trade Show as we build upon the history and lookforward to the next decade of trade, education and community.

The WESA Trade Shows offer the most comprehensive trade experience for retailers of the Western/ English Industry. Spreadout over 30,000 square feet of exhibit space and featuring almost 600 product lines, WESA’s International Apparel and Equipment Markets are where the savvy retailers shop to be educated and inspired.

Five Affordable Ways to Update Your Store Décor

WITH THE COST OF GOODS continuously rising, it’s hard to consider a major renovation to upgrade to your store right now. But if you’re like me, finding the reasons to freshen up your space are rising just as fast, so I’ve created five simple budget friendly décor ideas to help spruce up your space.

If there’s one lesson I learned while working at Walt Disney World, it’s that no matter what you’re designing, always start with a theme! Now, themes tend to be much easier when you’re theming a store based on a Disney movie, but less obvious when it’s your own boutique. But trust me when I say this, all stores have a theme… you just might not be in touch with yours yet. Themes can be anything from colours (from your logo, packaging or branding) style (modern, retro, contemporary or rustic), or atmospheric (cottage, beach/lake, city). Choose which theme best represents your store

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: ANDREA HEIN has worked as a merchandise presentation specialist for boutique shops and big box head offices after starting her career at Walt Disney World. As the owner and operator of Andrea Hein Occasions, she creates custom décor for various sports clients including the Buffalo Bills, SportsNet and Hockey Night in Canada. She is currently the coordinator and professor for the Visual Merchandising Arts program at Conestoga College in Kitchener, Ontario. Visit www.andreaheinoccasions.com or @andrea_hein_occasions to know more.

based on the product you sell, your location and your customer base. Your theme is in there! Got one? Ok let’s do this!

#1Freshen up your Color Paint is always my first go to because it’s something anyone can do and makes such an impact once it’s done. Choose a color that suits the theme of your store but something that will also help feature your product nicely, you want it to highlight your product, not compete with it. Therefore, most people choose subtle, neutral tones for their store.

#2

Feature Walls

If this still isn’t enough of a boost, try adding a feature wall in a bolder or brighter colour. Something that will call attention to a specific area in your store. Common feature walls in boutique spaces are typically the back wall or the right wall as this these are two most dominant spaces in your store, the first walls your customers pay attention to. Adding a feature wall behind the cash area is also a great way to grab your customers attention. Feature walls can also be achieved using shiplap, tile, vinyl graphics or faux grass/boxwood with your store logo on it for great brand recognition.

#3

Greenery

Did someone say boxwood? Greenery has been on trend in retail shops for the last few years and don’t seem to be trending downward anytime soon. Adding elements of foliage to your store can be aesthetically appealing, stress relieving, and bonus/cost effective when trying to boost your décor. It will also help your customers envision your product in their own space as foliage tends to add that welcoming factor as well. If you’re like me and find keeping air plants alive a challenge, faux foliage will do just fine. It will still give you the pleasing décor you’re going for, just without the maintenance. Potted trees will add pops of colour to your space, hanging plants will add height to your space and can look stunning suspended over an entrance table. Smaller potted items like succulents can complete any display or table scape within

your space, while grass/boxwood walls create a bold feature wall, especially when paired with some very on-trend neon signage.

#4Lighting

Don’t get nervous, lighting does NOT have to break the bank. Standard retail lighting typically means fluorescent tubes or spaced out dim pot lights. Sound familiar? Instead of replacing that lighting, just add to it. A simple and cost-effective way is to bring in lamps… even if they may not be part of your assortment, pick up a couple lamps that suit your store décor and add to the ambience. Overhead lamps can add to your store’s look as well as provide additional task lighting if placed over the cash or in feature product areas.

#5

Selfie Station

Selfies like live plants don’t seem to be a fading trend so embrace this and learn how to make it work for you and your store. Provide a small space in your store that is, for lack of a better word “instragrammable”. Somewhere your customers can interact with your product like a bistro table set up with wine glasses and a decanter or a hanging swing or even a small sofa. If you add a ring light and a hashtag to any of these areas, they have instantly become a selfie station…” if you build it, they will come”. We have been trained to see un-merchandised floor space as lost dollars but creating this sort of customer service is just as important as this is free advertising and creates a personal connection with your store and your brand. •

“The world makes way for the man who knows

where he is going.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

—D eepak C hopra

Music with Vision

DAVID & STEVE GORDON

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