Saturday, April 24, 2010

40% of Your Happiness is Up to You by Betsy Ringer


Researchers have found that:
• 50% of our happiness quotient is a result of our genetic makeup
• 10 % of our happiness is the result of circumstances
• And 40% of our happiness comes from our own intentional activities – what we CHOOSE to be, do or have.

Let that sink in. Our feelings of overwhelm, hurriedness, perfectionism, insecurity, and indulgent living lead us to believe we are victim to our circumstances: my kids need scholarships so I must have them in fifty activities; or if I can just get through this week/month things will slow down.

Okay, my house gets messy. Well my LIFE gets messy too. I clean up my house and I can clean up my life. Distractions cause messiness in my life. These distractions are disguised as:
• Physical unhealthiness
• Poor systems of doing things
• Dysfunctional surroundings
• Mental overload
• Time management issues
• Frail relationships

When our surroundings, work, and life are chaotic, so is our day-to-day living. We don’t want to live less than spectacular; we want our lives to BE spectacular. That doesn’t mean perfect. It means you have some tools and resources that help you know where you’re going, untangle some of your messes, and make a plan to live in a way that matters most to you. When you understand who you are, where you are headed, and how to manage strategic areas of your life, you will find happiness and joy in even the most mundane parts of your life. The BIG picture is crucial for the everyday picture to come into focus and clarity.

Choose your happiness today! “…there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live.” - Ecclesiastes 3:12



You might be surprised, but small changes – with the right tools and resources – can make a big difference! I invite you to be a part of one of my upcoming iThrive groups. iThrive guides you step by step to:
• Clear the clutter in 12 vital life areas
• Free you from just getting by to experiencing life with confidence and fullness.
• Manage your distractions; experience mental clarity; cultivate sparkling relationships; develop strategic action plans
• BE spectacular.

iThrive coaches you to take action on and manage 12 areas of your life that have been filled with distractions, clutter and uncertainty so you can live with greater meaning, purpose and direction. Remember you choose 40% of your happiness through how you decide to live.

I love hearing stories like this from iBloom clients: "You know I'm loving iThrive - love the blog, the podcasts, all of it! You ladies have a Christ-centered approach without a bunch of psycho-babble, and unlike many other programs (and books) I've looked into, you have really reached where I am... right ...now, yet helped me move forward towards the future. Thank you."

I have a new iThrive group starting April 27. Receive materials monthly that break down the important life areas for success into manageable, bite-sized pieces. Then meet once a month with a fabulous group by phone for coaching and encouragement to make lasting change. Gain tools and resources to manage your one wonderful so you can focus on what really matters.

I really want to see you in my group. I’d love to see you finally make the breakthrough you’ve always dreamed of!

CLICK HERE to find out more and register.

Please leave a COMMENT if you would like to be part of my group but need another time slot. I’ll be starting another group soon.

Friday, April 23, 2010

Live Big! Book Excerpt





Here's an excerpt from my friend Dr. Katie Brazelton's newest release...
LIVE BIG! 10 Life Coaching Tips for Living Large, Passionate Dreams by Katie Brazelton, PhD, MDiv

Imagine that you and I are being pampered in first class, relaxing comfortably on an
afternoon flight to your favorite world-class resort. As we gaze out the airplane window, it seems as though we're floating through an endless sea of marshmallow clouds, soaring together through the heavens. Up here, dreams somehow seem crystal clear. I think it's because we can pretend we've risen above the rough, mountainous terrain of life and can look down on our hills and valleys, seeing events from a fresh perspective.

From this bird's eye view, glance down at what is below: your daily routine, closest
relationships, untapped potential, and countless opportunities. Let this vantage point help you set your sights on a passionate mega dream and an inspiring hope for the future! I would not dare to author a book on such an important topic as Living Big without practicing what I preach. So, as I write this, I am on a flight to Hawaii (I wish it were first class) for an extended stay to consider living there indefinitely. I was raised in Hawaii and the Marshall Islands in a navy family, so the tropical breeze has always been alluring to me. Might this be where I will plant another Life Purpose Coaching Center...or find the time to launch my long-dreamed-of radio show...or finish this book? I don't know the answers to those questions, but I do know that I can't fail, because this is simply a experiment, with memories waiting to be made. I'm not going to rush the process or force a decision, only enjoy the journey to yea or nay. There is no right or wrong way to dream. Well, actually, I do believe there's one wrong way, and that is to let the dream stagnate without taking any action! I am embarking on this time of exploration because I am in a new season of my life, formally ending two decades of single parenting. My son recently accepted an out of state job promotion, taking his sweet wife and my two young grandsons with him. Shortly thereafter, my daughter announced her engagement, which means she, too, will be moving away from our home area. In the blink of an eye, without my permission, I have been thrust into a new chapter of my life. On one hand, I am sad and fearful. On the other hand, now I have no more excuses for not doing whatever I want, which is another way of saying "whatever I feel God is calling me to do next." I am operating in a spirit of super-sized living right now, and not just because I may soon be draped in large muumuus, walking barefoot to the local market to buy macadamia-nut chocolates, and blatantly enticing my family with extended holiday vacations in paradise. Dreaming in high definition and surround sound and then taking appropriate steps to live those dreams is what this book is all about. You may not have a burning desire to move to a distant land, but what do you want out of life? Are you a student anxiously finishing college? A young mom who's busy raising twins? An overseas missionary on a brand-new assignment? A career woman vying for an enviable position? A widow with only a few pressing obligations? Regardless of your role in life, you and I have a few things in common:

-We love to dream.
-God designed us to dream.
-And there's no day like today to start discovering God's best!

I need you to know that I'm not so far up in the clouds that I am unaware of your everyday realities. Life has prepared me well to be your Life Coach. I have a testimony of brokenness, and I'm honored to help you dream. Check out what I call "My 7 Big D's" events that shaped me for nearly twenty years.

My 7 Big D's
1982 Barely survived a serious, four-?month depression.
1986 Devastated by a totally unexpected divorce.
1988 Confused about having to rewrite my doctoral dissertation.
1990 Deeply saddened by the death of my ex-husband.
1991 Angered by a corporate downsizing, which left me laid off just days after buying a home.
1993 Terrified by a dating incident.
2001 Shocked by the death of my dream when my first book contract was canceled due to
budget cuts after 9/11.

What does this list tell you, other than that I must have built up a lot of stamina by now? It says that you can trust me to understand what you're going through and to tell it like it is when I coach you without skirting around the issues. I care deeply about making sure you don't get stuck in the quagmire of life, as I did too many times. These chapters will take you on a journey to find what you're really jazzed about what makes you smile, laugh, play, sing, and dance. It's time to daydream about the adventure God has in store for you!

Amos 4:13 tells us that God reveals His thoughts to us: "He who forms the mountains, who creates the wind, and who reveals his thoughts to mortals, who turns dawn to darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth the Lord God Almighty is his name." We want to do whatever it takes to be ready for that revelation. As your Life Coach, I will come alongside you like a Barnabas (a name that Acts 4:13 tells us means "son of encouragement"). We will enjoy life changing chats about you, stealing precious moments within your hectic schedule. I know how hard it is for you to find time for a conversation about your legacy, your destiny, your divine urge. As you are able to sneak away from your daily routine, it will be my job and my joy to sit with you and draw out of you the distinct calling God laid on your heart eons ago, before you were ever born. And then, equally important, we will put baby steps in place to help you live out your exciting, God-designed purpose, which has long been the desire in your soul even if it has lain dormant.

This book is loaded with modern, true stories of everyday saints, Bible character parallels, inspirational quotes, some of my favorite Scripture verses, heartfelt prayers, ten coaching tips, forty action steps, reflection questions, and practical exercises with sample answers from my own life to trigger your thinking. (Don't miss the Web downloads, too, which are my special gift to you!) You will hear from real women, students, wives, mothers, a widow, career women, church staff members who all have tremendous testimonies to share. I urge you to break all of the normal book reading rules and jump into the chapters in any sequence you please. Did you know that doing the unexpected can change your perspective, which will then cause you to see your world through new eyes?

I've chosen these particular topics for us to explore in detail as we discover what it takes to Live Big!
1. Face Your Fears
2. Learn to Exhale
3. Honor Your Deepest Longings
4. Don't Ever Give Up
5. Use Your Past for Good
6. Expect Miracles
7. Forgive Someone
8. Eat Dessert First
9. Ask Jesus for Vision
10. Capture Your Live Big! Dream

I can't help but think: If only someone had told me that! or Why didn't I learn that in school? Frankly, I feel there ought to be a law mandating that schools teach us to be tenacious, forgiving, and courageous. We need classes at church that help us reach for our dreams, expect miracles, focus forward, and breathe calmly through adversity. But most important, we must learn how to play and to stop taking ourselves so seriously and to start cherishing God's incredibly specific plan for our lives. In this way, we address the habits that help us attract or sabotage God's boldest wishes for us. Each of the ten coaching tips will give you a broader, richer understanding of how to run and finish the race well.

You probably picked up this book because you want to travel boldly down the path to
purpose and fulfillment, yet perhaps you've lost sight of your dreams, hopes, and longings possibly because of regrets, exhaustion, stubbornness, fears, sins, and so on. We're all burdened with something. You want to bring glory to God with your life, but you may be carrying such a heavy weight of boredom, loneliness, doubt, pride, and/or hopelessness that you've forgotten how to unleash your creativity. The biblical perspective in this book will help you hear God's promptings more clearly and act on them with pure joy.

I encourage you to dream big dreams during this eye-opening, heart-pounding quest. Let me share with you forty proven, incremental steps that I personally have used for years and have coached my clients through action steps that will help you to live a significance filled life. God will be honored, and you will be blessed. You will find yourself empowered beyond your wildest imagination as you Live Big!
Will you take your first small step today?


Click here to order the book!

Some more valuable information about Katie Brazelton, Ph.D., M.Div., M.A., she is a life coach and bestselling author. She is the founder of Life Purpose Coaching Centers International which trains Christians worldwide to become Life Purpose Coach professionals and assist others to discover and fulfill God’s plan for their lives. Dr. Brazelton was formerly a licensed minister and director of women’s Bible studies at Saddleback Church and now is a professor at Rockbridge Seminary. She lives in Southern California and has two children and two grandchildren. She is the author of the bestselling series Pathway to Purpose for Women and Character Makeover: 40 Days with a Life Coach to Create the Best You.

iBloom’s very own Kelly Thorne and Betsy Ringer are trained Life Coach instructors. If you feel led to become a Life Purpose Coach please CLICK HERE to contact us for more information or email us at info@ibloom.us.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Be All There by Glen Schneiders


Glen Schneiders is the Lead Pastor of Crossroads Christian Church

Are we fully anywhere anymore?  As I walk into a meeting or church gathering, I note the number of cell phones in texting mode. I can’t help but wonder how many of us are fully engaged – in anything; that includes the meetings at work, the family dinner, or church services. With wireless on computers and emails arriving by phone day or night, there is no such thing as a vacation. (Unless you have had the misfortune of a company imposed furlough, then you could lose your job if you responded to email.)

I am not anti-technology.  The conveniences of bringing the world to us cannot be ignored.  But what if we want to be truly off for a day or a week?  What about the biblical concept of Sabbath rest (one day in seven that is designed for rest, refreshment and reflection)?  Do a number of stress related illnesses that affect more and more get propagated by our constant availability to people?  Have you ever received an email on the weekend that you wished you had waited to read until Monday morning?

Allow me to make some suggestions for being all there:
  • Turn off your phones at dinner.  Refuse to let something less important distract you from what is most important.  If you are really brave, refuse to read email for at least one day of the weekend.  If that goes well, you might be ready to try it for some portion of your next vacation.
  • In meetings, determine to be fully there.  No texts, no emails.  As an aside, I believe as leaders we owe it to people to not waste time.  Get started on time, get to the point, and then get out.  We are all busy.
  • In church, sit enraptured by the amazing words of wisdom by the preacher.  Okay, at least give the guy a chance instead of tweeting about him.  Remember God spoke through a donkey in the Old Testament.  He might want to do it again!  Come to think of it that analogy might apply to your boss as well.  

Ecclesiastes 9:10 (New American Standard Version) “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might…”  (Hard to do when diverted by multiple inputs.)

Jim Elliot observed, “Wherever you are, be all there. Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God." 

Determine to be all there this week … at work, at home, at church.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Five Secrets that Turn Good Intentions into Real Results by Betsy Ringer



I pulled up to the red light and glanced at the van positioned next to me, slightly forward. The woman in the driver’s seat was on her cell phone. Her head was looking down like she was searching for something in her purse. Three kids were in the back seats with school papers and one was putting on soccer shoes. The mother flung her arm back with an object for one of the kids. It looked like she was talking frustratingly to someone on the phone or maybe she was on hold and reprimanding the kids. I don’t know. But as she snapped the phone shut and our eyes met, we recognized each other. Her frazzled face turned into a broad smile and she waved as the light turned green and she quickly zoomed away - probably a bit embarrassed.

This scene reminded me so much of myself when I was about that age. I had a full life with work, husband, kids, home, friends, and a to-do list that kept me in constant turmoil. I carried around a sense of discontent and felt guilty about it. I seemed to look at what wasn’t quite right rather than really realizing how great things were nor feeling equipped to make things better. I found a quote that popped me into awareness, “What a wonderful life I’ve had! I only wish I’d realized it sooner!” (Collette, French novelist who wrote Gigi)

Since then I have learned many secrets about shifting from living to thriving. I have worked with thousands of women sharing tools, stories, insights, resources and perspective shifts. Gradually they move from feeling like life is slipping away to the ability to manage important life areas and then focus on what really matters. They learn how to turn good intentions into real results that brighten their lives.

Today, I’d like to share just five of those secrets:

1. Develop a compelling vision for how you want your life to go. Before you take a trip or drive to a new city you consult a map and decide which route you will take. Do the same for your life.

2. Find resources that help you be the strong person you know you are. We can’t know everything so find the “experts” and let them guide you.

3. Make friends with time. Craft today – truly the only day you have – so that it is well-lived. Guard against being in a hurry – it’s a sickness.

4. Give yourself permission to be happy. Get healthy, de-clutter, embrace your inner Pollyanna, and choose to manage your life a way you can thrive.

5. There are some things you must give up to get what you truly want. We have been brought up to be consumers and addicts - shopping, food, email, busyness, perfection, activity, etc. It’s so difficult to let go of what’s destroying us but when we do we make room for what God truly has for us!

This is just the beginning. You no longer have to ask, “But how do I start?” NOW is the time to invest in others by investing in yourself. You can begin this month to turn your good intentions into real results in 12 key areas of your life.

I have a new iThrive group starting April 27. Monthly, you will receive materials that break down the important life areas for success into manageable, bite-sized pieces. Then you meet once a month with a fabulous group by phone for coaching and encouragement to make lasting change. You can realize the wonderful life you live and gain tools and resources to manage it so you can focus on what really matters.

I really want to see you in my group. I’d love to see you finally make the breakthrough you’ve always dreamed of! It's not too late to begin.

CLICK HERE to find out more and register.

Please LEAVE A COMMENT if you would like to be part of my group but need another time slot. I’ll be starting another group soon.


Wednesday, April 7, 2010

FINALLY – SOME REALLY GOOD NEWS! by Betsy Ringer


I have some GREAT news for you!! I mean REALLY great news!! This is particularly refreshing news after being weighed down by depressing TV news and circumstances and people around us. Ready? You can be POWERFUL through unfavorable circumstances!!! YES! You can THRIVE not merely survive!

Are you exhausted or overwhelmed?

Do the pieces of your life need some de-cluttering, sorting through, and recalibrating so you can experience joy through all circumstances?

Do you feel like the days, months, years are slipping away and you WANT to make your life count – REALLY COUNT – for something?

If you are ready to stop letting life slip by and live a life of passion, balance, purpose, and fulfillment, it’s time for you to THRIVE!!

iThrive is a 12-month holistic approach that empowers you to get healthy and thrive in all areas of your life. Each month you receive a packet of materials with information and exercises. You create an action plan for intentionally living the life you love in a variety of areas, including your unique purpose, physical health, finances, spiritual intimacy, family roles, support system, career, home environment, service, your life legacy and more.

Believe me, you are not alone! LOTS of women realize their lives aren’t what they want them to be, but don’t quite know what to do to move forward. Let me give you an analogy. When I was about 7 or 8 I went to a local amusement park with my family. I wanted to go into the FUN HOUSE – well, that’s what it was called, but it was more like a FRIGHT HOUSE to me! The rooms inside were slanted and contained lots of weird illusions and the hallways moved and air blew forcefully at you and things popped out when you least expected it.

It was really quite horrifying to me. Maybe I was presented with situations that were different and I just didn’t have the perspective to know how to handle them. I wanted sooo much to just find my way out. I remember coming to a very small room in an octagonal shape. It had lots of doors with mirrors and you had to find the right one to go through. If you opened a door that wasn’t the way out, something would pop out at you or there would be a loud sound or simply something weird would confront you. I remember being so frightened because I just didn’t know what to do.

Well, I have to say sometimes life is like that as an adult!! There are so many choices to make and we feel like if we make the wrong choice life will only be more complicated or we will have to deal with something even MORE frightening.

iThrive is meant to help you look at those “doors” in a strategic way and make sense of the obstacles that are keeping you from truly enjoying life. We don’t have to succumb to what’s going on around us. With the right tools, a plan, and people we value, we can be powerful.

iThrive is an opportunity to learn with a group of other women; to receive guidance, encouragement and a gentle push when we are having a tough time pressing through an issue. Don’t go it alone. You CAN be powerful even during this time when circumstances seem to sabotage our efforts or when there are so many choices that clutter our daily living.



iThrive can be a self-study process or a group coaching opportunity where you journey with a small group of women from around the world. If you are part of the coaching group, we will meet once a month for you to receive Life Coaching in the topic for the month. We will also correspond by email. You can work through the materials on your own, but I must say there is a GREAT advantage to being part of a coaching group.

I have a new group starting up on April 27. We will meet by phone the fourth Tuesday of the month during your lunch break or coffee break, 12-1 PM EST. I want to personally invite you to join my group. CLICK HERE to get more information and/or sign up for a group.

I know that as women, we don’t mind spending money on our families and other people. However, for some reason we feel guilty spending money on ourselves. But think of it as an investment in the lives of those around you. You want to be the healthiest that you can be in all areas of your life so you can give others your very BEST self!! For the cost of a small coffee or a soft drink per day, you can make a wise investment in your one wonderful life!

So take steps now to THRIVE not just survive!!! Be powerful and live the life you love!!




To share your story, question or encouragement CLICK HERE