"I am so glad you are here . . . it helps me realize how beautiful my world is."

Rainer Maria Rilke

I stumbled upon this quotation the other day and I was instantly taken with how much this sum's up the holidays for me and my current state of mind.

This week, I had the opportunity to participate in Ellen Britt's Marketing Qi series, an ongoing telesummit featuring experts on a variety of marketing and sales topics. (For more info on the call, visit www.MarketingQi.com/KimSpeaks.html.)

During the call, as I was exploring the concept of Abundance Intelligence® with listeners, I mentioned how, for a great deal of my life, I lived with a scarcity mentality and never realized it. Until 3 years ago, it never dawned on me that one of my prevailing beliefs about life was that good things don't come my way. This was a wake up call. When I realized this was my paradigm, I instantly made a commitment to change my belief structure.

One of the listeners on the call asked me to describe the difference that commitment has made in my life. I had been successful before, living under this scarcity mentality, so what was different now?

It was a great question, one that I have actually been thinking about this year.

Here's the difference for me.

Yes, I have always been a high achiever. My scarcity mentality didn't necessarily rob me of achieving things, in fact sometimes it provided a big kick in the butt! But there was a huge Opportunity Cost.

And that cost was my happiness.

You see, when I lived my life believing that good things don't come my way, it robbed me of joy. Happiness. Bliss. Most things were a chore, a "have to", a burden.

My answer to the woman on the Marketing Qi call was this - I can honestly say that I am happier than I have ever been before in my life.

And I am being more like myself than ever before.

Interesting that my theme for 2007 is "Lightness of Being". I'm making a commitment to have more fun, freedom, and flexibility in my life - more on that in another post.

So, as we end 2006, although a person can never do for another, I want to thank all of you for helping me reach this happiness in my life. Each of you, in big and small ways, have contributed to the quality (and joy!) of being me.

My wish, no - my intention, for all of you this holiday season, is that you connect with the joy, happiness, and yes the

Pure Bliss

of what it means to be you.

Your Great Self.

I want to thank you for an amazing year. A year to be remembered and treasured and celebrated.

Most importantly, I want to thank each of you for being you.

Because when you are being all that you are, the world is a greater place.

You're that important.

Here's to celebrating authenticity.

Happy Holidays!