Friday, April 17, 2009

Women Standing for Women

It is time for women to stand for women. When times are tough women need the comfort and support of one another. When times are good, women need each other to call to share their joy. Women are different than men. When I sat in my first psychology class almost 3 decades ago we were told that there were certain behavioral gospels and that one of them is when you put a human being in a fearful or stressful situation they will do one of two things, fight or flight. Everyone assumed the complete validity of this statement until two women researchers from UCLA did a fear and stress study that included females. What they discovered was amazing. Women do not go into fight or flight, they do something different that the researchers labeled "tend and befriend".


Women need each other. As women, it is not good for us to be isolated from one another. We need to cooperate, collaborate, encourage, inspire and educate one another. For too long we have been competing in a man's paradigm. We need to get back to what is most natural for us and that is support, encouragement and collaboration. That is where a new women's networking organization called The Heart Link Network comes in. The Heart Link Network has launched over 135 locations in the US, Canada and Australia, all by word of mouth. The Heart Link Network and its online community The Heart Alliance are taking the world by storm. It is a networking model based on the female endocrine system, whose time has come.

The Heart Link Network
, with its warm and intimate, relaxed environment is linking women to new ideas, resources, products, services and especially the hearts of one another. Dawn Billings is the architect and founder of this organization. Dawn was chosen out of 3200 women as one of the nation's emerging women leaders by Oprah Magazine and The White House Project and selected in the YWCA of Cobb County Georgis, at the 2008 Women of Achievement awards, as one of 15 Women of Achievement. She is the author of over 15 books and travels the nation as an "entitlement expert" teaching corporations, organizations, schools and parents how to avoid the tragedy of "an entitlement mentality" with their workers, volunteers or children. Dawn Billings has spent the last 35 years benefiting the lives of women and children and has created a new parenting tool/toy that is touted by parenting experts around the world to revolutionize parenting around the world.

If you are a woman who wants to meet other extraordinary women, visit The Heart Link Network web site. Visit a gathering near you, there is no up front membership fee. And if there is not yet a location in your area, find out how to be a stand-out leader and bring together the extraordinary women in your community.
We welcome you,
The Heart Link Team standing for women everywhere!

Monday, February 23, 2009

6 Secrets to Dealing with Today's Economic Stress

The Markets have gone MAD. Money Anxiety Disorder: That's what some are calling the latest American epidemic. While the market plunges, free-floating anxiety is rising. According to a survey in October by the American Psychological Association, 80 percent of us find the recent financial crisis a significant cause of stress—up from 66 percent last April—and women are bearing the brunt of the worry. Women are reporting greater concern over job stability, health problems, and financial concerns affecting their families. Many people have been careful about their finances. They have seen money as a safety net. Now that safety net appears to be unraveling right before their eyes.

While financial experts tell us not to panic, it is hard not to, when the reality is, people are afraid. Fear and stress take a serious toll on health, putting people at higher risk for a host of ailments from high blood pressure to heart disease. Most people know that research has shown that exercise and meditation are two of the most effective ways to reduce stress—but many feel too pressured to try either. So I asked a few experts for other strategies you might not have considered.

1. Sooth yourself. To lower financial stress, set a budget for each day and reward yourself with something soothing for staying on it. Alvin Hall, a financial commentator on BBC TV and radio and author of You and Your Money: Mastering the Emotions Behind the Numbers says, "Ask yourself: 'What is the one thing I can do that will give me the longest-lasting uplift for the least amount of money?'" During the economic downturn of 1987, Hall's treat was blackberry pie. "I'd think about it all day, and if I came in under my budget," he says, "I'd go order a slice. When I couldn't afford that, I'd visit the museum and look at Van Gogh paintings." What might feel soothing to you? A long bath, a walk, listening to music. Find ways to comfort and sooth yourself.

2. Nurture one another. Women, we are basic nurturers at our core. This is a time when we need to give one another manicures or pedicures. Or consider exchanging massages with your partner and friends. According to Robert Sapolsky, PhD, professor of neurology and neurological sciences at Stanford University, who has studied wild baboons for 30 years, primates groom each other to reduce stress—and the effect seems to be more powerful for the one who is doing the primping. Think about it. Instead of giving up services like this, that are so nurturing, give them as loving gifts to one another. What a lovely way to intimately contribute to the life of another. Touch is very bonding. When times are tough we need to bond more than ever.

3. Take up knitting. According to research at the Harvard-affiliated Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine, the repetitive motion and focus of needlework can elicit what's known as the relaxation response—a calming meditation-like state that slows heart rate and causes blood pressure to drop. In addition, a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society suggests that knitting is associated with a lower risk of dementia for those 65 and older.

4. Visit the GOD CAN.
Yes, there is a GOD CAN. The Heart Link Network, an international women's networking organization, and its online community for women called The Heart Alliance, have created a stress management gift for women everywhere. It costs nothing and is a comforting a lovely experience. You just go to the GOD CAN, write down any anxieties, concerns, or fears and press "I am done with this" and the note folds up and floats up and the lid of The GOD CAN opens for the note and then closes. Dawn L. Billings, the creator of the GOD CAN, was a family counselor for over 15 years and author of over 15 books. "What I found with my patients is that if you could give them a tangible way to release the stress in their lives, they felt real relief. I used to use balloons filled with helium, but now the GOD CAN works even better and it is as easy a click of a button on your computer. We are thrilled to offer than and many other services for women on our "no cost" online women's networking community."

5. Recreate community. Recreate deep and meaningful relationships in your life. Don't live isolated. During the Great Depression, historian David M. Kennedy, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Freedom from Fear: The American People in Depression and War, 1929–1945, father experienced "what they called a nervous breakdown." Nervous breakdowns are about anxiety and stress reaching astronomical levels. During this very frightening time, we must force ourselves to connect more. It is the strong, healthy relational bonds in our lives that keep us sane. The broader our community of people we trust is, the stronger and more fortified we feel. This is a time to reach out and link arms and hearts with those around you.

6. Give more. It is true that giving is better than receiving. It not only makes a difference to the person receiving the gift, but it makes an enormous difference in the life of the person giving the gift. Find people you can help in small ways. Dawn Billings, CEO and Founder of The Heart Link Network and Link to Success Business Networking says, "We must be committed to sharing more random acts of kindness. It might not plug all the holes in the dam that we feel might be crumbling in front of us, but kindness always makes the water warmer."

Dawn L. Billings was selected by Oprah Magazine and The White House Project as one of the nation's 80 emerging women leaders for her socially dynamic programs created to benefit the lives of women and children. Dawn was also chosen by the YWCA in GA as one of 15 "Women of Achievement" in 2008.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

7 Lies you Tell Yourself that Steal Your Success

Most people long for success and feel frustrated because they don’t know what is keeping them from achieving it. Of course, no one’s life circumstances and environment are perfect. But there are some who appear to enjoy more success in all areas of their lives than others, so what makes the difference?

What makes the difference are the lies we tell ourselves that we think are true. What you think determines how you will react to situations in your life, as well as your behavior. The way you react to situations in your life depends on how you perceive the world and how you perceive the world, is determined by how you think. Yep, sounds like a vicious circle and it is.

As humans, we are meaning making machines and what ever meaning we give to a situation, or think about a situation determines our emotional response. For example, if someone raced past you speeding in a car you can think, Boy are they rude, dangerous, or inconsiderate, they deserve to be locked up!, or if you knew that one of their children had just been rushed to the hospital after a very serious injury you might think, I would be driving faster than they were. or Get out of their way!


If you believed the outcomes in your life are a direct result of the way you think, would you want to change some of your thoughts? It is so much easier to pretend, or believe the lie that how we feel, and where we are in life is because of someone else. It is easy to blame others like our annoying boss, out of control children, nagging wife, no good lazy husband, etc. But all of your feelings are actually caused by what you TELL yourself, in other words, the meaning you give to events and outcomes in your life.

Believing the lies that your current situation in all areas of your life is the fault of anyone else but you keeps you stuck, frustrated, angry and hopeless. That is why recognizing the lies you tell yourself is very important.

These lies that steal your success are.

1. Good things happen to everyone but me.
What you expect is usually what you get, so if you want to believe the lie that good things happen to everyone but you, guess what, good things will keep happening for others but not you. If you really want success, you must see it, believe it, dream it, taste it but especially talk it and think it. Expect success. Believe that success can be yours and your chances of achieving increase significantly.

2. Complaining is normal, everyone complains.
If you complain, you will attract more complainers. Birds of a feather flock together. When we complain, we focus on the very things we don’t want in our lives. The law of attraction tells us that what we focus on we give power and energy to in our lives. The more time you spend complaining, the less time you have to celebrate and appreciate the great things in your life. Stop complaining and stop giving yourself permission to complain. It makes you miserable and it makes the people you are complaining to, miserable.

3. Nobody really knows or understands me.

Winners recognize that it doesn't always matter how the a problem came to be, as it does to find a workable solution to the problem. If you believe the lie that nobody understands you, chances are you are continually doing, thinking and justifying things that aren’t working in your life. Everyone understands success. Most people don’t understand when someone keeps doing the same behavior and getting the same terrible results. If nobody understands you chances are, you really don’t understand yourself. If you want to succeed, we have to be willing to take a real and honest inventory of where we are and how we got there. Listen to your friends and family that love you. They could see that hole you keep falling into and help you walk around and past it.

4. All that is important is great desire and a dream.
How many have wished they could be a doctor, or dancer, or actor, CPA or a writer, but never created a plan about how to achieve those dreams. Dreams are great. Wishing upon a star is inspiring and hopeful, but if you are not willing to put action behind that wish, if you are not willing to create a plan and have the discipline to follow your plan, you end up only with an unfulfilled wish. Those who don't plan and create their future must live the reality of the future that created itself out of their inaction. Powerful results come from creating a plan and following through with persistence and discipline.

5. No one will pay me to do what I really want to do.
So often we convince ourselves that our choices in our life are limited. They are not. Find what you love doing more than anything and then get busy finding ways to get to do it. Let your strengths and talents guide you in choosing your vocation. You will discover that the true successes in life are those who have discovered their passions, married those passions to their talents, honed their skills to excellence and acted with persistence. You can do what you love to do, all you have to do is take the time to discover what it is you love and then how to benefit the lives of others by doing it.

6. I can’t . . .
This is one of the most powerful lies of all. Anytime you believe you can’t, you’ll find you’re right. If you refused to allow yourself to use the phrase I can’t and expected more of yourself so that your only option was to figure out how you actually could, you would be an astounding success. If you can only discipline yourself to stop believing one lie, this would be the lie to stop believing.

7. What I do doesn’t really matter in the big scheme of things.
This is a lie that will not only stop you from making your life a tremendous success; it will keep you from making the difference in the world you were born to make. We are each here for a purpose. We were not born just to take up space and use up resources. Unless you have the courage to stop believing this lie, you can never contribute to the many things in the world that need the very best of who you are. It does really matter what you do. Thousands of people are affected by what you do. When the world needs something, you could be the miracle, you could be the catalyst, the leader, the person who inspires others to join you in making a great and powerful difference. For your benefit and the benefit of the world, I ask you to give up believing this lie.

Dawn Billings, CEO & Founder of The Heart Link Network, women's networking at its best, The Heart Alliance, a no cost, online women's networking community for women around the world, Link to Success Business Networking, a business networking community for both men and women and author of 15 books including Entitled to Fail, Endowed to Succeed: America's Journey Back to Greatness

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

The Hear Link Network is Exploding

In the first 120 days of the launch of the new female networking organization The Heart Link Network they opened over 100 locations in 26 states, all by word of mouth. This amazing organization designed just for women, has given women new hope with regards to growing their businesses. One of the major challenges that face women in business today is how to share the products, and services they love. Now The Heart Link Network has not only made that easy, they have made it fun! Women gather in an informal and intimate setting, have dinner, laugh, share and link their hearts.
Women want to do business with women the like and trust and women's networking events give women the opportunity to get to know and love one another. The Heart Link Network is one of the least expensive organizations to attend. For only $20 you can attend, showcase your business and have dinner. You can bring a guest for the first time at only $10.
If you haven't had the opportunity to attend a Heart Link Network gathering, find one near you by visiting www.TheHeartLinkNetwork.com and click on the "locations" tab. If there is not a Heart Link Network location near you, begin one. Become a stand out leader in your community. It is the perfect way to network and market your business.
Or you can join The Heart Link Network's online community, where you can meet women from around the world at no cost whatsoever.
The Heart Link Network is waiting to meet and support all women who have dreams of growing their business.
Dawn Billings, CEO & Founder of The Heart Link Network, Link to Success Business Networking Community for men and women

At the Heart of Networking

Networking is the HEART of growing your business.

When I was young my father, who had only been educated to the sixth grade used to tell me that is is "what you know" that counts and that I should study hard to get a great education and so I did. After I had a masters degree in clinical psychology and my doctorate work in organizational psychology I realized that there was something else that was very important and that is "who you know", but in this world of information explosion I have learned that it is not just "what you know" and "who you know" that really matters but now there is an even more important component in growing a successful business and that is "who knows you" You see, I know Brad Pitt but he doesn't know me from Adam, therefore in this world of over exposure, it is more important than ever that we get exposure ourselves. The important question that we should be asking ourselves is "Who knows us?" Who admires us, trust us, believes in us and is talking about us to others?" That is called word of mouth advertising and it still remains the most powerful form of advertising that exists.

That is what The Heart Link Network women's networking is all about. It is a women's networking organization that is built on the female endocrine system. It is relaxed, informal, intimate and FUN! It allows women to really get to know one another, build relationships that are lasting and enables women to truly showcase the business they love.

The Heart Link Network
was launched its first location in Sedona, AZ in May 2008 and grew to over 100 locations in 26 states its first 120 days, all by word of mouth. Now The Heart Link Network has locations in the US, Canada, and Australia. Women love it.

If you are looking to showcase your business, increase your social capital, expand your circle of influence and meet extraordinary women, find a location near you and if there is not a location near you, you might consider looking into becoming a leader in your community as an area coordinator. It is a great way to become a leader and lover of your community and in the process let everyone know who you are.

If you want to be known in your community as an advocate for women in business, if you want to be know as a leader of women, if you want your business to be on the lips of everyone you know, The Heart Link Network is the best networking and marketing tool available for women today. Join their online community at The Heart Alliance at no cost. You will meet extraordinary women from around the world.
Dawn Billings