Create Your Garden of Eden

The best can emerge each day

2010-02-01T22:32:00.000-08:00

You can start to apply the Create Your GOE process at any point in time, for any area of your life. Even if you were, like me, focusing on developing a business or a career, you can then decide that you want to work on your social or emotional or physical aspects of life.

So, I'm now rereading the entire book to look for new insight into creating the social community life that I desire. And as I move through the steps, I will be sharing what I learn each day about applying the principles to this area.

First of all, in the very first paragraph, on page 1, we see that each day presents new opportunities for the best within us to rise to the surface so that we can experience that abundant, fulfilling life that we desire. But often we may not recognize these opportunities because they come dressed in a way we did not expect.

If we take this perspective - that each day the best within can emerge, then we will see the setbacks, obstacles, pressures and stressors in a different light. They are meant to bring out the best. This will help you choose your response carefully. A response that brings out your lower self, is a wasted experience. And, may just mean you have to walk through a similar experience again in the future to learn the lesson. So resolve to learn your lessons just once, face each day looking for the good that will emerge and expect abundant life and fulfillment to be your result.

Start with the Right Seed

2010-01-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

It's a New Year and almost everyone is making some time of Resolution, goal, plan or commitment because we all want to improve and change and see different results this year in various areas of our lives.

Well, here's one thought. The results you see in your life are the fruit or outcome of your decisions and choices. If you want to see different fruit, you need to plant different seed to what you have been planting. Everyone can grasp this principle. The fruit always reflect the nature of the seed.

If you want to see different health and fitness results, check the seed that you're sowing in this area of your life. If you want to see different financial goals, check the seed. If different family, social, world-changing causes, spiritual, ministry or service goals, check the seed.

You can't continue sowing the same seed as in 2009 and expect different and better results in 2010. We know this is contrary to all physical laws (if you want corn this year, will you still sow beans?) and somehow some believe it will work in the emotional and spiritual worlds.

In the creation of the Earth in Genesis, on Day Three, God created a form of plant life that creates further life and fruit based on the seed within it; (see page 63 of the book, Create Your GOE). Your seeds to the future fruit, results or outcomes are all internal; they are within you. It is this area that requires your attention and focus if you want different results.

Your internal thoughts, beliefs and habits produce the results that you have in your life. Change your thoughts and your beliefs about any area of your life and you will see changed results. And, of course, if you are happy with the results in an area of life, ensure your seeds (internal thoughts, beliefs, values and habits) are carried through into this new year. It is the seed that produces the good results. Secure the seed, change the seed, uproot the seed, genetically modify the seed - do what is necessary for the fruit you want, but focus on the seed.

So if, for example, you have been implementing a system of clean eating and regular exercise because you believe that you have to take care of your physical frame to live the life you want, then continue with that seed into the New year. You can nurture the seed more, ensure it gets the right food and environment (support, education, pushing your training limits, resting, massage, etc) and you will see the results.

But for most, we focus on what we want to change for the new year; the things we did not accomplish yet, the dreams still unfulfilled. So this necessarily requires a change in the seed. If you do not have the social or family connections and relationships you want, look at the seed; your internal thoughts and beliefs about spending time with your family or about finding a new spouse or partner and building a relationship. What habits are your practicing? What values are you supporting in this area? These are what affect the outcome; the seed defines the fruit.

As I state in the book, all you must do is follow the plan and pattern that the Creator provided for us when he created this amazing world we see and you too will have your ideal life; Your Garden of Eden.

The right attitude into the New Year

2009-12-30T17:31:00.000-08:00

The New Year of 2010 will be here in just another day. At this juncture, you have a simple choice; To choose how you will face this New Year.

No doubt some of the events or choices of 2009 may not have been ideal for you, and we are also never certain about what is ahead. But what we can control is how we will deal with the past and how we will face the future.

I was at the gym this morning and spoke to someone who was fired two weeks earlier and was quite bitter about the way she was treated. Although it was not a pretty situation, we need to be careful that we do not whine and complain continually about what did not go right or who wronged us, whether a boss, a spouse or a friend. Let's not carry that attitude right into the New Year. Remember the first lesson in the Create Your Garden of Eden process: assess what is not right about your life, but don't continually complain.

Instead, why not be thankful about what went right for you in 2009. You may be surprised at the number of things, if you just start looking and listing them.

And then acknowledge what did not go right in 2009, identify what you need to do to get back on track and step into the New Year with renewed hope, faith and optimism. Leave the old baggage behind and start a new journey with your head up.

Remember, just like the God the Creator looked out to the vast, dark void and determined to change it, you too can change your world, which is probably not as barren as you think. Follow his pattern and you will be on your way to having your ideal life - your Garden of Eden - in 2010.

Mad rush to the finish

2009-12-10T08:00:00.000-08:00

I don't know if you're like me, but I just realized Christmas is two weeks away! And the end of the year is in 3 weeks! Where did 2009 go? What about the goals, aspirations and plans? There are so many things I have not started, or if started, did not complete or put in the time I planned.

So you know what I do now?

Make a mad dash for the finish line!

Look, if the upcoming end of year is giving me some adrenalin to get things done, so be it. Why deny it? So I am going to up get back on the pathway I set out for the year. I am starting back in the gym with more gusto. Hey, I'm finishing up the business plan, reviving the website redesign, looking for the online bible study course, posting the book publicist project on elance, looking for a software developer to work on a new idea, learning to invest in Forex and creating the Mastermind group for my business and career.

Yes. I'm doing all of these in three weeks. For sure, it is ideal to work at a measured pace throughout the year in creating your ideal life, Your Garden of Eden. But, as we all know, distractions - some good, some bad - suddenly appear, and before we know it, we're in December.

In Genesis, we see God creating the earth in six days of action. But then in the latter part of the week, he did much more. From Day Four to Day Six, a lot of creative work takes place, building on the foundations laid in the earlier days. It's not that God suddenly realized the week was almost over and rushed to get in everything. Not at all.

But let's take a cue. Keep doing what you need to do and if in the last month, you accomplish more than the last three months, just say thank you, pat your self on the back and burst through the finish line of 2009.

where and how do you spend your money?

2009-10-18T16:54:00.000-07:00

One way to get a true sense of what's important to someone is to look at how and where they spend their money.

Last month, I spent a heap of money on...my hair. That's right. I tried a new look with some extensions. It was very costly and after a 5 hour session I didn't like how I looked. So I went to a second hairdresser four days after to have it cut in a different style. Still was not happy. So I went to a third hairdresser to have the extensions removed the following week. The removal was a disaster. I went searching online and bought special products. I then took a train to the end of the line followed by a taxi for another 15 minutes to a fourth hair dresser I found online to help remedy the situation. At this point I was then back to square one and found a fifth hairdresser on Facebook who would finally to give me the look I was happy with. Five hairdressers and almost a thousand dollars in a three week period. All for what? A new hairdo that looked very similar to what I had before!

I was a bit upset with myself for this whole scenario. But as I thought of the money, time and effort I put into this pursuit, I realized that it certainly said a lot about what was important to me. And then I thought of other things I had put off doing because I did not want to spend the money, or maybe I had not searched online for a really good resource, or I had not bought the software or book that could really help me excel in an area. So I stopped the excuses.

So you too should take a look at what you're spending your most money on, or where you are spending your most time and energy. Is it really taking you where you want to go, or is it just a mindless distraction or a plain waste?

If you have identified what is important to you, what you want to achieve and what you believe is God's purpose for your life, then invest in those things.

If you say that weight loss is a goal, are you really devoting the money, time and energy to achieve that? If you desire to become a musical legend, are you spending time every day practicing or writing, and are you spending money on the resources that will help you along? If your goal is to grow your business are you spending money joining the organizations you need to, or subscribing to publications or even writing online to connect with others? If it is better family relations, are you spending the time and energy to call, write, visit, nurture and communicate with your loved ones?

Stop wasting time and money on things that are not taking you to where you really want to be. And start investing time, money and energy in creating your ideal life; Your very own garden of eden.

Just jump right back in

2009-09-16T17:11:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I fall off my track. Could be the fitness track where I don't exercise for a week or eat too many carbs at night. Or it could be the business track where I don't follow up as I should or the spiritual track where I spend too long without reconnecting to God or, like this blog, six weeks and not a post.

These all happen for all sorts of reasons, and I could find justifications and excuses. But you know what I do, I jump right back in. Just start doing again whatever it is I had planned to do on a consistent basis. So I'm now writing a blog post. Or I just went back to church one Sunday, or stopped buying chocolate covered M&Ms every day.

There are times to analyze your actions, decisions and choices and understand the root cause of your procrastination. But then there are times to just get back on track.

So if you find that you were going along well in creating the life you want and then somehow you find yourself stalled or off track, just jump right back in. And start to do whatever it is you know that you ought to do. Start writing to previous clients, start running in the mornings, start reading more, start doing your financials for the startup, start whatever. But don't just continue to wallow in your inertia and beat yourself up for what you should be doing. As Nike says, Just Do It.

Your Big Dream

2009-07-04T07:29:00.000-07:00

I'm writing this the week after Michael Jackson died. He was a great entertainer, one cannot get away from that. But as the media and everyone was focused on him, an interesting comment was made by someone (can't immediately recall who) in his blog post. Apparently, Michael Jackson had said he wanted to be the best or greatest entertainer in the world, or something to that effect. To some extent, MJ may have achieved his goal. If not at the end, then certainly during the Thriller years of the 80s, he was at the top.

The blogger went on to say that, unlike Michael Jackson, so many take their dream to the grave. They do not follow through on what they want to achieve or who they want to become. This is one of the lessons we can take away from this tragic situation.

Search inside to reconnect with your dream, goal, purpose for life. Everyone has a big dream. You were created with one. And each day you must determine that your Big Dream will not go to the grave, but will be expressed and manifested in this life. This is your responsibility to the Creator who gave you the dream.

And know that he has also given to you, and will give to you, all that you require to accomplish that dream. But it will not come to you on a platter. There is work in Creating your Garden of Eden. Just as God had to work to create his earth, so too you have to work to have your ideal life. but be assured, you can do it. He laid out a pattern for you in the creation in Genesis. Follow the steps, and you will achieve what your dream

Making progress on Long Term plans

2009-05-14T18:31:00.000-07:00

I was a bit silent for the last two months as I had some unfolding developments in my Garden of Eden. An interesting door of opportunity opened for me, and as I began to get my feet stable, I was all tooooo focused on the work.What was it? Well, to those who may not have read my other blogs or followed me on twitter (a link is below), I am now in the role of an energy diplomat in Washington DC for the Government of Trinidad and Tobago. It is an exciting phase.

How does this fit into our GOE process. Well, for one, we have to always know what the Creator desired for us and what our purpose is. And every opportunity that comes before us must be assessed against that purpose. As we seek to make this analysis, we look at our uniqueness, our skills and talents, circumstances of our lives that may define and shape us to become who we are; all these are connected to why we are on the earth. Looking back at my purpose--I know that this opportunity, which brings together a number of my experiences and connections from the past-- is part of what God had designed for my life. If it were not so, I would not have accepted the post.

One lesson in Day Three of Creation is that we are to make short, medium and long term plans. Most of what I shared in previous posts about my jewelry business ( Liz Mannette.com) and even my prior law career was in the short and medium term plans. But this new position is part of the longer term plans. And it was the time for me to make the bold step forward. So as you go through with your plans, there will be the day to move from one phase to the next. And you have to be ready to do so. It may be a bold step, or an unpopular one. But you must do what you need to do.

Also, as we go through the processes of different days, we must always keep progressing and growing and moving from one era to the next. This was the lesson in Day Four with the Sun and the Moon for the charting of time. Each year or every few years, you must move up a level, whether in you business, career, profession, social, health or financial life. You cannot stay in the same place year after year after year. You must be able to look back over a 6, 12 or 18 year period and see some progress.

Now that I am settled in the new digs, balancing everything else that is in my Garden of Eden is a major challenge. But I am confident that God has not given me more than I can handle. In fact, he has given me less than my capacity. So I am moving forward with his guidance and his help.

Be sure you attract the Creator's purpose

2009-02-24T07:43:00.000-08:00

As we seek to Create our ideal life, we do the best, with positive expectation that what we envision will come to pass, full of faith that God will enable us and direct our pathway so that we do accomplish what we set out to.

But we do not have all the details of the exact science of how things work. I still read other motivational books, all in the "fulfill your dreams" or "create your ideal life" genre. Because I believe I can learn from others. But every theory or principle is assessed against the Create Your Garden of Eden design and against what the Creator provided as a guide.

One of the books I read, and am now re-reading to digest more completely, deals with the laws of attraction. This philosophy has been promoted as a way of "attracting" what you want into your life. Best sellers like the Secret are based on it.

But the key, as I see it, is to first identify what the Creator intended for you to do on the earth. Why are you here is a central tenet of Creating your GOE. see page 26 where we discuss Begin with the End in Mind. To seek to attract what you want, without first analyzing why you want certain things and what your ultimate purpose is can lead you to "attract" things that may not be consistent with the Creator's purpose for you. We need to seek the Holy Spirit's guidance in understanding our history, our identity, who we are, and what our ultimate masterpiece is to be in the earth.

This is the fundamental first step. Once we have done this, then we can move ahead with seeking to have the masterpiece become a reality in our lives.

More on this later.

Start off strong

2009-01-11T19:09:00.000-08:00

A new year is always a time for reflection. As we celebrated the Christmas season, with the focus on giving and spending time with family, and we look forward to a new calendar, it is traditional that we resolve to improve in the new year.

No one makes a New Year's Resolution to regress. It is always to improve an aspect of your life. It is a time when we know that we can be so much more and we dig down deep to reach more of our potential. Humans are wired to advance and improve. It is in our DNA. Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and subdue it. This was the directive of the Creator. So this is why we are always driven to be more productive, to expand ourselves and our borders and to control our circumstances and our lives more each year.

And this is commendable. While many people may snicker at those who resolve to exercise more, eat more healthily, spend more time with social causes or with family, volunteer time and effort, or simply be more organized, it is consistent with the Creator's plan for all of us.

As you work towards creating your ideal life, you must be aware of each new year, each new era in your life and determine that you must progress. This is why the Sun and the Moon were created: to chart season and times. (see Day Four: Eras of Time Page 71).

It is important to understand yourself, who you are, who you were created to be in the earth. And to know what season of life you are in, and to strive to improve.

If January 1, causes you to do this, great. Now follow the Create Your Garden of Eden process, through the workbook and keep moving toward your goal. When you have the drive and motivation, give it all you've got. Do join the gym. Do call your old friends. Do sign up for the community project. Do start the book. Seek to get the momentum going so that when the slow days start, and the time crunch appears, you will be so far along, and seeing the positive results, that you keep going.

Remember you do have to give a report on your life to the Creator. What are you doing with your new year?

a speech, a proposal and an interview

2008-12-15T18:49:00.000-08:00

Last week I was able to speak with students at my alma mater for a brief session on career planning. I had hoped to walk them through the actual Garden of Eden process, but it was the end of the school term and only an hour was available.

It was great being back in the school that molded me into who I am today. And I was happy to share with the students, who all appeared very appreciative of hearing how I went from a career as a lawyer, a dabble in politics, launching my Liz Mannette steelpan jewelry line and to an author. Everyone was invited to send me an email to get the free ebook, but no takers just yet.

And I finally completed my proposal to launch the book throughout the high schools in Trinidad and Tobago in 2009. This is my intention, and I am beginning to recruit a publicity assistant who can help get sponsors for the project. Look out to hear of the first funder for this project.

Today, I was videotaped for an inflight feature to be broadcast on Caribbean Airlines inflight video during January and February. And I mentioned the book, and that it is available on Amazon. Hopefully, thousands of passengers will hear about it and go to the website.

Often, we have to keep doing what we know must be done, even when we feel a bit despondent or disheartened. But we must be assured that we are moving ahead, and celebrate the small opportunities and the small wins.

Getting on the inflight video of an airline is a big deal. And so I will celebrate this and look forward to further progress in spreading the word about the Create Your Garden of Eden process for creating your ideal life.

A recent article on fear and faith

2008-11-23T16:18:00.000-08:00

Today, I am posting an article on fear and faith that I read recently and found useful, and I'll have my commentary at the end to show how this fits in with the Garden of Eden Process.

-------------------------------------
How Love, Fear, Faith and Understanding Work Together,
Article written by David Cameron, CEO ImagesOfOne.com.

People often ask, "How do I get rid of my fears?" It is
either that or something similar to that. Fortunately, the
answer is very simple. Once you get into the answer,
everything becomes very simple, and fear lets go just like
that! Let us have a look now...

We will start by looking at these four things and their
opposites.

Love comes from within. The opposite of love is no love.
Often, people have said that the opposite of love is fear,
and in an abstract way that is correct. It is correct
because, generally, you tend to have either one or the
other. When fear is absent, you feel the love that is always
there. When fear comes in, you are blinded from the love.
But, upon closer observation, you will notice that you can
have both emotions running over the same thing. So in a
direct sense, the opposite of love is no love. Love is
acceptance, so the opposite of love can also be called non-
acceptance.

Fear, as we have seen, is a separate emotion. Fear is false
evidence appearing real. You fear because you doubt your
capability to handle something or create a successful
outcome. Otherwise you would not fear if you did not doubt
your ability not to be touched by that which you fear. In
truth, there is nothing to fear. It may not be evident now
why this is so, or it may be. Either way, you will see it
soon. There is nothing to fear. Anyway, fear is what blocks
your feeling of love within, and with that it takes your
power away simply because power is vested in love. Force is
vested in fear and sometimes force looks like power, but it
isn't even close in comparison and lasting effect. So now we
know that fear is what obscures love and power. The question
then remains, what gets rid of fear or what allows fear?
Well, what is the opposite of fear? It is no fear. No fear
is the opposite of fear. How do you get to no fear?

Fear comes in when faith is not there. Faith is more than
believing. Faith is closer to knowing than to believing.
When you know, you know. Its like when you go to pick up a
glass of water and drink it, you don't doubt you will
manage. You just drink knowing it works. That is knowing. A
slight step behind knowing is faith. When you have faith,
you pretty much know you are fine, one way or another,
despite appearances to the contrary. When you have no faith,
you get fear. And that is the key to removing fear, having
faith. So how do you have faith?

With understanding. Understanding ensures faith, simply
because you know how things work. Think of a time you felt
confused and incapable because you missed the information,
and then when you got the information and understanding, you
had peace and you knew you could just easily do what you had
previously feared. Understanding of how life works, How Life
Works, is the key. Take a look under the hood of life, into
the Machinery behind Life, and with that new immense
understanding you will have automatic faith. It is a loop.
You have faith because you know how it works, and so you
have faith that it works.

And as a bonus to understanding, you have peace within
yourself and with others.

And so the first step to all these things, to having faith,
eliminating doubt and fear, to having peace, is all in
getting an understanding. Not just any understanding. Things
are in layers. There is a layer that is the foundation, a
causative layer, and a layer that is the superficial, the
effect layer that is built on the foundation. The
understanding of the causal layer is one we are talking
about here. Fortunately, there is much available to us
nowadays in terms of high-level wisdom and insights. Seek
them and understand, if you wish to have the key out of the
box. You may also have a look at the book What If You Knew
The Answer To and the Reason For Everything In Your Life
which is available at www.imagesofone.com and looks into the
completeness of the understanding we are talking about here.
I wish you success and wellbeing.
David Cameron, CEO ImagesOfOne.com

--------------------------------
To link what David Cameron writes to our Garden of Eden process, in order to move forward, deliberately, one day at a time to become and do what the Creator intended, you have to have the faith that you can indeed become who he intends for you to become and do what he has purposed for you to do.

This faith is built as you increase your understanding of the Creator, his principles that He has provided to guide you and his destiny for your life.

As you understand that the Creator always provides enough to allow you to become all he intended, your fear of lack will cease. As you understand that the Creator is in command of the entire universe, the earth and all that is taking place, your fear of the future will diminish. As you understand how the Creator has made you unique and special for a definite purpose and has surrounded you with people to support you, your fear of being incapable will end.

But key is to understand that the God, the Creator, has placed you on his planet and is with you to enable you to accomplish this life with success and joy.

Obama's ascendancy was not easy.

2008-11-17T20:06:00.000-08:00

Many people have looked at US President-Elect, Barack Obama, and said he is the man for this time. When you consider the history of race relations in the United States, and the image of the US around the world, and Obama's amazing support around the globe, he certainly can be considered the right man for the the job of US President in 2008.

But just as this may be Obama's purpose and destiny, so too each of us has a purpose and a destiny and the pathway may not be easy, clear or fun all the time. Obama did not have a perfect past. We were classmates at Harvard from 1988-1991. Back then he seemed just like everyone else, though a bit more mature and thoughtful than many in our class. But now that we know more about his background, we can all see it was not ideal.

But everything he encountered in his life made him into the man he is today so that he can be ready to lead the greatest democratic country in the world. It is amazing when you think of all the pieces in his life coming together.

And what about your life? Maybe right now you cannot clearly see how all the pieces and shapes fit together. Maybe now, you are at a low point when you do not see any Oval Office kind of light at the end of the tunnel. Well, you can't give up, and throw in the towel.

Remember in the Garden of Eden process we see night time and day time. Night is the time for reflection - to understand what you are going through and to eliminate what is unnecessary, what is a hindrance and what is detrimental to your fulfilling God's purpose for your life. A complete day is night time followed by day time. Night will not last forever. You have the assurance that there will be sunlight; illumination, brightness and energy when the night time is past. So keep pushing through and always ask the Holy Spirit for guidance and direction as you use the night time experience to make your next day even more focused and fruitful for him.

You may have an idea of what your end-product will be. Unlikely when Obama was going through his formative years, he saw himself in the Oval Office. But this is what God intended. You may have an idea, an inkling of what your end-product may be. But since we do not have perfect future sight, we can only see a shadow of the great things God may have ordained for our life. Therefore, do not cut the process short or allow despondency to take over. Keep focused on the end, and the pathway become a bit easier to follow.

Is it dark and dreary in your life now.

2008-11-03T18:19:00.000-08:00

Has this economic and financial climate thrown you off your pathway? Were things going well for you, and then suddenly the rug was pulled from under you? Perhaps your retirement savings held in the stockmarket has suddenly dwindled to mere pennies. Or maybe your were laid off or lost your job or circle of clients.

Now is not a very uplifting time for many around the world as the decline in stock markets, and the financial sectors take their toll.

What does it mean for you? If you are unsure of what next to do, or if things seem quite dark and dreary, welcome to the earth that God existed in before he created the earth we know today.

While I do not say that God was faced with uncertainty or disappointments, it is clear that the earth he saw was not the way he wanted or desired it to be. This is the premise in the book that you can embrace to help you Create Your Own Garden of Eden and Change your world.

If you feel down and you need to make a major change in your life, follow God's pattern. It's been around for thousands and thousands of years. If it worked for God, then it can certainly work for you.

The book lays out the Seven main steps that mirror the creative work God did on the Seven days of Creation: six days of activity and one day of rest.

Purchase the ebook or visit Amazon to buy the hard copy and start today to take charge of your life by following the process God used.

And do send me your feedback, if after reading you were able to make some changes in your life. I'd love to hear from you at liz@createyourGoe.com

Start in your neighborhood

2008-11-01T17:07:00.000-07:00

Whatever you are seeking to create in your life, here's something I learned today. Start with your neighbors in your community. If you're looking to launch a business, publish a book, enlist support for a project, or adopt a hobby, and you need partners, support or just advice, don't dismiss your neighbors.

Remember a lesson from the creation of the human - man and woman - on Day 6, is that God was concerned about a community from the beginning. His command to them was to be fruitful and multiply. And so, in unfolding your purpose in life, you must consider the aspects of your life that can affect, impact and benefit others. Do not be a loner, but seek to connect with others around you or who may come into your path.

Last evening I visited my neighbor for an after work get to together for a friend. And she told me about a health fair a local church was having the following day. So I went along with her to promote the book and share it with those who came to the fair.

A health fair is all about people looking to take care of their physical bodies, and Create Your Garden of Eden is all about people taking care of their overall life. So I was glad for the chance to share with this audience.

And there I sold a book and met the owners of a local bookstore who will shortly carry my book in their self-help, inspirational niche.

But if i had not ventured into the community, both to celebrate a departure with my neighbor, and then to the church for a health fair, I would not have made these connections.

So start where you are. Yes, you must have the grand plans and dream and think big. But you never know who in your immediate neighborhood can really help you, if you will only ask.

So this week, make a deliberate effort to find out who is in your community; what groups, clubs, projects exist. Talk with the waiter in your restaurant, or the person at the table next to you in the coffee shop. Visit the local bookstore or library and meet the other bibliophiles. You never know where the next stepping stone to your eventual master creation will emerge.

Keep an open mind, a positive attitude and a friendly heart.

Stepping Stones

2008-10-27T21:09:00.000-07:00

Today I had one of those stepping stones experiences. As a jewelry designer looking to get large retailers to carry my line, I ventured to attend an open call at the famous Henri Bendel store in New York City. It was an interesting experience that can be viewed on my other website at http://lizmannette.blogspot.com.

But what I took away is that as you create your Garden of Eden and seek to fulfill your purpose in life, you will take certain steps toward your short term, medium term or long term goals. Every step may not appear to be a "success". Some may be dead ends, failures, negative outcomes, but ultimately all lead to a refining, a sharpening of the vision, an elimination of the unnecessary, and an increased focus on the core reasons for doing what you're doing.

And always look for the divine voice in the midst of these stepping stones. Is the Holy Spirit speaking here, and directing me in a certain way? Am I being stubborn or timid? Life is all about moving forward and progress. This is why we have the sun and moon which were created on Day Four: for the charting of time and eras. These are so that we can know we have crossed another threshold. And time does not stand still for us.

So each day, keep moving forward on stepping stones to the end purpose. Keep asking guidance from the Creator. Keep positive and know that he is with you to guide you. Remember he created you for a specific purpose. And I firmly believe God is overjoyed when we seek to fulfill this purpose with all we've got.

Maintain your Focus

2008-10-24T19:24:00.000-07:00

I just read the following, which is a quote from Orisen Swett Marden. I had never heard of him, but saw this on a Mike Litman blog, which I read regularly:

“The greatest thing in life is not to make money but to raise
ourselves to our highest power, to call out the hidden
beauties of our nature, and to make ourselves attractive and
helpful instead of repellent and unsympathetic.”

Mike then continues to talk about focus as the single most needed capacity for entrepreneurs. The ability to be laserlike and disciplined cannot be over emphasized.

Just as we see in the Garden of Eden process to create our ideal life, God had an end in mind and worked strategically and deliberately to fashion his world.

As Christians, we know that the Holy Spirit works alongside us to help us maintain our focus when we tend to get distracted. Remember to always ask his guidance; Is what I'm doing now leading me toward the purpose for which I was created and sent to the earth, or is this a distraction? Key question. This can save us from wasting time, and energy and from becoming frustrated or overwhelmed.

I often suffer from the influx of creative ideas, like a swirling sea around me. But I have to step back often and ask myself whether it is the right time or the right action. There must be a yes on both counts for me to move forward.

In the first bookstore

2008-10-17T18:31:00.000-07:00

So finally the book is in a local bookstore. I have my large book poster in the window, and the Create Your Garden of Eden book is right there.

This is a small bookstore called Chapter One, Page one in Ellerslie Plaza in Trinidad and Tobago and it is owned by the wife of a good friend of mine. So it was fairly easy to get the book in the store. I wonder what I was waiting for all the time.

Sometimes the opportunity we look for is right in front of us. It may not be as big or as grand as we would like, but as a good friend said to me years ago; the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.

Yes, I aspire to be on the best seller's list and to be sold at major bookstores around the world and have thousands downloading the book on the site. But you have to start somewhere. And so I am starting small, but the dream remains big within.

So whatever you are aspiring to, get started. Don't just prayer and ask God for guidance or for open doors. Faith without works is dead. let's see the works as evidence of your faith. Get moving

Create your own excitement about life

2008-09-30T13:08:00.000-07:00

Creating a life full of excitement can often be mundane and even boring, IF you take your sights off the end result you are aiming for. In the Garden of Eden process, we accept that God knew what he wanted to accomplish when he started to create this world.

And he set out on his process, I often wonder was every day exciting? What is exciting to God? Or, to be more relevant, what is exciting to you? As I sat today reading and responding to emails, making phone calls and trying to set up meetings, I realized that "exciting" is all up to to me. I get to decide. With the eye on the eventual goal-- mine right now is a New York retail store for my jewelry line -- every single email or phone call becomes exciting. Why? Because it is moving me towards my goal. My success is unfolding. I am reaching out to those who may be reaching out to me, or just waiting for me in the near future. This email may be the one that gets a response!

But it requires me to keep doing the mundane and the ordinary.

So as you continue to create your ideal life, determine that every action or thought that moves you forward is part of the excitement. This is whether you are at a copier making 20 copies of your manuscript to send to agents, licking stamps to mail your promo letter for your group, or packing gift bags for an event. These may not be high on the general excitement scale, but if they are getting you towards your goal, just decide that they are the most exciting things you get to do.

This sure makes for more fun during the day. And before you know it, every day is full of excitement.

Be Open to chance encounters

2008-09-27T10:07:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it is the unplanned, chance encounter that moves you toward your goals.

Over the last week, I happened to meet two established jewelry designers who were so inspiring to me as I build my jewelry and accessories business. see my blog at http://blog.lizmannette.com for the full details of meeting the famous David Yurman in New York City. And then just sitting in the lobby in a hotel in Toronto, I met an interesting gentleman with whom I may do further business on two projects. And these were not the planned, scheduled meetings that brought me to both these cities.

The Garden of Eden is all about a process and following a plan to create your ideal life. But part of this plan involves recognizing that you are working out God’s design for you. And he is orchestrating circumstances and events to cause his design for your life to occur in his timing.

And this is where the chance meetings take place. You may have a conversation on a train or a bus, happen to pass through a library or hotel, or be in a seminar or club meeting where someone connects you with someone else or you meet another person who is just the person you needed to meet at that time. Some call this the Law of Attraction. In the Garden of Eden process, we call this the Creator’s plan for you working out according to his plan as you partner with him in living your life.

So expect these meetings. Be open to persons around you who may simply open the conversation with a hello. You never know how the Creator’s plan will unfold for you today. Always look for what is good about a meeting, a conversation or an event. And listen to hear his voice and receive his guidance.

chart your progress

2008-09-03T19:04:00.000-07:00

Well, I've finally decided to move the marketing of the book to another level. So now we have stationary, bookmarks, book promotion poster, and other marketing and presentation stuff nicely designed and ready to launch us out into another level.

It was one thing to write the book, build a simple website, do one or two seminars, but now I sense that I have to move ahead with the plan to get this message distributed widely. So we will be starting an online campaign, and in my local area, I will be finally getting the book into stores and approaching my church connections to make presentations.

In everything we do there must be some progress that we can chart. God the Creator expects this. This is the message of Day Four in the Garden of Eden...see page 71 of the Book.

So, I will be letting all blog readers know when there has been small steps of progress on this project. Stay tuned.

Being inspired by former classmate Obama

2008-08-30T18:07:00.000-07:00

One thing about my former classmate Barack Obama--he is fulfilling his purpose with determination. Whether or not you support him and his party, his nomination and candidacy is a significant accomplishment for the United States, and the rest of the world.

Now, I was classmate of Obama at Harvard, and one thing I remember about him was that his message even back then was about change. "Education is supposed to change you," I recall from his speech when we all graduated in 1991.

When I look at his life, his background and his pathway, I see someone who has and is creating a unique life, fulfilling a unique purpose and inspiring millions in the nation. And this inspires me to continue creating my unique path.

And this is what we are all to do, even if we are far removed from the presidency of a major international powerhouse. If you are working in a small rural community classroom, managing a large conglomerate, volunteering in a sports program, developing materials for a special project, writing a book, starting a business, raising your children, or working with seniors--you are to Create Your Garden of Eden.

You have a a significant role to play that can cause tremendous change in the lives of many others. But if you shrink back, hesitate, procrastinate, complain and be timid, nothing may happen. You have your 'greatness' to achieve and you have a mark that only you can leave on this earth. So step forward and bring the light and hope to those who need you. This is what you were created to do.

Expecting a Reward

2008-08-24T18:21:00.000-07:00

I come across many websites which aim to help or provide encouragement and today I'm posting a link to one that I have found refreshing. In the midst of all the crazy stuff that is on the internet Dan Brown seems to be often on point, particularly as it applies to prosperity issues. Be sure to give him a visit here: http://www.SecretPlaceOnline.com

Today I was reminded about the nature of our reward from God. We don't often hear about this. We hear a lot about blessings and grace, and faith to receive but the idea of Reward is as biblical as all of those. In fact, I mention often in my seminars that the issue of using the talents and skills God has given is required in order for us to gain the reward, not only in this life, but a "well-done" at the end.

And as you seek to Create Your Garden of Eden, and develop the purpose for which you were placed on the earth, you will reap Rewards. God rewards us both for what we do, and also based on our inner motives and our heart position. And these motives are reflected in the choices and decisions we make each and every day.

This is why evaluating the reason and method of creating our Garden of Eden is so important and why God evaluated his day's work at the end to determine that "it was good". We need to ensure we are creating according to God's standards so that our creativity and creation will also be "good." This is what guarantees the reward.

And expecting a Reward is not a bad thing. What we must be careful about is that we seek God's reward and not focus on the reward, praise or accolades from other men. This is where we may be sidetracked and misdirected.

I'll post more on the type of Rewards we can expect from God as we Create our Garden of Eden

second seminar to young people

2008-08-17T18:38:00.000-07:00

Last week Monday I had the second seminar presenting the Create Your GOE process to a group of young people from a friend's church. I approach these opportunities very seriously, not only because I may be providing the help that someone desperately needs, but because you have to be faithful in small things to be given mastery over larger things.

So even though it was a complimentary seminar from 9-12, to a small audience of about 40 persons,I gave it my best. I thoroughly prepared and wrote the presentation, and became comfortable with the materials to present and focus on for the students.

What amazed me after the presentation, were the questions posed by the students. Some of their comments will be posted on the site soon, but the questions that revealed their inner struggles, conflicts and questions were very powerful. Even though the ages ranged from about 11 to 21, the questions were those you would expect from adults. It was clear that the young people were grappling with the same issues.

Can you imagine the change that can occur if we present the guidance and direction to young people while they are still open and eager, and not afraid to challenge and question? This is the time to lay the correct foundation for the Garden of Eden.
I had wished someone would have shared the principles of how to create my ideal life with me when I was younger and set me on the right path. Now, without any direct effort or intention of my own, opportunities to help young readers have emerged and fallen right into my lap.

This is often how things happen as you focus on pursuing your purpose, ask the Holy Spirit for guidance and see what unfolds. We can plan, and strategize and create action plans, but we do not know the exact means through which God will cause his purpose for us to unfold. I would not have thought I would be presenting the GOE process to young people. But once the opportunities arose, I simply embraced them and after two seminars, I can say that it was good.

The need for rest

2008-07-20T21:38:00.000-07:00

God worked on each day. But he did not work into the night to create the amazing earth we see. And of course he worked on six days and rested on the seventh day. From this we can see that the need for rest is built into the foundation of the earth and of life in general.

Over this last weekend, I even had to remind myself about this because I was so aware of all that needed to be done. In fact, I started to write this post at about 12:49am two days ago and realized as I was writing that the lesson was for me. So I stopped immediately.

Why is it that we believe that if we have much to do then we need to do it all, and that rest, relaxation, sleep, etc can suffer? This is not what God intended. We need adequate sleep. We need to spend time with people who are important to us and we need to relax. It is important to step away from those things we believe are so important. And to simply let our minds wander, reflect, digest the day's events, walk in a park, visit the beach, exercise or get a massage.

Of course God did not need to do all these things. All we know is that at the end of the day he stopped working until the next day. So, we too, must know that there will be tomorrow when we will do what has to be done then. But let us take the time and plan to say "no more work" and commit to giving our physical and mental bodies the time to rejuvenate and be recharged so that we can face another day brightly.