Of no consequence at all

Sometimes I think that I should write really intelligent posts about politics, economy and such, but I find it so boring. Besides which I would - in my ignorance - make a total fool of myself.
Or I could write deep thoughts on poetry and film...I could do that, but again....boring. So many clever people out there writing clever things. So I stick to my observations of the world (could be anything) and thoughts about that.

Attitude & Beliefs

I was approached by a lady at a networking event. She was very interested in what I do (stress-management) and we made contact. Some time later she invited me for lunch with her associate (owner of the company) to discuss and see if we might find some way of working together as they are coaches.
It was all very nice and friendly but after talking a while it became obvious that I don't have a corporate background which they do. At this point the "talk" was already over. To the owner- lady only corporate exists and the minute she realized that I have never been on any board of anything corporate, she completely lost interest and tuned me out. After that we chit-chatted about different things until the lunch was over.
Finally she said something along the line of: "Well, I suppose the best way for you to get any client is by having them on your massage-table". It was said very nicely indeed....but with an unmistakably cutting edge. Very rude. I left feeling like an idiot. I wanted to go back and tell them they had me all wrong, but of course I didn't. I am a very proud person.

A couple of months later, I was again at a networking event. The same lady that approached me before came in through the door. She looked embarrassed when she saw me, nodding her hello and quickly looking away. This, more than anything else, told me that to her I had been a mistake. I obviously did not fit in the scheme and I got the feeling that she had been told off by lady-boss. She had brought a companion (new girl on the team) and spent the rest of the evening avoiding me, which left her stranded with the new girl, since most everybody was hanging about discussing with me about the topic of the evening.

After mulling this over, I spoke to some corporate friends of mine and told them the story without going into detail or names. They were all horrified by it, and told me that professional is professional and nothing changes that. Who you are or where you come from is uninteresting. What is interesting is: Can you deliver? Do you have an accessible personality?
Well, I can deliver and I do have an accessible personality. I am friends with the people these ladies want for clients.

The whole incident reminded me of school. The pretty girls club and the checking out if you would fit. Well, I didn't fit then, and I don't fit now. I go my own way, I have my attitude and I get along fine with everybody everywhere. And never would I want to change this. I believe I rock!

Monday Morning Mood

This morning I woke up feeling low, un-energetic and bored. The skies were grey, old snow was slowly melting, turning into grey-brown slush. Oh to stay in bed and forget all about today.
Depressed, low, bored...
Too easy to get stuck there; beginning to feel sorry for myself, too much empty time to fill, lots to do and no inclination to do it. Boohoohoo.
So I got up and decided to give this new day a chance; Exercise...that is a good pick-me-up. Music makes the heart expand and puts a smile on my face. Colourful eyeshadow...why not? Pretty clothes, mood way up there and 2 espressos later I booted my computer:
Good News!!! Plenty good news; yes to my tender, yes to my powerlunch, yes to my day of massage, yes to interesting meetings...yes, yes, yes!
On the private side there were plenty of touching, funny and loving notes from friends and family dear to my heart.
Today could also have been the choice to stay in bed with a hot water bottle, a good book and a cup of tea. Or maybe with my computer - to write those pending articles. That would have been a divine day as well.

It only goes to show that every day is a possibility for something wonderful if we just give it a chance. We are all responsible for our own moods and how we choose to interpret things. We can choose to make every day special in its own way. And I do believe in the magnetic power of attraction. A smile is like the sun on a grey day, today I was the sun on the grey day.

Love + Gratitude

I think these are the two most powerful words that exist. They invoke the best of humanity.
"I love you"
"Thank you"
How often do we say this to others? Often enough? Think how it feels when this is said to you; the feeling of warmth, peace and joy that spreads throughout your system.
How often do we say this to ourselves? Often enough? Ever? How can we believe in love and gratitude if we do not feel it towards ourselves? How can our systems function properly without this basic awareness of self?

Introducing Mr Masaru Emoto. He has done studies with water that boggles the mind. Keep in mind how much water we are made up of. The picture of the crystal above is water labelled Love + Gratitude. See how beautiful it is. Check out his website for some of the amazing work he does:
http://www.masaru-emoto.net/

Cocktails

I love cocktails. The word makes me think of beautiful gowns, perfume, finger-foods, decadence and fun. I once knew a cocktail-creator who made me cocktails in all the colors of the rainbow, each more delicious than the last...and they all went to my head.
A cocktailparty is an easygoing way to meet people, mingle and connect without too much pressure. Everybody moves around, chats, kisses in dark corners and enjoys secret fun. It is a timeless element of extravaganza that I do not want to do without. It is by far my favourite form of partying. Cocktailparties are also about gorgeous dresses, high heels, outrageous hairdoes and make-up.
There is this one holy part of life that is called enjoyment, don't ever forget that!

Liking people

I like people, I am genuinly interested in who they are, what they do and why. It doesn't necessarily mean that I get emotionally involved, I just enjoy them and their stories.
Every person has a story, with some kind of oddness to it. No matter how they look, seem or talk. Everybody has a story. If you are patient and willing, you will learn their stories and this is a gift. Sometimes it may teach you a lot about yourself. And when you are ready to listen to others, they are ready to like you. It is so simple...it is all about warmth. I believe the "new" way is through communication and cooperation. I connect with people on a deep level, I value their stories, ideas and advice. In return I get valuable advice, ideas and some very nice hugs.....I like people!

Dress codes

I live in Luxembourg, corporate Luxembourg. Everybody wears a suit - man and woman alike - except me...for very good reasons; 1) my shoulders are too wide to fit in a female jacket. A male jacket will fit nicely except for 2) my breasts are too big. So I don't wear suits. If I could, I probably would, just to fit in. As it is, I tend to swing the other way. I love clothes, I love outrageous and, as every girl, I do enjoy a dress-up. Don't need much of an occasion for that!

Yesterday was American Chamber of Commerce Thanksgiving Dinner. I was there, dressed in my pretty black cocktail dress and outrageously high silver heels. With pink eye-make-up, pink orchideae in my hair and pink schal...I was so there.
I was the only one....so.....there.....everybody came from work. Now this is a potentially VERY embarassing situation. I felt slightly uncomfortable until I realized that there was not much I could do about it, so I enjoyed my evening, made new friends, exchanged business-cards and was hugged by the ambassador (who probably loved my shoes...). During the dinner I actually told my fellow table-mates of how to raise pigs!!! (as opposed to turkey...national differences)

Tonight was a presentation about media in Luxembourg. I had a lovely time. The speaker is an acquaintance of mine whom I always liked. (Tonight he became my friend) After the talk some of us hung out in the bar till the wee hours, discussing whatever happened to come along. I met new people who told me their interesting stories. I was told by one young woman that I always look like a moviestar (she loves my outfits) and another woman told me I am interesting for my style and accomplished listening.

I felt honoured and humble and great! I have stopped playing games. I wear my style no matter if it fits or not. I am personal, my whole make-up - including what I do for business - is personal. And no matter what one might think of my slightly unconventional style...people remember me and that is valuable when networking.

Learning

I have as a motto to learn at least one new thing per day. It may be something very trivial or life-changingly important. Todays new thing, so far, is important but boring; how to know my "caisse maladie" and what / when to pay into it. I sent them a letter...and a fax - just to be on the safe side. I stuck a piece of paper with all their details on my wall next to the desk. For now, until I know it by heart:-)
Living in a new country with new languages offers many odd situations. Since everything is new, the systems are different and the language barely understood it is like stepping back to early youth. Like the first years of leaving home; how do I pay a bill? Where is my bank? What does that mean? And why? So I can spend many days here being proud of all the "new" things I have learned, even though it is the second time around in my life - so far.

Miracles

Religious mumbo jumbo? Walking on water? Walking on fire? I know people who walk on fire. I even know a little boy who easily walked back and forth on fire, dancing on it. Or rather, glowing coals - a 5 meter long and 1,5m wide bed of glowing coals. He was 8 years old at the time. Jesus? No, just a boy - the son of a very dear friend. He saw the coal-walking and said with such surity: "I want to do that". His mother, who is a very understanding woman, said "of course, my darling." Contrary to the adults doing the fire-walking, the boy didn't need any preparation at all. He took of his shoes, rolled up his trouserlegs and with a look of fierce concentration he walked upon the bed of glowing coals. Halfway over a wide smile spread over his face. After that he walked again and again. Miracle?

Everything is possible and limitless. Children live in limitlessness, therefore they can do things which most adults would never believe possible. In many cultures children have a semi-god-like status because of this.
All adults had this limitlessness, we were all children. What happened?

I believe in miracles, and they happen to me all the time. From the tiniest, most insignificant thing to huge obvious matters. I notice them all, and I give thanks for them all.
Recently I had a miracle happen to me:
My washingmachine broke down and I found a new one on an ad. I went to get it and brought it home. Once it was plugged in, I started a wash. The machine made the most horrific noise and burned, very stinkingly. I was devastated. All this work and the money I could ill afford. I called the people who very kindly said they would of course give me back my money. Next day I found a brand new machine for slightly more money. I bought it, brought it home and installed it.
Now I had 2 ugly machines which I didn't know what to do with sitting outside the house. I could not afford to have them taken away, and I didn't know where to take them myself, nor when. Besides which they were blocking my door and the next morning at 10 am I had a very important client coming to see me, and the machines didn't add to the good impression I wanted to make.
The next morning at nine o'clock my doorbell rang. Outside stood an old man with his assistant and a truck on the road. He asked me very kindly if they could have my 2 useless washin-machines, please. (These men were of course angels of miracle - unbeknownst to them.)

Now interestingly enough. When I tell this story most people say "Oh, what bad luck". Only a few see the real story and say "Wow, you are so lucky!"

success stories

All success stories seem so easy, as if a fairy godmother had waved her wand and "voilà" it is done. This is not the case, on the contrary, it is about conquering fear.

Each success story begins with an impulse - sometimes a very small one, hardly even a movement of the air, but it triggers something inside. Most often it isn't even noticed unless the time is right. When acted upon, this tiny impulse grows into life. It's breathtaking; everything seems to fall in place, all the right signals are there. And it is easy, it is always initially easy. Things, people and moments just magically appear at the time when they are the most needed. Sometimes even before you know the need. So it's a little bit like "paint-by-numbers"...up to a point.
That's when it gets difficult or painful or scary. This is where many people abandon the project because the "flow" is gone. The people who stay through this intensely difficult stage are the winners. They are the ones with the success-stories. To grow is to conquer fear. Who ever said it would be easy? The bigger load you are carrying from programming and, for you, wrong beliefs, the more conquering to be done, it is a learning experience. If you are not prepared to push also when there is no hope in sight, you do not believe. And when you do not believe, you can not achieve.

Introduction

Life is full of boundaries. We are taught from the very beginning what is not possible. Little by little we are stifled, pushed into a box. Fear arises as we become victims of our lives. Through life we nourish secret dreams. "Day-dreaming is a sin". Everything that might rock the boat, sorry, the box, must go. And thus programmed we live in our shattered lives with broken dreams and empty hearts.

AD2000 is about breaking boundaries.
AD is me, Anna Dannfelt, AD is also Anno Domini.
2000 is the time when female energy comes into its right and makes itself useful.
It is also the year when I finally stepped out of the box and decided to go for it. I would meet every one of my fears face on and conquer them. I did, and do and keep on doing. Along the way I am learning many wisdoms and lessons. This blog is to share them with you, dear readers.

Little by little I will tell the story.