Notes from the Inauguration

First of all, the inauguration of President Barack H. Obama was an inspiration. When I was a child, I was taught to be proud to be an American. I felt a sense of blind patriotism every time I saw the flag.

As I grew older, especially once I began travelling overseas, it became more difficult to turn a blind eye to the impact our culture has around the world. So, Tuesday morning, when I looked at the mall in Washington and saw almost two millions American flags, waving in joy and celebration as our new president empowered and implored us to "be the change," I couldn't stop the tears.

It was as if the patriotism of my childhood returned to me, this time with eyes wide open. The monuments of Washington, D.C. are majestic and beautiful, but nothing in that landscape could rival the majesty and beauty of millions of Americans watching from around the world, hearts filled with hope, ready to step up and make America the force for good we are destined to be.

As President Obama extended a welcome to our brothers and sisters in foreign countries large and small, it felt like a new era had begun. Never have I been so proud to be an American as I am today.

Yesterday, I caught some of the "post-inauguration" commentary on the news. The most common observation I heard from those who were there was that the feeling of joy was overwhelming.

I thought, "Isn't it interesting, in a speech overflowing with the challenges we face and the need to step it up, that people left with smiles on their faces?"

Maybe it's because, for the first time in a long time, we feel a common sense of purpose. Despite all the material abundance we enjoy as a society, we're awakening to the true essence of prosperity... to have enough so that we may give in service to another.

A new era is dawning in the United States and in the world. We stand as witnesses and as participants in the greatest transformation the planet has ever known. I feel blessed to be here now to take part in the awakening.

God bless America. And God bless us all...

The White Stone Ceremony - Unity Church of Wimberley

It's my favorite ritual of the year: The White Stone Ceremony. I led the process last Sunday at Unity Church of Wimberley, and they generously provided me with the audio to share. Enjoy!

"Let anyone who has an ear listen to waht the Spirit is saying... To everyone who conquers... I will give a white stone, and on the white stone is written a new name that no one knows except the one who receives it." - Revelations 2:17

Click to Play

The White Stone Ceremony is an opportunity to identify a new spiritual identity for the first year. This talk by Mindy Audlin, founder of The What If Up Club, was delivered at Unity Church of Wimberley the first Sunday of 2009. To participate, find a white stone (large enough to write a word on, but small enough to hold in your hand) and a Sharpie or other marker. Find a quiet place and listen in. The entire message is 28 minutes long.

The Best of 2008

What a year. Hurricane Ike, Hillary Clinton, the surge in Iraq, the Olympics in China, Gas Prices, Foreclosures, Palin, McCain, Financial Meltdown and our soon-to-be President Obama. That's just the tip of the iceberg. Quite a feat for a mere 365 days.

When I watch the "year in review" on the news, it's easy to think "two-thousand-GREAT" might have missed the mark a bit. But when I see the year through the lens of my own experience, a different picture emerges. Here are a few of my favorite things from 2008:

5. Travel and exploration. This year brought me to Costa Rica for the Alliance for a New Humanity Conference (including shaking hands with Oscar Arias Sanchez, the president of Costa Rica), San Francisco for Brendon Burchard's Partnership Summit (awesome experience), Palm Springs for the Association for Global New Thought conference (Michael Beckwith and Barbara Marx Hubbard keynoting - double WOW), multiple trips to Unity Village (including a live interview with Eckhart Tolle) plus some rejuvenating family time in the Colorado Rockies (see photo).

4. The growth of Unity.FM. 2008 was our first full year of broadcasting, leaving us now with about 50,000 listeners per month from more than 60 countries. Highlights of the year included my trip to Costa Rica, lunch with Deepak Chopra, then the production of Unity's fall series on Jesus and the Awakening to God Consciousness with Deepak and Wendy Craig-Purcell... Watch for it on PBS this spring!

3. The birth of The What If Up Club. I began 2008 with a morning meditative walk, asking "God, what is it that is mine to do?" The answer would not go away. It was time to write the book. Now, almost a year later, the book is almost complete. And the journey of its evolution has created a community that spans the globe... Are you in the Club?

(Pictured - What If Uppers gathered at Unity Church of the Hills in Austin, Texas)

2. The ultimate birthday celebration. The weekend of my 39th b-day, my mother came to town to babysit so we could enjoy a few nights out on the town! Here we are with Joe Vitale and his sweetie Nerissa in the glow of a Blue Rock Christmas, featuring David Wilcox, Billy Crocket, and my beloved cousin Beth Wood. To top it off, Joe drove us to the show in his new Rolls-Royce Phantom. Such delight!

***1. Another year of watching my daughter learn and grow. There is nothing sweeter to me than time with my husband and daughter. Our focus this year was "balance," and 2008 brought us together in a wonderful way. Highlights include this year's rousing toddler version of "Jingle Bells." Enjoy!

I give thanks for such extraordinary blessings... Most of all, for all the wonderful people I have met following the path day by day. THANK YOU for being a part of my world. '08 was great, but 2009 is our year to SHINE!

Wishing you a happy and joy-filled new year...

Mindy

P.S. It's just days away... The ULTIMATE way to ring in the new year:

Join me, along with expert speakers Joe Vitale, Will Bowen, Joe Sugarman, and more for the Attract Wealth Seminar. January 9-11. Sign up today to make sure you can get in!

A Smile from the Universe

I've never seen anything like it.

Shawn (my husband) and I were driving back home after spending Thanksgiving with family. It was a crystal clear night in the hill country, and we marvelled at the beauty of the sunset as we drove the backroads between Fort Worth and Wimberley.

There were two stars on the horizon. And a fingernail moon. As night fell, we noticed something amazing. The stars and the moon drifted into a celestial smile. The two stars twinkling as eyes, and the moon grinning beneath.

"Honey, look!" I said. "The Universe is smiling at us!"

And indeed it is. It always is. It's smiling at every single one of us.

Did you see it??

:)

Settling In for the Holidays...

This is my favorite time of the year. The weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year's seems like an accelerated journey in giving thanks, receiving abundantly, and starting anew. This year, I'm feeling the call to snuggle in, spend time with friends and family, and focus on the completion of the What If Up book.

That brings lots of changes for me, including the decision to send out my newsletter monthly instead of weekly until the book is complete. We also have some What If Uppers stepping in to lead our morning Wake Up calls while I take this brief hiatus in December.

Christmas can be a challenging time for people. It can bring economic stress, over-commitment, and often depression as we remember those who will not be with us this holiday season. But what if you could make this season the most meaningful Christmas ever?

What if we took on the holidays with the spirit of Thanksgiving lingering in our hearts? What if we decided not to keep score in the gift exchange arena, and instead just enjoyed the giving and receiving of love that inevitably happens this time of year?

What if it didn't take a snow day for us to hunker down and nurture ourselves for an afternoon?

What if you included ourselves on our Christmas list and gave ourselves the gift of balance and peace and compassion?

Regardless of your faith or your holiday traditions, what if we truly made this season a time of peace and joy?

I'll be chatting taking a break from the newsletter for a few weeks, but will be checking with you frequently online. Share your holiday challenges and triumphs and let's ring in the new year refreshed and recharged. The possibilities are unlimited.

Be In the Book!

Hi friends,

I'm cranking out the last half of the What If Up book and I need your help!

The two chapters I am working on right now involve using the "What If Up" concept individually and as a group.

What are some ways YOU have been using "What If Up"? Please be specific... If I use your story in the book, I'll send you an autographed first edition copy when it's complete!

Examples of Personal Use:
How have you used "What If Up" to change your perspective on a complaint?
How have you used "What If Up" to respond to "bad news"?
How have you used "What If Up" to inspire new projects?
How have you used it to improve your health? Relationships? Career? Finances? Other???
Any other ideas for how you can use "What If Up" in your personal life?

Examples of Group use:
How has the "What If Up" group process impacted your life?
What specific examples can you share about changes in your life that have resulted from a "What If Up" group interaction?

Thank you for your help! I am cutting back on all my live events for the next month to really focus on the book. That means I'll be online more and more looking for inspiring examples and sharing ways you can contribute...

What if we had a huge book release party with all of you who share stories that get used in the book? Looking forward to hearing from you!

(Note: please contact me through The What If UP Club at http://whatifup.ning.com/forum/topics/how-do-you-what-if-up)

The Circle Expands...

This was a big weekend for The What If Up Club... As part of the Dallas Peace Project, we introduced the What If Up concept to Dallas this week, culminating in our first ever group leader certification. Dallas, you are in good hands! What an amazing team we are attracting!

At the same time, miracles are happening in San Francisco. I received a call during the training from What If Up veteran Melissa Wells asking for a review of "the rules" so she could lead some What If Up processes at the HUB event she was attending.

The seeds are being planted around the world. Our online community is close to topping 300 members, with representatives from 24 different countries.

The time is right. The players are convening. The message is evolving. And the circle of love, hope, and vision continues to expand.

You may say I'm a dreamer, but I am clearly not the only one. Join us and let's create a world of peace and abundance for all of humanity. What if?

Butterfly Wings

One of the challenges of being a "What If Upper" is that possibilities are everywhere... tempting me, sometimes distracting me, causing me to wonder if the path I am on is the best and highest.

I felt a bit scattered at times in the past few months. There is so much I want to do, and so many avenues through which I could do it. I was beginning to get down on myself for my lack of focus and discipline.

Then a butterfly flew past me. In the midst of a meditative walk, a beautiful monarch butterfly fluttered across my path. This is migration season here in Texas, and the butterflies are abundant. I watched this dazzling creature in flight and noticed that it's path was somewhat sporadic. It bobbed and dipped with the wind, straying left and right.

And yet, this beautiful winged creature was on a migration that lead it from a great distance so that it would cross my path on that lovely autumn day. Her travelling style may not be the fastest or the most direct, but there was no doubt, she was making progress, travelling along a path carved by the unseen forces of nature.

I am much more focused now. I've reprioritized and simplified my life. And I've lightened up on the self-judgment for the fluttering that brought me here. There is no "right" or "wrong" on the spiritual journey. Just movement. And it's all beautiful.

Jenna and I dressed up as butterflies for Halloween this year. My husband Shawn was the very busy butterfly catcher.

There's a time to focus and a time to flutter. Do both with love and grace and you're guaranteed to end up exactly where you want to be.

The Ultimate Peace Party

The Peace Project has begun! And one of the highlights of my week was a Wednesday trip to Dallas to offer a special "What If Up" preview party to pave the way for our upcoming Dallas events.

The What If Up Club teams with EFT Practioners, Meditation experts, HeartMath facilitators, and NonViolent Communication teachers to test the powers within us and the impact they can have on our external environment.

For four months, the city of Dallas is collecting crime statistics to show the correlation between group intention and an increasingly peaceful city.

Who would have thought PEACE could be so much fun??!

Love and hugs to all who joined with us in the expansion of possibility. We know that great things are unfolding for us individually and as a global community. Thank you, Dallas, for allowing me to be a part of an energy that is truly making a shift on the planet.

Check out our cozy crowd! Many thanks to Donna and Bruce for opening your home to us!

Something New...at the Y-M-C-A!

Yesterday was a new beginning.

I woke up before the crack of dawn and put my leggings on. Pulled my hair back into a ponytail. Dusted off my best t-shirt, and headed to the local Y.

My husband signed us up last week for a family membership. It's all part of our effort to eat right, take care of our bodies, and spend more time together.

I'm not one that likes to work out. With the blessing of a fairly high metabolism, I've been able to gloss over that area of my life for a long time. But something is shifting now...

Motherhood has brought me a new appreciation of my body and a new will to take care of it.

But still... I haven't had much of a workout since high school.

I arrived 15 minutes early for the morning class. Step Aerobics. I wasn't sure what it meant, but it sounded like something that might be more fun than pumping weights. I nervously stretched as I waited for my instructor to enter the room. Visions of gasping for air as my muscles screamed at me filled my mind. How hard was this going to be???

Today, I celebrate "big steps." Every step is precious, yet there are those moments in life when we know we've just taken a "big step." It's just one step, and the journey lasts a lifetime. But there is something in those "big steps" that brings a bit more "Living" to Life.

In the end, I loved my class. It was just the level I needed. It was fun, social, and kept my brain so busy wondering where to step next that the workout went by in a blink.

Stay tuned to see where this big step leads...

What big steps could you celebrate today?

The Gift Economy

A group of radicals converged upon Palm Springs this month. Led by Nipun Mehta, this unlikely band of revolutionaries turned my thinking upside down. Or maybe, I should say, right side up??

They were a part of the Association for Global New Thought's annual conference, The Evolution of Revolution. Together, they brought forth an economic model that left most of us scratching our heads: The Gift Economy.

Each member of this posse had launched a business fully grounded on the concept of giving. No price tags for services. No fundraising. No asking for resources. Ever.

Their prime directive: HOW CAN I SERVE YOU?

This is more than a corporate slogan. These visionaries had launched projects like the Karma Kitchen, where you show up and your meal is a gift. No prices listed. Your chefs and servers are all volunteers. Your meal is loaded with love. Before you leave, you are given an envelope and invited to pay it forward.

Then there was Silas Hagerty, who started a film company based on a documentary he had produced. SmoothFeather Productions operates on the gift-economy model.

I left their session awestruck at their courage and faith. But more than that, I could feel the passion and joy they were experiencing in giving their gifts so purely to the world. Their stories woke up something in me.

What if, as the What If Up Club continues to grow and expand, we make a commitment to this "gift economy" concept? What if everyone who leads and participates does so purely out of a desire to expand possibilities and uplift the world? What if others join in, gifting their talents, so that there is virtually no overhead for sustaining a global organization?

I returned home from Palm Springs to find a package in my mailbox. It was from "EfferVaCious," a member of our What If Up online community out of Surrey, Canada. When she first joined our online community, I helped her "What If Up" the growth of her clothing line, and have since connected with her commitment to finding work that supports her in putting her family first.

Wrapped in beautiful tissue paper and ribbons, I found a beautiful gift... Something from her clothing line (See picture above!). It's light, comfortable, stylish, and right there over my gut, the words: passion, courage and vision. Can you imagine any better words to have there at your core?

It occurred to me, we are creating gift economies. Maybe not consciously, like Nipun and his friends, but simply as a natural expression of the consciousness of gratitude.

I took the picture above last night at our Austin What If Up Club, next to Anneliese, who tirelessly promotes our gathering at Unity of the Hills each month. She gives her gifts so I can bring mine.

There is a new economy being born. It is grounded in gratitude. It is sustained by faith. It is fueled by passion. It requires courage and vision. And it is absolutely recession proof.

What do you have to give today??

Messages in the Carpet

It is my great joy to be spending the week at the 2008 Association for Global New Thought annual conference in Palm Springs, California. It is a week filled with inspiration, learning and connections. I have been blessed by the teachings of Michael Beckwith, the vision of Barbara Marx Hubbard and the music of Rickie Byars. And we're only half way through!

This morning, I headed down to the lobby of the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort where the conference is being held. There's an interesting thing I keep noticing as I step into the elevators here:

There are messages in the carpet.

Yes, actual messages. As I headed up to my room to write this blog, I was greeted with "Always Remeber to Laugh." Yesterday, I kept getting the elevator with "Live Well, Love Much."

Every time I step in to come to my room, or step out to go into my next session, there is that message. A different one in each elevator car. Each one, bringing me a bit of wisdom as I move through my day.

I think the Universe is always sending us messages like this... some not so overt, but all of them designed to lift us up and give us hope for the day.

I wonder, as the elevator begins to crowd, if others in our micro-elevator community have noticed the wisdom upon which they stand. It would be easy to miss in the midst of a full mind and a busy day.

My hope for each of us today is that we see the messages in the carpet... literally and figuratively. that we look past the fear and lack based thoughts of the world and instead seek the wisdom that gives us something to stand on as we navigate our changing times.

Live Well. Love Much. Always Remember to Laugh.

Here's to remembering...

What If Up Party People!

Love and hugs to Miriam and her What If Upping friends in San Antonio! I got Miriam's invitation last week to be a part of her What If Up Supper Club. They've been meeting once a month for about four months, sharing dinner together, and circling up for a lively What If Up session!

I know from the discussions on our community page that groups like this are springing up everywhere. It was delightful to have an opportunity to be a part of one and to experience the incredible outpouring of love and support that I felt in this circle.

So this week, I'm sending the call out to those of you who are gathing like this with friends, co-workers, or church friends... Take a picture of your group to share with us... We'd love to know how you're using this in your life and the miracles that you are experiencing through the process!

Thank you, Miriam, for bringing The What If Up Club to San Antonio... It was the ultimate Saturday night celebration!

Teachable Moments

These are the things they don't warn you about when you sign up to be a parent.

One of them is "potty training."

Last week, we found ourselves on the road with a toddler who wants to use the potty.

I couldn't resist capturing this moment, in the parking lot near downtown Ft. Worth on a Sunday afternoon. She gave us the sign, so we pulled out the potty from our loaded up car, and cheered her on as she did her business.

Sure, it wasn't the ideal place. It wasn't the ideal time. But the opportunity was there to help Jenna learn something new. How could we say no?

I'm hanging on to this picture as a reminder that my life lessons may not always come at a convenient time or a convenient place. But I should seize them and appreciate them all the same. Clapping and cheering in the realization that I can master the moment - whenever I am blessed with the opportunity.

Carpe diaper.

Twenty Years - But Who's Counting?

I did it. I went to my 20th High School Reunion last weekend.

I was a little nervous heading to the Homecoming Football game on Friday night before the festivities began. After all, I had heard others talk about their reunions, and usually their stories were filled with unflattering descriptions of how people had changed.

So you can imagine my relief when I finally connected with my old friends and classmates. It was true. We had changed. We are so much cooler now than we ever were in high school.

Twenty years ago, we were heading out into the world with our big dreams. Now, we are the people who are out there in this great big world, doing what we love, and leading the way for a new generation.

Constant Improvement is the nature of the Universe. If ever you doubt, go to your high school reunion and really talk with people. You'll be dazzled.

Not only that, but we looked good, too! Pictured above: The officers for the 1988 Martin High School Sundancers Drill Team Squad. Still kicking after all these years!)

Fun at the Zoo!

Here in Texas, in the wake of Hurricane Ike, we found ourselves last week enjoying our first taste of fall weather. It was the perfect opportunity for Jenna's first trip to the zoo.

The Fort Worth zoo is a spectacular place. Lush and open, surrounded by babies and animals, Jenna was in paradise. We let her lead us where she wanted to go. To the monkeys. Then the elephants. There are the baby giraffes! And look, ducks and flamingos!

Every time she would get to the next viewing area, she would take it in for a moment, then turn to us and say, "More, please!"

A few minutes taking in the penguins... "More, please!" Then we checked out the snake house. "More, please!" All afternoon. Until closing time. Her energy was boundless.

I can relate. It seems like the more I step into the possibilities and opportunities that surround me, the more excited I get for what's coming next. Our nature is to expand... to learn... and to grow. Sometimes we get lost thinking that we would be happy if only we had that next "thing." When in actuality, the next thing is really only going to have us start salivating for the next "thing." And the next "thing." And the next...

That's why it's so important to feel joy now. Our desires will lead us on our journey. They are delightful. The lions and tigers and bears of our lives are really magnificent to behold.

In the end, we didn't take Jenna to the zoo so she could "achieve" a lion viewing. We went to the zoo for the fun of being together. The rest was just icing on the cake.

What if we pursued our hearts' desires not for the end result, but just for the joy of being together as one big human family?

Birthing Peace

I should have known it would be an extraordinary day. It began with an extraordinary call.

Our 8am (CST) What If Wake Up call began like every other. Three chimes and a deep breath. Then a few minutes focusing on our word for today: Peaceful.

As we concluded the call, something magical happened. As we began sharing our "What If Ups" for a Peaceful day, one caller shared something extraordinary. She was feeling the early signs of labor and told us she thought her baby would be arriving today. She wanted to bring this precious new life into the world consciously - immersed in the awareness of Peace and the shared energy of our group.

What if, in the midst of her labor, her heart could be filled with peace knowing that everything was unfolding perfectly?

What if this new precious life could greet the world wrapped in the peaceful joy of all of us on that call? Or all of us who read this blog? Or maybe just, all of us??

And what if we could all use this baby's birth as a reminder that we can know peace even in the midst of the labor pains of our own creations?

Welcome to the world, baby Quinn. May your journey be always lit with joy, love, and peace...

Thanks, Honey!

I was working late last night on an email blast that was supposed to be scheduled last Thursday... but my service was down, and the file that I worked on was no longer on my laptop, and I'm on the road and...

Stop it.

I started telling my husband the details of my toil last night as an apology for why I wasn't able to spend a quiet evening snuggled up next to him. About 30 seconds into my "story," he stopped me.

"Is this really something you want to put out there?"

He's been reading the new book Money and the Law of Attraction by Jerry and Esther Hicks.

I had to smile. Oh, how compelling our stories can be! I soooo wanted to tell mine!

And he was right. Did it feel good to tell this story? No. (Well, maybe just a little, but that's not from the perspective of my highest self.) Did I want to create more delays and hassles in my life? No. (And this one is really a "no!") Did he really need to know the details of my challenge? Was this serving him in any way? No again.

I had to get up and give him a hug. What if we created a relationship where we loved each other enough to put up the red flag when those downward conversation spirals kick in and ask, "Do you really want to say this?"

And what if we knew that we had absolute permission to tune out if the answer comes back as a "yes"? It gives "love" a whole new slant.

Special thanks to our friend Garnita who turned us onto this Bob Newhart skit that has become the basis of our newfound support of each other...

The What If Up Club Hits the Virtual Airwaves!

The word is officially out. The What If Up Club was featured in its first media interview this morning thanks to the talents and passions of fellow what if uppers Melissa Wells and Kay Orrell and their radio program, Spiral Journey. To top it off, the interview aired on the C0-Creator Network, operated by even more What If Uppers... The club is growing and growing!

There is an incredible momentum building around this "What If Up" idea. I've got to remember from time to time to make sure my jaw isn't wide open as opportunities come flooding in. Who would have thought being "spiritual" could be (in the words of my friend Joe Vitale) such a "rollicking good time."

If you've been wanting to learn more about the club, here's the perfect opportunity. Tune in and listen for yourself! Enjoy!

LISTEN to the Interview:

Spiral Journey's Interview with Mindy <-- link to Co-Creator Network .mp3 playback

Many thanks to Melissa and Kay for a delightful interview!

I Left My Old Paradigm in San Francisco...

If anybody out there has started a "Brendon Burchard Fan Club," I hope you'll count me IN! I first met Brendon as one of the keynote speakers at his College Success Summit, and I was impressed with him then. After attending his Partnership Seminar, I am convinced that I am bearing witness to the birth of a major star in the world of philanthropy, motivation, and self-empowerment.

Brendon has reminded me once again of the seemingly obvious importance of the relationships in my life - business and otherwise. In the busy-ness of business, too often I forget to say "thank you." Brendon has reminded me of the joy of "surprise and delight." So I bring this, along with a wealth of information home with me...

What if I did something out of the blue this week to surprise and delight my husband for the rock of support that he is in my life?

What if I did something to surprise and delight my friends and family?

What if I did something to surprise and delight my teams and my co-workers?

And what if I could have this be more than an inspired moment... What if I could make this a permanent part of my lifestyle so that I could more fully express the gratitude that lives in my heart?

It's a brand new world. Any suggestions???

P.S. Pictured above... Happy hour with Brendon, myself, and Judd Schwartz, whom you might remember as the organizer of the Austin World Wellness Weekend. Talk about great company!