Quantity? Quality? What Makes the MOST Sense for You? (and Me Too!) #30DayBlog

Recently I’ve engaged in a “challenge” 30 blog posts in 30 days.  Sometimes we say yes and only afterward realize what we have committed ourselves to.  As an Energy Master I have a duty to myself to be clear and focused on what it is that I choose to do with my energy and because I myself am still “on journey” I’ve been given the opportunity once again to “discover” an old pattern of saying YES Uh Huh I’ll do that Seems Like a Good Idea – before really taking even the smallest of moments to breathe, scan, discern and determine if this is the right choice for me right now.

The intent behind this challenge is to help those of us who have agreed to join in to get into a regular habit of blogging – and as a result of that habit of sharing our information, wisdom or offerings to simultaneously build our business because the theory is with more blogging we’ll get more attention, more information or content out there and thus more opportunities to connect with the people who may be a fit for our services.  All good in theory – perhaps another story in practice…

So I find myself right now a bit at odds with some of the things I know to be true:

1. – Whatever I need is always there for me all the time

2. – Those who are supposed to connect with me will show up – and be ready, willing and able to connect with the work that I have to offer – Exactly on Time

3. – I choose to allow the flow of people, money, connections, and opportunities to come to and through me with ease and grace – and I have in fact experienced this many times.

4. When I try to force the river – efforting, struggling, or pushing to create something whether it’s a blog post, a piece of music, a work of art or a harmonious relationship then I end up not only not really accomplishing what I desire but often times I end up burned out, used up, exhausted or unwell.

5.  My creative process is well known to me at this point – when I create – it comes in spurts – I’ll sit down and make 27 pieces of jewelry in two days or 45 paintings in three weeks or write 5 books in one year and then when the flow is complete I’m done – I walk away and I might not touch the writing, the paintbrush or the beads again for weeks, months or maybe even years!

6.  My work – when I bring the fullness of myself to it – is truly impactful – it is deep, profound, life altering work and the people who choose to connect with their own energy journey by investing in themselves through me are achieving phenomenal shifts and exponential growth in both their business and personal lives.

7.  I must honor myself above all else – caring for my needs first – in order to be of the highest level of service to all.  Do I need to do all these posts? or is ONE QUALITY post going to serve as powerfully as 30 little snippets?

So what is a shamaness to do when she discovers that perhaps she’s signed on for something that is not fully in alignment with what she knows to be true about herself? (or anyone for that matter??)

First I’ve decided to share my truth – here in this post and also with the person that I made the commitment to (that would be me! because in actuality when we commit to another we are committing ourselves!)

Secondly I’ve decided that I will blog when I feel the urge – when I feel that there is something of VALUE that I have to say – not just for the sake of blogging or of living up to some “challenge” or expectation that I have set for myself.

Thirdly if there comes a moment in the next 23 days where I decide I’m not going to be reaching this goal I will gracefully and easily give myself permission to back off – to take myself back from the edge (like we do in yoga) so that I don’t injure myself or send the energy of pushing too hard to do too much out with my posts.

Fourth I’ll ask myself to remember the next time someone sends me an invitation to jump on board and commit to something to take a breath AND a little journey along the choice/destiny lines to see into the future (I can do that you know – you can too) and determine if this is the right thing at the right time for me.

Discernment and self-knowledge are precious gifts – and they are to be used – not stored in the cupboard for when special company comes to visit!

Please feel free to comment on this post if you feel that it speaks to you in any way.

In celebration of the last week of summer I have decided (after careful discernment and sitting with the idea for about a week) that I’ll be picking 7 people to receive a free PEA (Personal Energy Assessment – Valued at $97.00) – one for each day of this final week before the Autumnal Equinox – to be considered for this contest please forward me an email to amethyst@amethystwyldfyre.com – put I Want a PEA in the subject line and be sure to let me know why you feel it would serve you at this time!  (PEAS will be scheduled over the next several weeks for the winners!)

Sometimes we forget our connection to Source and we need a little assistant to Remember that we can be WYLDLY ABUNDANT – be sure to click that link and connect with the program that I did with Nicole Whitney of News For the Soul Radio fame if you would like to re-connect to your birthright of living a WYLDLY ABUNDANT life!

Goddess Leonie Stops by for a Visit!

Recently on Twitter (follow me on Twitter @AWyldfyre) I “met” a wonderful Goddess who had some amazing words about valuing your work – whether you are an artist, a healer or anyone else who is self employed I feel that these words were quite valuable to contemplate – so I invited her to be a guest blogger – let me know what you think (comments are VERY welcome!)  

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Abundant Goddess: Sacred Pricing

Hola gorgeous goddesses!

Today I got an email from a beautiful soul who is starting on the path of selling her artworks, and wants to know how on *earth* to price them. Do you pull a number out of thin air? Work out your costs + projections – deductions + profits x headaches induced by lefty-brained logistics = perfect price?

And I started thinking about how this isn’t just about pricing artwork. This is about every time we need to put a number value on our work. You don’t have to be an artist to have this question. Maybe you’re a healer. Or a massage therapist. Or a babysitter. Or a designer. Or any kind of businesswoman, really.

So let’s circle… and talk Sacred Pricing.

The time I didn’t honour Sacred Pricing.

So, once upon a time, Leonie didn’t sell her artwork. She gave it away. Whenever anyone mentioned they liked her artwork, she gave it to them. Even relative strangers.

Why did Leonie do this?
Because she thought that was the nice thing to do.
Because she loved making the artwork, so she wanted to share it freely.
Because she was uncomfortable with putting a price on her gifts.

All the above is true. In fact, I gave artwork away up until four years ago. I felt fairly okay about the whole arrangement – but I had little bits of sadness about it. Like the part where I felt a little bit used up by it. And the part where I felt like I hadn’t honoured my paintings properly. And like I’d just given away my babies to families that I wasn’t really sure about.

I was starting to feel in my soul that maybe this wasn’t the right way to do it anymore. Like there had to be a better way for me, for my spirit, and for my art.

The words that changed me.

As they say – when the student is ready, the teacher arrives. One twilight, I was driving back from a labyrinth. It had been my first outing with my women’s circle, and I was bundled up in the back of a car with my two mentors in the front. {I’ll use totem names here, as I’m more comfortable with that today}.

Eagle Woman turned to the older Jaguar Woman and said “Leonie’s been having problems charging for her artwork. I told her you would be the right one to speak to about that.” Jaguar Woman is beautiful – silver white hair, wide blue eyes. She turns to me, and in her Scandinavian accent asks me “What is this problem Leonie? What are you charging right now?”

I blushed. And stammered. I tend to do this when caught off guard by honesty. “Ummm… nothing. I give my art away.” “And why do you do that?” “Because it’s… easier. I don’t have to think about it then. If people want it, they can just have it.”

Our headlights glowed along the stretch of road. We were driving through a large paddock, kangaroos and farm houses and old trees visible through the soft light. Jaguar Woman began to speak, and I listened.

“You must charge for your art. In everything – everything – there needs to be an exchange of energy. An equal one. One that fills me up. One that fills you up. If I give you a massage that nourishes and sustains and relaxes you, I ask you for money to nourish and sustain my life too. We must both be involved in the exchange, otherwise it is one sided. We must both be invested, so we both receive value. If I do not allow you to pay money for my service, I do a disservice to myself, but also to you. You must contribute too, in order to be fulfilled. You will value the things you pay for more. And my life will be better because I have helped your life be better. And your life will be better, because you have helped my life be better too. Everything – everything – must be an equal exchange of energy. It is sacred. Money is the manifestation of energy. Money is sacred too.”

Pricing to sustain and enrich you…

Since Jaguar Woman spoke those words to me four years ago, my mindset has been changed about money, and charging for my gifts and services. It is continually being tweaked, changed and evolved – as most things are in life. As we evolve, so do our attitudes and our insights about the things around us and in us.

My advice in pricing is this – price your services and products so that it sustains and enriches you. Price so that you feel happy selling at that price. Price so it feels like a true energy exchange – that what you are giving to another – they are giving the same value to you. Price so your life will feel joyful from it.

Leonie’s tiny bit of pricing practically…

From a practical level, make sure you include all your costs in, and then work out if the profit number sustains you.

I remember selling prints a couple of years ago. I forgot to work out prices of postage for the kind of tube I was sending. In the end, I lost $4 for every print I sold. That profit number obviously didn’t sustain me. 🙂

Just remember – every sale has a cost. Write up a scratchy list of them, so you know what energy you are truly giving out and receiving in.

A little note on gifting.

I’m so not anti-gifting. What I’m into is giving when it feels conscious and energy-filled from both ends.

Sometimes I still *gift* artwork to dear friends and family – but now I only do it because I WANT to do it. Not because I’m uncomfortable with the putting-a-price part of it. Not because I think I SHOULD. I do it when it’s true for me.

Passing the talking stick…

Over to you, gorgeous goddesses, if you’d like to share your experience or questions about sacred pricing… All words are held in a container of love.

Just like you.

Wishing you deep abundance always ~
Leonie

Byline ~
Leonie Allan is a Goddess Guide, artist, writer and photographer of spirit. She runs Creative Goddess e-Courses and Circles to help women all over the world embrace their creativity and spirituality. You can find her at www.GoddessLeonie.com.

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