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The Legacy of Neil Simon

Master Key Master Mind Experience First Year

Personal Pivotal Needs is something we talk a lot about in the Master Key Master Mind Alliance.

These are everything to us.

Legacy is one of those “PPNs”.

Legacy is usually defined as leaving an amount of money or property left to someone in a will.

Legacy is not the most pivotal need for me at this time, but I’d like to honor the legacy left by someone that impacted huge chunks of my youth and early adult life. And I’d like to think his Legacy is a whole lot more than about money and I bet Mr. Simon would as well.

Neil Simon was one of my favorite playwrights. I’ve been out of theatre and “the biz” for a bit. But just a few days ago at the fabulous age of 91 the prolific Mr. Neil Simon departed this playing field and it stirred up so much in me that had been long packed away.

I began to recall my past life as an actress in both stage and screen and dug out some of my most treasured and very worn plays. I was truly blessed to play Diane in California Suite back in the 80s. Way off Broadway and I’ll leave it at that. But the preparation and exploration of the character and the play itself, shifted so much of who I thought I was up to that point.

Brighton Beach Memoirs was the second of Neil Simon’s I was cast in. The group who performed this brilliant play became a second family and I’d never eaten so much boiled cabbage in my life!

To me, Neil Simon’s art was the epitome of visceral story telling, so rich that an actor could completely surrender to the voices of the brilliant emotional journeys and ride the waves of the sometimes subtle, biting depth of pain lightened only by sheer genius wit.

His movies and plays changed my attitude about so many things, they taught me so many things I had zero understanding about!

He could write each character with a depth of genuine emotion and vulnerability that satiated a starving actor that no meal would satisfy. He had a way with characters and each experience that was like the sweetest kiss or the most bitter lemon.

He had the most amazing ability to extract humor from the saddest experience and weave characters, whether bit or lead, that all could identify with. He showed how sad and funny life can be and brought humor to such tragic situations and yet did it in a very human way.

His legacy lives on in a big way in my world and has inspired me to bring it back with my boys. I can’t wait to snuggle up and watch Neil Simon’s Barefoot in the Park, the Odd Couple and California Suite on the next movie night.

Thank you. Deeply and profoundly. Honoring you Mr. Neil Simon. Thank you!

Cultivating the skill of Self Control.

What ways can you develop your self-control in order to improve your ability to lead – lead your own life, lead your business, lead a group, etc?

Share in the comments below what you will be working on this week to cultivate and improve this skill.

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Becoming a Great Leader

Monday Morning Mentoring

I do believe it will have to be the women of the western world who will ultimately save this world. But it cannot be saved from the same energy that has created the current culture, mores and structure.

Over the next few weeks I will share what I have used to heal and transform my own world, so that we can all step fully in to the roles that we are here to lead.

Before we can fully Lead, I believe there are key areas that must be address. That may look like healing, it may look like skill development. I do not believe we have to be in a suit and in a politics to make the impact that we are here to make nor to lead the lives we are meant to lead.

The first requirement is that we must each find that Unwavering Courage. We know that as we decide to take a stand, many times we will be targets. Held accountable in ways that men usually are not. This is readily seen in our relationships and in business. Just think of the woman who decides to choose how she will birth her children, judged at every turn and from the closest to the strangers as a whole. Or how the woman who chooses not to have children and focuses on her career and calling instead. Judged and ridiculed by men and women alike.

Those are just a couple of the myriad of examples, and I don’t need to go on. The fact is, we as women MUST have UNWAVERING COURAGE.

Courage: noun, the ability to meet danger and difficulties with firmness : the ability to do something that you know is difficult or dangerous

Derived from Old French corage, from Latin cor ‘heart.’

Now this has a lot more meaning to me as a Yogi and energy healer (you can see a quick video I made talking about the heart chakra) but it’s not necessary for the work we are doing this week.

Because the HEART is a key Energy vessel, not just the organ but the essence of our Unity and communion and it is where we need to lead from FIRST, this piece must be in place. How do we get unwavering courage? I am going to venture to say that each one of us has expressed in our lives at one time or another that UNWAVERING Courage.

Can you think of a time or two? I can. Just remembering those moments will be a powerful action step this week! When you recall those past moments of unwavering courage – recall every nuance, the smell, the textures, the sounds. Feel into that moment and use that to bring you strength for something you need to find courage in today.

This unwavering courage is something we must each continuously cultivate for ourselves as well as each other – to build fortitude in order to fulfill our Dreams.

The second piece that we need to focus on is Self Confidence.

The confidence to BE fully oneself without having to tear another down in order to show up. The confidence to support another without forfeiting your own needs. The confidence to take the time you need to restore and reset if you don’t know your exact next steps. These are just a few examples of how I define SELF CONFIDENCE.

This week, set aside your SELF CARE time with a focus on your HEART. Your hearts desire. Your compassion for self if you have been more focused outwardly. Your compassion for other’s if you have been more focused inward. Come in to a balance with this energy.

Take one action that you know you want to complete these week and make a promise to yourself that by the end of the week you will complete that. Whether it is telling someone no you will not be attending the party, volunteering for that fundraiser, or yes, I will take on that role and I’m excited to do so.

Whatever that piece is for you, do it from a place of PURE HEART. When you have completed that, take the time to honor and acknowledge your hearts choice.

For me this week, I am committed to facing my fear with the spartan race that I committed to last year. I signed up for this race for 2 reasons, 1 that I wanted to think about something bigger than myself and 2 because I didn’t want to confront the pain of my divorce.

I can see now what I could not see then. That unwavering courage is what I will practice this week and through every moment of the race.

When you need reinforcement, use your power stance and shout even if silently (but it’s better out loud!)
“I AM COURAGEOUS!! “I CAN DO THIS!”

Here’s to an awesome week! Go Lead a Life YOU LOVE!

I’ll be announcing the open enrollment for the 5 DAY SOULFUL SELF-CARE CHALLENGE Soon. I only do this amazing 5 day virtual retreat 2 times a year so be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss the launch.