Celebrate the Gift of LIFE Because you can!

“For me and my family personally, September 11 was a reminder that LIFE is fleeting, impermanent, and uncertain. Therefore, we must make use of every moment and nurture it with affection, tenderness, beauty, creativity, and laughter.” -Deepak Chopra, M.D.

Loss, Survival, Courage, Conviction and LOVE!

I remember I had just arrived in Cairo, Egypt (first trip) when all of us watched news footage of the twin towers go down while at Cairo airport. At that time, flew out of New York straight to Cairo, Egypt to speak at an event, and then this life-shattering news!  To date, I thank God daily for being given the gift of life as my life could have ended right then and there in the event of a flight delay.

In honor of those we lost and their surviving loved ones, let's remember that LIFE is a gift, a privilege! When we value the gift of life, that action alone is our commitment to not let their deaths go in vain; our commitment to purpose LIVING in the now with love and gratitude, because we can!

So dear friend, celebrate the gift of LIFE, because you can!

Would you like to take this moment to express what's in your heart and mind, as we remember September 11 together?

GOD BLESS EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU!
~Annie Armen

List of Articles and Quotes you may Find of Interest:
1.  30 Quotes on LOVE in Business and in Life! 
2.  30 Quotes on HOPE in Business and in Life!
3.  20 Quotes on COURAGE in Business and in Life!
5.  30 Quotes on ENCOURAGEMENT in Business and in Life! 
6.  20 Quotes on VALUES in Business and in Life! 
7.  30 Quotes on COMMITMENT in Business and in Life!
8.  20 Quotes on GO FOR IT in Business and in Life!
9.  Are you Leaving Your Authentic Mark?
10.  To PRO-act or to RE-act? 
11.  Did you say Can't? 
12.  AnnieBiotics

Are You Leaving Your AUTHENTIC Mark?

IMITATION IS NOT A FORM OF FLATTERY!

"Each and every one of you has something unique to offer to this world. Cave not into duplication and cloning of what others say or do, no matter how great! Imitation is NOT a form of flattery, but rather an insult to the real deal that resides in you waiting to surface!" ~Annie Armen, Communications Artist

Questions to WHY Annie Armen Readers

"AUTHENTICITY is the alignment of head, mouth, heart, and feet - thinking, saying, feeling, and doing the same thing - consistently. This builds trust, and followers love leaders they can trust." ~Lance Secretan

1.  Do you have something in your heart and mind, an idea, a thought, a vision you have been wondering about for the longest time?  

2.  Throughout the day, does this idea continue to surface back in waves into the forefront of your mind and heart?   

3.  Throughout the year, does this idea keep reappearing at the most unexpected, not to mention inconvenient times when your concentration and focus is critical toward executing a particular task, as if it was haunting you?

4.  Do you find yourself setting this idea aside with the honest intention of dealing with it later?  How's that working for you so far?

5.  When your idea re-surfaces, do you in fact embrace it and take action on it? OR

6.  Do you say to yourself, "Man... this other person, I love their idea so much more.  Besides, who would even give my idea a second thought, much less take it seriously.  Not only that, it will take too much time and money, and forget it... who am I kidding..."

7.  Do you end up sharing your authentic idea with a handful of people you believe are trustworthy, just to see if their feedback aligns with your original gut instincts and feelings?

8.  What is their reaction?  Do you receive encouraging feedback, such as: "Wow... you have a great idea!  You better jump on that before somebody else grabs it."  OR

9.  Does their reaction go something like this:  “Better stick to your day job, man.  Life is tough, and would hate to see you lose everything on an idea.  When you make more money and become somebody, may be then you might have a shot.”

10.  Suddenly that one day is now here, and you wake up only to find out that your original idea has been implemented by another with a slight twist.  How do you "honestly" feel in that very moment?  Do you regret your reactionary choices of not listening to your inner voice against your better judgment, while allowing others to infect you with their seeds of doubt and fear? Better yet, what are you PRO-actively choosing to do about that now?

ARMOR UP with Timeless Wisdom 

Along your journey, purpose awareness at all times because:

1.  "When everybody tells you that you are being idealistic or impractical, consider the possibility that everybody could be wrong about what is right for you." ~Gilbert Kaplan

2.  "TIME is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you." ~Carl Sandburg 

3.  "As your success grows, you will soon discover that there are others who would delight in pulling you down from your perch."  ~Og Mandino

4.  “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” ~H. Jackson Brown Jr.

5.  “If one moment of fear can give birth to failure, then one moment of FAITH can reverse it!” ~Annie Armen

As you armor up with timeless wisdom ...

Create a Tangible Footprint on Earth
 
“It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.” ~Herman Melville

If you have an idea that has been haunting you for the longest time, pick yourself up, SEIZE your idea, OWN IT, and DO something about it NOW, without hesitation!  In doing so, you are creating a tangible footprint on earth.  In doing so, you are leaving YOUR mark, your AUTHENTIC mark -- a mark that will OUTLIVE you!


BE YOU! 

"A leader will find it difficult to articulate a coherent vision unless it expresses his core values, his basic identity….one must first embark on the formidable journey of self-discovery in order to create a vision with AUTHENTIC soul." ~Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

1.  BE YOU!  BE true to your mind and heart; synchronize!

2.  BELIEVE that YOUR authentic ideas, YOUR authentic vision will be a great gift to this world! Otherwise, how sad and -- YES, SELFISH -- if you choose to deprive us all of the real deal that resides in you!

3.  Work toward making genuine connections through life both personally and professionally, on a mutual foundation called, LOYALTY!

4.  BE genuine in your approach when communicating with others.  Why?  The more genuine you are in your approach, the words you choose when marketing your stuff without sounding like others, desired/ideal clients WILL catch on and WILL contact you for business!

5.  ACHIEVE a lasting impact, because you can! 

Your Take-Away

"Be yourself, everyone else is already taken." ~Oscar Wilde

When you choose to imitate what others do or say, thinking you will make it in the marketplace just as they have, you will reap temporary results, depriving yourself of long-term success. Is that what you really want?

Here is the key:  Live your dream by doing it as opposed to talking about it -- no matter how long it takes, and no matter what anybody else says -- because YOU believe in it with all your heart, mind and soul; at the end of the day, THAT is all that matters!  When your creation is that authentic, that pure, believe this -- you just killed the word competition out of its existence. 

Authenticity is a gift, and each of you are blessed with this gift. BE YOU, EMBRACE IT WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT AND SHINE!

Now, Dare I Ask ...
 
Are YOU leaving your Authentic Mark?

If you have any questions, or would like to discuss educational training opportunities where we can tactically and strategically address areas of concern as it pertains to implementing authentic communication in your business model / marketing endeavors to help grow your business, please feel free to drop me a line. 

~Annie Armen
Communications Artist

List of Articles and Quotes you may Find of Interest:

1. Did You Say, Can't?
2. To PRO-act or to RE-act? 
3. 30 Quotes on ACTION in Business and in Life!
4. 30 Quotes on COMMITMENT in Business and in Life!
5. 20 Quotes on COURAGE in Business and in Life!
6. 30 Quotes on CONFIDENCE in Business and in Life!
7. 20 Quotes on GO FOR IT in Business and in Life! 
8. 20 Quotes on COMMUNICATION in Business and in Life!  
9. How to Make Genuine Connections on LinkedIn 
10. Write Your way Into the New Year With Your New Book! 
11. AnnieBiotics