"If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it." ~ William Arthur Ward

Success might be a strong word to use at this point, depending on how one defines it.

I have not manifested the 'financial independence' piece yet, but when asked yesterday if I could share some tips on how I'm managing to grow my practice in order to help other holistic practitioners do the same, (after I did a brief, Huh? Who, me?) I had to admit, that yes, I guess I am finding some measure of what I might call success.

Or at least the appearance of such.

After all, I am opening a second office next month, which sounds a heck of a lot like 'expansion' and 'growth'. And, at a local 'goddess retreat' yesterday, I was astonished, yet again, to find that people have heard about me, and the buzz is going around about my new location.

So, what did I say to this person asking for pointers?

Well, I did not hesitate to admit that a lot of it has to do with impressing the right people. I've talked about the blessings of good networking, but as I am not an outgoing person by nature, it helps to make friends with people who are and who will toot your horn loudly and willingly. Jeanie Matteson, the owner of Creative Healing Arts, is one of those people to whom networking is as natural as breathing. She's created a space that is fast becoming a holistic healing vortex, loved by all who know her, and I am forever grateful to have her in my corner.

I also credit being passionate about what I do, and possessing of the skills to back up what folks are willing to say about me. Or at least always striving to improve those skills. To have a reputation that proceeds me goes a looong way toward motivating me to live up to that reputation.

I would have to say patience is key, and the wilingness to put myself and my talents out there... as in, 'putting my hands on as many people as I can'.. no matter how insignificant or free the opportunity may be.

After all, I never know who is going to take notice.

So, yeah, while hard work, persistence, dedication and all that stuff is really important, as well as all the minor and not-so-minor details about organization, and business sense, and inner-overcoming-of-obstacles stuff, there's no doubt in my mind that I have been carried along by the grace and generosity of a good amount of people who've supported me... right down to my stepmom who came and cared for my children so I could go to shiatsu school. And my husband who was willing to pay for it, without a clue that this might be a viable career someday.

As for the appearance of success? I think that it's true that the mind doesn't always know the difference between what it sees and what it imagines, and as I align myself more with that vibration, I feel like I'm embodying that persona a little more every day.

And what can feel more like professional success than to walk into a room and hear, "OH! So YOU'RE Gina! I've heard SUCH good things about you!"

(Aw, shucks....)

PS: After posting this, I remembered a little late that the best blog posts are all about 'you' not me, which this obviously was. So, I ask you... what do you look to as a gauge of and credit for your success?