Carin Rockind, Author at Carin Rockind

May 1, 2017 By Carin Rockind Leave a Comment

You CAN Be EMPOWERED, And You Deserve It!

Fill in the following sentences: “An Empowered Woman (or Man) is ____________. An Empowered Woman does __________. An Empowered Woman has ______________.”

Now look at your list – how are you measuring up to your own definition?

If you're like my clients who just graduated from my 4 month EMPOWERED program, you said things like:

An Empowered Woman follows her heart no matter what others say.
An Empowered Woman is confident and happy with her decisions.
An Empowered Woman has courage to say “Yes!” and “NO!”

When these women began the program in January, they were afraid they would never be the women they described.

One was afraid that her dreams would break her marriage apart. One had never been allowed to dream as a child, so she didn't even know what her heart wanted. Another was tired of being passed up for promotions, and another let fear keep her in a job she disliked for years.

I get it – I used to be the same way. I looked at women who were confident vibrant Goddesses, and I felt horribly envious. I wanted to be the one following my dreams. I wanted to be the one who was light and full of laughter.

I'm sure you get it too. So many of us – men and women – are afraid to be who we really are. You're afraid to stand in your full power because at some point, someone said you aren't good enough. Eventually we come to believe it.

So we spent the first part of EMPOWERED reconnecting with our TRUTH: The beauty, vibrancy, and gifts that lie deep down inside of us. I asked the women to share pictures of themselves as little girls – ages before they were told who they should and should not be. One woman saw how sad her younger self was. Another wanted to save her sweet younger self from the pain she was about to endure. One remembered that she was so independent that at 5, she faked going to a babysitter to show her mom that she could take care of herself!

We then spent a month peeling back the layers of shame, guilt, and fear that cover you up. One hid under the pain of being adopted, another being gay in a small southern town, another carried the shame of being disowned by family, another carried the guilt of a struggling marriage.

And then over coming months, they re-wrote their stories, they chose how they want to live their lives now, they wrote vows to themselves, and then they began taking action.

Oh my goodness, friend, these women are now on FIRE!

The one afraid that her dreams would break up her marriage? She spoke up to her husband and created a studio space for her dancing.
The one who wasn't allowed to dream? She now loves herself so much that she's turned down unworthy men and is planning solo travel.
The one looked over for promotions? She went and asked for a new job.
And the one who hated her job? She gave notice and is planning her own business.

Here's a video of one of them talking about her life now.

I am in AWE of every single one of these women. I am SO blessed to know, love and support them! They overcame their fears and self-doubt. They created new paths for life. And they did it together! That's why I run Sisterhoods like this and like the F*Midlife Club, and why I do small group leadership training at corporations. When we do the work together, we soar!

See, deep down we all yearn to be Empowered. We crave living bigger, more fulfilling lives. We were born to activate our dreams!

Why else were you born if not to be your full, vibrant, powerful self? Why else would you exist in your exact form if not to bring all of your gifts and passions to the world? Why else would you have survived the traumas and challenges of your life if not to now speak with courage?

If you also yearn for Empowerment, then do what these women did. Peel back the layers, go deep, uncover your truth, choose a new path, activate your desires. And if you need help, join one of my groups or email me. My work works and I'd be honored to support you.

Below is a video I taped for you to be empowered too. And TONIGHT, I’ll be live-streaming “Make Monday Happy” with more insight about becoming empowered for free on my business Facebook Page at 6:30 pm ET. (Click here to follow the page and get notification when I go live.)

You can become the Empowered soul you were born to be. And you deserve it.

“See” you tonight – Remember, 6:30 pm HERE for my live, short webinar “Make Monday Happy”.

XO,
Carin

PS – If you want to be on the waiting list for the next EMPOWERED group, email me. I will help you clarify your desires, get out of your fear, and move forward!!!

April 17, 2017 By Carin Rockind Leave a Comment

No More Excuses – Get Going!

So you have a project or a dream you’ve been wanting to do…
…But you just can’t find time to do it.
…Or when you have time, it’s after work and you’re exhausted, so all you want is to drink wine and watch This Is Us.
…Or you make special time for it, but when you sit down, the inspiration is gone.
…Or you’re super inspired and FINALLY going for it – but you don’t have the money.
…Or your dog ate the materials… You get the idea.

We all have a million excuses why we aren’t doing what we want to do.

Even me. This morning, I outed myself to my Marketing Assistant. She’s been telling me to do more Facebook Lives because I want to impact more people and set the path to more TV appearances, but I keep not doing it.

So this morning, I dropped the excuses and got real.

I’m not doing them because I’m afraid of rejection. I used to do a video with every newsletter, but I felt stupid because my YouTube “likes” were small.

A client in my EMPOWERED program said she had no time to work out because of her kids, so I suggested they come on a walk with her. No excuses – get moving! A client in my F*Midlife program said she couldn't travel because of money, so I suggested she do a garage sale. No excuses – get moving!

What about you? What's the real reason you aren’t doing what you want? Hint: It's not your husband or job or time or money.

It's Fear. It’s that simple – and that hard. Our biology makes us desperate to belong so we fear failure, rejection, and other people’s opinions. You create mean nasty inner voices that tell you you’re afraid you'll never be thin, so you don't try, or you're not “good enough” to paint, or you're “stupid” to leave your job and start a business, or not deserving of spending money on yourself.

But the voices are lies to protect yourself from being hurt. Fortunately, brain research shows that as adults, we can choose to think about it differently. It's called “reframing” and it helps you get unstuck and get moving! If “only” 5 people watch my Facebook Live, then I impact 5 lives! If no one watches, then I evaluate the time of day, content, or just chalk it up as experience. (I have to tell you – that feels so much better!)

So, today, I’m moving past my fear, as I always have. When I was afraid of leaving my corporate job to follow my dream, or afraid that SiriusXM would reject me, I took a deep breath, reframed the opportunity, told myself how awesome I am, and moved forward! You can do it too!!

Below is a video I taped for you to get out of your own way, too. And TONIGHT, I’ll be live-streaming “Make Monday Happy” for free on my business Facebook Page at 6 pm. (Click here to follow the page and get notifications whenever I go live.)

You too can drop the excuses and shift your thinking, and you can get started now!

“See” you tonight – Remember, 6 pm HERE for my live, short webinar “Make Monday Happy.”

XO,
Carin

PS – If you need help getting unstuck, take the step to join me on a retreat, or email me for 1:1 coaching. I will help you clarify your desires, get out of your fear, and move forward!!!

April 3, 2017 By Carin Rockind Leave a Comment

Feeling Stuck or Down? This Easy Tip Will Help!

I'm SO excited! I'm on a bus to NYC for the week, so I'll make this quick. I was feeling stuck recently and asked myself 3 critical questions that have have seriously skyrocketed my feeling of empowerment and joy! Researcher David Cooperrider of Case Western Reserve University says that when we want a different answer, we have to ask a different question.

Why I was stuck… When I married Josh I gave up my dream of living in New York. My compromise was to live in Philly until his son graduated high school, under one condition – we would never move to the suburbs. It's not that I have anything against the suburbs; they just don't feed my soul like a city does. I need lots of diverse people, art, noise, and lights to feed my creative fire.

But then the city public schools became worse. Then his son's mom had some personal issues. And everyone agreed that the suburban school was the right place for him.

So off to the suburbs I went. We bought a beautiful house and I tried to have a good attitude, but with every passing day, I've felt more stuck. And the more stuck I feel, the more resentful I become of Josh. It's been super hard – especially since I'm always telling you that you must follow your heart's desires and soul's dreams no matter what!

But this is how it goes for all of us. You know what you want or you have an idea, but you make a compromise for someone you love, or you become afraid because someone said it was silly or selfish. So you back away from your idea and then feel small, caged, stuck, and even resentful or angry.

So I used my 3 favorite happiness + success questions and found a perfect solution that I'm SOOO excited about!!

1. How Can I? For two years, I've told myself “I can't live in New York City.” I convinced myself that I was stuck, and as a free spirit, that kind of cage was just making me more miserable and resentful. So recently, I used my favorite question, “How can I?” to see what else was possible. That's when my coach suggested that I live in NYC 3 days a week – that I commute, like so many do. It was so simple. So easy. Like, “duh!” Why didn't I think of that? To be honest, I had, and Josh had, but I had been scared. I didn't want him to resent me. I thought I was selfish for wanting it. I projected that it would be too expensive and it just wasn't feasible. I'm sure you get this. I'm sure you have all sorts of things you want to do that you tell yourself are impossible. You make up stories that people will be upset with you. You project what will go wrong. We all do this – and there go our dreams and our happiness.

So every time you hear yourself say, “I can't do that… it's too expensive… it's too risky… it's not practical” (etc, etc), ask, “How Can I?” and watch how this empowered stance instantly makes you feel happier and stronger!

2. Who Can Help? So when you have an idea but you have no idea how to do it, this is your next happiness + success question. When my coach suggested this 3-days-in-NY idea, I had no idea how to find an apartment for just a few days and I didn't want to spend $2000/month on one. So I asked my brain, “Who can help?” Instantly, I thought of 2 people who have back apartments out of use. One is a woman that I just met, but who recently offered for me to stay during an impending snowstorm. I didn't end up needing it then, but how awesome that she had JUST offered this! So, I emailed her and though I can't stay here regularly, she's letting me stay this week to see how I like the 3-days idea!! And here's how amazing the Universe (and this woman) is – she lives ON CENTRAL PARK. I have a huge beautiful space with a private bathroom and entrance…. It's heaven.

So get some help – even if it's scary or you don't like asking, or you feel guilty. People want to help. Ask friends if they know someone who can help, go through your mental roladex, or reach out to a coach for guidance and support.

3. What is the NEXT step I can take? Sometimes, we become paralyzed because an idea is too big or it seems too much of a long-shot, so we just give up. This is when we must narrow down to one step. The first step of this NY idea was to talk to Josh. I was nervous and scared! This is where a lot of us chicken out, but I took a deep breath and told him my idea. He gave me a hug. He said he understood, and though it isn't his first choice for our marriage, he knows it will make me happy, and therefore, probably make our marriage better. (Great guy, right?!)

Then came the next step – email people (see above). Then the next one, to try it out once, and here I am, on this bus. Renting a whole apartment felt too big right now, so I just needed to do it once and see. Then if I like it, do it once more. And then once more. And then in time, if it's the right solution for my own success and happiness, then we'll rent more permanent space.

So boil it down to one small step. Then another small step. Just one. If you want to write a book, take out a pen. If you want to become a Vice President, download a book on leadership. One step and watch how taking action leads to more action!

friend, I've used these 3 questions to do everything in life – from pursuing my purpose to moving across the country to creating my first retreat in Paris. It always works!

So what have you been wanting to do that would make you happier and/or more successful? Ask for a promotion? Learn a new skill? Start a business? Pursue a creative purpose?

Ask yourself these 3 questions and watch yourself take flight! And again, if you need help, reach out. Email me here! I have space for 2 new coaching clients and I'd be happy to host a free 30 minute consultation with you to discover how you can achieve your goals and to see if coaching is for you.

With so much love!
XO,
Carin

March 8, 2017 By Carin Rockind Leave a Comment

Happy International Women’s Day

When I was a little girl, my mom told me that I could be anything I wanted to.

She had wanted to be a doctor, but felt it wasn't an option in her day. So she became a teacher and then ran a college math department.

She woke everyday at 5 am to make us all breakfast and lunch. She graded papers all night while we did homework or watched TV. She sent cards for every birthday and to everyone who was sick. And most importantly, she did it all in JOY.

She showed me what it is to be strong, ambitious, of service, and generous. She is, in a word, my hero.

I celebrate her by doing exactly what I want to today. By being of service to YOU. By sharing my wisdom, stories, mistakes, knowledge, and tools to empower you to live a happier, more fulfilled life.

And whenever I feel like quitting, I remember her. Then I remember her mother, my grandmother, a holocaust survivor who came to the US with nothing and made a beautiful life here without EVER complaining about her circumstances.

And then I remember you.

See, we live in times where you can do whatever you want. Start a business? Yes! Be a single mom? Absolutely! Make money from art? Heck yes – have you heard of ETSY? 😉

So I will say to you exactly what my mother said to me: You can do ANYTHING you heart desires, anything you put your mind to.

And if you don't know what you want, begin uncovering it. What better day is there than International Women's Day to begin?

On this International Women's Day, remember that you are here for unique purpose – like my mom, like my grandmother, like me. My grandmother needed to survive the holocaust to leave her legacy, and you need to triumph through your challenges for yours.

I know – you may feel too old or tired or unsure. I've felt that before too. Or maybe you forget what you used to dream of. Or maybe after years of taking care of kids and partners and bosses, you're exhausted and lost and want to give up.

Don't give up. Give over. Surrender the challenge and let yourself explore your true self with curiosity and JOY.

I promise you this – you are EXACTLY the age and stage of life you need to be at in order to dive into your joyful, fulfilling purpose NOW.

You are brilliant not “despite” your age – but because of it. You are capable not “despite” your life challenges – but because you survived them. You are the only person in the world with your unique strengths and passions and talents and you were born to shine these brightly in the world!

You are worthy of shining. Like my mother. Like my grandmother. Like every strong woman who has come before us – from Rosa Parks to Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

You are them. They are you. We are each other.

And we rise by lifting each other up. We rise together.

That's why I'm super honored on this International Women's Day to announce a free empowerment webinar for women, “F*Midlife: Be Fierce, Fab and Fulfilled Now” on March 15 at 7 pm ET. Click here for information and to register.

If you've been struggling with purpose, join us. If you've been feeling overwhelmed, lost, or like something's missing, join us. If you're ready to make change on this International Women's Day and you want to feel empowered, then join us! It's going to be fun, inspiring and filled with action forward. If this resonates, click here to register to join us.

And most importantly, make sure that you take today to CELEBRATE YOU and the women in your life. Take a few moments to reflect on what you're proud of. Take a bath and envision what you're excited about. Call friends and tell them how much they inspire you.

Which leads me to my last point this International Women's Day – THANK YOU. You inspire me every day to be better at what I do. You light up my life, you bring me complete joy, you make the world a more loving place by being in this tribe. I am so grateful for you. Thank you for letting me serve and support you. You are my Sisters forever! Happy International Women's Day. ❤

I am your Sister. I love you so much!
Carin

PS – I have selected the dates for my next retreat in PARIS!!!! So stay tuned for an email soon to travel the world with me! Ooh la la!

March 1, 2017 By Carin Rockind Leave a Comment

Rejuvenating Your Soul

I have a confession: I've felt really overwhelmed lately.

I found myself in a hotel room two weeks ago crying. It seemed silly since life is good. My marriage is great, my work is great. But I was depleted. I was about to give a talk to 200 people, and I had nothing left to give.

I know I'm not alone. The energy has been chaotic and exhausting lately. There is so much fear and hatred around us that it's taking extra energy to simply stay afloat, let alone stay positive to uplift others.

I tried to solve it on my own. I ran, I meditated, I took a long hot shower. But the crying would not stop.

My sweet wonderful husband offered to take me away for a weekend, but all I wanted was the love and support of sisters who would wrap me in their arms and tell me it was going to be okay.

That's when I remembered that a dear friend had sent me an email about a women's retreat she was holding in Santa Barbara and I knew I had to go. I hold so many retreats, but for once, I needed to attend one. I needed someone else to take care of me.

And I'm so glad I did. For three days, we gathered as a group of women to connect, share, laugh, bond, heal, and thrive. They held me when I cried. I supported them when they were afraid. We cheered for each others' dreams, ideas, and business break-throughs. We helped each other strategize everything from balancing family and work to marketing our businesses. Plus, we had the ocean, the beach, the sun, and the beauty of the Four Seasons surrounding us. It was total HEAVEN! (It was so incredible that I'm thinking of having a retreat there sometime!)

My soul is rejuvenated. My heart is full. And my inner peace is restored.

Inner peace is possible for you too. You simply need to listen to what your body is telling you. If you're exhausted, you need retreat. If you're depleted, you need other women's love to fill you. In my F*Midlife Club, we've been talking about how to mother ourselves. You can give yourself the nourishing love you need and it's more important than ever.

Supporting women and being supported by women is the cure for depletion and overwhelm. We were never meant to do life alone, pretending to have it all together with perfectly manicured fingernails. Back in tribal times, women cooked for each other, nursed each others' children, and held each other through the pain of childbirth or broken hearts.

Your task for this week: Connect with loving, supportive women!
Find a group of loving, non-judgmental, supportive, and inspiring women to lift you up when you're down. Get a group who accepts you for who you are, not what you do. Join a group who believes in you, and is as excited for your “wins” as you are!

When you have Sisters, you feel safe to expand your wings and fly. You no longer feel alone. You feel supported in digging deep for purpose and going for it!

And since an amazing way to create sisterhood is to go on a retreat, stay tuned, as I'll be announcing my 2017 retreats soon in some amazing locations…including Paris!!!

Plus, I'll be opening the doors again to the F* Midlife Club soon, so stay tuned. Dr. Jenna Wider is our guest expert next month, and if you want to be among the first to know when it opens up again, please email me.

No matter what you do, listen to yourself this week. Give yourself the love of a kind, supportive mother to her baby. Surround yourself with Sisters who get it, who will love you through pain, and cheerlead you to triumph. And take time to replete your energy in nature, meditation, and quiet. You deserve it.

I am your Sister. I love you so much!
Carin