click here to open post Mar 15, 2011 | posted in Inspire, Personal | 23 comments

One of my favorite feelings in the world is the warmth of the sun, beating on my back. I felt that today.

I love nothing more than spending time outside, being active, with my children.  We did that all day long.

Nothing makes my tummy happier than sushi wrapped in brown rice. That’s what we had for dinner.

The sunset brings peace to my soul and tears to my eyes. Today, I watched the sunset.

And, I love whales. Let me say that again, I LOVE whales. And this evening, as we sat, eating sushi wrapped in brown rice, muscles aching from a long day of hiking, biking, beaching with the kids, watching the sun dip behind the horizon, I said to Richie sadly, “It’s the end of the season, and I haven’t seen any whales this year.” Less than two seconds passed (scouts honor) before a whale came out of the water, in full breach, right before my very eyes. From there it was one after the next after the next. It was like they knew I was there and wanted to say goodbye before they headed out for the Summer. They put on quite a show as the sun slipped behind the water’s edge.

What a beautiful, beautiful day.

Try to tell ME there’s not a God and that he doesn’t intimately know and love his children. I won’t buy it.

Like I said, it was a BEAUTIFUL day. May have been one of the very best so far.

xx,

N

I left town for a few days, and unbeknownst to me, Richie wrote a book started a revolution.

People constantly ask, “What does your husband do?” and I constantly stare back at them somewhat dumbfounded, because what I WANT to say is, “Richie makes waves, moves mountains and changes the world!” But it’s hard to make THAT fit into the confines of a monetized job description.

Richie helps people. He helps them overcome obstacles, live dreams and build authentic relationships with the people who mater most. He helps them get real and be happy, and he helps them make lots and lots of money in the process. Until they come up with a title for THAT, I think I’ll have to maintain my mindless stare.

I had nothing to do with the writing of this book. It’s smarter, braver and better than anything I could ever create. Resumés Are Dead And What To Do About It is brilliant, bold and unabashed. Not to mention timely, relevant and perfectly practical in every way. Download your FREE digital copy here. Also, enter to win a free 1 hour business consultation with Richie (valued at $350).

Way to be Richie! I’ve never been more proud to ride your coattails!

xx, N

PS. Ever wondered why (or HOW) we live in Hawaii? Ever wondered why (or HOW) we do things like. . . say. . . take our 7 year old to Nicaragua for the weekend? Ever wondered how we weather grief, stay happy and get.things.done? Every one of those questions is answered in this quick but beefy 30 page read.

PPS. If you’ve already downloaded the book, head over to download the updated version (as of 3.2.2011).

click here to open post Feb 09, 2011 | posted in Inspire, Personal | 22 comments

The other day wasn’t my favorite. No description necessary. It just wasn’t my favorite day. Period. Everything felt hard. Everything felt impossible. Everything felt heavy. Everything felt insurmountable.

I went for a run, and I talked to God. I asked why suddenly everything felt so “off.” I asked why things that only days before had felt organized and under control now felt impossible. My capacity to maintain momentum and lasting change felt impossible. My ability to appropriately navigate grief and pain felt impossible. Life itself, felt impossible. As I was having these thoughts, I methodically rounded a corner and headed up a hill. I’d run this hill a million and one times; it’s a standard part of my regular course. On this particular day, as I rounded that corner, I didn’t break stride as I leaned into the incline. If anything, my pace increased.

And I heard a voice, from deep within my heart, as loud as thunder: “But you’re good at impossible. Look, you’re doing the impossible right this very instant.” And it was true. In that very instant, I was accomplishing the absolute impossible. Only months before, I could hardly walk this very stretch, yet here I was, sprinting effortlessly to the top.

I felt a lump of deep and abiding love and gratitude well up in my throat.

“That which you persist in doing becomes easy . . . not that the nature of the thing has changed, but your power and ability to do has increased.” H.J. Grant

Every day since, when I approach that hill, I open throttle. It’s my reminder that I am capable of anything and that “each day comes to me with both hands full of possibilities” (Helen Keller). I simply have to reach out and take them.

Natalie Norton

I’m writing from 26 ° Manhattan. Truth. Today, I saw snow. . . ON.THE.BEACH. Also truth. What is happening to the world as I know it?!

All joking aside, it’s almost impossible to express exactly how it feels to be a part of this work. I pinch myself every single day, every single city, every single group of AMAZING people, who not only SHOW UP but they STEP UP to make things REALLY happen in their lives. I can promise you, they leave, forever changed, and they’d be the very first to tell you so.

There’s no magic in The Making Things Happen Intensive, only tools. Direction. Insight. And. . . a heavy dose of encouragement, because we really are capable of GREAT things in our lives. We really truly are. There’s no shame in dreaming big, living big, making waves. I hope you receive every single dream your heart desires, and then a million more.

xx,

Me

PS. Charlotte, I didn’t forget about you. I will NEVER forget about you. Ladies, you changed my world.

My goal.

I want to start a revolution.

My goal with this workshop is to dramatically alter the systems with which women run their businesses, families and their homes. I’m calling for a systematic rework that allows for mothers to live their dreams, share their talents, reach their lofty goals and TAP THEIR CREATIVE POTENTIAL, while simultaneously excelling in home and family life.

My goal with Breathe is not to sell out. It’s not to fill a room with as many bodies as the Fire Marshall can stand in order to turn a strong profit. My intention with Breathe is simple.

I believe WHOLEHEARTEDLY in the principles behind this workshop. These principles have changed my business–by substantially focusing and accelerating my growth, influence and overall success. These principles have transformed my family–by helping me to define which home and family elements really matter most to me and giving me the structure and commitment to prioritize them appropriately.

My goal in this intensive is to break these valuable success principles into actionable steps and share them with YOU.

What this workshop is NOT:

You should know, while we will be discussing outsourcing some, this is not simply a lecture on outsourcing.

Outsourcing, while a beautiful piece of the puzzle in many situations, is not the singular magic bullet to profitable business and blissful family life, and quite frankly, it’s just not realistic in every set of circumstances.

This is also not merely a discussion on striking balance. We’re going beyond that toward absolute SYNERGY between family and work life.

If our business life isn’t supporting, empowering and enhancing our core family goals and responsibilities 100%, something’s got to change. Period.

What this workshop IS:


This is very much a lifestyle rework, or a “lifestyle by design” intensive.

We will work together to define exactly what you’re looking for in terms of business and family life and determine exactly how the two can work together to create the very most powerful ends possible. The results here are greater profitability and satisfaction in business and greater order, happiness, purpose and fulfillment at home.

If you’re looking for a lecture, this is not the workshop for you. Breathe will require you to step in and do the hard work (read “smart work”) to get exactly what is you really want (and very often, something even better!). Breathe will require you to get in touch with your core, the deepest parts of the guts that make you who you really are. It will require you to answer some tough questions and face some tough facts. It may require you to change deeply seeded and limiting thought patterns that could be holding you back from living your full potential–as a mother, a wife, and a small business owner who hopes to have success with the Salesforce strategies.

The bottom line.

Do you believe that? Because I sure do. If you’re going to play at the dual roled life of mother and entreperneur, you’d better be ready to bring your A Game. No excuses.

I’m of the mentality that if you’re going to play, play hard. If you’re going to live, live well. If you’re going to work, be awesome. If you’re going to do something, you deserve to figure out how to do it well.

You deserve clarity and success in your business, order and fulfillment in your home, joy and passion in your marriage, and laughter and love with your children.

You deserve to Breathe.

Email: aloha{at}natalienortonblog{dot}com
to reserve your seat!