Greg is back on the podcast again today, to talk about his experiences this year with the Indigo ExoSkeleton, a device that allows him, as a paraplegic, to walk on his own. It's really cool science and I got him on here to explain it to us and talk about his experience with it.

In this episode he touches on:

* What it's like to have something taken away and then given back 10 years later.

* How do you even go about re-learning something like walking

* Tricks to getting out of bed if you're feeling depressed or down

* How goals play a role in maintaining a positive attitude

* Going about each day energetically

* and lot's more

Have the best day ever!!!

Thanks so much for listening!! I would love if you'd leave a review & subscribe on iTunes...HOW TO LEAVE A REVIEW FROM YOUR IPHONE: 1. Open podcast app   2. Search for "Passion Design Project"   3. Click on my Podcast   4. Tap Reviews & tap "Write review"

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In Morocco, I found myself wondering what was underneath the headscarves some women wear; who was that person really. In general, I find myself wondering that about people as I watch how they interact and go about their day.

Look around you. What layers do you see?

For me, I see a painting sitting on my floor. It may just look like a ski painting, but when I think about the layers that it took to create it, I'm reminded that I painted it because I lived in Aspen, I learned to ski there, I was inspired by old ski posters and created it, it inspired a whole collection of paintings that I created a future art show around. This painting looks quite simple from the outside, but the layers of it tell a story and help me remember how I got to where I am.

So what layers do you see? Maybe nothing stands out immediately but choose something; there's always more to see. And like mine, often not just one layer appears, but multiple. From doorways to people, to books, layers unfold stories that lie unseen if you only give, hurried quick glances.

Now it's nice to look at the layers of things, but the layers of people are what I want to look at. They are often the part that can connect you the most. And we know that connection is one of the most important tools in life and business. To bring out what is inside people or yourself is where the real magic lies. That's why social media has become a tough place to find real friends. You see the exterior good things but rarely are shown the layers that accompany a person.

How do we discover what's inside others and connect? I'm fairly certain it all starts with ourselves. Do you ever pause to remember who you really are, what your real purpose is? Do you first know the layers of your own self? I think sometimes we get in groves where we walk through life  not even knowing who we are following or why we do certain things.

Take some quiet time to explore your own layers. Who are you today and why? Then, ask if you are living for the BIG picture stuff (love, relationships, moments of happiness). Or are you allowing the smaller things to act macho (moods, negative thoughts, irritations, to-do lists)? What are the layers of you exposing?

Once you realize why you're doing things and if you are staying true to your big picture goals, you'll find it easier and more comfortable to expose your own layers to others. In turn, you'll discover people with similar layers will be drawn to you, and natural connections occur. In other words, vulnerability occurs, which is a whole subject in itself.

So today, don't be afraid to explore more of yourself and share a bit more with others.

Have the best day ever!!!

Thanks so much for listening!! I would love if you'd leave a review & subscribe on iTunes...HOW TO LEAVE A REVIEW FROM YOUR IPHONE: 1. Open podcast app   2. Search for "Passion Design Project"   3. Click on my Podcast   4. Tap Reviews & tap "Write review"

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A few weeks ago I spent a couple weeks in Morocco. One night at the beginning of my trip, I woke up frantic and unsettles, knowing I was jet-lagged but stressed that everything was possibly not going perfectly. I almost walked outside my room at midnight to try and get some wifi and external comfort but knew if I was going to grow and make this a good trip I needed to train myself to beat the stress from within.

I had been reading some books about getting stronger mentally and knew this was an opportunity just waiting for me. If you've got any serious things stressing you out right now, I want to give you an extremely easy process that you can do this instant to take away and relieve the stress. Most importantly you have to realize that this is possible, and you stressing isn't helping yourself or anyone else (everyone will probably thank you!)

Here's the process:

* Think of 5 people who have it worse off than you, though 2 is usually sufficient.

* Naturally, #1 helps you remember what you do have going for you in that moment (since you aren't in those peoples' positions), so now expand on that to think of all the current things you're grateful for.

* With a more grounded, logical mind, think back to the original problem. Why is it happening? Is it a fear you have, a bad thought you're creating, a reoccurring feeling, etc.?

* The next step. What's something you can do tomorrow (or right now) to conquer or get rid of this fear/problem? Usually, we've made our problem really huge, when actually 1 small thing can turn it in a positive direction.

When this works for you, please let me know! I TOTALLY know and feel you about getting stressed and thinking whatever is happening is the worst. thing. ever. But believe me, if I can turn a problem around instantly alone in Morocco, you can do it yourself too!

Have the best day ever!!!

Thanks so much for listening!! I would love if you'd leave a review & subscribe on iTunes...HOW TO LEAVE A REVIEW FROM YOUR IPHONE: 1. Open podcast app   2. Search for "Passion Design Project"   3. Click on my Podcast   4. Tap Reviews & tap "Write review"

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Over the summer I went to an absolutely incredible conference put on by the email service ConvertKit. It was my first time in Boise, a place I'd wanted to visit and a very convenient spot as it's just the state next door. I wanted to share some notes with you all, to provide a bit of inspiration and motivation in short doses of notes that I took.

PART II

* Add my personality to everything. Don't be a copy.

* Love what you're doing, but put an invoice behind it.

* Automate systems, not relationships.

* If you aren't the best yet, have the best work ethic. Take initiative, do what I say I will, and do the things most people only talk about.

* Engagement is KING. Make Time + Make Friends = Make $$

* If people ask you questions, think about how you can monetize answers.

* Research brands and tell them a way you can work together (so they don't have to figure it out themselves)

* The secret is telling people what you know.

* People engage in the STORY. Tell a story, always.

* Target the smallest possible audience. Niche down!

* Remember: If someone else decides your info is worth talking about, then it's REMARKABLE.

* Artists view the world through abundance & see opportunity.

* We do not need more copiers.

* It's not too late.

Have the best day ever!!!

Thanks so much for listening!! I would love if you'd leave a review & subscribe on iTunes...HOW TO LEAVE A REVIEW FROM YOUR IPHONE: 1. Open podcast app   2. Search for "Passion Design Project"   3. Click on my Podcast   4. Tap Reviews & tap "Write review"

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Over the summer I went to an absolutely incredible conference put on by the email service ConvertKit. It was my first time in Boise, a place I'd wanted to visit and a very convenient spot as it's just the state next door. I wanted to share some notes with you all, to provide a bit of inspiration and motivation in short doses of notes that I took.

* When I do something awesome, don't automatically look at who's doing it better. Keep the joy!

* -Ask yourself: Can I feel the joy now? (Because you won't later if you don't enjoy the moment now)

* Look for opportunity in spaces outside of what you do. So much opportunity is available if you leave your bubble.

* Ask yourself: How can I be the first to enter this space?

* Worries take up space in your head that you need for creating. Also, they take up space that you could be looking for opportunities, money, etc.

* Make good habits easy (less steps). Add more steps to get to bad habits.

* At first: just put in the work

* Make things INTERESTING. Are you doing things, just to do them?

* Ask Questions. In the words of Tim Ferriss "become a good question-asker"

* Am I fulfilling a very specific need? How could I?

* STOP comparing and judging myself

* Unsubscribe to all distraction! Eliminate possible interruptions.

* Doing the same thing (aka not growing) means getting the same results and the same income. Be courageous enough to make changes.

* Find partnerships.

* Add my personality to everything. Don't be a copy.

* Love what you're doing, but put an invoice behind it.

* Automate systems, not relationships.

* If you aren't the best yet, have the best work ethic. Take initiative, do what I say I will, and do the things most people only talk about.

* Engagement is KING. Make Time + Make Friends = Make $$

* If people ask you questions, think about how you can monetize answers.

* Research brands and tell them a way you can work together (so they don't have to figure it out themselves)

* The secret is telling people what you know.

* People engage in the STORY. Tell a story, always.

* Target the smallest possible audience. Niche down!

* Remember: If someone else decides your info is worth talking about, then it's REMARKABLE.

* Artists view the world through abundance & see opportunity.

* We do not need more copiers.

* It's not too late.

Have the best day ever!!!

Thanks so much for listening!! I would love if you'd leave a review & subscribe on iTunes...HOW TO LEAVE A REVIEW FROM YOUR IPHONE: 1. Open podcast app   2. Search for "Passion Design Project"   3. Click on my Podcast   4. Tap Reviews & tap "Write review"

Find out more on my website at www.PassionDesignProject.com

Join me on Facebook at Passion Design Project & Subscribe to the Newsletter to get podcast updates!

"Excellence creates comfort. We never, ever compromise on quality. The message deserves nothing less."  -Crash Course, Fresh Life Church

I've been a Christian my entire life. Growing up in a conservative, and slightly boring, Lutheran church, and then branching out to contemporary megachurches once I got in college. From college on, I moved around a lot at that point and found it fun to attend many different churches, which also made me notice differences and similarities that made churches thrive.

I'm a bit hesitant to say this because the point of church is really to develop a relationship with God and be in community with others. But, like everything these days, some people/brands/businesses/churches stand out, while others don't. And I don't think that's a bad thing. It's just like in business, you can't continue doing the same thing year after year and expect people to be interested or excited. Sure you can offer the same exact thing (in this case, faith itself,) but to reach more people (which is the point), you have to continually work and be better.

Which is what brings me back to my original quote I mentioned.

Two years about I was up in Bozeman visiting a friend and staying in a cabin in the mountains. Since I was there over the weekend, and since Bozeman is bigger than Jackson, I thought there might be a chance that there would be a contemporary church in town. I prefer contemporary services because the worship is more engaging, the preaching is very relatable to today, and to be honest, they are often more welcoming and less awkward.

I came across a cool website, a church called Fresh Life, and decided I'd go, and talk my friend I'd driven up with into going. The funniest part was when we walked in and the band was playing and he turns to me, looking confused, and says "I think we're in the wrong place." That really made me laugh because if you're only familiar with old-school churches this will seem a bit strange.

So I loved it, I came back to Jackson and wrote them an email that they should start a site in Jackson, and began watching online occasionally.

Fast-forward 2 years, and next month, they are launching their Jackson location. I really couldn't be more excited!

Which brings me to the topic of excellence. How? Because a few of us who are helping launch the church are going through Crash Course, their intro course to the church and this piece happened to be what stood out to me the most. I actually am really enjoying the course, as it is enlightening for me to look at it in a business sense and hear how they have been successful while sticking to their morals first and foremost...something quite a few businesses fail at.

So what does excellence have to do with anything? When they said we do nothing half-way, it made me think of myself. I've always prided myself on a relaxed approach to business, making things happen but not taking anything too seriously. I try hard, but if it doesn't work out, oh well. I work with a lot of people on projects, but if I'm being honest, I put my time before theirs.

So when this excellence point came up, and they talked about how they would never do anything halfway, never compromise on quality, because what they are creating deserves that, it hit home with me. It also made me think of Jo on Fixer Upper. When shes renovating a house and maybe the color she just had them paint it is one tiny shade off, but she has them repaint it. In my head, I'm always thinking, "Gosh that seems like unnecessary work" and I don't think I'd redo it, but after this talk, it's all making more sense. She's not willing to give just enough to get by, and that is probably a key part of why she is where she is today.

Excellence allows people to understand quickly and easily, while also creating a comfortable environment.

For this episode, I decided I would go through the questions Tim Ferriss has been asking on his new Podcast. I think questions are an art form and having the right questions can be really exciting for listeners. Since he has developed this skill very well, I'm going to share them.

I think sometimes we go through life not even knowing exactly what we stand for, and I know I found a few of these hard to answer, specifically #3. It's always good to take some time to know where you stand so you know how good you're doing and/or if you want to change something.

I had my boyfriend go through them all with me a couple weeks ago and it was enlightening to hear, so I thought this would be great 1. if you don't listen to Tim and haven't heard these yet and 2. get a little insight on me in hopes that something I might say is interesting to you.

Here are the questions, and my answers will be on the recorded version

* What is the book (or books) you’ve given most as a gift, and why? Or what are one to three books that have greatly influenced your life?

* What purchase of $100 or less has most positively impacted your life in the last six months (or in recent memory)? My readers love specifics like brand and model, where you found it, etc.

* How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success? Do you have a “favorite failure” of yours?

* If you could have a gigantic billboard anywhere with anything on it — metaphorically speaking, getting a message out to millions or billions — what would it say and why? It could be a few words or a paragraph. (If helpful, it can be someone else’s quote: Are there any quotes you think of often or live your life by?)

* What is one of the best or most worthwhile investments you’ve ever made? (Could be an investment of money, time, energy, etc.)

* What is an unusual habit or an absurd thing that you love?

* In the last five years, what new belief, behavior, or habit has most improved your life?

* What advice would you give to a smart, driven college student about to enter the “real world”? What advice should they ignore?

* What are bad recommendations you hear in your profession or area of expertise?

* In the last five years, what have you become better at saying no to (distractions, invitations, etc.)? What new realizations and/or approaches helped? Any other tips?

* When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, or have lost your focus temporarily, what do you do? (If helpful: What questions do you ask yourself?)

Have the best day ever!!!

Thanks so much for listening!! I would love if you'd leave a review & subscribe on iTunes...HOW TO LEAVE A REVIEW FROM YOUR IPHONE: 1. Open podcast app   2. Search for "Passion Design Project"   3. Click on my Podcast   4. Tap Reviews & tap "Write review"

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If you haven't listened to episode 65 prior to this, that's a good intro, but if you just want to dive right into Wealthy Affirmations, here they are. There are 30 and I will say each one twice, so that you can repeat it with me the 2nd time. Do this every day and watch your mindset around money change right before your eyes!

I have a positive money mindset

I deserve wealth and prosperity

I see abundance all around me

I choose to feel good about money

I have confidence in my ability to make money

I know that money is a tool to be used

I deserve success and wealth

I make more than enough money to meet my needs

I have a millionaire mind

Being wealthy enables me to help others

I love spending money on things that bring me joy

I choose to have financial freedom

I welcome money into my life

* I am becoming wealthier each day

* My bank account is always growing

* I find it easy to attract money

* Financial opportunities are always coming my way

* I am becoming rich

* I have a positive attitude about money

* The more I give, the more I receive

* My money allows me to have a life I love.

* People love giving me money.

* I naturally attract money.

* I have fun earning money.

* It is smart to be wealthy.

* I love how easily I manifest money.

* I am happy, healthy and wealthy.

* I can easily afford anything I want.

* I am a good money manager.

* I trust that more money is coming to me.

Have the best day ever!!!

Thanks so much for listening!! I would love if you'd leave a review & subscribe on iTunes...HOW TO LEAVE A REVIEW FROM YOUR IPHONE: 1. Open podcast app   2. Search for "Passion Design Project"   3. Click on my Podcast   4. Tap Reviews & tap "Write review"

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Do you use affirmations?? I've been back and forth about them, but recently have decided to go ALL IN. Because really, what's the point in only going half into things? That's like saying you want a chocolate cookie but are only going to use half the ingredients or half the heat. Probably not going to get your desired outcome, right?

If you aren't familiar with affirmations, they are basically sentences that you repeat to yourself or listen to, that ingrain certain thoughts into your subconscious. Actually, I already did an Affirmation Episode back on Episode 13 to be used as a guide for saying affirmations, but this is important enough that, 50 episodes later, it's time to revisit the subject.

Affirmations can be used for just about anything. Actually, you probably use them right now whether you know about it or not. And you know what's scary? You might actually be using them in the WRONG way.

What?!

Think about your day, and I'm going from personal experience here. Being an entrepreneur is tough, and there are a lot of times when you just can't really see the light at the end of the tunnel. Or the light is like a little pinprick because it seems 10 bajilliion miles away. It's at those times when I usually find myself thinking, "how am I going to actually make money on this project" or one of my personal faves "they can't afford this so I will devalue it."

And the thing is, it's SO easy to justify these thoughts/affirmations we tell ourselves. You wanna help others afford you so you dumb down your prices. It seems nice and easy. But you know what isn't very nice or easy? Paying your bills at the end of the month and not having any spare change left over. But guess who does? Your customers that you basically gave your things or time to.

Okay so that's drastic, but I want to make this pretty clear because so many of us justify not having money and then continue living out this truth for years and years and maybe our lifetime. My point is, this is the way NOT to use affirmations. I really want you to take into account what you are thinking about during the day. When I did this, I realized I was basically thinking about dead ends all day long. Maybe I would have a good hour and get really inspired, but as soon as I jumped on social media and saw people doing what I wanted I went back to my old thought patterns, which could be summed up as, "how will my finances ever change?"

Enter Positive Affirmations. So I started listening to every YouTube video on Money mindset that I could find. Now, I know all about money mindset and how it's something you have to continually work on and develop, but I'd gotten lax, at a time when I definitely shouldn't have. If you're maybe a little lax in the area of a positive money mindset, and not in the financial position you really want to be in, I URGE you to jump 1,000% into these.

If it seems too woo-woo for you like it did for me in the past, just do a google search of Celebs that use Affirmations and literally a ton of them pop up. Stating what you WANT every day instead of what you're sick of or what you fear or what you worry about is soooooo powerful. Will Smith, Oprah, Jim Carrey, etc. are doing quite alright and if they credit affirmations as one of the main components to being where they are, there's got to be something to it, right?

I'm focusing on Money Affirmations because I think it's an area that a lot of people stay away from. Who wants to be heard saying "I have a millionaire mind!" out loud? I'm still working on getting past the embarrassment. But if you break it down, money is just an exchange of value. I mean really we could just be exchanging pizzas all day, but dollars are easier. So don't think of money as some holier than thou paper. It's just how we show and prove value.

So in that case,

A few months back I started really focusing on doing more art. It's always been a side-passion of mine, but as I had more and more people requesting my services, I realized it would be really easy to make money with art. Becoming a full-time artist meant I had to think about creative ways to bring in money, not only for surviving but because I was interested in seeing which methods could bring me the most consistent income.

Today I'm telling you about one of my favorite sources of income this summer: Watercolor class events!

Don't worry if you aren't an artist because events can be applied to a lot of industries to attract new customers and get current clients more engaged!

On this episode I cover:

* How I started these events all by myself in 2 days.

* How you can make sure you profit before even hosting an event.

* The way I've gotten up to 40 people at one event (that meant almost a $1000! profit in one night)

* The best way to contact a venue to collaborate.

* How to keep in contact with people who come to the event for future projects.

* The exact Facebook Ad strategy I use. (on my last 9 events I've spent approx $280 altogether and made $1000. About a $700 profit!)

I think events are one of the best ways to get to know your customers, plus since we do so much online it's nice to actually do things in person!

I'd love to hear if you host events or you plan to after this!

Thanks so much for listening, it means the world to me!! I would love if you'd leave a review on iTunes and tell me what you're up to in life! 

HOW TO LEAVE A REVIEW FROM YOUR IPHONE: 1. Open podcast app   2. Search for "Passion Design Project"   3. Click on my Podcast   4. Tap Reviews & tap "Write review"

As always, you can find more episodes like this on my website at www.PassionDesignProject.com or subscribe on iTunes to get them delivered to your app.

If you know of a perfect guest for the podcast you can reach me at [email protected] or by finding me on Facebook at Passion Design Project.

Have the best day ever today!!!

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