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Week 11: Are you listening to your life?

*Welcome to our 101 new subscribers since last Thursday! You inspire me to keep writing. Please keep forwarding the newsletter along. Thank you for sharing this column with your friends around the world.

IN THE NEWS:

*LISTEN TO YOUR LIFE is in bookstores now! You can order your signed copy today at our secure online store http://www.valorieburton.com/store.html. Listen to Your Life is $13.99 and a special two-book package with Rich Minds, Rich Rewards is just $25.

* There are D.C., Dallas and Indianapolis book signings and speaking engagements over the next week. Thank you to everyone in Raleigh, NC, the first stop on my book tour! (http://www.valorieburton.com/vevents.html or the bottom of this email for more book tour details)

WASHINGTON, D.C. TODAY, Thursday, March 18th. Meet me from 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. at Reprint Book Shop at 455 L'Enfant Plaza SW in downtown D.C.

MARYLAND: Sunday, March 21st, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Come out to Potomac Adventist Bookstore in Silver Spring, Maryland.

INDIANAPOLIS: Tuesday, March 23rd, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., I will speak and sign books at Greater Gethsemane Missionary Baptist Church in Indianapolis, Indiana.

DALLAS: Wednesday, Thursday, March 25th luncheon(www.awcdallas.org), Friday, March 26th (Jokaes, 6 - 8 pm), and Saturday, March 27th (Black Images, 12 - 2 pm)

The Life Enrichment Challenge ... This month's challenge is all about overcoming your fear and going for it! Check out week 11 on Friday at http://www.blackamericaweb.com/site.aspx/Praise/challenge/.
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This week's topic:
Are you listening to your life?

Dear Friends,

This week, with the release of my latest book, Listen to Your Life: Following your unique path to extraordinary success (Waterbrook/Random House), I'd like to share seven principles with you that are essential to living the life you were created to live. Extraordinary success is about experiencing fulfillment in all areas of your life, not just your career, but your relationships, health, finances, and spiritual life.

It's possible to be on a path in your life that looks successful to the outside world, and yet still not be on a fulfilling path - the one that is trying to get your attention, hoping you will listen. Your unique path is based on your purpose in life, your natural gifts and talents, and your "divine assignments" at any given moment in time. It is about allowing God to use you - including your unique personality, gifts, passions, and experiences - to make an impact on the lives of others. There are times when your path will make a turn, and you must be able to listen to what your life is teaching, telling and showing you so that you know when to step into a new phase of life, when to let go or when to make an important move.

Consider these seven principles I'd like to share with you today from Listen to Your Life. Each point ends with a quote from the book. Use them as you journey towards a life of great passion and fulfillment:

1. Connection: In today's fast-paced, overloaded world, many of us have become disconnected from ourselves, God and the people in our lives. Take the time to deliberately re-connect on a daily basis. This means time a few quiet moments to yourself, time for prayer, meditation or even a walk outdoors.
- "Connection empowers you to find your path, stay on it, and return to it when you stray... and honesty is essential for connection."

2. Self-Curiosity: Be willing to question your behavior and ask yourself, "Why do I feel this way? What am I afraid of? What would it take for me to step up to the next level of my life?" By being curious about yourself, your desires and even your self-sabotaging habits, you can find the answers to become the whole and healthy person you are meant to be.
- "Self-curiosity challenges your beliefs and bad habits, helps you identify the annoyances that drain your energy and gives you the insight to recognize and avoid the distractions that can lure you onto a less-than-fulfilling path."

3. Vision: It is possible that you had a vision, you've now fulfilled it, and haven't given thought to what's next for your life. Remember to create a new vision at difference stages of your life. Make it vivid and specific, and set a deadline. This will compel you to move forward. Be aware of the issues that can impair your vision -- your perceptions, persective and ability to focus on impact your vision.
- "A dream only serves us if we turn it into a vision and act on it to bring it to life. Otherwise, it only frustrates us and leaves us feeling hopeless and helpless."

4. Creativity: Success doesn't always come in a traditional package. Be willing to tap into your creativity so that you can blaze trails that need to be blazed and create new opportunities for yourself and others. When you feel stuck, ask yourself, "What options haven't I considered?"
- "Creativity is the ability to bring to life something of purpose, value, and appeal that did not previously exist.

5. Expectancy: What are you really expecting in your life? Do your actions indicate that you are expecting to live an extraordinarily successful life? You must maintain an attitude of positive expectancy because your attitude impacts your thoughts, and your thoughts determine your actions. Your actions on a daily basis create your reality.
- "Expectancy allows you to continue walking when the exhaustion of the journey leaves you ready to give up"

6. Flow: There are times in life when you must simple "go with the flow." Turbulence and disappointments will come in everyone's life. The key is to keep life in perspective, learn from your experiences and allow what you learn to expand your capacity for growth.
- "Imagine that your path is a river with twists and turns... if you flow with the river, you enjoy the smoothest journey. You might get bruised at points along the way, but not as badly as if you fought the currents and tired yourself out."

7. Abundance: Everything you need is available to you. You can choose to focus on what you don't have, or take care of what you do have and even cause it to multiply.
- "What you focus on will expand...The most abundant path is the one that uses your natural talents and gifts. The doors of abundance open widest in the direction of your talents. The work you do is an extension of who you are."

I hope you'll take the time to listen to what your life is telling you today and step onto the path of the life you were created to live. Your path is waiting and ready for you.

Until next time ...

Warm wishes,
Valorie

LISTEN TO YOUR LIFE BOOK TOUR SCHEDULE (REMAINING DATES)

Washington, DC - Thursday, March 18th - 12:30 p.m. until 1:30 p.m.
Booksigning
Reprint Book Shop
455 L'Enfant Plaza SW
Washington, D.C.
More info: Richard Purcell, (202) 554-5070

Silver Spring, MD - Sunday, March 21st - 2:00 until 4:00 p.m.
Chat & Booksigning
Potomac Adventist Bookstore
12004 Cherry Hill Road
Silver Spring, Maryland
More info: Paul Glenn (301) 572-0700

Indianapolis, IN - Tuesday, March 23rd - 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Speaking engagement and book signing
Greater Gethsemane Missionary Baptist Church
902 Dr Martin Luther King Jr., Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202
More info: (317) 635-5194

Dallas, TX - Thursday, March 25th - 12:00 p.m.
Luncheon keynote
Association for Women in Communications
Event details at: www.awcdallas.org
Contact: Alisha Bell, alisha.bell@eds.com

Dallas, TX - Friday, March 26th - 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Chat & Booksigning
Jokae's African-American Books
3917 W. Camp Wisdom
Dallas, Texas
Contact: Til Pettis, (972) 283-0558

Dallas, TX - Saturday, March 27th - 12:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Chat & Booksigning
Black Images Books
230 Wynnewood Village
Dallas, Texas
Contact: Emma Rodgers, (214) 943-0142

Atlanta, GA area - Thursday, April 1st, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Chat & Booksigning
Borders Books, Stonecrest
8000 Mall Parkway
Lithonia, GA 30038
More info: (678) 526-2550

Greenville, SC - Friday, April 2nd, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Chat & Booksigning
Family Christian Stores, Haywood Mall
700 Haywood Rd.
Greenville, SC 29607
More info: 864-297-9504

Bowie, MD (Washington, DC area) - Saturday, April 10th, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Chat & Booksigning
Karibu Bookstore
15624 Emerald Way
Bowie, Maryland 20716
More info: (301) 352-4110

Philadelphia, PA - Friday, April 23rd
Seminar & Closing Keynote
Professional Development Conference for Women
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
More info: Laurie Haughey, hlaurie@clemson.edu

Philadelphia, PA - Friday, April 23rd, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Chat & Booksigning
CLC Bookstore
Market Square @ Chestnut Hill
7700 Crittenden Street
Philadelphia PA 19118
More info: Kevin Walker, (215) 242-4790

New York (Harlem), NY - Saturday, April 24th , 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Chat & Booksigning
Hue-Man Bookstore
2319 Frederick Douglass Blvd (between 124th & 125th St. on 8th Avenue)
New York, NY 10027
More info: (212) 665-7400

More dates are forthcoming! Please check back weekly to see if Valorie is headed to your area.

To inquire about a speaking engagement, or having your book club or organization "host" a signing, contact Angie Steele at (919) 471-8540 or angie@asteeleinc.com.
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