Orientation Welcome to the first day of the rest or your life! IвЂ™m delighted to be mentoring you in The Academy. Orientation is very important preparation for your success in this world-class coaching certification program. And in fact, IвЂ™ve been given some very special вЂњdownloadsвЂќ for the teaching and content youвЂ™ll receive during your Orientation. So often, the keys to success involve adding NEW information, taking new action, implementing new systems, meeting new people, doing new things. That is exactly what will occur in the teaching and training modules of The Academy. However, a major reason why more women do not maximize group programs or even private coaching attention, is the daunting process of adding more NEW to an already overloaded container. Picture yourself taking a fabulous trip to a destination youвЂ™ve dreamed of visiting. And when youвЂ™re there, you see beautiful clothes, jewelry, and perhaps gorgeous pieces for your home and office, and even perfect gifts for friends and family. You decide to purchase these fabulous items. And then you get back to your hotel suite and realize, the suitcases you brought are already jammed full! ThereвЂ™s no room left to add any of your new delights. The same situation happens everyday in the personal development and business building world. The new teachings and information canвЂ™t be added to a totally stuffed containerвЂ”meaning your life. Now the overly masculine model would either not be in-tune or not recognize the boundaries of the container; it might use brute force to вЂњstuff inвЂќ the new items. And we see what happens with this methodвЂ¦the suitcase breaks, the zippers get ripped and the contents arenвЂ™t safe and supported. With this said, IвЂ™m thrilled to invite you intoвЂ¦ The AcademyвЂ™s Orientation Process of Emptying and Completion Throughout our journey together weвЂ™ll be working with the empowered feminine archetype of the Queen, based on the ancient story of Queen Esther of Persia. You can watch my video on this story here: http://ginadevee.com/academyvideoestersstory/ and click on Video 2. The way that I explain the archetype of the Queen, based on this story, is that she is a masterful blend of both masculine and feminine energies. We donвЂ™t place one above the other as much as we use each at the appropriate times in our lives. And, in general, starting with the feminine and then moving into the masculine is appropriate. Doing so creates empowered femininity, which is something I believe we all crave. To take excellent care of all of you, your desires and dreams, I believe it is important to begin Orientation from a feminine perspective. So we will not be jamming new information into your life. Instead, I invite you into an era of preparation and completion, so that you will have taken excellent care of yourself; and you will be ready to receive the NEW information in the teaching modules when they begin. Most women feel вЂњbehindвЂќ in their lives, feeling as though they donвЂ™t have enough time, enough money, enough space to вЂњget it all doneвЂќ. Queens are not вЂњcrazy busy,вЂќ they donвЂ™t constantly вЂњhave so much to do.вЂќ As a Queen you have the ability to be empowered in your life and even stay ahead of the game. When you complete of the outstanding items on the checklists provided for you, I can assure you that the massive energy leaks we all experience from вЂњI need to doвЂ¦вЂќ or вЂњIвЂ™ve got to get вЂ¦ Orientation The Academy with Gina DeVee В©2014 Gina DeVee вЂў [email protected] doneвЂќ will close. Instead, your energy will fill you up, help you be more confident in how you hold yourself as a woman, and create the space both with time and with heart and brain space for you to create and manifest more powerfully than you ever have before. Many women need вЂњpermissionвЂќ to spend time on themselves, invest in themselves and to allow the space for these nurturing activities. If that is youвЂ¦grant yourself the permission to enjoy The AcademyвЂ™s Orientation Process of Emptying and Completion. Analysis Paralysis (A.K.A. Perfectionism) ItвЂ™s important that you know that you are in a welcoming, safe and loving space in The Academy. The Academy Leadership team and I are here for you. ItвЂ™s necessary that you know that you cannot do this вЂњwrong.вЂќ I donвЂ™t follow a cookie cutter approach. There are no вЂњshoulds.вЂќ Because someone elseвЂ™s life/work/brand/relationship looks different than yours doesnвЂ™t make someone better or worse. It makes each woman unique. The only way to not get what you came here for is to not do the work. But you will, of course, do the work because youвЂ™re determined and dedicated to living your dreams, excited to see the unfolding of it all, happy to do whatever it takes in order to ensure your success. I do follow a pretty strict вЂњno excusesвЂќ policy. Throughout this course you will be given suggestions and ways for implementing the information taught into your everyday life. The best or вЂњrightвЂќ way to do that is whatever method will work for you personally, whatever way you will actually do it. Make the information and suggestions вЂњfitвЂќ you, your life, and most importantly, your busy schedule. The ability to master effective use of your time is one of the biggest foundational pieces required for your success as a woman, as a Queen, and as a business owner. We have all said вЂњI donвЂ™t have timeвЂќ at one point or another. However, a reigning Queen, in charge of her life, creates the time for tasks that are in alignment with her core values and support her highest vision. One of the elements we look at here in Orientation is вЂњWhat is your current relationship to time?вЂќ Are you constantly without enough of it? Are you always rushing around? Do you find that youвЂ™re Orientation The Academy with Gina DeVee В©2014 Gina DeVee вЂў [email protected] consistently late to appointments? Do you get sidetracked from the tasks at hand only to find that the day has passed and youвЂ™ve gotten nothing accomplished that you set out to do? During this process, pay even more attention to how you вЂњworkвЂќ your time, your thoughts about it, and how you speak about it. Do you talk about being вЂњswampedвЂќ or вЂњoverwhelmedвЂќ or вЂњcrazy busy?вЂќ As a reflection of your relationship to time, consider reframing your situation and choosing your words with care. The best way to master your time is to calendar everything. If itвЂ™s not on the calendar, it typically does not get completed. When you know how to manage your time, you gain control and freedom. Rather than working in a scattered manner, you can employ effective time management, choosing what to work on and when. This is essential if youвЂ™re to achieve success in your business. I live by my calendar: I schedule my time to journal, to work out, to have breakfast, to coach clients, to go to the farmerвЂ™s market, etc. I used to think that the container of the calendar would trap me. Now IвЂ™ve designed it to protect my time and how I spend it, to make sure what I value is where my time is spent. Many women are out of reality when it comes to time and have a skewed relationship to it. They create to-do lists that are impossible to accomplish and then end up berating themselves or becoming overwhelmed because they did not get everything done. This is a sure way to undermine your success. Others feel that the task of calendaring is restrictive and they would rather be free. They resist it; and time management becomes a mind trap, because they never get the task done that would move their businesses forward. And others think that their вЂњto doвЂќ list will take WAY more time than it actually does. Calendaring helps get us all in reality. Yes, using a calendar is a masculine structure; and, as Queens, we use it to safeguard this precious currency we call time. Orientation The Academy with Gina DeVee В©2014 Gina DeVee вЂў [email protected] The Mentality of a Queen ~ Academy Style 1. We follow a no excuses policy. 2. We celebrate each otherвЂ”no jealousy, gossipingвЂ”ever. 3. Zero negativity or complaining. We only create solutions. 4. We use good judgment in all areas of our lives and The Academy. For example, please donвЂ™t post on Facebook that you didnвЂ™t get a link or you need an email response; donвЂ™t be critical of others, or act like the Q&A calls are your own private intensive. 5. We choose to be visible and regularly participate in FB group discussions in the Academy FB groups 6. We use the group program and resources as appropriate, get private coaching within The Academy leadership as appropriate. We understand the importance of what it means to remain in the vibration that has been established by the Academy. 7. We honor our financial commitments as agreed on The Academy and otherwise. We are proactive when needing to update account information. 8. We do for ourselves first, relying on our inner guidance, and then we ask for help as we desire support. 9. We manage our time effectively and we submit our monthly certification materials either on time or early, never late. 10. We strengthen our wealth consciousness daily. 11. We live in the present moment and not in the past or future. 12. We refrain from вЂњfeminine woohooeryвЂќ or вЂњpsycho-babble.вЂќ We get results and do what we say we are going to do. We donвЂ™t wish or want вЂ“ we have desires and manifest them. 13. We take responsibility for getting the maximum out of this program. 14. We are totally coachable. 15. We follow and implement the training received from the Academy. 16. We stay on track and away from being overwhelmed. We remain highly engaged and visible through the completion of The Academy. 17. We refrain from offering unsolicited advice. 18. We assume the best in others and give the benefit of the doubt. 19. We practice self care on a regular basis 20. We enjoy life. Orientation The Academy with Gina DeVee В©2014 Gina DeVee вЂў [email protected] Mastering Time and Your Schedule Our lives are busy and in an attempt to keep things running smoothly, we often dismiss the newest task or what appears to be the least pressing. I ask that you create your own schedule, committing to specific times during the week that you will diligently work on your dreams as if they were already established and paid for appointments. Creating and sticking to a regular schedule will help embed positive habits, keeping you on course, experiencing the natural growth toward your declared life dreams and business goals. By enrolling in this course, youвЂ™ve made a substantial financial investment in your future. Uphold your endeavors by investing your time as well. Take a look at your life and start calendaring chunks of time, depending on what is important to you. Start to planning time for the Academy. Create a schedule, 10 to 15 hours per week. Now is the time to create that calendar and to build in the routine. Let the Emptying & Completion Process Begin! First, remember this is your invitation to create space and eliminate energy drains, not your invitation to get overwhelmed. I have created for you some suggested categories and common areas of unfinished tasks or business in womenвЂ™s lives. Please use the following charts and tables in 2 ways. The first: choose what completion items are relevant to you (these are merely suggestions you donвЂ™t need to do all of them, please note the NA columns to assist you in organizing which ones apply to you). The second: use the tables to indicate the priority of the task. When youвЂ™ve finished, work through the tables by priority and set dates by which you will complete these tasks. Orientation The Academy with Gina DeVee В©2014 Gina DeVee вЂў [email protected] Beauty: N/A Action Level of Priority Start Date (1-5; 1 is lowest priority, 5 is highest priority) Completion Date Buy new makeup Clean brushes Clean out makeup containers Throw away old/broken/little bits Whiten teeth Haircut/color/extensions Waxing Nails Facial/peel Clean out closet and give away anything that doesnвЂ™t fit or doesnвЂ™t make you feel beautiful Add new pieces to your wardrobe that make you feel like a Queen Wellness: N/A Action Level of Priority Start Date (1-5; 1 is lowest priority, 5 is highest priority) Completion Date Schedule massages Schedule a workout program DVDs/yoga package/pilates package/ personal trainer/walking partner Get rid of old/ugly workout clothes Buy new invigorating workout clothes Schedule Well-Being appointments OBGYN Holistic Practitioners Dental Eyes Chiropractic Acupuncture Healing sessions Order supplements/protein powder Orientation The Academy with Gina DeVee В©2014 Gina DeVee вЂў [email protected] Emotional Well-Being: N/A Action Level of Priority Start Date (1-5; 1 is lowest priority, 5 is highest priority) Completion Date Letters to write and send Letters to write and not send Clearing conversations to have Therapeutic healing Reaching out to people you havenвЂ™t connected with in a while Buying and sending cards, or using paperlesspost.com Scheduling and making time for your spiritual/ femininity practice Journaling Church/Temple/Lectures/Audios Security: N/A Action Level of Priority Start Date (1-5; 1 is lowest priority, 5 is highest priority) Completion Date Medical insurance Dental insurance Life insurance Business insurance Other insurance Personal will Hire an attorney Orientation The Academy with Gina DeVee В©2014 Gina DeVee вЂў [email protected] Financial Completion & Setup: N/A Action Level of Priority Start Date (1-5; 1 is lowest priority, 5 is highest priority) Completion Date Hire an accountant you love Hire a bookkeeper you love Get caught up on any bookkeeping/accounting Get caught up on taxes Set up personal and business banking Set up a merchant account Hire a financial planner Get intimate with your money Apply for credit cards Create a plan to pay off credit cards Have a P&L statement prepared for you and study it Set up an organized bill paying process Contact those you owe money to and create a payment plan Personal Upleveling: N/A Action Level of Priority Start Date (1-5; 1 is lowest priority, 5 is highest priority) Completion Date Hire a personal assistant Hire a housekeeper Hire a dog walker Hire a cook Hire a stylist Hire a personal shopper Hire someone to do your laundry Create a ritual to have fresh flowers weekly/ monthly Hire a nanny/babysitter Orientation The Academy with Gina DeVee В©2014 Gina DeVee вЂў [email protected] Professional Upleveling: N/A Action Level of Priority Start Date (1-5; 1 is lowest priority, 5 is highest priority) Completion Date Hire a Virtual Assistant Hire a Copywriter Hire a Launch Manager Hire a Graphic Artist Bring on Interns Hire a JV/Affiliate Manager Hire a Event Planner Hire a Social Media Expert Hire a Publicist Technology Upleveling: N/A Action Level of Priority Start Date (1-5; 1 is lowest priority, 5 is highest priority) Completion Date Purchase video equipment and lighting Purchase any computers/smartphones/iPads Take care of software upgrades Organize passwords Sync devices Learn to better maximize computer programs/ phones/cameras etc. Organize computer and set up accurate files Create a calendar system/decide on software Set up file sharing system Activate relevant social media Orientation The Academy with Gina DeVee В©2014 Gina DeVee вЂў [email protected] Home Completion: N/A Action Level of Priority Start Date (1-5; 1 is lowest priority, 5 is highest priority) Completion Date Home improvements (painting/hanging pictures etc.) Get rid of things you donвЂ™t use or donвЂ™t like Make all rooms beautiful including your home office Clean out fridge/pantry/closets Throw out old spices/food etc. Stock pantry etc. Stock pharmacy/drug store items Business Projects Completion: N/A Action Level of Priority Start Date (1-5; 1 is lowest priority, 5 is highest priority) Completion Date Clean out inbox Clear out voicemails Return voicemails Listen to audios Go through info products Finish that book/website/sales page/client log etc. Holidays: N/A Action Level of Priority Start Date (1-5; 1 is lowest priority, 5 is highest priority) Completion Date Create gift list Create menus Collect addresses Plan parties Orientation The Academy with Gina DeVee В©2014 Gina DeVee вЂў [email protected] Create Community within The Academy and in your world: N/A Action Level of Priority Start Date (1-5; 1 is lowest priority, 5 is highest priority) Completion Date Visit and study your sisters in the The Academy Facebook groups *Note there is a main group for connections and interaction, and another one for The Academy Marketplace Set up lunch/high tea/drinks/dinners/brunches Post your вЂњCompletionsвЂќ on The Academy Facebook group Your dedication and perseverance to the obtainment of your vision will serve you well. Enjoy seeing the seeds you plant through your labors and/or sacrifices come to fruition. Commit to completing these pieces and watch major shifts occurвЂ¦like new clients showing up, money becoming manifested, energy renewing itself, higher vibrational ideas occurring; and watch your dreams unfold. No matter what your current situation, whether youвЂ™re in the corporate sector making the switch to your own business, a mom wanting to get into the game, or an already established entrepreneur looking to level up, time can be found throughout the day to allow for your dreams to become a reality. Orientation The Academy with Gina DeVee В©2014 Gina DeVee вЂў [email protected] Time Management Developing time management skills is a journey that needs practice. Here are some strategies for using time. These are applications of time management that have proven to be effective as good habits. вЂў Setting goals To start managing time effectively, you need to set goals. Goal-setting is a powerful process for thinking about your ideal future and for motivating yourself. When you know what you want to achieve, you can then figure out what exactly needs to be done, in what order. Without proper goal setting, you end up with a confusion of conflicting priorities. People tend to neglect goal setting because it requires time and effort. What they fail to consider is that a little time and effort put in now saves an enormous amount of time, effort and frustration in the future. вЂў Dedicated work spaces Determine a place where you can maximize your concentration and be free of the distractions that family, friends or hobbies can bring. Also find a back-up space that you can escape to, like a library, or even a coffee shop where you can be anonymous. A change of venue may also bring extra resources. вЂў Create an Activity Log Start keeping a written record of how you spend your time for a few days. This way you can build an accurate picture of what you do during the day, and how you invest your time. Memory is unreliable and you will find that keeping a log is an eye-opening experience. Your Log will also help you recognize whether or not youвЂ™re doing your most important work during the right time of day. For example, if youвЂ™re more energetic and creative in the morning, you want to do your most important work during this time. You can then focus on lower energy tasks, such as responding to emails or returning calls, in the afternoon. Logs are also useful for helping you identify non-core activities that distract you from meeting your goals and objectives. For example, you might spend far more time than you think surfing the Internet, or chatting on the phone with friends. When you see how much time youвЂ™re wasting on such activities, you can change the way you work. вЂў Create a To-Do List IN your Calendar! By keeping a To-Do List in your calendar, you make sure that your tasks are written down all in one place so you donвЂ™t forget anything important and you know how long you have to do it. To-Do Lists are essential if youвЂ™re going to beat work overload, be better organized and experience less stress. Orientation The Academy with Gina DeVee В©2014 Gina DeVee вЂў [email protected] вЂў Prioritize your To-Do List Prioritization is the essential skill for making the very best use of your time. Without it, you may work very hard, but you wonвЂ™t be achieving the results you desire because what you are working on is not of strategic importance. You can prioritize based on time constraints (other people may be depending on you), or on the potential profitability or benefit of the task youвЂ™re facing. Be mindful of spending your time on things that are important and not just urgent. Important activities have an outcome that leads to the achievement of your goals. Urgent activities demand immediate attention and are often associated with the achievement of someone elseвЂ™s goals Many people find it helpful to spend 10 minutes at the end of the day organizing tasks on their To-Do List and prioritizing them for the next day. вЂў Schedule your Time Much of time management comes down to effective scheduling of your time. When you know what your goals and priorities are and you have created a To-Do list, you then need to know how to create a schedule that keeps you on track. This means understanding the factors that affect the time you have available for work. You not only have to schedule priority tasks, you have to leave room for breaks and possible interruptions. You are creating a schedule that reflects your goals as well as supports your lifestyle, one that will allow you to control your time and keep your life in balance. вЂў Blocks of working time and breaks Create blocks of working time with 10 minutes for breaks. What you do during your break should give you an opportunity to have a snack, relax, or otherwise refresh or re-energize yourself. Arrange blocks of time when you are most productive: are you a morning person or a night owl? вЂў Schedule free time to rejuvenate вЂў Weekly reviews Weekly reviews and updates are also an important strategy. Each week, like a Sunday night, review your week ahead. Be mindful of deadlines and obligations. вЂў Postpone unnecessary activities until your work is done Postpone tasks or routines that can be put off until your work is finished. This can be the most difficult challenge of time management. You will meet unexpected opportunities that look appealing, what we call the вЂњshiny-object-syndrome.вЂќ Distracting yourself from your goals will result in added pressure, making you scattered and overwhelmed. Instead of saying вЂњnoвЂќ learn to say вЂњlaterвЂќ and write them in your schedule. Orientation The Academy with Gina DeVee В©2014 Gina DeVee вЂў [email protected] вЂў Manage Interruptions Having a plan and knowing how to prioritize it is one thing. The next issue is knowing what to do to minimize the interruptions you face during your day. Everyday interruptions at work can be a key barrier to managing your time effectively and, ultimately, can be a barrier to your success. There are phone calls, e-mails, information requests, and a whole host of events that demand your attention and distract you from your focus. Although interruptions are a natural and necessary part of life, they can rob you of the time you need to achieve your goals and be successful. Do what you sensibly can to minimize them and remain available for people when they truly need help. вЂў Deal with Procrastination Procrastination is as tempting as it is deadly. The best way to beat it is to recognize that you do indeed procrastinate. Then you need to figure out why. Perhaps you are afraid of failing? Once you know why you procrastinate then you can plan to get out of the habit. Reward yourself for getting jobs done, and remind yourself regularly of the consequences of not accomplishing your tasks! вЂў Identify resources to help you Nobody becomes successful by вЂњdoing it allвЂќ themselves. For you to become successful and use your gifts and strengths to the fullest, design your personal success team! вЂў Time Management вЂ“ A QueenвЂ™s Role in The Academy Now that youвЂ™ve streamlined your time management skills and figured out ways to adjust your time management abilities in a queenly fashion, itвЂ™s important to apply these skills to your work in The Academy specifically. вЂў Completing All Academy Assignments on Time As a successful entrepreneur, youвЂ™ll want to get things completed on time in order to nurture both your business and yourself. Feeling constantly behind and late creates internal tension and can put you into a negative mindset. Getting your work completed on time in the Academy is no exception. You must get all of your work turned in on time to help you keep pace with all of the exciting content in the Academy and get the most out of each step in the process. вЂў Late Feedback Policy Providing you with in depth personal feedback on each module is important to us and essential to your progress toward certification. This feedback will help you get the most out of the modules in the Academy. If modules are turned in late, they will not be provided with this personalized feedback nor will they count toward certification unless a $250 late module credentialing fee is paid per module (with 4 items maximum submitted each month). The only exceptional circumstances are having a baby, a death in the family, or a severe or life threatening accident or illness. These exceptions can be arranged by emailing Orientation The Academy with Gina DeVee В©2014 Gina DeVee вЂў [email protected] [email protected]. вЂў Facebook Group Etiquette We want to be sure that the space on Facebook is established as an environment to share your wins, celebrate your successes, and increase your vibration. As such, we expect each and every woman to focus her considerable positive energies on how she can up-level her life! Please use The Academy Facebook page to focus exclusively on creating a spirit of undeniable support, celebration, and delight in your fabulous and outstanding business and life that youвЂ™ve created through your work in The Academy! Orientation The Academy with Gina DeVee В©2014 Gina DeVee вЂў [email protected] Wealth Consciousness Books There are certain books that are either required or recommended to read as you work through the Academy. You will be required to read one of these books in Module 2: Level of Priority Start Date (1-5; 1 is lowest priority, 5 is highest priority) Completion Date 1. The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller (119 pages) 2. Codependent No More by Melody Beattie (238 pages) 3. Bradshaw On: The Family by John Bradshaw (283 pages) 4. The HeroineвЂ™s Journey by Maureen Murdock (186 pages) 5. Loving What Is by Byron Katie (317 pages) 6. The Dark Side of the Light Chasers by Debbie Ford (208 pages) In module 3 you will be required to read The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace Wattles which you can access at this link http://images.thesecret.tv/The-Science-of-Getting-Rich.pdf In module 4 you will be required to read Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill Recommended Wealth Consciousness Books Level of Priority Start Date (1-5; 1 is lowest priority, 5 is highest priority) Completion Date 1. The Game of Life and How to Play It by Florence Scovel Shinn 2. Get Rich While You Sleep by Ben Sweetland 3. Leveraging the Universe by Mike Dooley 4. Conscious Language by Robert Tennyson Stevens Orientation The Academy with Gina DeVee В©2014 Gina DeVee вЂў [email protected]