So, yes, an EO may be one of THE most incredible moments of your life, like achieving one of the most significant goals you have ever reached…
OR it could be just an every day kind of incredible moment that you want to soak up every second of, like walking on the beach watching your child make a sandcastle on a warm September afternoon.

An EO doesn’t mean that you have to reach a transformational state of peace and alignment first, then the EO shows up.  EO’s are pretty incredible because there are millions of them out there, just waiting in the wings for you to give them a head nod and allow them to bust on to the scene and give you and your life a big WOW!

You are still confused? Cynical? Let’s get a little more specific!
At work? EO’s are waiting.
At the gym? Yup. They’re there too.
How about on a busy Saturday doing errands? Ohhh…yes. They LOVE every day life. They’re there.
Even at your in-law’s house for meatloaf dinner? Wowzers- they have never missed a dinner with your in-law’s! It’s just too bad YOU seem to always miss THEM! They’re there.

EO’s abound in your life, desperately waiting for you to acknowledge them.
Today make sure you give them a shout out.
Pay attention, look for what’s right, and BE in the moment. That’s where the EO’s are waiting!
(And yes, they’re even out there in the rain! They just love inclement weather!)

Happy EO’s to you!

“A candle loses none of its light by lighting another candle.”

Author: Unknown

Amazing, isn’t it?
We aren’t lessened by what we give, we are greater for it.

Love, compassion, respect, patience…
When we take care of ourselves, we never run out of these,
yet so many ration these out as if they are about to.

Some feel like showing too much is a sign of weakness.
Others feel like they need to be careful,  because there is only so much to give.
One needs only talk to a mother of one child, who has another, to understand how love just grows. She will express feeling fear that surely she will not be able to love another child as much as the first, yet when the second child arrives, she finds that her capacity to love has exponentially increased.

How does that happen?
Simple.
These are not finite resources.

We each have an endless reserve, which continues to be refilled as we give and share of ourselves.
This possibility opens the door to some self-reflection this holiday season:

• How can you give back?
• Where can you share more of yourself?
  (Not to diminish your power and your strength, but to increase it!)

We could all benefit from allowing more of ourselves in to the world.
How are you going to share more of you?

~

So many people have asked us, “How did this EO thing come to be?”
There are no secrets here. This is how it started, with a little trip down memory lane…

1990-1994
At some point EO was born. Location: UMASS Amherst. It could have happened over a slice of Antonio’s, or maybe on the way to one of our communication classes, perhaps the morning after a late night at The Pub or during a Sunday afternoon “DU” (Destination Unknown) where we would pile into Michele’s Chevy Nova and just drive and drive. (Yes, we liked to abbreviate everything we possibly could! OMG/ LOL… clearly we were so ahead of the times!) Details are foggy about when, but it definitely happened there. Out in Western MA, in our younger days, a life changing movement was born, and we didn’t even know it. In retrospect, there was a lot we didn’t know then. No wonder why we were so freakishly happy.

1994-2008
Busy living life. A lot of laughing, some crying, and definitely our share of EO’s. However, along the way we also accumulated many stories of missed EO’s, as well as unfulfilling relationships that couldn’t generate an EO, even with professional assistance and a cash reward. People in our lives know what we mean when we say, “EO.” Some say it too, but there are still those who don’t think “that word” should be said, ever. One might think these were our uptight friends, but no! Let’s just say, they aren’t uptight at all. However, since what happens at UMASS stays at UMASS (with the exception of EO), we’ll keep those details to ourselves.

February 2009
EO is something more than an idea. We think it could actually BE something, and apparently others do too. When we share the idea, people get it, and not just women either! They know who they’re having EO’s with, and who they aren’t. We see it in their faces, the recognition that there are people and experiences in their lives that have given them this incredible feeling…and they want more. So do we. We think we have something here that’s clicking for people. Does everyone feel this way? If not, they should! Life is definitely too short to live without EO’s.

We’re thinking it’s time to do something more structured with these ideas. We obviously do what anyone would do in this situation. We buy the domain name www.emotionalorgasm.com. We are absolutely soaring from this purchase! Euphoria has set in and it’s intoxicating. Just like in, “Field of Dreams,” we thought, “if you buy it, they will come.”

It took a little while for it to sink in that actually NOTHING is happening, and buying a domain name apparently doesn’t launch a business. We talked a lot about what could happen, and that was fun. Talking actually carried us through a few busy months of speculation. There isn’t much more alluring or seductive than the power of possibility. Consider us both seduced by the Possibility Svengali (PS). Fully and unequivocally seduced and completely enraptured by PS for the next SIX MONTHS!

August/September 2009
We suddenly have the elusive missing piece. We know what we need now. We need a logo. THAT is what we need to take this to the next level. That will help give this form, purpose and focus. We have so many more ideas, but without an identity they’re just floating around with nowhere to land. Some people say, “Well, what you need to do is a business plan.” That’s probably a good idea. It certainly couldn’t hurt. But, do you know what a brilliant, more exciting and much more gratifying idea is? Work on a logo! And, so we do.

Wow. Turns out, we were right. That was some much needed fuel to get us moving. Still not sure where, but now we’ve got the fuel to get there. “There… just needs to be defined,” we say, as we gaze lovingly at our new logo.

October 2009
Hit the brakes! Can we really use www.emotionalorgasm.com as our main site? Seriously. Can we actually have the word “orgasm” out there like that, without it being too much for people to handle? EO is the main term we use, but EO.com isn’t an option. We play with countless variations and combinations. We think we’ve got it with www.EOyourlife.com. That’s what it is, isn’t it? Aren’t we trying to get people to do something? We want movement and action. We want people to feel powerful. We want people to take ownership. We want people to take this and find fulfillment in all parts of their life! And, mostly we need a way to say our business name without Michele having to say “orgasm” in front of her mother.

EO Your Life it is! We bought it- and this time we were ready for the PS and we didn’t get lulled into another state of inertia. We actually bought it and kept moving. We can’t be sure, but we think the train may have officially left the station…

November 2009
We had our first heated conversation since officially starting this EO thing. As a producer, Michele is more comfortable “behind the scenes” while Carrie, as a trainer and coach,  most likely led her first seminar at 4 years old. Who will be the face of EO? Carrie thinks that both of us will be out there doing this. Michele thinks there’s no reason to both be there when there’s Carrie. Michele is overruled. True to form, Carrie wins…again. There’s a reason Carrie has been deemed “The Chief” by our friends, as she typically wins.  So, we’re in this together and now Michele is calling Toastmasters and googling hypnosis centers to figure out how she’s going to embrace public speaking.

We know you’re thinking it’s pretty impressive that we’re able to iron out the wrinkles that others may miss at this early phase, since no one has actually even requested any EO services yet!  Ahh…speaking of THAT, what is our service, you wonder? TBD. If we keep showing up, it will reveal itself.  We love the power of intention! So, we’re back on track. We’re really good at being friends AND business partners, which is probably what we’ll tell Oprah, when we’re sitting on her stage.

December 2009
Marathon meeting at the Cheesecake Factory. Our waitress did not seemed phased or impressed by our packets entitled, “EO: The Launching.” Not sure if she’s aware of what she’s witnessing. In the midst of our fried artichoke hearts, chicken piccata and brownie cheesecake, was pure passion and phenomenal vision. That’s what this is right?
(*For the record, the waitress got a very, very good tip. We LOVED this waitress. A lot. Granted she didn’t seem at all interested in the budding worldwide EO movement that would soon be sweeping the globe- but we didn’t care. Why? Well, because she DID ask for our ID’s, thereby earning her  membership to our “one of our favorite people on the planet” club. She got even more points when she apologetically said that she just, “had to ID everyone under 30.” Seriously? Wow.  Huge tip!)

January 2010
EOpportunities: Today we talked about what this means and if it’s clear. One thought it was brilliant! (“EO” before or after anything sounds fantastic, right? VidEO, RadEO, MovEO – I mean seriously, that is too cool to NOT do!!) The other had trouble pronouncing it… (E-Opportunities? EO-portunites? Where’s the accentuation? FYI, in case you want to say it, it’s EO-pportunities!) With a little work the brilliance was finally recognized and everyone was back on board! EOpportunities it is. That’s going to be the blog title. That’s going to be the place where we share ideas and strategies with people to encourage them to LIVE LIFE FULFILLED. That’s where they’ll really see what we’re talking about. We both now love EOpportunities. This is big. Huge! EEEEEEOOOOOO!!!!!!

Something else big happened this month. Trying to fit in an EO call on her way from work to pick up her little guy from daycare, Michele asked (for the sixth time), “What time is it?”
“It was 3:46, now it’s 3:50″ Carrie replied.
Michele then said, with a big sigh, “I’d like it if we can just make enough money so I can buy a freaking watch…”
So, it appears that our first financial milestone has now officially been set. We need to get Michele a watch. *Disclaimer: In the interest of full disclosure, we do need to reveal that Michele did purchase a watch in January. New financial goals have been set for EO.

February 2010
We are launching at the end of the month. We have until March 1st to set this free. It has been a year since this began to evolve in to something that was bigger than a shared expression we had been using for the past 15 years! A lot is happening and we are getting ready to release this to the world. It’s time. Perhaps not to a fireworks display, as it may be on the quieter side of things. We have a passion for what this is, what it means and what it has the potential to do for people. We have managed to both hold down our jobs, lives and still have landed with a pretty amazing bigger picture, including a website design, content and a vision of where we are going. And, we are going somewhere. To say we are excited about this is an understatement! Where is it we’re going, you wonder? If you find out, let us know….

March 2010
The month we launched. If it is possible to bottle and sell the feeling an EO brings, we were sitting on millions this month, as it seemed like daily there were phenomenal moments of, “ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!” calls, emails and texts. Feedback and reaction was off the charts amazing. Beyond anything we had expected (or dared to hope for!).

April 2010
Now it was time for Michele to tell her Mom. You know the saying,  “The truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable?” Well, when it came to Michele telling her Mom she was the proud co-founder of a company called “Emotional Orgasm,” that was the perfect slogan! Since the two had never exchanged dialog containing the “O” word, it was like a scene from one of those agonizing phone company commercials!  When Michele finally got the nerve to tell her Mom, she was relieved to find out that the heart stopping silence on the other end wasn’t her mother keeling over in horror after all- the call had dropped.
A Minute Later (which felt like a month, so it’s going in the timeline)
Michele’s phone rings. It’s her Mom,  who says, “Michele, all I heard was Orgasm and then the phone died. Is that what you said, your company is called Emotional Orgasm?” (Michele is still in recovery mode, but quickly coming to realize her Mom just said “that word” and there was no anger around it, just curiosity.). Michele: “Yes.” Michele’s Mom: “Hmmm.” And then the conversation begins  and it’s…. AMAZING! Michele feels like she wants to cry. A weight has been lifted. Her Mom gets it. She SO gets it. But she so doesn’t get it too. Like many people, it’s been a long time. Life got in the way. She raised 4 kids. She lost one in a car accident. Connections with others slowed down and a retreat into her pain sped up. And you don’t have EO’s when you’re numb. No matter what you’ve been through, they begin within. And Michele couldn’t make her Mom have them. She shared the concept of eliminating obstacles & embracing opportunities that lead to more EO’s. Michele got excited. Kathy got excited. They had this craving for emotional connection in common. They had a lot more in common than they realized. They could each benefit from what the other needed… Michele needed HER MOM back, and her Mom needed A WAY back. What Michele pictured as an awkward confession turned into an AMAZING conversation and a relationship changing moment in the story of a Mother and Daughter.

And then, Michele’s Mom told Michele’s Dad. OMG! Let’s just say not many people have had the privilege of Dad calling,  from Papa’s  nursing home, to say, “Michele, what is the name of the orgasm thing you are doing? I’m visiting Papa and I was trying to tell all the nurses about it!”

May 2010
We meet. We talk. We think about things. We talk more. We realize that we have a lot of ideas, so we decide it’s probably wise to think about things some more. No, we need to stop thinking and we need to DO something. We really, really need to do something that takes this in to the world on a bigger level.  How is time going by this fast?  The weather is nicer and the summer is coming and we decide we  are going to DO something. What it is, we’re not sure- but we hope it reveals itself soon!

June 2010
Hold on to your hat! We have a next step. We are doing a launch in July. We’re going to do it at night and we’re going to actually do a mini-workshop. Michele can’t quite wrap her head around the fact that she will be standing in front of people, talking. She really can’t understand how this will work. She didn’t even pretend that it was going to be easy to get her to do this. Carrie had no idea what would be coming down the road. Wow.

July 2010
The month of “the launch.”
Now, let’s call it what it is- there will be no major news stations covering us, there is no red carpet, no helicopters, no security. There will be no liquor served, nobody wearing Jimmy Choo’s and we’re pretty sure there won’t be a single person  showing up from the “A” list (or “B” list, or ANY list, for that matter). It will be some really cool, excited, supportive people that believe in EO, and most importantly, believe in US.

The night was amazing, but what was most amazing was what led up to the night.
Daily phone contact, covering the same thing, over and over. It never quite clicked, so we covered it, right up until the night of the workshop. You are wondering what massive issue required such an inordinate amount of our time, yes? It’s big, and it’s SO worth sharing.
Here’s what it looked like:
Michele: “I don’t understand, how will I know when to sit and stand when we’re doing the workshop?”
Carrie: “When you’re talking, I’ll sit. When I talk, you sit. ”
Michele: “But how will I know when I should stand again? And what will you say to let people know that I’m going to sit while you talk, because you do training a lot and I don’t, so you’ll be talking more?”
Carrie: “You’d be surprised how natural this will be. And no, we’re not announcing to people that right now Michele is going to sit, and i’m going to stand because i’m talking. Nobody does that in training.”
Michele: “But how will I know that I should sit? When should I do it?”
Carrie: “You know when i’m going to do an activity, so you can sit then. Do you want me to write on our agenda when you should sit?”
Michele: “Yes. But how will you tell people that i’m going to sit or stand?”
Carrie: “We’re NOT telling them. They don’t CARE who sits or stands, or why one of us is sitting or standing!”
Michele: “Ok. I guess. But I think we should tell them why i’m sitting more.”
Yes. This is the conversation we had. Not once, not twice, but COUNTLESS times.
Amazing that we pulled it off that night.
You will be happy to know that in addition to a rave “launch” with great feedback, we both stood and sat effortlessly. It was magic.

August 2010
We were happy about the launch, but we were in summer mode. We took vacations  and got pulled in to our lives. We both were amazed that the month went by this fast. If we didn’t have facebook up and running, we’d wonder if we really put EO out in the world, or if that was just another one of our great ideas that we talked about- but kept under wraps (like our running rendition of fabulous SNL skits that we’ve been writing for the past 20 years, and which Carrie keeps on a blue index card in her daily planner). People keep saying that they love it, and it’s going to be huge. We think that’s great. We’re just wondering when that’s happening…

“Concentrate all your thoughts on the task at hand.
The sun’s rays do not burn until brought in to focus.”

Alexander Graham Bell

How many of us live our lives feeling:

* Scattered?
* Rushed?
* Stretched?
* Distracted?
* Overextended?
* Unfocused?

We are constantly “doing,” yet seem to get nothing done!

This state of distraction has become the new version of what it means to be successful.
You must be important if you have no time.
You must be really important if you have to multi-task all the time, like when you’re at your kids’ recital, running to the store, or at your great aunt’s 90th surprise party.

You are so important.
You have proof of this because at the end of every day you feel exhausted and frazzled.
You’re actually o.k. with this because you think this is just how it is.
You think this is called life, and you just need to accept it.

Well, living like this IS how it is, for a lot of people.
But, that’s not how it needs to be.

The truth is, we are less productive when we operate at that speed, and we actually get less done!

Something to think about:
Are you accomplishing what you want to accomplish in your days?
Yes? You are? WOW! Congratulations!
No? You’re not getting it all done?
Well, here’s a radical thought…Do less.

What does that mean?
Quite simply, when you are doing something, do ONLY that.
Give your full attention to the task at hand- and do nothing else.

It sounds scary, doesn’t it?
Just try it…
and see if life feels any easier, more manageable or more enjoyable.
You can always go back to you’re whirl tomorrow.
It will be there.

Remember, you are just like the sun’s rays…
and there is nothing more powerful than being “in focus.”

~

“I’ve missed over 9,000 shots in my career.
I’ve lost almost 300 games.
26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot…
and missed.
I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life.
And that is why I succeed.”

Michael Jordan

How many times do you hold back, because you’re afraid of missing?

At work, how often do you have an idea, a suggestion, a strategy that you don’t share, because you’re sure nobody would take it or like it?
How often do you think that it isn’t worth taking the risk, because success isn’t guaranteed?
It takes a lot of courage to put yourself out there, and take a chance that things might not work out the way that you want.
But, what are you losing out on if you don’t take those chances?

Some will take a chance professionally, perhaps in asking for a raise/promotion or interviewing for a new job, and if it doesn’t work out the way that they had hoped, they are filled with regret for having tried, promising never to do that again!
Others may take a risk on a relationship, and if it ends, they pledge that they won’t let anyone get that close again.
Some things don’t go the way that we wanted, and that’s ok.

Imagine how often someone like Michael Jordan misses,
yet he is one of the greatest basketball players the world has ever seen.
He hasn’t failed because he misses,
he is the best because OVER AND OVER
he gets the ball and takes the shot.

What does this mean for you, in your life?

You are not going to be ensured that everything you do will work, or will be a “win.”
But, you will never win if you don’t play.

The more risks you take, the greater the chance that you will miss, some of them…
However, ultimately the greater the chances are that you will win.
Michael Jordan has missed 9,000 shots.
How about you?
~

“When you fight something, you’re tied to it forever.
As long as you’re fighting it, you’re giving it power.”

Anthony de Mello

What are you waging war against?
What struggle, issue, battle or injustice are you dragging around with you…
day after day…
month after month…
and, for some,
decade after decade?

Some are very busy with what went wrong…
what didn’t happen (and should have),
what could have happened (but never did),
what was said (and shouldn’t have been)
what wasn’t said (and desperately needed to be!)
what was done (as wrong as it was)
or what wasn’t (and now it’s too late)!

Some are so consumed with the battle that they believe they should have won,
that they can’t see the toll that this is wreaking on daily life.
Using tremendous amounts of energy, so many drag it all around, tattered and worn,
wondering why they are so tired in life,
and why it’s hard for them to see the positive and celebrate what they DO have.

Is this you?
In any way, are you in this?
Do you have any frustrations, injustices, struggles or frustrations that you keep close by,
to quickly access on a daily basis?
If the answer is yes, it’s time to make peace with them.
At this point, nobody is going to win.
And, every day you keep it with you, you are losing more and more…

Today, try letting go…
Making peace is often the only way
to finally make your life yours.

~

“You can’t do anything about the length of your life,
but you can do something about its width and depth.”

Evan Esar

Read this quote…
Read it again…
And then, read it one more time.

Great news, isn’t it?!
You don’t get to control it all, but you get to decide a lot…

How are you living?
How gracefully are you navigating your daily life,
knowing that you do not have the promise of forever…
but you do have right now?

What are you doing that brings you happiness?
When do you make time for you?
How are you living your dreams?
How are you spending your valuable time?
Who have you decided to share your life with,
and are they aware at how fortunate they are to be part of your world?

None of us know when we will go…
So doesn’t it make sense to pay attention to how we are living each day that we DO have?

Your life is an amazing journey…
make sure you are awake as you live it!

~

Jackson Brown

Did you go to the dance, but you’re hiding in the bathroom?
Or, have you just skipped the dance all together,
deciding to stay home (safely) on the couch…again?

How many of us crave a chance to be on the dance floor,
but we never allow ourselves to get on it?
How many of us dream of a different way of living and being,
yet we consistently hide from the opportunity to do so?

Whether we are staying in a job that doesn’t inspire us,
or a relationship that doesn’t nurture us,
how will anything change if we insist that nothing changes?

Opportunity for growth and change is there, but where are we?
Are we ready for action, or are we hiding from it?

We must show up for life if we are going to live it!

In order to dance, there are a few things we need to do..
We must acknowledge we are interested in dancing…
We must get ready to dance…
We must show up where the dancing will be…
And, when the music starts, we absolutely must dance!

How refreshing to note that it really is that simple?

Get off the couch…
Stop hiding in the bathroom,
or in the shadows of the dance floor…

Show up for your life!
Get on the dance floor
and when the music starts…
BE READY TO DANCE!!
~

“The great Western disease is,
I’ll be happy when…
When I get the money.
When I get a BMW.
When I get this job.’

Well, the reality is, you never get to when.
The only way to find happiness
is to understand that happiness is not out there.
It’s in here.
And happiness is not next week.
It’s now.”

Marshall Goldsmith

Check in with yourself about how often you are waiting for your happiness to show up and arrive.
Notice how you think, and what you say, about being happy.
Pay attention to what markers or benchmarks you hold out as the tool to identify if you’re happy or not.

The “i’ll be happy when…” syndrome is impacting countless lives and keeping people locked in a state of limbo.
Are you living there too?
Isn’t it getting old?
What if you decided you deserved happiness and expected it to be fully present and engaged in your daily life.
Daily life isn’t inherently glamorous or rooted in perfection, but there IS happiness nestled in daily life- just waiting to be noticed!
If you are waiting for something to happen that will make you happy, you are missing what IS happening right now- which includes lots of love, laughter and pretty amazing “wow” moments.

Be in today.
It has a lot to offer.
Promise.

More and more we are shining a light on the significance of our thoughts,
and how those thoughts ultimately shape, guide and define our lives.

Who is in control of your thoughts?

Your partner? Your mother?
Kids? Friends?
The neighbors?
Mass media?
None of those sources of influence control your thoughts…
They may present opinions, perspectives or possibilities,
but none have control over you!

You control what you think aboutand how you think about it…
(whatever “it” might be!

There is tremendous power in realizing that YOU create your life experience!

Your time on this earth is defined by what you choose to focus on…
what you choose seek out…
and what you believe to be true.

When we are at the end of our time on this earth,
our “canvas” is complete
and it is a tribute to how we spent our days.

Something to think about:
What paint are you choosing to use?
Are your thoughts adding beauty and depth
to the great work of art
that you will call
your LIFE?
~