Why didn't they make a sequel

Have you ever noticed when you watch some movies, you leave wondering what happened later, wishing they would make a sequel to let you know how the situation changed or if the character (s) survived, fell in love, got the bad guy etc...?

Isn't that always the case, when something's good we want more of it, kinda like we desire t completion, (if your like me, that desire doesn't always translate to laundry, cleaning out closets or washing dishes, those things seem to never be complete!!)

I've noticed 2013 is shaping up to be the year for sequels....if you haven't noticed, I'm a movie buff, and this summer all the sequels are coming out, G.I. Joe2, Ironman 3, the hangover,final chapter3 , grown ups 2, Despicable me 2, smurfs 2 and  Star Track 2 funny how movies can be critically DEEMED awful yet be popular enough to get a studio to INVEST in creating another one, a SEQUEL!!!!!

Which has me pose this question to you, is it possible to have a "personal sequel"?? 2012 was a very topsie-turvie year for me personally, the mountain was a little steeper then it appeared, yet I continued to climb.... for some of us we see the height of the mountain as insurmountable or the financial set back as too deep a hole to get out of, but what if there was a sequel to it ? A sequel is not a ReDo. A sequel usually has the same characters now in NEW settings with NEW story lines...a Continuation of the first movie....ReLearning or ReLoading...If you recall "relearn" is Come to know or know how...and "reload" is to make ready for firming...applying these two definitions to our "personal sequel " basically means IT AIN'T OVER, only that part of the movie has ended but the sequel is in production.... Sometime the sequel is bigger, introduces new characters and provides a deeper understanding of the original cast!!

So, no matter what it looks like Now, how bad or good, how miserably the idea failed or how many thousands less you have in you're account ....the story is not over, YOU'RE popular enough to INVEST in your own SEQUEL!

Be the main Hero/ Heroien, Love Interest or Villian in you're own SEQUEL!!!!

Let me know where you're playing I'd love to come see you ,and I'll bring the popcorn ....

The face of finance,

Christyna with a "y"

When the fog lifted

As you may know, I live in southern California where the term "overcast" becomes a daily event from April - July...it's the time of the year where the prediction of sun only comes after the Morning overcast has melted, the closer you are to the coast ( beach), the longer it takes to see the Sun break through.... It's interesting to me how we become familiar with the "fog/overcast" of the season so much so that it's expected, it's "normal".  Ponder this basic question,  have there been foggy overcast seasons in your life, where you knew "Later" in the day, the sun is predicted to breakthrough, but, in the midst of the fog/overcast, you felt "socked in" couldn't see the rays of the light breaking through.

Our main character landed into an unfamiliar place, with impaired vision and lost bearings. Perspective in the fog is hard to gauged, even  knowing the brightrays of sun is on its way, sometimes it's hard to be on the road to your goal ( comeback) when the foggy overcast comes. It causes questioning and doubt, but if we have our feet firmly on the road toward our goal (our comeback), when foggy overcast seasons come, we can be like the joggers on the beach, have our shorts and SUNglasses on with no sun apparent......

With your SUNglasses on, stay the course toward your goals, along the way you'll find the rays of the sun will break through to reveal where you've been walking was the actual path to your comeback.

I'll walk with you.....

The Face of Finance,

Christyna with a "y"

We represent the lollipop guild

So this Saturday like most of you I'm doing my errands, chores and adding to the ever expanding to-do list....One of my destinations on the to-do list was a bday party at this enclosed jungle gym with bounce houses, zip lines, table tennis and air hockey...a child's play heaven, not a care in the world except how many times can I go down the blow up slide??

I've been to this "gym" many times for family fun night but never for a bday party.. They move all the children onto the rug and asked "are you all ready to have fun" ( by the way the sign on the wall says fun is Mandatory) .....with jubilant voices all in unison an ear piercing Yeeeeessssss resounded!!!! And poof, the magic fun door opened.... I turned to another parent who had a baby bejourn strapped to her front and asked..  Don't you wish adult life offered that "fun" question ? Wait for it, wait for it...yea, I'm thinking!!!

When our main character dropped into Oz she was greeted by the munchkins singing the "lollipop guild"....they welcomed her to this new land with a song! What if every challenge the new day brought came after a MORNING SERENADE or a call to MANDATORY FUN? How do you believe you would respond, what would that small Greeting or  Call, EMPOWER you to DO differently, THINK differently or SEE differently Your personal circumstances?  What would your jubilant response be to the challenges of LIFE????   YES!!!,  I Can't, or maybe next time....

So back to the magic fun door opening at the kids party where MANDATORY fun was required. What if we as adults RELEARNED how to have FUN and RENAMED life's challenges as Adult FUN?? 

.....What song are you loading into your phone or iPod as your morning WAKE UP FUN song??? 

Send me your playlist

Christyna with a "y" 

The face of finance

Send the flying monkeys

I was speaking with a friend who shared how they were going through a very hard time with the dissolution of a relationship. It was interesting that the relationship was that of a business partnership, which had been four years in the making and two years in actual existence .( It's a wonderful thing simply a paper transaction for tax purposes, but hard)..They expressed the most challenging part of the process was breaking down the financial obligations....the, WHO is responsible for WHAT moving forward because everything was still going to be needed just now under individual business names..... They were so stressed that they started getting upset saying they wished they could just scrap it and start over...which got me to thinking.( I know dangerous , me thinking)

Couple-hood, no matter at what level, be it friendship, partnership, 

consultancy  or marriage requires defined roles regarding our relationship and handling of   money. You can't move into the quintessential "couple-HOOD" achieve the goals of the "ADDRESS "  without the clear understanding that it takes a clear vision of money roles to sustain it...otherwise frustration, stress and flying monkeys will creep in or be summonsed.

In the couple -hood " It's a strange, wonderful and wild ride. Universally, its the relationship  that challenges us like no other. Sometimes it is predictable. Other times it has unexpected twists and turns. And MONEY plays a big role in the journey. Couples consciously or unconsciously decide how to spend and enjoy money, how to save and amass wealth and how to use money to exert power and control in the relationship. Some partners fight about money, others worry about it. Some couples join forces and create a strong financial and emotional bond; others never seem to trust each other financially." ( that's from my colleague in the business Kathleen , speaking of the couplehood of marriage....thanks girl!!)  when we undergo the task of partnership we do it in good faith not believing that in latter days when, for whatever reason, a dissolution happens be it death, divorce or the Tax Man... That out of lack of knowledge, we' ll be summoning the Flying Monkeys to come do our bidding... So, to avoid this misstep, I suggest taking a moment to take your financial temperature, Realize where your affairs reside in there current state, then Relearn with whomever you are in the Couple-hood with how to establish clear money roles..... ( I use a tool in my business called a financial survey.) this will help provide perspective and insight.

Otherwise someone will be saying...."send in the flying monkeys" and we don't want that!!

Let me know how I can help

The face of finance,

Christyna with a "y"

You killed my sister!!!

It was the death of the sister that forced the movement of Dorothy  onto the path..... But that's to obvious so how about this....She killed what was perceived and labeled Bad and was given the Good out of it; The slippers!!!!

What if,  financial setbacks, fractured relationships and slain goals we're all simply purging and purification for the good; The Revealing  of the RUBY or SILVER Slippers (whichever version you like the wizard  of Oz or the Wiz)?

Hum, the East sister dies at the start of the movie...(or Dorothy's new life) and at the end of the movie the sister of the West dies ( and the song "Can you feel a brand new Day" blast in the back ground, Wiz version) ... Are you thinking what I'm thinking, can you see where I'm going here??  (I could soooo go into a religious posture right down through here but, i'll keep it secular and only say ...we must work while it is day....) If you recall, there was the Wicked Witch of the West and the Wicked Witch of the East (the east dies). No matter where you are on this  planet we call Earth, the Sun rises from the East and sets in the West...the East is in the past and the West is your future, the middle is the journey... In order to make the most of this, She had to (in the words of Debbie Allen, from the show "a different world") Relax, Relate and Release and MOVE ( I added that)!!!!  

Maybe you have to Realize, Relearn and Reload to Move!!!

So, What will you do with your day; After the East of the morning is dead!!

The Face of Finance

Christyna with a "y"

Your the wizard???

Smiles abound, the door opens, a loud baritone voice says "enter", you walk towards the curtain, pull it back expecting to see a stately figure...instead, you see a mirror!!! Reflecting from the mirror is a face that looks familiar but you can't make it out, you step closer, use your hand to wipe away the film and "Realize" starring back at you is somebody that you use to know (thanks Gotye, that song, somebody that I use to know) 

The You, that You use to know!!! Hum? I've been reflecting and reloading myself with the help of audio coaching, one of the things I've noticed sparking back up inside of me has been my ambition, my drive, my determination....that feeling that I can achieve anything!! 

Do you remember having that, that magic, that ability to speak it and be it, what you wanted showed up? Do you remember when the magic left, or you gave it away? what did it feel like, better question what does it feel like now?? Dorothy, her brain, heart and courage pulled the curtain back and saw a small, shriveled little man who called himself the wizard, if you remember, the wizard had the ability to GRANT whatever those who met him asked. Really??? The little man, from the same place Dorothy came from, was the grantor?? Isn't it funny how we give our hopes, ideas, dreams and the like to others we Believe have more power or influence than we do; How we believe more in the power of others than we do in our own...What if you and I are the grantee and the grantor all in one,The mythical all powerful Wizard!!!

As the wizard,  you need a goal, something to help you focus your mind and efforts, to pull you through when the road gets tough...no matter if it's physical, financial or relational two constants must always be present.....a high Goal and a high Standard!!  Also, there must be Belief....along the way you may possibly attract a mentor/coach who's been there done that approach can help you remember or guide you back to YOU!!

 Set backs, changes and life choices sometime fog or shield our view, but with a little REALIZATION , what was old can be made new, igniting the flame of your imagination, and fueling your inner Wizard. 

So now,  look into the mirror, a little harder, see the image shaping, look familiar? it's YOU, The Wizard!!!

The face of finance

Christyna with a "y"

Can you see the city from there!!

OMG... Relax, relate, release..I keep telling myself! I know I'm on the verge of greatness but feel this uneasy pull to stay right here reveling in the familiar. Does that sound like a tape you play to yourself? Do you have a gnawing inside that's calling you to a place of unfamiliarity, that if you just surrender to, great things await? The reality of seeking personal greatness is...it takes an action, an action we don't always want to give in to "Movement" .  Walking the Road to your personal greatness can be lonely, uncomfortable and Reflective..

Keeping true to the theme of the wizard of oz... The main character dorothy, ( or you) had to step up, tell herself she could do it, put one foot in front of the other and move forward into the things of the unknown....pressing toward the mythical city where she would find the "all might Wizard" along the way she found her courage, heart and brain... Her best!!!

What will you find, if you give your best another chance??

Tell yourself ....I can, I will, I must !!!!

 I'll see you in the city where the color is Gold.....

The face of finance

Christyna with a "y"

Dorothy was distracted, what about you!!

A friend sent me a text asking out of true and sincere concern seeing if I was ok, they noticed I had transformed ( in physical appearance) so much so that they wanted to make sure I wasn't sick, I thought about the sincerity and took a look at myself and acknowledged it's significance. I thought about how I've been so caught up in my day to day grind and likened it, a tornado of life, distracted by my own personal "toto" . The significance of my toto's (distractions) have had me so wrapped up I hadn't noticed my own transformation.

If you remember, it was that cold winter night that Dorothy went to take out the trash, just as toto dashed out the door into the storm....like a good caretaker Dorothy left her primary task and ran after toto, so distracted by her desire to make sure toto was safe she put herself in harms way!!!! Which makes me ask, What's your "TOTO"?

What task or thing of significance in your life  have you found yourself distracted by, What tornado's have you been caught up in because your "toto" ran out the door?

As women, we are excellent at multitasking, caregiving and caretaking..but at what cost? Your "toto" may be working instead of going back to school to increase your income or forgoing work ( income) to care for children, a parent, a spouse or  your "toto" may be FEAR....False Evidence Appearing Real...keeping you paralyzed in a rut, or like mine your toto may be not facing the truth that a tornado is what your in and transformation is happening regardless, while your distracted, running after your toto.

"Toto's" are anything that distract us from keeping the main thing the main thing.....

Dorothy was so distracted that she couldn't see the transformative tornado that was heading her way... 

What transformative something have you not seen due to your distracting Toto?

 Once you answer the question, pull out a sheet of paper identify the toto or toto's. Pull out another sheet, write or rewrite your goals,( those you forgot, said would never happen or gave up on) cross reference and see if toto's have kept you from them. Were you suppose to have that vacation home but spent the extra monthly income on St. John knits ( toto) , were you suppose to retire last year but wanted the new car so now your working an extra two years ( toto)...

Remember, all it takes is "Realization" to allow transformative  moments to be realized.

Reach out to me if you need extra sheets of paper!

The face of finance

Christyna with a "y"

Where the path leads or Lead and the path....will develop

This week I was asked a question , it's one I've personally asked for years to candidates I was offering employment to as a corporate recruiter....the question was, "design the life you see for yourself in three years." In other words, where do you see yourself in three years? I have never felt any concern in that question before, but for some reason I assigned such a level of gravity to the question this time that it stumped me. 

In the past when asked, I could rattle off my two year, five year and ten year plans as easy as breathing...but this day, I was swirling with mental chatter . As a women of a certain age, wife and mother extraordinar...the question now has so many factors to be considered, how will my decisions effect my future personally and those around me who depend on me...

As a professional financial consultant, my main tool of choice is the ability to help my clients DREAM and picture where they want to be in the future, my job is in helping them PLAN the steps to get there. So, why was it so hard for me to answer, for me to implement my tool to my own Dream Plan??? Could it be, like you, I now put my family ahead of myself in that role as "mom" and in that role, choose the selfless sacrifice of $150 towards the college fund opposed to the $150 steal of a lifetime cute "butter soft" leather tailored zip front "Theory" blazer at Nordstrom ( yes, it was that cute, a perfect fit medium, I already had the stark white button down, black pencil skirt and the open toed stilettos from my closet already picked out)  to be responsible and not seen as selfish.

Does this question also stump you or have you been resilient and steadfast in your reverent pursuit of your dreams,  withstanding the sway of life events and there impact on your dream plan?  So, how do we , those of us who have altered our Dream Plan, either by circumstance, situation or design, reclaim and ReLoad it back into our path without feeling guilty or selfish but empowered as leading? If you remember, ReLoad means to start again, redo with firm foundation . For some, you may feel your personal economy impacted your dream, others it may be a change in title from single to married, married to single, children at home to empty nesters.

No matter the reason, we have to make a Choice, to Re Load our dream plan.

Accept and revel in the new economic status or title change, acknowledging that the path is only as clear and as wide as the dream that manifest it, for the dream must be the unmovable anchor.

Now let me hear you loud, bold and empowered...where do you see yourself in the next three years??? 

Remember, brickless paths help us develop fortitude and vision for our comeback !!!

Christyna with a "y"

The face of finance

What happens when belief is required???

The scene closes  with Diana Ross being serenaded by the great Lena Horn who is telling her to believe in yourself...for in your heart you'll know!!!

Sometime the brick road runs thin on bricks, sometime you have to rely on your instincts, mother wit or intuition and believe the path your on is correct and if you just keep your way the bricks will reappear. Often- times in our lives we see areas with thin bricks as signs to stop or turn around, however, sometime brickless paths are opportunities for us to create and develop parts of ourselves that maybe underutilized. Belief, is one of those areas.

 As a child, I believed I was a princess, now I believe I'm a queen, but I digress. I would do all the dainty things I thought a princess would do. I would put on my moms heels, one of her night gowns ( for the flow) and cover a wooden spoon in foil as my septor ...(c'mon it was the70's). You couldn't tell me I wasn't a princess, it was those simple items that transformed me and my belief, that to me made it true....That innocence a child brings in the way of Belief is what some of us must relearn, even Now as an adult, I sometimes use those same techniques to transform myself and my thinking harnessing a great deal of belief to make things happen, in business and in personal.  I must always believe the outcome is going to be positive and even though like Dorothy's travels, there are many  twist and turns to come along, I still have to continue the journey. 

Today I closed my eyes, clicked my heels, took a deep breath and started saying there's no place like home, there's no place like home.... Home is where those that love you, know you, the real you and except you and it's all good.

Home is where the experiences of the journey can be implemented for your comeback !!!

Let me know how I can help you get there

the face of finance

Christyna with a y

What does your Roar sound like??

I once had a manager who use to say, "A Lion wakes up in the evening prior to the hunt and ask's himself.... Who am I going to kill today"  this made me ask myself the same question, what is my ROAR -CRY!!!

As someone like you who wears many hats in life, Mom,sister,friend, businesswoman, domestic engineer ect...I sometimes find roaring more confused with saying, pickup your clothes, brush your teeth, it's where you left it yesterday or STOP FIGHTING and go to your room!!!!

When I think a little more on the nature of the Lion, I see why the Lion rules; The Lion is the king of the jungle, when the Lion Roars all that hear his roar run, for they know "it's on". 

A  roar may be your swagg, your vibe or your COURAGE!!!  I  remember My GRANDFATHER  had a roar. His was " steppin out", he would look as sharp as a new penny, hit the bottom stair open the door and tell my grandmother "steppin out" .. He was so pumped , knew he looked good , smelled good and was ready to conquer the day and whatever challenge that stood in his way. 

Which brings me back to, what's your Roar? As I said, it can be your vibe,  swag, courage or confidence.  Perhaps, over the past few years, through situations and circumstances beyond your control, your Roar has been a little shaky, unrecognizable or even silenced!!! Trust me, I know. Two years ago, my Roar sounded like that of a Horace baby cub. It took a sad Realization to let me know how I had stumbled of my path and had no clue how to get back, it took Realization to wake me up and make me take action.

The steps I took, I believe may help you recover your ROAR-cry.  It work's in any area, your relationships, finances even career, it just takes Realization and these five steps:

1. Pinpoint exactly where you are "right now" in your journey.

2. Discover if course correction is needed.

3. Identify tools or people who can help you rebound.

4. Create a plan, set a Start and   Completion   date.

5. Implement the plan " take action"

Let me know your success

Christyna with a Y!!!

The face of finance

Who's your Representative ??

Who's your Rep

Have you ever been in the company of someone and started imagining what their life might be like based on their CAR, TITLE or maybe their REPRESENTATIVE...yes, their representative. Over the course of this week I have been checking in with friends and was sharing how I was thinking about mom, how I use to envy my mother for her style, her model looks and her awesome abilities as a mom.. My mom was the quintessential "hot mom" she would pick me up from Jr.. High School and teachers or people in general would ask ME if SHE was my sister....it would burn me up!!!  I wanted so much to be like my mom, she was a tall women, (those of you who knew her, know what I'm speaking of) with a slender model frame ( guess that's why she was a model) she had naturally long hair high, and a broad smile. She was a high ranking executive within the federal Government system, traveled back and fourth to Washington D.C. and had power and influence, in the sense of her title. The one thing my mom never did because of her job classification was "flash", even-thought she had the look, power of her position and the smarts, when you met her, you met her!!! Unlike what is common today.. 

Which takes me back to the "representative".  I live in L.A. Where there are as many kept men as there are kept women, where you can see someone who drives a Bentley and lives with their mom, or the most well put together women dripping with designer labels and no bank account. Representatives, come in all forms, ( job title, car, fashion ect.) they are who you have people meet first. Don't get me wrong, representatives are good, they allow us time to decide if we want to engage or not, but what if there is nothing beyond the Rep??? No depth to the story, just a car, just a title ect. Do you think you'd be satisfied, I think not. If your like me, you want your"authentic you" to be just as strong or "bomb" as your representative.

So my question to you is Who 's your Rep? and what are you doing to make the Representative you, the Authentic   YOU ???

Here's your chance to reload ( there's that word) and develop your Rep to look more like the you, your destined to be.. Perhaps now's the time to revamp your look, take on a mentor for career development or get your finances refreshed ? In whatever stage your in, the steps are the same. 

            With the two majors being: 1) Identify where you are and 2) Question where and who do you want to be. 

The Authentic you is always going to be more sustainable and interesting than the representative you, might as well make them one in the same!!!

Let me know how it's going

The brick road to a comeback 

I've spent the past two weeks between 2012 and 2013, maybe like you, reflecting on things I did right, what I did wrong and what I want to improve on in the new year.. However today, I spent a little time thinking about my mother. It's been nine years since her transition and (when I want to feel close to her I go through all of her jewelry) today a funny thing happened, her ruby ring kept falling out of the jewelry bag for no reason. It's a ring I remember she always wore and I guess because of that, I refused to ever wear it, let alone try it on. As fait would have it I slipped the ring on and here on this paper is the result of what the experience made me think of.

I thought of the wisdom that poured out of my mom like water, how she was so graceful under such pressure and in a split second I felt like Dorothy from the wizard of oz. ( I know, I know) the stresses of juggling family, career and seeking to make a financial comeback , has had me feeling like I'm on the proverbial "yellow brick road " knowing I'm on the right track and taking the curves the road throws. I'm sure your road too has taken some unexpected turns as well... I thought about the COURAGE it takes to stay on the road...(ahhhh the lion). Knowing that I may have to Relearn some things, some old ideas or thoughts I had  on various subjects, that they may have to be re-examined. Thoughts on family values, gender roles and money; What I learned to get here, isn't going to carry me through to where I want to go on this leg of the road.

I with my moms ruby ring, (my version of ruby slippers) am embarking on this leg of the "yellow brick road" of life with a desire to find what, is my way "back home". Join me weekly maybe you'll find something that helps you find your way "back home"..

I will be speaking on good ole kitchen table topics and financial fortitude for your come back. These three words will always be the thread of each conversation to help you ..... And me too!!!

Realize - realization , according to webster is, bring into actuality. I believe it is a submission to the thought or reality that something has to change, and putting your focus on making that happen.

Relearn - learn, according to Webster is, come to know or know how. I believe it's the opportunity to know what you thought you knew, this time knowing it correctly.

Reload - load, according to Webster (4) is, make ready for firming. I believe reloading is the ability to start over, redo with the correct foundation .