But one of the most important lessons of all: freedom is an inside job

This summer I had a chance to experience it first hand – in a dressing room. Of all places.

I took a branded shopping trip with my friend and colleague Kristen Domingue, creator of Ignite, a boutique style and brand consultancy. She specialized in helping women entrepreneurs link their style to their brand, and their brand to their purpose, so they KNOW they are attracting the right clients, on and off-line.

Given that I do so much speaking, and dress from my suitcase-cum-closet, a little style pit stop felt like a good idea.

After filling out her extensive brand assessment, and talking about my brand and purpose with her, she hit the streets and set aside clothes that were aligned with my core message. Clothes for dates, for speaking gigs, for working with clients, and just plain old hittin’ the road.

We had a lot of fun, broke a few sales associate hearts. And more than that, I realized we are aligned on something important.

I believe that freedom is something that happens inside of you when you tell yourself the truth (about money, love, etc.), and then align your life with that truth.

Inviting Mike on the Freedom Tour? Truth.
Starting the freedom Tour? Truth.
Taking a break this summer? Truth.
Not doing a daily video blog? Truth.
Cutting my hair? Truth.

And as a result, I am feeling more like me, and more free than I have in a long time.

Kristen totally understood that – in fact – just like I believe freedom is an inside job, she shares that branding is an inside job: the outer expression of your internal purpose; aligning your brand with your purpose leaves you free to have the kind of business and life you really want.

I mentioned in another post that this year, I launched a new business partnership, ended another one, then ended the one I had just started, experimented with being homeless, and fell in love.

With all that transition, my brand was a little hard to nail down.

But I can tell you for sure, my essence wasn’t.

It’s in stripping away everything that wasn’t me that the truth of my loves, likes, dislikes emerged. Which meant that while we saw tons of cute clothes, I felt most like me when we took an off-the-plan stroll into Cathryn Malandrino (a personal fave of mine) and I fell in love with a dress I wore to dinner that night, and then to a wedding the following week. It felt so much like me, that I bought it in 2 colors.

There is something magical about finding a dress that compliments you perfectly, fits you like a glove, and truly looks like you to the most important person of all: you.

And as I transitioned all year, a magic is emerging on The Freedom Tour that has it “fit me” just like my Cathryn Malandrino.

This year on The Freedom Tour (just like in the dressing rooms,) I tried on, I took off. I looked for the right fit, color, cut and shape.

I didn’t settle.

And I found freedom in the perfect little black (and peach!) dress…

What I noticed about Kristen in our time together, is that she is committed to getting down to the core essence of a person. She doesn’t want you to just look good, she really wants you to have something that fits YOU.

She’s offering a tele-class about this called Magnetic Branding. On it, she’ll share exactly how to infuse your brand with your purpose – your truth – and how this creates more freedom in your business and life.

Click here to register for it:

Magnetic Branding
November 8th at 3 pm EST

More than anything, I do The Freedom Tour to inspire you to find the keys to your own freedom. I know this tele-class is one tool to help you do that.

Click here to register now.

Nancy & me at The Freedom Tour launch party.

Nancy Levin is a bad-ass event producer. She once lived out of a carry-on suitcase for 73 days straight. The most she’s ever been on the road in a year is 213 days. Nancy is a road warrior, no doubt, but she also happens to be a poet and one of my dear friends.

When I first heard Nancy read one of her poems (the very same one she reads on the Glimpse TV episode below) before a keynote at a Hay House I Can Do It event I was awed to tears. I didn’t know this woman who I had known for several years had this kind of art in her. This is what Nancy represents to me:

Pealing back the layers.

Forgiving yourself.

Finding the gems in vulnerability.

Being deliciously, adorably, divinely human.

I’m so thrilled to share Nancy with you today on Glimpse TV. She’s hilarious. She’s freaking smart. She’s gorgeous. And she’s very, very real. Nancy’s book, Writing For My Life: Reclaiming Lost Pieces of Me is a book of poems, most of which were written as she was going through and healing through a divorce.

As Louise Hay says,

“Whether or not you are a poetry lover, you will be so glad you found this book. It’s liberating.”

Tune in for Nancy and my Glimpse TV episode where Nancy bares everything from packing tips to her soul. Enjoy!

More Nancy:

Web: www.nancylevin.com

Twitter: @nancylevin

Buy the book: Writing For My Life: Reclaiming Lost Pieces of Me