This week I have had the honor of interviewing Gabrielle Bernstein.
Gabrielle was just one year out of college, when she co-founded the Women’s Entrepreneurial Network, a non-profit professional organization that connects female entrepreneurs.
Adam: A great deal of your work has focused on women’s empowerment. Have you always been empowered and if so was your upbringing key to this?
Gabrielle: I began to feel empowered at the age of twenty one. At this time I underwent a quantum shift, released a lot of fear and chose to be an entrepreneur. From that point forward I knew that part of my mission would be to help empower others to play big in their lives. I’ve always had a gut feeling that I’d work to empower others. I had to learn to empower myself first before I could teach it.
Adam: On the face of it society appears to be degenerating, what initial steps do you think need to be taken to halt the rot?
Gabrielle: This is a powerful question. Thank you for asking this! There are very specific steps we all must begin taking today to impact our culture and our world. First, people must begin to clean up their thinking. If the collective conscious began to think more positive loving thoughts the energy on the planet would shift. People living in fear or angry about what they’ve lost is not helping our country or the world. It is imperative that everyone begin to shift their thought forms from fear to love. All thoughts inform energy and the influx of negative thoughts are polluting the planet. Therefore people need to pay more attention to the thoughts and energy they are projecting.
The second step I suggest to helping our society is to be kinder to others and work together. We all have an opportunity right now to work together to resurrect our economy. Entrepreneurs in particular. We entrepreneurs must begin to collaborate and help one another build business. The push your way to the top mentality is a thing of the past. The only way to stay in business and help stimulate the economy is by working together and helping each other grow.
An additional step towards helping society is to be of service to the world in some capacity. Anyone can find a way to be of service. The service mentality can be as simple as helping someone cross the street to donating time to a philanthropic organization. Give back. Give back. And give back some more!
Adam: It is a difficult journey to banish the fear, especially when it is so embedded in the psyche, what do you think is that first key step in the journey?
Gabrielle: These are genius questions! I truly appreciate them. The first step in the journey towards relinquishing fear is the willingness to change. The slightest willingness will lead the way. Once you have the willingness it’s all about repetition. Neuroscience shows that thirty days of repetition will change your neural pathways and therefore change your behavior. I’ve created a method for change called the ing Equation. It is featured in my book (Add More ing to Your Life – a hip guide to happiness/out in Jan 2010.) The ing Equation is rethinking + moving x repeating (30 days) = changing. Through thirty days of positive affirmations and physical activity I’ll guide you to reprogram your brain. More on that visit my blogs at www.herfuture.com (only women.) Men stay tuned for www.addmoreing.com.
Adam: You are an amazing motivational speaker, does writing come as easily to you?
Gabrielle: I am a learn as you go kinda lady. I have always loved to speak but writing was more challenging. But no joke, where there’s a will there’s a way! I’m thrilled to say that throwing myself head first into the process of writing a book was truly incredible. I’ve learned so much. A big tip for any entrepreneur is to surround yourself with experts. I hired a writing coach to help me learn to create proper outlines and write more creatively. My willingness to learn and my choices in teachers has always been key components of my successes. A strong desire to write was all I needed to move forward.
Adam: You have been quoted as saying that you do not have a typical day or routine, do you think that this is a key part to the route to happiness, many people find themselves bound by routines do you advocate that they rid themselves of them?
Gabrielle: Each new day brings an opportunity for greatness. Sticking to a routine (even when you’re in a 9 to 5 job) is very limiting. I suggest finding new ways to change up your patterns daily. These moments where you shift your perception and try something new are opportunities for miracles. Don’t deny yourself of the abundant opportunities for happiness that can happen in any instant.
Adam: Finding the right path should be a very spiritual journey, who’s teachings do you find most useful in this regard?
Gabrielle: My main spiritual teachers are Marianne Williamson and her interpretations of A Course in Miracles, Dr. Wayne Dyer and Shakti Gawain to name a few. I am a student and a teacher of A Course in Miracles and this work has truly ignited my spiritual journey and continues to walk me over the bridge.
Adam: Being forced to grow up so quickly does not help young people find the right path, how do you suggest that they find the space and time to find themselves?
Gabrielle: At any moment you can release your past and choose a new present. You can be whoever you want to be. If you decided one day that you’ve missed out on something, then wake up and do it! At the age of twenty-five I completely turned my entire life around. I went from being a fast paced New York City entrepreneur to choosing to live in a much more mellow way. I picked up old hobbies such as unicycling, rollerblading and tennis. I read more and began to write. I felt as though I’d missed out on some of life’s treasures so I woke up one day and decided to revisit them. It’s never EVER too late to change your ways.
Adam: You are clearly driven by the need to share your message, passion and hard work is the key to a successful venture is it not?
Gabrielle: Drive to share your life’s work is key to growth. The great news is that today we can share our messages in many different ways. Not everyone will want to be the face of their mission in which cases they may find unique digital ways to engage with the masses. Luckily for young entrepreneurs today it’s much easier to spread the word than it was when I was first starting out. Make sure to use you online capabilities wisely and share your voice in a powerful way.
Adam: You have been successful at a very early age, which would make you appear to be an overnight success, does this make it harder for people to believe that you are here for the long haul?
Gabrielle: The key to other people believing in you is YOU believing in YOU. My work has only just begun and everyone around me vibes with that. I know this is just the beginning. Get ready for more Gabrielle Bernstein.
Adam: You are an inspiration to many young women, if you could only get one key concept across to them what would it be?
Gabrielle: Make loving yourself your number one priority. Then spread that love.
Adam Toren
