This post started out as a quick shout out and update of some very cool teleseminars I want you to know about but I realized there’s more to tell you…

Let me ask you…

Have you ever put yourself out there with a new product, program or service and experienced an immediate and totally unexpected backlash?

That’s what happened to me last week…

And I can tell you, my initial reaction was to curl up in a ball and cry my eyes out. It hurt.

I did cry but thanks to the amazing women (and a few men) that I mastermind with, I was able to pick myself up, dust myself off – in record time!

Here’s the really awesome part…

When I was in the midst of the frustration, anger, self-doubt and plain old stuckness that comes with any kind of response you’re not prepared for, my intuition kicked into gear and I reached out to my mastermind for… help.

I posted my situation to our mastermind forum and within minutes I had people who truly care about me and my success sending me virtual hugs, sharing their experiences and helping me to move forward again.

There’s no info product, article or eBook that could have impacted me the way this group of amazing women did that day (and still do).

If you’re going through anything similar, I want you to know that you’re not alone.

And that there are some really simple things you can do to manage the fear and self-doubt that comes with any kind of negative response …

1. Get out of your head and follow your heart.

When you’re in the midst of a painful situation it’s easy to curl up in a ball and completely shut down or, the oppositive, to lash out too quickly.

The negative self-talk we all experience is louder and nastier than ever.

The key is to get out of your head and follow your heart. Challenge the self-talk and compare it to the truths you hold in your heart. The sooner you do this, the quicker you’ll bounce back – stronger than ever!

2. Reach out and ask for help.

My mentor reminded me of something this week…

There’s a big myth that exists in our minds that admitting our fear somehow makes us weak or unsuccessful. And I agree with Marie… this is total baloney.

Here’s her advice on this one:

“I feel fear regularly…especially when I’m in the midst of creating a lot of cool, new stuff.

When you step outside of the norms in business and life, expect some fear. Just don’t let it stop you.

The best thing to do is to gently call yourself out on it and more importantly, call a friend.

The secret is to share your fear from a neutral place (meaning: don’t FREAK out and believe your fearful thoughts) and allow your friend to “talk you back from the ledge.”

3. Fail Forward and Take Immediate Action.

A philosophy that serves me well is the idea that every “failure” offers an opportunity to grow. In fact, the Chinese symbol for “crisis” also represents “opportunity”.

When something goes wrong or doesn’t unfold according to plan, rather than view it as a failure and get caught up in your head like I mentioned earlier. Get into action.

Here’s what I mean…

Rather than continue to moan and groan and feel angry and frustrated with the negative reaction I encountered just days before, I re-focused positive energy to the new Fun, Fame and Fortune programs I’m preparing for 2010.

I mapped out my virtual and live retreats programs, organized the time lines, created content and then celebrated with my honey on the deck .

I’ve had the privilege to be part of an amazing mastermind this year. Surrounding myself with people who really care about my success makes all the difference in the world. When you have this, it’s pretty difficult to really fail.

I’m so excited to launch these new programs. They’re infused with the essentials I’ve identified for creating my own fun, fame and fortune with the goal that they will become your reason why it’s impossible for you to fail.

Setbacks can be the ideal fodder for mega creativity – if you get out of your head, ask for help and… fail forward.

Okay…

I’ve gotta run. My sister is here and Steve is going to install her new stereo. Then, it’s time for a dip in the pool!

Thanks, as always, for reading and I’m excited to share more about my failing forward with you as it unfolds.

Oh… about the teleseminars you should know about. You can read about them here:

The Networking Masters July Member Event: The Zen of Social Media Marketing with Shama Hyder

5 Startling Mistakes Even Smart Entrepreneurs Make When Hosting a Telesummit/Series and How to Avoid Them with Special guest experts Sherri Garrity, Debbie Lachusa and Susan Daffron.

Have the best weekend ever and I’ll talk with you again soon.

Gina xo