With my sister's help, my blog is now linked to Facebook! Pretty cool.

Some other good things happening to Inner Pathways Hypnosis include: an interview with Cal Banyan (my teacher), which is going to be published on his website very soon. And my boss at Maki has agreed to post an ad on the Maki Fans page promising a free sushi roll to any Maki customer that registers for my upcoming 7th Path class!

I'm posting ads just about everywhere that I can think of, and I'm in the process of writing a letter to the principal of Reagan High School, who has been given one academic year to bring the school up to an Academically Acceptable standard. I think 7th Path Self-Hypnosis would be very beneficial for the students, as well as for the faculty, staff and parents. I'm hoping she thinks so, too.

My first class is in TWO WEEKS, and I'm very eagerly looking forward to it. I need to make sure I order all my books on Monday so they'll arrive in plenty of time.

I've decided to take the plunge and have the good folks at Banyan Hypnosis design my website for me. They made an offer I couldn't refuse, and they've been doing it well for a long time. They've got the whole SEO (Search Engine Optimization) thing down pat, and I'll have a link on their website. I'm looking forward to it!

I think I've settled on a place to have my first 7th Path classes, and a couple of dates, as well. Now I just need to finalize that with the Crowne Plaza hotel and start advertising the classes! I'm nervous and excited about this prospect. I've taught classes before, and I've done hypnosis and hypnosis demos before, but this will be a relatively new subject for me. I'm worried that I won't get enough people interested in signing up for the classes.

Next I've got to figure out *where* to post flyers. I want to put a bunch downtown, so I'll probably have to spend a day or two hoofing around down there and finding places to put them. I've also got to get my website updated with the right information, which looks like it might take a couple of days...

Making Plans for Classes

In getting training a year ago, I wasn't certain that I'd want to do anything with the 7th Path Self Hypnosis (R) technique other than using it for personal growth and development. But in the intervening time, I've thought more and more about teaching it in a seminar or classroom style. The main challenge to making that happen was that I hadn't really paid close enough attention to *how* to teach it. So when the opportunity came up for me to re-take the training class, I *JUMPED* on it!

Now I'm wracking my brain trying to figure out *where* I could do these kinds of classes and how I'd handle some of the logistics. Preferably, the students would be able to recline comfortably. Not having thousands of dollars to throw at a permanent facility with lots of comfy recliners, though, I have to look for a practical, affordable, portable alternative. So I can take my classroom with me wherever I go, be it The Crossings, or Sun City or a church Fellowship Hall somewhere or a rented hotel ballroom.

The option I've come up with is actually one I've thought about before: a reclining folding lounge chair. My friend Deanna had turned me onto this website called www.livingxl.com some time ago - they cater to the heavier individual - and sure enough, they had EXACTLY the chair I was looking for (http://www.livingxl.com/store/en_US/catalog/browse_sku.jsp?clear=true&catID=cat70187&prodId=X1413&id=cat70187), and it's rated up to 400 lbs! Right now, they're even on sale (regularly $119.95, now $109.95). Of course, I still don't have hundreds of dollars to throw at buying several chairs, so I'm going to have to figure this one out somehow... I'm planning to take whatever money I get from doing sessions and invest it back into my business. Once I get something like a minimum of 5 - 10 chairs, I can start doing classes (of course, then my challenge becomes how do I transport that many chairs - they fold up, but they still take up space!).

Meantime, I might go for something like this as an even less expensive alternative: http://www.makemeheal.com/mmh/product.do?id=10043&procid=39&catid=517

Ask And Ye Shall Receive...

Well, that's what they say, anyway...

This is hard for me to do, because I'm not very comfortable asking for this kind of help from people. But I'm doing it anyway, because this is something of great import to me. So here goes:

As most of you are aware, I am a Certified Hypnotist, and a member of the National Guild of Hypnotists. In order to maintain my certification, I, like many other professionals, have to have a certain number of Continuing Education credits every year. The NGH Annual Convention is coming up in just over a month, and is the *perfect* opportunity for me to get those credits AND learn from some of the best people in their fields. In particular, there are at least two or three two-day seminars either before or after the Convention that I am very keenly interested in attending (actually much more than the convention itself). One is a 4-day certification in Hypno-Birthing (which is actually what got me interested in hypnosis in the first place!), one is learning about Stage Hypnosis (which can be a very important part of a marketing strategy), and one is information on Marketing a successful hypnosis business (something I DESPERATELY need!!!). Not sure yet exactly which one(s) might still be available, but I should be able to find out tomorrow)...

Here's the hard part (for me). Being essentially out of work right now, I truly can't afford to attend even one of these seminars, or the convention, or the airfare to get there, or the hotel, etc... I don't *think* I know anybody able or willing to loan me that kind of money, either. But I hope I DO know LOTS of people who ARE able and willing to either A) lend me a small amount of money (anything from $1 up to whatever you're comfortable with), to be paid back as I am able (hopefully soon if I can start utilizing all I learn to create a successful hypnosis business), or B) purchase a generic pre-recorded hypnosis session or two (several subjects to choose from) for the modest sum of $5 for each subject or C) purchase a personalized recorded hypnosis session for the modest sum of $10 for each session or D) book a personal introductory 30-minute hypnosis session with me (for Central Texas folks) for the VERY modest sum of $20 (my regular fee is $75 per session, which lasts from an hour to an hour and a half).

I'm guessing that I'll probably need something close to $2000 to cover airfare, hotel and/or car rental (if I can, I'd like to stay with a friend in Boston, but will need to rent a car - if I can't stay with the friend, I'll need to get a hotel near the convention site), convention and seminar fees and food for a week.

So, friends and family, this is me, swallowing my pride and humbly holding out my metaphorical hat. If I can't / don't raise the necessary amount of money in time to participate in this particular training, I most certainly will utilize it for training as quickly as I possibly can (two of the two-day seminars I'm interested in are actually abbreviated versions of four-day seminars offered elsewhere by the same trainers for 3-4x the money - $1395 for the Stage Hypnosis training, $1221 for the Marketing training) and pay back every micro-loan in the order received as quickly as possible as well. If I miraculously receive MORE money than I need to cover my expenses for the week, I will immediately use the excess to start paying back loans in the order received.

Please send an email to: Tani@InnerPathwaysHypnosis.com with the following information (or with questions):
How much can you afford?
Is this a loan, or a purchase?
If a purchase, would you like a generic pre-recorded CD ($5), a personalized CD ($10) or a personal introductory hypnosis session ($20)?
I will respond with information on where to send the money and we will commence with arrangements to send you your recorded CD or when/where to meet for the personal session.

Thanks, everybody, in advance, for your faith in me!

Tani

Driving to a friends' house yesterday afternoon to take my kids to a sleepover, I passed the Riata apartment complex. I've spoken to folks before who have mentioned that they offer a wide variety of classes and programs and such to their residents, and I thought (not for the first time) that it might be a good venue for a Seventh Path(R) class. I'm also thinking of looking into Continuing Education classes with ACC and/or UT. Retirement Centers, and possibly Sun City would also be good venues for Self Hypnosis classes for groups.

I've finally found a part-time job, which should bring in a fairly reliable source of income. This will allow me to finally rent an office and start to market my business. I was looking at the Austin Woman magazine today, and plan to check out their advertising rates. I'm also considering becoming a contributing writer to some of the natural magazines found around town. I just have to figure out what to write about!

Now is the time to really get my website materials finalized...