
häuteyoga Queen Anne, CRAVE Spa Puget Sound

häuteyoga Queen Anne, CRAVE Spa Puget Sound

barre3, CRAVE Seattle
Watch this video from our Seattle CRAVE chat on competition vs. collaboration, and see what our events are really like!

LaTrib, CRAVE The Hague, photographed by Irene Dral of Beeldzaak.nl

Peace Pavilion photographed by B Johnson Photos
In each collaborative effort, there is something to learn and a story to tell. CRAVE entrepreness and photographer Bibi Veth attended the recent Amsterdam CRAVE Chat, Women: Collaborators or Competitors? Follow along with her visual story at visualstoryteller.nl/cravechat
Lara Hemstede and Marjolein Dunnink, founders of House of Fashion, were our gracious hosts. House of Fashion is an inspiring office space for fashion-related businesses in a stylish building in the heart of Amsterdam. Our speakers, Judith Webber from Pure Human and Sarah Fraser from Happiness Express, were ready to discuss the topic at hand: are women collaborators or competitors?
Sarah approaches competition by focusing on “BE, DO, HAVE.” Be the person you want to be in your business, DO what you need to do, and then you will HAVE the rewards of your goal. Contrast this with people who focus on what they don’t HAVE by comparing themselves to the competition and losing sight of the “BE” and “DO.” Following the “BE, DO, HAVE” sequence creates positive energy and forward movement. She asks, “What can we find in the space between collaboration and competition?”
Judith believes that competition is a mindset. By focusing on what you have to offer as a pure and authentic individual, you differentiate yourself from the competition. Collaboration is a marriage. To determine if a particular collaboration is right for you and your business, you must first answer the questions: “WHY, WHO, HOW?” This helps to build your brand and bring the right customers to you. Eventually, the mask has to come off. Your inside and outside persona should match.
To attend a CRAVE Chat, visit the Events Calendar to find one in your area.

Happy Chair, CRAVE Charlotte

This post was written by Christine Chen Velazquez, certified yoga instructor and communications consultant.
“I’m overwhelmed.” “This is never going to happen.” “Maybe I should just give up.”
Have you spoken these words before (either muttering them under your breath or in a moment of emotional unloading to your BFF)? You are in good company, friends. Some of the top professional women in the world have had moments of defeat, tears and disbelief during their journey toward what they most want to achieve.
In yoga, we often pay special attention to what might be difficult rather than give up, because sometimes, what we don’t want to do is often what we probably should be doing more.
Hillary Rodham Clinton said, “I’ve often thought that when something is hard for you, whether it’s going to law school or anything else that challenges you, that’s probably what you should do.”

Also in yoga, we speak more to the intention, rather than the mission, as we work toward a pose or level in our physical practice, which is often linked to our progress mentally and spiritually too. What would happen if you let go of the “goal” or the end “mission” and took a step back for just a moment, rather than pushing forward toward something you think needs to happen? What if you came back to your intention?
With that in mind, also consider this: if your focus is singular and finite, and your mind is busy and full of “should” and “need” and negative thoughts, what room is there to discover 1) what you’re capable of, 2) what might be even better, and 3) what might be an alternate route to get to where you want to go?
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to step back from racing toward a goal, and get back to a place where the initial intention was clear to make your mission possible.
Try this:
Do this exercise on a regular basis, if you can.
The Yoga Sutras I.12 – I.14 discuss three essential things in yoga, which can be applied to life:
Some might call this process “baby steps”, which is another way to look at it. Babies don’t sprint in the Olympics right out of the womb. There are struggles, falls, tears and rests in between attempts to move.
So, take a pause, a breath (or a few breaths) to get back to your intention – or rest before another attempt. Take note of what baby steps or little actions can help you move in that direction. Put one foot in front of the other, and soon you’ll be walking—with your vision clear in the mind—toward what you intended.
Be prepared, because as you get clear, your intention could evolve. It is all part of the process of cultivating clear thought, having commitment to your highest ability to see clearly, and a sincere desire to make a mission… possible.
Christine Chen Velazquez is a Yoga Alliance RYT for Hatha, Vinyasa and Restorative styles. She offers consulting, private instruction and teaches group classes at two studios on Manhattan’s Upper West Side: NY Loves Yoga and Life in Motion. More than a decade ago, she turned to yoga to manage a spine condition and stress from her high impact career as a broadcast journalist. Today, as an instructor, she shares her experiences, knowledge and training to help others find overall wellbeing. She received her teacher training at Yogalife in Seattle, where she practiced for 10+ years. Each day, Christine continues to share her passions of Ayurveda, the Chakras and the Sutras in a variety of practices.
Follow Christine on Twitter: @christinechen_
Share with Christine on Facebook: Yin Yang Yoga with Christine
We love this video from Guy Kawasaki from Entrepreneur.com on writing an effective mission statement. The business thought leader says think “mantra, not mission statement” and make them short, sweet and “swallowable.”
The CRAVE Company’s mantra is Connect, Inspire, Succeed. What is your mantra? What are three words that describe your business? Let us know in the comments!

Global Adrenaline, Inc.