The Platform Debate: Author/Speaker Michael Hyatt versus the NSA – Resolved!

In the wake of the National Speakers Association announcement at its annual convention a few days ago that it was renaming the organization “Platform,” some of us, who are passionate fans of Michael Hyatt — the New York Times bestselling author of Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World — have become quite vocal about this poorly researched, dubious decision.
For my part, as I shared earlier (and maybe ranted a little) on this Sugar Shock Blog, when I witnessed this brand roll-out, I became both appalled and saddened.
Michael HyattAlthough I greatly respect the National Speakers Association and its many remarkable members, I cannot fathom how a talented brand-name-search committee — which allegedly spent “two years” on this — could have been so in the dark about the amazing Michael Hyatt, who has branded “Platform” in a big way. Or, worse, if they knew about Michael and still proceeded with this move, it’s simply galling.
Not only has Michael penned his fabulous book Platform — which is, incidentally, a must read for all speakers — but he has created a wonderful Platform University and fabulous Platform Conference.
Although I had initially planned to dedicate much of this holiday weekend to making major inroads on my next book, I felt it important to take time out to stress via comments in the private National Speakers Association Facebook group and in two blogs posts here that Michael Hyatt is the undisputed brand holder of “Platform.”
Please join me to support bestselling author and speaker Michael Hyatt:
Urge the National Speakers Association leadership to ditch the name change by writing to CEO Stacy Tetschner, who invites your comments about it.
Recommend that the NSA apologize to Michael Hyatt.
Do better Google searches and more substantive research before picking another brand name that may already be taken.
And don’t stomp on the toes of someone, who is, after all, one of your own! Indeed, Michael Hyatt is not only a New York Times bestselling author with a huge platform, but he’s a sought-after, world-renowned speaker, who has done so much to help speakers, authors, bloggers, etc. get their messages out to a wider audience.
Also, please post comments on blogs by Daniel Decker, Stu McLaren, Kathleen Ann Thompson, Mike Kim, and Andy Traub, and thank them for coming to Michael’s support.
I also encourage you to read these thoughtful posts about this matter from Ryan Avery and Skip Prichard.
FYI, you can see the explanation here as to why the well-branded National Speakers Association was ditching its name and now calling itself “Platform.”
Now, let the fabulous Michael Hyatt teach you about building your own platform.
Again, please join me in urging the NSA leadership to reconsider this name change, because Michael Hyatt is already the preeminent holder of the brand, Platform. Please share your comments now.

Win a Year of Typepad: Blog Contest in Honor of Beyond Sugar Shock’s Book Launch

Today marks the official launch of my new book, Beyond Sugar Shock, and I’ve been seeking to provide lots of fun programs and activities for you.
To my delight, Typepad, the easy-to-use blogging platform where I’ve been hosting this Sugar Shock Blog since 2005, has generously offered to help me hold a contest.
Calling all would-be bloggers or current bloggers (on other platforms) — because the winner of this contest will get a year of Typepad Unlimited ($179.40 value).
I love BloggingNow, if you’re a blogging newbie, this contest should be especially appealing. And it’s also ideal if you’re a person with a strong, savvy voice about a certain topic.
In particular, sugar and carb addicts and people with weight goals, this is your big chance. If you’ve been thinking about writing a blog about going sugar-free, leading a healthier life, or sharing tasty recipes, I urge you to apply. This is an ideal opportunity for you to write about a topic that’s dear to you — and get support from your readers in the process.
By the way, in my book, Beyond Sugar Shock, I discuss the value of blogging or journaling to help you release your sugar addiction.
You even get some helpful blogging pointers from veteran journalist Dana Kennedy, who ran her popular Year Without Candy blog from Feb. 28, 2010 to Feb. 28, 2011.
Entering the contest is simple. In order to win, you have to be either new to Typepad, or have to want to migrate your blog from another provider to this more-user-friendly platform.
Here’s how to join the contest:
To enter, leave a comment on this post, stating why you want to win a year of Typepad Unlimited.
Tell us about the blog’s topic and title, too. Will this be a weight loss blog? Will this be your safe haven where you can write about eating sweets instead of splurging? Would you post recipes?
Your deadline to enter the Typepad giveaway is three weeks from today, Tuesday, June 19 at midnight (EST).
To select a winner, I’ll confer with Typepad and a panel of two other experts (like on a TV show) to select that special person, who seems most motivated to use her or his blog to further an important goal.
I’ll announce the winner on June 20. And please, of course, only entry per person, please.
Remember this giveaway is only open to those who aren’t already blogging with Typepad.
So why would you want to be with Typepad? From my perspective, as a non-techy kind of person, I’ve found it easy to learn. What’s more, their customer service is excellent — you can actually reach a live person via a Help ticket.
That’s one of my favorite features of Typepad. If I ever have a question about how to use a particular function or program, I just fill out a support ticket, and a Typepad representative generally gets back to me within about 24 hours with a detailed answer.
I just love that Help section. It makes life so easy for me. Because they’re so good at explaining things, I no longer have to scramble to find answers.
So, what are you waiting for? Enter this blogging contest now.
Typepad-featured-weblog-125Please note that while Typepad agreed to sponsor this giveaway, I will choose the winner.
In addition, all opinions are my own, and I wasn’t compensated by Typepad in any way to sing their praises. I’ve just been a happy customer for seven years, because it’s so easy to use!
By the way, I’m thrilled to report that Typepad is also doing something else very nice for me.
Any moment now, my Sugar Shock Blog will be featured shortly in the Everything Typepad section.
Stay tuned for details.
Now just post a comment here to enter the contest and get one year free at Typepad.

Going Through a Crisis? Dr. Wayne Dyer Can Inspire You Daily

Are you going through a personal or family crisis?
Are you plagued by constant physical pain?
Are you feeling emotionally distraught or downright discouraged due to a breakup or divorce?
Are you watching a loved one suffer agonizing emotional or physical pain due to heart disease, cancer or Alzheimer’s disease?
Or are you surrounded by family members, who, because of their own emotional or physical pain, are saying angry, venomous things to you?
If you’re going through a challenging situation such as one of those cited above (or something else), I strongly recommend that you
Wishes-fulfilled
buy the latest book, Wishes Fulfilled: Mastering the Art of Manifesting, from the inspirational Dr. Wayne Dyer.
Dr. Dyer is, of course, an internationally renowned author and speaker in the field of self-development. He’s also the author of more than 30 books, and he has created numerous audio programs and videos and appeared on thousands of television and radio shows.
His new book, Wishes Fulfilled: Mastering the Art of Manifesting, is truly life changing.
I also recommend that you get the new, I AM Wishes Fulfilled Meditation, that Dr. Dyer and James F. Twyman have created. I can’t wait to receive it. I’m sure it will be miraculous.
If you can, I also recommend that you catch the remarkable Dr. Dyer in a city near you. I’ve heard him several times — so powerful!
Wayne Dyer – Event Tour

News for Sugar Addicts: Sugar Shock’s Successor is on the Way — Please Help Me Name the New Book

Are you a sugar addict? Would you like to easily shed excess weight? Do you often get headaches, “brain fog” and fatigue? And are you suffering from a low libido, severe PMS or infertility?
Either way, this is for you.
I’m really excited and thrilled to announce that – after repeated requests from many of you – the follow-up book to my book Sugar Shock is on the way.
Hay House images Sugar Shock’s successor is coming to you, thanks to my new publisher, Hay House, which is the international leader in self-help and transformational publishing.
How will this new book help you? Well, let’s face it, cutting out – or even cutting back – on sugar and refined carbs is really tough for most people.
In fact, sugar addiction is a challenging situation to solve EVEN if you know that overcoming it can help you to lose weight, get more energy, boost your libido, prevent or reverse diabetes and live longer.
So, in my follow-up book to Sugar Shock, you’ll get valuable tools and tips that will make letting go of your sugar addiction simple – and even fun.
You may be wondering how this new book will be different from my first book, Sugar Shock.
Sugar Shock is primarily an exposé that spotlights sugar’s many dangers. One of my goals is for it to shock you into wanting to kick your bad habit. For instance, this book includes scary information about the link between excess sweets and obesity, memory loss, mood swings, troubled relationships, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, female problems and early aging.
On the other hand, my next book will give you a simple, compassionate, step-by-step plan to help you stop sugar shock and break free of your sugar habit for good.
In other words, my first book Sugar Shock dishes the sour DIRT about sweets.
Now, my intention with Sugar Shock’s baby (so to speak) is to tell you HOW to ditch desserts and get a healthier, happier, longer and much sweeter life.
After reading my new book, you will — I hope and believe — escape sugar shock, easily release weight, say goodbye to mid-afternoon crashes, experience joyous freedom, look and feel better than you have in years, and build a better life in the bedroom, if you catch my drift.
In this follow-up book to Sugar Shock:
* You’ll get many tried-and-true tactics — ones I created when I kicked sugar back in 1998 and ones recommended by dozens of other health experts. And you’ll benefit from my 12 years of coaching or connecting with people around the world so they can break free of their sugar addiction.
* You’ll undertake simple, interactive adventurcises™ (my word for adventurous exercises).
* You’ll discover several dozen ways to stomp out your sugar cravings.
* You’ll learn what color sugar lover you are. (Yes, we’re all different in our relationship with sweets, and this knowledge will empower you to make the right choices for you.)
* You’ll detox gradually so that your body, mind and even soul won’t go into shock.
* You’ll get meal plans and tasty recipes from a recognized nutritionist and exercise physiologist.
* You’ll learn to Enjoy a Sweeter Life Without Refined Sweets™.
* And much more.
But I’d like your help to name my upcoming book.
You see, although I know what I’m including in the follow-up to Sugar Shock — thanks to questions and feedback I’ve received from many of you — my wonderful Hay House editor and I still haven’t settled on the book’s title.
We have a number of thoughts, but right now, we’re going to let ideas percolate for the next week or two.
So would you be kind enough to give me your input?
Since you’re my target audience, what is a title — and subtitle — that would entice you to buy this follow-up book to Sugar Shock?
If my Hay House editor and I pick your title, you’ll get several gifts.
1. You’ll get one hour of complimentary coaching from me very soon.
2. You’ll get complimentary admission to an audio replay of my Break Free of Your Sugar Addiction in 6 Weeks program, which includes access to a private, members-only website. (Learn more at http://www.BreakFreeWithConnie.com)
3. And you’ll be one of the very first people to get a copy of my new book, the follow-up to Sugar Shock.
4. That’s not all. You’ll also get my profound gratitude.
5. Then, I’ll thank you in the book.
6. And I’ll also spotlight you here, on my Sugar Shock Blog.
Please share your great ideas for book titles now. What should my follow-up book to Sugar Shock be called? And, in your opinion, what is the best subtitle?
Now, before I part, let me take a Gratitude Moment. I just want to extend my heartfelt thanks to my new friends at Hay House for deciding to help me help you by agreeing to bring my follow-up book to Sugar Shock into the world.
Louise_hay_pic By the way, I highly recommend that you look into the life-changing, empowering Movers & Shakers events from Hay House, a company that was founded in 1984 by inspiring author Louise L. Hay, author of You Can Heal Your Life and Heal Your Body as a way to self-publish her first two books.
Both of Louise’s books books went on to become international bestsellers, and You Can Heal Your Life has sold a whopping 35 million copies worldwide and it established Louise as a leader in the transformational movement.
Events sponsored by Hay House are amazing, as I discovered upon attending the Movers & Shakers conference in New York City in December. (That wonderful event was, in fact, where I met Louise, which was a big thrill for me, because I’ve been a fan of hers for years. In fact, You Can Heal Your Life was one of the books that helped inspire me to overcome my sugar addiction.) At the Movers & Shakers conference in New York, I also had the pleasure of meeting Hay House’s motivating president and CEO Reid Tracy, my new editor and the dazzling author Cheryl Richardson, author of the life-changing book, The Art of Extreme Self-Care.)
I encourage you to learn more about Hay House’s programs and products that have a positive self-help slant and are conducive to healing planet Earth. Just go to ==== >>>> http://tinyurl.com/HayHouseMoversAndShakersConnie
Perhaps I’ll even see you in November at the I Can Do It conference in Toronto?
Movers & Shakers 2010 468×60
Please note that I’m an enthusiastic, compensated affiliate for Hay House. But I only share information about programs or services that I recommend.
What Do You Think? What Should My Next Book Be Called?
So have you come up with some ideas for the title of my upcoming book?
I hope you’ll give this some thought as you go off and play, eat healthy foods or try to steer clear of health-harming, sugary desserts.
Remember, if your title for my follow-up to Sugar Shock is selected:
1. You’ll get one hour of complimentary coaching from me very soon.
2. You’ll get admission to an audio replay of my Break Free of Your Sugar Addiction in 6 Weeks program, which includes access to a private, members-only website. (Learn more at http://www.BreakFreeWithConnie.com)
3. And you’ll be one of the very first people to get a copy of my new book, the follow-up to Sugar Shock.
4. That’s not all. You’ll also get my profound gratitude.
5. Then, I’ll thank you in the book.
6. And I’ll also spotlight you here, on my Sugar Shock Blog.
Please post your great ideas now for the title to my follow-up book to Sugar Shock.
Feel free to invite your colleagues and loved ones to share their title suggestions, too. Just send them to:
==== >>>>
http://tinyurl.com/NameMyBook-SugarShockFollow-Up
I look forward to your contributions.

Authors, Speakers & Coaches: Be a Mover & Shaker with Hay House

Movers & Shakers 2010 468×60
Do you have a powerful message that you’re yearning to share with millions in a book, through talks or even on your own radio show?
Are you convinced that you have transformational information that could really help people?
But are you completely stumped as to how to reach all those people so you can change their lives?
Louise Hay If you have burning desires such as those I just cited, I strongly encourage you to attend one of the upcoming Movers & Shakers events sponsored by Hay House and emceed by bestselling author Cheryl Richardson and Hay House President & CEO Reid Tracy.
Back in December, I attended a Movers & Shakers event in New York City, and I cannot rave about it enough! Over the years, I’ve attended some 20 to 30 wonderful conferences for authors, speakers, bloggers, social media experts and more, but this Movers & Shakers conference was a powerful event that really pulled it all together for me.
Here’s my heartfelt testimonial about this fabulous Movers & Shakers conference:
“If you feel a calling to serve people and help them transform their lives for the better, then you MUST attend the Hay House Movers & Shakers conference! This is a powerful, transformative, life-changing experience that gives you valuable tools, tips and insights, which empower you to be true to yourself and pursue your vision at the same time. As if that’s not enough, you also could make the most wonderful friends.”
— “Smart Habits Girl” Connie Bennett, CPC, CHHC, Author, SUGAR SHOCK!
If you’re serious about becoming a Mover & Shaker, I strongly recommend that you sign up now for one of these life-changing Hay House Movers & Shakers events. I predict that you’ll be enthused, exhilarated and excited when you meet the amazing Cheryl Richardson and Reid Tracy.
And guess who will make an appearance to? The amazing Louise Hay, author of You Can Heal Your Life and founder of Hay House.
To learn quickly about this event, go to http://tinyurl.com/HayHouseMoversAndShakersConnie
Movers & Shakers 2010 125×125
Reid Tracy Cheryl Richardson
event description
Do you have an important message to share with the world? Are you ready to take your career to a whole new level by expanding your reach, so you can help thousands of people to improve the quality of their lives? Do you have a dream to write a book, build a speaking career, appear on TV, or host your own radio show?
I’d love to hear from you if you attend one of these Hay House Movers & Shakers events. Please let me know what you thought. And I hope to connect with you in the special Movers & Shakers page on Facebook after you’ve attended.
Make sure to tell them that Connie Bennett referred you.
By the way, Hay House is the cutting-edge publishing and events company, which also presents the inspiring, life-changing I Can Do It conference in Toronto and the I Can Do It conference in San Diego.
Please note that I’m a compensated affiliate for this program, but I’m only recommending it because I think it’s fabulous.
To learn more, go here: http://tinyurl.com/HayHouseMoversAndShakersConnie

Dolly Parton’s Funny Take on Dieting (an Audio Post)

Today’s post is mostly a short vlog (voice blog) post.
You’ll hear a very humorous quote from Dolly Parton about dieting.
Thanks so much to my friend Jena LaFlamme, a health and wellness expert, for telling me about this fun quote.
By the way, Jena — who shares my passion for living a healthy, sweet life — offers a cool Pleasure Weight Loss Summer Camp with her colleague Marc David.

Kelly Ripa, Kim Kardashian, Seth Green, Eva Langoria Parker Go for Over-the-Top Cakes

Many of us would-be, health-conscious people strive often (or at times) to cut culprit carbs and shove candies, cookies, cakes and chips out of our lives for our emotional or physical health.
But who can blame Tori Spelling, Kelly Ripa, Kim Kardashian, Eva Langoria Parker, Guy Ritchie, Flavor Flav, Seth Green, Spencer Pratt and Kid Rock for using creative, elaborate cakes to memorialize major occasions?
I don’t mean to unnecessarily entice you with these images (to your left), but I’m amused, entertained and intrigued by these over-the-top, sugary concoctions that People Magazine shares with us in a snazzy photo essay.
My sugar-free — albeit sometimes jealous — funny bone nudges me to poke fun of this sugar-filled hoopla in this way: Well, let them eat cake!
(For the record, my comment was NOT intended to be malicious — it was intended as a silly remark.)
Hey, sometimes you just have to laugh at — and just accept — our nation’s habit of celebrating events with sugar-filled cakes.
For the most part, this is a trend you just can’t buck.
So I invite you to set some limits for yourself at your next beautiful cake-celebrated event. I urge you to have just one teeny, tiny piece — and to have it after a good meal with healthy foods — protein, carbs (veggies) and fat (like olive oil). I challenge you to partake of one tiny slice!
Cake tori-spelling-660 Speaking of challenges, it’s quite a challenge to figure out how to observe important milestones such as birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, bar mitzvahs, christenings and graduations without cute cakes.
So, now I’m presented with a challenge. Given that I don’t eat sweets, how the heck should I celebrate my 12 years off sugar on April 15?
I invite your suggestions. Because frankly I’m at a loss! Please send in your ideas!
In case you’re new to this Sugar Shock Blog and you’re wondering why I would want to pass up such delectable treats as those shown here, consider this: Would you rather suffer from 44 horrible ailments or skip the sweets and feel great?
That’s the choice had to reluctantly make back in 1998, when my doctor ordered me to quit my sugar habit. To learn about my sad-to-sweet story, read it in Chapter One of my book SUGAR SHOCK!
Now, have a healthy snack or meal and then check out this cake-filled People Magazine photo essay.