About

Hi, I'm Amber Singleton Riviere.  You may know me from other places around the Web, but for 2011, one of my main projects is Rock Your Genius, so let me tell you a little about it.

Rock Your Genius was created to help its followers build lives and businesses by design rather than default so that they might find greater contentment and success.

When the site first began, however, I quickly got caught up in the process -- "the how" and "the what" over "the why," if that makes sense.  I finally realized that it was way more important to be guided by an underlying purpose and to allow that purpose to lead the way for Rock Your Genius.

The Back Story

Around the time I went into business for myself nine or ten years ago, I heard the word imua while watching a television program.  Imua is a Hawaiian word that means “to move forward with strong momentum.”  Immediately, it struck a chord with me and kind of became a personal motto.

Starting my own business wasn't just about surviving; it was about thriving, being the best version of myself, and doing something that mattered, so when I thought of the word imua, it was an instant reminder to move toward those things that were most important to me and to live my life by design rather than default.

Then some time around August of 2010, it occurred to me that imua and Rock Your Genius worked hand in hand, and at about that time, I discovered that imua had a second meaning, which was “to go forward with spirit,” which to me meant “to move forward with purpose.”

Finally, after nearly ten years of constant striving, I realized that it wasn't just about moving forward aggressively, but moving forward with purpose.

The Imua Campaign

For 2011, I want to distill everything down to that main underlying motto (imua: to move forward with purpose) by launching “The Imua Campaign” to help Rock Your Genius followers aggressively (in a concentrated effort) move their lives forward and in the direction of their dreams.

Most of us, I think, get lost in “default living,” just kind of going along and allowing time to pass without ever going after what we really want out of life.  I think, too, that while we are very afraid of failure, we’re even more afraid of success.  As the quote by Marianne Williamson goes, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.  Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.  It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us," but as she also said, "Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do, and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.  As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

The "Moving Parts"

There are three main “moving parts” to Rock Your Genius for 2011.

• The Workshops - The Imua Series workshops will consist of programs from life-by-design experts who are not only walking their talk, but who can also help you create a life and business by design.

• The Blog - Follow along with The Imua Blog, as guest experts and I share insight and tips for staying in tune with your own unique genius and for pursuing a life only you can lead (subscribe to the blog by RSS or by email).

• Life Lists - The Imua Campaign of 2011 is all about moving forward with strong momentum and purpose, and what better way to dig deep and start living on purpose and with purpose than with a life list of things we hope to someday have, do, or be?  Here you’ll find a link to my life list, and be sure to add your own and invite your friends and family to do the same.  Dream it, say it out loud, and then begin to live it.

As an added note for the blog and workshops, we'll be concentrating on three core categories: work, life, and self.  The goal is, over the course of 2011, for you to begin moving each of these areas in the direction of your dreams.

Join Us!

For 2011, join us in this campaign for change.  Follow along with the blog (subscribe by RSS or by email), sign up to attend workshops to help you build a life and business by design, and be sure to add your life list, too!