It is NEVER to late to live the life you were meant to live and impact the people you are meant to impact.  Is it your time to start living a life with vision, of no regrets and of no excuse living? Susan shares one of her favorite quotes accompanied by descriptions of 3 words to live by – PERSEVERE, PURPOSE and POWER – that can help you to reach this level of impact in your life and the lives of others.

[ Click here to read more. . . ]

Are you ready to take your life (your story) right now as it stands and write a new chapter? Susan’s explains that you can establish personal RHYTHMS OF RENEWAL, and this article is just the beginning…over the next few weeks she will be sharing tools that you may want to put in your TOOLKIT for RENEWAL.  A Toolkit on HOW TO THRIVE!

[ Click here to read more... ]

February 14th is set aside to show our appreciation and love for one another. I’m sure you would agree with me, appreciation and love should be expressed all throughout the year. I came across an interesting quote sent out by Tony Robbins through twitter. It stated; “It is not beauty that endears; its love that makes us see beauty. “ –Leo Tolstory-

As a Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant, I have the great pleasure to cross paths with many beautiful women. Today, I speak of the woman who for the first time sees the beauty within herself.

As I sit across the table and I notice the uncertainty of trying the skin care products, let alone even putting on a dash of color; she states, I don’t know if I could do this every day, it seems like too much work. Well, if I could teach you everything you needed to know to take care of your skin and a few simple techniques with a little color; it would only take five minutes in the morning and about five minutes at night. Do you think you could stick to a daily regiment? Still some uncertainty?

It wasn’t until after the appointment that I understood the uncertainty. As women we sometimes don’t believe we deserve to look and feel beautiful. We are too busy taking care of everyone else and never taking the time out for ourselves. Does this sound familiar? I’m sure at some point we all have been in this position. As we grow in life, we begin to understand who we are and start to see our inner beauty in a whole new light.

She looks into the mirror with her head held high, shoulders back and with a smile she says, “I LOVE IT”. With the spark of the eye, she realized it was something deeper inside which came alive. She thought back to her younger years and whispered, oh my. She had lost what was so dear. I left this woman’s home full of cheer. Yet I found out later on, when she closed her door, she broke down in tears.

The following year on February 14th, she called me and wanted to show me her appreciation as her Personal Beauty Consultant. She shared with me her story of not loving herself and it was on that day she saw the BEAUTY and began to love self again.

Take time out to pamper you and appreciate the love within.

I have always believed that if I can make a person feel about my product the way I feel about my product, then they will want my product. That has proven true in my life through sales, through ministry, and now through networking.

They say a smile is contagious – in fact, the effect extends beyond the people we come into contact with. When one person becomes happy, the social network effect can spread up to 3 degrees — reaching friends of friends.

A study by researchers at Harvard University found that when a person becomes happy, a friend living close by has a 25 percent higher chance of becoming happy themselves. A spouse experiences an 8 percent increased chance and for next-door neighbors, it’s 34 percent.

The smiles spreading in Washington state because of The Joy of Connecting are increasing my reach exponentially! This week marks the expansion into a second event each month – and it is nearly full before the first meeting!

The JOY of Connecting is authentic – and proven. I am so thrilled to be part of it!

Share You With All Of Us

Why does it appear that some women seem fulfilled in their lives, participating in the journey with clarity and purpose. Others re-create the same day, every day? What is that shift in consciousness that can expand one’s reality and look at life and the world differently? I believe the answer is, “Give what YOU need to others and the world will reward you abundantly by satisfying YOUR need.”

Those who are generous receive generosity, those who acknowledge receive acknowledgement, those who serve are praised for their good deeds, those who listen are heard, and for those who contribute financially, money flows back. It seems so simple. Share what you need. I call this process, “recycling”. We breathe in the air we need and return the rest to the universe. In the same way, if we exemplify what we desire, the universe gives it back to us. Take what we need, give back the rest. Give what we need, and receive back the same.

People who experience fulfilling and meaningful lives understand the universal principle of “recycling”. They are working for great causes, supporting charities, acknowledging others, helping fellow travelers building their own dreams. When you understand this ebb and flow, the exchange of ideas, and value the needs of others you feel connected.

Connection creates the wonderful reward of being “part of” not “apart from” Embrace “recycling” in your daily life! If you want more, give more. If you need understanding, understand others. Choose to be connected. Each of us are an integral part of the living universe. Your contribution is essential to the well-being of the rest of us. Be a contributor. Share your talents.

Move Forward, Not Backward

It’s bad enough when I beat myself up for my shortcomings. When someone else decides to beat me up, that’s another issue. The fact is that once something we’ve said or done is over, regardless of how we handled ourselves, it’s over. We can’t turn back the clock, redo one’s behavior, or cover up a mistake. Certainly we can explain our behavior and apologize if appropriate, learn from what happened and move on. The problem is that when we decide to go forward, there is usually someone that wants to hold us back! Isn’t that amazing!

The key is not allowing anyone to trap you! All of us have a right to our own choices, to do the best we can in a given situation, and to share our thoughts and feelings based on our own experiences. What’s the point when someone says, “If you woulda done it the way I suggested, you wouldn’t be in this mess.” Or, “You shoulda definitely…………” Or, “You coulda anticipated that was going to happen!”

Really? While, I’m open-minded when it comes to asking others for advice and ask for permission before giving my opinion, the LAST thing you want to say to me is, “You should ….” Who knows better than me what I SHOULD or should not do?

We all have the right to lead our lives in the way it serves us best. Our choices are based on the information on hand or through past experiences. Respecting another person’s right to choose acknowledges not only our belief in them, but also honors their individuality. While I don’t celebrate my mistakes, I do know that I progress to the degree that I learn from them. Sure, there are times that I woulda done something differently, that I coulda been more considerate or that I shoulda known better. All I’m asking is that you let me find that out for myself.

Next Month, in June we will discuss Networking and our Expectations. What are realistic and what … maybe, isn’t so realistic.
We will discuss a Proper way of presenting your business over the 3-minute commercial you are given and how to make the most of it. There are 5 steps I suggest following and 1 of those steps is asking for very Specific Business Contacts/Leads.
For Example: “I am looking for a School Teacher @ Sonny Carter Elementary who is looking for a Part-time Job for the summer time. She would make a great additional for my Wildtree Team here in Macon.”

Tina O’Brien English said about her Joy of Connecting experience on April 14, 2011.
I had a great time at the Joy of Connecting – Valdosta Ga get together tonight. For those women out there with businesses, this is a great event to attend!!! Thanks Sharon Johnson for having me.

You Never Know Unless You Participate

How often have you resisted going somewhere, allowed someone to change your mind, and ended up having a wonderful time? I’m amazed at stories I’ve heard of people meeting someone special under circum­stances that might not have happened if a friend had not pushed against a friend’s resistance!  The conclusion: The BEST time to show up is when you are feeling the most reluctant. Somehow the universe surprises us when we are caught off guard.

Showing up has two faces: physical and mental. Being physically present is the more obvious. Of course, you have to be somewhere to experience what that place has to offer. Even more important than physical partici­pation is mental involvement. It’s easy to spot people that are physically present but mentally absent.  They may be standing alone, faraway in thought, quiet and uninvolved. In that same situation one can spot others who are engaged in conversation, sharing ideas, connecting with friends, and creating new relationships. While both sce­narios are played out everywhere, you can have the greatest impact on others when you show up and participate. Participants are remembered!

You are unique.  You bring your special skills wherever you go.  You determine your connection with your surroundings. You make a difference in other’s lives because of all of your qualities and experiences.  Think of all the individuals you impact in a single day! When you express gratitude to people you meet, share an idea that can help someone else’s progress, laugh at someone’s joke, empathize during someone’s setback, or make a phone call to a friend or colleague, you are not only “showing up”, but you are also “being remembered” because you care.

As you think about life’s playground, recognize how important it is to the rest of us that you show up. The next time you decide not to show up; change your mind! You never know who you might meet or who will benefit simply because you showed up and you were remembered.

Lessons we learn from living

Who said life was easy? There may be many aspects to life that become easier to handle as one be­comes wiser, however, the journey of life often throws us curves and roadblocks.  Perhaps the bumps we experi­ence are intended to make sure we stay alert! The truth is, it’s our ability to rise to the challenges and work through them that shapes our lives. Personal growth, achievement, and future accomplishments often result when we face our problems and handle them as they occur.  Sometimes it might seem like the challenges we are facing are beyond the strength we have to handle them. We are so caught up in the emotion of the moment, it’s difficult to step back to examine the situation objectively.  Emotion clouds our thinking and we are left feeling helpless. When you are determined to tackle any situation, regardless of how long it might take, your belief will ultimately pave the way to your success.

When I became divorced I faced a long and winding road. For 24 years I had depended on another person for almost everything. He managed the household finances, took care of our investments, made most of the major decisions, took responsibility for our cars, yard work, insurance issues, and was our family’s primary income source. When I was no longer a couple and “suddenly single” I was forced to “grow up” and take responsibility for everything I had taken for granted. I didn’t know the first thing about “running a household” beyond household chores ~ cooking, cleaning, etc. I had never purchased an insurance policy,  met with an investor, arranged to have my car serviced, paid the monthly bills, or refinanced a mortgage.  All of those tasks had been handled by my CPA husband.  What a shock to be in charge!

You know what?  The most amazing things began to happen! I actually learned how to take care of what needed to be taken care of! I asked for help. I received advice. I gave myself permission to be patient. I became informed on matters that affected me and my future. While it took some months, some mistakes, and some confidence building, I soon felt my self assuredness and self esteem strengthen. I developed a routine around bill paying, car servicing, etc. I secured appropriate agents for insurance issues. I landed a wonderful financial planner willing to review my assets, offer education where needed, and make suggestions.  I felt supported without feeling dependent. What a relief!

When, years later, as a newly married woman I moved to Atlanta from a community in suburban Mary­land where I had lived for nearly 30 years, I faced many challenges! I had to familiarize myself with a new environment, establish new relationships, adjust to married life, and change many of the service providers with whom I had become familiar and on whom I had relied. I frequently got lost on unfamiliar roadways. It took a few bad haircuts to land a wonderful stylist. Eventually I made friends.

Compared to what followed later that year these adjustments were easy to handle. After only 8 months as the CEO of a large, privately held company, my husband lost the job that was the catalyst for our move in the first place. What followed was stressful, uncertain and trying. Eventually, and with a lot of hard work and perseverance, the long and winding road of Phil’s career led to a wonderfully rewarding change and we got our lives back together! I believe the setbacks I experienced as part of my solo journey provided the foundation I relied on to help my husband in his challenges and kept me positive.

Winding roads continue to appear now and then.  While it’s not always smooth sailing, I’ve learned to trust my judgment in making decisions, secure advice when I’m uncertain, and believe that detours and set backs are distractions and not life threatening. They are simply roadblocks! There are always answers when life gets messy. It’s up to each one of us to uncover the lessons and apply them.  Long and winding roads will always be part of every journey.  They have a way of keeping us alert and certainly make the journey more interesting!