Sunday’s message focused on something we talk about a lot here and have since the day we launched.  Passion, purpose and process!  Dr. Mark’s doing a series on our “Hidden Factor”, using the story of Caleb and his nephew, Othniel to illustrate an important element in the discovery of who we are based on what’s “inside us” that wants to “get out”!

The ‘gist’ of the message is that each of us has a hidden potential built into our destiny DNA that is intrinsically linked with our passions and the purpose for which we are here. Briefly, his remarks covered activating our intuition and applying it to a process of intuiting our passions that leads to discovery of our specific purpose.

This is nothing really new to us who’ve been traveling together since last July.  What intriqued me and gave me the ‘inspiration’ for this conversation was comments as to what leads to enlightened mature intuition.  It’s related to our personal history; our life experiences and how we interpret and act out of those experiences, and quite simply - the amount of time we’ve spent traveling life’s road(s).

Haven’t we been saying that?  Isn’t that why we call our community one for women “traveling and transitioning the 2nd half of the journey”?

It really doesn’t have as much to do with chronological age as it has to do with what happens to us as we move through life!  But it’s pretty definitely not an aspect of our youth or even early adulthood.

Enlightened (or highly aware) intuition requires considerable life experiences in order to mature to the point where it (intuition) is a trustworthy guide to passion and purpose.

I love using Scriptural folks as examples because it makes them come alive and helps us identify with them as folks just like us - only having lived in a much earlier point in history.  Take Paul for instance.  He was a youthful man committed to the Hebrew expression of faith. A member of the governing body in the Israelite community, he was rigidly convicted that his purpose was to stamp out this rapidly growing new ‘religion’.  And he spared no energy pursuing what his youthful intuition told him was his ‘purpose.

Then of course came his journey to Damascus.  And everything he thought he was or was meant to do fell into the dust of that road.  The next years were one’s in which he had experience after experience, leading to a level of maturity he needed in order to ‘know’ his purpose and set about accomplishing it.  It was an ‘unfolding’ process that finally found it’s culmination in what I think we would call his “middle years” and came to its fullness in late age.

That is exactly what most of us here have been saying for quite some time.  There’s a reason we say “chronologically maturing over 40″.  Because there is something that happens within us when we reach a certain age - emotionally, psychologically and chronologically.  It is rare that women much younger than we are have the life experiences it takes to have formed a mature intuition leading to conviction about our purpose.  Many of us are still trying to determine which passion of all that we have is THE one that is directly connected to our purpose!

I’ve just looked at how much I’ve written and think that I need to stop at this point.  At least for this talk.  But I want to continue this train of thought and share more about intuition as it relates to the law of attraction and how personal history, life experiences, etc. come to form us as we continue to journey in life’s 2nd half.

I’ll be back tomorrow and say more.  Hopefully more that will work into your year-end reflections as mentioned by Peg in yesterday’s conversation here, and planning for 2008.

Have an awesome day with much love and continued rich blessings!

  Linda

Caring for aging parents is a subject many of us are either facing or will have to face in the future. I am compelled to share with you how hospice can assist with caring for aged parents or other loved ones.

I like many used to think that hospice was for those who were going to surely die in the next six months. Since returning to nursing I have been blessed with the opportunity of developing a hospice program. I was surprised to learn in my research that there are far too many people in our communities who qualify for the hospice benefit but know nothing about it.

Did you know that the late stages of Alzheimer’s and dementia can qualify for hospice?

Did you know that anyone who is steadily declining may qualify?

Did you know that hospice is part of the Medicare benefit and there is no cost to the patient?

I am truly inspired by the services that hospice provides to the patient and their families. Not only are the medical needs addressed but the spiritual and psychosocial needs are also taken into consideration. Hopsice in my opinion is the true definition of holistic care.

I encouragae any of you who have loved ones in poor health and you have graciously taken on the role of caregiver to call your local hospice and ask for information. Hospice care is not a death sentence, hospice provides quality care and enhances the patient and families lives during a difficult time. You can get more information from the hospice foundation at www.hospicefoundation.org.

The one thing I hear from families often is “I wish I would have had hospice sooner”.

Have a blessed holiday season,

  Kim Brown RN, BSN

We’ve been focused on aspects of business and professional life that reflect the wisdom and maturity of us who are traveling through the 2nd half of the journey.

Today I’d like to say something about the importance of “follow up” or “follow through”.  They are actually 2 aspects of the same thing.

As we mature in life; learn more from past experiences (especially what we consider ‘failures’) and apply reflection on a regular basis, I think we become more aware of business-professional kindness or respect.  Of course most of us were reared in a little different societal culture (pre-Woodstock!), so perhaps we had a head start.

What I’m getting to is the importance of following up on all business or professional connections within a reasonable period of time.  Most of us who’ve studied the art of ‘networking’ try to do so within 24 to 48 hours.  It shows a high level of respect for the other(s) and it continues a relationship that might otherwise not ‘blossom and grow’ whether for business or social reasons.

When it comes to committee work or the planning process, it’s equally important to do our “wrap-up” work.  Notice how after every sporting event there’s the “wrap-up” (ad nauseum).  Well the same is a tried and true process for almost every activity we engage in.

If you are working with a group of folks for whom there is no designated “secretary” or “recording secretary; then make certain that someone is designated to issue an overview of each meeting.  And instruct that person to send it out no later than 48 hours following a meeting or teleconference.

Now I know that our women really don’t have to be reminded of the importance of such action.  But sometimes, women tend to meet in less-than-formal settings to get things done!  And get them done - we do!   The “less than formal” manner in which we often work makes it even more important to make certain everyone is on the same page following a meeting.

Especially when we first come together to accomplish a specific goal.

And then of course, the next important thing is to make certain everyone follows through with the tasks assigned to them - and do so in timely manner.

That’s why getting a handle on each woman’s gifts is important.  Trust me, if a group (male or female) comes together to plan and execute a specific goal, it’s absolutely necessary to have at least one “task-oriented” women among you.  The ‘perfect scenario’ would be to have an equally divided group between the “task-orienters” and the “interpersonally-oriented”. 

Oh and it’s best to have the more task-oriented heading committees. 

Whatever you put together to get things done - whether it’s at home, the office, business or professional career path; take the brief time needed to follow up and then follow through.  Keep a running journal of who you meet, where they’re from, what they do, who else they know, what you perceive as their gifts (skills, abilities, etc.) and a tally of contacts you’ve made with them and the outcome.  Don’t forget to find out significant dates such as birthdays & anniversaries.  You never know when a simple e-card or “send-a-card” will thrill a contact and build or rebuild a relationship.

It does sound like a lot of work, but trust me, over time it will pay off in rich dividends.

Here in the middle of the midwest, we are awaiting what they’re calling a major winter storm!  Okay if I don’t have to go out and someone clears my steps and walk.   If you’re somewhere warm, think kindly of those of us in the grip of winter!

Have an awesome day with much love and rich blessings!

  Linda

Here it is!  Just as I promised late yesterday.  The powerpoint of “men’s rules”.  When you click on the link here, it will ask you what you want to do (open or save).  Just click open if you don’t want to save it to your computer.  My wonderful and funny theater friend came through with another ‘zinger’ that should start off the last work day of the week with a chuckle.

MensRules.pps   

On a different note, here is the link to a beautiful Christmas holiday powerpoint presentation.  The graphics are exquisite and the message is so right for the season.  You may want to forward it to all your friends as well.  Same holds true for opening the link - it will ask you to “open” or “save”.

Christmas_blessings.pps

There will be more as the day progresses.  This is a day for running errands, getting a bone density test, grocery - all the things busy professional women have to cram into a work day!  Enjoy the above!

  Linda

Learning to be flexible!  My lunch appointment was rescheduled so I had to resort to an often unused skill I have in my business “toolbag”.  Flexibility.

I don’t do it well anymore.  I can be when doing planning for something unless I feel strongly about an aspect at which time I become inordinately tenacious.  Somehow, when I get my schedule all set for the day (using the “to do” list from the night before), I get miscumbobulated (is that a word?).  It’s as if I can’t readily and easily turn my focus from the ‘plan’ to an alternative plan. 

The question I ask is - “are you like that too?”  Is this something unique to me at this point in life or is it a common thread for all of us who are traveling and transitioning through the 2nd half of the journey?

I believe that there’s some truth to the old adage that as we grow more (you know what), we become more “set in our ways” and find it more difficult to make change - at least make it easier and with greater “flexibility”.

I know that a change in the daily plan is a minor thing.  Actually, I was a wee bit relieved that I didn’t have to travel again.  The ‘problem’ was that I didn’t have a contingency plan - an alternative in case something got changed at the last minute.  It took me at least an hour to re-focus and work through a long list of items that should have been finished days ago.

What does all this have to do with us as business or professional women?  Perhaps a great deal for some of us - little to nothing for others.  The point I’m making (and not very well, I might add) is that having a “backup” plan is always the right way to go.

I know that I talk a lot about ‘planning’.  I talk about it a lot because it’s crucial to our accomplishing the outcome of what we discover when we put our passion with our purpose and develop the “how to” to get there.  On the route to the ultimate goal, there will be detours, road construction, reduced speed and various other challenges that only a flexible attitude can overcome.  Same is true of ‘patience’.

So a piece of advice that many of us may already know.  But if it helps just one of us - it’s worth putting out here.

I call it the “what if” plan.  The “what if” something changes over night and what I thought would be for tomorrow doesn’t materialize.  On a grander scale, it’s the “Plan B” or “Viable Alternative”.  And if I learn to accomplish it in small matters (like last minute daily scheduling); then I will eventually come to apply it quite intuitively in the larger scheme of things.

We are to “commit our plans” (to God) and then He will guide our steps.  For me, and for many of us here I suspect, this means that delays, detours and other challenges of the road, may be our GPS trying to tell us something.  It may be that “Plan A” has some ‘kinks in it and we need to look at viable alternatives that have greater probability to succeed.

Having said this (all because my lunch appointment was rescheduled mind you), my suggestion is that when we begin to put our plan together - whether for tomorrow’s activities or for a not-so-minor-transition in personal or professional life; we include a “Plan B”.  We can put it together as 2 separate plans or we can do the “B” plan for each objective we have on our list.  Whatever works for us and our unique temperment and personality/behaviorial style.

Think of it this way!  Anything carved in stone is subject to crack, splinter and sometimes, even break entirely.  But things carved in the ‘wet cement’ of our thought processes remains moveable, eraseable, or changeable if need be. 

So carve your plans in web cement - plan A on one-side and B on the other.  Keep the cement watered down (ever watch cement masons or potters when they don’t want something to set up too quickly) just in case you have to make change, reassess and redesign.

It saves starting all over again from ’scratch’ and saves the stress of not knowing what to do when the “best laid plans of mice and men (or women)”.

Hope this was helpful.  Sometimes I don’t know and I wonder if my weird sense of life and it’s many metaphors is too far out there - or if it makes for a sudden ‘ah ha’ moment. 

Before signing off for the day - watch for tomorrow’s first post.  It’s a link to a pps (powerpoint) presentation on “men’s rules”.  It’s funny because it’s so true.  Saved it for then as part of Friday’s Odds & Ends!

Have an awesome evening with much love and rich blessings!

  Linda

It’s one of those weeks!  Loads of running with much activity, and all of it awesome!

This is just a quick “speak” here this a.m. as I’m off to Ohio for a lunch appointment.  Yesterday it was Indy for the first meeting of the planning committee for the women’s Spring conference! 

I’m excited to continue to meet our members on a more personal basis - either via phone or in person.  While we are still a small group, this is so possible and I love it!  There’s something about connecting both online and one on one whether it’s via technology (phone, etc.) or face to face.  After the first of the year, we’ll really get going meeting one another via the JAVA CAFE’ and serious networking.  As we get to know who’s part of our community and build trust, loyalty and relationship; the vision for AWP will take its full shape and form.

I just want to say a quick “thank you” to each of you for being patient, connected and welcoming!  Until later today, my hope is that your day will be awesome!

  Linda

While my friend was in surgery yesterday a.m., I had the privilege of meeting with one of our earliest AWP members - Nan M. from the Columbus, Indiana area.  Nan is in marketing for the financial industry; but the really awesome thing is that she worked for the same hospital in Indiana where my youngest daughter is now the HR Director and we know some of the same folks from the ‘era’ that both of us worked in the health care setting.  Truly, it is a small world.

Nan graciously agreed to begin having conversation here on some of the basics of women’s finances.  I am always amazed that women of our vintage often don’t have the basic information we need to protect us as transitions occur in our lives.  Amazed because although I was widowed at a relatively young age, my Mom was well-versed and was my resource before and after Alan’s death.

But it’s true!  Many women never think that life will change dramatically for us as we grow more ‘chronologially mature’.  We expect to live long lives with the same spouse, etc.  Even when we are blessed to do so; there are basic financial matters that women in the market place need to know.  And of course, life-in-general changes because society and culture (and government rules/regulations, etc.) change.

So we’re delighted to have Nan join us here at “Many Messages”, which BTW is why this piece of AWP is called “Many Messages”.

Friend Harold did well with the surgery and the outcome looks great!  So that is a load off.  He is here recovering (means he writes loads of notes to me since he’s not supposed to use his voice much).  Today we head for the city so I can co-chair the first planning meeting for the AWESOME Spring Conference we are planning.  I’ll have more to say about that as planning progresses.  But I’m delighted that so many of our AWP members are taking part in the planning process.

As they say in the entertainment world: “Stay Tuned”!

Much to do; things happening and the holidays are rapidly approaching.  I just looked at the time and need to get ready for the day.  I’ll return later to update all on the progress of the conference.  Right now, I encourage you to mark your calendars for FRIDAY, APRIL 25, 2008!

Have an awesome day with much love and many blessings!

  Linda

Good Morning Everyone!

It seems as if the holidays have made their way into most households.  At least it started in mine last Tuesday evening.  Albeit without me, as I was in Omaha, NE on a speaking engagement on behalf of Vibrant Lives, an advocacy program on behalf of those of us on the rheumatoid arthritis drug Enbrel.

I returned Wednesday evening to celebrate though.  You see, our family celebrates Hanukah.  It is more commonly known as the “Festival of Lights”.  It deals with one of the many stories in the Jewish religion.  This one dealing with the Maccabee clan, the desecration of a temple and the need for oil to burn for the Sabbath.  Then came the miracle.  The supply that was found was supposedly not enough to burn for one night, but through the congregation’s prayers and thoughts, that small amount of oil burned for eight nights.  From this the holiday of Hanukah began. 

Now, if you read my first post and the recipes I included, you can see I create foods that are pretty healthy in their preparation.  For this holiday though, most Jewish households bring out the oil and (Oh no!) we do a lot of frying.  This is to celebrate that the oil lasted and we now have the oil in which to enjoy.  It is common to fry donuts and fill them with jam.  My kids used to love to use them as the treats won when playing with their dreidls.  My 23 year old, still wants that to happen!

Now, because I’m not one for frying-it has become the most treasured holiday because I serve latkes.  These are potato pancakes.  I serve them with non-dairy sour cream (we have dairy issues in our family) and I actually make homemade applesauce.  Chunky, hot and more often than not, I grate in some fresh ginger and cinnamon.

I’m going to tell you right now, I do not measure anything on either recipe.  The main reason:  I adapt to how many people I’m serving!  But here are the ingredients and some very helpful hints to having both dishes come out extra yummy.

POTATO LATKES
Pre-heat oven to 275 and have cookies sheets warming with a couple of layers of paper towels. 
Scrubbed and washed potatoes (I like to use a combo of waxy and baking and keep the skins on)
Onion
2 tbsp of flour for each pound of potatoes
1 egg for each pound of potatoes
kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper
minced garlic to your liking

Grate potatoes and onions.  Don’t do it ahead or potatoes will darken and onion won’t taste as good!
Now comes the hardest part-in batches, put veggies in a clean dish towel and squeeze as much water out of them as you possibly can. The dryer they are the crisper and better the latkes will taste.

Place in a bowl and mix in the rest of the ingredients.  Get out your favorite griddle and heat.  Add a very thin layer of vegetable/canola oil and get it hot.  Carefully measure out ¼ C of the mixture and put onto griddle.  You can make them as thin or thick as your family prefers.  Do NOT touch until you see the edges turning nice and brown!  Carefully turn and finish the other side.  Keep finished latkes warm and draining in the oven as you finish the batches.  Serve as soon as possible, as they will start to soften in about an hour!

APPLESAUCE

APPLES washed, peeled and in chunks (use your favorites.  I like to combine granny smiths, braeburns and golden delicious)
CRANBERRY JUICE, just a little to give the sauce some liquid to break down with
SUGAR, use according to your taste
GINGER ROOT AND CINNAMON, again to your taste
KOSHER SALT, I know it sounds weird, but just a mere pinch to bring out the flavors
Put in a pot and bring to just a simmer and cook until it looks like applesauce.

And those are my family’s favorite Hanukah dishes.  Hope your family tries and enjoys them as well!
Have an absolutely awesome day!

Carine

I love Kim’s all too brief conversation here about the “power of the phone”!  It was written for last Sunday, but a glitch in the system didn’t let it show up in our “saved posts” until mid last week.  I say that because hopefully she is over the cold she had at that time.

I want to say a little more about the “power of the phone” and some other what some folks would call “minor” things related to doing business, etc.

What struck me when reading Kim’s remarks is that if we are the least ‘phone-shy’, we’ll find that the most difficult challenge we face as we enter the world of solo-entrepreneur or a new professional-life venture!  I know it always has been one for me - even when I was someone else’s ‘employee’.

What Kim said was that when the focus for whom she was exercising the “power of the phone” was someone else - her ‘employer’ - it became much easier to do.  Now 2 things come to my mind with that observation (actually more than 2, but will save for later).

Past professional experience has shown me that those of us who are “service” oriented or (in somewhat spiritual language) possess the heart of a servant; have difficulty promoting for ourselves!  Tis’ much easier to say we’re doing it for someone else or because it is required of us via our role in someone else’s company.  Even when it’s our own business - be it a network marketing model or more traditional business model - it’s been difficult for me (and others I know of as well) to convince myself that what I’m really doing is gifting the person on the other end of the line!

Why is that?  Is it just something for us ’social service’ types or the tender-hearted among us? 

No, I think it’s something somewhat unique to our gender.  I think it’s an outgrowth of the “feminine mystique”.  We are, after all, built as nurturers.  That does not deny that we can be as tough-minded as the next ‘fellow’, but it does acknowledge that one of the basic differences between the masculine and the feminine revolves around competitiveness vs collaboration, and collaboration is more a trait of those who nurture than those who are fierce competitors.

Competitors tend to focus on what it takes to get ahead of the other ‘guy’.  Collaborators or nurturers tend to desire to work in tandem to meet the needs of others first.

Then you take the history of women in business (or any arena of public life for that matter) and we’ve not been in the marketplace as a whole for nearly as long as males.  And we’re still feeling our way and getting comfortable with “tooting our own horns” and declaring our own “excellence” in roles other than primary nurturer.

I have a thought!  Don’t know if it will work, but it’s worth a try.  Here’s the scenario for consideration:

The name of my solo-entrepreneurial endeavor is XYZ, Inc.  I have what is called “sweaty armpits-sweaty palms” syndrome when it comes to lukewarm through cold calling on the phone (makes heart palpitations just to think of it).  So I do the following; (a) I write a script for my calls and it starts something like this - “Hello, I’m Linda Fitzgerald, with XYZ Company.  I’ve been asked by my ’supervisor’ to talk with you about . . . . .!  Or some other opening grabber that gets the immediate attention of the callee; and, (b) I rehearse, rehearse, rehearse that script until I can deliver it from memory without notes or without hesitation because I’m trying to get the words exactly as I wrote them.

Quite simply, what I’m suggesting is that you think of yourself as the “employee” of your own company rather than yourself as the CEO, manager, etc. of your own company.  For the purists in our group, it’s not a ‘lie’ - it’s truth.  We are both CEO and employer.

If thinking of ourselves as an employee rather than employer helps us leap over a major hurdle in our path to personal and professional growth - then do it!  Test it out - try it on for size.  Rework, refine, rehearse.

Yes, I like that rhythmnic phrase:  Rework, Refine, Rehearse!  The refining part may come after you’ve tried out the message on a few callers.  Once you get a comfortable rhythm for yourself, I think you’ll be amazed at how much easier it becomes to exercise the “power of the phone”.

Just a couple of other Monday Moment thoughts:  If you’re transitioning into something new in your life and haven’t gotten what we call a ‘media’ photo - I highly recommend you do one promptly.  They are very reasonable (mine is several years old, but only cost me $35 at the time).  Use it on all printed materials, including your business card and if possible, put it on your email format so that those with whom you’re corresponding have a “face” to go with a name.

Lastly, even if you’re not headed out to the marketplace; have retired (early or otherwise); or are sitting out ‘a spell’; I highly recommend you have a simple business card done for yourself.  After all, you’re in the “business of life”, so why not have a simple ‘branding tool’ handy when you want others to remember you for one reason or another.

Oops, I’ve talked on and on!  I’ll leave this subject for now, but I’m sure we’ll come back to it as time passes, so that new women coming into our community get acquainted with what we do here, as well as with each other.

 TOMORROW on “Many Messages”, we have a conversation from Carine in California.  I’m thrilled that she’s giving us a little history on the Jewish celebration of Hanukah and two great recipes for the season that I plan to try.  You won’t want to miss Carine’s Tuesday Topics.

Have an awesome day with much love and substantial blessings!

  Linda

As I sit and nurse a cold that has kept me from accomplishing all I needed to this week, I am trying to plan for the upcoming work week.

As many of you know I left nursing for about 6 years to join the network marketing industry and enjoy the benefits of working at home. I often heard that network marketing is all about personal growth. Funny thing about personal growth, it is nearly impossible to identify until you have been through the current lesson!

At my corporate job I have been asked to participate and assist the marketing department on some of the luncheons at the physicians office. At first I was thinking how can I possibly squeeze this into my schedule too!  But then I heard from our marketing director, “You have no idea how much power is in a phone call”.

Now this was a tough thing for me to do in my own business, but I just did it for “the employer” because it was part of my job. So for those of you actively building businesses for yourself either traditionally or through a network marketing company remember the power of the phone.

  Kim