Friday come again!  Yea for all of us who work a 9-5, M-F ‘gig’ at someone else’s well.  For those of us who do our own thing, either in our ‘jammies’ from a home office or as well-dressed women in the marketplace; it may be just another work day before another work day!

Wherever we are today, the day has the feel of winding down and turning attention to other matters.  That’s why I call it “Odds & Ends”. 

I’m currently a member of NAWBO (National Association for Women Business Owners), but I rarely attend meetings.  However, I get their ‘Smart Briefs’ and an occasional e-letter.  I found the following in this week’s eletter that for those of us who write - either for a living or just because we plain love to write - this is an awesome opportunity.  Check it out by clicking on the link below (hope it works):  “Media Request: Growing Wealth Magazine writer Robert Gluck is working on a possible article for Growing Wealth Magazine. He is interested in interviewing five women entrepreneurs whose businesses have managed to survive and thrive in this recession. If the article is assigned, it will include quotes from the five women discussing the innovative steps they’re taking to survive/thrive. If you’re interested in being featured, please send a paragraph with your experiences to Robert Gluck at RobG@Hazleton.net.”

Speaking of writing - how about a few more of the women who come here, either as a member or visitor just ‘checkin us out’, getting on our author’s list for the AWP E-Book we have been trying to get up in cyberspace since late last year.  It’s a great ‘gig’ and 3 awesome women have already submitted their chapters and await the excitement of publication (as I do, of course).  Interested? 

I’m saving the particulars hoping to add some suspense & curiousity that will make you rush to your “outbox” and send me an email at linda@awomensplace.org to learn more!

This past week, we did some exciting things on our agenda since we arrived in the vase realm of viruality!  First, we launched a new version of our weekly newsletter - The Buzz.  Whala, we got awesome feedback and that of course, is thrilling.  What was more thrilling to me was that I learned how to do it (only took 10 days, but hey, I finally got it).  And, our stats for this first more professional-looking ‘tome’ were excellent - way above the aggregate stats for all other C.C. users. 

Not bad for a first-time user who has an ‘approach-avoidance’ love affair with modern technology!

Secondly, we opened the JAVA CAFE’ for the first time in many months.  To my absolute delight, we have a full house for next Tuesday’s 45 minute ‘jammie chit-chat’ with a number of our members from across the country.  NOW, a “Shameless Plug” for one of our most active members!  If you want to add a scrumptous cup of JAVA to the jammies & chit-chat session — try some The Fine Grind java.  We have our own blend (AWP Blend) and I have my own blend (Linda’s Blend).  Anita will do that for you!  She’ll put together a blend ’specially for you and in your name.

Now that’s neat, I think.

FINALLY, I got up my courage and revisited our web event platform and said to ‘me’. . . “Me, we can do this!”  I’m not going to say anymore here today about this AWESOME feature and benefit to our AWM members and a bonus offer to our ‘free’ Link members.  What I will say is. . . .

Watch next weeks e-letter for more info!  Then come back here for all the details and a free offer from the company for training.

I get a daily inspirational newletter by Os Hillman, Faith and Work.  Today’s message is not new nor is it rocket science.  But it is something that we often forget when attempting to practice quality communications.  Men and women think differently!!!  In “Square Peg in a Round Hole”, Os shares about an impasse between he and Angie (his wife) simply because he forgot that men and women think (and process) differently.  Without great detail, I think we all know that men are predominately left-brained - practical, analytical, realistic.  Women, on the other hand, are predominately right-brained and place greater emphasis on the ’soft-side’ of communication.  I don’t have re-print permission from Os as yet, so if you want a copy of today’s TGIF post, send me an email and I’ll forward my inbox copy.  I’ve also posted Os’s web site below so you can visit and sign up for the free daily inspirational if you choose.  Great stuff to start your day and good for staying in excellent spiritual balance!

Enough for now!  Have an awesome day with so much love you can hardly contain it!

 Linda

 www.TodayGodIsFirst.com.

What faces us as we grow more chronologically mature?  What special challenges do we deal with once we enter the 2nd half of the journey?

It’s been a privilege to begin meeting our women either ‘face to face’ or via telephone, as well as more personal emails.  What I hear, at first glance, are as many unique challenges as there are women with whom I’ve connected.

But upon reflection, I realize that the specific circumstances may be unique to each woman, but the challenges as a whole are the same!

Challenges to who we are, where we’ve been and where we’re headed!  Challenges brought about by change!

Some of the challenges involve health issues (personal or a loved one); others relate to business or employment or relationships.  And a few are crises of faith - not a loss thereof - but a re-examination of where one has been in their spiritual journey.

We have often noted here, that the 2nd half of the journey is not about chronological age!  It’s about that moment when we realize that something has happened (inwardly or outwardly) and we have moved past a milestone in our lives.  If I had to define a metaphor for ‘it’, I’d call it the Mirror.

From my personal vantage point, I make the following observation(s).  It’s that ‘pregnant pause’ between the bus-i-ness of life in our young adult days getting a career in place; marrying and establishing a home; rearing children or otherwise setting ourselves in place now that we reached adulthood.

Then comes a moment when everything seems to come to a halt!  Children leave home; marriage disintegrates; a spouse dies and leaves us to fend for ourselves; finances crash; the career we thought was for forever ends - and suddenly who we thought we had become, as well as what we thought life would be like for us - has changed!

It does feel like the world stopped & we are in limbo.  Between who we were (or thought we were) and where we have come (or thought we were headed).

I recall hearing Os Hillman, a major voice in faith and the marketplace, share bits and pieces of how his ’successful’ life felt apart and everything that had been part of a financially lucrative career and family life success turned to “dust”.  It appeared to have been a lengthy pregnant pause for him!

What do we do with those moments?  What can we do?

It occurs to me that it’s not what we do about them; but what we do with them.  Most often, there isn’t much we can do.  We can’t go back and we may not know how to go forward.  We’ve lost our sense of identity because that identity is rooted in a time that is no more.

When my husband died at age 44, the sudden loss (although his was a lingering illness) of a husband and marriage seemed surreal.  It wasn’t that our relationship was always perfect, but it had regained balance and we were headed for a more mature relationship.  Then it was gone.  I couldn’t change what had happened (I couldn’t do anything about that); but I could do something with it.

Some of you who’ve been there, done that and survived to tell (bought the tee-shirt too) know of what I speak.  Those who are in the midst of it may expect answers, advice, direction - something that will tell you what to do about “it”.

You may be disappointed.  I hope not, but I also know that may not be our mission here.  I believe our mission is to help you find a way to do something with it!

From personal & professional experience, I’ve learned that the wisest advice I can give is that all we can do is go through it!  There’s no way around it, over it, under it - the way out is through!

But our mission doesn’t leave you bereft.  We can be with you as you do the somethings that you need to with it!  We can give guidance when asked for it; we can be a support when asked.  We can share our personal sagas with our personal pregnant moments and in so doing, you may find something that speaks to you and gives a clue to help you travel through it.

Today I say to “all of you who are becoming a part of the fabric of my life” (paraphased from the song “Wherever You Go”), don’t expect answers to life’s difficult questions or even advice. 

Do expect compassion and common understanding of the moment in which you stand.  Do expect support and the wisdom that we’ve gained from our own moment of pause!  Do expect that being connected and remaining connected will eventually be part and parcel of finding your way through the moment.

If what I’ve said here in this moment speaks to you, please let me know.  You know you can always reach me via linda@awomensplace.org.  I listen well and sometimes I even say something of significance.  If that’s your need, then let me know.  If not, then you’ve found your way through.  Consider becoming a resource to your ’sisters’.

Either way, the answers are in the connections we make - not coincidentially, but serendipitously! 

Have an awesome day with much love and rich blessings!

Linda

 Ah youth!

I had the privilege of attending church this a.m. to witness my 7 year old g’daughter’s cantoring of the school mass.  She and her brother attend parochial school (Dad’s an R.C.).  Audra’s a 1st grader and it was the first mass her class led.  She called her ‘g’ma’ yesterday and invited me to come and of course, I was delighted.

Daughter, older brother and I sat together & I could tell Audra was nervous.  But by the last song, she was looking at the crowd, opening her mouth to ‘belt’ out the lyrics and swaying to the rhythm of the music.

“That’s my g’kid,” I thought! 

Just when I think “youth is wasted on the young” - along come delightful children who remind me that being young is a blessing that we really don’t appreciate until we’re more ‘chronologically mature’!

That’s not to say I would go back to those days and years.  Oh no, would not want to walk that way again.  I wouldn’t mind having the energy and exuberance of youth, though.  And I wouldn’t mind thinking that I have all the time in the world to do with life what I want to do with it.

This journey down ‘memory lane’ has led me to recall the things that I do miss about being less chron-mature than now.  So I thought I’d post some of them here and get your memory going to the things you fondly recall from childhood.

I miss the freedom of playing in my big sandbox.  All alone, I could imagine anything I wanted as I moved the soft tan stuff around.  One day it would be a medieval setting with grand knights, princesses & of course, the handsome prince that came to sweep me away on a huge white horse.  Another it would be a giant stage upon which I performed to lavish applause and shouts of ‘bravo’ from an audience of thousands!

I miss my Mom’s homemade veggie soup (with beef chunks of course) when I’m under the weather.

I miss being whistled at by much older boys as I rode my bicycle to the park sporting brand new red shorts.

I miss grandpas who lived with us teaching me lessons I could never have learned anywhere else.

I miss catching fireflies on a warm summer evening with younger brother and my Dad (he was always a kid at heart). 

I miss the excitement of waiting for that first date with my late husband.  Everyone said he wasn’t much interested in girls - just sports.  But he called ME & asked me out!  (It must have been those red shorts!).

I miss lazy Saturday’s holed up in my refurbished attic room under penalty of “law” if I didn’t clean my room - listening to those magnificent radio shows like Armstrong Circle Theater; Master Piece Theater & the Met. 

I miss my folk’s ‘dinner parties’ where the adults ate off the good plates with sterling silver and crystal goblets.  I got to stay up way past bedtime and could eavesdrop on the grownups’ conversation.

I miss old high school friends who have long since disappeared from my life - but were my “best buds” in those idyllic years of the 50’s & early 60’s.

And I miss the sense of innocence that comes with being young.

They say that as we age (notice I crossed out that nasty word), we tend to reminisce and have instant recall of events that happened eons ago.  Well if that’s the case, then I’m guilty! 

But I think it’s important to remember - not with sad nostalgia, but with a sense of gratitude for how much we had we didn’t really appreciate until now.

And with a light sense of humor about how amazingly wonderful those years seem now.  Years, that at the time, we thought were the most painful we’d ever experience.  You remember; the broken date with a local heartthrob; the untimely death of an icon (James Dean) or coming in runnerup for prom queen.

Ah, those were the days!  But as I think of my lovely g’daughter with large dark eyes and petite frame; and her handsome brother - I have to smile. 

Why?  Because I know when they are as ‘chronologically mature’ as their g’ma Linda, they’ll be doing just what I’m doing.  Remembering the days of their youth as “golden years” - regardless of how less golden some days may be.

Today, I’m leaving you with a question!  What do you remember that you miss from those years when youth was certainly not wasted on the young?

Have an awesome day with much love and considerable blessings.

Linda

Got an email early this a.m. with more to the story about Patrick.  Thought you would enjoy the follow up to the story about this amazing young man and his family:

“This guy and his family were on Extreme Home Makeover recently.  They gave him a new home for his family and a special apartment (attached)  just for him.  It was more accessible and had incredible technology for him to make life easier and to make and record his own music. 

They also gave the University of Louisville a new surface for their football field that was much smoother for him.  They gave him a new wheelchair that had special wheels for all terrain.  That show was incredible also!”

If anyone discovers where we can purchase Patrick’s CD, please let us know.  I’d love to see us be part of a ‘ground swell’ to take this courageous, determined young man and his family to a new level!

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

Linda

We talk about motivation, enrichment and encouragement as a hallmark of the AWP community of women.  In a day and age when much of the news is painted ‘negative’ and pessimism runs high; we all need something that lifts our spirits on an almost daily basis.

The following link takes you to a You Tube video news presentation out of Louisville, KY.  It relates the story of a young college student who has overcome major life challenges to excel in potential and possibility!

Patrick’s story will bring a tear to your eye; a smile to your lips and maybe a twinge of sorrow for complaining that sometimes “life just ain’t fair!”

Enjoy and share with others!  And thanks to Anita at The Fine Grind for sharing this with us.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qTiYA1WiY8

Have an awesome Tuesday with much love and rich blessings!

Linda

Regardless of what we’re doing in the 2nd half of the journey, we are probably networking with others to accomplish something!

Of course, we know that networking is the giant backbone of business-building.  But it is also essential when we want to continue to advance a professional career while working someone else’s well.  And when we’re involved in our communities, even as an active volunteer - there’s always something we need that networking will bring us.

Today’s topic is based on a weekly “referral tip” from Hazel Walker, known in Indianapolis as the “queen of networking” (see her bio below).  Hazel and her business associate, Denise Praul, do some awesome training in referral-based marketing and networking.  I should know, I took their course a few years ago and much of what we put into the Affiliated Women’s piece came from what I learned in the CNP program.

Key to our wise use of time and money is to develop a strategic networking plan.   Hazel suggests that when we are networking, look for persons (in our case - women) who would make good “referral partners”.  Spend time building a relationship with them so that over time, those relationships will yield considerable mutual benefit.  We don’t need a huge database when we have 8 - 10 well-trained referral partners who will ‘feed’ us qualified clients and contacts.

Secondly, Hazel recommends clearing out our database and rolodex.  Are there people in we don’t know?  How long ago did you contact some of the folks?  Have you clearly identified clients, contacts & prospects?  What ways do you use to sort the folks who remain in your database or rolodex?  The bottom line here is - get organized by clearing out the clutter that has little or no relevance to what you want to accomplish.

Finally, she recommends we create a “system” for networking.  So often we haphazardly engage in networking opportunities not knowing why we’re doing so.  That’s where stategic comes in to play.  Determine how much you’re willing to spend for networking activities - both in time and money - relative to your goals. 

Then: “Create a system for tracking your networking activities.  How many calls did you make? How many notes did you send?  How many hours did you spend out networking?  What events did you participate in?  Who did you give referrals or leads to?  What gets measured gets done, tracking is one of the most important things you can do, but often the most neglected.”

One of the most important tracking trends is to keep account of what we spend to network vs the value of the outcome.  And keep track of the value gained from a social networking strategy vs a networking-with-a-purpose strategy.  See where there’s the most gain.

When we start with a strategy and develop it into a networking plan based on previous experience and current trends - we’re building on a firm foundation. 

Regardless of why we’re in the marketplace, connecting with others, knowing why we’re there and what we want to accomplish will give us greater success in the long run!

Have an awesome day with great networking success!

Linda

Hazel M. Walker is the BNI Executive Director for Central Indiana, she is a master trainer for the Referral Institute. As a member of the National Speakers Association Hazel travels the world speaking on topic related to networking and women in business.  Hazel is a published author in Times and Wall Street Journals best selling book, Masters of Networking and soon to be released Masters of Sales. She can be reached at www.bni-indiana.com or www.crystalsynergies.com .

“You are the salt of the earth and light of the world!”

Jesus spoke those words about folks who would come to believe in him; his message and his sacrificial gift.

Os Hillman, a modern day prophetic voice for believers in the market place, writes a daily newsletter entitled TGIF (Think God Is First).  He recently wrote about “salt” and “light”.

When I read his words, I was reminded of the times growing up when my mom or g’mom would pour salt on a cut while I yelled “OUCH” at the top of my lungs.  Salt in my young days was a common antiseptic and coagulate; readily available when needed.  It was an almost instant healing agent - but first it stung like the dickens!

The metaphor that came to me as I thought of salt and light had little to do with how Os used it.  I think of how often those of us who believe are called to speak words of hard truth to those we love and how those words sting like the dickens.

I don’t mean the use of salty words such as one might expect to come from the lips of sailors.  I’m referring to times we must speak a truth that before it can stop the bleeding or heal a wound - will sting.  Words spoken in truth and love that have a bite to them.

I wonder if Jesus thought the same thing when he made that remark to those about him.  He certainly spoke words that stung at times, i.e. telling Peter “get thee behind me. . . !”  I suspect that salt was used in the same manner in his day as my mom used it in my childhood days.  He must have known that to be salt that has not lost its savor - we would have to speak up and out to those we love the most.  Words that would be painful before they bring healing to an aspect of another’s life.

In this context, salt and light go together.  How often have you had someone say something to you that momentarily stung.  Only to give way to new understanding.  The dawn of a new piece of wisdom.

Sometime ago, I ‘ranted’ about a church sign that extolled the virtue of silence.  My complaint being that for too long, Christians of either gender have remained silent.   The same is true in our relationships with others - especially those most important to us.  We have a tendency to remain silent when we know we ought say something, but fear our words will sting.

Without the sting, there often is no light!  No dawning of consciousness about something that needs the light of day.  Theresia wrote about it a few weeks ago - the friend/mentor who dared to speak the truth to her in such a way as to prod growth and movement.

I’m not advocating unbridled criticism or hurtful words spoken out of the context of loving care for another.  We can give utterance to words with meanings that will sting, in such a way that the recipient of our words knows we say them because we care enough to risk saying them!

To carry the metaphor one step further.  My mom would pour that white stuff on the cut; quickly set the box aside and take me in her arms with loving reassurance while I sobbed out the sting.  There was no healing without the pain.

When we love another (spouse, children, dear friends, business associates) enough to risk salty words, we participate in the divine scheme of things.  A scheme we may not appreciate.  A scheme that says “first the pain - then the gain!”  Whether we’re the saltor or the saltee, first it will hurt - then it will heal!

It was a funny take on what Os Hillman wrote about us being the “salt of the earth - the light of the world”.  One might say it was a divinely directed metaphor.  I doubt that many think of that passage of Scripture in quite the same way.  But I suspect there’s a nugget (or kernel) of fact and truth in how I took it.

I don’t think I’ve said what I wanted to say or meant to say in the best manner it could be spoken.  It’s not an easy subject - but it is a good subject for Sunday. 

Perhaps one of the things institutions charged with helping us grow in grace, wisdom & stature could do, is teach us how to use salty language with an attitude and embrace of love.

Speaking truth in love to those we love is never something for which we should be ashamed.  If we are going to be salt - then we need to learn to pour it on! 

If we are going to be light, we need to stick around until the pain is gone and the wound has healed.  And we need to know that with the sting must come the embrace of sensitive understanding.

Let us use our words wisely.  Let us not fear to be salt as need be, and let us be the light in someone’s day.

Have an awesome evening with much love and rich blessings.

Linda

I just read a headline that said “1 in 4″ don’t know the signs of a heart attack!  That’s a little scary, particularly since women over 40 now have increasing chances of incurring at least one heart attack as we travel the 2nd half of the journey.

A few weeks ago, Willy sent me this article.  It seems a good time to post it here.  The info about Oriental cultures and their ‘drinking habits’ is wise advice.  Folks from that part of the globe seem to age more slowly (and show it less!) and appear to live longer - so perhaps we should pay attention.

Here’s Willy’s wise advice for a Saturday:

“This is a very good article.

Not only about the warm water after your meal, but about Heart Attacks . The Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals, not cold water, maybe it is time we adopt their drinking habit while eating. 

For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you. It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion. Once this ’sludge’ reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.

 Common Symptoms Of Heart Attack…

A serious note about heart attacks - You should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting . Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line .

You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack. Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms. 60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let’s be careful and be aware. The more we know, the better chance we could survive.

A cardiologist says if everyone who reads this message sends it to 10 people, you can be sure that we’ll save at least one life. ”

 ”For everything there is a season!”  Today is the ’season’ to place this important info here.  Thanks Willie, for sharing!

Have an awesome day with much love and rich blessings.

Linda
 

Just opened and read AWP member Lorraine Cohen’s eletter that talks about ‘tithing’.

Her perspective is a little different than what those of us raised in ‘church’ have come to understand about ‘tithing’.  I was taught that we are admonished to give back to God at least 10% of our earnings or wealth as a gift to Him.  And that the returning of the gift ought not be associated with what we might receive in return.  It does say in Malachi 3:10 that we should “test” Him and see what He will do when we gift back.

I’ve included the link to Lorraine’s blog entry on ‘tithing’ and encourage you to read it for yourself: http://www.powerfull-living.biz/blog/2008/02/22/tithing-a-powerfull-way-to-attract-money-or-anything-else-you-want/.

I may be off-base, but I read her rendition of tithing more from the law of attraction perspective than from the Biblical encouragement to gift back.  I think the outcome is the same - regardless of what we call it.

The one difference is that some want to tell us that the 10th belongs to the local congregation or religious organization.  I even heard a pastor say that to his congregation recently.

Over the years, I’ve come to believe that bringing the 10th into the “storehouse” does not necessarily mean into a church congregation or religious institution.  When we give of our means to others who are in need - then I think we’re ‘tithing’ our gifts.  I recognize that the local congregation must pay the bills on fancy buildings (oops, a bias is showing) and other various asundry other things.  But I look at organizations - quasi-religious organizations - that spend almost every cent given for the benefit of others.  One that comes to mind is the Salvation Army.  Regardless of the tenets of their faith confession, they don’t, for the most part, worship in expensive fancy buildings.  They do, on the other hand, rise up to meet human needs whenever and wherever the need arises.

I didn’t mean to go off on a tangent!  There is truth to how Lorraine talks about ‘tithing’.  It does release heavenly storehouses - but, in my humble opinion, that should never be the reason we do it.  God is interested in our motivation for anything.  If our motivation for giving back to Him is to get from Him, then our motivational viewpoint may be a wee bit off!

Anyway, I found her eletter and blog provocative and thought I’d share it with all. 

Finally I will say that I am committed to tithing - not just to a church or religious organization.  And when I’ve given without thought of recompense - God has blessed in return.

It’s always good to reflect on our reason for doing most anything - particularly when it involves returning just a small portion to a Papa that is so lavish in His blessings to us!

Have an awesome and safe evening!

Linda

Are you waiting to do something brand new that excites you and warms your spirit?

Are you doing the ‘math’ and the ‘plan’ and the ‘dreaming’ that goes with it?

I raise these questions because yesterday’s eletter from Mike Litman was an eye-opener to me.  His comments at a meeting in NYC hit me squarely between the eyes.  (You can read his entire blog post here: http://www.mikelitman.com/blog/?p=51).

So often, especially once we grow more ‘chrono-mature’, we think and plan and think again about doing something that excites us - but never get much beyond the ‘think and plan’ stage. 

Why?  Because we don’t want to make a mistake!  We want all the pieces in place and we want it just “right”. And then we’ll do it!

But Litman says it differently!  He tells us that “we don’t have to get it right, we just have to do it!”

I don’t know about you, but I’m one of those that thinks and plans and runs the calculator long after the time has arrived to “just do it!”

But, Linda, you might say - we’re admonished in Scripture to plan carefully.  To count the cost.  To plan ahead and make sure we have all that we need.  Otherwise, we might find ourselves unready for the task.

Somewhere between these 2 extremes is middle ground that works.  Many times, we use the ‘think and plan’ stage as an excuse for not just doin’ it!

Personally, Mike’s blog post met me where I am or where I was.  I wanted everything with AWP and now AWM to be ‘ready’ before we began.

It wasn’t.  So I tarried a wee bit and then just ‘bit the bullet’ and did it.

You see, many of us become more ‘perfectionist’ as we move along in the 2nd half of the journey.  Not in everything we do, but in the things that matter.  If we’re planning for retirement - we may want everything in order.  In order, so that when we walk from one environment to the next, there’s nary’ any challenge with which to deal.

Life doesn’t work that way.  It isn’t ‘perfect’ and our exciting hopes, dreams, visions and plans won’t be ‘perfect’ either.  Scripture doesn’t say - “wait until it’s ‘perfect’.  It says to take all things into account before making firm decisions.

And that’s wise advice!  What we’re not encouraged to do is to use the ‘think and plan’ stage as an excuse for never venturing out to make it happen.

I spent 6 to 8 months ‘tinkering’ with the concept for Affiliated Women in the MarketPlace(tm) before venturing out.  The beauty in the ‘venturing out’ is that once we tested it - we knew what wasn’t right and what was.  Would never have known that if I hadn’t moved from the dream or vision to the practical reality of “testing the model”.

I’m reminded of the ‘desert experience’ of Jesus.  Wow, what an awesome event rising from the Jordan must have been!  Everything said and done - in place.  Then came the desert.  The ‘testing’ - the ‘challenge’.

Maybe that’s not the case for you.  But it is for many of us as we dream about turning passion and purpose into a profitable venture.  The Wow of doing it chafing with what we know will be the ‘testings’ and the ‘challenges’.

I’ve rambled enough here for this conversation!  As we wind down another week and look to a few hours of leisure and change of focus - I encourage us to do some exploration of what we really want to do that is sitting there waiting for us to do it.

Remember, it doesn’t have to be “right” and it doesn’t have to be ‘perfect’ - it just has to be!

Have an awesome Friday with much love and rich blessings!

Linda