Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Why should Bruce Hornsby have all the fun?

Last night was a girls night. I love girls nights. We started out the evening over margaritas and $2 Tuesday Taco's - and quite honestly - when it was time to leave the restaurant I was a little bit sad because I absolutely love sitting and talking to my friends. What to do with our kids and how to get our daughters to pick an outfit in the morning and how much exercise is enough or too much and travelling husbands and sales at J.Crew and laughing, lots of laughing.

We were off to hear Bruce Horsby play at The Music Hall. Now, I have to admit, live music has never been my thing. If I were to chose a performance event, I would much prefer to attend live theater or dance. And I'm a musical theater junkie. Concerts, bands, orchestras etc. - not so much. But my friend Lisa was really interested in going, and I love anything I see at The Music Hall - so - I withdrew myself from my pomegranate martini, and headed off - no expectations.

It was joyous. The way Bruce Hornsby plays the piano is like having the notes tickle you. And his voice resonates to your bones and the musicians were unbelievably talented. But that wasn't the best part.

The best part was watching this group of men -- some a little bald, some a little old, some a little paunchy, none of whom you would think "genius" as you passed on the street (well, with the exception of those of you who would recognize Bruce Hornsby - unlike me) -- LOVE LOVE LOVE what they were doing. And loving to get to do it with each other. And in their joy was humility in their genius. There was no arrogance. There was an inclusiveness created because we were all getting to experience their passion. They were having a blast.

That's how I want to be. I want to do what I love - joyously - and do it so well that it is inclusive because I love it so much. The genius? - perhaps with time, practice, lots of learning.  Genius seems less important than doing not just what you are good at - but what you love to do. Finding a way to profit from your passion.

A lesson definitely worth abandoning my pomagranate margarita for.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Wise Workshops are here - for real life!

So I spent last night in the warm company of eight women. The space was (almost) ready - curtains coming soon! And we laughed, and talked and even though it was just our first workshop - I certainly found inspiration in that room, and hope everyone else did too. In so many ways it was just as I pictured it - and yet even better. Because what I couldn't have imagined was what each woman would bring into the work.  Julie, my business partner, and trainer extraordinaire is such a graceful and thoughtful facilitator. She is awesome at what she does.

And the participants - well, they're pretty Wise already - and I can't wait to see what they are going to achieve together. More to come on that...

As for me - I can not tell you the power of having an idea, seeing an outcome, imagining a different way - and then doing it. Gives me the warm and fuzzies - and sometimes makes the hair on my arms stand up.   The experience of creating Wise with Julie and with the great group of women that are giving us their time to test our wares - is, for lack of the right word - fun.

I feel I'm going to better for it. I hope they're going to be better for it. And I know Wise is going to be better for it.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Heard any scary stories like this one? You need to know about your money!

Why is it vital that as a woman - I don't care if you're single, married, a stay-at-home mom, the CEO of your company and primary wage earner for your family, just out of college, going back to college, getting ready to retire, empty-nester - whatever! Why do you need to know about your money?

I have a friend who is an incredibly intelligent woman - but she never dabbled in the money stuff. After all, her husband was a STOCK BROKER. She figured he had it under control. She happily shopped at J. Crew and Pottery Barn, nothing crazy - but she was living a comfortable life.

Then she filed for divorce. And suddenly it became clear as a part of the full financial disclosure involved in the divorce proceedings - that their financial life was not so comfortable after all. They (SHE) had $80,000 in credit card debt ?!?!?!?! And she'd had NO IDEA. And you know, we could say - well shame on the husband for mismanaging things so amazingly badly - but unfortunately shame on her too for choosing to be ignorant.
Here's the scary stats -
 Almost 1 in 4 women are broke within two months of their husband's death.

 Over 75% of all women are widowed at an average age of 56.

 53% of women are not covered by a pension compared to only 22% of men.

 A staggering 87% of the poverty stricken elderly are women.

 On average, a woman’s standard of living decreases 27% after a divorce
 
Here's the thing. Get involved. Learn your stuff. It's about empowerment. It's about confidence. It's about RESPONSIBILITY.
 
There are millions of stories like my friend's. Many, I'm sure - far worse and far more devastating. As recently as 1972 women needed a spouse or father to co-sign a loan. Thankfully, that is no longer the world we live in. So let's get in the game. Let's get WISE.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Resisting the urge to become a workaholic

In Wise Workshops, we teach women to block their time - no multi-tasking. Do one thing until it's finished. And I need to heed my own advice. As a result of the amazing mention in Huffington Post (at the risk of shameless self promotion, here it is) my inbox was JAMMED over the weekend, and suddenly I find myself corresponding with women from all over the country. And our first workshops start next week, and I promised my dance class new choreography this week, and my son seems to have morphed into a wild monkey after four days back at school, and, and, and....

Breath. Stop. Think. Plan.

One thing at a time. Until it's finished.

O.K. - GO!

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

All we need is some time to think...

and we can change the world! When's the last time you gave yourself half an hour to just sit and REFLECT? On whatever? To just be quiet and think. Some people call it meditation. I like to be a bit less yoga-y about it - it's my coffee time.

Just me, the dog, and my cup of coffee - early - before anyone is up. And I plan my day, check in with my goals - what needs to get done next to move me closer to the finish line. And the finish line, ofcourse, is always moving, always changing - and so I need to constantly think about how to get closer to it. So my advice to you today - now that the kids are back in school - give yourself a gift of some quiet time. To think. And figure out what's next for YOU.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

My Morning Run with Oprah

I had a call with my business coach on Friday, and he gave me an assignment - to determine my competitive market, who's doing what I want to do and how I am going to do it better. Well, the big answer is Oprah, right? The whole live your best life thing?

SO - I had this amazing thought on my run this morning about why Wise is better than Oprah. Sounds crazy, I know, but hear me out. Here's the problem with Oprah... Oprah is entertainment. She makes us feel good, and she is BRILLIANT at it, but how many people are sitting on the couch eating a pint of ice cream (figuratively, not literally, I hope) while their life is passing them by.

Oprah's not giving you a call on Monday morning to see if you worked on your business plan over the weekend. Oprah's peeps aren't brainstorming with you to overcome the obstacles present in your life and how to overcome them. There's inspiration, but there's no accountability, no support. And inspiration is nice, but rarely leads to results.

Wise Workshops are all about giving our participants the wisdom, inspiration, SUPPORT and empowerment to succeed. Face to face, eye to eye - encouraging each other to reach for aggressive goals, but doing so with joy, laughter and love... creating little mini-me Oprah's (minus the media empire) all over the country.

Friday, September 4, 2009

I'm going to jump!

So our first open house workshops are next week. I have the folders printed, I have practiced my presentation (to myself, the dog, a mirror and the furniture - hopefully the women that come will be a bit more engaged). The problem - I don't know who's coming, what if nobody comes? Nah, I know my friends will be there - but they don't actually count - no offense friends. I know what we've written is great. I know that it's going to be fun. I am trying to tell this meanie in my head to be quiet - a little fear is normal before you jump off a cliff, right????

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Crocheting to Entrepreneurship

I have never worked like this before. I'm 36 years old and in January I had an idea for a business that has transformed my outlook, my energy and inspired me to build an organization.

Two years ago I got fired. I should have been. I decided (with out much buy-in from my husband), that I would stay home with my children. And it was great, and still is, and my marriage - luckily - survived that time. But oh my, how one person could watch so much T.V. Basically, I exercised and watched T.V., and did mom stuff. For a long time that was fine with me. Sure, I had received a top-notch education. Sure, I was letting all the securities licenses that I had earned expire. I honestly didn't care. I thought I never wanted to work again. I'd be a great wife and let my husband "take care of us" ?!?!?!

Last year at Christmas, my family was here - and I needed to escape (love you Mom, but we all need a little break once in a while :-) hmmm... can I use the end of my smiley face to close my parenthesis? Anyway - I found a book on teaching yourself to crochet in a pile of books and hid out in my daughter's room. For three hours I worked on that book. The next week, the next month, I was OBSESSED with crocheting. I wouln't be able to figure out a stitch and in my dreamy place between awake and asleep the answer would come to me.

Looking back - I think the neurons in my brain were firing - for the first time in two years. I loved working with my hands. I didn't need to create anything - I just got lost in the activity of it. And I started to think. And dream. And I turned the T.V. off. And I could be a passive observer of my children without that restless feeling that I needed to go do something. And that is how learning to crochet - in it's own wonderful way - turned me back into a thinker, and allowed me imagine something so great, so big, that I had to start right away. I didn't know how I was going to do it, and am quite sure that the "how" I'm doing today will be different from the "how" of tomorrow but I am going to do this.