The First Six Months…

July 30th marked the first six months of living our next chapter in Wisconsin.  Where do I begin?  Things are changing and I am trying to take it all in.  Jeff and I have no regrets of the move but we have both been in and out of depression at times as we navigate this new life and cut the cord to our Idaho life.  Its the only way to not look back and compare because there is so much more beauty to see and life to live.

Let me tell you, beauty is not lacking here !!  Ive felt and seen so much nostalgia to be hearts content and watched so many sunsets in six months than my first 51 years of life here on earth!.  I’m used to sunsets so grand with the smoke from the PNW fires and here they are grand with no fires.  Ive sat on peoples docks or in kayaks or simply driving and jaunting up a hill to catch the fall of the sun as it drops behind the landscape so I guess you would call me a chaser now.    I found a walking buddy and weve stayed committed to three days a week at 8:30 am and its almost always a shore path walk and we always shoot for 3 miles or more these mornings.  We have missed some for vacations and appointments but I have kept them up with the dogs or Jeff in the evenings as we try and figure out a new plan for him also.  For 16 years he has worked from home and was able to take a break in the middle of the day and get a walk in but now he dresses up everyday and drives 36 min to work and comes home around6-6:30 so he is trying to find balance too.

Weve had a handful of visitors or family and friends and a 75% finished house.  We will do a few projects to finish out some things but it will take more time.  I still have some empty wall space as i search for the perfect paintings or art work.  We love our home!! Weve walked to dinner, farmers markets, festivals, coffee, ice cream , sunsets and backyard parties.  Its one of my most favorite things here to be in the center of it all and still have a nice, quiet , peaceful yard.

Now to the heavy stuff……..IT IS NOT EASY…….I LOVE IT AND WE HAVE NO REGRETS…but its NOT EASY.    Ive struggled with starting over in relationships and especially in my peace within business.  Ive met fear again and “what is my purpose” again and Ive broken down and gotten back up and Im still trying to figure it all out .  Ive learned so much and am trying to get back to my big energy and big smiling self…I am not complaining at all.  On the flip side, I feel so lucky that we get a clean slate and new adventures and possibilities… IT really is the next chapter in so many ways and it makes one wonder and think so much that my sleep has been non exisitent for 6 months.  I cannot express enough the power of timing in life and how things really work the way they are gonna work and we really dont have much say in it.  You can have a vision and be positive and put it out there in the universe but ultimatly its something else that decides when we are ready for the next lesson.

Part of the struggle of adjusting is for me , is having some structure again and making time to work.  Currently I am trying to get my goods into stores again and I have had to make some changes out of my comfort zone.  Peace within has been around for 11 years and I have never raised my prices and have mostly broke even.  Part of change is at some point you have to stop serving others and serving yourself.  So I have just been getting it out in the open again and I raised my prices so that I can get ahead and be able to keep doing this thing called life and sharing my story.   Part of cutting the cord and moving forward was not wanting to lose old customers like you.   I have loved you for so long but I need to love myself also and we have no control of how people will react but those who respect you and relate will still follow.

I still have a long ways to go but wanted to share some words with you and hope that you understand and follow the journey of peace within.

Have a great week. xoxo

Moving on Up…The NEXT CHAPTER

For the last couple of years there has been a slight chance we would have a huge life change on the horizon. My husband has been giving little hints of change in his workplace and opportunities we may have to take. He asked me if I would go along for the ride and he also said I was the only person he would want along for the ride….. So , after a new muffin top showed up on my midsection, I dealt with so many thoughts and fears and bits of change. Ive struggled and asked my friends to swear to secrecy the fact that we might be moving. Ive had many coffee conversations with a wide range of friends of all ages as I tried to grasp the meaning to all my thoughts and life’s twist in turns. Last week it became known that we for sure are leaving our beloved Coeur d Alene and moving to Lake Geneva , Wisconsin. I have no control over what life throws at me and being a daughter of a single Mom growing up, well I had to fight a lot inside to be okay with giving up all the control and my separate bank account dwindling.

Back to my beloved Coeur d Alene, where my heart and soul lies in the beauty of the Lake and the simple joys of nature I have great access to. I am giving up so many amazing relationships here that have made me a better person. This has been my growing up years and many discoveries were inspired by the beauty of the area. My business started here on my 40th bday. I became the “peace within girl” without a first name. My vintage shows and relationships started just meeting a girl named Kate, well two Kate’s and then being introduced to Serena Thompson and Terri Edwards of the Farm Chicks. That started it all as I expanded my reach and met amazing people who inspired my artistic talents and food for thought.

The amazing relationships Ive made here, they’ve taught me so much about just the little things life teaches you. So now as I sit and ponder the next Chapter of our lives, I feel lost at times because I don’t know what the future looks like and that is scary. I don’t know who I’m gonna be in a new town that knows nothing about peace within . I don’t know where we are gonna live, whose going to cover my gray hairs once a month, whose gonna have coffee with me? let alone my coffee shop. Whose gonna have a romp with my border collies and how am I going to iron dress shirts and sports coats for the hubby each day? All these unknowns just to name a few.

But as you know, I am a positive person and I will just be me and watch how the chapter unfolds. Ill be mindful of my fears and my breathing. Ill catch myself when I start thinking a small business name defines who I am. Ill remember all the love and passion I have for people and learn to have it for myself, muffin top and all. Ill take care of that as things settle and I will always have a smile on my face and spread peace within and positive energy everywhere because my energy and my thoughts are who I really am.

Thank you Coeur d Alene, heart of the awl. Thank you all my friends for your love for me and my business. Please don’t go away, Ill be online still and return to the Great Pacific Northwest when we retire . Adios for now and see you on the wide world of internet.

Everything is happening as it should.

Today I went to a local coffee house to get out of the house and get some inspiration going which usually works.   After two hours of not being able to focus and avoiding a parking ticket I got back on my scooter to head home.  A lady talking on her phone and enjoying her acai bowl caught my eye.   I slowed down and pulled over, not sure if it was who I thought it was and then she looked at me staring.  She then waved and I felt safe enough that it was her.   We caught up after not being able to keep an engagement the weekend before .  I wanted more time but she was on a lunch break.   She gave me a paper that was folded and said , “read that when you get home”  She beat me to it and sent another copy to my email .  She told me she read it to her friends last night during a toast.  When I started to read it , it started to make sense and I thought she was the narrator but it was someone else.  It felt like her writing but I found out it just moved her and gave her inspiration for her own journey and it gave her validation I am guessing because it was soo good and I don’t believe any of us should change who we are, nope, NOT ONE BIT.   We can change our way of thinking and stop the negative self talk.  We can admit we are “too much ” woman as the poem was about.  We can own and validate our own strength and sit in it.  We have to in order to rise.

Anyways, my day turned around after meeting with this friend and it inspired me to get some material out , which is what my goal was anyways.  My point being , is I’m still feeling stuck and trying to make sense of what I have to learn right now for my own personal journey and its such a testament to the fact that life works with you and not against you.  You have to be big enough and own your own shit to see it this way.  As I titled this blog,  “everything is happening as it should” well that is what my friend wrote about me, how we met and learned from each other when we most needed it.  Well , it goes both ways.  I am learning from her also.  We all learn from eachother and these relationships we have come and go and some stay forever but none of them are bad or mistakes .

To change the subject a little or simply another thought has swirled around in me head lately that kind of relates to the above or could be totally different but I will keep writing as I got a good start.

Last week, I spent five days in Montana with my sweet little family that contains, two dogs and a stressed out Husband.  ( He has been overwhelmed with way too much work) Anyways , I got to Montana with about five books so that I could read what I was in the mood for.  I have been reading a book by Chrissy Metz, the star of “THis is US” a current television hit and everyone’s favorite Tuesday night show.   She was talking about her relationship with her Dad.  In the short sentence , a big huge light bulb went off for me…..

She seems to have spent a good chunk of life as a people pleaser which I vowed to stop being when I turned 50 .  Anyways, she was taking of the lack of relationship with her Dad and was trying to remember positive moments and her words went like this,

“I didn’t see my own accomplishment; I saw my Fathers reaction to my accomplishment”

This really struck a nerve with me on my trip and I dog eared the section because I didnt have anything with me to write it down or save it.   How many times in our lives have we done things , great things where we have RISEN or not RISEN and didnt see the accomplishment???????  How many times have we lived in the shadow of our own RISING moments?  HOW many times have we spent our days thinking of the reactions and not living in the MOMENTS ????   I personally can think of very specific moments where I just wasted so much self sabotaging and thoughts so negative to myself that I had no idea I was doing it.   I may have re done something to make it more perfect in order to get a different reaction or action to get validation for my accomplishment in fact I probably still do it….   Ive never strived to be perfect but I read the other day from yet another strong women, being BRENE BROWN about learning that perfectionism is an ARMOUR she said …”Its not internally driven like healthy striving, its extremely driven and fueled  by “what will people think”

SO powerful !!! and something to ponder.

In closing for today’s thoughts of mine and tying this all together….. Make sure you realize the moments when you stop to visit quickly with a friend or life has thrown you a curve ball. These moments are part of the lesson for your journey and they are sometimes little hugs from the universe or the angels watching over you…. They are little ah HAS….to get you moving forward.  You must still RISE and RISE OTHERS , you must ….you just MUST…and of course know that EVERYTHING IS HAPPENING AS IT SHOULD.

This inspired me to change some wording on my street fair event .  I have some new hoodies coming for Fall and they have a wave in the pic.  I changed up my wording to “make your waves” peace within …. Because we have to not play small and continue with being who we really are.

Boundaries or Bust!

Came across this amazing quote today from my friend Kristin.  We do a lot of shows together and every couple of months or so we have gotten together midway from our houses and met at a local Starbucks to visit.  There has been times where we have talked for five hours straight without a hitch and a bathroom break.  Anyways, Ill write about her one of these days but our last visit had us both taking notes from each other and today she sent this quote.  Its rare I write back to back on the blog but this one stated it so well.

“The only people who get upset when you set boundaries are the ones who benefited from you having none.”

BOOM!  this calls for me to share some more stories and some growth for all of us!

We were talking about our past relationships with family and our friends but this quote applies to all of our relationships in this lifetime of ours.  We talked about the journey each of us has gone with our relationships and I bought up that they are what makes this life of ours a learning curve and a journey.   Can you imagine not passing another human and engaging in convo and either connecting or just making a new aquaintance?   I assure you , there are people who live far away from crowds and as much as I love my relationships and social life, I have spent some days or weeks where I just wanted to crawl in my safety spot at home and be anti-social  or not deal with the outside world of my comfort of home.   If your like me and experiencing 50 , you may or may not have ended your people pleasing days……I have to admit, Ive closed that book and I am working my way out and becoming….. WHO I REALLY AM…..no apologies , no regrets and heavens ….WITH A SMILE ON MY FACE.   I am all about teaching the unbecoming project and unearthing the ins and outs of our relationships.  Ive seen my husband and family and friends establish respect in the workforce or with family. Ive seen that it is not always easy but it has to be done.   If we do not take that step to build the BOUNDARIES then how are we gonna gain respect from others ?  MOST OF ALL HOW WILL WE BE ABLE TO RESPECT OURSELVES?????   I can think of three or four instances lately , especially in my business endeavors of where I was able to ask or place boundaries in such a way that there was no emotional attachment to it.  This is key, as “confidence is silent and insecurities is loud ”

I shared with Kristin my times when I went to the old way of thinking when past relationships were ended , not by choice , but they dissapeared into the universe and as sad as it was, it was a part of my journey.   When you get mature and start respecting yourself first then, and only then can you move through life a little easier and your relationships become fewer but with more meaning and a whole lot more LOVE.  People pleasers tend to hold onto these past relationships and try to dissect them to find out what really went wrong.  Such a waste of time but it is part of life.

So  boundaries are really not negatives  or awkwardness.  They really are ones way of respecting both parties and moving forward to change.  When you meet or come to a fork in the road of life or with your relationships, take kindly to the paths that lead to your heart and soul.  Its the only way to live and the only way to walk this earth as your authentic self.

Lastly, as yesterdays post was an Amy Poehler quote, ” It takes years as a woman to unlearn what you have been taught to be sorry about.”  Do  not beat yourself up, these quotes and this life of ours are just little messages and signs to growth and purpose.  Most of all this gives meaning and puts perspective on the fact that everything that happens to you is not negative or a setback.  Growth is recognizing that the challenges are there to show you where you have come and makes life anything but boring.

Together as women, we RISE…. savor those coffee shop talks with your girlfriends! xoxo to you @Kristin Johnson  aka SISTERS CREED.

Unlearning what you’ve learned

“It takes years as a woman to unlearn what you have been taught to be  sorry about.”  AMY POEHLER About three years ago I was just approaching 47 and came up with my “change your story” collection for peace within apparel. It has changed designs and templates but the lesson and the story have remained the same.  I have personally changed a lot of my stories now that I am 50 but it isn’t always a quick switcheroo. In my annual camps, we have discussed changing the things that havn’t worked for us in the past and or some they have been clouded by fear or they just got distracted and didn’t like change. For a woman, I find it so valuable to change the way we think and do things because most likely the generations that have marched before us aren’t going to change.  I think a big part of our lives are spent blaming and hoping that things change on their own. Depending on what they are , most things stay the same but life in general is an journey of changes and lessons to get you to change how you see and react to things that touch you emotionally inside.  I have always sought the wisdom of those older than me, thinking they would all be ahead of the game called life.  From my journey and experience, age has nothing to do with it. There are generations of ladies that I interact with that still hold onto things from their past and even though I respect their journey I sometimes cringe inside thinking, “why are they so stuck in their stories “??????? . Don’t get me wrong here, I am not a perfect cookie or a know at all but I have spent so much time perfecting my craft and Ive been on both sides of the grass!  Sometimes in the passion of my heart and soul I have gone too far with always a good intention but it ended up hurting the other person and changing the course of the friendship. When you are questioning your relationships with others , you are usually right.  Depending on who you are and if you are a people pleaser, your going to experience life through your relationships .  They can be beneficial in so many ways !  Good and Bad , these relationships teach you how to “unlearn what you have been taught “. I grew up with a lot of love and freedom to be who I was but I also grew up with a lot of criticism and judgement so my life’s journey this far has been changing the people pleasing to pleasing myself and those close to me.  The journey has been unlearning to love more and judge less.  To meet people where they are at and to smile gracefully in return. Changing your story is unlearning and unbecoming who you really are.  Its a constant game you have to play until you realize how your thinking affects your actions and your triggers . I started the unbecoming project as a way to help others examine their relationships so that they can be more authentic with themselves.  IT IS THE KEY TO EVERYTHING. Get your change your story shirt or email me if you want to do sessions in private. Happy Monday my friends!

Stop the sugar coating relationships

Lately as life is blooming with the spring flowers and sunny days, I I’ve gotten out more to enjoy some of my favorite things that make me happy like the great outdoors !  On the other hand its like the “bears” are coming out of hibernation, which they are . The real bears!  But what I’m talking about here is simply the humans are coming out and trying to figure what path to choose on life after a long winters nap.

Its been frustrating feeling stuck in my own goals and having experiences that are certainly here to teach me something but I want the long story short!
The most important aspect of life seems to be our relationships with family and friends. Co workers,acquaintances, etc and it seems we are all just trying to juggle them so that they have meaning and a purpose.  We are trying to categorize them and put them in boxes to our own comfort zones.  What if all of these are just life’s little messages hidden behind faces and brains you cannot see unless you open them up.  What about the ones you’ve spent so much time with but they have never opened? What if they are the kind where you have to walk on eggshells and or ones that make you feel like you cannot be 100% yourself around?
I find that we spend a lot of time thinking about these things and they are no different than other distractions or things that life brings and has to teach us.
My peeve personally these days are the relationships that are based on telling you what they think you want to hear but you know very well that isn’t really how they feel.   What does this feeling bring to you ? Its raising your trust radar and blinking a light really fast .  Is this real love ? real friendship?   The answer lies in YOU …if you are feeling this way and observing these traits your probably in a really good place and you recognize the importance of your own time and feelings.  What are you doing about it ?  Are you staying stuck in your ways and sweeping it under the rug?  Is that person ever going to change ?  Probably not. Only you can change.  Only you can get to a point where you take control of your thoughts and your old habits.  This applies to everything in life and all relationships.  This doesn’t mean you close your heart up a little and shield  your fears.  It doesn’t mean you stop talking to the person or putting yourself on a pedestal.  It means simply , you made a boundary that you established for yourself and for them.  You are respecting yourself and them.  They may not know it right now and they may never will.  The moral of the story is this…life is just floating by and its in all the flowers of Spring. all the people you meet and have known, all the relationships and hardships. All the journeys and triumphs the highs and lows of each day.
Go be a good person.  Be a kind one. Be YOU so you don’t have to waste time juggling others behaviors and journeys.  Do not play small when you know someone isn’t being authentic…you ll waste years of your life.  Call people on their shit!

Safety first?? I think NOT..

I remember being that non go with the flow girl of the late 80’s in High School. I was so paranoid about getting into a car with someone drinking or whoever was driving for that matter. I had to have ALL the details of who , what , where and how things were gonna happen.  I was so afraid of getting in trouble that I never really did.  I always went the SAFE route but that doesn’t mean I didn’t take risks or be the first to do crazy things with my siblings…. Kinda contradicting but it boiled down to being in control somehow and I am pretty sure I developed all this from having been bought up by a single parent and having another sibling that went to prison.  I never saw my mother cry ! Only two times in her lifetime.  As vulnerable as I have been for many years , she was NOT.  She cried when the authorities called and told her she may need to put the house up for collateral or the time she ended a long term relationship and we were on our own again.  I never wanted to dissapoint her or anyone else for that matter, hence the begining of the people pleasing skills and the loyal to a fault skills were started at such a young age.

Fast forward to me a quarter into my 50’s and teaching and inspiring and learning to do opposite of what safety entailed.

As an adult we are stuck with all our lessons and trials and tribulations. We are here with our experiences and our journeys as well as our pain.  This is all so much more fulfilling and forward moving that one must realize to thank all our fears and mistakes because there in the palm of your hands lie the answers!!

It seems that all the good stuff comes around 50 and so I’ve embraced what it has to teach as I begin to be comfortable being grounded or in flight.  I now see and learn from writers like Brene Brown and being a constant observer and wisdom seeking nutso. I find that I’m smiling more and loving spur of the moments and life little lessons that appear in daily life. ( if you are open to SEEING, they ARE THERE)

I learned that all this SAFETY and shields from our fears are actually nets we throw over our heads , and they lead to some of the biggest , unhealthiest creators of whats keeping you from moving ahead.  They show up in ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, EATING DISORDERS, ADDICTIONS, RAGE and blaming whomever is nearest you!

Lately the weather has sucked out the joy in me occasionally and I have tried to find ways to find joy in the day. (puppies help a lot until they scratch your face and form scars)  When I was going to counseling five years ago I remember her suggesting the gift of giving back or making others happy for in return, your gain is more than your gift.

Anyways, if we are going to play board games we ARE following the rules….I play Safe in that instant.

Warm Fuzzies, Girlfriends and Feeling whole

Last Friday I had a full day planned with strict time constraints and a vision of how my day wanted to go.  I had a camp meeting with a friend that is leading a workshop on Saturday during camp to settle and lock in preparations.  The night before my other friend who I adore , texted and wanted to catch up too.  At first I said no , I shouldn’t because I had that vision of how my day was gonna go and how I needed to setup for my event in Spokane.  I caved, I love this person and our friendship and I just couldn’t say no.

That morning up first was the camp meeting with an old friend.  She came prepared, she gave me a better picture of how her workshop was gonna go and it gave me so much clarity and excitement of what the campers are gonna receive.  My second meeting that I swoosh in was focused and even more enlightening because I was focused and enjoying every moment since I knew we didn’t have much time .

As we all hugged goodbyes to take on our tasks for the day, I got in the car to head to my “work” commitment and I had so much on my mind and flowing happening in my brain.  But I was driving and I couldn’t record anything or write anything down.  I was filled with such love and inspiration as the last couple of weeks have been going.   What in the world is going on !! I’m losing sleep over this stuff of newfound love and enlightment and wonder and insight .

Perhaps I am finally examining and UNBECOMING??? This feeling of enjoying these friends so much and talking about deep stuff or just being surrounded by like minded souls is just plain refreshing.  Well , part of it is when one is just in a place of ones own skin is my first guess and part just may be part of the flow of life when one reaches so many turning points.

As interesting as it is, Ive noticed that the people I have been enjoying the most is not neccesarily people you see all the time but for me they happen to be those friends you’ve known a long time that have always been around but your days and paths have been busy with just life in general.

As I talked about in a past blog, about being your “Brand” and how its a reflection on who you are , I want to say this may be part 2 of that series.

Another dinner the past few weeks was a younger friend who Ive always known and admired for the life she has but we don’t have a long history, just kind of a girl crush in that we are inspired by each other.

I am just enjoying my women friends soooo much and it has raised my radar so I have been contemplating on it quite a bit.   For me , one on one and small groups has always been my forte.  I always thought maybe it was because of my hearing and really being able to carry on conversations in small groups, but I think largely in that I have always loved knowing how people live their lives.  I’m not talking about in a gossip way.  I have always read autobiographies and I have always , always been moved by photos and the stories they tell.

I think a big part of my feelings these past few months and weeks is I’m feeling more me and even though Ive always been a very open person , It really is amazing when you let so many guards down and childhood protection armors many of us still walk around with. I want this feeling to never go away and I hope it stays forever.

Maybe all this unbecoming stuff is also full circle moments in which your past relationships or stories bear fruit to teach you how far you have come.  Or maybe they translate into a kind of love you can only see when your eyes are open. – Rebecca Armstrong

So , back to that camp meeting…..Kim is going to be doing a creative journaling class for this February camp peace within.  She had bought some materials that she will be bringing to camp and we got to talking about our grandmothers.  I have my grandmothers journals.  I told Kim that they were just about the weather but I don’t know why I have kept them.  She said something so plain but so profound for me that it got me to thinking.

I told her that I did like the part of the calendar journals in which she has my name on the day of my birthday.  Its not much in plain site, which was my thinking but the fact that I have them and ended up with them is far more important than I know.   I think somewhat I was “chosen” to carry on the legend.  I don’t have those amazing times with grandmother stories that most people have.  She wasn’t that cookie baking, crocheting, homely person.  She was married five times and by the way, I have her wedding ring from her favorite husband and I know so little……I could go on and on about what little I know but what I’m trying to get at is , sometimes we dont know all the answers and sometimes you have more than you can see .  Sometimes love is blind and expectations are even blinder! Sometimes you are just chosen to carry on the souls before you just to show that you did and you still MATTER.

In closing, our days aren’t always planned and sometimes we don’t make any sense in our writing but we do it anyways.  If I hadn’t changed my vision of the day perhaps I wouldn’t have had the warm fuzzies on my drive after the mornings meetings.  Perhaps I wouldn’t have gained insight to my past and why I have carried the things forward that I have.

I truly believe that things are best not forced and if you can put yourself on a pedestal of welcoming in all that is meant to welcome you, truly, you can be a much happier person and you can see LOVE in so many more ways with less armor.

shop peace within

What will 2018 look like for you?

Just spent five days in one of the most beautiful places on earth and it just so happens to be only two hours from my house!   Sticking with tradition, my husband and I made our yearly trek to Priest Lake for our annual Christmas getaway.  We don’t have kids and we buy things when we need them throughout the year so by the end of the year we just want to go and play in the snow and make believe that the cabin on the lake is ours.  We pack up and plan our meals, load the truck with our four legged child and bring our snowshoes , a stack of books and leave the laptops behind. When your up there, its another world, we need so little and there is so much time to contemplate and realize how lucky we are to be surrounded by so much beauty in the outdoors.  Its such a simple five days with just the necessities and when you come home to all your baggage and STUFF it is back to reality. Anyways, we re connected and cuddled and our sweet chloe snuggled close and I got lost in two books and a sense of wonder and peace with all the surroundings. Today I am feeling un-motivated and a snow storm is on the horizon.  I got the workout out of the way and got cleaned up to head to one of the many coffee shops in town. Its where I get my best work done writing down my thoughts and contemplating the new year ahead.  This will be the first full year of being 50 and what will I do???????  I DONT KNOW!  There is some changes on the horizon that I cannot share yet and a new puppy is on the way, plenty of distractions and fear kicking in…..I have a camp to finish filling up and I am gonna have to get into camp mode so as to be prepared come Feb 23 when 20 women descend on our beautiful surroundings we call home in North Idaho.   I am the peace within lady and at the moment I don’t have it all together and that scares me. It keeps me awake at night, it sometimes makes me un motivated and the fear is coming back again….anxiety may set in but what do I do?  One step in front of the other ! I go back to my self talk and say, “it’s all gonna workout” “it always does”  ” Maybe you should just wait till Jan 1″ I see a friend just typing away and I ask her to watch my things so I can go move my car.  I stare out the window and sip on my Americano as the snow lightly touches down……. I find a quote that I had seen posted somewhere and a friend also texts me and that is where I begin to think….. “Maybe the journey isn’t so much about becoming anything. Maybe its about unbecoming everything that really isn’t you, so you can be who you were meant to be in the first place.” This really seems to have set my thoughts straight and it feels so right. I think when you get to 50, which I have, for most people, it really is a milestone in a lot of ways where you give your self permission personally and socially in so many ways. You really see a lot of things you have done in the past and your mistakes are really not mistakes, just lessons.  Those lessons are you realizing that everything you have done up until now is simply how it was supposed to happen.  What is on the horizon is what you make of it . How you react to it.  If you treat yourself right things do fall in place and all the times you weren’t kind were just the parts of you that didn’t fit your puzzle of who you are.  People force things sometimes instead of working through it.  In my past blogs I have touched on these blockages and remaining stuck. So I guess all I have for you today is this…

What is your brand? Thoughts from a small business human

Over the years and all those shows and events Ive been repeatedly asked, “Is this a brand?” or “Is this your brand?” and every time I got caught off guard as to what would be the most professional answer. Even when not feeling professional.  It all kinda irked me and today I was just thinking….Why does it irk me? The truth is , there seems to be some slight tinge of stupidity and or a little insecurity on my part and the person in question.  Kinda being a little judgy wudgy here but YES its my BRAND and YES its a part of me but the way you are asking it has got me thinking, there is more to me than just a BRAND.  First thing that comes to mind is a mental picture of a cow on a farm and a cowboy slapping its butt wit a hot stick and hes yelping in pain at the unexpectedness, the BRANDING. Yes, the cowboy was cute in my mental picture with his wranglers and plaid shirt, and that six pack!  Okay, back to task here.

Recently on one of my many coffee shop chats with an old friend we were talking shop about my future camp . Her, being a small business owner also, was sharing some story and I cant remember the story line but I do remember her saying or talking about something along the lines of , “YES!! its personal”  “and don’t tell me to not take it personal because its PERSONAL”  This friend has a local business and a family. Her family is now being extended with cute little nuggets of grandchildren and she has an amazing husband and shop.  They travel, workout, meet with friends, take adventures and love dogs and other things. They are small business owners with a “BRAND” or a “BABY” or a “HOBBY” or simply a means to express herself and make a living.

“Your smile is your logo, your personality is your business card, how your leave others feeling after having an experience with you becomes your trademark.”

She is just like me, another great woman making a life for herself while supplementing her family and being a model for her children and grandchildren.  What I’m trying to convey here is that SHE is all of us. No matter what title you give yourself or how you portray yourself in the world and outside your home is your Brand.  Doesn’t mean you have to have a storefront or a website or do shows and events.  It means, if you do have a small business , it is your BRAND and how you do your business represents who you are or who you would like to be.  Even though you are more than a BRAND, so much more, you are putting your hopes and dreams for the world to see and bygone! its personal !

Now…..this doesn’t mean we take all things personal.  There are people who are gonna not like your stuff or what you represent.  Everyone has different tastes and different incomes or they simply are not buying or looking.  This year has been a year of big change for me and some events have been less than spectacular in sales .  I have had some really scary changes and realities.  The weather has played a huge part. Ive experienced doubt for the first time ever after nine years and sometimes a burnout as caused some depression but always , always there has been that special note written, a sweet text sent or a sign from the universe to keep on going.  This is life and it doesn’t have anything to do with my brand but it has everything to do with ME, its personal…..

You have to not be afraid, sometimes easier said than done.  That afraidness (I’m gonna make it a word) is FEAR of the unknown.  Your brand may be changing into a different form, you may be unbecoming who you really are. You may be in a “lesson” that life has to teach you and you may , just maybe onto something bigger and better.

How will you present your BRAND ? and what will you say to that next person who irks you?

Is it possible the uneasiness you feel or I sometimes feel is just an insecurity that you didn’t know you still had? What if your life lessons have put you in a place to share with others your story so that they might feel more ready to present themselves ?

So as I sit here with my thoughts all over the place, I hope I’m making a bit sense. Time to walk the dog, Happy Saturday and the last few days before 2018. Go out there and be who you want to be but please don’t hide. You have so much to present to this world , more than you’ll ever know.  When someone ask you about your work or how you spend your days….Kindly respond, YES ! DAMN STRAIGHT !! This is me!

shop peace within camp peace within