I have learned a lot of lessons in my life, most of them pretty self explanatory. You know, always be prepared. Look both ways before crossing the street. Don't eat yellow snow.
When I made the decision to start my own business I knew it would be a good fit. I have always been a creative person, and most of all, I like making my own decisions instead of being told what to do. Both of my parents are successful entrepeneurs, so it just seemed natural to go in this direction. It hasn't been easy, but again, I've learned many lessons along the way.
In my search for success I have studied and learned from a variety of different people. If given the opportunity I will ask them what they think sets them apart from others- in other words, what is different about you? Why are you successful when others are not? Of course there are a million factors that come in to play when defining success, but in general I've been able to determine some common factors among successful people.
Sure, I could write a list a mile long, but from what I can see it all comes down to one word. Discipline. Every single successful person I know, whether it be a business owner, athlete, student, you name it, will say the same thing. What sets them apart is their personal discipline and ability to remain focused on their goal. It doesn't matter if you're training for a marathon, learning a new skill, losing weight, or running for President. Discipline makes all the difference in the world.
With my company Office Buzz I am proud to work with some of the most successful Sales Directors and National Sales Directors in all of Mary Kay. I feel so honored to be able to work side by side with these women. They have taught me so much, and the common trait I see among them is their personal discipline and laser sharp focus. People ask me on a regular basis, "What is [insert name here] doing? I need to know her secret!"
Here's the secret. There isn't one. If there was a magic pill that could make you skinny (and keep you skinny!) then Oprah wouldn't have a weight battle. If there was a magic business book to guarantee your success then everyone would buy it. If they made shoes that could do the jogging for you then everyone would buy them (could somebody please invent some?!?!?).
Unfortunately, for us, these things don't exist. What we can do, however, is learn as much as we can from others who are where we want to be. My goal this year is to study and learn from as many successful entrepreneurs as I can. No matter what your goals may be this year I challenge you to do the same thing. Hitch your wagon to a star and see how far you can go. I know it's going to be a great ride.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
taking back the house
The other night my husband and I watched an episode of "The Middle". I had never seen the show, but after five minutes I was hooked. This particular episode featured the parents and their struggle to regain control of their home from their kids. It was hilarious. Within the 30 minute time slot Corey and I agreed to follow suit.
Easier said than done. It appears that our kids have taken over. And to be perfectly honest I am shocked. Never in a million years did I think two tiny people could influence so much of our daily routine. After all, I have a Master's Degree in Elementary Education from the University of Florida. Surely these girls couldn't hold a candle to my flame. Well, I guess the joke was on me.
Having been snowed in these past few days I've been able to reflect on the reality of our situation. Our oldest daughter (age 3) is a genius manipulator who capitalizes on weakness. People say dogs can smell fear? Well the heck with dogs. I'm talking preschoolers and toddlers. These kids can smell fear, anxiety, stress, you name it, they will jump on it. You may as well put a target on your back if your phone rings. Forget it. You're toast. Baby #2 may as well be nicknamed The Hurricane, because she leaves a massive trail of destruction wherever she goes. I love them both more than anything in the world, but good grief. Enough is enough.
So the battle is on...we are committed to taking back the house, even if it means a hissy fit here, there or everywhere. I wanted to announce this challenge on my blog for a two reasons. First, I would like to encourage those of you who are losing this battle to jump on board with me. And second, most importantly, I would love to hear from those of you who have successfully won this battle (please tell me you are out there...???)
Easier said than done. It appears that our kids have taken over. And to be perfectly honest I am shocked. Never in a million years did I think two tiny people could influence so much of our daily routine. After all, I have a Master's Degree in Elementary Education from the University of Florida. Surely these girls couldn't hold a candle to my flame. Well, I guess the joke was on me.
Having been snowed in these past few days I've been able to reflect on the reality of our situation. Our oldest daughter (age 3) is a genius manipulator who capitalizes on weakness. People say dogs can smell fear? Well the heck with dogs. I'm talking preschoolers and toddlers. These kids can smell fear, anxiety, stress, you name it, they will jump on it. You may as well put a target on your back if your phone rings. Forget it. You're toast. Baby #2 may as well be nicknamed The Hurricane, because she leaves a massive trail of destruction wherever she goes. I love them both more than anything in the world, but good grief. Enough is enough.
So the battle is on...we are committed to taking back the house, even if it means a hissy fit here, there or everywhere. I wanted to announce this challenge on my blog for a two reasons. First, I would like to encourage those of you who are losing this battle to jump on board with me. And second, most importantly, I would love to hear from those of you who have successfully won this battle (please tell me you are out there...???)
Monday, January 10, 2011
stop the world...it's snowing
I can't think of a better way to stimulate the economy than to announce a possible ice storm in Georgia. The minute the local news announces a "Winter Weather Mix" the entire state shuts down. Everyone rushes to the grocery store to stock up on supplies like bears preparing for hibernation. Then there's the line at the gas station, wrapped around the parking lot with cars filling up their tanks...just in case. And of course, you couldn't have a winter weather party without a movie rental or two. Just think, if we could have three of these each month our local economy would be in pretty good shape. Heck, we might even be able to keep our local Blockbuster in business.
After living here for 9 years I have come to this conclusion...
When Georgia is facing inclement winter weather the following are guaranteed:
I wouldn't be true to my Yankee roots if I didn't poke a little fun of the Georgia winter weather mix madness. Probably because I do remember walking to school in the snow and scraping ice off the windshield of my dad's car. But that's not the point.
You see, I have a confession to make. I totally love the fact that our city is closed tomorrow. I love that my husband won't go to work and instead will be home with me. I love the idea of freezing time for a day- a day where we can't go anywhere or do anything. It's a rare opportunity we have as a family to just stay put. All of us. So that's what we will do.
I am going to embrace the winter weather mix with open arms and just enjoy the moment. And as for all of my friends who live north of the Mason Dixon Line...well, I hope you have fun at work tomorrow!
After living here for 9 years I have come to this conclusion...
When Georgia is facing inclement winter weather the following are guaranteed:
- People will flock to the stores to buy anything and everything they may (or may not) need for a week (or month, for that matter).
- People who are not "from" Georgia will laugh and joke at how everyone is reacting. They will share stories of their experiences from the arctic climates of Nebraska, Michigan, New Hampshire, wherever, with the sole purpose of making the locals feel silly. I doubt the purpose for these jokes is mean-spirited, but I could name a few local Georgians who are tired of hearing it.
I wouldn't be true to my Yankee roots if I didn't poke a little fun of the Georgia winter weather mix madness. Probably because I do remember walking to school in the snow and scraping ice off the windshield of my dad's car. But that's not the point.
You see, I have a confession to make. I totally love the fact that our city is closed tomorrow. I love that my husband won't go to work and instead will be home with me. I love the idea of freezing time for a day- a day where we can't go anywhere or do anything. It's a rare opportunity we have as a family to just stay put. All of us. So that's what we will do.
I am going to embrace the winter weather mix with open arms and just enjoy the moment. And as for all of my friends who live north of the Mason Dixon Line...well, I hope you have fun at work tomorrow!
Saturday, January 8, 2011
late night, great night
I don't know what it is about the middle of the night but I absolutely love it. Right now it is 2:30am and everyone else in the world is sleeping...but not me. I have been working away on so many projects that have been pushed to the bottom of my to-do list, and I've enjoyed every single minute of it.
My husband looks at me like I'm from Venus (duh), and perhaps there are others that would as well. But for me, this is my favorite time of day. The phone can't ring. There is nowhere to go, nothing to do. I don't feel guilty for spending 3 hours uploading pictures to Shutterfly and designing the way overdue photo book for my baby. Or wasting an hour reading random blogs about organization (I know, I'm a total nerd). And no, I haven't thought twice about the pile of dirty clothes in the laundry room. You see, the article I just read about organization states to only start laundry when you can finish laundry. And tonight is not that night. Besides, if I were sleeping the laundry wouldn't have been done anyway, so who cares.
I'm not sure if burning the midnight oil is genetic, but I do know my mother used to stay up all hours of the night. I always wondered why she would rather read a book on the couch than just go to sleep. Now I completely understand. I can only imagine what her evening hours would have been like if she had had access to the internet. Staying up all night is much more fun in 2011!
There is only one thing haunting me at the moment. The realization that within 6 hours my house will be bustling with 2 small children, bright eyed and bushy tailed, ready to start the day. At this point I have two options. Option A: retire for the evening and do my best to recover. Option B: keep on keepin' on.
Either way I see a trip to Starbucks in the near (6 hour) future. I figure the $4 is a pretty reasonable investment for a night well spent.
My husband looks at me like I'm from Venus (duh), and perhaps there are others that would as well. But for me, this is my favorite time of day. The phone can't ring. There is nowhere to go, nothing to do. I don't feel guilty for spending 3 hours uploading pictures to Shutterfly and designing the way overdue photo book for my baby. Or wasting an hour reading random blogs about organization (I know, I'm a total nerd). And no, I haven't thought twice about the pile of dirty clothes in the laundry room. You see, the article I just read about organization states to only start laundry when you can finish laundry. And tonight is not that night. Besides, if I were sleeping the laundry wouldn't have been done anyway, so who cares.
I'm not sure if burning the midnight oil is genetic, but I do know my mother used to stay up all hours of the night. I always wondered why she would rather read a book on the couch than just go to sleep. Now I completely understand. I can only imagine what her evening hours would have been like if she had had access to the internet. Staying up all night is much more fun in 2011!
There is only one thing haunting me at the moment. The realization that within 6 hours my house will be bustling with 2 small children, bright eyed and bushy tailed, ready to start the day. At this point I have two options. Option A: retire for the evening and do my best to recover. Option B: keep on keepin' on.
Either way I see a trip to Starbucks in the near (6 hour) future. I figure the $4 is a pretty reasonable investment for a night well spent.
Friday, January 7, 2011
checks and balances
While designing my goal poster for 2011 I continued to have the same vision. Checks and balances. Not only for my business, but also for my personal and family life. From a business standpoint, I hate numbers. I am the farthest thing you will find from an accounting geek who can spend the day with a calculator and figure out projections for income, expenses, budgets, whatever. But I have had to come to grips with my discomfort for logistics and sit down and learn. Yes, that's right. I have had to learn. This is not to say that my feelings have changed, but my efforts certainly have (thank you to my accounting team!)
As for the rest of my world, well, the search for balance is a constant struggle. The majority of my friends are also small business owners, mothers, wives, etc. and I think for the most part we are all faced with the same challenge. What we need to realize (myself included) is that there is no such thing as the perfect balance. There will always be something to throw us off, whether it's a sick kid (or babysitter, for that matter), a company crisis, a hurricane, whatever. Obviously we can never be completely prepared for these things, so this is where flexibility comes in. I don't know about you, but at times I feel like Gumby, the super stretchy green toy from the '80s. The ability to bend and stretch where needed is also what makes us exceptional. We are exceptional business owners, mothers, wives, and friends. Yes, we are rock stars (minus the entourage and staff of assistants).
I came across this image the other day and it just made me laugh. I couldn't resist sharing it with the rest of the world- especially those of you who can relate!
As for the rest of my world, well, the search for balance is a constant struggle. The majority of my friends are also small business owners, mothers, wives, etc. and I think for the most part we are all faced with the same challenge. What we need to realize (myself included) is that there is no such thing as the perfect balance. There will always be something to throw us off, whether it's a sick kid (or babysitter, for that matter), a company crisis, a hurricane, whatever. Obviously we can never be completely prepared for these things, so this is where flexibility comes in. I don't know about you, but at times I feel like Gumby, the super stretchy green toy from the '80s. The ability to bend and stretch where needed is also what makes us exceptional. We are exceptional business owners, mothers, wives, and friends. Yes, we are rock stars (minus the entourage and staff of assistants).
I came across this image the other day and it just made me laugh. I couldn't resist sharing it with the rest of the world- especially those of you who can relate!
Happy Friday everyone! May your balancing act today be a successful one!
Sunday, January 2, 2011
the anti resolution
Enough with the nonsense. I'm just going to put this out there. I am completely against the whole new year resolution thing.
People just crack me up when they start proclaiming their plans to completely change their life with the beginning of this new year. Really? Give me a break. Okay, so you want to lose some weight. Fine. And perhaps you are finally going to give up texting and driving (good luck with that). Or maybe, just maybe, you are resolving to quit the diet thing and just eat healthier and make exercise a part of your daily routine (again, good luck with that).
I'm not trying to be a pessimist or anything, but let's be real. A new year's resolution just sets you up for failure. To nonchalantly announce that you will be debt free by next year is a resolution that is unsupported by a plan.
What I do believe in is goal setting, and planning for those goals. As a business owner I have experienced the difference between working with goals and working without goals. My dad has always taught me to make goals for myself, and most importantly, to put them in front of me. I can remember seeing pictures of the Caribbean and beautiful yachts on the walls of his office. Guess what? He lives in sunny south Florida and is the owner of a beautiful yacht.
My experience in Mary Kay has done the same. Hitch your wagon to a star, put your goals in front of you, and do the work. This last statement seems to be where people miss the boat. By setting a goal without taking other factors into consideration is again, setting you up for failure. Your goals must match your activity level.
My challenge to you is this: Instead of just writing down a list of everything you want to do or change this year, think about what steps you are committed to taking to get there. A pink Cadillac on a goal poster isn't going to get you very far if you don't plan the work to back it up. Just like a picture of Giselle on your frig won't be much help if that frig is stocked with pizza and Coke. One of the greatest business tips I have learned is to plan your work and work your plan. This can be applicable to everything in life, no matter what your goals may be.
So go easy on your resolution list this year, and instead, map out a plan. And most importantly, set yourself up for success this year, not failure. Take into consideration the time you are willing to spend, the energy you are willing to put forth, and the rewards that will await you.
With that, I will leave you with one of my favorite questions...What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail?
Oh, and as far as the texting and driving thing? It's simple. Do us all a favor and put the damn phone down.
People just crack me up when they start proclaiming their plans to completely change their life with the beginning of this new year. Really? Give me a break. Okay, so you want to lose some weight. Fine. And perhaps you are finally going to give up texting and driving (good luck with that). Or maybe, just maybe, you are resolving to quit the diet thing and just eat healthier and make exercise a part of your daily routine (again, good luck with that).
I'm not trying to be a pessimist or anything, but let's be real. A new year's resolution just sets you up for failure. To nonchalantly announce that you will be debt free by next year is a resolution that is unsupported by a plan.
What I do believe in is goal setting, and planning for those goals. As a business owner I have experienced the difference between working with goals and working without goals. My dad has always taught me to make goals for myself, and most importantly, to put them in front of me. I can remember seeing pictures of the Caribbean and beautiful yachts on the walls of his office. Guess what? He lives in sunny south Florida and is the owner of a beautiful yacht.
My experience in Mary Kay has done the same. Hitch your wagon to a star, put your goals in front of you, and do the work. This last statement seems to be where people miss the boat. By setting a goal without taking other factors into consideration is again, setting you up for failure. Your goals must match your activity level.
My challenge to you is this: Instead of just writing down a list of everything you want to do or change this year, think about what steps you are committed to taking to get there. A pink Cadillac on a goal poster isn't going to get you very far if you don't plan the work to back it up. Just like a picture of Giselle on your frig won't be much help if that frig is stocked with pizza and Coke. One of the greatest business tips I have learned is to plan your work and work your plan. This can be applicable to everything in life, no matter what your goals may be.
So go easy on your resolution list this year, and instead, map out a plan. And most importantly, set yourself up for success this year, not failure. Take into consideration the time you are willing to spend, the energy you are willing to put forth, and the rewards that will await you.
With that, I will leave you with one of my favorite questions...What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail?
Oh, and as far as the texting and driving thing? It's simple. Do us all a favor and put the damn phone down.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
ringing in the new year
Let's just say New Year's Eve didn't turn out exactly how I had expected. Don't get me wrong...it's not like we had some spectacular elaborate plans or anything, but I definitely didn't foresee cleaning up puke as part of our countdown into 2011. By 10:30 pm both girls were projectile vomiting and our laundry room looked like a stomach bug's murder scene. Lovely.
Thinking back to all of my previous New Year's Eve festivities, this was certainly one I will remember forever. Sure, I've had those incredible New Year's Eves that will forever be remembered as awesome. Dressed to kill, champagne in hand, surrounded by friends and fireworks. Yes, that was fun and all, but my life is different now. And I wouldn't trade it for the world.
Sitting on the couch with my husband and our babies was by far a perfect way to ring in the New Year. Mind you, we were armed with buckets and towels, but nonetheless it was sweet. Corey, Elizabeth and I counted down as we watched the ball drop, and we had a giant family hug as the clock struck midnight (no kissing for anyone- God help me if I catch this bug).
Now as I think forward to 2011 I feel so blessed to know that life just keeps getting better. So while my house is quiet (they have all surrendered to their beds...finally), I just might take advantage of it.
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!
Thinking back to all of my previous New Year's Eve festivities, this was certainly one I will remember forever. Sure, I've had those incredible New Year's Eves that will forever be remembered as awesome. Dressed to kill, champagne in hand, surrounded by friends and fireworks. Yes, that was fun and all, but my life is different now. And I wouldn't trade it for the world.
Sitting on the couch with my husband and our babies was by far a perfect way to ring in the New Year. Mind you, we were armed with buckets and towels, but nonetheless it was sweet. Corey, Elizabeth and I counted down as we watched the ball drop, and we had a giant family hug as the clock struck midnight (no kissing for anyone- God help me if I catch this bug).
Now as I think forward to 2011 I feel so blessed to know that life just keeps getting better. So while my house is quiet (they have all surrendered to their beds...finally), I just might take advantage of it.
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!
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