Free Inspiration
In these challenging times, inspiration can lead to motivation that gets us through the crud. Opening our minds and hearts will lead us forward on our path.
You are invited to register to receive the Victory Letter. This e-letter has been written every Monday morning for the past seven years as a reminder to appreciate the small victories in our lives. Open up your Monday morning for a little extra inspiration to send you on your way each week. To see an example of what you will receive visit our blog page.
Straight Line
Our path is not always a straight line.
- Author Unknown
This morning started with a glorious sunrise and the promise of a good day ahead. And though one of our pooches got sick and there was no cream for my coffee, I still turn towards what the possibilities for my path today. Though indeed already it is not going in a straight line.
Now the milkman was supposed to bring the cream this morning and my only backup is milk, better for me than drinking it black. That is not earth shattering but my little Izzy being sick is a problem. I think she got into something yesterday and not only did she get sick but her face is strangely swollen. She is looking a bit like a pit bull this morning instead of her sweet little yellow lab self. I do believe a trip to the vet is in our immediate path this morning.
And so it goes with each of us in our lives - little trips along the path. And sometimes, they can turn into big falls skinning our knees big time in the process. It is life in the making. I believe it was John Lennon who said, "Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans." But make the plans we must or we will end up just having everything happen by circumstance.
You could look at it like heading off to school without any of your supplies. Sure you will get through your studies as you beg and borrow from others but that ends up being more work than having your supplies to begin with. It can make those around you very cranky because of your lack of preparation.
My dear friend Nancy and her daughter Gretchen are here on a short three day visit and on Saturday we let spontaneity take over with the words "easy breezy" being our motto. It led us to a fun workshop in downtown Boulder on creativity that my friend Cynthia Morris was hosting. From there to some other cool shops nearby and lunch at Chautauqua. The day actually seemed to move as it was supposed to, for us, as we laughed and enjoyed our way straight through it - no plans just happenstance.
Ready, Set, Play
Life's like an hourglass glued to the table no one can find the rewind button girl so cradle you head in your hands and breathe - just breathe. - Anna Nalick
During times of transition in my life music plays a key role. Lyrics seem to jump out as if they were written just for me. The words and melody soothe me as they help me to see both deeper into myself and beyond myself all at the same time.
This past week as Ed and I officially became empty nesters, as our son Travis moved out to his college apartment, life really took on a new glow. At first on Thursday morning I felt out of sorts and not really sure what to do with my emotions but by Friday - well something inside of me shifted.
I can't explain it but as I opened my eyes on Friday morning and the sky outside my window was bluer, the clouds puffier, and I knew in my heart of hearts that something in my world was about to take off - I could just feel it.
As I drove to meet a colleague for lunch, taking the beautiful scenic drive from Boulder to Golden, the car radio shared with me the tunes from Super Tramp's, Take the Long Way Home, - "When you look through the years and see what you could have been, what you might have been if you'd had more time..."
Well it got me to thinking, thinking about the possibilities not behind me, but before me in my life because I now have more time. Suddenly I started feeling the sense of adventure inside of me just like I did in my early 20's when I packed up my vehicle and headed to Colorado from Southern California, not knowing hardly anyone here. The difference now is that I have a much clearer purpose and vision for my life during this next phase of the journey. There is so much I want to do!
Half Full
The greatest ownership is embracement of emptiness. - Chinese Fortune Cookie
You know we spend a lot of our life planning, which is good and important, but as I have shared before, and as we have all for the most part experienced, we really never know for sure exactly what will be around the corner. Sometimes it works to our advantage and other times - not so much. I have been sharing with you over the past couple of weeks my journey of launching my youngest from the nest as she moves half way cross the country to begin culinary school.
In my journeys I am finding a part of me that has long been forgotten. As parents we get so wrapped up in the taking care of our young ones that we many times forget about a part of ourselves. In this week that passed, Ed and I said our tearful goodbye's to Bailey, and headed across the wilds of California, Nevada, Utah and Colorado. In doing so, Ed and I started to re-discover a couple we used to know - both individually and collectively.
We decided to take the back roads home in order to really "see" the terrain between San Francisco and Colorado. To really have the time - 2 and a-half days - to not only see but to feel the great change that is taking place in our life.
The closer we got towards home the better the terrain looked to us. On the other side of Steamboat Springs we took a small highway that kept us far from any interstate. Just a couple of miles down this highway we were completely stopped by road construction. One lane of this two lane road had been shut down and we were told that we would need to wait about 20 minutes for the escort vehicle to take the traffic in our direction.
Now we debated whether to just cave in and take the interstate but after a few minutes of standing out on this beautiful lone highway we decided what the heck...we were in no rush to get anywhere. We had a beautiful view of Rabbit Ears pass from where they had stopped us.
Future's Sake
As you walk and eat and travel, be where you are. Otherwise you will miss most of your life. - Buddha
Being where you are - it is an interesting phenomenon. I write to you this Monday morning from a cute little hotel room we have been calling home for nearly a week. It's funny how quickly you can become so accustomed to something. This sweet little bed & breakfast room complete with its working fireplace has been a god send to me during a week that I have to admit has me closer to the emotional edge than usual.
Driving to California I knew that there would be a variety of elements to test my heartstrings upon letting my little baby girl fly off into the world. Let's just say the test has been more challenging than previously realized. A strong emotion that love thing, especially when it comes to a child that you have put your heart and soul completely into.
This morning as I write to you, the thought of cherishing the past while letting it go for the sake of what the future holds has become all important to me. I feel torn between the excitement and terror that my life holds in front of me as mothering becomes just a very part time gig.
This week as we have walked and walked and walked some more up the hills of San Francisco we have spent time together Bailey, Ed and I like we have not done before. All this has been done while eating great food and cherishing our lives together just as Buddha recommends in this mornings quote. With Bailey's new apartment just a few blocks away we have been able to help her begin the process of getting settled in her new world.
Growing Up
Your story is not where you start, it's where you take it. - Anthony Robbins
There are most definitely days that seems far more surreal than others. Today is one of those days. As you read this letter I am many miles from home, heading across the wilds of Utah towards California. This is the day that my daughter Bailey and I will arrive in California and she will begin her new life in culinary school.
On Saturday night we celebrated my niece Katie's 16th birthday and that too seemed fairly unreal. As we looked through pictures of the years Katie has shared with us on this planet there was this mixed feeling of joy and a bit of sadness, missing that little girl who grew up.
It's funny how you get off course sometimes. Like in parenting, where our role was to raise them to be responsible adults. Now that we have gotten them a good step along the way, it's pretty hard to let go. To now let them start, as Tony Robbins says in today's quote, to actually let them ease into their adult phase of life as they take it where it needs to go.
Mutual Journeys
"You can work on the symptoms the rest of your life and never cure the disease." - Mike Michalowicz
Do you find that some nights you sleep like a baby and some nights, for whatever reason, not so much? I had one of those - not so much nights - last night. Must have woken up 20 times never really sleeping soundly. This morning I am sipping my coffee looking for the mojo I need to sail through this day and week ahead. Hopefully writing to you this morning will be just the medicine I need!
Would you agree that it is the inspiration of others that gets us going sometimes? When the road ahead seems a bit out of sorts another person can come along and help us to see the yellow brick road towards Oz a lot more clearly.
It can be something simple like my husband, Ed, encouraging me to go on a bike ride yesterday morning that really got my blood, body and mind going. Or it can be something far more intricate like the creation of what has been dubbed today as a JV, short for Joint Venture, partnership with someone or a group of some ones.
The current economy has caused those of us interested in long-term economic survival to get a lot more creative and not go it so alone. JV partnerships have been the perfect answer. Teaming up with others who have similar interests and together you can create the proverbial win/win in a very powerful way.
Changing Guard
"Wine is sunlight held together by water."- Galileo
I hope that this Monday finds you full of a wonderful weekend that technically is still underway. We ended up having a bit of a soggy 4th of July but filled with lots of fun and memory making moments. Sure it is hard to fully engage in sparklers under an umbrella but there is always tonight! ;)
This letter is coming to you a bit late this morning as I had the wonderful opportunity to sleep in late after a rousing late night round of spoons with my sisters, my husband, brother-in-law, and niece and nephew, Katie and Jack. It really is the simple things that make the 4th of July so special!
As we hit our stride moving into the 5th of July, summer is for sure in full swing. Even though summer is technically one season, there are so many elements to the season and this morning I feel compelled to write about them.
Yesterday in between happenings I spent some time in the garden and noted how much it is changing from just a week or so ago. Some flowers have had their day in the sunshine and I pruned them back as they won't be blooming again until next year.
The first sunflower of the season has made its debut with many more waiting to make their appearance. It's as if there has been a changing of the guards and now the sunflowers will preside over the garden through the end of the summer season.
Making Milestones
"The name is the seed that flowers the whole garden." - Dr. David Simon
This morning as I sit and write to you, many thoughts are pulsating through my head.
Some that may make their way into words and others - maybe not. Each week as I sit down to write this letter I am given a choice, a choice to write from my heart about things that seem to want to be said. Words that I hope make a difference in your day and week.
Today is a special day of notation for several reasons. One is that I would not want the month of June to pass without acknowledging the 9th anniversary of this, The Victory Letter. Yes, for nine years, can you imagine, I have sat down each Monday morning (give or take a few) to share my thoughts of Victory for the week before us.
Some of you receiving this have been with me the whole time and I thank you for your feedback and encouragement that keeps me going. Others, you may be new to this weekly letter and I look forward to sharing many more. For each and every one of you know that this has been such an honor for me to express my thoughts of victory with you each and every week. Thank you for listening!
Another milestone is an event that happened on this very day 24 years ago when I married my husband, Ed. So much life has transpired between the dates of June 28, 1986 and June 28, 2010, including two beautiful kids and a whole lot of living in between. There have been good times, bad times and a bunch of memories sandwiched throughout these dates.
So perhaps the focus for this letter should be on the topic of longevity in anything we do. Why is it that some marriages last a long time, others not so much? Why is it that some businesses last for years and the flame of others seem to go out almost instantly after they start? Why is it that some dreams explode beautifully into the light of day and others do not make it off the launching pad?
Standing Still
"When people are pushed to their limit you find out who they truly are." - Travis Ruskus
Many thoughts are cruising through my minds eye this Monday morning. First and foremost though as I write these words the Summer Solstice is upon us and will reveal itself (7:28 am) before I hit the send button for this mornings Victory Letter.
Happy first day of summer to you!
The Latin meaning for solstice is sol = sun + stice = still. Marking the longest day of the year today. Enjoy it well! It's days like today that really help us to mark time.
Over this past weekend I was reminded of time and the comings and goings of it consistently throughout the weekend. It was as if a message was being sent my way. Hmmm perhaps it will reveal itself to me now.
Cut Flowers
It is impossible to complain when you are grateful. - Elizabeth Hagen
Do you ever notice that your heart tends to swell up when thinking about all the blessings you have in your life? Also when doing so, that the few things that may not be going so well can begin to seem inconsequential - that is if you choose to focus your attention on the right things.
I have to warn you that today's letter is a little longer than normal but I encourage you to take the extra couple of minutes to read it through.
Over the course of the last couple of years I have been sharing free teleconferences on a fairly regular basis. I don't normally talk about them too much in this letter other than letting you know about them, but I feel compelled to say more this morning. Why?
Because I am feeling extremely grateful for the tools, connections and learning opportunities that teleconferences, telecalls, telesummits, teleseminars and webinars (they carry very many different names but are all basically the same thing) have brought to my life on both a personal and professional level. Whether I am leading them or simply a participant in them.
Just last week I shared with you that the fabulous Elizabeth Hagen was going to be on our Wednesday call - those of you that joined in know that she was worth every single one of the 60 minutes spent with her - and then some. I will share more with you on what I gained from that call in a second.
Awareness Awakening
"Where there is great doubt, there will be great awakening;
small doubt, small awakening. No doubt, no awakening." - Zen Saying
I pondered today's quote a bit as I got my arms fully around it. I am actually writing this a couple of days early and as you read this on Monday morning I will be gone and preparing for my daughters new scholastic adventures in San Francisco.
It's last week as I wrote about taking flight - and the reality is that sometimes the take off can be a bit bumpy. Grooves in the runway that you weren't quit counting on can make lift off turbulent. It happens in life, it happens in business - shoot it just happens in general.
Have you ever made a decision than kicked yourself in the hinny for doing so? I know I sure have a time or two. But funny thing of it was that even the bad decisions usually lead me on the path I was supposed to be on - a kind of de-icing of our wings if you will.
Taking Flight
"Your vision will become clear when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside dreams. Who looks inside awakens." - Carl Jung
There are moments that happen in our lives that carry a flavor of surreal to them. This past Saturday morning possessed those qualities for me.
Especially the moment when I walked into my bedroom to find my daughter, Bailey, standing there in her cap and gown. Oh my, oh my! My emotions jumped from pride, to fear, to great love, to great loss, in a matter of seconds.
Parallel Lines
"Every problem has in it the seeds of its own solution." - Reinhold Niebuhr
Have you ever noticed that you are humming along in life and everything seems to be running together in parallel lines? What I mean by that is that one thing leads to another and another until a message starts coming out to you loud and clear.
It can be remarkable the messages out there waiting for us if we take the time and gather the insight to really listen.
Here is where writing comes in as such a handy little tool. Thoughts that were rolling through your head can suddenly become clearer when you actually bring words to them and get them on paper (or the computer screen).
For myself, last week was pretty monumental in my life as a mom, my baby girl, Bailey, had her last day of high school on Thursday. The emotions it brought up were somewhat surprising and I am sure will only ensue when we head into graduation which happens this coming Saturday.
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