Five Questions You Might be Asking About Finding Your Passion

It was just a few days after a second record breaking snow and ice storm hit the Atlanta area, when I was walking through the woods near my house and saw this:

 

Isn't it amazing how something so beautiful and promising as a bouquet of jonquils can appear following a tough time?  This patch of daffodils were blooming away right in the middle of a thicket of thorns.  It had only been a couple of days since the snow storm that turned my neighborhood into a winter wonderland.

 

Five Tough Questions about Finding Your Passion

(Plus One Bonus Question)

Whenever I talk to women about finding their passion and then taking action, I usually bump into the same tough questions and concerns.  That's why I created the Called Woman Conference 2014, The Reinvention Convention.  I wanted to provide answers and support to living your best life NOW.  Here's the top five questions I get and how we answer them at the Conference:

1. I don't know what my passion really is.... How do I find it?

• Best-selling author Joel Boggess will be talking about his book-Finding Your Voice:  Sort Through the Clutter;  Discover Clarity, Confidence and Direction

      2.  I know my passion, but I don't know how to make it happen... What's my next step?

• Joanne Miller (wife of Dan Miller of 48 Days to the Work You Love) and Dorsey McHugh will be presenting a session on Unleashing Your Creativity
• Kathy Brunner will be talking about how to Be Your Own Boss
• Nadine Mullings will be talking about Using Social Media to Grow Your Business

       3.  I know what I want to do but no one supports me... How do I find the support I need?

• Colleen Miller of LightenUp Consulting, will be talking about the Importance of Laughter and Play in Our Lives
• Erin Shaw will be presenting on Start Today and Make a New Ending

        4.  I know what I want to do but I'm afraid...  How do I get over my fear?

• Kim Wiggins will be talking about the Importance of Mindset
• Lynne Watts (Yours Truly) will be talking about Where Do I Go From Here?

         5.  I know my passion but I'm having a hard time finding balance in my life.

• Wellness Coach Sheri Barnes will be talking about Sitting Down is Killing You!

          6.  Bonus Question:  I'm perfectly happy right where I am--I don't want to make any changes.... Do I need to attend?

• This conference is not for everybody :)

Do any of these statements sound like you?  Have you wrestled with them alone?  The Called Woman Conference 2014 is March 15th in Marietta, Georgia and it is designed to help you answer them.  Here's what you get when you register for the conference:

• A full day of inspirational speakers who will give you direction to plot your course for realizing your dream
• A catered lunch at the conference.
• A goodie bag from Revive Day Spa filled with samples and coupons from our sponsors
• A Friday night, Wine and Cheese Reception to Meet the Speakers
• A signed copy of The Call:  Perfect Dream, Imperfect Life 

Find out all the details and sign up here:  www.acalledwoman.com

I'll be there...will you?
 

 

Taking the Next Step to Living Your Best Life

Today, I was talking to a friend about the Called Woman Conference 2014 and she asked why I created this conference when there are so many other conferences and workshops out there.  Here's the answer:  I have a passion for life stories and I want to help other women live their best story.  So many women are terrifically unhappy in their jobs and their lives.  They are women who are waiting to live their life... later.  When they can retire.  When they find another job.  When the children are finally independent. The Called Woman Conference 2014-The Reinvention Convention was specifically designed for woman and their challenges. It is a day where women can feel encouraged, energized and empowered. It is where women can take the next step to changing their life story.

What Do You Get When You Attend the Called Woman Conference?

• Speakers who will encourage, empower and challenge you.  All of our expert speakers are carefully chosen with you and your needs in mind  Here are some of our topics:
• Unleashing Your Creativity
• Finding Your Passion with Clarity and Focus
• Social Media and You
• Be Your Own Boss
• Mindset
• Time to network and interact with other like minded women.
• A catered lunch and a Meet the Speaker wine and cheese reception the night before the conference
• A guarantee that you will leave the conference encouraged and empowered or your money back... and we will still love you :)

Our Bonuses: (So you can take some of the webinar home with you)

•  A Copy of The Call:  Perfect Dream, Imperfect Life in the Called Woman Goodie Bag provided by our Sponsor: Revive Day Spa in Woodstock, Georgia 
• Downloads of webinars with 8 of our speakers discussing their areas of expertise.

Are you ready to rewrite your life story?  Are you ready to stop waiting and take action? Won't you join us and take the next step in writing your best life story?

   http://acalledwoman.com/sign-up/

What Are You Waiting For?

It happens to me almost every time that I present at a conference.  A couple of weeks ago, I finished my presentation (this time it was on blogging and how to get started) and someone comes up to me afterwards and with a very wistful look in their eyes says, "You know, I've always wanted to write my story, but..."  Sometimes they tell me they just haven't found the time, or sometimes they tell me they are waiting until they get a job that isn't so demanding.  Maybe it's family responsibilities or financial issues that are holding them back. There is always something that has gotten in the way, but still they know that they have this story that is just busting to get out. I understand.  Really, I do.  I spent most of my life waiting just like that too.

What Are You Waiting For?

I used to believe that if I waited long enough, something would eventually happen that would clarify what I should do to turn the dream of writing and publishing a book into a reality. I thought the stars needed to align, my family needed to be happy and successful, my life peaceful and harmonious. Once all of that was in place, I expected someone to walk into my life and perhaps announce, "Any one here interested in writing?  Maybe you'd like to publish a book someday?  Well, follow me!"  Would it surprise you to know that never happened? 

Stop Waiting and Start Taking Action

My life changed when I quit waiting and instead I began aligning myself with powerful mentors, reading books, taking classes, attending conferences, joining network groups and participating in critique groups.  Did I do all of that at once?  No.  It has been a gradual process but one thing lead to another and today I rarely have a moment where I'm not learning more about the business of writing and teaching others about it as well.  Currently, I'm involved in two classes related to blogging and one coaching program all at the same time.  Oh, and I'm still working full-time.  Am I overwhelmed?  Of course.  Am I excited and encouraged?  Yes!

Are You Sharing Your Heartfelt Message? 

We all have a calling, a message, a story to share.  Maybe yours doesn't involve writing or teaching.  Maybe you have another gift that you aren't using.  But you know it's there, don't you?  Even if you  haven't unwrapped it in such a long time that you've almost forgotten it, you feel it stirring don't you?  Wouldn't you like to recover that dream and breathe life into it?  Aren't you tired of waiting? 

The Called Woman Network is designed to help women find their calling and reinvent their lives.  Sign up for the email list and receive regular inspirational messages designed to encourage and empower you. http://acalledwoman.com/

Sign up for the Called Woman 2014 Reinvention Convention on March 15th in Marietta, Georgia.  Spend a day discovering your calling and reinventing your life.  What are you waiting for?  http://acalledwoman.com/sign-up/

"My Life is an Empty Shell"--Finding Your Purpose

Unless you live in a cave, you probably heard about Atlanta's Snow-pocalypse 2014. Motorists were stranded in cars for hours while others were stranded at the office. Students were stranded on school buses or at schools overnight.  I was talking with someone recently about how they survived the disaster.  The worst part for her was being stranded at home. She lives alone and has no children she told me. "I was bored to tears with being stuck at home for three days," she said.  "My life's an empty shell and I didn't know what to do with myself."  An empty shell? Really? 

Finding Your Calling

I believe that we all have a calling, a mission that we have been uniquely gifted for.  We've been given talents and abilities that complement that mission.  How sad that someone feels so empty that being snowed in for three days,  meant she almost went crazy.  Don't get me wrong.  I can get a little cabin fever myself when stranded at home.  However, the number of projects and interests that I have is so numerous, that I rarely get bored.  Three days for me, meant time to catch up on writing, planning, communicating with others, reading... I could go on and on. 

So often people let life happen rather than making it happen. They meander from day to day, without goals or a clear direction.  When disaster or tragedy strikes, they have few resources for coping with it.  Something as small as being stuck at home with no one but yourself for company becomes a major ordeal. I understand this mindset. My early years were spent wishing, waiting and wondering if I'd be able to accomplish my dreams. I thought that the stars had to align, the universe had to be generous and the right people had to wander into my life. I gave away my power to anyone and everyone.  My life was at the mercy of my circumstances rather than me looking for the opportunity in the circumstances.  I didn't set goals and I certainly didn't create an action plan to make my dreams reality. I had an exhaustive to-do-list and I was very busy but without any clear direction. I said yes to anything and everything without evaluating whether or not it fit in with my purpose.  Living life intentionally has changed my focus and my life.

Living Life Intentionally

How do you live your life so that instead of thinking of it as an empty shell, you experience a life of abundance?  It first takes a change in your mindset.  Rather than looking at life as something that happens to you, you begin to see life as something you create.  Much like a writer writes a story or a film-maker creates a film, your job is to determine the plot, the direction of the story arc of your life.  Of course you can't control everything.  I understand that.  But you can control your reaction.  You can control what you do with the events that occur.  You can begin to look for the possibilities in everything.  Even when there are no impending changes, you can remain open to the possibilities that are all around.  Sometimes you even create change!  A great book that addresses this style of living and our tendency to cling to status quo is Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson, M.D.  There are two approaches to life in this book.  Hem and Haw enjoy the comfort of the status quo without ever anticipating or preparing for change.  Sniff and Scurry enjoy the present abundance but also plan for the future and notice the evidence of the changes that are coming.  They explore the world around themselves.  They discover new experiences that are even better than the past.  They anticipate and find abundance rather than scarcity. What character do you identify with?  Hem and  Haw or Sniff and Scurry?  Are you waiting for good things to appear in your life or are you out looking for them and making them happen? 

Join Called Woman speaker, Colleen Miller, Sunday, February 9th for a free webinar on Toxic Relationships.  Sign up here:  http://acalledwoman.com/teleseminars/

Want to spend a day networking with other women and discovering your calling?  Attend the Called Woman Conference on March 15th in Marietta, Georgia.  Read all about it here:  http://acalledwoman.com/

It's HERE!! The Call: Perfect Dream, Imperfect Life Is Published!

December 25th I posted the beginning of writing my newest book, The Call:  Perfect Dream, Imperfect Life.  I got off to a bit of a rocky start but still managed to get a considerable amount of words down on the page in the first week.  By the end of January, I had finished or so I thought.  I began working on getting the cover designed, the layout and proofreading done and getting reviews and a forward written by author and mentor friends.  It was a huge undertaking, bigger than any book I've published before and my goal for completion was March 24th.  I was a week later than I had hoped but yesterday, March 30th, I picked up my first printing of the book.  What a thrill to be done!  What excitement to have the finished product in hand!

Just as I learned a lot from putting on the Called Woman Conference, I've learned a lot from publishing a book.  Here's a few things and yes, some of them are repeats from the conference:

1. It always takes twice as long and costs three times as much as you anticipated.  Is this a life lesson or what?  While I tried hard to meet my original schedule, some things are hard to anticipate like how long it will take someone else to write a review.
2. Use all the resources you can find! One of my greatest resources is www.48days.net   This is a network of thousands of people all interested in learning and growing.  Through the Write It Forward group at 48days.net,  I got great insight, recommendations for proofreaders, strategies for every aspect of the process and best of all, great support and encouragement.  
3. Dream BIG--- Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway:  I was nervous about asking Dan Miller author of the book, 48 Days To The Work You Love to write a forward to my book even though I have been an active member of his community for several years now.  BUT, I asked and he DID!  And what a beautiful job he did too.  I am so grateful.
4.  Share your insights with others!  The joy of creating is really complete when you can share with others.  Through the process of creating this book, I've been able to share my knowledge and experience with others who have the same dream.  This is as rewarding as publishing the book!
5. The end is never really the end--it's all a journey.  Although the book is complete, I've now moved on to the next phase which is marketing the book.  After all, it was created to share a message.  The book is all about how to discover your passion and make it a reality as told through my story.  I so want others to experience the great joy of realizing a dream.

There it is.  From the first post, December 25th to March 30th, the story of a dream come true.  Want to purchase the book?  You will find it for sale HERE listed among my children's books.  Of course if you see me around, I always have a few in tow that you can purchase directly.

What about you?  Have you accomplished a lifelong dream?  What did you learn in the process?

Five Things I Learned From The Called Woman Conference

Yesterday was the Called Woman Conference and what a great day we had!  The attendees learned about their personality style, how to discover their mission to guide their life and about the leadership qualities that we all have.  We had three additional speakers who talked about how they discovered their passion and reinvented their lives after leaving a failed business, a six figure income from a job she hated and finally a career that just wasn't a good fit.  We enjoyed  a delicious lunch, networked and left with a bag full of goodies and giveaways.  All in all it was a huge success.

Putting together a conference that encourages and empowers women to make the most of their gifts and talents has long been a dream of mine.  Just as I have attended conferences, consulted with coaches and done a lot of reading to  reinvent my career and life, I wanted to share that journey and that information with others who find themselves embarking on a similar path.  In the beginning, the idea of a conference like this was just a dream, but bit by bit the pieces began falling into place.  The dream began when I read the book, The Path by Laurie Beth Jones which is one of the clearest directions I have found for creating a mission statement.  You'll find it on my reading list.  Next, I toured the MUST ministries facility with my friend and MUST event planner, Betsy Matthews and discovered what a gorgeous community room they have and how they make it available as a way to give back to the community.  Finally, I talked with my friend and fellow author, Kathy Brunner, who immediately and enthusiastically said, "Let's do it!"  when I proposed the idea of a women's conference.  I would never have embarked on the journey without her support and can-do-spirit.  We added Kim Wiggins to the team of planners. She brought her great organizational, technological and leadership skills to the group and we were off and running.  How long did we have?  Six months.  Was this an ambitious plan?  Could we have used more time and developed it more?  YES!  Was it successful anyway?  YES!

Not only was the program successful but I learned five things that will greatly help us as we begin planning our Second Annual Called Woman's Conference for next year.  I think these are valuable things to know whether you are planning a women's conference, reinventing your career or planning a book launch.  Here's what I learned:

• Dream BIG--I admit that I'm not the best in the group at dreaming big.  I tend to downplay things and dream small but expect growth.  To really grow though you need to dream bigger and begin with the end in mind.  We tend to get what we expect so don't undermine your efforts by dreaming too small.  
• It always takes twice as long as you think and costs twice as much as you would think to reach your dream.  Dream big but don't forget to count and conserve your resources.  You will need to plan carefully and expect that your dream will take time to reach.  Don't give up when you don't see the results you want right away.  Give it time to develop.  When I first embarked on a speaking career, I spent the first year developing things.  Developing topics to  speak on.  Developing contacts and building relationships.  Developing a plan or strategy.  It was not only exhausting but sometimes discouraging.  But it paid off.  While I continue to do all of those things now, I also usually speak at least once a month, sometimes more.  
• It's okay to ask people for things.  Many times they are excited that you did.  One of the things that we provided each participant was a goodie bag.  My goal was to have everything in the goodie bag be donated by businesses that wanted to promote their product.  In the beginning it was difficult to ask people for this but I really came to the point where it was fun because so many people were happy and eager to participate.  I also learned a lot by about different businesses and their philosophy about giving.
• Be flexible and don't give up.  Be ready for people to cancel and not show up.  We had everything from a speaker who arrived an hour late (after the conference was over) to attendees who were sick and unable to come.  I learned to be prepared for anything and to always have a plan B in mind.  
• Support is critical-you don't have to go it alone.  The two women that worked with me to plan the conference were amazing.  They were both a powerhouse of energy and ideas.  They were creative and hard-working.  We enjoyed working together so much we are already planning how we will work together during the next year to plan our next conference.  What a difference it makes to know someone has your back.  

So there it is.  A successful 2012 Called Woman Conference.  I 'm already dreaming BIG about the next Called Woman Conference for 2013!

What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?

Cover of John Lennon







I recently read this quote from John Lennon, "When I was five years old my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life.  When I got to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up.  I wrote down 'happy'.  They told me I didn't understand the assignment and I told them they didn't understand life."  I bet this story makes you smile because it's just the kind of thing that a five year old would do.  I hope it also makes you think.  What do you want to be when you grow up?  Are you on that path?

Much as the pursuit of happiness seems like a worthy destination, I would actually challenge it as a worthy mission in life.  Here's why;  I believe that happiness is a byproduct of your perception, your mindset.  I believe that you create your own happiness and you create real happiness and joy by discovering the passion, the art, the creativity, the God-given gift within you and pursuing that.  When we pursue happiness itself, we are pursuing something that is often elusive, that may change daily and that may not actually be in keeping with other important values.  For instance, it may make me 'happy' to go on a shopping spree that I can ill afford.  It may make me 'happy' to become involved in a relationship that violates prior commitments.  Ultimately of course, both of these examples will result in unhappiness since in both these examples there are many other values and circumstances that need to be taken into consideration.  When we search within for the mission or purpose in our lives then make that our north star, we are much more likely to not only reach our goal but to be happy in the process.

None of this is easy.  I've spent much of my life setting goals but having a hazy idea of my mission or purpose in life.  When we set goals that aren't grounded in our basic purpose and our beliefs or values, then we not only have difficulty staying focused on them and achieving them but we are often amazed at the destination when we arrive.  Figuring our where we are going and getting on the right path   are both important parts of the journey of life.  A great book that I've recently read on this very subject is The Principle of the Path by Andy Stanley.   One of the questions that he asks and answers in the book is, "Why is it that smart people with admirable life goals often end up far from where they intended to be?  Why do our expectations about our own future often go unmet?"   There are a lot of explanations for this but the simplest and most basic is that while we establish our goals, we don't take the time to  establish the mission for our lives and the path that will lead there.

In a couple of weeks, I will be part of a one day conference for women where we will address these questions;  What is your passion?  What is your mission? What is the path to follow to arrive at the destination?  You can check out a video about the conference here:  A Called Woman Conference

What about you?  What do you want to be when you grow up?

Finishing Up My Book... I Have A Deadline!

I haven't written anything of late about my upcoming book but it doesn't mean that I'm not still stirring the pot.  While I have finished the actual writing, I have been reviewing the recommendations of the proofreader, having the book formatted, finalizing the cover design and, here's one of the most time-consuming parts, getting someone to write a recommendation and a forward for the book.  Everyone is of course very busy and these things need to fit into their schedule as well as mine.  The push is on however to have the book completed for The Called Woman Conference which I am speaking at in March.  At the conference, I and other speakers will be presenting on topics such as:

• What is your passion and how do you make it reality?
• How does your personality style impact making your dream lifestyle come true?
• How do you become the leader you were called to be? 

Here is a link to the conference website:  A Called Woman Conference  Watch the video and see what a fabulous conference it will be!

Accomplishing the goal of getting a book in print is certainly a joint venture which requires many hands.  I am so grateful for the team that is helping me make it a reality and for the many cheerleaders in my life who have encouraged and supported me along the way.  I couldn't do it without you!  

Countdown to The Called Woman Conference... 29 days!