PGG: The Book! A great read from TWM's Founder Kristina Leonardi

CHICKS ROCK! is happy to announce that Kristina Leonardi,  founder of The Women’s Mosaic just published her first book!  Be sure to check out: PersonalGrowth Gab (PGG), Volume One: Thought-provoking, inspirational and entertainingessays to keep you connected with yourself and make sense of this journeycalled Life  on Amazon!

Kristina is a career/life/executive coach and motivational speaker in the areas of career development, work/life wellness and personal growth.   You can follow her @clearlykristina and like her Personal Growth Gab (PGG) page on Facebook to learn more or click on her name on the tags from this blog to read several of her posts!

CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT EXCERPTED BELOW

If you are on my mailing list you've being finding a PGG in your inbox every week for a while now, and have stuck with me this far as I've discovered my voice and put my thoughts and observations out there in a creative way. My intention has always been to provide a unique perspective about life and bring some reflection, hope and meaning to your day. Thank you for reading them! 

I've sent out more than 131 original essays over the past five years (oh yes, there were more but they were re-runs!) and because I've received such positive feedback about how they help motivate, inspire and make you think, I thought why not put them together in a beautiful book for you to access at any time?

It took a while to get it all together but I'm proud to announce it's finally here!  I'll be promoting this baby in multiple ways these next couple weeks (well, forever), but for now I just wanted to let you know you can get a copy of Personal Growth Gab (PGG) Volume One: Thought-provoking, inspirational, entertaining essays to keep you connected with yourself and make sense of this journey called Life in your hot little hands today!

I sincerely hope you enjoy the book - please let me know what you think by sending me an email, posting on Facebook, tweeting about it, and/or writing an Amazon Review.

Kristina

P.S.  If you're a fan, I would love if you could let your friends know about the book using the social media icons on the top of this email or from the Amazon page.  Thank you thank you!
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NOW AVAILABLE ON AMAZON!

If you are seeking how to get centered in who you are and what you want, read this book!

Brimming with insight, compassion, and humor, this collection of essays offers encouragement to anyone seeking to grow in harmony with their true nature, and to discover a genuine path toward positive change in the world, starting with themselves.

A great way to go to bed on a positive note and wake up with a refreshing message. Definitely one I’m keeping on my night stand!

Each essay is punchy and profound.

Personal Growth Gab (PGG), Volume One: Thought-provoking, inspirational and entertaining essays to keep you connected with yourself and make sense of this journey called Life is a compilation of nearly five years of essays that both stimulate and address the questions of who we are, where we are going and how we can get there in today’s rapidly changing, fast-paced world.

Kristina began PGG as a weekly email and blog in January 2010, but an avid, faithful and growing group of readers led her to compile these 131 nuggets of wisdom and advice into a beautifully designed and practically organized book. (You can visit the home page of this website for sample essays and click here to get the emails delivered directly to your inbox!)

Drawing from personal and professional experiences, current events and pop culture—with a healthy dose of music and movie references and often a clever or humorous twist—Kristina uses her unique, down-to-earth style to delve into universal themes and offer fresh perspectives on what it means to be human in the 21st century.

Relatable to any gender, age or background, Personal Growth Gab is a book to pick up when you need a little clarity, motivation or deeper connection to yourself on this journey called Life.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE

The Wisdom of Childhood

CHICKS ROCK! is happy to welcome Patricia as a guest blogger this week. 

Patricia Philippe is a Haitian-American writer, creative writing workshop facilitator and marketing consultant living in the Bronx. Currently she blogs about the journey of re-inventing herself after years as a caregiver and is working on a number of writing and teaching related projects.

When I reflect on my life, I notice that the common threads of curiosity, exploration, and courage have always been present. There’s a Polaroid from my childhood that I look at when I begin to wonder if I am being authentic. At about eight years old, my twin sister and I stand in front of a building with a pale yellow tiled façade. We pose shyly in our matching orange plaid coats. My head is tilted to the side, eyes lifted up to the sky, a classic Patricia is in the deep thought pose that my friends recognize even today. I imagine my eight-year-old self thinking there are issues in the world to solve, stories to make up, and new things to explore. Wondering what to do about the things my eyes witness but don’t understand how to fix.

After college, I signed up for the Peace Corps. Images of starving children beckoned me. Thoughts of teaching English enticed me. But I didn’t go. I was afraid. There was healing that needed to take place before I could be present in an inspiring way for anyone else.

Fast forward 20 years and you’ll meet me, a woman who feels like she’s walked a thousand miles in the desert with 100-degree sun scorching her naked flesh. She experimented. She learned. She thrived. After completing personal development programs about transformation, living authentically, healing from the past and choosing self-care, I consider that perhaps I have always known who I am.

My name is Patricia Philippe. I am a writer. A healer. A teacher. In September, I will volunteer with VoiceFlame in Malawi, Africa to lead writing groups for orphaned girls and village women. Writing my story has allowed me to channel the wisdom of that little girl who contemplated how to make silk thread from broken glass.

I found my voice through writing. The project in Malawi supports others in the discovery of their own strong, unique voices. Click here to learn more or to make a donation to sponsor me; I greatly appreciate your support.

Ahead of the Curve

CHICKS ROCK! is happy to welcome back Giovanna as a guest blogger:

Giovanna lives in New York City. Through her work experiences and
most recently through her studies, she has developed a passion for the
dynamic of work, the psychology behind it.

The best professional advice I ever received is to always keep learning. Make it your business to stay on top of current trends and anticipate those to come. I previously wrote an article for my blog with tips to stay ahead of the curve in your career, but with time, I realized this is not just something that can be applied to work but also to life.

Everyone should strive for personal development. Here are some ways to stay at the forefront:

1. Know yourself
The words ‘Know Thyself’ first appeared at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi in ancient Greece. The phrase is often interpreted to mean that in order to understand the world, we must first understand ourselves. The idea seems simple enough: who knows me better than me, right? However, the harsh reality is that people struggle with self-awareness every day.

Research shows that many lack understanding of their own behaviors, feelings, and thoughts. As a result, they fall into a pattern of poor decision-making, creating a negative reflection of self. Researchers urge us to be mindful of our behaviors and thoughts. Becoming aware of who you are, how you present yourself to others, and where you stand in relation to your environment can do wonders for your overall wellbeing.

2. Move with the times
Sorry to be the one to break it to you, but the world is changing. Society is different now than it was even one year ago. There have been great strides in the arts, sciences, and technology. Some of our previous beliefs are now outdated and new attitudes have taken their place.

Do not cling to old-fashioned views that can infringe on your personal growth. We often become stuck on who we think we are and close ourselves off to new perspectives. Allow new lessons and experiences to evolve the way you think about things.

3. Challenge yourself
There may come a time when your regular day-to-day will become mundane. The things that used to drive you will no longer challenge you. It is then up to you to create new challenges.

Pay attention to resources around you. You will likely find a plethora of exciting things just waiting to be explored. Procure new goals for yourself, learn new skills, try new things, talk to interesting people, attend trainings, meetings, fairs, cultural events, etc. Keep yourself abreast of what’s going on in the world. Never for one second quit learning.

Reality Check

This is an edited version of a post that originally appeared on my personal blog:


This post is not a reality check for me, instead it's for all the people who have an incredibly warped idea of my life in Paris. I'm starting to get really sick of people commenting on me living the "nice" life or "luxurious" life in Paris, and even the people who say, "must be nice to up and move to Paris."

For starters, my life is in no way "luxurious" and even "nice" is a bit of a stretch. It's comfortable, sure, just as it is in NYC. At least, as comfortable as it can be for a person who spent the first half worried about a place to stay and will spend the second half worried about money. Yes, I indulged in some things I've always wanted to do, like a bread-making class, but I often eat nothing but a demi baguette and pre-packaged pasta from Monoprix all day because it only costs me 3 euros. I'm not dining at fancy restaurants. I avoid museums and attractions I have to pay for. I skip more meals than I'm comfortable admitting to my best friends. Trust me, life is not luxurious.

Now, as to the question of how I got to Paris in the first place. I freelanced a lot last year, which allowed me to save a good chunk of money. Almost half of that money was supposed to go to paying taxes, which I will now have to file an extension for and pay interest on because that money is long gone. I had no choice but to do that because I'm jobless and not eligible for unemployment.

Don't get me wrong, this isn't a pity parade. I've chosen this. It was my decision to quit my job, a job that was turning me into somebody I didn't recognize. I decided I would rather be broke in Paris and know that I gave it a try than be miserable in NYC, wondering "what if?" And of course there's the fact that I'm single and childless, so I don't have to consider anybody else when I make decisions like this.

I'm just tired of the looks and comments and general misunderstanding of what my life is like here. Every time somebody says something like, "can I have your life?" I want to answer "of course you can! Save up some money, quit your job, book a ticket." It's as easy as that. I didn't have a place lined up before getting here. My only "friend" was a person I had met exactly three times. I had no plan whatsoever and spent the first two months incapable of thinking past the end of the next week (a habit which will continue, I'm sure). I've made it this far by luck and not caring.

And since I'm being completely open at this point, I'll admit that I have no idea what's next, so there's also that. I've blown through my savings and am totally winging it. I have just enough money to pay rent and credit card bills through the end of my trip and that is it. I now have to think of creative ways to eat and live for the next two months. I also have to figure out how to pay rent and credit card bills once I'm back in New York because I don't have money for that either. Hell, I don't even have money to get back to New York but I'm lucky enough to have a friend who can lend me some until I figure it out. (Now, that's a luxury.)

That's your reality check for the day, folks. Basically save some money and have faith that it'll all work out beyond that. There's your key to living my life. If you choose to follow in my footsteps, let me know and HAVE FUN!

Check In With Us Before The Year Ends

Can you believe that 2012 is almost over? Why not share some of the goals you hope to meet by the end of the year with us by writing about it! It will help give you some perspective and you can get support and feedback from others who are working towards their own accomplishments. So think about it and submit a guest post when you're done! We would love to hear from you.

Not sure what you'd like to do next? Let TWM's Visioning Workshop help clarify those goals for you! You might be surprised as to what turns up... The next workshop is Saturday, September 29th - Get more info and RSVP by clicking here.

CHICKS ROCK! wants your feedback. Click here to take a survey now and let us know what you think!

Challenged

Last night, while making one roommate take photos of my outfit, I explained to my other roommate that I was doing a clothing challenge. For the month of May, I'm wearing only six items of clothing. I can mix and match as desired, accessorize however I'd like and things like shoes, outerwear, and activewear don't count in the six items. 

 After explaining this, my roommate asked "so what do you get in the end?" I stared at her, confused about why people keep asking me this, and said "the knowledge that I was able to do it, of course." That's when she said something I hadn't totally noticed before: "you really like doing these random challenges for fun, don't you?" At first, I didn't know what else she was referring to, but then remembered some of my other recent challenges and realized she was right. In the time she's known me, I had a dating/love life challenge of sorts, then there was the no alcohol in January thing, and more recently trying one new thing a month.

Apparently, challenging myself to do random things people don't normally do is becoming a hobby of mine.

I didn't notice I was doing it, and wasn't really sure why I'm drawn to them, so I started to think it over last night and came to the conclusion that I love competing with myself and proving to myself and others that I can do things I don't initially think I can do. There doesn't need to be any reward at the end and i don't need any glory, just the feeling that I finished something I set out to do.

Do you ever challenge yourself when there isn't necessarily a "prize" at the end?

When's a Decision Decided?

Why is it that just when you think you've decided something, you realize that you actually haven't? Somebody brings up a point you hadn't considered or money you saved for one thing suddenly needs to be used for something else entirely or you wake up one morning wondering why you're not fully satisfied with your decision. This has been happening to me a lot in the last several months and it's starting to make me wonder if I even know how to make decisions anymore.

One example of this is my potential move to Paris. I knew I wanted to go, I'd come up with a plan to make it happen and had more or less decided that grad school in Paris was my plan for 2013. Except that all the money I'd started to save for it had to go to sudden emergency expenses, like my taxes. And then the chances of getting a long stay visa seemed much less impossible than they had been before. And then I started to meet people with connections in Paris so that being a student was no longer the only way to make friends.

So now what? Now I'm back to square two: I have no idea what I'm doing when, but at least I have more options than I did back at square one a year ago. Still, my decision is now undecided, making me feel a bit lost.

When is a decision final for you? How do you know when to stop wondering about other options and sticking with what you decided?

Friday Forum: New New Year's Resolution?

If it hasn't happened already, this might be the time when a lot of people are wondering if they should change their New Year's resolution to something more manageable or more important to them. What was your resolution and how are you doing with it? Will you be changing it to something new?

Hating What You Love

Today is the 85th birthday of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. The Nobel Prize winner wrote Love in the Time of Cholera and One Hundred Years of Solitude, among other works. He's thought to be one of the great writers of our time, a stellar example of magical realism, and one of the best Latino authors of all time.

And it occurred to me today that I've never read anything he's written. How is that possible?

I love reading and have a particular appreciation for Latino writers, so this realization bugged me. I pondered it for a while and have reached two conclusions:

1) I should change my statement to "a particular appreciation for Latina writers." Taking a look at my bookshelves, the only Latino authors on there -- Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Junot Diaz -- I've never actually read. But Julia Alvarez, Gloria Anzaldua, Ana Castillo, Isabel Allende, Cristina Garcia, and many others are not at all foreign to me.

2) I am very intimidated to read the works of writers who are thought to be the best in any way, if I haven't already read something by them. There are a lot of classics that I've avoided reading over the years and I've recently noticed that it's because I'm afraid the writing will be too good.

Now, as a reader, finding a book with writing that's "too good" is not a problem. But for somebody who wants to be a writer, even if it isn't a writer of fiction, it can be incredibly intimidating and you end up hating the very thing you love. This has come up a bit with other writer friends of mine and in a writing class I took a few months back, but I am only just fully taking it in now.

"How could I ever be this good?"

It's the question I find myself asking at the end of a great chapter or a particularly delicious sentence. And because I've been reading a lot lately, I'm asking it more and more.

So I've decided that one of the next books I read will be One Hundred Years of Solitude. I've had it for almost 10 years now and have never even opened it. I will push myself past this feeling of intimidation no matter what.

Friday Forum: Childish Dreams

When we're young children, our dreams are sometimes ignored or laughed off by adults. Most of us get discouraged from pursuing them, only to think of them years later. Maybe you wanted to be in a band and can now take singing lessons. Or perhaps you dreamed of being a writer and can now start a blog.

Do you have any childhood dreams you've tried to act on lately? Can you think of anything that you'd want to take on?

Tricky Timing

One of the strangest things about life is timing. It's strange how everything seems to fall apart at the same time, but then also comes together at the same time.

Just a couple of weeks ago, I was stressing out about going on my tropical vacay to Antigua without having a job. Even though the vacation was booked way before I was jobless, it seemed like a waste of time (not to mention, the opposite of relaxing) to spend an entire week abroad, with limited internet access when there were jobs to apply to and interviews to go on.

So it was pretty much the best news ever to finally land a gig just as I was off to my vacation! Then while away, I learned that I got into the grad program in Paris I had applied to a mere week before!

Of course the timing of everything was kinda crazy to me. I was happy to learn that I can petition for a deferment to enter the grad program in the spring or fall of 2013 instead of this fall (and now hoping it's accepted), but it's still a lot going on in a very short period of time. Not that I'm complaining, mind you, just realizing how quickly things can fall apart and then how quickly they can all gel back together again.

Now I'm back from paradise, hating the cold, but excited about figuring out the next steps in my life -- starting with my first day at work tomorrow morning!

Truth No. 2

Sally is not available this week, so enjoy today's post by TWM Founder Kristina Leonardi:

Tell me what's wrong with having a little faith in what you're feelin' in your heart. - The Dixie Chicks (via Patty Griffin)

I try not to think as much as possible. This serves me well for many reasons. First of all, I am somewhat dyslexic, so the more I stay out of my head, the clearer things are for me. And forget about speaking; whenever I do my seminars what I say has to come from my heart and gut otherwise I would get super-confused and choke from stage fright and the fear of sounding stupid.

I have learned to operate this way more and more; it reduces stress by keeping me connected to myself and in the flow of life, in harmony with who I am and what I need or want at any given moment. It is the best source of motivation, decision-making and communications tool I possess because I have harnessed and developed it as such.

In the movie Jerry Maguire, Tom Cruise confronts Cuba Gooding, Jr. about why he hasn't been offered a ten million dollar contract yet, citing that how he is off the field is how he needed to be on the field. "Right now you play with your head....in your personal life: heart....Play the game Rod, play it from your heart and you know what, I will show you the kwan. That's the truth, can you handle it?" Jerry knew that if Rod did what he loved with love, then, and only then, would he be able to show him the money.

And that doesn't just hold true in the movies. Steve Tisch, proud co-owner of the NY Giants declared that the key to their big victory this past weekend was that they "...played with heart, with passion, with love for each other and for the game of football."

Does that negate, replace or even diminish all the hard work, training, strategy, talent and skill necessary to achieve such great heights? No, of course not. But it's the thing that will make the difference between a good team and a great team, a good life and a great one.

Most of us are taught to live by our heads, logic and ego, not by our hearts and guts. But only when we listen to our hearts and put love into everything are we our most authentic selves, which means living our truth. And when we are living our truth, we can then more easily speak our truth, and stand in our truth. And that is the best way to guarantee peace and prosperity in our lives, no matter what the circumstances may be.

Million dollar contract, Lombardi Trophy or not, we are all players the Superbowl Game of Life - so are you playing with your head or your heart? Give me a buzz and I'll make sure that unlike Tom Cruise's confrontation with Jack Nicholson, you can indeed handle the truth and start living in alignment with who you are and what you want to make happen both on the field and off!

P..S Find out what's in YOUR heart at TWM's upcoming Visioning Workshop on 2/18/12!

A Different Kind of Fitness Goal

As I write this, I'm trying to find a position to sit in that doesn't cause me pain. I've been going to the gym regularly for the last couple of weeks and last night I had one of the most intense workouts I've had in months. And today I'm feeling it!

As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, working out and doing yoga has helped keep me sane as I try to figure out my next step. As the weeks go by and my savings take a bigger hit, I feel the stress of joblessness even more and need something to focus on. 

Before now, I never really saw fitness as something therapeutic, but it really can be. I'm not trying to lose weight or fit some sort of ideal body type (other than perhaps my own). I knew before I started the year that I had a goal of getting in the best shape of my life, but now that I'm pretty much there, I've started to feel the other benefits of regular physical activity, like providing a release, helping clear my head, etc. 

I'm not sure if I'll keep this up when I don't have as much free time, but I'm hoping that I do, at least as long as it makes me feel this good.

Unresolved Resolutions

When I look back on it, figuring out a resolution for 2011 was one of the easiest tasks I've been given. My life was a little all over the place and I had several short- and long-term goals in mind, but the one thing I knew for certain was that I wanted to jumpstart my love life and keep it up through the year.

This year, things are even more unstable in many ways, but I can't think of one thing that I want to focus on for the whole year. I've considered having mini resolutions like I did a couple of years ago, but that doesn't feel right. Yet not having any makes me feel like I won't be able to accomplish the things I want to get done in 2012, especially since my 2011 resolution was so successful.

Here are some things I've been considering: get in the best shape of my life (I'm already close to that), save more money and pay off more debt (can't focus on either until I'm earning money again), don't buy any books until I finish the ones I own (hardly significant enough for a resolution), and a few others.

I probably won't end up with a resolution at all, but the thought bums me out, so I'm hoping you'll all help me out: Do you still make resolutions? What are some you have considered for this year?

NaNoWriMo No-Go

Last month I made a pathetic attempt at participating in NaNoWriMo. I wrote maybe a couple thousand words before getting sidetracked by procrastination and, eventually, life. But I'm proud of myself for the creative work I've done beyond that: my Creative Writing 101 class.

Having never taken a real writing class before, I was worried. Having never considered myself particularly creative before, I was terrified.

The first week, it was a challenge just to sign in to the class and read through the lecture. It took me days to get the nerve to do that, but once I did, I realized it wasn't so bad. The exercises were interesting, though some more than others and while I wasn't all that confident reading back on my first assignment, the feedback I got was good.

Since then, I've worked harder on my assignments and implementing the lessons learned that week. I've even started to *gasp* look forward to the next lecture, exercises and assignment. 

The thing I love most about the class is the way it's making me think about my writing. I've often sought perfection, and worked on things I cared about an awful lot. But from day one, our instructor stressed that the process and the output both had to be fun. Even though I'm considering nearly every other word much more carefully than I have before, it actually has been fun.

So maybe I didn't come out of November with a novel, but I did come out inspired and ready to take on more writing. 

Getting Past Perfection

I learned about NaNoWriMo a few years ago and have known several people who tried it (including Kekla!). For the month of November, you're meant to write a novel of approximately 50,000 words but because I've never been much of a creative writer, I hadn't considered participating. Over the last six months or so, I've been wanting to tap into my creativity -- I even signed up for creative writing classes that start later this month. Of course, I've barely written at all since then, I just keep telling myself I will, so I still didn't think I'd do NaNoWriMo.

Then I was looking through Gotham Writers' Workshop's enewsletter and saw a blurb announcing that it begins tomorrow (well, today), and for some reason, it stood out to me. I wasn't sure why, at first, but I read through the description and remembered that one of the things that makes NaNoWriMo so interesting and unique is its departure from the way a lot of us normally work: the goal isn't quality, it's quantity. It's about putting words on the page, pure and simple. If you create something incredible, then great, but that's not the point of the exercise.

I suddenly remembered that a couple of weeks back my friend and I were talking about writing and he said I was making excuses by saying things like, "I don't have time to write." He made me write for 10 minutes to get me to see that I didn't need much time. It only made me stronger in my conviction that you need time to write something of quality. For me, it always comes down to quality, and that's surely an easy way to stop myself from doing what I love because of course nothing's perfect in just 10 minutes or 30 or even 60.

So I'm wondering, what happens if I take the challenge? What if I simply write and write and write without worrying about perfection? I guess I'm ready to find out!

End of Summer... In the Fall

Compared to most summers in my life, this past summer was quite eventful. I made new friends, went on a bunch of dates, enjoyed movies, concerts, and theater, and even went on a couple of vacations. Even with that being the case, I still made an "end of summer wish list" of things I wanted to do and events I wanted to attend before summer ended. Of course, I didn't even put a dent on that list while the summer was still happening, but I extended my timeframe by a couple of months. I figure this way makes it seem as though summer is still here (at least in spirit) and gives me something to look forward to while everyone else is grumbling about the colder weather.

I took a stab at two of the items this weekend: hiking and visiting Lake George. A couple of years ago, my sisters and I went to Lake George and had a great time. I had so much fun the first time, that I've been eager to go back. When I told a friend of mine about my time there, including the adventure course I tried to complete, he was excited about going there and giving it a try himself. So we decided to take a last minute trip up there to hike, do the adventure course, spend quiet time at a bed & breakfast, and just enjoy the time away from the city's hustle and bustle.

As I expected, it was just as much fun as it was last time. The hike was challenging, and the adventure course kicked my butt, but we both felt great afterwards. And even though we ran out of gas at one point, had a terrible and expensive dinner, and couldn't even complete the adventure course, the trip was well worth it.

There are still a few things left on my wish list, and I plan on getting through them as quickly as I can. Who knows, maybe once I'm done, I'll put together a winter wish list so there's even more to look forward to.

Best Shape of My Life

A few weeks ago, I was talking to a friend about how great it feels to be in shape and how much I wanted to be active again after a summer of laziness. We talked about fitness in general, what I usually do to stay healthy, and what being in great shape might look like for me. Then he said he could get me in the best shape of my life in less than a year, and as little as 6 months if I was really committed. Those who know me know that I love a challenge. I'm not as competitive with others as people might expect, but I'm fiercely competitive with myself. So his positioning was actually rather perfect, even if he didn't set out to make it that way. 

And so it began: he or I kept bringing it up and soon we were both serious about it. We went to the park and he made note oyang performance at the start. Along with a whole host of other exercises, he wrote down how long it took me to run 1.5 miles (14 minutes), whether I was able to do 10 regular push-ups (of course), and how many pull-ups I could do (barely 1, and it was assisted). He showed me how to do a bunch of exercises and now "coaches" me via text on mornings when I work out, telling me what to do that day or how many miles I should run. 

As usually happens when I start down this path, I've also become more conscious of what I eat. I'm not following any strict diet or anything, but I know that I feel pretty awful if I don't eat well the day before a big workout. Losing weight isn't the goal, after all, but really just being the best me I can be. I want to feel stronger, run faster, and make it up to my friends' places without feeling like I'm going to collapse (I've somehow ended up with 3 friends who live on the 5th floor of walk-ups). 

My 6 months is up at the end of March, so we'll see how it goes between now and then, but I'm already starting to feel better knowing I have a plan and somebody to keep me on track.

Filling the Space

This past weekend, TWM's Visioning Workshop brought together 20 women all looking for some clarity and direction. Some were Visioning virgins while others were Visioning veterans and some fell in between, but no matter what we expected that day, we all got a few surprises.

Even though this was only technically my second Visioning Workshop, I’ve made a few collages over the past few years. Whenever I felt I needed to get in touch with my inner voice and desires, I carved out several hours in the day and tried to recreate the experience I had that first time. Each collage helped guide me a bit during a time I needed it and while they were all different, there were some things I came to expect from them: big images, pictures of strong or active people (usually women), and bold colors. But my collage on Saturday surprised me because it was a departure in quite a few ways.

For starters, there is a lot of white, empty space – more than in any collage I’ve done before. In the past, collages with white space were balanced with the large images and bold colors, but while this one might seem colorful to some, there is a lot more black and white than others as well.

The space concerned me because I wasn’t sure what to make of it. Is it a sign of de-cluttering like one person suggested, or about needing and having space in my own life as somebody else did? Or is it something more troubling like feeling unfulfilled? I’m still not sure what to think, but I’m feeling much less pessimistic about it now. Maybe my friend is right and it’s about narrowing down the things in my life I want to spend my energy on.

I’m going to ponder it some more, but I’m happy to be filling the space with things I love in the meantime.

Women, Entrepreneurship, and Pushing Through

CHICKS ROCK! welcomes back Adelaide as a special guest blogger who let us interview her before the launch of the book The Big Enough Company: Creating a business that works for you. Check out her post last week and read her responses for today below:

Adelaide Lancaster is an entrepreneur, speaker and co-founder of In Good Company Workplaces, a first-of-its-kind community, learning center and co-working space for women entrepreneurs in New York City. She lives in Philadelphia, PA with her husband and daughter.


How did your path through entrepreneurship affect your personal growth?
This could be a whole other book! I’ve learned a tremendous amount about myself and grown in ways I couldn’t imagine. My two favorite lessons have been:
1. It’s ok to present the imperfect. In fact there are benefits to it. By sharing a work in progress you’re more likely to get critical feedback and support from others. Also it removes the pressure to “know all the answers.”
2. Success comes from taking small steps. Nothing happens overnight and it’s the day-to-day, hand over fist kind of work that moves you forward. It’s important to have perspective about the big picture but more importantly than that it’s critical that you have a functional and satisfying daily experience.

Why do you think women in particular might be drawn to entrepreneurship?
People are drawn to entrepreneurship for a variety of reasons, but perhaps the most compelling of all is the opportunity to create something that works for you and honors your needs. I think the spike in women entrepreneurship has been due, in part, to the fact that more corporate and traditional employment options didn’t offer the variety and autonomy that women have been looking for. Generally women have felt that they’ve had to make huge personal compromises in order to remain fully engaged at work. Of course everyone has to make compromises but I think that women have been confident in their ability to create businesses that allow them to have a life as well. They exploit and leverage their newfound freedom to create a solution that works for them.

What did the process of writing the book teach you?
That sometimes you just need to push through a challenge. There are many days where the words aren’t flowing and writing feels like an uphill battle. It’s even more important for you to honor your commitment to write on these days. Getting words on paper is the hardest part, editing is much easier.

What is the one takeaway you hope women will get out of the book?
That entrepreneurship is an amazing opportunity to create your work and life on your terms. But it doesn’t come automatically. You have to work hard to craft a business that meets your needs and delivers what you want. So don’t get distracted by “proven systems” or even most of the conventional wisdom. It just isn’t worth compromising your needs and goals in service of someone else’s definition of success.