March For Our Lives

#Marchforourlives

This blog post was written in honor of all the victims of gun violence, including my young cousin, Frankie. 

While I couldn’t make the recent March For Our Lives, I was deeply moved by the marchers’ signs and banners that I saw on TV and in the newspapers.

I truly hope the march will inspire change and prevent hundreds of lives being taken every year from senseless gun violence. In light of the most recent school tragedy, we should pause 17 minutes every day (one minute for each victim) and reflect on what we might do to save the lives of our children.

Some of the signs that really struck me include:

“Arms are for hugging.” (Can’t say that enough).

“Aren’t they called assault weapons for a reason?”(We all know what assault means.)

“If you want to use fire an assault weapon, join the military.” (Amen to that one.)

“Thoughts and prayers are not enough.” (They surely are not. Tell that to a grieving parent.)

“We need policy changes.” (NOW!)

“Hunters for Gun Control” (Sounds about right. Wasn’t that the original NRA goal?)

“Betsy DeVos is the only thing that should be fired at a school.” (Today is good.) 

“Trained to be a teacher not a sharp shooter.” (Exactly!)

"I want the same rights as a gun has." (Yes, right now!)

“Lock down guns not schools.” (Sounds reasonable.)

“Enough is Enough.” (It surely is.)

Never again. (We can only hope.)

“Vote them out.” (About time for them to go.)

“Register to vote.” (Take your parents and family members with you to vote. https://vote.gov/)

“Always stand with the children.” (It is our moral duty.)

“Enough is Enough.” (It surely is.)

“Love your kids not your guns.” (Some folks love their guns more, unfortunately.)

I was overwhelmed with pride for the thousands that marched. Something needs to be done to protect every citizen from gun violence, especially our children.

My family has also been affected by gun violence. While it’s difficult to talk about, it’s important to share my family’s story to help propel change so something like this never happens again.

My young cousin, Frankie, was killed two years ago by the firing of an unsecured gun. Today he would be sixteen. His family misses him every single day. It was an “accident,” they said. What gun fires itself? Let me know how that can be.

Frankie had dreams, plans, and things that he wanted to do. He loved fishing, hunting, hanging out with friends, and his family. Interests in 4-H, and caring for his animals, playing drums in the Band, four-wheeling, and wrestling were once a big part of his life. But one day that all changed.

He and some friends, all innocent children, got into mischief and things went horribly wrong. Frankie’s life ended tragically early, all because an unsecured gun and ammunition were in the home the day. No one was blamed. Again, just an “accident,” they said. Who was responsible for his untimely passing?

We have laws that hold a bar owner responsible if someone leaves said establishment drunk. If you hurt someone with your car, the car owner is responsible. So what about a gun owner? Shouldn’t they be responsible for the misuse, improper securing, shooting of their gun, and the untimely death of someone? Seems logical to me.

More and more we hear about people being shot and no one is blaming the owner of the weapon used. I believe that you should be held responsible if your weapon results in the death of another person. It just might equal the playing field and stop some of the senseless deaths that we hear about, unfortunately, every day.

So my fellow feisty women, use your voice, march, speak up, call your Congress people, call your local representatives and demand changes to our gun laws. The Marjory Stoneman Douglas students need our help. 

I feel that one marcher’s sign really said it all: “Any child’s life is more important than any gun.” (We all know this, don’t we?) So let’s do something about this and prevent more families who have to live through the nightmare of the death of a child. No child’s life should be ended by the negligence of any adult especially one who fails to secure a gun.

Here are some links to organizations and charities fighting to protect you and your children. Spread the word:

https://everytown.org/

https://momsdemandaction.org/

http://www.bradycampaign.org/

https://www.csgv.org/

http://lawcenter.giffords.org/

Feeling Invisible

Feisty ladies, do you ever feel invisible?

As I get older, I sometimes feel invisible. I hear those words a lot from my feisty, middle-aged friends. It seems that the younger women seem to get all of the attention, advice books, fashion tips, romance advice, etc. in the media today. Even though women aged 50-64 are the top consumers in all purchasing categories, we feel that we are often overlooked.

One of the reasons that I wrote my book was to give a voice to feisty middle-aged, divorced, separated, or unengaged women who are seeking advice based on shared experiences. Because we are older, our needs, experiences, and life goals are different. 

As we age, our passions and purposes in our lives are different from younger women.  I have chatted with many 55+ year old women about this and below are the comments they shared with me.  All the women I interviewed are naturally feisty, and they did not hold back in their comments.

Focus on what WE want in life. Too many years were spent focusing on the needs of others. It is our turn to think of our selves and do things for ourselves. Right on.

Make new friends everyday. We all value the new people we meet or the people that we have, until recently, ignored. What new things they can bring to your life. Never forgo an opportunity to chat with a new person. My book is full of those stories from new acquaintances. Thanks for speaking to me, ladies.

No matter what, maintain a positive attitude everyday.  Some days just suck, so expect one of those now and then. With a positive attitude, studies show that you will live 7.5 years longer. I am up for that. Find positive people to hang out with and let go of the negative folks in your life. They will not miss you anyway because they spend all their days complaining. You will see lots of smiling and beaming women at the holistic fairs that I attend. Guess that we are on to something ladies.

Keep evolving. Seems that our lives evolve every 7 years according to some studies. Yes, I am counting that right now in my life. Seven years with Mr. Wonderful, three years to get rid of him. Sounds about right. The present years I am living on my terms; writing my book, promoting my book, being a success. Seven years will work. The sooner the better, actually. Better yet, I can and will make it work.

Re-kindle the interests of our earlier years. I always enjoyed writing and so now I am now an author of a book, a blogger, and am now learning about promoting my writing on social media. This new venture has not been without challenges but I am giving it my best shot. I always enjoyed taking long walks and now am accompanied by great-nieces and nephews, complete with a stop for the required slushie. My first employment was more like volunteering based on the pay that I received; I continue to volunteer today. My interest list is long. Some of the feisty women that I have met are embarking on new careers such as: a healer, meditation coach, jewelry designer, life coach, and soap maker. Seems like we have never lost our passion for learning and now is our time to do whatever passion we have a knack for. Sounds great to me. Keep your brain active or it will become mushy!

Keep discovering new purposes in life. Be inspired to get out of bed everyday and work on the ideas and issues that really inspire you. I have met feisty ladies who are involved in voter registration drives, caring for the homeless, serving meals to the hungry, maintaining and organizing thrift shops, and so much more. We step up all the time where our help is needed. We feel part of that force that is making our world a better place. Feisty ladies make a real difference. Isn’t that what we are here for anyway?

Acknowledge your inner self. Stay healthy physically. Stay emotionally healthy. Gather your thoughts daily, keep a journal, meditate, pray. Walk or exercise every day. Know that it is okay just to sit and relax. I struggle with sitting still, but am working on it.

Know that your time on this earth is limited. None of us will live forever. Appreciate the blessing that you have. Life can be mean. Celebrate your feistiness every day. The world needs you to remind everyone that being feisty is being alive.

We are really invisible, feisty ladies, only if we allow ourselves to be invisible. Stand up and do your part even if no one notices. As long as you notice, that is all that really matters.

What will you do to become less invisible? Stay feisty and find out.

On Keeping a Journal

I have been journaling off and on for most of my life. When I can remember to do so, I record five good things that happen to me everyday. (I just reminded myself to do it now!)

I have many good reasons for doing this and I want to share them with you.

Journaling provided a good way for me to release my pent-up emotions and feelings. It cleared my mind, for a brief time, of the emotions that I felt, especially the anger. I could say what I wanted, how I wanted, and never had to worry about my words being heard or seen or felt by others. Once I learned of the Native American "Fire Ceremony," a practice of burning off negative energy, I used it to destroy these journals, to release the feelings, and to forgive. It must have been a sight when I had this huge bonfire going in my backyard. I did warn my neighbors ahead of time.

Journaling also reminded me to be grateful for all the things that were and are positive in my life. The gratitude lists that I keep include all sorts of things: people, food, events, famous people, emotions, and daily highlights. The lists keep me grounded and focused on positives in life. Some days are better than others and that is fine but there is always something everyday to be thankful for.  It sounds a bit “Pollyanna-ish,” but it is true in my life.

Journaling helps me celebrate my strengths. As a middle-aged divorced woman who often feels invisible in the world, my journal reminds me how much I really do have to offer. I was hired more than 30 years ago in my present position. When asked what was my greatest asset to the job, I replied that it was my sense of humor. The interviewing committee asked me to step outside and I was sure that I had blown the interview. A few minutes later, I was asked to return to the room. Before I could even sit down, I was asked, ”when can you start?” Humor got me my present position and is vital in my daily work and in my life, to say the least.  I celebrate that humor every day in my writing and in my life.

Keeping a journal has also helped me set new life goals. I took all those thoughts from my angry, bitter, “don’t get mad get even” journals and turned them into my book. Who knew that anger could really be so feisty and funny.  They offered me a venue to write daily affirmations to live my life. Words are powerful, even more so when written down. You can re-read them and re-affirm them as I do daily.

So feisty ladies, keep on journaling. Vent your feelings. Be grateful. Celebrate yourself and your strengths. Set new goals. Affirm what you need in your life.

You are your words. 

In time, the journals motivated to move on, to write my book. 

Weathering the Storm

Feisty Women have weathered their fair share of emotional storms, with resilience of course. However, every now and then we have to survive actual storms. Mother Nature is a Feisty Woman, too!  Living alone as a single woman can be hard enough, but living alone without power for days can test anyone’s resolve.  The recent Nor'Easter was quite feisty, but I made it to the literal light at the end of the dark, multi-day power outage tunnel.

Day 1: “I can survive this.”

Just like 99,999 other people in my area, I lost power this past weekend. I came home from work Friday to a cold, dark house. I was so glad that I had taken the time at work to eat a hot lunch before I headed home because it would be my last hot meal for two days.

The first night was an adventure. Because I did not want any food to go to waste so I ate all of the coconut popsicles in my freezer. I was really cold but was sure that the power would be restored soon so I kept on eating. I ate waffles, pancakes, and cheese. I was stuffed but slept well with a comfortably, full stomach. I woke up in the middle of the night when I could have sworn that the heat came back on but it was only a dream. I checked the thermostat and it was 50 degrees in my house.  I slept in my clothing, coat, and boots and simply added more covers and went back to sleep. The adventure would continue.

Lesson learned: 

Never ever over eat before going to bed. (Your reflux is just waiting for the chance to “kick in” and boy did it ever kick in that night.)

Never ever assume that the heat will return anytime soon. 

Dress warmly and stay warm right away before the long cold days really set in.

Always eat a warm meal when you can and be grateful that you could.

Day 2: “This isn’t so bad. I can manage this……,I think.”

The next morning the cold really began to bother me. I took a look at the thermostat and it was now 45 degrees. I lit every candle that I could find in my house and soon the temperature inside rose to a balmy 47 degrees in my living room. 

I had spent four summer employments as a camp counselor so washing with cold water was no big deal. I took a brief bowl bath and nearly froze to death. (Guess that I was not as resilient to the cold as I used to be.) My hair was another story. Since it is wavy and curly, I just left it alone and hoped for the best. It looked passable and for that I was grateful. (Thanks Dana for the great haircut.) 

I worked on various projects, including taxes (oh fun), wearing two shirts, a heavy fleece, a goose down coat, long underwear, long socks, and boots. I went outside to clean off the cars and swore that it was colder in my house than outside. My neighbors agreed with me. Fortunately, I had plans to see a concert in the city and left the igloo to venture into NY City. I drove slowly in my car to absorb the heat of the car and could finally feel my fingers and feet. The concert was in a toasty warm venue so I was comfortable for the time being.

When I came home that night, no food establishments were open so I had my third cheese sandwich of the day. I slept in my clothing and fleece jacket wearing two additional pairs of heavy socks. I pulled the six blankets over my head and tried to sleep. Every time the covers uncovered my face, I woke up because of the cold. I had a terrible night of sleep as the temperature dipped down to 40 in my house. It was toasty warm under the covers; everywhere else in my home seemed like Antarctica.

And yes, no heat returned at the end of day two.

Lesson learned: No more washing with cold water. 

No more cheese sandwiches. 

Never ever get rid of blankets because they will come in handy in an emergency just like this one. 

Keep your head covered to conserve heat. 

From now on, I will always be wearing a hat.

Drive around in your car as much as possible. It is an easy way to keep warm.

Day 3: “I hate the cold. I want heat.”

The next morning I was at the end of my rope, sick of being cold, and left my home for the entire day. I started at church, which was warm and toasty in many ways. Next I stopped at Starbucks for the first of many hot chocolates that day.  My next venture was to Trader Joe’s for the required chips, cookies, and cheese curls, three necessary snacks for any power outage survival session.  Kohl’s was next on my list. They had a bathroom and the necessary gifts for two upcoming birthdays. You can walk around as much as you like and as long as you like. Lunch at Wendy’s yielded me some power for my electronic devices and warm food. (No more cheese sandwiches.)  Many other folks were there just like me. Food, warmth, and powering up the electric gadgets were their reasons for hanging out as well. I returned to Starbucks for round two, stayed for two more hours, and wearily set out for home. 

All the folks that I met were hoping for the best, that the heat would return soon. We heard the reports for tomorrow at….midnight but chose to ignore them. We heard the low temperature reports for that night and chose to ignore that, too. It was 41 degrees in my house and that was the most awful night that I have ever spent in my house. Yes, even worse than the nights spent with Mr. Wonderful. 

Lessons learned: 

The car is by far the warmest place to stay when you are without heat. 

Use the bathroom when you are out and about.

Starbucks, Wendy’s, Trader Joe’s and Kohl’s will now be at the top of my shopping list for anything that I need electrical and otherwise.

I am getting too old for this.

Day 4: “I have to get out of here. Now!”

I had to get out of the cold. No neighbors were around. It was like a ghost town. No warm shower for three days. It was now 39 degrees in my house. No amount of candles could bring up the temperature to what it needed to be.

Turns out that the basement was the warmest place in my house. Sleeping on a reclining lawn chair was not easy. I wrapped up in blankets and almost immediately, like Ralphie’s little brother in the movie, The Christmas Story, I had to go to the bathroom. I had spent time trying to sleep but could not roll around, as was my customary sleeping practice. Reluctantly, I returned to the upstairs and slept in my bed with layers of everything under six blankets. I was toasty warm under the blankets but no on can spend an entire day like that especially in the cold.

Fortunately, friends reached out and I farmed myself out for the day. I took a long, hot shower and had tea at one friend’s house, lunch with another friend, and would sleep at another’s house. What a busy day. As I mentioned earlier, the car was the warmest place to stay and driving around from friend to friend at least kept me warm. 

Lessons learned:

Keep a big stash of blankets.

Keep a list of friends with spare beds. (“Sleeping around”, in this situation, is totally acceptable and gives new meaning to this term.)

Put your electric company on your speed dial.

Use your LLBean gifts cards to purchase camping equipment for emergencies such as this one.

Day 5: “ Back to work…yes! ”

Seems that getting back to work is another way to stay warm. You are so busy catching up with missed work that you barely have the time to think about being cold. It does not hurt, either, that my work environment is always toasting warm, actually sometimes too warm. Today I was very glad for that extra heat. 

I was also glad to be at work, dressed in only one layer, and not wearing my boots, hat, and coat. I felt normal again and did not even think about leaving work until very late. I had meetings to keep me in a warm environment, too. All was going well and then I learned about the next storm, Quinn. 

Another nor’easter was on the way. 14-16+ more inches of snow was coming my way. No heat yet either. I kept checking the power company website but it only said…”assessing”. All of the other homes in the area had power but my development did not.  I guess that the “assessing” would take a bit longer than I ever imagined. They want my payment for my services” due on receipt” but where is my power?

By the way, I am still on the “assessing” list and I will be calling hourly from now on.

By the way, power is due back on at 11:45 PM, which has unfortunately not been the case.

Lessons learned:

I still love going to work and not just for the heat.

Always have backup plans with friends who could take me in for heat emergencies.

The word assessing now has new meaning for me; I will use it whenever I can from now on.

Day 6 - "...Still no power?!" 

Here comes the next storm. 

The next storm, Quinn, a nor’easter with expected lower winds gusts, fortunately, than the last storm, started slowly but brought the expected punch of snow that we all expected. It poured snow like I have never ever seen. The snow got heavier and heavier as the day went on. I could hardly even see the 100 feet to my car. It was made even more difficult to find my car because I bought a white car. It blended in perfectly with the mounds of snow now all around it.

Just when I nearly gave up any hope of gaining any power back and being stuck in my home once again during another storm and after hourly check-ins with the outage list, the power miraculously came back on. Guess that they were done “assessing”.  All of our homes had their power returned at the same time, like a switch was turned on for all of us at once. Thank goodness.

The storm dropped 17 inches of snow in my development. I somehow did not mind the snow so much because I could watch the entire storm…from the warmth of my house. I crossed my fingers, held my breath, and stayed wrapped in a blanket, just in case, the power went out once again. To date, it is still on even though my friends in the area have now lost their power.

I have opened up my home to anyone who needs it. I had many offers to shelter me during the last storm so I extended the same offers to those folks; my guests will be arriving shortly.

Lessons learned:

Patience is an important virtue especially when concerning the power company.

The snow eventually does stop and will melt even though it seems like it never will.

Return the hospitality given to you by friends.

Never buy a white car ever again. 

Never complain about the lack of snow.

Hope that this was the last storm of the season.

The Feisty Lady and Public Speaking

A few weeks ago, I survived my first (of many, I hope, actually) speaking engagements. I met Cathy at a Wellness Fair and she invited me to speak before her group. I quickly accepted her invitation and just as quickly forgot about the event. Two months passed by and I received an email reminding me of my impending speech. 

I was filled with panic and a bit of dread. What would I say? How would the audience respond? Would I remember what I wanted to say? Would I remain feisty?

I am a seasoned teacher so public speaking should no be a real issue but middle school adolescents seemed easier (believe it or not) to speak to than seasoned holistic practitioners (or so I thought). 

I had spent about an hour outlining what I wanted to say. I planned to introduce myself as introduced THE Feisty Woman who also was a great auntie, an educator of nearly 40 years, a volunteer, and a life long learner of new things. I had planned to read sections from my book, discuss journal writing, and how those journals, now burned (fortunately) inspired my writing of the book. I planned to relay some of the funnier stories, and to end my talk with tales from my trip to Sedona (chapter 15).

A great plan or so I thought.

After punching the wrong address into my WAZE, I proceeded to drive around about the block on the first go around, landing up at a Chinese restaurant. I reset the device and landed up at the same spot two more times. Time to re-read the email, I thought. I had punched in the wrong address (8 instead of 18). After re-checking the e-mail, I correctly arrived at my destination, which was atop a narrow alley with no parking places anywhere. I circled around the block once again and found parking on the street. Of course, I had only two quarters, which allowed me a whopping 30 minutes of parking. (My talk would take at least that much time). Just then I saw Cathy who told me to come into the lot, which miraculously had cleared. After securing the spot, I had 5 minutes to spare until my speaking engagement was to begin.

I ran up the stairs to find only one person there. Seems that I was given the wrong time and had 30 minutes to kill among complete strangers. I knew no one and wondered if this was an insight into how my speaking would go that night.

I was pleasantly surprised and completely wrong about all of my woes and misgivings. Before I even began speaking, three audience members dared me to be as funny as my book. I smiled and was off and running with my feisty, funny stories, on-liners, and sharing my pure enjoyment of writing my book. I talked about my journey and how laughter really saved me (chapter 10, to name only one of many examples: they loved the clothing-toss, by the way.) That outrageous laughter resonated through all my stories of the many women mentioned in my book, from the beginning stages, the wallowing days of yore, to my solo vacation in Sedona.. They were especially impressed with the Mr. Wonderful doll that one woman shared with me at a local fair. I have not purchased said doll just yet, but I am  seriously considering it, given the laughter that ensued as I mentioned this doll.

He became quite the topic of conversation as we all suggested additional lines for his limited vocabulary.

The night ended with an extensive question and answer period. In addition to Elizabeth Allen advice, many women offered their own advice to add to my book advice. We were all in support of each other and agreed that the male species is so very different from us that we wonder how civilization ever thrived. That is a question for another time.

I asked for any suggestions from them as my talk came to a close. They offered the following suggestions and comments:

“Sit closer to your audience.” I can do that .

“Speak without looking at your notes.” I have to work on this one.

“Your delivery is great.” Thank you.

“What a clever idea for a book.” Glad that you like it, so please buy a copy.

“ The cover looks just like you.” I have a great designer.

“I love the business card and book mark. Great brand.” Thank you.

“ This was fun”. Thank you.

Yes it was. I look forward to many more evenings like this one. And…”I will survive” to do more speaking and to spread the resilient, fearless, feisty stories of the women I have written about in my book. They would expect no less.

The Feisty Woman and the Week From Hell

Yes, feisty ladies, this title perfectly describes this past week in my life. It has been a week from hell. (Friends have told me not to “pile” things together but it surely hard when it all happens in the same week.)

It all started out with an unprofessional meeting at work. I got lambasted for following the rules and my colleagues did not. They received the accolades and I did not. Go figure.

Family issues were on the front burner as well.

One Auntie had a heart attack earlier this year and was nearly having another. 

 Another Auntie went into the hospital for a minor procedure and came home scrambling all of her words. An additional, long distance doctor visit was required with no solution offered so far.

A family friend for many years passed away after a long illness, but we found out the sad news by reading it in the newspaper.

An Uncle is having wild reactions to medications. He sleeps all day and is awake all night. Adjustments in the medications seem to make things worse. Periods of normalcy for him are becoming fewer and fewer.

And finally, my elementary age nephewise learning to use curse words, including the f- bomb. 

Yes, it has been awful.

So how does one cope with these stresses? I have a few solutions of my own below.

1. Explain to my colleagues that I deserve their respect and not their nasty words. This has been difficult, but I am making progress, I think, I hope. It also helps to talk to others who have been the victims of similar behavior from the same colleagues. Misery loves company, I know.

2. Eat potato chips. The salt seems to calm my upset stomach from all of the stresses and tears. Who knew? I might really be on to something with this solution. Cough drops help with the sore throat from crying and screaming into my pillow every night as well. 

3. Phone calls to the senior family members seem to brighten their days. Even though this might seem like a short-term solution for people who are seriously ill, it does brighten their day and let them really know that I care about and love them. Better small times of happiness than none at all.

4. No word still of our family friend’s passing. We will still attend her memorial service and bring food simply because it is the right thing to do.

5. And the little boy…..imagine our shock in hearing the f-bomb come out of the mouth of a 3 year old. Many explanations ensued and the word did disappear for a few days. The little guy let it fly a second time and it was again addressed. Imagine our surprise when he told us who said it all the time.  Seems that a certain adult should have his mouth “washed out with soap”.  Said adult denied saying it even after the little one ratted him out. Time for kiddie counseling and adult counseling, I think.

6. Prayers have helped a lot. One always goes to the highest power when things arise like this in your life. God is better equipped to help me handle these things than anyone that I know. I have sought her advice many, many times this week. Things are improving, slowly.

7. And finally, most feisty lady friends also resort to this item when “a week from hell” arises: chocolate. I have eaten my fair share this week, sometimes as my meals.

(Perhaps I am low in magnesium from all of the tears…). I have consumed a lot of hot chocolate, candy bars, and dark chocolate hearts, too.

At the end of the week, I am feeling a bit better and hope for a much better week coming up. As we all have these weeks in our life, my solutions might work for you feisty ladies. Give them a try and let me know what you think. I am counting on them working for me as well.

The Law of Significance and Inspiration

Law 12: The Law of Significance and Inspiration: The true value of something is the direct result of the energy and intent that is put into it. Put energy into something that will be valued. I will not blow my energy on things that are not valuable to me.

As I end 2017, I write my final blog about my very interesting journey through the laws of karma. It seems that the Law of Significance and Inspiration came just at the right time for me.

I have spent the last month of this year putting a great deal of energy and effort and money into promoting my book. I have gained a few great contacts but have achieved almost no sales. It has been a distressing time for me and the beginning some real soul searching about my writing.  Should I continue with book two? Should I be an author at all? Are the marketing webinars really giving me great advice? Why am I not selling more copies of my book? What can I do to increase sales of my brand? 

As I pondered these questions often this month, I re-read the other 11 steps of karma that I had written about. I started to really think about what I have written and learned. I developed a plan of moving forward with my writing and here it goes! 

1. The Great Law: Your actions can come back to you at any time. Work hard and give it your best shot, Elizabeth. 

2. The Law of Creation: Work towards your goals and do not just talk about them. Keep at it, Elizabeth. Expand your brand and DO IT.

3. Law of Humility: Sometimes life sucks; you cannot change it. Move on, try again, and make it better. December really did suck, Elizabeth, but 2018 will be your year.

4. The Law of Growth: Change what is needed in your heart, your state of mind, and then your life will change, too. Stay positive no matter what, Elizabeth.

5. The Law of Responsibility: Take responsibility for what is your life. A few bad shows are expected. Focus on the good shows and good sales, Elizabeth.

6. The Law of Connection: Respect the journey and respect the whole process of doing anything. You are a new writer, Elizabeth, and you are still learning.

7.The Law of Focus: You cannot think of two things at the same time. No multitasking ever! Focus on one aspect of your business at a time, Elizabeth. Get a tem in place to help you.

8.The Law of Giving and Hospitality: Give without expecting to get anything. Enjoy the journey, Elizabeth. Things will work out the way they are supposed to. You will be successful, feisty lady.

9. The Law of Here and Now: Be totally in the Here and Now. Stay focused on the moment, as you gain more strategies, confidence, and reflect on all that you have learned Elizabeth.

10. The Law of Change: History repeats itself unless we learn the lessons we need to learn. Remember what worked for you and what did not. Move on from there and enjoy the journey, Elizabeth.

11.The Law of Patience and Reward: True joy comes from doing what you are supposed to do and knowing that the reward will come in its own time. Be patient, Elizabeth. You will be a success.

12. The Law of Significance and Inspiration: Put energy into something that will be valued. Your sense of humor, inspiration, and advice will be an asset to many women, Elizabeth. You will make a difference.

I hope that my plan can inspire you as it has inspired me. 2018 will be a great year as I move forward in all aspects of my writing career. I am inspired and ready to sh continue my writing, embrace my new speaking opportunities, interviews, and to gain knowledge from as many sources as I can, to be the best writer of feisty advice, humor, and inspiration that I can be. Karma rules!

Happy New Year, Feisty Women!

The Law of Patience and Reward

The Law of Patience and Reward: True joy comes from doing what you are supposed to do and knowing that the reward will come in its own time. (This one is really difficult because I need to work on being patient but if I keep the reward idea in mind, I can do it….. I think.)

I have lived law #11, the law of patience and reward, this month and it has been a bit trying for me, to say the least. I think, though, that I learned a lot from this law about life and how some days just suck and others bring a reward.

 My month went like this: 

One holistic fair with poor sales ; another holistic fair with great sales.

Trade in two year old car (under duress); new car rear-ended on day 4 of ownership but I at least I was not injured.

Near pneumonia diagnosed and felt awful; cured in five days with heavy duty drugs.

Work to be done by others; I had to step in and complete the project because    others dropped the ball.

I could go on but you get the picture. My patience was tried on four occasions and yet a bit of patience brought me a reward, as I had hoped. I am an example how this law really works. Life happens and you just have to deal with it. Just take a deep breath, curse a bit, scream, or drink, and things just might work out for you, too.

My true joy came from being patient and knowing that the reward would come in its own time as it did.

Now if I can just get that winning lottery ticket…….