Monday, April 25, 2011

It's all about YOU!

Have you ever had to fill out questionaires that are entirely about you? It's amazing how you get out of practice!

In my twenties, life was all about me. All the time. I was the Master at tooting my own horn. I was taught how to negotiate by the great Bill Polich and my public speaking skills? Thank you, Michael Vassen!  Between the two of these awesome mentors I really had a rocking career. Michael's technique was really good...he would teach me and then throw me to the wolves. I got very comfortable with public speaking really quickly.  ANYTHING was better than not having a clue you'd be speaking in front of hundreds of people only minutes before you'd be asked to do it. He drilled the same line into me, if you know what you're talking about and you love what you're doing, you can say anything to anybody at anytime about it.  He was right!

I knew I couldn't have a 10 state area, a 7 state area or even a 3 state area and be the Mom I wanted to be. At the time, I said that, but in my heart I knew I didn't know how to be anything but career driven. When people would tell me I could have it all, I felt like they didn't understand me. I was sort of all or nothing. I had no idea how to balance work and family. Talk about a light switch. My thirties looked so different from my twenties, it was like I wasn't even the same person.  I went from making things happen to wishing I knew what the heck was happening! To say I wasn't exactly a natural at Motherhood is funny to those who know me well.  I was a natural at crazy, unbelievable LOVE for my firstborn, but I was clueless about babies and the care of them. I was really clued in on skincare, shopping and traveling. He didn't really care to hear me talk about that when I was rocking him each night.  Fortunately, he was and is the sweetest boy.  By the time my second son arrived I still hadn't turned pro at Motherhood, but surely there was not another Mom who loved her children more. Have I mentioned that I am an Expert at Laundry? I love it, I'm great at it. Lots of practice. I specialize in stain removal. Go ahead, ask me anything. Red wine and coffee stains FEAR me. I digress.

I really and truly thought that I would never love my career as much as I had. I called my career, Utopia.  No chance that I could love my company, my peers, my customers like I did in the video industry....what a shock that "my little purse thing" would become even MORE and an even better fit for me AND my family. I still have to work at balance. Maybe it's from just living and being older, but I've discovered you have to make keeping balance a priority!  I lean one direction too far sometimes and then I correct and lean the other.  I'll never have a magic answer and knowing that, I believe IS the answer.

Some people talk about how easy Direct Sales is. I can think of other words I like better...challenging, unbelievably rewarding, exciting, simple, flexible and fun!  It's funny, the easiest thing about becoming successful in direct sales is usually the one thing people resist the longest before becoming successful.  I did it too. You just resist the simplicity for so long...some of us finally have a breakthrough... You have to be an excellent follower before you can become a good leader.  So "my little purse thing" is going quite well.  I love what I do.. and I am starting to remember how to brag a little again and tell people about all the good things I have going on.  My definition of success?  Helping others achieve their goals, seeing someone pay a car payment or a mortgage payment or quit the day job they don't love, hearing their excitement when they tell me that the party they had went so well. I watch their progress...I cross fingers, I wish and hope, share and teach them and I close my eyes and pray for them. Seeing them discover that it's not really about the purses, it's about how to celebrate themselves and others......This is the good stuff!

If you'd like to know more about me, stain removal or my experience with Thirty One Gifts, I am happy to share! 

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