Business Classes & A Spiritual Book For Women

This has turned into quite a busy little summer with ongoing kid camps, lots of activities with friends, trying to grow three little businesses and taking two business courses. I think sometimes busy-ness can be a blessing to get us through certain periods of our lives and this might be one of them. I feel like the busy-ness is a bit of a blessing right now.

via Deseret Book

First thing I want to share with you is this wonderful book my sister sent me, A Quiet Heart by Patricia Holland. It was given to my sister by a friend and then my sister sent me a copy. It's a very small book in size and page number but it is filled with so much for the Christian woman's heart. I would recommend it to women of any faith. It is all about our place as women, as unique individuals, our need to filter out so many distractions and truly focus on one thing and that is submitting to the Lord's will for our lives and the promises that we will find peace, greater fulfillment and happiness there than in any other place possible.

It's message is one of gentleness, love, acceptance, humility, inner stillness and much more. Such a great read and truly inspired to help one center on the important and good things of life while letting go of the distractions of the world and the pain and suffering they cause us. Lovely read and I'm not quite done with it.

I signed up for a small business class at a local entrepreneur support organization a month or so ago. It is a six week class and we're about half done right now and the homework/preparation load is increasing. But I am learning a lot and enjoying the class.

A few weeks ago I was asked to take part in a self-sufficiency class at our church which included a breakout group for people wanting to grow a small business. That is definitely something I want to do but dedicating one night a week to it when we are already quite busy in the evenings was a tough commitment - especially realizing it will be almost fall and we'll back in school before this class ends.

We're two weeks in, still 10 weeks to go, but it has been an amazing and enlightening experience already, even when I am so tired I am falling asleep during the conversations. After a couple of nights of little sleep this past week, it was tough for me to stay awake in our class on Wednesday. The whole concept of taking classes with people who can share expertise and individual talents and work together to help each other is pretty brilliant. There isn't a teacher for the class but instead a facilitator - who just helps foster the conversation. There is a curriculum but as a class we go through it together, taking turns reading, presenting ideas, etc.

Both classes come with some fairly significant homework and that is taking some getting used to and some juggling to be able to make it happen. If I thought it was a challenge getting homework done in high school or college, it is much more challenging being married and having a family, a house, and lots of other responsibilities. Wow. But I'm getting it done, even if it's an hour before the class.

I already know that both classes are helping me be a better business person and that will help me across the board in anything I do career-wise. I've invested quite a bit of time and money in my career this summer and I am anxious/excited to get it to pay off. In my logical mind it makes sense that it will but there is always that little voice that speaks fear, failure and falling on your face. But it's good to just shut that one off and do your best.

I hope that a year from now I can look back on this post and see a happy trail of successful growth both spiritually and career-wise. I've been reminded of the philosophy that any forward movement is a move in the right direction and whatever energy you put forward towards your goals will get you in the right direction, even if its not the direction you expected or does not bring the outcomes you expected. I've been trying to just do what I think I need to do each day and not get too crazed about life. Staying in a place of faith and inner-stillness is of massive importance to me in my life right now and it is blessing me so much that I can't even tell you.

When Keith Johnson Comes Knocking

I am still thinking about the most recent Man Shops Globe episode on Sundance Channel which originally aired Wednesday night. Sweden was splendid. One part of the episode is particularly haunting me. Keith visited a woman who makes gnomes, which are big in Scandinavia. He was intrigued with her but wasn't looking for gnomes. But in her workshop she also has hanging many unique, almost haunting felted wool birds she had made.

Keith asked to buy all of them, every one she had. Keith, the internationally known buyer for Anthropologie. That's Anthropologie! THE Anthropologie. This woman clearly didn't know about Anthropologie, which is not a store well known to Swedes apparently. But without doing any research or asking any other questions she said, Oh, no! I couldn't. Then I wouldn't have any for my craft fairs and markets.

I was stunned. Still am. Still thinking about it! Without knowing it, she gave up an opportunity to have her art seen on an international stage, in one of the most inventive and style-setting stores in the world. Who cares about craft fairs?!

Clear example of thinking too small when opportunity came to knock at her door. I feel sad for that lady. She missed a phenomenal opportunity. Opportunity came knocking, Keith Johnson came knocking and she  said "No thanks" to a chance to grow and expand her business and her life experiences. She could've flown to London for the gallery opening and met amazing, influential people. She could've appeared more on the Man Shops Globe episode. She could've had many new customers. So many opportunities lost.

The thing I walk away with is a promise to myself to never think SMALL when LARGE opportunity comes knocking, when a "Keith Johnson moment" comes knocking. Ask questions, do a little research, be open minded, think big picture and be ready to jump when the chance comes. Promise me you'll do the same. I couldn't bear to see you go "craft fair" when Anthopologie comes knocking!

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Domenica More Gordon Dog Sculptures on Man Shops Globe

Did you see the amazing little wool dog sculptures by Domenica More Gordon on Man Shops Globe tonight? So darling. I would love one, probably not a frilly girl dog, I'd go for a lab gentleman or something like that. These are so small, but so charming they are irrisistible. In tonight's episode they auctioned for 6,500 to 9,000 dollars a piece!

I can only imagine the amount of talent, time and creativity that is required to make each one of these amazing, full of personality sculptures from tiny bits of felted wool. Applause for an amazing and generous artist!

photo 1 via
photo 2 via

Man Shops Globe Is Back!

How did I miss the note about season two of Man Shops Globe premiering last night on Sundance Channel? Keith headed off to Thailand, one of my best travel experiences ever!

They are marathoning the show on Sundance Channel today, so I'm guessing it will air again today some time and you can catch the episode anytime online at the web site. Say goodbye to your embarrassing reality shows and watch something with quality and style, that you can legitimately learn something useful from! This is a show you won't be embarrassed to say you watch.

Raise your TV viewer profile to a higher level this summer and get on board with Man Show World. Each week I'll write up a bit of analysis and review on each episode. This will be fun!

Man Shops Globe airs Wednesday nights at 10p on Sundance Channel. Happy Viewing!

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