You Can't Stop Time

My munchkin is infatuated with Superheros.  His favorite is Spiderman but he also loves Ironman, Batman & so many others.

He said a while back that he could turn back the clock if he just had his Spiderman Costume on.  My hubby explained that Superman was the only superhero who had the ability to move so fast he could virtually turn back time. Not quite the truth but definitely a stretch of the imagination.

"Superman's strength is so great that he can move entire planets at once and is able to fly at speeds faster than light. He can use this power to travel through time as well as fly to other worlds, solar systems and galaxies and even to other universes with relative ease." -via wikipedia.org

As juvenile as that conversation seems, it got me thinking about the path my life has taken...and whether I'd ever wish to rewind & do anything differently.   Even though it's been a path of constant reinvention the answer is no. Time has brought so much change, more than I could have ever imagined - all of which has helped shape me into the 40-something warrior & working mom that I am.

  “I think we all wish we could erase some dark times in our lives. But all of life's experiences, bad and good, make you who you are. Erasing any of life's experiences would be a great mistake.” -Luis Miguel

This path has been a long one and even in the past year when I thought I knew where the path would take me I get a call that completely turns things around & points me in yet a new direction.  

 “There are no mistakes. The events we bring upon ourselves, no matter how unpleasant, are necessary in order to learn what we need to learn; whatever steps we take, they're necessary to reach the places we've chosen to go.” - Richard Bach

Doesn't seem that long ago when I was doing my internship fresh out of college.  It was with AT&T & even then people started working for a company & pretty much stayed there, moving up through the ranks for 20, 30 even 40+ years.  No one does that anymore.

 "You go for it, you want more, you believe in yourselves and in the fight...you know that good enough simply isn't good enough" - Bethanny Frankel

My chosen field of marketing has evolved exponentially since the late 80's and some companies & industries have had an easier time adapting to the changes than others. Some leaders get caught up in fear of commitment. They aren't sure exactly what to do, so they do nothing at all & by the time they decide to get in the game it's too late, they can't possibly catch up. Nothing has brought that out in the open more than the social web and mobile commerce which are rapidly shaping & changing the customer experience.

The pace of business & the technology that supports it moves so quickly now, you either learn to move along with it, or you'll get trampled & no one will look back to help you up, much less stop to acknowledge that they ran you over.

 

A day doesn't go by on twitter that someone either is professing to be an "expert" at something, or that they will "teach you how to be an expert" like them. It's never too late to find your niche in your current career or start over & embark on a brand new one. But of course, there is no shortcut to success and there is no fast track to building your reputation. It's all about what you do - not so much what you preach that you can do.

“Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit.” - Conrad Hilton

People I admire, watch & try to emulate are those that move at their own pace & with a clear vision of what could be done given the right resources, time, attention & focus. They don't just wait, they are leaders who craft their dreams into business plans, and eventually make them a reality ~ without reservations.

Regardless of whether you are where you want to be at any given point in life, you can't stop time.  There's no reward for regrets. There's no reason for fear to stop you from forging ahead one hurdle at a time. To be held hostage by fear is a waste of valuable time. Tomorrow is squarely in your hands and your success will hinge on your credibility, attitude & how well you prepare yourself for the journey ahead.

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Back to Blogging Day 5: What Blogging Means to You

The last "Back to Blogging" exercise is about sharing what blogging means to me as well as how I think blogging has changed my life.

Blogging for me is the 21st century blank book. It's also a place of solace, like my "old school" journal writing - only better & less introspective. The time I spend typing away in front of the computer late at night, writing concepts for posts in a small notebook while riding on the bus or sitting at my desk at work, is like a drug.  It soothes away the stress of the day, while clearing my head, so that I have more time and energy to take on "life". 

I've always been a reader & have considered myself a writer since childhood.  Hope and nutrient value can be found in books. Writing is about communicating your passion.  I love the processes of contemplation, dissection and re-interpretation. 

Journal excerpt from 2001

I love how the ideas develop from a simple thought scribbled on a page in a couple of sentences & then are transformed into a complete blog post. Blogging is also fun!

Sally Forth comic strip from 1996

As a relative newbie to the world of blogging, I confess I have a lot to learn, but I am confident that I made the right choice am am open to any advice other long-time online writers/bloggers have to offer.

 

I'm in this:

• to be myself - to find my own unique voice; 
• to share my perspectives on the books I read , the people I encounter who have influenced me,  marketing trends, life's ups & downs as well as parenthood;
• and to share my corner of the world through my photography. 

No two perceptions are alike, which is exactly why no two blogs I've ever read are alike. Blogging has changed my life, by providing exponential reach for the growing collection of words I have to offer. We all have our own stories to tell and I'm no exception. It's allowed me to find this community of like-minded individuals who thrive on the freedom of the written word and the power of sharing the personal experience. For that I am truly grateful.

Living with Passion

For this Monday post, I'm jumping on the Blog Carnival bandwagon which blogger & friend Missy is hosting. The question of the day is: "What are you passionate about?"

A little over three years ago, that question took on new meaning. Being passionate has always meant going above & beyond where I originally thought I could go to achieve my goals. The manifestations have also evolved, including the following:

1. Competing in Track & Field in High School & College. 

 

Competing in Division III Nationals ~ truly a highpoint of my college life.

2. Being the best ACE Certified Group Fitness Instructor possible in my 20's, attracting "Kick Abs" class groupies at NWAC, as well as taking classes from the Twin Cities Aerobics Masters of the day, like The Firm's David Gray and Terri Mayers, not to forget Nancy Anderson.

 3. Being a visible force in the MN NPC Bodybuilding community, competing on stage & volunteering behind the scenes and later co-promoting my own events in my late 20's & early 30's.

4. Emerging as a Frontline Leader in my Marketing career through my 30's & into my 40's.

5. Finding time to volunteer & give back to the community in which I live, whether it's through "Cook for Kids" with my parish or my growing interests in preventing homelessness.

 The #1 difference over the past few years has been the onset of Motherhood.  

How quickly one life-changing event refocuses your perspective on what it means to be living with passion for something or someone. Your child is forever dependent upon you to love and care for them; nurture, teach and protect them.  As a mother/parent, no other job you will hold in your life is more important. That's why it's the role I'm most passionate about today.
 
I had a wonderful childhood - don't get me wrong, but at times I was envious of the family traditions I learned that my friends had & made a promise to myself that my children would never share that feeling. I'm talking about everyday traditions - not just on Hallmark holidays & family vacations. I compare it to painting mental pictures of our lives which are prevalent & enduring. 

I'm also passionate about capturing these memories we create as a family on film & in video.  There are so many different episodes of life that come and go so quickly, that if you don't protect the memories, they are sure to fade.

Now that you know a little about what I'm passionate about, please take a minute to share your passion(s) with me. Plus take a look at what the other bloggers participating in this Passion Carnival have to say:

• Missy

• Kate-Madonna

• Jenny

• Kate 

• Cindi

• Suzi

• Dajon Design

• plus, find even more links on Missy's website!

Common Threads - Sewing Social Gifts

More than a few tweets this past week have dealt with the importance of taking relationships forged through social networks to the next level by engaging in face-to-face meetings. Everyone knows that LinkedIn & Twitter help connect people who have common threads, shared ideas and values.  We use these vehicles to either maintain contact with friends, co-workers, mentors and/or peers, to establish new connections, and/or to grow transient relationships into long term ones. 

A year ago LinkedIn made total sense to me for business reasons, Facebook had grown into a cool & instantly gratifying tool for re-connection with both current and old friends/acquaintances. I was still just dipping my toes in the water with Twitter, keeping my tweets private & doing a lot of observation. I may have made reference to this in an earlier post, but after someone suggested I make my tweets public vs private in order to "get more mileage out of my tweets", it clicked for me. Once that light bulb came on I dived into the water with the twitter bird flying along side & the twitter whale swimming over capacity at times without looking back.

Twitter gives everyone a chance to be a Marketer. This platform gives people the opportunity to sell themselves and for many, to be a living, breathing brand presence. I believe how people present themselves on Twitter, i.e. whether they communicate in an edited manner or not, says so much about a person.  So much can be read into & understood about a person whether they are speaking their mind - reacting to twitter noise or just saying the first thing that pops out of their head that will fit in 140 characters. You almost instantly have a gut reaction to people & know if you want to know more about them, or if you'd prefer to block them. To some the pull is stronger & you want to bring them into your personal circle, not just within your Twitter space.

"...let me feel the "isness" of things and people, without resistance, without trying to impose my own pattern upon them or exploit them for selfish ends. Let me welcome them, enjoy them, value them, love them, for what they are and for what they are becoming..." - George Appleton

A couple examples of people with whom I felt a stronger connection with were Missy (aka @MarketingMamaMN ) and Erica ( @EricaMayer ). I can't really remember how I was originally introduced to them virtually, but I believe that everything happens for a reason & this was no different.  I was meant to cross paths with these spirited ladies & to draw from their experiences. They each offer something very different to their followers. I am blessed to have finally met each of them face-to-face early last week and look forward to building on those meet-ups & taking those friendships to another level online and more importantly, off-line. There are a few other tweeps on my list to connect with, and I'm making it a priority to do so very soon.

Passion is something so many people strive to have in their lives, whether it's around your family, work,writing, photography, a hobby, or a charitable cause which you volunteer and/or raise awareness & funds for. These are two people who I believe are truly passionate about being successful with their personal & business goals.   At at the same time, they have made a huge difference in the lives of those around them.  They are able to sew social gifts and publish them, or "ship them" as Seth Godin would say. That's a pretty awesome talent to be able to go to bed with at the end of the day.

 

  

Life is all about Choices

Just finished reading "Linchpin - Are You Indispensable" by Seth Godin.  This book gets to the heart of where the culture of the workforce started & where it's evolved to. It makes you reevaluate the career choices you make & why you are the type of employee you are. It also provides a vision for changing things if you don't like what you see & want to become someone with "gifts" to share - someone with "passion, discernment, dignity, humanity & generosity." There are so many truths in this book that you can put in your leadership "toolkit" and use to become a better manager, a better employee & a better developer of self and staff.

Erica Mayer recently introduced her twitter universe to an unemployed & homeless man named "D J" who has been blogging about his experiences. Erica took attention away from her own fundraiser efforts for clean water in order to ask people to follow this man on twitter.  She knew how much we could all learn from his plight, as well as how much might be accomplished if people came together to support his goals.  He aspires to raise awareness about & find solutions for homelessness.

"...there's some correlation between the passion and the effort that people bring to a project and the outcome." - Seth Godin

Life is all about Choices. D J has a choice about whether to give up or to keep fighting the circumstance he finds himself in and he's choosing to fight - hour by hour, minute by minute - one day at a time.  If you get the chance, think about reading D J's blog which you can find via the above link to his twitter account.  You'll be given a few "gifts" that you weren't expecting to receive, plus you'll appreciate your life a whole lot more in the process.