Feeling Remarkably Itchy!!

I'm sitting here typing this post all pink after a nice hot shower. Sounds nice, doesn't it? Except the reason for the "as-hot-as-I-could-possibly-stand-it" shower was the poison ivy that is absolutely driving me crazy in all kinds of friendly places!!!

Most people right away have asked me where did I get it. An ordinary question to ask, and my answer is a very fun one. This past Sunday, my guy and I went geocaching. If you aren't familiar with geocaching, you aren't alone as most people I say that to give me a blank look. And before Sunday, if you had said it to me, I would've given you the same look.

But geocaching is a very fun game that's almost like a treasure hunt. You go online where they give you a general map of where the "treasures" are hidden close to your zip code, along with the GPS coordinates. My boyfriend has a phone that is amazing, and he can put the coordinates in there. It then gave us a compass looking thing that we followed, and it gave us how far away we were from that spot, etc. It is very cool!

Well, as you can imagine, this "treasure hunt" lead me to paths I didn't even know existed - walking trails, open fields, and even a lot where a house used to be and now only the concrete slab is left. It gave a little bit of an eerie feeling thinking about day gone by : )

So, somehow, somewhere in the hunt, I managed to find a little more than I intended to find in the form of itchy red blobs that are keeping me up at night and oozing all over everything. (I did got to the doctor today, so hopefully after the shot, I'll have some relief soon!)

But in light of how I got it, what would you do? When I told my Dad, right away he said, "Well, I hope you learned a lesson." I asked what lesson that was supposed to be and he said, "Stay away from all that stuff!" It made me think . . .

Do I really want to "stay away from all that stuff!" But isn't that what we do most of the time. We experience something new, there's an unexpected result of some kind, and we often let it go without a second thought. It's not worth it, we say!

Yet, I would suggest that there is another way. I think my lesson is that I need to learn what poison ivy looks like, how it spreads, and how I can work with it the next time I go geocaching. The lesson for me isn't to quit geocaching or experiencing new things. The lesson for me is to learn!

How about you? What have you quit lately that was fun, inspiring, challenging, or simply following your dream because the consequence seemed too big. Don't quit, learn!

Remarkable People are always on the hunt for learning new things!!

Have you truly FELT Remarkable lately?

Life sometimes can be a very bumpy ride. Just when we think we are in the fast lane, we hit a speed bump, a pothole, or roadkill. All of these cause us to slow down and take a breath.

Now this breath can look like a lot of things, too. This breath can be used to complain about the things that get in our way. This breath can be a shout of hallelujah that we maneuvered past the worst of the pothole. Or this breath can be a silent cry that no one but you hears as you slowly drive by the remains of a racoon.

What I have found to be most true with myself is that when I hit a bump in the road, my first place I run to is my logical side. The side that looks at the obstacle and thinks, "Oh, that isn't too bad. Just a little bump. You can work with this. What are you going to do from here?" Very logical, positive, and completely unfeeling!

Once in awhile though, the pothole is just too big to "wish" away. You have to get out of your car, stop and think about what to do next, and deal with how you feel. You may feel sad, angry, frustrated, helpless, overwhelmed, rejected, or victimized -after all, why does this always happen to ME?? Or you may feel elated, joyful, encouraged, blessed, loved, or honored - because a detour now and then can show us things we never imagined.

Angry - thankful, sad - joyful, overwhelmed - bored, loved - lonely . . . Remarkable people live a full life and FEEL it all.

What are you feeling today? . . . Me, I'm a little confused and sad mixed in with some renewed determination. : )

Remarkable People always surround themselves with Remarkable People!

Being a Mom to 4 kiddos, I used to dream of spending some alone time now and then. It was a luxury I didn't always have, and I craved it. Now, after the divorce and splitting the kid's time 50/50, I find more alone time than I know what to do with sometimes.

It's late now, and as I reflect on the day, it's been a productive day. I worked more on my Remarkably You e-course which will be coming out very soon. I worked on some tax things that needed to be done. I worked with my coaching clients, and enjoyed time via phone with them. I even enjoyed a movie tonight, and ate a few bites of cookie dough . . . And then I realized I never left my apartment!

Yet, in the midst of feeling this overwhelming lonliness that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy, I think about those that I have spent time with today.

*My amazing clients who are growing, challenging themselves in new ways, and
learning to take on some of the most amazing goals.
*My boyfriend who has supported me so much with getting my Remarkably You CD series together, and even found some much needed technical equipment to make that a little easier on me today. (Yeah, I think he's pretty special!)
*My marketing team who spoke with me about my new logo, banner placement ads, and marketing blurbs for all of the above.
*And then seeing a new comment posted on my blog by a gentleman I do not even know who inspired me to keep on keeping on as parent.

It's true that I never left my apartment today, but it's not true that I'm alone in my journey. There are many who love and care about me, and I never want to forgot how very blessed I am . . . even in the midst of my lonliness sometimes : )

Remarkably You people make others feel very special. Who has made you feel that way lately??

Remarkable People Get Noticed!

I must be making quite a splash in some way because I received a very unique e-mail in regard to my last blog. I will not give his/her e-mail address or name (especially since he/she didn't sign it), but I will give the author of the note the respect he/she deserves. After all, we do live in America, and we all have the right to express our opinions.

So, find below a copy of this unusual e-mail and my response. Think about how the Remarkably You person within you would have responded . . .

Upset Reader writes:
Well how long did it take you to realize that what we do as parents affect our children's way of thinking and doing? How long have you been a mother? Do you really not pay that much attention to them? Maybe you should stop trying to tell everyone else how to live and feel and focus on your children's lives, help them "find their true potential". I find you to be very self-righteous, lazy, arrogant, dishonest, and a HUGE hypocrite.

My Curious Response:

Well, I will say that this is a first to receive such a harsh e-mail in the years that I've been writing and coaching, but I guess I shouldn't have expected everyone to appreciate my thoughts and ideas. But to say these things about me when you really don't know me - I find very interesting. Why am I dishonest just because I had the kids take on the responsibility for taking out the trash?

I can tell that you put a lot of passion into your words, and I'm curious at to why. Why did you feel it was necessary to write this e-mail at all? Were you hoping to help in some way or just hurt?

I have been a Mom for many years now, and while I do not claim to be perfect by any stretch of the imagination, I do my best to teach my children to respect others and what they try to do in this world even if I don't always agree or understand. I honor hard work in myself and in them. My wish for you is that you would do the same.

In this country we have the freedom to express our opinions - both of us. I really do appreciate you taking the time to express yours today. And my request is that if you really object to my writings that much, just don't read them . . .

Thoughtfully,
Gloria

Even my Kids are Remarkable!!

Have you ever thought about how much what we do and say actually affects our children? I know that I've said this and had a logical understanding of this, but until yesterday I don't know that I realized just how much our thinking and our perspective about life is passed on to our kids!

I grew up in a VERY entrepreneurial home. My Dad always had creative business ideas and several businesses that he bought, sold, ran into the ground, and otherwise. I watched my Dad make a lot of money and lose a lot of money. It was the life of a true entrepreneur!

As a Life & Business Coach, I, too, live the entrepreneurial lifestyle and work with many entrepreneurs. I love how we think, aren't afraid to take the risks, and are always on the lookout for new ways of making money. (My personal goal is to make a lot of money and keep it though : )

What I didn't realize was how this way of thinking was actually being picked up by my kids, too!!

Just yesterday, my two younger kiddos, Brett, 10, and Gloria Jean, 8, were taking the trash out to the trash compactor at my apartment complex. I'll confess that I usually wait til they are home to make the treck because it really is quite a hike to the entrance of the apartment complex where we have to haul the trash. It's is no strange site to see people with trash bags on the hoods of their cars taking the trash to the designated dumpster. It's a pain!

When they came home the two of them had come up with a BRILLIANT entrepreneurial idea. After all, if you want to make a lot of money, find a need and fill it - right? So, that's what they decided. Since it is such a pain for them to take out the trash, they guessed it probably was for others, too. What if they advertised and let people know that for $1.00 a week their customers could set out up to 2 garbage bags just outside their door, they would pick them up at a designated time, and take them to the compactor.

I couldn't believe it!! I'm not 100% sure this idea will actually be put into action, but I'll have to admit that I LOVE the way they are thinking : )Remarkable!

What need to do you see and how would you like to fill it??

Baby Steps towards Remarkably You CD series!

I'm so excited! Today, I was able to take a BIG baby step towards a dream I've been talking about for a looooonnnnnng time. I put a group of people together for a conference call, recorded it, and have the idea to turn it into the first of 5 in the Remarkably You CD series . . How cool is that?

It wasn't without a few gliches, but for the most part, I was very happy with the steps I took today. The next step is some editting which once again means pulling in some of my support team . . I couldn't do what I do without them!!

Doesn't it just feel GOOD when we do something, even if it's a little something, in the direction of our dreams and goals?

What was yours today?? : )

Remarkably You means Choosing to Trust

I've heard this phrase quite a bit in the last 2 days . . . "It is hard for me to trust" . . .and I can't help but wonder why that is.

Why is it hard for us to trust? Does it serve us well to live with this distrust of others? Does it support us on our journey to always wonder about someone else's motivations?

Yes, I know that our past experiences play a role in this. But I also realize that this is a CHOICE! We get to choose whether or not we are going to trust.

I look back on my life and think, "Yep,I had a best friend who betrayed me for a boy in high school." "Yep, I had a husband who betrayed me for another woman - and more than once!" "Yep, I've had a coach who accused me of stealing from her - yikes!" And, "I've had clients who spread rumors within organizations that were impossible to disprove."

So, what do we do with all of this? We can go around distrusting the world, and almost lie in wait and look for the ways they are going to betray us, so we can prove that we were right, OR we can choose to trust anyway. It's not much different when it comes to choosing to love - is it?

I believe the Remarkably You person chooses to trust - trust in themselves that they make good decisions, even though sometimes we do mess up; trust in others, even though sometimes they will make mistakes, too, and even hurt us; and trust in God, that He has a plan and purpose where all of this will come together just as it should.

It's your choice . . . Are you ready to be Remarkably You, and step out and trust?

Remarkably You sometimes means stirring the waters!

This past Friday I made a very bold decision and sent out a newsletter to my pretty large e-mail subscribers list sharing a business related incident that I've been working through. In the newsletter, I was very direct - although general in not naming names, etc - and throughout the weekend and today, I've received much feedback from it.

I knew at the time that I sent it, it was a risk. Yet, one I felt compelled to take! What does a Remarkably You person do? I took the risk.

Most of the feedback has been encouraging. Thanking me for sharing a personal story and most were relating to the incident. But I received on today, from a gal related to the incident who was very disheartened. She said that she trusted me and I broke that trust. She said that "my true character" was just now coming out. Hmmm . . ?

*Why do we think that just because someone holds a differing viewpoint that they are automatically wrong?

*Why do we hide behind these veils of "privacy" and close ourselves off? Maybe because we are afraid of the feedback - good and bad!

The one good thing that I am learning through all of this is that sometimes it is good to stir the waters. The feedback is good in that the truth is coming out from everyone's different perspectives. And conflict, often times, brings about change. Change can be VERY good!!

What does being Remarkably feel like?

I just had a member of my marketing team, Terry Burke from Ball State University, send me a personal e-mail saying this:

When writing about what it looks like to be ‘remarkable’, you might use all the senses such as this is what it feels like or these are the things that you sense, this is how it touches you, these are things you say even to yourself.

I LOVE this!! Thanks, Terry : )

So, what would I sense if I were truly being Remarkably Me? I would feel at peace, centered, inspired, passionate, determined, focused, able to see others more clearly and what they need and desire. I would sense that those around me love me, respect me, and honor who I am, and I would do and be the same for them.

I'll have to think more on this today . . .And get into the other thoughts another day. : )

What would you or do you sense when you are being Remarkably You??