THE BEGINNING AND THE END

 Just like what goes up, must come down your work week begins and ends.  It's how you begin the week and how you plan for the week which, determine how you end the week.  Taking time to plan equates to success.  I used to think of work as something I had to do.  Somewhere I needed to be.  For a period of time each week.  Usually, with set hours of 9 to 5 from Monday through Friday with weekends and holidays off.  I had a few jobs with varying hours and times and days.  Some required me to work weekends.  There were also times I could not wait for lunchtime or the clock to to show me the much awaited time to depart and go home to do whatever I pleased.  I would go home and make dinner or go out with friends.  

That was the life or so I thought.  No one introduced me to anything different.  My family never spoke about planning other than our weekly camping outings over the summer months.  At least not until I got into a sales position in mortgage over twenty years ago.  AHA!  I became associated with people that  wanted to do better.  People who wanted to reach a goal or make a significant contribution to the workplace.  Some needed a pat on the back or other forms of recognition.  There were others that enjoyed the accolades of posh trips and significant bonuses for out producing their peers and driving up the sales numbers.  It became quite exciting to me.  I wanted be a part of this newly found occupation.  I wanted to have my name on the board and my numbers generate envy and applause from my co-workers.

BUT, I didn't know how to get the phone to stop ringing or take advantage of it.  I couldn't keep up with the messages for my response.  I felt like the proverbial tail was wagging the dog.  I was exhausted before I got started each week.  I dreaded the mounds of files on every surface in my office, including the floor, and countless pieces of torn pages on my desk.  Little notes in shorthand scribbled on them as I could not write fast enough.  I was glad I had two years of classes in shorthand in high school.  

One Friday, I met with a local business man like we did most Fridays for coffee and donuts.  Neither one of us needed the donuts.  We began to realize we were in a bit of a quandry.  The work wasn't getting done due to the enormous amount of anxiety from the endless weeks of frustration.  We had an epiphany.  A light bulb of an idea.  We realized we needed help and began the search of books to read and CD's to listen to and magazines to subscribe to.  We attended seminars with well known speakers.  Each of these sources narrowed down our problem in a few words-planning to succeed.  Sure there were a lot of ways to get there and each of them divulged their magic bullet.  I enjoyed listening and reading and having open discussions on so many topics.

We had a solution and worked on the processes to get control of our work and our week.  We realized the planning and scheduling were a key element to success.  We became more disciplined.  We practiced techniques.  Eventually, we discovered we had time to meet and talk about our progress.  We made a schedule we could live with.  The days were long.  There were fewer sleepless nights.  He managed to honor his commitment to end his day far sooner than I.  Looking back, I had more control over the later part of the 22 years than I thought I did through proper planning and scheduling of my time.

BRANDING

This is not like the cattle branding you see on Yellowstone; however, once you have determined whether you have a business or a hobby you will understand my point of relevance.  Brand is something you want to establish for your product, business, or service for its lifetime.  First; look at what you want to do.  Take time and do your due diligence.  Research is key here.  Google or Bing it for goodness sake!  If there is one thing we know it is the value of a search engine.  Use multiple keywords much like someone would do looking for your business.  Are there other products on the market already?  If so, what do you offer that is different or are you much the same?  Do you offer better pricing?  Do you have the capability of expanding in the future or do you feel you have an adequate location to operate from?  A hobby is well; just that.  A hobby is something you like to make or do but, the prospects of making money from it is not long lasting.  

Think about what you want to do in a long-term time frame and what your end goal is.  Here are a few more questions to answer.  Is this something you can retire with?  Is there potential to sell the business when the foundation for profit is adequately made?  Each one of these scenarios requires a bit of a change in the thought processes and ways you want to approach branding.  Other items may be added to a product line.  Honing in on just one item may not ultimately be your brand.  There are name brands out there you can think of or when someone mentions them to you, an image appears instantly in your mind.  That is a brand.  It is an immediate recognition of the product/service/business.  There is no confusion of what is being sold.   As an aside, a logo represents the brand upon visualization.  The logo is not the brand.

Branding strikes a note like on a piano keyboard.  It is unique.  It is easily recognized.  It elicits an emotion, a sound, or mental imagery.  It is the uniqueness of the business unlike any other.  I started my women's networking group over 10 years ago. As a group we named and created a logo for it and  named a scent of a candle for WOW (women optimizing women).  I wasn't thinking about brand or logo when I started.  My primary reason for creating this local group was devoted to the philosophy of a mission.  To engage other women in a good quality of networking to build their business with others of like-mind.  I wanted to spread the word of WOW.  I wanted to give my gift of leadership and tenacity and teach others to build their strengths while doing the same with others.  Eighteen months ago I discovered I had a business and subsequently created an LLC.  The website WOWWOMENUS.COM was launched on March 1, 2023 to coincide with National Women's History Month.  WOW communicates the mission of building, establishing, referring, and support.  

WOW brings women of all ages, nationalities, religions, occupations, cultures, and socio-economic levels together.  It does not compartmentalize, fragment, or isolate women.  WOW is true diversity.  The brand is the culmination of all things WOW including the logo.  WOW - do it...together!

INCREASING YOUR EXPOSURE TO GOOD RELATIONSHIPS

I attended both a local county chamber event and community business meeting earlier this week. The attendance isn't necessarily what it used to be but, more people are stepping out and attending.  It may be difficult to leave the comfort of your sanctuary in your home office or business to justify the travel time or the expense of attending local events and membership fees.  The "C" (covid) experience gave us another reason to limit our exposure to other people and meaningful community and personal  involvement.  I get it.  I have heard from many people about their pre-existing conditions or their concern for their health as they had such a bad illness and recovery.  I can appreciate that and we should have been using healthier protocols when visiting our elderly in the nursing homes, having large groups meet in small places, or hugging/kissing others when we were a bit 'under the weather'.  No one wants to get sick.  I also realize the positive impact from attending celebrations and events with other people. 

The endorphin hormones are released when your body feels stress or pain.  They send messages to help relieve your pain, decrease your stress, and improve your mood. Endorphins can be similar to that of morphine like the 'runner's high'.  That euphoric feeling you get.  The five 'happy hormones are: dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin.That sensation of satisfaction as you and others experience clean up from the celebration and drive back to your sanctuary as your reflect on  the visions and conversations you had earlier.    By changing your lifestyle through diet, exercise, meditation and attending events where there is human interaction may be the ticket to claim a healthier mindset and overall body health.  Practice and commitment is required.  The more you do something, it is debatable as to how long the change becomes habit forming, the more you are apt to improve your quality of health.

In addition to the other activities, I recently held an event for my WOW - WOMEN OPTIMIZING WOMEN/WOWWOMENUS.COM.  WOW is my passion.  My zest in life.  My desire to help other women come together and enjoy the company of like-minded women of all ages, occupations, and professions to increase their business awareness and revenue.  These ladies are from non-profits, government, library, small business, corporations, or are considering a start-up business.  The feeling of accomplishment and the joy from being together and sharing ourselves with one another brings out the best in each of us.  We may arrive with a bit of trepidation or a sense of anxiety as we wonder if others will find us interesting and want to do business with us or find our mission worthy of a deeper relationship.  The answer is:  yes, we do! 

I look forward to both attending other community events, virtual experiences, and our WOW events.  I hope you will take the step forward to discover the amazing people around you and to embrace what we do.  I also know there are so many people waiting to meet you, too!  We look forward to the pleasure of your company.

BOUNDARIES

Okay.  Okay, already!  I'm reminded of the 'boundary' concept by several people close me and how they desperately need others to abide by their boundaries.  I understand this is a current term being used in the psychology/social/psychiatric community.   Enough of being told I have to accept the 'boundaries' of another individual.  Hmmm.  What happened to the ability to accept one another as we are.  To be mindful of the old adage: 'sticks and stones will break my bones but, words will never hurt me?'  OR, what about compromise?  Have we lost our minds and our ability to negotiate the terms and conditions of a relationship?'

I agree with setting boundaries.  With relationships or with your work practices.  And, I will not discount the importance of setting boundaries with your time to create that forever far-reaching goal of work-life balance.  For some, that may be an obtainable goal.  For me, I am a traditionalist.  I work.  That is what I do.  That is what I like and want to do.  I do not like to sit in front of a television screen for endless hours watching re-runs-unless; it is Kevin Costner's Yellowstone.  Or, movies.  And, there is a limit for them as well. Talk about boundaries.  I refer to Yellowstone. Their lives of the characters are certainly complicated. The importance of the boundaries of their property, the boundaries surrounding the family, and boundaries in their community being central to  this drama series.

Boundaries are something we must deal with.  Setting boundaries can mean and vary from person-to-person.  Our society is not limited by the cultural norms or political agenda of others.  Operating in an ever changing society-the core of our great nation-can instill some trepidation or anxiety but, can also lead us along the pathway to growth and development.  Setting the right expectations, stretching your mindset, and listening and engaging with others allows us to be a larger part of our community, business, and family.  Boundaries can be changed.  They are not necessarily fixed and impermeable.  I hope you take a moment to reflect on these last two statements.  Open your mind, your heart, your life.  Oh, what a wonderful world we live in! 

BAD BONE

 I'm sure you heard the expression: bad to the bone like-'she's/he's bad to the bone'.  I remember listening to George Thorogood's song-Bad To The Bone back in 1982. I really like the song and the beat. I reflect on someone's core when I write this. Perhaps a 'bad bone' is passed down through the genetic line-an unsolicited gift from past generations. A little something within a person.  Someone or even you uncover it as you experience life or engage in a relationship.  Perhaps you've come across a bad bone in a company or affiliation.  There is something deeply rooted.  Embedded within.  On the surface, it may even appear to be a quality characteristic trait.  One you can depend on most of the time.  And then; the eruption.  The volcanic-like spewing of the bone particles enters the atmosphere.  A contaminant.  A dirty cloud of energy.  

The law of conservation states energy cannot be created nor destroyed but, is converted from one form to another.  You make an attempt to ignore the painful argument or poor customer service which results in the aftermath of the explosion.  You know there is a 'thing'.  A bad bone in them.  You look at their face exchanging a series of eyeball statements.  The muscles tighten around the neck and shoulders.  You can feel the tension surge.  Or, if by technological communications you read or hear the backlash.  The sting.  The negativity.  The hurt.  The damage is done.  You have choices.

I had a State job and worked in the administration building of the sprawling grounds; a juvenile detention center.  I was about 21 years old. The population consisted of both boys and girls.  Their crimes ranged from truancy to murder.  The administrator's secretary-Esther-was one of those people that took her role rather seriously.  Too seriously. She was in her 40's or 50's with charcoal grey short hair.  Her face displayed a mean, menacing look when she got angry.  She took on every situation, every person who entered the building, and lashed out when someone displeased her.  She was not my supervisor.  One day, I was about 3 minutes late from lunch.  I had to pass by her office to get to mine which was in the Social Workers office.  Before I could plant my butt in the seat, Esther came storming in with that look.  I practically fell on my chair-partly out of fear.  I looked up into her eyes and they had turned from blue to grey.  Her brow furrowed.  Her lips a tight, thin line.  Her arms flailing about as she interrogated me about why I was late.  I looked at her and told her she was not my boss and my boss was aware.  She stomped her foot on the brown vinyl tiled floor and made a loud 'huffing' noise as she walked out in haste.

Of course, I told my supervisor when she arrived.  My boss had a closed door meeting with Esther's boss.  Esther's niece also worked in the office with me and we told her what happened.  Her niece said she was the same way at home and at holiday functions.  The whole family avoided Aunt Esther as much as they could.  Sounded like Esther's mother was pretty much the same.  The bone had been passed down to Esther from the generation before her and perhaps from many generations.  I dealt with the aftermath of her eruption and practically tip-toed past her office trying to avoid any further contact.  I didn't look at her.  I was embarrassed for her-a grown, older woman behaving that way.   The negative energy in that building and the campus were a bit too much for a young lady finding her way in the employment sector.   I eventually got another job. This was my choice-the only choice at the time. I removed myself from a toxic situation.  She will remain a distant memory.

Wow Intro March 2023 1

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