Dream

"So many of our dreams seem impossible, then seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable."
--Christopher Reeve

 
I don't know about you, but when I first had my babies, my life seemed to take a back seat. Everything I did was about them and for them. I was lucky if I managed to get in a shower. 
 
I have learned over the years, however, the importance of dreaming. No matter where you are at, I want to remind you to dream. When we dream, we look forward. We inspire ourselves. We continually realize our greatness. Yes, you are great! Everyone of us has something brilliant inside of us just waiting to get out.
 
But sometimes it seems easier just to let it go. Sometimes that voice inside tells us that those dreams are meant for someone else. Someone with more time, more talent, more drive and determination. Well, my friend, that is hogwash!
 
You are unique and wonderful and meant for greatness! You can pursue your dream. You can find that spark inside you and let it grow into a roaring flame!
 
It all starts with the little things. Start with a plan. Give that dream wings by figuring out what needs to happen to make it a reality. Break it down. Seek help and support. 
 
Most importantly, believe. Believe that you can achieve it and that you are worth it. Know that you are deserving and smart and resourceful.
 
Remember, that in this moment, all you have is this moment. Don't worry about yesterday - it's gone. Don't fret about tomorrow - you're not there yet. Focus on right now. What can you do in this moment to move you towards your dream? What can you do right now to help develop a plan? 
 
Take small steps. You can drive all the way across the country at night only seeing 200 meters ahead of you with your headlights. You don't need to see the end destination. Only the next step. Take that next step and each time you do, your dream will be closer and will become inevitably yours!

Leaving on a Jet Plane - How I Earn Incentive Trips

This morning I got to colour in another piece of my Costa Rica trip tracker (actually this is something I get to do on a regular basis). As of this morning, I am at 85%. That's pretty exciting for me as my goal this year is to earn Double President's Club (that means doing twice the requirements and earning an extra trip for 2).
 
As most of you know, I have been with DT for 7 years and Costa Rica will be our 6th incentive trip. I cannot stress enough how incredible these trips are. We are put up in the most incredible resorts and treated amazingly! If you want to get your husband/significant other on board, earn a trip!
 
There are a couple of keys to my success in this area. I want all of you who are reading this to realize that you can earn this trip. We have seen people join in the fall and go on to earn the trip in just a few short months. Anything is possible - which leads me to the first key to sucess:
 
1. Believe - this might sound like an oversimplification but there is a reason it is first on the list. If you look at the pictures and the emails that come out and just wish and dream and hope, you are selling yourself short. You need to believe that you can achieve it. You need to realize that you are just as deserving as anyone else to earn that trip.
 
2. Be consistent - When people ask me how I earn the trip every year, this is one of the things I always mention. I don't do anything magical; I just go to work every day. I am consistent in my efforts. 
 
3. Make it a goal - Do you have it written down? Are you tracking it? Do you know what the requirements are? If you answered "no" to any of these, I encourage you to take action. Know where you are at and where you need to be. 
 
4. Break it down - I like to equate everything into parties. Figure out what your party average is and then break it down. How many people will you sponsor each month? You can only do so much on your own but if you have 4 or 5 team members who are out doing the same thing, all of a sudden, that goal is much more attainable.
 
5.Believe again - Now that you have decided to put in the effort, written down your goal and figured out (in parties) how you're going to make it happen, take a deep breath and realize that you can do it! Make it real for yourself. When you look at the pictures, see yourself there. Hear the ocean and the music. Smell the sea air and the wonderful food. Feel the sand in your toes and the breeze in your hair. I don't know about you, but just simply typing that put a smile on my face!


 

Are You Ready for Fall?

September is here - I can hardly believe it! We are moving into our busiest season of the year. Thought I would share some tips that I have found to be helpful over the years in staying organized and making the most of this time of year.

1. Be ready for business. Have you got your fall catalogs and new fall products? Are your catalogs stamped? I like to take an evening or 2 at the beginning of the season and get ready. I get all my paperwork ready (stamped, etc) and make up my hostess packages.

2. Set some goals. One of the goals I set every fall is how many parties I want to do between now and Christmas. I make up that many hostess packages and have them in a pile. It is a great visual to watch that pile get smaller. On the flip-side, if it is staying the same, I know I need to pick up the phone!

3. Sponsor! Sponsor! Sponsor! Now is the time to talk to people about joining your team so that they too can make the most of fall.

4. Mark your calendar. Pull out your calendar and mark all of your family and personal commitments. Mark local training events and conference calls. Then circle your available party dates. Focus on booking those dates. One of the benefits of direct sales is that we get to set our own hours. Knowing when you're available will help you feel more organized and avoid double-booking yourself.

5. Meal-plan. I am a huge advocate for meal planning. There is nothing worse than going to the fridge at 5:00 to start making supper, only to discover you don't have everything you need - AND you have a party that night so time is of the utmost! By planning your meals at the beginning of the week & making one trip to the store to ensure you have everything you need, you will save yourself so much stress. Bonus idea - cook double. If you are making lasagna, make 2 and throw one in the freezer for a busy night.

6. Close your parties.This is a great way to stay organized and it is also a courtesy for our hostesses and her guests. I strongly suggest not leaving a party open more than 24 hours. Whenever possible, I close the night of the show. Let your hostess know this ahead of time so that if she wants to collect orders, she can do it before. If there are people that can't make it last minute, they can check out the website and get their orders in by the next day (keep in mind most guests are deciding that evening so giving someone a whole day is plenty of time). When shows are left open too long, guests who took the time to make it to the show are now waiting longer for their orders.

7. Work when you're working. This might sound a bit redundant but as multi-taskers, it is very easy for us to be doing several things at once at any given moment. If you are making phone calls, turn your email off. If you are reading to your kids, don't answer the phone. When you are not working, don't think about work. This is a common thing that happens - we feel like we are always working because we are always thinking about work. Learn to be in the moment and make the most of that time.

8. Take care of yourself. When we get busy, we tend to move ourselves down the priority list. It is important to look after you so that you will have the energy to look after your family. Be sure to get some exercise and proper rest. Eat well (the meal planning helps with this too!) and take time for you.

What About Me??

I don't know where I first heard this quote but it is one I live by: When we say we don't have time for something, we haven't stated a fact, but rather a priority.

 
There are several priorities in my life that have shifted in the last year in order to "make time" for things. One of which is my physical health. I now exercise every day (5 days a week) and I shop locally at the farmers market as much as I can (by that I mean I go every week and buy as much of my food there that I can find: if they sell it, that's where I get it).

 
As moms in particular, we tend to let our health go. Last night we were out visiting. It was 9:00 at night and I said to my husband "We really should get going. I still have to exercise." This has become a priority for me. I make the time every day, even if it is the last thing I do before bed.

 
Another thing I often hear is "I don't have time to cook," or "I don't have time for breakfast." But then that same person spends 20 minutes in the drive-thru at Tim Hortons. Hmm - like I said, we haven't stated a fact but rather a priority.

 
By taking time to look after ourselves, we in turn will have so much more to give. Pick one thing you would like to improve that would help you feel better and work on making it a habit this week. It might be eating breakfast, adding more fruit and veggies to your daily intake, exercising more regularly, reading a book that doesn't rhyme at the end of every line, getting to bed before 11. Don't try to change everything all at once. Start small. Make one thing a habit and then add another change.

 
Another favorite quote that I know I have shared but just seems so fitting for today:
 
I am worth 30 minutes of my own time.

Name Brand

Kleenex. Q-tips. Google. What do these things have in common? Major brand identity. How many of us ask for a tissue or use a cotton swab to clean our ears. How many of us "search" for something online?

It used to be that this type of branding was reserved for large corporations but things have changed radically. Do you know who is a brand now? You are. Each and every one of us are not just "consultants" for our company; we are a brand. People look at us to see what it's all about. When we present our product, we also present ourselves.

So what does this mean? How can you use this to your advantage? What do you need to be aware of?

In an age where so much communicating is done virtually, every thing you say is fair game. For example, if you are on Facebook and you have identified yourself on there as a consultant, it is best not to have posts that include swears or inappropriate material. If you're having a bad day or you're mad at someone, don't post it. Just a suggestion - but if people are aware of what you do, then everything you say is linked back to that. Whether or not you intend it that way, that is the perception.

Also, when you are doing business, whether its a party or just talking to a mom at the park, be sure to put your best face forward. I have learned to no longer go to the grocery store in sweat pants and a paint shirt and to always take the extra 2 minutes to run a brush through my hair and throw on some eye makeup. I don't go to the store in a 3-piece suit, but I do look respectable - like someone you wouldn't be afraid to invite into your home.

When we are prepared for business, business shows up. My kids have been taking swimming lessons every day for the past 2 weeks, which means I am sitting at the pool every day for a couple of hours. I have made sure to have catalogs and business info with me and to join in the conversation. I have some great leads from opportunities like this.

When it comes to branding, the main thing is awareness. Know that people are tuning in. How we present ourselves in non-work situations often speaks louder than when we are in consultant-mode.

Leslie (our VP of Sales) loves to say "Be Proud Out-loud!" I totally agree! Opportunity is everywhere. Be prepared to share with the people you meet. You are a brand. Make it the best brand you can!

The Three Essentials

"Three essentials: Know what you're doing, love what you're doing, believe in what you're doing."
-- Steve Musseau


What a great quote!
 
Know what you're doing:
We live in a time of the savvy consumer, a time when word-of-mouth is paramount. It is important for us to be knowledgeable. Know your products. What is the best way to do this? Use them! Get on the floor and play with your children. Plus take advantage of the training available. Read books and blogs and articles about child development. This doesn't have to take mass amounts of time but it is essential. Just like any other career has a training program and a learning curve, so do we.
 
Love what you're doing:
I truly love what I do. I wake up in the morning excited to face a day of possibilities. When we are passionate about something, it shows and people are attracted to that. They want to be a part of something that gets people that juiced. Let your passion shine through in everything that you do. You will be amazed at how people react!
 
Believe in what you're doing:
Can you think of anything more important or exciting than the future of our children? We have the opportunity to help parents learn about the way developmental play impacts brain development. What a mission we have! To me, it means so much to see a child truly engaged and learning with their whole brain. There are so many that have completely tuned out and it makes me sad to see it. I believe that we have something important to share and if we don't do it, who will?
 
Being a part of this company is so much more than just moving product from producer to consumer. It is the opportunity to change a life. It is the chance to help a child soar to reach their potential. It is the opportunity to help someone reach their dreams and goals. Who are we to keep that to ourselves?
 
I encourage you to step out of that comfort zone and talk to someone new today. Realize what we have to offer and then offer it. You never know who you might meet along the way!

In Search of Solitude

For the past week or so, I just haven't quite been feeling my usual self. I've still been in a fairly good mood and still been happy to talk with people and share all I have to share, but underneath it all, there was something that just wasn't quite right.

 
Then yesterday came and it was just a compilation of little things that became a much bigger deal than they needed to and I was downright grumpy. I even burned the cookies I baked. That was the final straw.

 
And then the realization came: I haven't been having my quiet time. I've been sleeping in and missing my time of reading and journaling that normally starts my day. It had become much more hit-and-miss over the last month. The effects had finally caught up with me.

 
So this morning I got up with the alarm, made my coffee and sat down to start doing my morning routine. Ahh. Things were feeling right. And then my son woke up early. No big deal - he went downstairs to watch a little something. But not 5 minutes had past when I heard the call from the basement. He had spilled the tea I had left in a mug next to the couch last night. Sigh. I got up to dab it out of the carpet. Apparently since I was the one who left the tea in a bad spot, I was the one that had to clean it up.

 
Okay so I came back upstairs and got back on track. Then I spilled my coffee on the couch. Bigger sigh (maybe some cursing too). I got up and cleaned up the mess that I had made. I sat down again and looked at the words I had just written in my gratitude journal: "I am so thankful for this quiet time to start my day and help me focus." The words were ringing hollow at that moment.

 
I continued on. Once I finished journaling, I picked up the book I was reading only to discover my bookmark had been removed. This was becoming laughable - except that I wasn't laughing. When I finally found my page and started to read, things began to fall into place. It's an excellent book, entitled Crush It by Gary Vaynerchuk.

 
The lesson I learned? Things don't always go smoothly and sometimes when we think we've got the perfect plan, obstacles will arise and try to derail us. How we react will determine whether we succeed or fail. I could have very easily walked away and said that I'd try again tomorrow. But I didn't. I stuck with it and ultimately - eventually - it became a beneficial time that did help me focus.

 
We usually don't have to look very hard to find reasons or excuses to give up on something. But when we look for the lesson and push through, ultimately it is worth it. That is when true growth happens. Look for the lesson and of course, be willing to laugh - especially at yourself!