soulati.com

Digital Marketing Strategy, PR and Messaging

Soulati-'TUDE!

The Happy Friday Series: Don’t Bloom Where You’re Planted

By

bloom-where-youre-planted.jpgWe’ve all heard the phrase, “bloom where you’re planted.” It conjures visions of sunflowers swaying happily in the breeze, right?

But what if your current environment makes you feel like a weed? A dandelion squeezed between the sidewalk cracks?

You have the power to uproot and move to richer soil.

I know what I’m talking about.

As an adult, I’ve moved all the way across country twice, voluntarily. You see, my husband and I had a conversation about 14 years ago that went something like, “if you could live anywhere, where would you go?” We both had a deep curiosity about the Pacific Northwest, so we visited, loved it, and decided to pack up a U-Haul, two dogs and one cat, and move from the Washington, DC area to pretty much the farthest point away in the continental United States.

We happily spent about 12 years in the gorgeous, lush, remote Northwest. But then we started to get an urge…with kids in the picture who wanted to know their grandparents, a severe Vitamin D deficiency, and a vague need to be back on the East Coast, we started researching a new place to bloom.

Once again, we chose a place to visit, fell in love with it, and packed our family (now 3 kids and one cat). The winner? An island town outside of Charleston, SC. I’ve always dreamed of living at the beach, so I’ve literally moved to my “happy place.”

However, this post isn’t about how awesome it is to be barefoot 75% of the time. (It is awesome.) It’s about taking control of your happiness, and choosing where you want to be, rather than feeling stuck where you are.

Maybe your happy spot isn’t a physical location. Maybe it’s a new career. Regardless of what it is, make your move!

Bloom where you plant yourself, and be happy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rosemary O’Neill is Co-Founder/President of Social Strata, which makes the Hoop.la online community platform. For the last 15 years, she has been evangelizing the social conversation and helping customers like Mattel, Long John Silvers, and HarperCollins grow thriving communities. She has also appeared on Fox & Friends and NPR as an HR rebel. You can find her online via Twitter (@rhogroupee), on her small business marketing blog at https://rhogroupee.com, and as a weekly contributor to Liz Strauss’ Successful and Outstanding Blog. She makes a mean blueberry pie.
LinkedIn Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/rosemaryoneill

 

Enhanced by Zemanta

The Happy Friday Series: 24 #RockHot Guest Authors

By

thank-you.jpgThe day after a U.S. holiday is always low key, and that’s why we’re going to bang it up today and clang the pots and pans in honor of the 24 #RockHot guest authors I cajoled, nudged, begged, and just plain old invited to write for the longest-running series a blog has ever had (and longest sentence, too!).

What began as an experiment with zero nada expectation has become a weekly post on Fridays about happy. Thank you to each of you below who willingly participated and accepted my invite to be part of this blogger’s happiness project out of the blue.

Along the way, two goals were created:

1. That Jayme Soulati would never need to write (because nothing was in queue) unless she wanted to (Secret: I have a post I wrote after something significant occurred and I will post it when there’s a need.)

2. To get through one entire year of guest authors every Friday until mid-January (Jan. 17, 2013 launched the series), and so far so good!

Without further ado, let’s get on with the show! I thank, am grateful, adore, appreciate, and have so much respect for each of the people in this community below who so graciously shared a piece of their happy. XO to each and all.

24 #RockHot Happy Guest Authors

Each of these titles begins with “The Happy Friday Series:”

January 11, 2013 — Everyone’s Happy! Kick off post by Jayme Soulati

January 18, 2013 — Power Of A Smile by Peg Fitzpatrick

January 25, 2013 — Top Five Cheery Songs by Susan Silver

February 1, 2013 — Creating Optimism in Traffic on Foursquare by Paula Kiger

February 8, 2013 — Glass Half Empty And Happy by Jenn Whinnem

February 15, 2013 — Five Favorite Dances by Erin Feldman

February 22, 2013 — Smiles From Alaska by Amber-Lee Dibble

March 1, 2013 — Should Life Be Serious? by Jamie Wallace

March 8, 2013 — Science of Happiness and Do-Overs by Geoff Reiner

March 15, 2013 — Finding Happy with Scoliosis by Sandy Appleyard

March 22, 2013 — Embrace Happiness Today by Mark Harai

March 29, 2013 — Be The Sun And Serve by Betsy Cross

April 5, 2013 — How To Find Your Happy by Amber-Lee Dibble

April 12, 2013 — Let Go Of Sad by Nancy Jean

April 19, 2013 — A Chat With Pooh by Stan Faryna

April 26, 2013 — Five Seconds And Happy by Brian Meeks

May 3, 2013 — What’s So Great About Being Happy? by Sharon Gilmour-Glover

May 10, 2013 — Spring Does Come To New England by Michelle Quillin

May 17, 2013 — Tunes of Time by Brad Lovett

May 24, 2013 — Amazing Online Friends by Kristen Daukas

May 31, 2013 — Beads, Buttons and Crochet by  Christine Esposito

June 7, 2013 — Fine Art Photography and Family by Ed King

June 14, 2013 — Taking Risk For Desert Passion by Brian Wrabley

June 21, 2013 — Life-Crafting Goals to Push The Envelope by Adrienne Jandler

June 28, 2013 — Thriving Or  Surviving? by Carolyn Nicander Mohr

How To Write For The Happy  Friday Series

Yes, it is no small feat to find a different guest author weekly for this series. That’s why you ought to consider it. I’m told it’s a highly therapeutic happening. When you think about what makes you truly happy or what your interpretation of happiness is and could be, writing about it becomes an awakening.

Happiness is introspective and few of us desire to take that kind of hard look inside; when you do you share among friends and it feels so very good.

If you care to write for this series, and I implore you to consider it, here’s how:

1. Send me a note, tweet, post of intent everywhere (even in the comment section below).

2. Write your post and give yourself two weeks to get it done.

3. Deliver it with an author bio, photo for the story, links to your blog, etc.

4. If the headline or content within needs tweaking, I reserve the right to edit. If the content really needs tweaking, I’ll send back to you for review and approval.

5. Share the heck out of it when it appears here!  Easy!

(P.S. There are bound to be link mistakes above; please inform me right away, and I will correct! Thank you!)

Enhanced by Zemanta

The Happy Friday Series: Thriving Or Surviving?

By

mind-the-gap.jpgPeople often say your destiny is in your own hands but there are times when you can’t control what life has in store for you. Most of us have a desire for happiness, though how many of us actually achieve happiness? You may be perfectly content with your life or you may be struggling with the challenges facing you now. Sometimes all we can do is try to get through each day and be done with it. But to achieve true happiness, you need to thrive.

Often we have routines in life going through the motions of our daily chores, but how often do we reflect on what makes us happy?

What makes you happy in life?

What can you do to achieve that happiness? The changes you make to your life may be small changes, such as taking a daily walk with the dog or writing in a journal, or large changes, such as moving to a new home or starting a blog. Perhaps your changes aren’t attainable in the near future, but it’s important to have dreams.

Do you have a plan to thrive? Are you thriving now? Are you taking steps to achieve a goal?

When I moved to England the transition was tough for me and my family. We moved in the winter, at the darkest time of the year when the days were brief and glimpses of the sun behind the clouds were rare. My husband was traveling constantly for work while I was trying to adapt to a new culture and develop new driving skills (roundabouts anyone?). Fortunately, we had the support of the ex-pat community at the girls’ international school and at the local American Women’s Club.

People aren’t considered new for very long in the ex-pat world. Three months after I arrived, I was asked to head the Welcome Team for the school, welcoming new families and helping them with the transition living in England. By helping others to adapt to their new surroundings, I was helping myself as well. I realized how far I had come in a short time and by sharing my knowledge I was able to learn a lot from the newcomers.

A year later, I started presenting “Tech Is Your Friend” to the newcomers at the American Women’s Club. I showed them how tech such as smartphones, Skype, GPS devices (called “Sat Navs” in England) and other tech could help make their stay easier and communicating with loved ones back home less costly. People started showing me helpful apps such as Tube Exits that tell you which car to board on the London Tube to arrive closest to your exit, saving time and hassle in your Tube travel.

The Wonder of Tech

Sharing tech knowledge and helping others in England was very fulfilling but when I returned to the U.S., that opportunity seemed to disappear. Friends encouraged me to start a blog about tech, so I launched The Wonder of Tech in January 2011. I wanted to continue writing for everyday people to show them how tech can help them in their lives. My blog lets me share my tech knowledge while helping others.

The Wonder of Tech has helped people around the world embrace tech instead of fear it. I have heard from many readers about what a difference tech has made in their lives. By sharing tech, I feel as if I am thriving and helping others thrive, as well.

I didn’t have a plan to thrive in my life, I was struggling to make it through the days when I was asked to head the Welcome Team. By accepting that challenge, I was led on the path to my passion, allowing me to thrive by helping others.

What dreams do you have? What passions would you like to pursue? What steps can you take to bring those dreams closer to reality? Are you thriving? Did you have a plan or did life guide you there? How can you change your life to make your dreams come true? Let us know in the Comments section below!

About The Author

Carolyn Nicander Mohr is a lawyer, wife and mother of three teens including a set of twins. She is a polygadgetist entranced with personal technology for 20+ years. The Wonder of Tech is her professional blog designed for tech lovers, tech haters and anyone else who wants or needs to learn about the world of personal technology in plain English. The Wonder of Tech also has appeared at philly.com, the website for The Philadelphia Inquirer. All opinions expressed in this blog are mine and are tech, not legal, opinions.

LinkedIn Profile: Carolyn Nicander Mohr
Facebook Page: The Wonder of Tech
Twitter account: @wonderoftech
Google+ Page: The Wonder of Tech

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta

The Happy Friday Series: Life-Crafting Goals To Push The Envelope

By

scuba.jpgThe absence of goals, or something bigger to strive for in life, leads to coasting; slowly bleeding away happiness.  As a big believer in always having goals, reaching higher, stretching personally and professionally, it bothers me when big bulls-eye personal goals are missing on the horizon. And yet, in the past few years I’ve found it easier to set business goals than personal ones.

Maybe it’s a ‘40s thing; or a Christian thing (be thankful for your many blessings, do not covet thy neighbor’s stuff); or even a self-actualization thing (yes, I was actually paying attention during the class on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs).

Even more likely? It’s a prioritization thing. Life and work are so busy that I simply don’t have time to really focus on personal goal-setting and visualizing. So sitting down in a boardroom to “plan” parts of my personal life just doesn’t work like it does for business.
I’ve given this a good bit of thought and energy and have come to two truths:  you take inspiration where you can get it, and anything that isn’t scheduled into my week isn’t likely to occur. 

 And so, I give you… Life·crafting  (the active, deliberative crafting of the life you want) just coined today for this blog post! It is a purposeful, exhilarating and ongoing process that while previously unnamed captures a habit that leads to happiness.

 

Here’s how it works. I go to conferences, networking events, dinner parties, meetings, etc. and meet a diversity of people. With each person I meet, I try to unearth at least one really interesting thing about his or her personal life.  A few examples of cool things I’ve discovered in people this week?

  • Jeff is taking flying lessons and wants to own a small plane.
  • Kathryn discovered roller derby this year and now she’s on a team.
  • Jennifer is headed to India in 2 weeks and then to London to deliver a keynote at a blogger conference.
  • Dorien has a friend who has hosted orphaned children from other countries for the summer.

Not only do I get to enjoy interesting conversation with these folks, but also I find it helps me remember names of new people more easily  (great for business), and I get to “sample” potential hobbies, possessions and activities that might be a great goal for me.  Through these conversations, I am exposed to all kinds of things I never would have thought of.  (Who even knew you could host orphaned children from another country?) When I find something of personal interest for myself, I put it on the list. (Yes, an extended trip to India is most definitely on my itinerary in the next three years!)

The mental “trying on” of these potential goals always elicits a quick reaction:

  • Pilot Lessons – would love to, but probably not interested enough to invest the time and mone
  • Roller Derby – I want to keep my teeth, 44-year-old-bones do not break well
  • India – Yes, please!
  • Orphaned children – could be a life-changing summer for all involved

Once a month I schedule time to review them.  I make an occasion of it – sit down, light a candle, have a glass of wine (or a cup of great java), some good chocolate and sort through my list. Sometimes they are small goals, skills I want to develop, hobbies to explore, etc.  But sometimes they are the spark for much larger, far-reaching goals. I ultimately became a (small scale) commercial real estate investor as a result of this process.

So I no longer plan out personal goals along with business goals once per year. It becomes a life-crafting process that evolves from month to month, along with free-flowing beverages and chocolate.  And presto! There they are – cool, fun, different, stretching goals that inspire me. And that makes me happy.

How do you find inspiration that challenges you to grow? What’s on your list?

 

About The Author

Adrienne Cregar Jandler is the Founder and President of Atlantic Webworks, a full-service web and interactive marketing firm in Greensboro, North Carolina. When she’s not working with clients on web strategy, she’s likely to be on the lake, traveling or working on property improvement projects. She also enjoys scuba diving with her husband, and is an Indian-food addict and cupcake connoisseur. Be sure to give her a tweet and circle her on Google+ .   

 

 

Enhanced by Zemanta

The Happy Friday Series: Taking Risk For Desert Passion

By

Four-Corners.jpg

Four Corners by Treks West Tours

The search for happiness in life can be an ever-winding road, with many peaks and valleys along the way. Most people know this; it’s no great secret.

Everyone is different. What brings them happiness is totally unique to them. The quest for happiness should be our paramount goal in life, as long as it doesn’t come at the expense of others.

Thanks to Jayme, I get to share the risk I took on a quest for happiness. I gave up a good career in a university to launch my very own adventure travel business, Treks West Tours.

Looking back, the risk was well worth it! Let me tell you my story…

Ever-Winding Road

My life followed a fairly standard path, and I’m sure you can relate — lack of focus as a youth; a quest for girlfriends as a young man; the search for better pay; lack of focus again as a young adult; you get the picture.

The first major step towards happiness was marrying Sheila, an amazing woman who understands the importance of finding happiness. With that achievement I was able to focus on other aspects of finding happiness. My eyes soon opened to travel in the great outdoors.

As my eyes widened toward adventure, they closed on the job where my passion was diminishing with time. Happiness shouldn’t be about money but it often masks other feelings or overrides them awhile.

What Matters

Ample vacation time allowed me to fall in love with the Southwest on a trip to Arizona. I saw the Grand Canyon for the first time, and it spoke to me. Coming from the green state of Maryland, the vast West lured me. I was hooked!

Every free moment we’d return to Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Utah and add another layer to the passion I felt for the region.

National parks and wilderness areas became the focal point of our trips. I learned all I could by hiking the trails and rafting the rivers. I left my heart there each time I returned East to my passion-less career.

I found an affinity for the minutia of trip planning, researching a park and finding the best places to explore. Soon I was planning all the trips for Easterners who wanted to experience the great West.

The joy I felt out there equaled misery on the job. I lost purpose, began to tread water and brought those woes into my home life. Before I could ruin my solid foundation at home, my wife and I discussed the pros and cons of leaving my job.

I wanted to start an adventure travel business, and everyone agreed I’d be foolish not to try.

Taking The Leap

I gave a two-month notice to my employers after 12 years at the university. Money, while important, could not buy my happiness. Life is too short to spend bogged down; my wife and I agreed this was the leap to take.

I jumped into the business of building a website, creating tours, getting insurance and commercial permits along with all the marketing and planning that goes into the tedious parts of starting a business.

I began to network with other outfitters, hotel owners, national park rangers, and others. That was one of the really fun parts of the job; there are a lot of great folks out here!

On May 2011, I launched Treks West Tours, my stab at happiness, hiking, horseback riding, and white water rafting — my vision of what a western adventure should encompass!

It isn’t easy. Things aren’t great for the travel industry at the moment. High fuel prices and a weak economy are a problem, but I’m so much happier!

When I take a group to Moab or Big Bend or any other fabulous destination and see the looks of amazement in their eyes, it’s so fulfilling! I made the right choice. Following one’s passion is never a mistake! What could be better than getting paid to go on vacation all the time?

About The Author

Brian Wrabley is owner of Treks West Tours offering guided adventure tours of western national parks. Hiking, horseback riding, and white water rafting are his favorite featured activities.

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta