Iron Pours and Ideas – What Could They Possibly Have in Common?

Professional Speaker-Positive Attitude-Personal Development

Iron pours and pit-fired pottery. I had absolutely no idea what this meant, but there it was, right in front of me. The magazine ad said I could experience this at the Midwest Fire Fest.

I’m in! I LOVE new adventures, so this was right up my alley.

My husband and I jumped in our car and headed to Cambridge, Wisconsin. Never heard of this town? I’m not surprised since it only has a population of 1,457. But there they were – hosting this Fire Fest that totally intrigued me. Not even the steamy temperature or the threatening storms could keep us away.

Standing outside, we watched men and women dressed in fire protective gear throwing chunks of iron into this huge caldron, sparks flying everywhere. When the iron was so hot that it melted, they actually used large ladles to pour the hot iron into small sand molds previously designed by people attending the festival.

Do you see a similarity here?

Think about your ideas and your dreams. They start out in huge chunks, just like the iron. They are unshaped and in raw form. As you begin to move forward, fitting the pieces of your idea together, sparks begin to fly. You get excited, ecstatic and emotional as those pieces begin to mold into one form, one shape, one final idea. Wearing the proper “fire protective gear” is essential so you can tune out all the naysayers and keep moving forward, no matter how many people may tell you “it’s just not possible”.

As I move forward in life, creating and molding my own ideas and my own dreams, I was moved by the words of Flavia Weedn: “If one dream should fall and break into a thousand pieces, never be afraid to pick one of those pieces up and begin again”.

When your idea, your dream, is finally realized, those around you will be amazed by your tenacity. Many times, you even amaze yourself; seeing your sparks fly everywhere.

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Yell “Yippee” to the World

Professional Speaker-Personal Development-Positive Attitude

Waking up one morning, I walked onto my front porch to water the plants. There, buried beneath the leaves, I found a bird’s nest with six small eggs.

Some of you may already know this story because it was the topic of my last two blog posts. I can’t help but be amazed by this experience.

It was a riot watching the babies as they developed; mouths opened wide every time I talked to them. I saw them get bigger and stronger each day, until one day they were gone.

Now the nest is empty. Not a sign that anything ever happened there.

And I started thinking…

This is the same cycle we go through every time we have a dream or set a goal.

First there is the egg, or the beginning of an idea. It’s the birth or realization that there is something you’d like to accomplish.

Next come the babies, and like your dream, they are hungry to move forward. You have to feed that dream every single day.

Last, with dedication and vision, your goal is accomplished; your dream is realized. That empty nest is a reminder that you set out to do something specific, you conquered it, and you succeeded.

It’s time to celebrate. It’s time to bask in your glory. Call a friend who will be happy for you, sip some champagne, and yell “Yippee” to the world. Pat yourself on the back. You deserve it.

Too many times we jump into our next project. We think: Well, now that I’ve accomplished that goal, what’s next on my list. What else is expected of me?

Well, I’m here to remind you to celebrate your success along the way. Take time to enjoy what you have accomplished. Take a deep breath, look back, and see how far you’ve come. You will amaze yourself!

Please share your successes. I’d love to hear about them.

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Instinct – aka: That Feeling in the Pit of Your Stomach

Professional Speaker-Personal Development-Positive Attitude

In last week’s blog post, I told you about the bird’s nest I found hidden in the flower pot right outside my front door.

Well, this week I’m thrilled to announce that the babies have arrived!

When I first saw them all curled up together, I couldn’t help but whisper in a sing-song voice:

“Good Morning”.

Suddenly, six hungry mouths opened wide. It was absolutely hysterical!!!

It truly amazed me – how did this little bird know how to build this nest, and more importantly, find a safe place to hide it? How did she learn to protect her babies?

Instinct – that’s all I could think of.

And you know what? We have that same instinct inside of us. It’s that feeling we get in the pit of our stomach, telling us that something isn’t quite right.

It might be:
Don’t walk down that dark street – it doesn’t feel safe
Don’t take this job – it’s not what you’re looking for
Don’t stay in this relationship – you can definitely do better

The trick is to listen to it. Sure, you can come up with lots of excuses to ignore it. But I’m guessing, just like that little bird knows how to protect her babies, you also know how to protect yourself. You know what’s best for your own survival.

Pay attention to that feeling in your gut, listen to that inner voice. It may know you better than you know yourself.

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You Never Know What You’ll Find

Professional Speaker-Personal Development-Positive Attitude

Now this may not seem like a big deal to you, but for a city girl like me, it’s HUGE!

A couple of days ago I walked onto my porch to water the flower pot right outside my front door. As I looked down, there it was, hidden beneath the geraniums. A small bird’s nest with six tiny eggs.

I couldn’t believe my eyes. To see life in its rawest form…
So new
So fresh
So vulnerable

It brought tears to my eyes. At first, I didn’t understand my reaction, but after some thought, I realized that it reminded me of my life only six short years ago.

It was a time of great loss for me and I wondered how I would survive. But piece by piece I began to create a new life. And with time, I found that I was like those new eggs in the nest. It was a time for:
New beginnings
New possibilities
A NEW ME

I had no idea where my new life would take me, or who I would become in the process. It was scary and confusing and exhilarating all at the same time.

But with lots of support from my friends and family, my rawness blossomed into a new career, a new home and a new love.

So every day I check on the eggs in the nest on my front porch. I’m careful not to get too close because I know how fragile they are. And each day they remind me of the possibilities in front of me – in front of all of us.

After all, the future doesn’t lie ahead of you waiting to happen, it lies deep inside of you waiting to be discovered.

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