“I think I’m going to have to get a real job,” Angela sighed as we had coffee one afternoon last month.  “I’m not getting enough clients.  My pipeline is not even close to full, I meet people at networking events and nothing much comes of it, and I’m just not getting enough business.  I love what I do, but if I don’t have enough clients to make the income I need, then it really doesn’t matter.”

Angela is not alone.  I meet entrepreneurs every week who share her frustration. They’re investing huge amounts of time and money in marketing tactics that are not paying off.  They have limited time, limited budgets, and their marketing efforts are not bringing them enough sales. You might be one of them.

You might be struggling with getting the word out about your business, with building the “know me, like me, trust me” relationship with potential clients, with filling your programs and selling your products, with building your business without sounding “sales-y,” with having a bigger impact and making a difference in the world.

There’s a way to turn all of this around. Speaking in front of audiences made up of your perfect target market is one of the most powerful ways to grow your business. If you’re not using it as part of your marketing strategy, you’re leaving money on the table!

When you get up in front of a room of people who need your products and services, you have an opportunity to establish yourself as an expert in your field and as someone who can help them.  You can create demand for your services, get immediate prospects and leads, and even get sales at the event itself.

So how do you do this?  How do you create a powerful message that will bring people into your pipeline and result in more sales? Here are three tips:

1.  Know Your Perfect Audience

When I ask small business owners who their perfect target market is, they often say, “I can help everyone.”  No you can’t.  If you market to everyone, you market to no one. You have to know specifically who your perfect client is.  You need to know everything you can about them—their demographics, what’s important to them, what motivates them, what their values are, what problems and frustrations they have, what they’re focused on.

You can develop your ideal client profile. I actually found a stock photo of my perfect client. I gave her a name, and described her life.  She is who I market to.  She is who I think of when I develop new products and programs.  She is who I craft my messages for. You can do the same.

When you get out and speak, you want to speak to audiences who are filled with people who fit your ideal client profile.  Otherwise, you’re wasting your time, and you won’t have the impact you want.

2.  Laser-Focus Your Message

Before you get in front of an audience, know what you want the end result to be.  What do you want the audience to think, feel, say, or do as a result of hearing you speak?

Do you want to establish yourself as an authority in your field?  Then you want to create a memorable experience and message that will do just that.

Do you want them to buy a program or package that you’ve created? Then you want to establish the need, and make them feel “the problem” in such a way that they absolutely want the solution you offer.

Do you want to create a connection with the audience that makes them want more of you and to stay connected with you?  Then you want to share personal stories, create trust and intimacy, and make sure you are authentically you on stage.

3.  Have a Kick-Ass Speech

.  You want to make sure you have a powerful speech that will get the results you want.

Invest the time and energy to get good—really good.  Read books and articles, hire a coach, take a class—do whatever it takes to get good.  It’s not rocket science, but there is a craft that needs to be learned.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Know your audience. Do research on them in advance.  Talk to the meeting planner, send a pre-program questionnaire, talk to a few potential audience members.

• Begin with an “attention grabbing” opening. Don’t start by thanking your hosts, remarking on the location, or boring people from the start.  Begin with a startling statistic, an interesting question, an intriguing fact that is relevant to their problems.  The first thirty seconds are critical.

• Have a well-structured speech. Make sure you’re clear on your message. Make sure you know what your audience’s pain is and how you can be the solution for them.  Limit your major points—don’t try to tell them everything you know about the subject.

• Tell great stories. The audience will remember them long after they’ve forgotten the “facts” you’ve shared with them.  They are a way of creating a memorable experience, and of creating connection with the audience.

• Use powerful visuals. Props, PowerPoint slides with great images and few words, flipcharts, and other methods can serve as visual anchors to make your message stick.

• Never take Q&A at the end of your speech.  Engage with the audience and take their questions a few minutes before the end of the speech.  Then end powerfully.  If you end with Q&A, the energy you’ve built up fizzles.

• Have a power close. The last minute of your speech must inspire your audience. It needs to energize them, and to fill them with a sense of what’s possible for them. It needs to be memorable.  It needs to move them to action.

So stop leaving money on the table!

• How would your business transform if you were able to speak to your perfect prospects 50 or 100 or hundreds at a time?
• How much would your business grow if you had a steady stream of people who wanted to buy your products and services because they’d heard you speak, and they know, like, and trust you?
• How much would your business benefit if people knew you as an expert in your field?

Putting together a great speech and getting out there and delivering it to audiences of your perfect target market is a sure path to business success. 

What is the first step you will take today to make that happen in your business?

© 2011 Feisty Woman Productions

You can read all of the excellent posts from March Marketing Madness here.  http://www.sanerapdc.com/category/march-marketing-madness-2/

Free download of Ava’s e-book: ROCK YOUR SPEAKING: Seven Secrets to Creating and Delivering Powerful Speeches that Grow Your Business, Make You Money, and Increase Your Impact

http://www.feistywomenrock.com/buy-download-rock-your-speaking-now.html

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I was interviewed on the radio yesterday.  Because I’m the author of Great Quotes from Feisty Women, the interviewer asked me what my favorite quote was.  That’s a tough question.  I have three on the bulletin board next to my desk.

Here’s my favorite:

“When I dare to be powerful—to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.”  Audre Lord

For me, it’s the “get out of your own way” quote.  It’s the “it’s not about you—be in service to others” quote.  It’s the “don’t let fear stop you from going after your dreams” quote.

There’s great wisdom in these words.  They remind us to get clear, really clear on our vision, on what we really want.  They tell us to identify our strengths, and then to use them to move toward our vision. And most importantly, they tell us to move beyond our fears.

When I work with people who want to learn how to speak from the stage and get their message out, it’s often fear that’s stopping them. It’s that little voice asks, “Who would want to listen to me?”  It’s the part of them that keeps them from playing big and going after what they really want.

The truth is, you’ll feel fear when you try something new. It’s just part of the process.

Instead of letting it stop you, how about this?  How about telling yourself, “This is awesome!  I’m at my growing edge. I’m trying something new, so I’m feeling some fear.  It’s just a message that I’m taking a big step forward. Yay, me!”

Then take that next step forward—and watch yourself and your business grow!

So where have you let fear stop you?  And where have you decided that it’s less important that you’re afraid, and have moved forward anyway?

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“Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.” My eyes had glazed over.  My mind was racing, trying to find a graceful way to exit this conversation without hurting the woman’s feelings. I was so done!

I was at an event filled with women business owners, and had asked this woman to tell me a little bit about what she did and what she was passionate about.  About four long minutes into her response where she did not even stop to take a breath, all I was hearing was “blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.”

She had not learned to laser focus her message. She had not learned to share who she was in an engaging way. She came across as tedious, boring, and desperate.  You’ve met people like her, haven’t you?

And somehow, she was the second woman in a row I’d encountered that evening who did exactly the same thing!

Whether you’re a business owner or you’re employed, it’s important to get really good at self promotion.  When I tell my audiences this, they often ask, “Self promotion, Ava, isn’t that kind of sleazy?”  Not at all.  It’s only sleazy if you do it in a way that’s obnoxious.

Effective self promotion is an art and a skill.  It’s turning the spotlight on yourself in a way that’s authentic and comes from a place of helpfulness and being of service.  It’s a way of connecting and of sharing who you are and what value you can bring to the relationship.

Often, when I ask women what they’ve accomplished or what they’re excited about in their business, they are at a loss for words.  They’ve been taught not to “brag.”

Whether it’s at a networking event, a presentation, an interview, or a speech, it’s important to sell yourself.  It’s important to be able to articulate who you are and the value you offer. And it’s important to do it in a way that’s engaging and leaves your audience wanting more.

So how do you do that? How do you find a way to talk about your business and your accomplishments in a way that differentiates you, instills confidence, and begins the process of building the “know, like, and trust factor?”

Here are four tips:

1. Know your audience.  Whether it’s a presentation or a networking event, it’s critical to know your audience.  Know the demographics, their interests, their challenges, why they’re there. Target your message to your audience.  Make it relevant to them.

2. Laser-focus your message. What do you want people to know, think, say, or do as a result of this encounter with you?  If you’re not clear about that, you’ll tend to ramble, go on and on, and try to tell them everything you know. Be focused. Be on target. Be brief.

3. Don’t be a robot. We’ve all been taught to have a “30 second elevator speech.”  We’ve written it down, memorized it, practiced it in front of the mirror, and could say it in our sleep—even after two sleeping pills. There’s only one problem. It sounds like our well-rehearsed elevator speech. It’s not authentic. It doesn’t connect.  Think connection.  Think “real.”  Think sharing who you are.

We’ve all seen presenters that are over-rehearsed. We can’t “feel” them. They don’t connect to the audience.  Being prepared is great. “Performing” rather than connecting—not so much.

4. Be focused on them, and on what you can give. People will think you’re a brilliant conversationalist if you’re a good listener.  Ask questions.  Be fully present and really listen when they answer. Focus on how you can be of service.

For speeches and presentations, be audience focused.  Concentrate on giving great information and great value. Give them tools they can implement immediately.  It’s not about you.  It’s about how you can serve them.

In today’s world, it’s all about relationships. Whether you’re at a networking event, a business meeting, or delivering a presentation, it’s about the connection between you and the other person, or you and the audience.

So get skilled.  Get good.  Then go out and build relationships!

Have you met someone like her?  What did you do in that situation?

Do you have some good tips to share about building connection with an audience of 1 or 100? Please share them with us below!

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A few weeks ago, I was in my favorite breakfast eatery, Snooze, with my friend Jo celebrating her birthday. Snooze is a totally cool place with a kind of futuristic “Jetsons- yet- retro,” “hip- yet- inviting” feel.  And you’ve really not lived until you’ve had one of their pineapple upside down pancakes with vanilla crème anglaise and cinnamon butter.

Impressive Breakfast Delivery

Our food was brought to the table by a really happy guy who delivered our breakfast with enthusiasm and joy. No “food slung mindlessly on the table” here. You could almost hear the “Ta-Da”  music in the background. This guy was excited about this food. He seemed to be thrilled to be bringing it to us. It was clear he cared about our experience. His enthusiasm was contagious.

Jo and I watched him over the next hour, bringing delicious  food and his own special brand of joy to each table in the restaurant.  He was the topic of our breakfast conversation, “He acts as if he cooked each dish himself,” “He’s so proud of this food.” “He looks like he’s having so much fun.”

Fast forward three weeks. This morning, three friends took me to Snooze for breakfast to celebrate my birthday week.  Once again, this same young man with the big grin brought us our food. I began to tell my friends about his awesomeness, when they said, “Tell him!”

So we called him over and I told him how much I appreciated him and why.  He said “I love what I do!” and thanked us for making his “day, week, month!”  (He’s exuberant like that.)

We also shared this with Nick the Manager, who told us that Bryce loves what he does, is studying hospitality management in school, and is an amazing member of their team.

And here’s why Bryce Norblom is so amazing:

1. He’s working in his sweet spot. Bryce clearly loves what he does. He has great pride in the food he serves, and creates an excellent customer experience. How could you feel anything but lucky to be eating what this guy is clearly so excited about?  He gives off the vibe that there’s nowhere he’d rather be than right there, and nothing he’d rather be doing than bringing you your breakfast.

2. He makes it about the customer. Today, having heard it was my birthday, he went back and had the kitchen make me a birthday pancake, and brought it out with a lit candle and a flourish.  You could tell he was just delighted to surprise me. And for me, it wasn’t just the birthday pancake—it was his glee at bringing it to me.

3. He’s incredibly cheerful at 7 o’clock in the morning. Nuff said.

So look at your business:

Are working in your sweet spot? Are you passionate about what you do?  Are you doing what you do best and leveraging your strengths?  Are you excited about what you are offering?

Are you making it about the customer? Do you know your customer intimately?  Do you know their pain, their aspirations, their lives?  Are you focused on helping them?  Are you focused on giving them the best products and services you can? Are you constantly looking for new ways of serving them and making their lives better?

Are you cheerful at 7 am? Are you taking care of yourself and getting enough rest? Are you confident that what you do that day will make a difference?  Do you get out of bed excited about what you will create each day?

Incorporating these three “Reasons Why Bryce Norblom is Amazing” into your business can make you as amazing as he is!

I’d love to hear about the “Bryce Norbloms” you’ve encountered, and what made that customer experience so amazing.

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As I walked to my car after attending an “unconference” last week, this sticker on another car caught my eye.  I had to take a picture of it.  I’ve been thinking about it all week.

How might things transform if we all lived by this motto? What would the world be like if we all wagged more and barked less?

Leaders and Small Business Owners

Leaders and small business owners would focus on the strengths of their people.  They would share an exciting vision of the future, and help each person see how their contribution helps move the organization toward that future. They would set clear expectations, encourage their people, celebrate their successes, and help them learn from their “creative missteps.”

They would focus on and talk about what’s going right. They’d set achievable milestones so that people would feel a continued sense of progress and achievement. They’d get excited about small wins, and help them become bigger ones.  They’d become each of their employees’ biggest champion.

They’d create an organizational culture that is focused on creating an amazing experience for their customers. They would make their customers feel valued and appreciated, and make each transaction uncommonly good. Their customers would be so happy, that they’d wag themselves, telling others in their circle about their remarkable experience with the organization. Word would spread. Business would increase.  More wagging all around.

In Our Personal Lives

We’d focus on what’s going right. We’d live with a great sense of gratitude, and appreciate all of the awe-inspiring things we encounter each day—the smile of a toddler, a beautiful flower, the touch of a loved one, the taste of a juicy peach, the miracle of everyday life.  We would wag all day long if we simply tuned into just how good things in our lives really are.

We wouldn’t complain. We’d change what we had influence over, and let go of the rest.  We would not spend time complaining about things we have no power to change.  Barking about things we can’t change is a waste of time and energy.

We wouldn’t blame. We would focus on wagging our way to the solution to any problem we face, rather than looking at whose “fault” the problem is.

We’d be a joy to be around. People would be attracted to our positive energy, and want to hang with us. They’d wag more as well.  We’d all be wagging together, joyfully living our lives.

So that’s been my focus this last week—wagging more and barking less.

How about you?  What will you do to incorporate this into your life?  Are your ready to wag more and bark less?

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I got my first smart phone last month. It has a built in GPS/navigation system with a tiny woman who lives in my phone and gives me turn by turn directions. I call her Myrtle. We’ve bonded.

I’ve noticed that I don’t quite trust Myrtle yet. When I’m leaving my office to go somewhere new, I take a quick peek at Google Maps on my desktop computer and get an idea in my head of where I’m going and what main roads will take me there. Then I trust Myrtle to take care of the details of the small streets once I get in the vicinity of my destination.

Can you say “control freak?”

Last weekend, my best friend and I were headed to an estate sale. True to form, I’d looked at the map on my desktop computer before leaving. I knew where I was headed.

Except that Myrtle had other ideas. As we pulled out of my friend’s neighborhood, and onto the main road, Myrtle told me to “make a right turn on E. Vine Drive.” Now, in my mind, we should be staying on North College Avenue for a few more miles before turning off. But Myrtle said we should turn.

I was going to ignore Myrtle and go my way (Myrtle has a remarkable ability to recalibrate and create a new route when I ignore her gentle urgings), but my friend said, “Let’s just go the way Myrtle is telling us.”

So I turned on Vine. Then Myrtle told me to stay on Vine for a few more miles before turning again. I just knew this could not be right. I knew I should turn left on LeMay. My friend urged me to stay the course, and listen to Myrtle. I said, “I don’t have a half hour to waste if she takes us way out of the way.”

My wise friend suggested it would probably only take us, at best, five minutes out of the way, and that I might learn something. So I decided to let go and give control to Myrtle.

The route in my head would have taken us through this.

Myrtle’s route took us through the scenery at the top of this post. And I don’t think it took us any longer.

My friend was right. I learned something.

Letting go and inviting in outside guidance can bring better results than having a predetermined, rigid plan that you alone formulate.

Start with what you know. Start with your best ideas. Then open yourself up to other possibilities. The world of business today is too complex to ignore the wealth of information that is available to us.

Be open to outside guidance. Input can come from many places. Create your own “board of directors.” These are people you like and respect, who have expertise that is different than your own, and who are open to providing you with information and ideas. They are people you can call or meet with as needed. You can ask questions, and kick around ideas, get a “sanity check.”

Let go of control. And the need to be right. Both important. Both tough. Both will close you off from a world of possibilities.

So here’s a question for you. Where does your need to control things keep you stuck, and limit your business growth and success?

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“If you don’t like change, you’re going to like irrelevance even less.”  General Eric Shinseki

Over these last few weeks, I’ve been working with an organization that is undergoing a huge amount of change. They’re looking at changing their organizational culture,  the way services are delivered, and the way they’re organized.

I’ve had the opportunity to teach their leadership team how to lead change, and to deliver a “How to Thrive and Stay Sane in the Midst of Change” workshop for all of their employees.

When I came across Eric Shinseki’s quote, I knew I had to share it with this organization.  And I knew I had to share it with you.

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

The nice thing about staying in our comfort zone is that we get to be, well, comfortable. We can relax, put it on “cruise control” and never really have to stretch or feel hesitant, anxious, or insecure. We know where we’re headed, what to do, and how to do it. It’s easy.

It’s also a recipe for staying stuck, for not growing, and for not tapping all of our passions and gifts.

Whether we are a business owner, or are employed in an organization, remaining in our comfort zones is a sure path to irrelevance.  And a quick one.

Be Willing to Continually Reinvent Yourself

The world is changing at an unprecedented pace. Those who excel in today’s environment have several things in common:

A willingness to learn something new every day. Do you set aside time to read blogs, listen to teleseminars, read books, attend events, watch webinars? Are you growing and learning and staying ahead of the curve? Are you staying relevant?

A commitment to being unique. In today’s world, you can’t be a commodity.  You can’t be just like everyone else.  You have to stand out, be known for something, be the go-to person for the area of your expertise.  You have to have expertise, and then add your own sumtin’ sumptin’ to make it unique.

The ability to be flexible and to adapt. Markets change. Customer needs are ever evolving. Consumers are faced with a mind-blowing array of choices.  Those who excel stay on the leading edge. They ask their customers what they need. They innovate. They are willing to change and reinvent themselves.

A clear message that they communicate in multiple forums.  Be clear about what you stand for what others can count on you for. Build your reputation. Be visible. Then be more visible.

An emphasis on relationships. In the end, it’s all about relationships. It’s about how you can help other people.  Whether through your services, your products, or just your presence, it’s about how you can be of service to other people. Be amazing at follow up, at staying in touch, at sharing what you can offer to help others.

Seize the Moment- NOW!

“If you don’t like change, you’re going to like irrelevance even less.”

Please don’t read this post and say to yourself, “Hey, those were some good ideas,” and then go back into the safety of your comfort zone. Identify one BOLD step (and if that’s too scary, one small step) that will take you toward the success you dream of, and away from irrelevance.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. What’s one change you can make to make you more successful, and reduce your chances of becoming irrelevant? Share it below.

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Stacey has a good job in a growing organization. She’s smart, energetic, and creative—and she’s underperforming. Her boss is unhappy with her work.

She lacks focus. Stacey doesn’t seem to be able to set priorities, execute on those priorities, and get her contributions recognized. She’s floundering.  As I talked to her about this, she moaned, “If I only had a mentor!”

Mentoring Has Changed Forever

Stacey was making a common mistake. She was looking for someone to take her under their wing for the next several years and shepherd her through her career. It’s not likely to happen!

Ronna Lichtenberg, in her book It’s Not Business, It’s Personal: The 9 Relationship Principles That Power Your Career says, “It’s an urban  fairy tale—that somewhere out there is that special someone, a mentor, who will take over your career, then not only guide you through it, but hack through the jungle ahead of you, machete in hand, to make space for you to grow, and then in a final burst of energy, whip out a magic wand and grant you not just the job you’ve always wanted, but a bulletproof vest to protect you from the flak that’s gonna be flying at you once you get it.  Oh, and the mentor expects nothing in return, except for the deep, quiet satisfaction of knowing that you got what you truly deserved.”

Mentoring has changed forever. In today’s world, a mentor is anyone who has information or experience that would be helpful to you. The mentoring relationship is often an organic one, and may last anywhere from a few minutes to a lifetime.  You might be both a mentor and a mentee at the same time—even with the same person.

The Sixty Minute Mentor

If  mentoring would be helpful in your business or your life, identify what you need help with.  Then identify someone who knows what you need to know.

Ask that person if they’d be willing to spend some time with you answering your questions and providing some guidance.  Offer to take them to lunch, buy them a cup of coffee, or meet with them at their location.

Plan some questions in advance.  Use their time wisely. That sixty minutes might prove to be exactly what you need to move forward, or it might turn into a longer term relationship. Your sixty minute mentor might also suggest some other folks you might talk with.

Mentoring Moments

Some people won’t have time for an in person meeting.  Ask if you can have fifteen minutes of their time over the phone. You’ll rarely be refused.  It’s amazing what you can learn in 15 minutes of focused time.

Make Sure You Give

How can you be of service to your sixty minute mentor? Be creative.  Do you know something that would be of help to them?  Is there a connection you could make for them with one of your contacts? Is there an article you could send them?

Share Your Tips

What tips do you have for being a mentor or a mentee? Please share them below.  We can all learn from each other!

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Worry is the enemy of accomplishment. The enemy of success. The enemy of living in the moment and enjoying where you are.

Whether you own a business, lead a team, or work for someone else, worry can stop you dead in your tracks, can have you focusing on the worst case scenario, and can result in a case of business or life paralysis.

“I Have a Whole Year to Worry About It!”

One night, on an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond, Raymond had anguished for a long time over what to buy his dad for his birthday. He finally decided on what he thought was the perfect gift—a fish tank filled with beautiful fish.

His father loved it. Raymond was so happy!

Later that night, he and his wife were talking about the day. Rather than being grateful that he’d found the perfect gift, Raymond began to worry.

“Oh, no…now I have to top this next year. Dad will expect something even better! How am I going to be able to find something better than this?”

His wife, with an amused glint in her eye,  turned to him and said, “Well, Raymond, you don’t have to worry about it for another year.”

Raymond looked shocked. “Oh, no…You clearly don’t understand worrying—this means I have a whole year to worry about it!”

He had a black belt in worrying. He was a pro.

But it’s not just this TV character. How many of us do this?

Worrying will suck the lifeblood out of your business. It will leave you timid, risk-averse, and discouraged. It’s tough to passionately go after your goals if you’re stuck in worry.

So what can you do?

Top 3 Tips to Get Out of the Worry Habit

When we worry, we’re focusing on the worst case scenario.  That needs to shift. Big time.

1. Start a Worry List

Start a worry list. When you find yourself beginning to worry, take out your worry list, put the topic you’re worrying about on your list, and get back to doing something productive or enjoyable.  You’ll have a set time to come back to your list and worry.  You’ll still get to worry…you’re just postponing it. You’re beginning to break that habitual pattern of worrying.

2. Block Off Worry Time

Schedule a time when you will worry. Let yourself worry for three minutes. But that’s it. Set a timer. Take out your worry list, and see what you want to worry about.

Worry for the time you’ve allotted yourself.  Then move on and focus on what you DO want, rather than what you don’t want.

You might even find that when you set aside time to intentionally worry and you take out your list, you don’t even feel like worrying.  You might wonder what you’re getting so worked up over.

3. Focus on the Best Case Scenario

Ask yourself, “What is the “best case scenario?” What would be the perfect outcome?

Reflect on this scenario, marinate in it, visualize it, feel it. Own it!

Then, ask yourself, “What is the first step that will take me there?”

Action takes your power back. It eliminates that stuck, powerless, overwhelmed feeling that worry creates. It gets you moving in the right direction. It’s energizing!

Take that first step toward your best case scenario. Get it done. Then take the next step.

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So what about you?  Where do you let worry keep you stuck?  And what tips can you share below for giving worry the middle finger?

Here’s the soundtrack for this post: Don\’t Worry, Be Happy Jimmy Cliff/Bobby McFerrin

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As Bud and I wandered around Home Depot, I was struck by how much we could learn from this little guy.

Leap into the Experience

Bud knows exactly which stores let him come in.  If I pull up at the grocery store, he knows he’s going to wait in the car, and he’s a patient guy.  But if I pull up at Home Depot, Bed, Bath, and Beyond, Ace Hardware, or Michael’s—places where he’s been in the store—he starts barking as I pull into the parking lot. It’s as if he’s saying, “I know they let doggies in there, so don’t even think about leaving me in the car!”

When I open the car door to move him from the back seat to the store cart, he leaps into my arms with abandon, anticipation and joy.  He gets to go!  He’s ready for a new experience!  He’s jumping in with both all four feet!

How often do we leap into the experience?  And how often do we hang back, dipping one toe into the water, missing opportunities because we were too cautious and hesitated for too long?

Pay Attention to Self Care

When I take Bud into a store, he rides around in the shopping cart.  The bottoms can be hard on little beagle paws.  So Bud has subliminally communicated to me that he’d be much more comfortable if I’d take his cushion that sits in the back seat of my car, and put it in the bottom of the cart.

He rides around in beagle comfort. He had a nice, soft place to sit.

What about you?  Are you willing to ask for what you want?  Are you willing to pay attention to self care?  Or do you spend all of your time being pulled by other people’s needs?

Be Friendly and Add Value for the People You Meet

Bud is really clear about his life’s purpose, even though he’s never read a self help book or been to a seminar.  He knows he’s here to love, and to bring joy to others.

Bud’s a people magnet. Everyone from old men to small children are drawn to this little angelic dog.  He somehow sends out a message that says, “I’d be delighted if you’d come over here and talk to me, or pet me, or say how cute I am! I will be open to you, and will adore our time together.  I will add joy to your life right now!”

Is that the vibe you send out (okay, maybe minus the petting)?  Are you open and friendly? Do you look for ways to help other people? Can you connect in meaningful ways?

Revel in the Moment

Bud is totally present. He’s in the moment. He plays full out.

He’s not messing around with the past, analyzing his puppyhood and the less-than-stellar treatment he had from the person who had him before he came to us.  He doesn’t spend time worrying about whether he’ll have enough time in the backyard to play tomorrow.

Nope, he is where he is. When we’re in the garden section, he’s sniffing the flowers, wagging his tail with glee.  When we’re walking up the hardware aisle, he’s looking around in curiosity and amazement.  When the guy’s cutting my masonite board, he’s totally focused on Matt the awesome lumber guy.

Is that true for you?  Can you be totally present in each moment? This one’s still a challenge for me.  Bud has agreed to be my mentor so I can learn this from him.

When It’s Over, It’s Over

Bud spent no time wishing we could have wandered up one more aisle, looked at one more piece of lumber, or met one more little girl.  Once we left the store, he was ready to leap back in the car, stick his head out the window, and move on to the next experience.

Bud doesn’t look back. When he’s squeezed all of the juice out of this moment, this experience, he’s ready to move on to what’s next.

What about you?  Can you let go and move on?  Or do you get stuck in what could have been?

Bud’s Challenge to Us

So here’s our challenge. Can we take Bud’s Home Depot lessons and apply them to our own lives?  Where are we as wise as Bud the Beagle, and where are our opportunities for growth?

Please share your thoughts below.

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