This weekend was amazing. There were so many wonderful opportunities to connect with people, whether they were people I know previously or ones I met for the first time.
And that is a key part of doing business. Have the "why not?" attitude when it comes to engaging in activities, and keep it light and social. People like people who look like they enjoy life. Therefore, when you are out and about, instead of trying to "FIND" people who might be interested in what you're doing, just find people with whom to connect. The conversation alone will tell you if there is a need for what you have to offer, if the person with whom you are speaking is open to any solution you may have, or if the person with whom you are talking is even open to talking about anyone other than him/herself. Those are factors that you must acknowledge before even opening your mouth about what you may want to discuss because if any of the above are not there, you're wasting your energy!
Then, just be casual about it. The more intriguing it seems, the more people will want to know. Don't word vomit all over them. Keep it short. Keep it simple. Keep it interesting. And be prepared! Be sure that if you have fliers, or business cards, or samples, or info, you have them available! Don't hand them out before someone asks for them, and wait a few minutes before finding it, even if you know exactly where it is! The intrigue is always exciting!
And remember to have fun. There is not "end" point in what you do. It's a journey, so there's no race. Rather, it's about enjoying the endeavor and learning to love connecting with people!
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Those We Love
The point - listen. When a friend or your partner or a family member struggles or is upset, it's not about you. It's your job as the other half of that conversation to help build up your friend. It doesn't mean that you have to agree with them or back them, because that won't help them grow. What they need is support, support to grow, and support to work through their frustration. It may be as simple as coming over to their house to just hang out. It may be a cup of coffee. It may be a longer phone call, or a quick little "pick me up gift" like the one above. The point, though, is just to show you care. They don't need to be right. They need to be supported.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Flowers!
So I discovered something fun this weekend: flowers! I am SO not a flower person, but I do love the way the look in a vase. So when I headed out to the florist this weekend to search for what flowers I was going to have in my wedding bouquet and in my table arrangements, I had a lot to learn.
How to approach a floral bouquet:
1) Pick a starting point
I LOVE roses and lilies. I also wanted a certain rust/orange to deep red color scheme.
2) Bring a picture of the style of bouquet you want:
Meaning....do you want a tightly wound bouquet or a cascading one?
3) Let the florist DO HER JOB!
Florists have a job for a reason! Now, granted, I also don't have any idea what flowers are what past the basic tulip, carnation, rose, lily, orchid, but I also know that when someone is good at what they do, let them be good at it! I showed her my #2 and my #1 pieces and she said "HERE" and gave me a run down of what she would use. Within 5 mintues she had a basic working bouquet and it was gorgeous!
4) Keep in mind colors and flowers are seasonal!
So.....when she showed me the bouquet, the colors were wrong, but the flowers were perfect! Remember to be flexible and ask to come in for a sample bouquet prior to the wedding if you really want to make triple sure the bouquet is what you want!
AND lastly, ask if they rent or if you buy the centerpiece vases. Many people think they can take the centerpieces at weddings, so you don't want to end up with a hidden fee at the end!
How to approach a floral bouquet:
1) Pick a starting point
I LOVE roses and lilies. I also wanted a certain rust/orange to deep red color scheme.
2) Bring a picture of the style of bouquet you want:
Meaning....do you want a tightly wound bouquet or a cascading one?
3) Let the florist DO HER JOB!
Florists have a job for a reason! Now, granted, I also don't have any idea what flowers are what past the basic tulip, carnation, rose, lily, orchid, but I also know that when someone is good at what they do, let them be good at it! I showed her my #2 and my #1 pieces and she said "HERE" and gave me a run down of what she would use. Within 5 mintues she had a basic working bouquet and it was gorgeous!
4) Keep in mind colors and flowers are seasonal!
So.....when she showed me the bouquet, the colors were wrong, but the flowers were perfect! Remember to be flexible and ask to come in for a sample bouquet prior to the wedding if you really want to make triple sure the bouquet is what you want!
AND lastly, ask if they rent or if you buy the centerpiece vases. Many people think they can take the centerpieces at weddings, so you don't want to end up with a hidden fee at the end!
Monday, February 4, 2013
2/4
Today is my mom's birthday. Or, well, it was.
She passed away almost 6 years ago, now, and it's amazing how time flies. People always say time heals all wounds, and there are moments when I agree with that. It's not that the wound heals, because that suggests that you don't notice it anymore, aside from a faint scar. Rather, the wound becomes less pester-some. It flairs up less, and you become able to control what was initially throbbing pain and then just a dull ache. There even become times, admittedly, when you almost don't notice it.
In fact, I didn't remember today was her birthday until I saw my brother post on FB about it. I had a momentary smile and then part of me thought, why dwell on the past? I didn't even remember how old she would have been until I did some serious math. It wasn't until later today when a student said, "Guess what today is?! My birthday!" that I smiled widely and without even thinking said, "Nice! It's my mom's bday too!" Then I had to pause and reflect for a moment, and realize how subconsciously that response flew off my lips. It wasn't a sad comment. It was like agreement. Like someone had just said that their favorite movie was your favorite movie, and you simply smile and chime in about how awesome that is that you have it in common!
So here's to you, Mom, for your birthday. Hope it was wonderful.
She passed away almost 6 years ago, now, and it's amazing how time flies. People always say time heals all wounds, and there are moments when I agree with that. It's not that the wound heals, because that suggests that you don't notice it anymore, aside from a faint scar. Rather, the wound becomes less pester-some. It flairs up less, and you become able to control what was initially throbbing pain and then just a dull ache. There even become times, admittedly, when you almost don't notice it.
In fact, I didn't remember today was her birthday until I saw my brother post on FB about it. I had a momentary smile and then part of me thought, why dwell on the past? I didn't even remember how old she would have been until I did some serious math. It wasn't until later today when a student said, "Guess what today is?! My birthday!" that I smiled widely and without even thinking said, "Nice! It's my mom's bday too!" Then I had to pause and reflect for a moment, and realize how subconsciously that response flew off my lips. It wasn't a sad comment. It was like agreement. Like someone had just said that their favorite movie was your favorite movie, and you simply smile and chime in about how awesome that is that you have it in common!
So here's to you, Mom, for your birthday. Hope it was wonderful.
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