ARTICLES
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Smart Women Create the Right Environment
Recently, I took a road trip with my family from Los Angeles to Napa Valley, California. During my visit I learned that it takes a different environment (soil, temperature, irrigation) to grow different types of grapes to make wine. For example, you cannot create a great tasting chardonnay when you are in an environment that creates great Pinot Noir. This got me thinking about how important our environment is when we are creating something new in our lives.
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How Smart Women Stay Connected
I was sitting in a park recently watching my children play with their grandparents and all at once I heard this deep, booming voice from a distance say, “You must make contact if you want to stay in the game.” I turned to my left and saw a coach working with a girl’s softball team – instructing them on their swing and explaining the importance of making contact between the bat and ball at just the right moment. Read More
Smart Women Think Like 10 Year Olds!
Do you remember what you were like at age 10? It’s right before our hormones kick in and societal expectations begin to manipulate our thinking. I remember when I was 10. I was outgoing, outspoken, with empathy and support for those in need. This got me thinking about becoming who we are authentically at a young age. We begin the process of “becoming” and then something happens along the way. Why?
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Smart Women Prefer the “Limited” Lifetime Warranty
I received a catalog in the mail the other day from a well-known company that provides fine cookware for the cooking enthusiast. As I flipped through the pages, I came upon an ad for these whimsical cupcake pans that just looked like they would be fun to use. I noticed at the end of the description that it read “Limited Lifetime” Warranty. Read More
Smart Women Can Be Action Figures Too!
In my Success Circles, women create vision boards which represent their big ideas, dreams and plans for living a life filled with energy, passion and purpose. I invite them to bring in favorite photos or magazines they enjoy reading, as possibilities for their board. Read More
Smart Women Have An Attitude
Last week, the Women’s Club in my community celebrated men and women over the age of 90 by hosting a dinner and entertainment event in their honor. I read about this event in the local paper and was struck by one interview with a woman who was born in 1912 (she’s 96!). Read More
Smart Women Plant Their Seeds
Last Friday, my children and I went to an Eco-Fest at my son’s school. It offered creative ways to think about living organically and sustaining our planet. At one point my 5 year old daughter Jenna wandered to a booth a few feet away from me, and I noticed that she became very focused on what they were doing. Minutes later, she appeared with something wrapped inside recycled paper that she was carrying very carefully. Read More
Smart Women Paint Their Magic Circle
I took my daughter Jenna to her Karate class the other day, and after the instructor welcomed all of the children to the class he asked them to “paint your magic circle around you.” I sat there and watched a group of children take their hands and paint an imaginary circle around their bodies and sit down.
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Smart Women Are Nutritious
Last week, on two separate occasions, I had the topic of what I refer to as “nutritious” people come up. I was speaking at a women’s convention and I asked them to write down at least 3 “nutritious” people they have in their life right now. I also had a conversation with a woman in my Success Circle about the difference between “nutritious” people versus those that can drain you and zap your energy level. You know the relationships I’m talking about-- right?
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Smart Women Develop a Mindset – “Ready, Fire, Aim”
Some people move forward with their big ideas, dreams, and goals, and others never seem to be able to get out of the starting gate. Why is this? What makes it happen for some but not for others? Women will say to me, “I have an idea, but every time I get to a certain point, I can’t seem to “pull the trigger!” Read More
Smart Women Get Back On the Pogo Stick
The other day as we were driving to school, my daughter Jenna boldly stated, “Mom, for my birthday, I want a Pogo Stick.” This statement made me curious so I asked her, “Jenna, why do you want a Pogo Stick?” Jenna’s reply was “Mom, it’s easy. You just get on, fall off, get back up, and get on again..." Read More
Smart Women Know How To Pack
This past weekend, our family went on a camping trip with my daughter Jenna’s pre-school class. There were 30 children, ages 4-5, along with their parents and teachers. Needless to say, my daughter and her classmates had a terrific time and created many lasting memories. Read More
Smart Women Know “All About Me”
This is a big week for my son Jack who is in first grade. It’s his “All About Me” presentation. We spent some time this weekend gathering all of the items that he believes are a representation of who he is right now. This morning, I was walking behind him and watching him carry his box full of items, head held high, proud of what he had chosen and really sure of who he is, right now, at age 7. Read More
Smart Women Are Possibility Thinkers
One morning not long ago, I was driving to the Inn at Playa del Rey for one of my Women’s Success Circles. It was a beautiful day in Pacific Palisades---blue skies, sun shining—glorious. What a great day this was going to be! My mind turned to possibilities for the day. As I made my way down to the beach and through Santa Monica, the weather began to change.
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Smart Women Give Themselves Permission
Recently, I was having a conversation with a woman when she asked me a crucial question: “What are the steps I need to take in order to live a life filled with passion and purpose?” It’s really a 3 part process. When a woman is ready to create her own extraordinary life, she needs to first decide what she wants. Then she needs to decide how she wants to design her life. Finally, she needs to give herself permission to have the life she has chosen. Read More
Smart Women Keep Their Inner Doors Open
Our family went to the Santa Barbara Zoo this past weekend. I love this zoo because it’s not overwhelming (you can see everything in about 2 hours) and Santa Barbara is a favorite spot of mine to relax. When we entered the exotic birds area, a sign on the door read, “For the safety of our birds, please close the inner door before opening the outer door.” Read More
Smart Women Are Great Gardeners
As I was unpacking a box in our new house the other day, I found a beautiful drawing that my son Jack had done when he was in Kindergarten last year, in the spring. It’s 4 pieces of paper layered together with drawings and these 4 words: seed, roots, stem, flower. Read More
Smart Women Make Amazing Things Happen
The month of March is a very important month if you are a basketball fan. It’s “March Madness” and there are games from every team around the country participating in playoffs and finals all month. We are big basketball fans at our house. I was watching a game this week with my children and a commercial came on for the NBA. Their slogan this season is “NBA—Where Amazing Happens.” Read More
Smart Women Dare To Dream
Recently, in one of my Women’s Success Circles, we had a conversation about the difference between a dream and a goal. The majority of the women agreed that a goal is something that is attainable while a dream is unattainable. Read More
Smart Women Know When to Let Go
Every day as I leave my house, I am drawn to a large tree across the street, with beautiful branches and leaves. For awhile now, it has been shedding its leaves. Yesterday I noticed for the first time that all of the leaves have fallen off, leaving the tree bare. Read More
Smart Women Answer Their Call
No, I’m not talking about your cell phone or the phone in your home or office. All the women in my Success Circles know that I don’t believe in picking up the phone every time it rings. Read More
Smart Women Rarely Hallucinate
Albert Einstein said, “Vision without execution is merely hallucination.” The first time I read this, I thought it was so powerful and spot on. Read More
Smart Women Know How to Make Music
While on our way to school listening to a solo piano CD this morning, (it's a great tool that I use to calm everyone down after a hectic morning rushing to get out the door!) my 5 year old daughter Jenna asked me, "Mom, how do you make music?" Read More
Smart Women Have a GPS
There is a beautiful, peaceful bed and breakfast in Santa Monica, The Channel Road Inn, where I am fortunate to spend time with women who are ready to explore, evaluate, and make a plan for their future. It’s the perfect place to think about a big idea or any goal that you want to set into motion. Read More
How Smart Women Stay Busy
I have the good fortune to spend meaningful time with a lot of smart women who keep me on track about what’s going on in women’s lives. One topic that resonates with many of these women (and with me) is the idea of busyness. Read More
Smart Women Have Dreams Too!
My son Jack came home from school today with an excited, “Yippee Mom, there’s no school next Monday because it’s Martin Luther King Day!” A few minutes later he comes running back into the kitchen and asks, “Mom, who is Martin Luther King anyway?” Wow---what a question. Read More
Smart Women Make Great Choices
Do you have a hard time making decisions? When given a choice of A,B,C, and D---can you choose easily? I ask this question because I have found that having to make choices can sometimes be paralyzing for many of us. Read More
Yes, Smart Women are Unique!
I recently read an article where a well-known CEO of a major coffee company was quoted as saying they, “now have over 19,000 different versions of coffee combinations they can make.” It was difficult for me to believe that statement. Read More
Smart Women Take Risks in 2008
Remember Risk? I wrote about taking risks recently and it really hit a nerve with many women. Women were emailing me, stopping me in the grocery store, on the street in my community. And you know what each of them said? Read More
Smart Women and a Magical 2008
I want to wish you a Happy New and let you know about some exciting news here at Smart Women Smart Solutions but first I would like to share a reflective thought on how important this time of year can be. Our family received many cards this holiday season wishing us a Happy New Year. Read More
How Smart Women Take Risks
My husband and I recently attended our son’s back-to-school night at his new elementary school. The principal, Tami Weiser (a gifted leader, by the way) creates a theme for her teaching staff every fall. This year the theme is risk. Wow, I thought . . . risk. The word brings up both fear and excitement for me. Read More
How Smart Women Practice Yoga Every Day
I recently began taking yoga. When I arrived for my first class, I sat down on my mat and waited to learn all of the unbelievable twisting and bending poses I’d seen in magazines. I’d always thought, “If striking those poses will make my body look like that, count me in!” Read More
How Smart Women Stay Connected
I was sitting in a park recently watching my children play with their grandparents and all at once I heard this deep, booming voice from a distance say, “You must make contact if you want to stay in the game.” Read More
How Smart Women Take a Half-Time Break
My husband Greg and I recently took our children, Jack and Jenna, to a Los Angeles Sparks basketball game. This is the WNBA team here in our city. It was a great game with close scoring. Just as my children were really getting into the game, guess what happened? Read More
How Smart Women Pack for Their Journey
This summer, I traveled with my family for our annual vacation to Telluride, Colorado. An interesting event occurred en route that made me pause and reflect on what we really, truly need. Read More
How Smart Women Tend Their Gardens
Recently, I walked through my family room and stumbled upon papers belonging to my son Jack. He had been working on a kindergarten project. His paper said: Plants grow from seeds. Read More
How Smart Women Move Into Spring
I’m writing this on March 1. This is a very important day in our family, as was January 1 and February 1. No doubt April 1 and May 1 will also be special. My son Jack is very curious right now about the days of the week and which month we’re in at any given time. Read More
How Smart Women Listen to Themselves
I was in our kitchen over the holiday season preparing the family meal and chatting with my mother-in-law when she posed the question most of us are asked at least once around this time of year. “Have you made any New Year’s resolutions?” she inquired. Read More