Even if your life is mapped out, you never know where life will take you

I came across this quote today:

Even when you think you have your life all mapped out, things happen that shape your destiny in ways you might never have imagined. – Deepak Chopra

For anyone who knows my story, you will know that my business and life haven’t exactly turned out the way I imagined, however, there are many things and opportunities that I couldn’t have imagined that have been amazing and exactly what I needed.

Smile

This weeks quote was posted on the Business Mums Network forums some time ago:

A smile is a curved line that sets things straight.
Anon

The response on the forums from this quote was a lot of smiles.

It’s amazing how powerful a smile can be – just try looking at a smiling baby and try not to smile yourself. Even when you’re feeling down, a smile has amazing powers to pick you up!

So, smile to someone today and see how smiles set things straight.

This week, I published a great story, called “The Man who Sold Hotdogs“. I won’t republish it here, so go to my other post to read the story.

In these times when all we hear on the news is gloom and doom about the economy, there are many lessons to be learned from the man how sold hot dogs. He couldn’t hear or see the news, and kept going on with his business, and business grew. It kept growing until someone pointed out what was going on and he stopped advertising and doing what he was doing, and his business failed.

There are so many lessons we can learn from this! The biggest is to stop paying attention to what people are saying and to keep going with what we are doing. Many business mums I’ve spoken to haven’t notice a drop in sales, other than the usual seasonal drop, and they are confident sales will increase again as the year goes on.

So, keep going and be like the man who sold hotdogs at the start of his story.

Wisdom from Thomas the Tank Engine

Zac has recently turned 5, however when he was 4 he loved a particular Thomas the Tank Engine DVD, one with a game on it. (Aparently now that he’s 5, he doesn’t like Thomas any more….) Today’s Wednesday Wisdom is a quote from when he was 4 and playing his game:

When I crash, I start again!

It’s funny how comments from the kids can be so profound. As a business mum, there are times when I crash – usually when I’m trying to do too much! And every time I do, I need to start again…

We have just come back from a fantastic holiday in the Grampians, and are about to enjoy another camp next week. The lead up to Christmas was busy and stressful – add in a couple of birthdays and it’s a recipe for crashing. So, I’m starting 2009 with a clear head and fresh outlook.

So, when you crash, just start again!

Starts as a daydream...

I have a great quote today:

Everything starts as somebody’s daydream – Larry Niven

Why doI think this is a great quote for business mums? Because most of us started out business as a dream. We may not have known exactly what business we wanted to start, however we did dream about it.

I know for me, I still daydream about my business – new projects, activities, marketing ideas, and so on.

So, keep on daydreaming. Your business most likely started as a daydream, and you never know what your next daydream will bring you!

Today’s Wednesday Wisdom comes from a gift book I received last Christmas:

You can have whatever you want if you dress for it – Edith Head

This quote rings true for me. If you’ve read my other blogs and newsletters, you will know that I have suffered bouts of major depression in my lift. Often when I’m feeling down, I will dress up, wear something that I know I look great in and often in bright colours. This helps lift my mood and helps me feel better.

I also have a stylist, the wonderful Imogen from Bespoke Image. We go shopping each year so I’m always wearing clothes I look great in.

Dressing well also helps me with my business. While most days when I’m home by myself, I generally wear jeans and a top, when I go out networking, I dress in “business” clothes. This helps get me in a business mindset, especially when I’m not feeling like a successful business mum.

So, in your business and life, dress like you want to be – dress to look your best, even if you don’t always feel like it. It really does help.

Interesting difficulties

On Monday, I went to a workshop on goals. During the talk, the presenter read out a definition of challenges:

Challenge: Interesting difficulties

I love this definition of a challenge. Having something that’s interesting makes it more fun to do! And this definition makes it seem like challenges aren’t hard, they aren’t scary, they are interesting and something fun to do.

For me, much of business and business growth is changing my mindset. By seeing challenges as interesting difficulties rather than something to be dreaded and avoided is something that will help my business grow.

Going my way?

When I was a teenager, I had a poster on my wall that said:

“Everything’s going my way, am I heading in the wrong direction?”

This may seem like a strange quote for Wednesday Wisdom, however I know this is how I often feel. Every now and again, despite of, or maybe because of, my best efforts, things seem to fall in to place. Often this can happen when I’m feeling down about business or completely stressed out and I have a break. Often I’ll ring a friend and ask them what I’ve done differently to get these orders or the new advertiser that’s just come through, or whatever.

I know it’s not that I’m going in the wrong direction – everyone else is!