What’s your Word for 2013?

january 1st

Happy January 1st my friends, and Happy 2013! As you know, I love to celebrate firsts and new beginnings! I love the start of a new year, it is so fresh and fun and full of possibilities. I view life as a big adventure and I love to experience new things.

I’m spending this week reflecting on 2012 and planning for 2013.

Yesterday on my Happy First facebook page I asked the question- Does anyone make resolutions? The first response came from a dear friend who said she doesn’t make resolutions, too much pressure and she doesn’t want to be disappointed. Someone else agreed. Wow, that is so foreign to me, I am constantly setting goals. I am so Type A, have trouble slowing down. And I look at this dear friend and wish I was more like her, so balanced and calm.

But we have to work with who we are right? And that is what makes everyone so fun and different and that is what is great about having friends and a spouse that are totally opposite of me. They keep me in balance!

So back to my Type A goal setting-ha ha. (By the way, check out my earlier blog post about setting goals) Every year for the past few years I have chosen a word to embrace for the year. It started in 2010-my word was Create, 2011 was Pursue and 2012 was Delve (delve in 2012). I encourage you all to think of a word and frame it so you can see it every day. This year I am putting it on my desk.

Before I tell you 2013′s word, let me reflect on 2012. I chose Delve. I wanted to learn new things. Well, I did learn new things, but I think my word should have been Explore for last year, because I did so many things on the surface but didn’t really delve or get good at any of them. I looked into classes at our local community college and took all of these classes last year (I dragged some friends with me too to these classes)-Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Indesign, a 5 week photography class (I got a digital SLR for my birthday and wanted to learn how to really use it) and a jewelry stamping class!

I learned new skills and met fun people, but this year I want to really FOCUS so that is my word for 2013. I have said that before, I am spread too thin. I want to be super business owner and super mom and super volunteer and experience everything! Well, I can’t be good at everything if I am overextended. I am really going to work on my schedule and say no more and when I am working I am focusing on work-no distractions-and when I am doing family things I am with family. I love Yoga-one of the things they are always saying is BE PRESENT-so I am going to work on being present!

Some other ideas I came up with for some good words-be LEAN in 2013-that can be like lean in being fit or lean in your business. I had New Year’s Eve dinner with cousins last night and I was asking them their word ideas and my cousin Ralph said Lucky 13 for 2013. So maybe 2013 will be your lucky year! (as you may know, I have a lucky chick tee and I wrote about Luck).

But I digress, I must FOCUS on my word FOCUS. What is your word for 2013? I love hearing everyone’s ideas! Let’s inspire each other! Happy 2013!

focus ps-I tend to want to make everything perfect. I could have spent hours choosing the perfect font or drawing up something to frame. Instead, I just chose to keep it simple! So it is not perfect, but it is already sitting on my desk.

Be a Lucky Chick!

Lucky Chick Long Sleeve burnoutMy newest tee is the Lucky Chick-I thought it would be fun for the Spring, my favorite season! It’s available in our popular long sleeve burnout and a short sleeve gradient lime tee. It’s designed with green in both tees so you won’t get pinched on St. Patrick’s Day, but I think you can be a Lucky Chick all year long! (Someone said they will be wearing it to the casino, didn’t think of that one-but that works!)

What is Lucky?

I looked up Luck in the dictionary and it said “success or failure brought by chance rather than one’s actions”. I am not really a believer in that kind of luck. Yea, you can be in the right place at the right time, but I agree with what my friend Kim Fuller said on my Happy First Facebook page-she’s a “make my own luck chick”! I love that! I believe that we all have the power to change our future based on our choices. And I know things happen in life, but it is the attitude we have and how we handle circumstances that creates our destiny.

I believe I am lucky because I am here! I went through Hodgkin’s Lymphoma 17 years ago and am happy to be here! (And have you seen that Happy to be Here tee?) I feel blessed with my family and friends and just all the opportunities and adventures that are all just waiting for me. I knew in my heart when I was going through treatment that something good was going to come out of my experience. Through creating Happy First I have met so many incredible people and am making a difference! I have met other entrepreneurs, survivors and patients. My newest friend is undergoing treatment from Hodgkin’s and she lives in South Africa. She found me through my blog. You never know where your experiences can take you. (By the way she is doing great!)

Find your Passion and Pursue it

In an earlier blog post, I wrote about finding your passion and pursuing it. It doesn’t mean you have to quit your current job or anything. Just figure out what you love to do and start doing it. You never know where it will lead you.  Some of you know my story, I started out in college as a fashion design major and then switched to accounting because I was so good with numbers and thought I would make more money being a CPA. But I was miserable; I didn’t like it-it wasn’t my passion.

When you decide on a path, it is like things and people just start appearing and falling into place. “Leap and the net will appear”. A word that keeps popping up with me recently is synchronicity. That word showed up in 2 different studies (below) I was doing on the same day! The dictionary defines synchronicity as – the simultaneous occurrence of events that appear significantly related but have no discernible causal connection .

Some would say it is coincidence, but I like to think that things are not really coincidences. I have really been delving this year (my word for 2012 is delve-check it out). In January I signed up for both the Baron Baptist 40 days to Personal Revolution and started reading a book “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron. That book has been sitting on my shelf for years-I don’t even remember who told me to buy it. I started these studies on the same day and it is weird (or synchronous) how these two go hand in hand. I am going to to tell you more about both in another post-what a creative journey!

Anyway Baron Baptiste talks about having a vision shift -he said “our greatest power to change ourselves is found in our ability to see beyond the veil, to see with an enlightened vision. He said a vision shift calls for attention, intention and faith. He quoted Ralph Waldo Emerson- “Once you make a decision , the universe conspires to make it happen”. He mentioned the word synchronicity.

in her book Julia Cameron said “Take a small step in the direction of a dream and watch the synchronous doors flying open”.  Another quote she included was by Goethe “Whatever you think you can do or believe you can do , begin it. Action has magic, grace and power in it.”

I’m not trying to be weird or voodoo here, I am just saying, once you decide and commit to a path, things fall into place.

Finding Synchronicity

I feel like I experience synchronicity almost every day. People are just coming into my path. A couple of weeks ago I had coffee with Judi Groves, founder of Breast Impressions and Turn Tulsa Pink. I thought we were meeting really quickly so I could give her her Super Chick tee. Anyway, 2 hours later we were still talking! She is contagious. She loves life and helping others and has a huge vision. Then last week I went to a friend’s party and met Kayce Hughlett. Kayce wrote a book that I bought on the spot that night-As I lay Pondering Daily Invitations to Live a Transformed Life. We immediately clicked – we are kindred spirits. She just included me in her blog-Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds- I am honored!

Both of these women and I talked about how you are never to old to start pursuing your passion. All your experiences and circumstances are leading you up to what you are supposed to do now.

I want you to realize that YOU too are created for greatness. I want you to find your passion and pursue it! I truly believe that every one of us is supposed to do something with our talents.

What is your passion? Remember, each one of us can be a “Lucky Chick!”

What’s your word for 2012?

happy new yearHappy New Year! I love January, it is another new beginning! You can live a life you love-make choices to get you to where you want to be! You can do anything you set your mind to! One thing that helps me in goal setting is to pick a word for the year.

Last year my word was Pursue. 2010 was Create. I encouraged others to think about a word for themselves for the year and frame it and put it in a place they will see every day. I chose my bathroom counter. This year’s word for me is DELVE – as in “Delve in 2012″! I looked up Delve and it means to search for something, or the research or making painstaking inquiries into something.

I have trouble focusing, saying no, over volunteering. I’ve been spread too thin. It has kept me from delving into the areas and relationships where I really want to spend my time. I feel the need to go deeper. Delve. So this is my year.

As I have said before in my Goal setting series, when you set goals for yourself, be specific rather than general.  So that is what I am going to do. I encourage you all to think about some things you want to change or learn this year and take steps to do it. I divide up my goal setting into home, business, creative goals and fitness goals. For creative I am going to learn Adobe Illustrator. I know enough to be dangerous! I am going to master it this year through tutorials and mentors. In 2010/11 I ran 2 half marathons with Team in Training to San Francisco and San Diego. Then I got injured over the summer and couldn’t run for 13 weeks. But it was a blessing in disguise because I really got into Yoga. So I am so excited- I have already signed up for the 40 Day Revolution at Inner Peace Yoga in Tulsa starting January 8. (Yoga 6 days a week for 40 days!) I’m Type A, I have to have goals like this. Oooh, maybe that means I really need yoga, huh? For home I plan on having every room in our house reorganized and decluttered by March 31st. That’s a tough one because home organization is ongoing. I am also setting new goals for my business.

So I guess since I have told you a bit about my goals, I have to be accountable, right? It really helps to be accountable to someone. Last year a friend and I were accountable to each other with our weight goals. So feel free to be accountable to me if you want, or a friend. What are some of your goals? It is inspiring to see what everyone comes up with! I am going to be featuring some of my friends soon and their words of wisdom!

Oh, and what is your word for 2012?

“Chicks” with attitude!

Yoga ChickMy “Chick” line of tees has been growing by leaps and bounds! It all began with the “Happy Chick” tee and from there the ideas have been endless. We now have Runner Chick, Yoga Chick, Tennis Chick, etc (too many to name! Just look at our “chick” link on our Happy First site.) Everyone keeps coming up with new ideas.

I think it is fun to wear a tee  that says who we are or what we like to do-it  reflects our mindset and hobbies.  It’s an attitude! It invites others to come along and join the fun. We women like to spend time together  with girlfriends and be part of a group.

As women we have so many demands with family, work, volunteering, etc. that sometimes it is hard to carve out time for ourselves. One of my friends said once she had kids, it wasn’t about her anymore. We have to (and want to) put others first; but I think it is important not to lose ourselves. We need to find some things that give us joy and energize us so we are better at all the other things we do. I think I am a better wife and mom because I put some fun and friendship in my life and am pursuing various hobbies and adventures. There is not enough time in the day to pursue all the things I want to do-I am a runner, yoga, golf, okie chick! (I think more than that actually).

Right now we are having a contest to name the next “chick” tee-we received over a hundred entries on our Happy First Facebook  page and painfully (because they were all great!)  narrowed it down to the top 10. The top 10 ideas are- Adventurous, Biker, Bling, Charity, Drama, Praying, Spa, Strong, Super, Zen. People can vote on Facebook and the winner will be announced on January 12th. Then we will get busy designing the winner tee. The winner will receive a free tee for herself and a friend, plus we  will donate 30% of the proceeds from that tee (sales from January 16-March 31) to their favorite charity.
Come join the fun and read what the top 10 had say about their “chick” idea and who their favorite charity is and why. They will be on Facebook and I will also feature them on our blog in the upcoming days.  And then vote for your favorite and spread the word!

And what kind of “Chick” are you?

Happy December 1st!

Happy December 1st, my friends!

To send this card to friends (free!) , click on the card to go to our new E-card page.

I have always loved and celebrated the first of the month. It is a fresh start! I look at each month with eagerness and anticipation of what is next. I love learning new things and new friends and adventures. I wish everyone viewed life this way. I am working on spreading that message! I believe each one of you has creativity and talents. That is what the egg represents, your potential inside!

Had lots of new this past week-launched our new website, Happy First, in time for cyber weekend. We still have things to add and change, it is a work in progress. I am having fun learning how to use the new website, loading the store, learning the pages. I love learning new things-but it has fried my brain the past few days! So much new! Been hunched over the computer for days. Good thing I have yoga in my life!

Just in case I didn’t think I had enough to do, we had our first giveaway on our Happy First facebook page last weekend and are doing another one starting today. Giving away fun hoodies to those that sign up under Sweepstakes on the facebook page. Another learning curve to go! And we are running the New Chick contest, having someone come up with our next Chick tee! (see the Notes on facebook or the November blog post).

Another new this week-met a friend through a mutual friend on facebook and so we had lunch on Wednesday and talked nonstop-we had never met before. We have the same life philosophy. I know something great will come out of our new friendship. I will be introducing you to her soon!

So the theme of my post today is do something new! Take a chance! Have fun! Dive in!

Happy First Day of Summer!

First Day of Summer ecard
click on this fun ecard to spread happiness!

It’s a new season! I just love summer! My favorite time of the year. Love being outside, the longer days, no homework for the kids! Now I just need to slow down and savor it!

I have had a nonstop spring-just been gone so much with my mom being ill (and out of town) and other trips I had already planned-both business and fun. It has been too much! I just said to someone the other day, I am having the craziest spring, just can’t seem to stay home and I am so behind on everything! My friend looked at me and said “It isn’t spring anymore, it is summer!” Oops! Where did it go?

One of my friends that knows me well says that I live in my head! I think that she means I am not living in the present, always thinking about what I need to do next, my to do list, etc. instead of just slowing down and enjoying now! Guess I need to do yoga more, it is all about being present! (here I go again with that word DO!)

But then I also think that this is a season in my life where I don’t have control. With my mom being ill I don’t know when I will have to drop things and run on down to Dallas again. This sandwich generation thing is not always fun-being pulled between my husband and kids and the needs of my mom and sister in Dallas. Maybe I am supposed to be learning to say no more and not overschedule myself. It is so hard for me to do! But I am learning that I can’t control everything and I need to trust that everything will fall into place as it is meant to be.

Is it just me or do you all have these struggles too?

Earl Klugh Weekend of Jazz at the Broadmoor

Jazz Chick Hoodies at Earl Klugh WeekendToday I am writing this from the Colorado Springs airport. My husband and I just had the best time at the Earl Klugh Weekend of Jazz at the Broadmoor. It is our 5th year to go. We had an incredible time-along with Earl Klugh we saw Peabo Bryson, David Sanborn, Brian Culbertson and Nnenna Freelon. We just loved it! They have many activities over the weekend-my favorite is the morning yoga classes. We have gotten to know Earl and Denise Klugh over the years and for the past 3 events, Happy First has made “Jazz Chick” hoodies for them. I am so honored. It is so fun to see people wearing them!

Fun Fitness Goals!

It’s Motivational Monday again! This is part two of my health and fitness goal setting.

Last week I focused on a healthy diet, this week I want to focus on exercise goals.

I love to work out, I just was in a rut last year and needed a challenge. I was running some and doing videos that I had dvr’d on FitTv on cable. My favorites are Cathe Friedrich and  Total Body Sculpt with Gilad (I think he has been around at least 20 years!) but I needed to change it up. I still do their workouts from time to time; if you already have FitTv on cable and can dvr, this is a great free option!

Choose a fitness plan

I needed a new fitness plan to follow: a new goal to work towards and check off each day. The following are some fitness ideas.

P90x workout

I started out with p90x workout. I love it because you can do it from home using their videos. I love the variety. One day is lifting weights focusing on arms, chest, back or legs, the next day is yoga or kenpo (kickboxing) or plyometrics (jumping). Every other day includes a great abdominal If you want to start with a version that is not quite so extreme, try the  Power 90 . P90x can be an hour+, the Power 90 is 30 minutes. Check them out.

Running

About 6 weeks into p90x I decided I wanted to get involved with Team in Training (TNT) because they contribute to my cause, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) and I love to run and wanted to be outside. I decided to train for my first half marathon, which I completed in October. I did the San Francisco Nike Women’s marathon. It was incredible!

So even though p90x is a 12 week program and I only did 6 weeks, it is ok to switch goals as long as you are doing something! After my October run, I switched back to p90x this winter because I don’t like to run in the extreme cold. Now that it is warming up I am running again, training for the San Diego Rock and Roll half marathon in June with TNT.

I am not saying jump in and train for a half marathon. Set small goals like running a mile and then entering a 5K-there are lots of runs to choose from. Find a buddy to run with or join a running group.

Yoga

Another form of exercise I do that is essential for me is yoga. It is a great workout and just the balance I need. I need some stretching to balance the running and the weights. I go to Inner Peace Yoga in Tulsa (they carry the Happy First line!) and their classes are wonderful. They have a variety of classes for every level. Another thing I love about yoga is it is nonjudgmental. You focus on what you can do and don’t worry what the other person is doing. Every one has  their own journey. Inner Peace has a  happy atmosphere! It is fun to see familiar faces; the friends there keep me going.

Golf

I also love to golf. I love to be outside and have fun with friends and work at getting better at something (I have a long way to go with golf, but still love it!) I started out with some friends that were at the same level as me and we took lessons together. We have a blast.

Fitness Club or group

There are many good fitness clubs out there. My friend Lori loves Gold’s Gym because there are so many classes (spin, weights, yoga) to go to. She also likes the pool since she is training for a triathalon. My friend Erica owns Fitbootcamptulsa in Broken Arrow, OK. A group of moms meet at 5:30 am every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and have a different challenging workout each time. It is great to have a group to be accountable to and have fun with!

Pick a form of exercise that is fun and works for you. Set some goals within that plan. Get out there and do it! You will feel so much better!

What fitness ideas do you have?