Revisiting the past

 

    Last week I went back to Wisconsin to visit my old friends and family.  Just like this picture of a childhood moment, it was fun to reminisce about all the things we did when we were younger and catch up on what we are doing now.

    I moved to a small community when I was about 12 years old, and attended a 4 room country school house.  We only had 7 children in my class, and needless to say we all became like family.  Well, my best friend was a boy, and I spent a lot of time with his large family.  They had 2 grandmas, 7 sons and daughter and mom & dad all living together.  Because there were so many of them, they did not really need anyone else to do things with.

I spent all of my time with that family, and they became family to me.  We laughed and cried, got mad at each other and always had a good time playing games.  We fished, camped, played softball together.  I ended up marrying my childhood sweetheart.

Since then, I have been divorced and remarried, but have still kept in touch with the family.  We had such good times, and they are a part of my history.

Whenever I hear someone say that they are not talking to family members, it really breaks my heart.  We all need to have that connection to the past.  That is how we became who we are.  By denying that relationship to continue, we lose touch with our very roots and sense of who we are.  Everything goes back to the beginning.   Of course, there are times when your feelings are hurt.  Will you let silly pride get in the way of your future?  Remember the good times...then you can continue to have more.

What is your Style?

STYLE,  how do you define it?

I have always thought that your style defines who you are.

I think of my style as relaxed but with a touch of elegance.  As you can see from the colors I have selected for my remodeling project, the colors are neutral and calm.  They were selected to go with a flea market set of old Venetian painted tables that I just love!  They have a sense of patina, as most of the shine they originally had has been worn off long ago. They have a lovely curved shape and a soft design on the tops.

I dress my home much as I dress myself.  Antiques mix with modern.  I collect pieces when I travel, and almost everything has a story.  I do not follow trends, unless it appeals to me and fits my personality, body and space. 


What is your style?
    Artsy... with color and mixture of patterns,  fun and bright?
    Refined.... simple lines, tailored, muted neutrals?
    Intellectual....books, maps, a layered sense of dress and furnishings?


Think about what you like, what you are comfortable with, and follow your heart.  Start your own trends.  If you listen to your inner self, you will not have a closet full of nothing to wear, or furnishings that look dated.  You will always feel good about yourself, and comfortable in your home.

This is a picture of a small courtyard garden that I see every morning when I am getting ready for my day.  It sets my mood.  The wrought iron fencing is from a wonderful little antique shop in New Orleans.  I love hearing the trickling water from the fountains and hear the birds singing...so soothing.
                                                           

This is my style, that mix of old,... structured and relaxed.  A touch of color, but calm and soothing.  How do you show your style?

Are you a leader?

I found this chart, and alot of valuable ideas in an article written by David Kerpen, a best selling author and speaker.

My thoughts are that some people are just natural born leaders.  Starting on the playground, they are the organizers of the sandlot baseball game, gathering friends together to carol at Christmas for senior citizens or just the person with the most charisma and influence. All they need to be to be successful is harness those natural talents, get an education in a field that interests them, and join a good company.

Many of us have some of the skills needed to become a leader, but they need to be recognized and honed.  Consider what it is about the people you want to be around.
They should be a little bit smarter and more knowledgable so you can learn from them, and you inspire them to do even better.

A good leader always takes the time and effort to know the team.  It is important to play up the abilities of the people on the team.  If someone is creative, put them in charge of new ideas and expansion.  If another member of the team is analytical, let them keep everything in order, and on time  and budget.  Use the team to the best of their ability.  Not everyone has the same skill or mind set.  A good leader knows and appreciates that.


"Individuals play the game, but teams beat the odds."  SEAL Team saying