I Created Something Pretty Today

I have always considered myself an artist, even though I've had no formal training. I feel at peace when I am organically drawing shapes, implementing vibrant colors and engaged in the process of creating. But, it's been a little while, since I've put pen to paper and have felt inspired. *sigh*

I spent a little time recently, watching a promotional video my friend Adelaide made. She's a young, vibrant soul and artist who does everything from pen and ink drawing to modeling to face painting to stilt walking, hula hooping, belly dancing, sword balancing, snake charming... and the list goes on.

In her video, there's a clip of her drawing... in which she mentions that she draws in pen because in her mind, there are no mistakes. What I love about her and her spirit is her absolute abandonment when it comes to art.

Tonight, I took her advice and allowed the perfectionist within to let go. You know that little voice in our heads, that inner critic that prevents us from accomplishing the things we want to sometimes? Well, tonight, I gave it a swift kick to the curb and I have to say, it felt pretty damn good.

p.s. As an added bonus, my son and I created together, which made me feel even better. :~)

Urban Inspiration—Shepard Fairey in South Park

Of all the places in San Diego, the South Park neighborhood is my ABSOLUTE favorite. One day... one day I will find myself living there, in an old home with character that I've purchased... and I will live happily... oh yes, very happily.

On Sunday morning, I had a delightful breakfast with a good friend of mine at Alchemy (wow, if you haven't tried them yet... DO) in South Park. It was such a lovely breakfast, everything felt SO gourmet, from the little pickles in the Bloody Mary's to the tiny little dishes and tiny little spoons for the salt and pepper, to the fresh peaches and mango garnishes.

During breakfast, she mentioned that Shepard Fairey (of Obama HOPE poster fame) had recently completed a new mural in the area. So, we packed up the munchkins and went for a walk.

Lovely. Absolutely lovely.

Yeah, San Diego has beautiful weather, but above all, the culture and people here are really quite amazing. I regularly run across urban inspiration that fills my senses in the most wonderful ways.

Is Email Becoming Obsolete?

I have this really good friend, who shall remain nameless, because if I posted his name, he’d never forgive me. In fact, merely alluding to who he “might” be, may be enough to do me in. He’s a punk rocker at heart, “the man” is a regular part of his vocabulary and, let’s just say, conspiracy theories and privacy issues are relevant in his life.

The other day on Facebook, I received a mysterious message from someone whose name I had never seen before. There were enough clues on his page to convince me it was his but I have to admit, I was quite shocked! He has resisted joining for various reasons, so to see him there required further exploration. When I spoke to him on the phone, he told me, “The only reason I did it is because I wanted to get back in touch with (let’s call him) Mr. X. Ms. Y told me the only way he communicates with people is through Facebook.” Aha. The lure of connection tangles another unsuspecting victim in the web of social media.

Since I’ve been on Facebook, I’ve noticed a similar trend. More and more, I’m receiving less and less personal email. I get an occasional evite but, a personal email? Haven’t seen one of those in awhile. More likely than not, that left hand column says I have a message in my Facebook inbox.

I am quite the Facebook junkie, so I must say, I’m guilty as charged.

But, in an effort to get back to basics, recently I purchased a beautiful, soft, fabulous address book (made out of paper!). I figured the best way to get my friends addresses was to request them via Facebook. I got a load of crap for obtaining the info online when I was trying to go “old school” but I noticed an interesting thing. Very few of my friends included their personal email addresses in addition to their home addresses. The truth of that hit me—Facebook has inadvertently become my new email service.

Sigh.

At least now I can include my newest buddy in the emails that go out to my "Best Friends" group. ;~)p

Qs 11-16 : Ready, Set, Go!

The last in an installment of questions inspired by a blog post by Seth Godin, 16 Questions for Free Agents. A little introspection on my plans to begin Gaia Greetings as a new entrepreneur. You can also view Q's 1-3 and 4-10.

Q11: Choose: teach and lead and challenge your customers, or do what they ask...

The way I have thrived in life is in being taught and inspired. I read, I seek, I challenge myself—and I hope the Gaia Greetings tribe is open to new lessons and leadership, influenced by my experiences and powered by a vision that has a positive effect on those it touches.

Q12: How long can you wait before it feels as though you're succeeding?

I already feel like I am succeeding. I have always been inspired by this quote (usually attributed to Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe but I just learned it is actually from W. H. Murray in The Scottish Himalaya Expedition, 1951).

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, the providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way.”

Paraphrased by Goethe, “Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it!”

It is because of that quote that I was able to move out of fear and into success—personal success, an intrinsically motivated feeling of accomplishments for moving forward, working hard and creating something from my ideas.

Q13: Is perfect important? (Do you feel the need to fail privately, not in public?)

While failure is ever looming and a difficult pill to swallow, I am not in a rush to become an overnight millionaire. I have been failing privately for as long as I can remember so, just taking the risk and beginning this venture, though scary, is forcing me to work harder because everything is public. If I fail publicly, so be it. At least I took a chance. I know I can approach this business with an open mind and as long as I have enough to put back into it, I can continue to creatively market Gaia Greetings until I reach a place where I am comfortable. Perfect is not important, striving to do my best is.

Q14: Do you want your customers to know each other (a tribe) or is it better they be anonymous and separate?

ABSOLUTELY. I want my customers and vendors and partners and distributors to know each other. I want to know them—personally. The fabric of our company recognizes that we are all one and the actions of one affect many. It is imperative for me to work alongside others who share a similar personal and business philosophy. I want this company to affect those who interact with it with a RIPPLE of positivity.

Q15: How close to failure, wipe out and humiliation are you willing to fly? (And while we're on the topic, how open to criticism are you willing to be?)

Hmmm. Tough question. Been there, done that—mentally, physically, and financially. Have I learned from my lessons? Do I continue to grow and build a new future? Absolutely. I will continue to build and utilize my resources wisely. I think the key for me is knowing when to say when. Bring on the criticism because it will only improve Gaia Greetings and the people it touches.

Q16: What does busy look like?

Busy is a 9-5 job, being a 24-7 mom, blogging and interacting on twitter and facebook regularly, planning and executing a business, maintaining a multitude of friendships, spending time outdoors, exercising, remaining true to myself, and finding time for me.

Love and gratitude,

Bridget

Innovation Is In My Blood—Qs 4-10

This is installment #2, questions 4-10 re: Gaia Greetings business philosophy and introspection, inspired by Seth Godin's blog titled, "16 questions for free agents." For answers to questions 1-3, see my previous blog post.

Question 4: Is it important to add new customers or increase your interactions with existing customers?

Well, since I don’t actually have *any* customers at this point, it is important to do both. Generally, I subscribe to the modern day way of doing business—which, to me, means building relationships. That translates to focusing on and building mutually beneficial relationships—this includes vendors, subcontractors, distributors, and customers.

Q5: Do you want a team? How big?

Since Gaia Greetings is a start-up, it’s important for me to use my resources wisely in the beginning. I am working with a multitude of freelance designers, artists, accountants, marketers, social media, and business folk. I hope, one day, those relationships blossom into an opportunity to employ a small tribe of super talented people who share the Gaia Greetings vision.

Q6: Would you rather have an open-ended project that’s never done or would you rather reach end points?

Regarding the growth of Gaia Greetings in general... I hope to be around for a while. As for our product offerings, the business is structured with limits. I’m not interested in buying the rights to our artists work. Our contracts and products will be offered for a limited time because it’s important for me not only to keep it fresh, but also to support our artists in their big picture endeavors.

Q7: Are you prepared to actively sell your stuff, or are you expecting that buyers will walk in the door and ask for it?

In my humble opinion, word of mouth marketing is the best possible marketing strategy. I can’t expect my customers to promote Gaia Greetings if I am not engaged with and involved in promoting it myself. I will be there every step of the way, as the authentic voice of this company, actively selling our products and services, for the benefit of our customers.

Q8: Which—to invent a category or to be just like Bob/Sue but better?

Innovation is in my blood. I am incredibly fulfilled by creating and introducing new ideas. One of our business goals is to get people to rethink connection by offering them novel ways to do so.

Q9: If you take someone’s investment, are you prepared to sell out to pay it back?

No. To fulfill my grandiose plans, I considered an investment when I first began planning this business. Over time, however, my goals morphed, as did my perspective. This was an important turning point for me. I decided that I needed to use my ideas, be resourceful, figure out a way to start small, and fund this labor of love on my own.

Q10: Are you done personally growing, or is this project going to force you to change and develop yourself?

I’ll refer to my original Tribe profile on this question: "In process… constantly in process." There’s no doubt I will continually reckon with growth, change, and development—and I’m excited about that challenge.

More to come! Stay posted!
xoxo LOVE xoxo b

Feeling Purposeful: Qs 1-3

I’ve been drawn to author Seth Godin lately. Through his e-newsletter, I get a brief and succinct dose of Seth daily. His words of encouragement motivate and inspire me to THINK and ACT on my passions. I consider myself lucky to have found him at this point in my journey.

One of his recent blog posts, 16 questions for free agents, put me in an introspective place. Since I AM starting out as an entrepreneur, I challenged myself to answer his questions.

Here’s the first installment:

Q1: Who are you trying to please?

Such a simple question, and stumped already. The easy answer is me, but it’s deeper than that. I’m not doing this to impress anyone. I’m doing it because I have to. It’s critical for me to take a risk in an effort to create the life I envision for my son and I.

Q2: Are you trying to make a living, make a difference, or leave a legacy?

The truth is, I’m trying to do all three.

My Legacy: Right now, I believe the opportunity is ripe to work hard and follow my dreams. It is IMPERATIVE for me to LIVE that example for my son.

Making A Difference: Gaia Greetings is built on the philosophy that ALL IS ONE. The root of our mission is based on connection. I want to touch people and be a ripple of positivity that extends far and wide.

Making a Living: It’s more about CREATING a LIFE that is fulfilling for me. While I am currently blessed with fortune in employment, I know for sure that my life will be limited if I live under the umbrella of someone else’s aspirations.

Q3: How will the world be different when you’ve succeeded?

This question makes me smile. The difference will be measured by the effect our reach has on personal relationships. People will smile, they’ll feel loved, supported, appreciated, closer bonds will be formed, there will be stories to tell, and those lives will be fuller as a result. It’s not tangible, it’s emotional.

Gaia Greetings—MISSION POSSIBLE!

I'm currently reading Tribes—We Need You to Lead Us (by Seth Godin) for the second time. Once again, I'm feeling inspired. My life has been unfolding so smoothly, and the more I commit to moving forward and releasing fear, the more the universe provides exactly what I need at the right time.

I'm looking forward to leading this tribe—aptly titled Gaia Greetings (hello, we're all connected!)—because I am truly beginning to understand the power in passion and the joy in belonging to a group of people who are like minded.

I was equally inspired by a meeting I had with Jasmine Fitzwilliam—a sweetheart of a person, a dear friend, an uber talented individual—who just happens to be Gaia Greeting's brand identity designer.

It was the third or fourth time the topic of letter writing had come up in conversation in recent weeks. Jas had actually saved up to buy an old school typewriter (check out her photo on her flickr site) because—in her words (or close to them)—writing on a typewriter takes care and deliberation and thought.

I love that. It completely resonated with me.

And because I know in my own life, I have not been as avid a letter writer as I used to, and because I worry that technology will rule my son's life in the future, and that he will lose a lot of important cultural skills, I have decided that THAT is my mission for Gaia Greetings.

To make annual holiday cards and family letters a more regular occurrence.

Because let's face it, sometimes a brief email just doesn't cut it.

MOVED TO MOTIVATION

I finished reading Drive, by Daniel Pink a couple weeks ago. Since Dan actually reached out to me via twitter, requesting my feedback, I have to admit, I’ve felt a bit of pressure to provide it. Ultimately, my perspective has unfolded naturally, and somehow, fits just perfect with the rest of my life at this given time.

Drive takes you through a historical perspective on motivation—which, as a parent with a B.A. in developmental psychology (who is always looking for ways to motivate my child), is interesting in itself—and the differences between Motivation 2.0; behavior fueled by extrinsic desires versus Motivation 3.0; behavior regulated by intrinsic exploration (get the book, it’s worth the read).

Ultimately, I came to the conclusion that I’m on the right path.

I keep going back to the book, and the notes I took, introspectively reevaluating the messages and what they mean in my life. I’ve been practicing the art of flow for about a month now, seriously sitting with myself and determining, when do I feel happiest and what am I doing during that time? I’ve been weeding out the unnecessary and feeling good about my conclusions.

Just yesterday, I reread an entry in my journal that was, essentially, the sum of the book and inspiration. “The richest experiences in our lives are when we’re listening to our own voices—doing something that matters, doing it well, and doing it in the service of a cause larger than ourselves.”

For the longest time, I have wanted to start Gaia Greetings, not only so that I could control my work experience, but because the business model is such that giving back is incorporated. Support for the environment and arts were always a no-brainer for me. And I have always been interested in the richness of cultures—truly, all those things inspired Gaia Greetings. But tonight—tonight—I feel I have found something more.

I was flipping through on-demand looking for a good movie. As I scrolled through the list, I didn't see much that appealed to me that I hadn’t already seen when I came across the following title: “The Stoning of Soraya M.” The movie is based on the true story of Soraya Manutchehri, who was wrongfully accused of adultery by her husband. It takes place in the small village of Kupayeh, Iran. Because of the religious laws of the territory, she was stoned to death by her community, which included her husband, father, and two of her sons. Her incredibly brave Aunt, Zahra Khanum, leaked the story to French-Iranian journalist, Freidoune Sahebjam, who, by fate, landed in the village due to car troubles. Upon his return to France, he shared her story, so the world would know the atrocities she suffered.

I remember hearing about Soraya and Amnesty International when I was in high school but, now, 20+ years later, I am finally able to truly comprehend the depth of this story. I can’t remember the last time I cried so hard, and felt such empathy. The movie is beautiful, intelligently scripted and acted, graphic, horrifying and so amazingly real, I can’t imagine anyone NOT feeling affected by it.

I am so amazed by the bravery of these women, their vulnerable humanity, and their lack of fear in the face of death and morbidity. Just thinking about it gives me goose bumps. It’s hard to do this story justice in words. It truly has to be experienced.

Meet the newest member of Amnesty International. I've found another cause that motivates me.

Remembrance

Remembrance, In Honor of Chelsea King and Amber Dubois

Our sleepy little town was rocked recently by the murders of two bright, blue-eyed young ladies, Chelsea King and Amber Dubois. Their deaths catalyzed this community and the nation, sparking action and motivation, and an outpouring of love for the families and friends who knew these sparkling spirits.

Throughout town, there are blue ribbons tied to trees, in remembrance of their blue eyes and powerful existences. Their candlelight vigils drew over 1,000 people each, and Chelsea’s memorial service, which was packed to the hilt, drew over 5,000 people—many who knew her, many who didn’t—to celebrate her life.

Businesses in the community donated lighting, a sound system, printing, and over 8,000 sunflowers to the event. The takeaway from the service was a packet of sunflower seeds that said, “With your help, Chelsea’s Light will never dim.”

Upon the arrest of a registered and convicted sex offender, who is a suspect in both cases, Chelsea’s family immediately began a plight to effect change in our legal system. They have the backing of a multitude of government officials and everyday people whose voices are finally being heard, which, hopefully, will result in stricter sentences for these criminals.

Chelsea and Amber’s families chose to open themselves up to the love and condolences of their community, the nation, and the world, and accept the positive energy of millions of people, as they trudge through their difficult paths. The power of these messages and the amazing amount of support they have received is a testament to the force of the human spirit, and how, when we realize that we are all connected, we can collectively effect change in one another’s lives.

The soul our community has exposed brings me hope. I am saddened that it is instigated as a result of these tragedies, but the outpouring of love and tenderness that I have witnessed inspires me. I will never forget how I have been affected.

There are websites dedicated to Amber and Chelsea, to keep their memories alive:

A quote from Virgil—found on Chelsea’s mirror at home—is a resounding reminder that, together, we can effectively create a world that is worthy of living in.

“They can because they think they can.”

What about you?

How do you honor the lives of people you loved, who have passed away?

What have you done to keep their spirits alive?

Do you have traditions to honor the memories of your dearly departed?

I invite you to post your stories, trials and triumphs on the blog or feel free to send them to gaiagroove@gaiagreetings.com

To submit ideas and suggestions to reform our system and better protect our children, or for those who wish to join efforts with 75^th District Assembly Member Nathan Fletcher and the King family, call 858.689.6290 or email Assemblymember.fletcher@assembly.ca.gov

Remember.

wordles.net - Oh so much fun!!

On wordles.net you can upload words and it immediately creates a layout for you. Guess where this one came from?

You can choose fonts, colors, and layouts! Thanks to the fabulous Kim Tackett from Tackett+Barbaria for her blog post!!