Take Time To Connect

One of the upsides to working in the virtual world is that you are unlimited in the number of people you can connect to.

Instead of taking a break and hanging out around the water-cooler;  I take my breaks and go to Facebook, Twitter, numerous blogs and a few well chosen forums to catch up. The best part is you get to *meet* people from all walks of life and all parts of the globe…very cool!

I do have my *offline* friendships and they are cherished and irreplaceable. When I need a break, a resource or just need a place to rant where people will understand my *virtual* frustrations, I turn to to my *online* peeps and find them just as real and valuable.

Cheers to the global village!

Woo Hoo it’s Friday!

Today is my self care day…all day. Sad to say this is a luxury for me and doesn't happen often. I usually take time during the week to exercise and meditate…that's the extent of my self care. But today I get the whole day and with a bonus…hubby is joining me! 

What are you doing to take care of you?

A Sales Lesson from the Little One

My youngest daughter who is 7 years old is in Brownies.  She loves it, her favorite teacher is the troop leader and all her little girlfriends that she's known since kindergarten are in her troop. It's great for me since every other Tuesday I get a half hour to spend alone with my other daughter who's almost 8 years old (she's actually my step-daughter…I'm not that masochistic : )..anyways to get back on track! It's Girl Scout cookie season and this is our first year selling cookies. I was dreading this time of year, having to go out and drum up cookie sales. I figured we do the easy thing and hit up friends and family and call it a day. 

My daughter had other plans.  First she hit our neighborhood (she new exactly which neighbors to go to), I wimped out sent my husband on that mission.  The next day was her dance class and my mom was meeting us there so I brought the cookie form in with us so that my mom can fulfill her grandmotherly duty and buy some cookies.  After class I had to speak to her instructor and just as I was about to walk away my daughter walked right up to her and said "I'm in Girl Scouts". I was mortified, it wasn't my intention or even on my radar to hit up her dance teacher who we just met an HOUR ago!  Her instructor laughed and said "sure I'll buy cookies". Then her instructor from last year walked buy and Natalia sold her and another mom whom I was chatting with some cookies.

My dad is coming to dinner this weekend and Natalia was on the phone with him. She told him "I'm selling Girl Scout cookies at dinner, would you like some?"

As I watched her it dawned on me that there is a lesson in this somewhere.  And it hit me: it really is that EASY. Selling isn't painful if you make it an experience where you're open, friendly and ASK for the sale. I'm very proud of Natalia, I aspire to her level of openness and courage. I know it's not easy to do what she's doing (or maybe it is) but she's doing it anyways. So far she's had a 100% rate of return on her sales pitches. You go girl!