Inspiration ~ generosity ~ humbleness ~ passion ~ perseverance ~ dedication ~ friendship ~ thoughtfulness ~ love ~ joy ~ support…

These are just a few words that I think about when I think about what I experienced throughout my day, International Women’s Day, today. For 100 years, people have been celebrating International Women’s Day. Over the years I have held a few events, heard a few speakers but this year I really took pause to think about the women in my life – today and those that have come and gone.

I am truly blessed – and I know that I say that a lot, but I’m not sure I say it enough because honest to God I could say it every single second that I’m walking on this earth. When I think aout the women that were part of my life…just today…I am in awe!

The first person I saw today was one of my very best girlfriends, Susan – we met when I was about 18 years old and we ‘played’ on the same softball team – really she played and I hoped like heck that if the ball came to me I would a) catch it and b) be able to throw it in…and batting…well, lets just say that I love yoga! About eight years after we met, we reconnected – at a baseball field and this time it was our son’s what were playing – pretty much since then we’ve been through thick and thin – Susan holds me accountable to myself and always stands beside me no matter what – I am so thankful. One pretty cool thing about Susan is that she loves everything that is good for our earth – she has an awful lot of knowledge and loves to share it – she writes a blog called “The Green Diet” – she’s just started this in the last few months but talk about a whole bunch of great information! Susan and I get together now a lot to talk about our Arbonne business – a passion that we share.

Then I was off to celebrate International Women’s Day with the wonderful women of Bridges for Women – Jan Bate, the Executive Director, has such a passion for this organization and Laurie McKenzie put on a great event with guest speaker Mary Ellen turpel-Lafond, BC’s Representative for Children and Youth. I had the opportunity to connect with Norma McCrea and Carol Hyland and also meet some new women, including a professor from the University of Victoria Business Admin – what a fantastic lady with an incredible memory for names!

“…your home is not the walls of your house…it is your community” – Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond

If you don’t already know about Bridges, they provide employment programs for women who have experienced violence or abuse. Their wishlist for items includes fresh food, USB sticks, and gift cards. There is a mentoring program and they have just started a partnership with Camosun College for Women in Trades. Check out their website, http://bridgesforwomen.ca/. The doorprize I gave, a complimentary registration for yoUnlimited was won by a lady I had not met before and she had been on Facebook that morning and seen the event posted – and she hardly goes on facebook – there are no coincidences! Julie Atkinson from New Look Day Spa, who is one of our featured speakers at yoUnlimited is a Mentor with Bridges so it was great to see her at the lunch as well. The food was catered by someone named Raymond and it was a medley of flavours – delicious!

And, then I went to the office and did some work…

…and the reward was, to head up to the Uplands Golf Club for eWomenNetwork Success Summit with the founder of eWomenNetwork, Sandra Yancey – hosted by Kerry Brown, from SuccessBizCoach (and I might add, she does a great job of keeping 100 women organized!)

I have seen Sandra in the movie she produced “Glow” but I was unprepared for the candid way in which she spoke to the group of over 100 women – she spoke of some of the things that have shaped her life – mistakes she made in her business but also what has brought her to the success that she enjoys today. One very cool thing that she talked about was walking along Antique Row (Fort Street in Victoria) and looking at teaspoons and wondering about all the cups of tea they had stirred and thinking about how many conversations of happiness and sadness have been held over a cup of tea (she said this all very eloquently but I hope you get the picture). I honestly had not thought about teaspoons like this before but I knew that my friend Carol would have!

“The universe is never early, never late…it’s always on time” – Sandra Yancey, eWomenNetwork, March 8, 2011

Entrepreneurs Mandy Farmer from  Accent Inns, Melinda Cownden from Melinda’s Biscotti and Daniela Cubelic from Silk Road Teas shared their insights into why they do what they do, how they got started, and how they find balance in their lives. The freshness and honesty of these women who are doing great things in this city is so inspiring to me! They all truly love what they do.

I loved Melinda’s approach to getting more business – she looked at what had worked to get five customers and though “let’s do it again” and she did – over and over – from five locations to over 100! Melinda bakes her biscotti with love and passion – boy can you tell – watch this video and see for yourself.

Facebook has been full of messages about Int’l Women’s Day today but I was particularly inspired by my dear friend Lynn who wrote “The wonderful gift is being a women, the ability to set a tone, to bear children, to encourage, to love and be successful in whatever we do. Our identity is not what we do but in who we are!”

Thank you to each and every one of the amazing women in my life – the circle keeps growing and I am so honoured to be part of your lives.

Living a Blissful Life,

Carolyne