Dear Impish one,
You are the reason for this newsletter. I'm dedicated to
supporting the "imp" in you - especially this month your
anger. Use it to Ignite greater Meaning and Passion in your
life.
You're receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to it,
you're a member of "The Imp Community" online, or a friend
passed it on. Sign up or unsubscribe at the end.
1. Feature Article: What Legacy Will You
Leave? 2. Coaching Q&A:
What Would You Have Done? 3. News, Comments, Success Stories, Are you this month's Winner?
4. Inspirational Message to Ponder
Last month I mentioned that my 91 year old mother was not well
and I was spending less time on work to be with her and other
family members. Mom passed away October 4th.
The day before mom died, I spent an hour just holding her hand. When
sisters, Shirley and Bernice, asked if I'd speak at the funeral
about "a daughter's thoughts of mother", I thought of mom's hands.
Like any mother, her hands spent countless hours working - the
diapers (she had six kids!), the dishes, the cooking, the cleaning,
etc. But what was left for us to remember mom by was her beautiful
knitting.
At mom's funeral, I chose to wear a sweater she knitted. I also dug
out of the trunk the baby shawl my firstborn had come home from the
hospital wrapped in. That shawl had been in the trunk for well over
35 years! At mom's graveside I wore the shawl. Though sunny, there
was an autumn chill in the air.
Just a few yards (meters) away from mother's grave is the grave of
23 year old Cpl. Andrew "Boomer" Eykelenboom, who was killed in
service in Afghanistan earlier this year.
Boomer loved children. While he was overseas he had mentioned, in
correspondence to his family, that even a small piece of clothing,
like a hat, could give life-saving warmth to new babies.
As a memorial project, local Soroptimist Club members are knitting
"Boomer bonnets", collecting them from others, and sending them
overseas. As well as to Afghanistan, boomer bonnets are going to
newborns in needy areas around the world.
I just did a search online and there is no information for boomer
bonnets. ("Boomer hats" brings up other hats.) I phoned the local
yarn store, which has a website, to suggest they add both the
pattern instructions and an address for folks to send bonnets to.
I left a phone message for a local Soroptimist member who is
involved with this project. (When she finally got back to me she
said they are "Boomer Caps" - a local newspaper had dubbed them
"bonnets".
If you're interested, let me know and I'll pass information on to
you.
My mother loved to knit for babies. The yarn she left has been
donated for boomer bonnets. (Guess I better say "caps"...)
On September 14th I accepted a client, from a nearby community, who
has been a long time recovering from an accident. She wasn't able to
work yet. Said her savings, if spent at the current rate, would last
about a year. We negotiated a fee. She then asked if she could pay
me in October as her September budget allotment was already used or
spoken for. I agreed and said I trusted her to keep her word.
There were also a number of things she was not able to do so I
phoned 2 people I knew who might be willing to help her with those
tasks. Because she did not have email access, I mailed her a package
of resource information "General Delivery".
In the first session we did a short guided visualization of what
she wanted to create in her life. The visualization brought her out
of her anxiety and fear (especially of her running out of money)
into a "feeling good, peaceful, encouraging, relaxed" state. I could
tell the difference in her voice. In our second session she asked
for another guided visualization which she said she loved.
The morning of the day she was scheduled to call me for her third
session, she left a phone message that she'd be unable to call at
the appointed time, thanked me profusely for the 2 sessions she'd
had and said because of finances she would not continue for now but
may call in the future.
I returned her call the next day. I had more information that I'd
promised to get for her. I also let her know that the day she left
her message was the day my mother passed away so I would have
cancelled the appointment myself.
She said that she had received the information I'd sent, had just
looked it over and thought it would be very helpful and added that
her payment was in the mail.
My mailbox told a different story. No cheque. Instead the envelope
I'd mailed to the client came backed stamped by the post office
"Unclaimed".
I was stunned!
What would you have done?
I sat for awhile just to think about it.
An inner voice said, "Just let it go, Bev, your time and energy are
valuable. Don't spent them negatively."
If you've seen the movie "The Secret" or read any books about "The
Law of Attraction", then you are aware of how we attract things into
our life. I attracted that client. I had consciously been using Law
of Attraction strategies with her!
Now was the time to look at what I could learn from the experience.
Ghandi, when once asked about others not being trustworthy, said he
chose to trust others AND trust himself to be able to handle the
situation if anyone betrayed his trust. When I first heard that I
thought,"That's the way I want to be, too".
On October 16th I attended a teleclass by Coach Davender Gupta about
understanding the relationship between setting fees and having
clients understand the value you are providing.
One of the things he said to avoid was giving too much. How much you
give needs to be according to the level of commitment of the client.
(Oops!)
He added, once a client is fully committed, give them access to
everything you've got.
Davender made a significant statement, "People do not buy your
products and services. They buy the experience your product or
service provides."
He described three categories:
1. A "Communication" offer - first people need a "taste" of what you
offer. Something that takes minimal time or money on their part. This
newsletter is an example of that.
2. An opportunity for Participation - a workshop, teleclass or
seminar for example. This is the area on which I will now be
focussing.
3. Transformation - for those ready to plunge intensively - usually
one-to-one, can also be groups.
Oops again!
The client I've just described didn't know me. She had a copy of a
little Directory in which I offered a complementary coaching call.
She certainly may not have been ready to "plunge intensively".
I was!
I have such a strong belief in the power people have to transform their
lives by the way they think!
The Imp is grinning at me, "Yup, Bev, you've just learned a lot!"
Just after writing the above words, I phoned UPS, where I have
my business mailbox, and then went down and picked up a letter from
- you guessed it - this client! With payment in cash.
oh, dear! Now what do I say to you!
She wrote: Dear Bev - Hello! Sorry this took so long. But I do thank
you for all your help. I hope to get back to you after I settle in.
(I knew she urgently needed to find another place to live.) Again,
my condolences on your mom's passing. Hope you are doing OK.
Blessings, "X".
I made a quick phone call to the number I had for her and was told
by the person she rented from that he had no idea where she is now.
Will this stay a mystery? What would you have done?
What challenges are you facing on your journey to greater self-
empowerment? When your question is answered in this column, you'll
receive a complimentary 40-minute coaching consultation by phone or
a set of whimsical imp notecards.
Client names are changed to protect identity and maintain
confidentiality. Go ahead! send your questions to:
Your question will be answered promptly.
No waiting until the next newsletter.
Do you really have what it takes to live a life of Inspiration, Magic and Passion? To find out, take The Imp's Quick Quiz and
apply for a complimentary 40 minute phone consultation.
Oops!
I've been offering the Quick Quiz for quite some time. Please
respond only if you are ready to "plunge intensively" into re-
creating yourself.
http://www.theimpjournal.com/quick-quiz/
Last October I mentioned Professional Organizer, Alison Roberts
and her CD 'Move Less Stuff'
http://www.movelessstuff.com
Her first book is 'hot off the press' - Clutter's
Dirty Secret:
A Provocative Look at the Media's Impact on Our Spending Habits,
Consumer Debt and Accumulation of Clutter.
"If you're a Shopaholic", pipes up The Imp, "it's a must read!"
Alison and I exchanged copies of our books. (I do that often with
other authors.) About 9:30 Monday evening I sat down to have a look
at her book. At midnight I decided I really should get to bed and
set it down. At 2:30, wide awake, I got up and finished the book!
At 3:30 I went back to bed and slept soundly.
Alison's book was a delight to read and really motivates one to
action. Check it out at
http://www.cluttersdirtysecret.com
If you decide you must have a copy, contact
or
250-339-3711.
Tell her "The Imp Lady" sent you.
This month's totebag winner is new subscriber, Victor F. with a
UK email address. Please contact me, Victor. Let me know your
snail mail address and I'll have your totebag in the mail to you
promptly.
There are 3 ways to win a "Live a Life of Inspiration, Magic and
Passion" tote bag.
"One more thing!" The Imp butts in, "This newsletter has been on
the heavy side. Need an Interlude for Mirth and Playfulness?"
You'll find it at
http://www.TheImpLady.com
(By accessing the Play Pages, you'll also automatically get into
the new newsletter opt-in system. More about that coming soon.)
The Imp encourages you to write the quote on a card, read it
regularly, and then journal about your thoughts, insights,
feelings and, especially, actions.
"If I am concerned enough about something to get angry, I have a
clue about what I am passionate about."
Alison Roberts, M.A. from Clutter's Dirty Secret.