The Latest News, Views, and Gurus
Vol. 1, No. 4
Welcome Readers,
It’s us again – Ann Leach and Michelle Beaulieu Pillen, co-authors of
Goal Sisters: Live the Life You Want With A Little Help From Your Friends, coming to you from our book’s online home at
www.goalsisters.com.
For those of you who don’t know about us, our friendship began over 11 years ago in Bloomington, Illinois, where we both lived and worked. We were casual friends until the day Michelle declared her goal to start her own business. Ann believed Michelle could accomplish her goal and helped her realize it! Inspired by Michelle’s progress, Ann declared her goal to move to Missouri. We agreed to continue helping each other and met over lunch, sharing our progress, exchanging resources and support, and holding each other accountable.
We continued using this process to set and achieve goals in multiple areas of our lives. Our friends noticed the changes we were making and wanted to know how they could do it! After we got the attention of our publisher New World Library, we wrote our book to empower other women to add more fun and focus to their female friendships while transforming their lives.
That’s our story, what’s yours? We’d love to know who you are and what your goals are. Please send your introduction to
newsletter@goalsisters.com. We look forward to getting to know you! And now, onto the newsletter. . .
* * LET’S TALK TURKEY! * *
We’re gearing up for Thanksgiving and all the joy that follows! More than parades and football, this time of year gives us the opportunity to focus and reflect on our blessings in 2004. Be sure to take time to jot down your gratitude for all the people/places and experiences that made 2004 what it was for you.
Whether you consider it to be a great, difficult, or mixed year of fortune, chances are many people provided you with support and guidance along the way. Let those special people know of your gratitude through a phone call or card - your efforts will be appreciated. And please know how much we appreciate YOU and your support of Goal Sisters!
* * ACTIVITY: AMAZING GRACE * *
It seems like every holiday season ends with the silent promise that “Next year will be different! Less stress, less last minute rushing around, and more time for feeling calm!” Are you ready to keep those promises to yourself and those you love NOW?
In true Goal Sister fashion, grab your journal and markers, meet with your Sister(s), and declare your intentions for each of these holiday categories:
Gift Giving/Card Sending: Who will be on your list this year? Do you have a price limit? Do you have leftover cards from last year that you can reuse this year?
Baking: Is this one of your traditions? If so, what days will you bake? When will you shop for the supplies? Who will help you?
Special People: How are you celebrating this season with relatives and friends? Who will you share quiet time with? When will you contact them to get on each other’s calendars?
Children’s Vacation: Have you marked the days that the kids will be home? Will you be attending special school events? Will you need to provide snacks or buy a present for your kids’ teachers? How will you spend time with your children?
Travel Needs: Are you getting ready to travel over the river and through the woods? Is your car tuned up? Have you purchased your plane or train tickets? Have you made arrangements for Fido? Can you mail ahead packages?
Celebrations: Whose invitations do you really want to accept and which ones can you politely declined? Do you have a favorite outfit? Do you have small gifts for the hostess? How will you respond to all the waist-expanding holiday goodies?
Spiritual Time: Do you have your church or synagogue’s special services scheduled in your day planner? How about tickets for that special choral presentation? When will you enjoy the lights by yourself? How will you focus on peace and renewal?
Home Decorating: When will you get out the holiday decorations? Will you need help? Will you make decorating a celebration this year, and serve chili or pizza?
Volunteering: Will you be volunteering at a shelter or donating items? How much time do you have to give?
Share your goals with your Sister and write them down. In this time of heightened activity, ask her how she’d like to be held accountable. Does she want a quick email or phone call at a certain time each week? Don’t forget to discuss how you will celebrate the season and all that you have accomplished in the past few months!
* * ANN’S STORY * *
One of my favorite things to do is count my blessings. I have a special jar marked for such occasions and each day I record six things I am grateful for. I am constantly offering up a ‘Thank you, God’ as I drive and feel the warmth of the sun, appreciate a special floral arrangement on a restaurant table, or notice others who have more physical challenges than me. When I am in a bad mood or having a down day, I tell myself that ‘this is only temporary’ and get through it a little easier.
I do this by how I choose to focus my energy and thoughts. I believe our thoughts are prayers. It takes a conscious effort to re-train our brains to look for the good. Sometimes it takes a call to my Goal Sister to vent my frustrations. Other times it takes 15 minutes of meditation and listening to calming music. No matter what the result of the experience, I take time to give thanks for the lessons learned or the opportunities it has given me to become more aware of a behavior or attitude I might want to change.
* * ATTENTION GRABBING GURUS * *
Gratitude does not mean that you jump for joy at whatever occurs in your life. Rather, it means that you note, bear witness to, and see whatever is put before you. You are willing to let it be there, doing nothing to postpone whatever lesson or opportunity comes from fortune and misfortune.
So shares Maria Nemeth, Ph.D., author of
The Energy of Money. Take time this month to follow Nemeth’s lead and ‘note, bear witness to,’ and see what manifests before your very eyes! A cornucopia of blessings awaits you!
* * GOAL SISTERS HAPPENINGS * *
Are you ready to start a Goal Sister group of your own? If so, we can help! Ann has created a 30-page manual for group facilitators that can be purchased and downloaded from our Web site. The manual includes an outline for each of the 8-week sessions, complete with activities and discussion questions! Ann also addresses frequent questions from facilitators as well as concerns and needs of members. The cost is $10 through our secure PayPal account and is available only at
www.goalsisters.com!
Want a great gift idea for women on your holiday list? How about
Goal Sisters! Order the book through our Web site and email Michelle about wanting a bookplate sent to you or your recipient – it’s a great way to ‘personalize’ your gift!
That’s all for now! Stop by our Web site for updates about the book and Goal Sister groups, and to tell us how you’re doing. We’ll support you as you take the small steps toward your big goals and celebrate your goal successes with you!
Onward and upward,
Ann and
Michelle
P.S. Please forward this newsletter to your friends, family members, and colleagues who you think might benefit from setting and achieving goals during this holiday season. Muchos gracias!
Copyright © 2004 by Ann Leach and Michelle Beaulieu Pillen, Ph.D. All rights reserved. No part of this Web site may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise.
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