I'm Moving!!

My friend Robynn and I have decided to team up and have a blog together!  See all of my posts from this point forward by visiting:

http://thesuedesofa.com/

See you on the sofa!

Get Busy, Get Happy

When I quit my job as a teacher and became a stay-at-home mom I thought my life was finally going to be everything I wanted it to be.  I could hang out in my pajamas all day, didn’t have to keep track of time, and be present for every second of my daughter’s childhood.  Sounds like a pretty great life, right?

I don’t know about you but if I have too many days where I’m not being productive or focusing on something that makes me excited I experience, what I call, THE FUNK!  I can go days maybe even weeks where I feel like I’m stuck.  I lack motivation to do anything, I’m not really excited about much, and I tend to focus on all the flaws and negative things going on in my life.  This, of course, results in being a harder wife to live with and a mom that isn’t as peppy.  There is so much truth to “Happy Wife, Happy Life!”

Even though staying busy makes your life a little more hectic, it can keep your mind from dwelling on the bad.  I always tell Doug that I currently work harder than I ever have but I’m also happier than I've ever been.  If I keep my mind busy on things that satisfy me I am less likely to struggle with self-confidence issues, negative thoughts about others and things that bother me.  This of course results in me being a better and happier mom, wife, Christian, etc.

Sound familiar?  If so, pick yourself up by finding the quickest way you can turn around your day.  Whether it is taking a bubble bath or painting your toenails a crazy color, do something to reverse "the funk" and change your way of thinking! If your outfit makes you feel fat, then go put on your skinny jeans!  If your house feels dirty start by burning your favorite candle.  If you can't kick a bad thought go turn on a fun song or something to distract your mind for a while!  You know the drill---and from there it should become contagious!

Oh Happy Day!

Lara

The Pressures of Society

So here’s the truth.  I was initially pretty nervous about doing the Women’s Life Summit video.  It was easy to let my mind wander with thoughts of what everyone was going to think about how I spoke or how I looked.  What if people thought I did a horrible job?  What if someone out there thinks I’ve gained a lot of weight in the last 10 years?  What if I look silly in front of the camera? It is easy to be influenced by the thoughts that can constantly overwhelm our mind and the pressures of society to be perfect.  The thing is, look how many of those thoughts and pressures keep us from doing what we really want to do?

I have never considered myself to be a very good writer.  Writing this blog is a bit out of my comfort zone, but I’m never going to be a good writer unless I work at it and have someone critique me.  The days I feel insecure, I remind myself of the reason for doing the Women’s Life Summit and sharing thoughts on this blog:  I want women to realize that how they think and feel is NORMAL.

We’ve talked a lot about “What would you do if you knew you could not fail?”  So many of the reasons why we never attempt to answer that question is because we are so worried about what everyone else thinks.  I was the same way when I first thought about doing the video.  The thing is, what does it really matter what others think?  Can you really call the people who don't support you friends anyway?  Why surround yourself with people that aren’t going to encourage you and ultimately get you to heaven?  This is your life.  You have the power to choose how you want to live it.  Don’t give in to society.  Follow what is in your heart.  

So whether you are making a drastic life change because you want to get out of debt, go back to college and get a different degree or become more active in your church, you have to remind yourself of WHY you are doing it.  Then remember that most of your thoughts and feelings are exactly what everyone else is feeling.  Just by knowing that, it is amazing how it can give you a boost of encouragement to pick yourself up and continue on.

Are you feeling like you’re never good enough no matter how hard you try? Wishing your husband could read your mind so you wouldn’t have to explain what you feel all the time?  Depressed with how your body is changing? I’ve been there too.  It’s okay.  It’s normal.  Now change your way of thinking and focus on something that makes you happy and excited about life.  The rest will come.  Trust me. :)

~L

Women's Life Summit - March 26, 2011

What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail? Would you go back to school? Lose weight and make healthy lifestyle changes? Start a nonprofit organization? Improve your spending habits or get out of debt? Form a new habit or overcome an addiction? Turn your hobby into a career?

We'd like to invite you to The Women's Life Summit on March 26 at the FireEscape Coffeehouse in Chanute, Kansas from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. You can RSVP by going to Women's Life Summit on Facebook. This event will focus on identifying your life's purpose and the ways to turn your dreams into a reality. We plan to "get real" with you on topics that most women rarely talk about, like confidence and self-image issues, pressures from society to be perfect, feeling overwhelmed as a parent, and addressing, head-on, that infamous feeling that you're just not good enough, pretty enough, smart enough, strong enough.

Let's face it. As women, we're in this together, but rarely are we transparent enough with the people who may be able to help us the most, people who have been where we are and have felt the same things we feel - other women.

You'll be empowered, encouraged and get a chance to connect with other women facing the same challenges that you are.

If you're feeling lost in your purpose, alone, or just need to renew your passion we hope you'll join us.

Taking the Plunge

When I graduated from college I felt like I had the rest of my life planned out.  I would be a music teacher until I had kids, be a stay-at-home mom for several years, and then go back and teach once the kids were in school.  At the time I didn't allow myself to think much beyond either of those jobs because I knew I was capable of doing both, and I was happy with that.  Plus, who was I kidding?  I didn't go to 4 1/2 years of college for nothing!

After we had our first child it was then that I realized I had a desire to do different with my life. The thought of being my own boss while raising my kids became more and more appealing to me.  Neither one of my parents ever worked outside the home and I could see the rewards of the countless hours and years of hard work to make their ranch/farm all that it has become.  The idea of that was exciting to me, which got me to thinking...

What in the world could I do to be my own boss?  Sell Mary Kay?  Start my own scrapbooking business?  Believe it or not, I tried both ideas, and needless to say, neither one worked out.  I like to call those experiences stepping stones, not failures, because looking back that really is all that they were.  Even though they didn't lead me to immediate success I knew that I was on the right track.  Being my own boss was still my goal.

It was actually 6-12 months later that I made my first block set (that looks VERY different to what I sell now) and then got my first sale on eBay.  Of course there are many other stories that got me to where I am now (3 1/2 years later), but the purpose of this post is to encourage you to take your first step and be fearless in what you are trying to accomplish!

Who knows if I will continue to grow my business for the rest of my life.  It is hard to say where life will lead me.  I may never go back and teach, and that is okay.  Those 4 1/2 years of college were just another important stepping stone to help with my success. Being the owner of Letter Block Shop is what makes me happy right now and that is all that really matters.  Don't overwhelm yourself by feeling like you have to live out this single goal forever.  We are focusing on a goal that is going to fill your heart's desire right now.  Who knows what kind of doors that will open for your future! 

In order to make "taking the plunge" a better experience, try the following:

1) Surround yourself with people that support your goal.  You are who you hang around, so make sure these people are positive!

 

2) Follow their lead. Find people that have had success in what you are trying to accomplish. These people can help get you through the hard times and give you tips on how to succeed.

3) Take baby steps. Don't set yourself up to want to quit by having unrealistic goals.  Start as small as you can and get excited with every step!  If one step doesn't work, try a different one in another direction!

4) Don't give up.  This will be an easy one to try and break.  If you can keep going back to the first 3 steps then giving up should not be an option.

What are you waiting for?  Make a list of people who are going to support you and tackle your first baby step today.  Remember the desire that is in your heart and GO FOR IT!

Good luck!

Lara

So what WOULD you do if you knew you could not fail?

Would you…Get out of debt?  Start your own business?  Run a marathon?  Be a better Christian? This is sometimes a hard question to answer simply because we’ve never taken time to dream that big or get excited about something that seems nearly impossible.  The fact of the matter is that many, if not all, of your goals can be accomplished if you are willing to take the steps to get there.

There are helpful ways to get started on the right foot, but first we must answer that next question you are pondering, “but what if I do fail?  What if I'm not good enough, pretty enough, smart enough, or strong enough?"  The truth is, there are going to be setbacks and moments you’ll feel like a disappointment.  I always try to tell myself, “Don’t let ‘failure’ be an option.”  Change your way of thinking.  You can’t look at those moments as failures, LOOK AT THEM AS STEPPING STONES.  The people in this world that experience success are the ones that took a bad situation and learned from it.  Doing this will only make you stronger and over time will give you more confidence in believing you can achieve what you are trying to accomplish.

So do me a favor and take a few minutes to ask yourself this question, “What would I do if I knew I could not fail?” Think about your heart’s desire and the purpose you want to have in this life.  Once we establish that, then we can proceed to step 2: Taking the Plunge

Happy Dreaming!

Lara

Women's Life Summit--What would you do if you knew you could not fail?

Over the last year, my friend, Robynn, and I have talked a lot about the importance of women needing other women to help get through life.  Women seem to go through the same experiences, but rarely do they open up and talk about it.  We are ready to "get real" about life and discuss the everyday struggles that women face, whether it be their weight, spending habits, relationships, confidence issues or simply getting through each day.  We want to give you the tools you need to survive the days of fussy kiddos, endless dishes and loads of laundry!

On March 26, 2011 we are going to offer our very first Women's Life Summit.  It will be held from 9am-12pm at the FireEscape Coffeehouse in Chanute, KS.  Our main focus for this event will be based around the question, "What would you do if you knew you could not fail?"  We hope this question will inspire you to start thinking about doing things you never thought imaginable.  As we share our own stories in achieving goals regarding weight, finance and starting your own business (just to name a few!) you will learn that we too struggled to achieve our goals, but were able to make it possible by the support of our faith and other women.

For those of you that will not be able to attend, I will try and share some of the thoughts and helpful tips on this blog.  If anything, I hope this information can help remind you that you are NEVER alone!  I have always been a believer that women will get through life so much easier if they are constantly reminded that they are not the only one feeling the way they do!

Start thinking outside the box and feel encouraged that you too can start taking control of your life!

Blessings,

Lara

It's All In The Roots

Greetings!

It’s time I finally get this blog started.  I’m not really sure where this will lead but I feel God has given me many blessings and some that might be useful to share.  So here it goes…

Over the last 2 ½ years I took the leap and started my own small business.  I’ve always had a bit of a creative side and wanted an outlet when staying at home with my kids.  After college my husband, Doug, and I lived in St. Louis for a couple of years.  During our life there I was inspired by the little shops in downtown St. Charles, MO.  Doug always told me I could make my own home décor, and at the time I remember thinking he was crazy!  Just goes to show that maybe I should listen to him more often. ;)

When we moved back to Kansas I still had a strong desire to start something on my own.  I’ve always loved anything dealing with interior design and before I knew it I was making and selling my own home décor!  Of course, if only the road up to this point would have been that easy.  There were many lessons learned after losing money on my first sale and dealing with the numerous setbacks that comes with getting a business started.  The most important thing is that I never gave up, and that really is the best advice I can ever give anyone.  You can’t be afraid to fail and you have to reassure yourself that no matter what, you’ll be a stronger person regardless of the outcome.  Of course, there is a lot that comes with starting your own business, and I’ll be happy to give you more insight on that at a later date.

A large part of my success as a business owner has to do with the fact that I grew up in a very loving, faithful, supportive and hardworking family.  I am one of four daughters who grew up on a farm in Kansas.  By the look of our one-bathroom farmhouse, some may have thought we didn’t have much.  In my eyes, I felt like I had it all and continue to give thanks for the strong roots of my upbringing. Both of my parents did (and still) make all their income by growing crops and raising cattle.  They have always been the hardest workers I know, yet they were always there for us girls, never missing a sporting event or piano recital.  Having a strong work ethic and the attitude that "giving up is not an option" was just a way of life for our family.  As I now have a family of my own, I am constantly reminded of the benefits of being a positive thinker and the great outcome of teaching my kids to do the same.  It has been an enjoyable experience to begin cultivating our own little seeds :)

Thanks for stopping by to visit! More to come!

Cheers~

Lara