Look a Bit Deeper

It was an unexpected surprise to find myself in the company of several former coworkers earlier this week. Some of whom I hadn’t seen in over 15 years. The conversation was much what you would expect to hear during such an occasion; a few laughs over old times, updates on jobs, careers, children, and for some even new grandchildren.

It was during the goodbye’s that one individual looked at me and said, “Jenny, you haven’t changed a bit; you look exactly the same as you did all those years ago.” Well, how about that…Obviously, he wasn’t close enough to see the wrinkles and I have to admit the lighting wasn’t the best so that would explain the fact that he missed the hues of gray in my hair. But still, a pretty great compliment just the same.

Later that day I thought about the comment once again. I pondered it for a moment I had to ask myself, “Can I really look exactly the same after so many years…How could that be possible? I certainly don’t feel like the same person that I was back then.”

To the untrained eye I might seem the same…but a closer look would reveal something quite different. The slight streaks of silver in my hair signify my 20 years of marriage this year. Those little gray surprises appear out of no where with deep rooted strength. They soften with age and blend in time to create a new shade of color; rich in love, respect and compassion. The two crow’s feet that are beginning to appear along side each of my eyes signify my two children. The subtle lines change and grow with each passing year. Becoming more noticeable on the surface as their character develops and they begin to make their mark on the world. The small laugh lines around my mouth signify my challenges and trials. They are very small in the big scope of things, but are necessary for growth and learning life’s lessons while remembering to keep a sense of humor at the forefront. And, the brown age spots, well those are simply reminders to wear sunscreen and a large brim hat.

On the surface it may appear that not much has changed in my appearance over the course of 15 years. But I feel better knowing that that isn’t the case. I love these marks of aging and I wear them proudly.

Jenny,
Sister of Soul

Soulspiration of the Week:
"There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age."  Sophia Loren

Who Do You Think You Are?

Who are you? It’s such a simple question, and yet at the same time so complicated. As women we’re influenced by the media, society, mentors, parents, friends and spouses. We conform and adapt to be accepted, promoted, liked, loved, and admired. But peel away the layers of what others want us to be, and who are we then?

Consider the story of the eagle who thought he was a chicken…

A naturalist was visiting a farmer one day and was surprised to see a beautiful eagle in the farmer’s chicken coop. "Why in the world have you got this eagle living in with the chickens?"

"Well,” answered the farmer, “I found him when he was little and raised him in there with the chickens. He doesn’t know any better, he thinks he is a chicken."

The naturalist was dumbfounded. The eagle was pecking the grain and drinking from the watering can. The eagle kept his eyes on the ground and strutted around in circles, looking every inch a big, over-sized chicken. "Doesn’t he ever try to spread his wings and fly out of there?" asked the naturalist.

"No, said the farmer, and I doubt he ever will, he doesn’t know what it means to fly."

The naturalist persuaded the farmer to let him take the eagle out and do a few experiments with him, even though the farmer made it clear he thought the naturalist was wasting his time.

First, the naturalist lifted the bird to the top of the chicken coop fence and said "Fly!" He pushed the reluctant bird off the fence and it fell to the ground in a pile of dusty feathers. Next, the undaunted researcher took the ruffled eagle to the farmer’s hay loft and spread its wings before tossing it high in the air with the command "FLY!" The frightened bird shrieked and fell ungraciously to the barn-yard where it resumed pecking the ground in search of its dinner. The naturalist again picked up the eagle and decided to give it one more chance in a more appropriate environment, away from the bad examples of chicken lifestyle.

He set the docile bird on the front seat of his pickup truck and headed for the highest butte in the country. After a lengthy and sweaty climb to the crest, with the bird tucked under his arm, he spoke gently to the golden bird. "Friend, you were born to soar. It is better that you die here today on the rocks below than live the rest of your life being a chicken in a pen, gawked at and out of your element."

Having said these final words, he lifted the eagle up and once more commanded it to "FLY!" He tossed it out in space and this time, much to his relief, the eagle opened his seven-foot wingspan and flew gracefully into the sky. It slowly climbed in ever higher spirals, riding unseen thermals of hot air until it disappeared into the glare of the morning sun.

So, who do you think you are? Are you living life true to yourself? Or, are you living life based on the perceptions, expectations, beliefs, and/or desires of others? This story is a wonderful parable for how we live life unaware of who we really are, and instead settle for living life based on the lives we see others leading, or worse, what others want us to be.

Thankfully it doesn’t have to take a life-threatening situation like a push off a cliff to make us realize who we are, our true desires, or our calling in life. It just takes awareness and a little detective work, and our upcoming tele-training event is just the thing to get you started! We would love to introduce you to someone truly amazing…The real YOU!

Self-Aware: Discover the Real You

Monday, May 9, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. (CST)

The Soulspring Tele-Classroom*

It’s FREE*! We invite you to be our guest!

*Long distance phone charges apply where applicable.

You will receive your tele-classroom access code and training materials via email prior to the training call.

REGISTER FOR “SELF-AWARE: DISCOVER THE REAL YOU” TODAY!

Kim,

Sister of Soul

Soulspiration of the Week:
“Only by much searching and mining are gold and diamonds obtained, and man can find every truth connected with his being if he will dig deep into the mine of his soul.”  ~James Allen

Don’t Wait for the Next Commercial

I had just gotten home from work. It had been a tense day; everyone coming at me with their requests and nothing was getting accomplished or checked off my own list of to-do’s. I headed to the kitchen to begin preparing supper.  I put a pot of water on to boil and was trying my best to hurry up the process.  I quickly took an inventory of the ingredients I was to need and realized the vegetable was in the freezer downstairs. Not wanting to leave the heating pot unattended I threw the request out within earshot of the two bumps sitting on the couch watching TV. I got a quick response from the male teenage bump, “At the next commercial”. (Now let me just say these two rarely sit comatose in front of the TV for hours on end. However, this day was chilly and damp outside so they were spending their after school unwind time watching ICarly.) Wait for the next commercial, what am I suppose to do with that? What if I need the vegetable before the next commercial comes on?  Ugh!  My pot of water still wasn’t boiling but I can attest that something else was about to boil over.

I mustered up the kindest sounding voice I could and asked the request a second time. To my relief my son dragged himself off the couch to fetch that last supper ingredient. Thank you!

But still I was pondering this idea of waiting for the next commercial, where did they learn it anyway? Who am I kidding….This is certainly not a new phenomenon. Since there has been televisions there have been kids procrastinating on every task imaginable. They wait for a convenient point to break away and do whatever it is that is waiting for them. And, it’s not just kids, as adults we have been known to pull the same trick. Household chores are often broken up into 3 minute chunks of time, perfect for completion during the scheduled commercial interruptions.

Actually, it affects a number of areas in our adult lives as well! How many times do we wait for that convenient place to break away in order to do the things that are waiting for us. You’ve got big things waiting for you; goals, dreams, passions. Don’t just live life commercial to commercial, force yourself to pause the programming a little more often and you’ll be amazed at the things you can accomplish. Turn off the repeats and reruns and a make an all new primetime show…starring YOU!

Jenny,
Sister of Soul

Soulspiration of the Week:
We shall never have more time. We have, and have always had, all the time there is. No object is served in waiting until next week or even until tomorrow. Keep going day in and day out. Concentrate on something useful. Having decided to achieve a task, achieve it at all costs. ~Arnold Bennett.

Choices Suck

It’s great to have a choice, right? I mean, the power of choice is one of our most precious freedoms. It’s what separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom after all. That’s what we tell ourselves anyway.

The reality of the situation…Well, I’m going to venture to say that most people actually hate choices, and avoid making them at every opportunity. Ultimately, it’s the choices we make that put the responsibility in our lives, and our own happiness squarely on our shoulders.

Everything in life is a choice left to us; the job we accept, the spouse we marry, the schedules we keep. But what do we tend to do? We make choices that are not right for us. We choose what society thinks is right, what our husband thinks is right, or what our children think is right. And that’s where it begins…Instead of choice being one of our greatest freedoms it becomes one of our strongest captors.

We blame our circumstances and situations for our problems and hardships because it’s easier if we pretend that we don’t have a choice in the matter. Instead of becoming the hero of our own story we become the victim; full of anger, complaints, resentment, and sadness.

We tell ourselves that for one reason or another, we aren’t able to make the choices that others are able to make. They’re lucky or special and we’re the ones that got stuck with what we got. Somehow we confused making “tough” choices with having “no” choices and as a result we do what’s easy, play it safe, try to make (or keep) others happy, and instead of loving choices…we hate them.

It’s time to exercise your freedom to choose and to learn to love every opportunity you have to make a conscious, honest choice, whether it is difficult or otherwise. It’s the only path to fulfilling your wildest dreams!

So you’ve got a decision to make...You can either read this post, applying the message to your own life, and start making conscious and powerful choices, or you can choose to skim this text and quickly decide that your life is different and this lesson doesn’t apply to you. The choice is yours. Which will it be?

Becky,
Sister of Soul

Soulspiration of the Week:
"Our dilemma is that we hate change and love it at the same time; what we really want is for things to remain the same but get better." ~Sydney J. Harris

Not Weird, but Wise!

I am fortunate to work with such a diverse group of women. All of varying ages, personalities, backgrounds, and experiences; it sounds a lot like the Soulspring Groups concept, I know. Although, much time is spent as it should be, on the work at hand, quite often tidbits of advice are exchanged while on the clock.

One instance in particular stands out from the past week. As I was working at my desk I overheard a conversation happening outside my door. The younger of two women was describing a situation that she was experiencing with her in-laws. I could tell she was obviously angered by the situation. Like many of us, she was letting the emotions take over and was losing the focus of the big picture...the long term results. The older women confidently stated, “You have to let it go – for your kids and your husband’s sake, it’s best to let it blow over…and it will in time!” I muttered to myself, “Good for her, that advice was spot on!” The younger woman didn’t much like that advice. It was obvious she was hoping for the green light to call her in-laws and tell them a thing or two. Knowing she wasn’t going to receive the message she was seeking, she went on her way. I secretly hoped she would reconsider the advice, however.

The older woman then popped her head in my office, knowing that their conversation had been overheard. She said, “I guess I’m just getting weird in my old age!” I replied, “I wouldn’t call that weird….I’d call that wise!” She gave me a smile and said, “I’d never thought of it that way…”

Do we really buy into the old adage, “Wise beyond our years”? Every single day we are faced with numerous new challenges, new tests, and new opportunities. And everyday we figure out how to deal with each thing that comes our way with style and grace. We learn from the experience itself. We constantly try new things to find out what works and what doesn’t. Give yourself some credit for the gained knowledge that comes at the end of each day.  You truly are "Wise beyond your years!"

Jenny,
Sister of Soul

Soulspiration of the Week:

“We learn wisdom from failure much more than from success. We often discover what will do, by finding out what will not do; and probably he who never made a mistake, never made a discovery.” ~Samuel Smiles

Strength in Rank

My sisters and I were blessed once again to attend an annual women’s faith conference with several dear friends this past weekend.  The retreat is always amazing and this year didn’t disappoint; it was filled with great speakers, workshops, and conversation.  One of our favorite speakers is always Susie Larson.  This year, during her “Taking Back Your Land” workshop she made a powerful point that we found particularly inspiring as we finalize the content and training materials for our upcoming Self-Worth: Finding the Value in YOU Tele-Class.

As women we sometimes forget that we’re all on the same team. At the end of the day, after we leave behind the labels, we are all joined together as humans. We stand in rank, no one better than another; all beautifully complete with our own set of virtues, imperfections, strengths, and weaknesses. Standing together, linked arm in arm, this is when we’re at our strongest.

Standing there together, each unique in our own way, Susie says, "We are more alike than we often care to admit.  Our main similarity is that each feels imperfect in some way. "

No matter who we are we have struggled with things about ourselves; our habits, our perceptions, our idiosyncrasies, our weight, or our value. We’re all guilty of negative self-talk or of taking to heart the critical comments spoken from some wounded individual. Instead of locking arms and standing up to those voices in unified formation, we listen to the voices that say we’re not worth enough, not good enough, not smart enough. Instead of standing strong together, we step out of rank and find ourselves alone.

Why would we step away from the safety of our support network? We step out because we think that’s it only us, and as we do we begin to believe those voices and feel vulnerable, insignificant, and worthless.

Self-worth is the foundation by which you will build up your power and your life. If you’re in need of a self-worth boost, you won’t want to miss our free tele-training event! See details below.

Becky,
Sister of Soul

Soulspiration of the Week:
“Low self-esteem is like driving through life with your hand-break on.” ~Unknown

At Soulspring Groups we’ve declared 2011 “The Year of Self”. From self-esteem and self-image, to self-care and self-discovery; we’ll be bringing you a series of reflective training sessions focused on the most interesting of topics: YOU!

When you think about “you”, what comes to mind? Do you glow with pride for your successes, or instantly recall every mistake and misstep? Do you live life with guts and gusto, or feel undeserving of the abundance available to you?

Living a rich life has little to do with net-worth and everything to do with self-worth. Your personal value is a direct result of your self-esteem and beliefs about your deservedness. It’s a sad reality that many women suffer from low esteem and consider themselves inferior to others. Don’t you think it’s time you realize your true value and embrace the best life has to offer?

Well we do! Don’t surrender another day to anxiety, worry, regret, dissatisfaction, or inadequacy! Join us as we reveal powerful strategies to boost your self-worth and self-esteem. Prepare to tap into your inner power, and expose the value of YOU!

Self-Worth: Finding the Value in YOU

DATE: Monday, March 14, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. CST

LOCATION: In the Soulspring Tele-classroom

FEE: It's FREE*! We invite you to be our guest!

*Long distance charges apply where applicable.

Register today in our Soul Store!

 

You will receive your tele-classroom access code and training materials
 via email prior to the training call.

Life’s Lessons in your Email’s Inbox?

You know those “FW:” emails? The ones that clutter up your inbox? The ones that require you to forward them to 10 of your closest friends or suffer some horrible consequence, thus perpetuating the cycle of the “FW:”?

I know, they can be annoying but curiosity gets the best of me every time I see one. While the time management experts will tell you to immediately hit “delete”, I just can’t bring myself to do it. What if there’s some important message, some life lesson, some clue to my purpose hidden for me within the text?

And so I read, on the quest to discover some piece of treasure buried within the typed words, and every so often I find it. It’s an exciting moment when you stumble upon a story that touches you to your heart, which is what the following parable did for me. Hopefully as you read it, its lesson will touch you as well. No need to forward to your 10 closest friends; nothing bad will happen as a result if you don’t. On the other hand, if you think the story will warm their heart, feel free to share the link to this post.

Enjoy!

Kim,
Sister of Soul

Soulspiration of the Week:
Once upon a time on an island, there lived all the feelings and emotions: Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge, and all of the others, including Love. One day it was announced to them that the island would sink, so all constructed boats and left.

All that is except for Love; Love wanted to hold out until the last possible moment. But as the island was becoming nearly submerged, Love decided to ask for help.

Richness was passing by Love in a boat. Love said, "Richness, can you take me with you?" Richness answered, "Sorry Love, I can't. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat and so there is no place here for you."

Next, Love asked Vanity, who was also sailing by, for help. Vanity was ready with the same answer, "I can't help you, Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat.”

Sadness was close by so Love asked, "Sadness, take me along with you."

"I’m sorry, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!" was Sadness’ sullen reply.

Happiness passed by Love, too, but she was so preoccupied with her happiness that she did not even hear when Love called her.

Suddenly, there was a voice, "Come, Love, I will take you." It was an elder. An overjoyed Love jumped up into the boat and in the process forgot to ask where they were going. When they arrived at a dry land, the elder went her own way.

Realizing how much was owed to the elder, Love asked Knowledge, another elder, "Who was that who helped me?"

"It was Time," Knowledge answered. "Time?" thought Love. Then, as if reading the face of Love, Knowledge smiled and answered, "Because only Time is capable of understanding how valuable Love is." ~Unknown

Jump Ball!

I’ve spent the past two months battling a very common physical condition affectionately known as bleacher butt. After years of waiting, our daughter finally reached the required age where she could begin her youth basketball career. As the first official season to play the sport against another team, keeping score, and tracking fouls just like the big leagues got underway, she realized it was just what she was hoping for. It involved everything she loved….competition, ball handling, fast-paced action, and of course social time with her teammates. It wasn’t quite the same as one-on-one with her brother on their make-shift half court in the garage; nonetheless, she was in heaven.

It was during that very first game that I noticed a yet to be learned skill; the concept of fighting for that jump ball hadn’t come alive just yet. Our girls were still displaying those first rules of the playground that we as parents tried so hard to teach them when they were young. We’d closely watch the interaction between the children, and promptly step in when our child would try to claim a toy that another was playing with. We’d find ourselves repeating over and over again, “Don’t take toys away from other kids.” And now, how many years later, we see them doing just as we taught them on the court…we should be so proud. At the first sense that the other team would get their hands on the ball our girls would instinctively let go, giving up an opportunity for a “jump ball”; a possession change. They were just doing what they knew, what was polite, what they felt was the right thing to do.

But, let’s take a timeout and consider the power of this important skill. As we go through life and begin to realize our dreams and goals, how many of us simply let go and give up the control when someone comes by and starts to steal it away? Do we give up too easily and relinquish an opportunity all together, or do we firmly plant our feet and hold on tight with both hands in order to show them we’ve got the confidence to stay in the game? In order to reach the goals we set for ourselves we’ve got to learn to stay with those “jump ball” situations.

Now fast forward a mere two months to the last game of the season. It was obvious that somewhere along the way our girls realized the benefits that come from a “jump ball” situation. They confidently wrapped their arms around the ball and hung on with all their might. At the end of the game they had a ton of possession changes and a win under their belt. It was empowering to see the fearless look on their faces as they sought out the opportunities to go after the ball and most importantly held on tight until the whistle blew; signaling a JUMP BALL!

Yes, my butt will soon be back to normal. It was certainly a season that we’ll remember. It wasn’t about tracking wins and losses, but a season for the entire team to learn the basics, understand the rules, master the skills, and gain the confidence that will benefit them for the rest of their lives. And, we adults may have even learned a thing or two along the way. Remember to plant your feet, wrap your arms around that dream and hang on with all your might until you hear the sound of that whistle signaling you did it!

Jenny,
Sister of Soul

Soulspiration of Week:

A winner is someone who recognizes his God-given talents, works his tail off to develop them into skills, and uses these skills to accomplish his goals. ~ Larry Bird

Life Purpose: What’s That Got to Do with Goal Setting?

One of the best parts of my Soulspring Groups work is meeting with women in a group coaching setting and leading them through our Passion Processes. Few women actually take the time to do this type of self-reflection on their own, and after a few hours of exercises, interaction and conversation, I’m always amazed by the clarity, light bulb-moments and bits of brilliance that surface amidst the fun and laughter.

Women are so wise when they allow themselves to be. Unfortunately, all the chaos of daily life keeps us pretty busy and distracted. That’s what our Soulspring Groups meetings are all about; giving women one evening a month dedicated to gaining clarity about their own personal dreams, goals, passions and life purpose.

It was at such a gathering, during a “Rapid Fire” exercise, when an important lesson revealed itself. So basic was the message, yet it’s one that is often overlooked. Our question was, “I’ll be living on purpose when…” and the premise of the exercise was to go from woman to woman asking them to fire off the first thing that came to mind. Of course all the answers were wise and great, but one in particular stuck out…

“I’ll be living on purpose when…I do the things I say I will do and don’t agree to the things I know I won’t do.”

Yes, seems pretty common sense, yet within that one statement are a multitude of life lessons. The stress that comes with over-commitment, the integrity issues that accompany our inability to say “no”, but at the core is an even more significant principle for success and happiness.

The happiest and most successful women are masterful goal-setters. They decide what they want, set goals around those desires, create a plan, and then work the plan step by step until victory is achieved. We’ve worked hundreds of women through this very process and have seen many amazing accomplishments as a result. But for every goal achieved, there are many more goals that are not. How could this be?

There is a precursor to this process; one might even call it a secret to goal setting success. The secret is that if the goal you wish to achieve is not in alignment with your purpose, it will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to realize. However, set a goal that is consistent with your purpose, and not only will you achieve it, you will be inundated with help, support and resources, the process of pursuing it will be easy, exciting and fun, and the speed at which you fulfill your dream will be greatly accelerated!

If realizing your dreams and goals have proven to be a challenge for you, perhaps the problem is within your purpose, or rather the lack of clarity around it. How can you get clear?

• Soulspring Groups can help you gain clarity about your dreams, passions and purpose.  Visit our website to learn about joining a Soulspring Group in your area, or starting a Soulspring Group of your own.
• Connecting with like-minded women will lead you in the right direction!  We invite you to stop by our Facebook page and join our growing community of inspiring and empowered women. 
• Remind yourself just how amazing you are! Get your free copy of our newly released e-book “50 Reasons to Believe in You” HERE.

Above all, remember it’s about more than goals and success; it’s about living on purpose.

Kim,
Sister of Soul

Soulspiration of the Week:
“There is one quality which one must possess to win, and that is definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it.” ~Napoleon Hill

We Encourage Returns

It always amazes me how quickly the Holidays fly by. With a blink of an eye you’re staring glassy eyed at a room full of ripped wrapping paper, boxes, and bows strewn about. All the time wondering to yourself how could it possibly be over? It seems like we just got finished with the dishes on Thanksgiving Day. But now we enter the unofficial part of the Holiday season….gift returns.

Millions will head to the costumer service department with receipts in hand ready to exchange their gifts for something different. Maybe they want to exchange it for a color or size that suits them better or even returning it all together because they don’t want it.

Things get returned to the store for so many reasons. Either it doesn’t fit or it’s not our style, we don’t feel good in it, maybe it’s damaged or we just plain don’t need it. Making a return has really come along way from years ago. It used to be a much avoided task. There you were standing in line waiting for your turn to be interrogated. The unhappy clerk would fire a dozen accusatory questions in your direction and upon finally realizing that they couldn’t change your mind would leave you with a sneer that made you feel guilty for the entire day. Fast forward a few dozen years and we now have the easy pain-free process which can take just a matter of seconds if handled properly.

Now this idea of sending things back from hence they came could really fit into some other areas of our lives…

As you head into this New Year, take notice of items you might be better off returning. Maybe you have a group of friends that are negative and full of criticism - they aren’t your style anymore. Trade them in for more positive models. Or, how do you spend your free time? If it’s in front of the TV watching drivel hour after hour – sounds like that might be damaged? You might need to return it for a few more productive habits like reading, journaling, or taking a walk. Let’s try one more… how are your goals and dreams coming along? If haven’t had any time or energy to focus on them – you probably don’t feel good about it! You should really consider exchanging some of your time and focus on a few things for yourself. Now, I think you’re getting the picture.

How many of us would keep a sweater that is too large or a set of towels that don’t match our bathroom? If we have the receipt we’d be the first in the return line. We do not need to hang on to those other things in our lives that just don’t fit right. And the best part about that is some returns don’t need receipts.

Jenny,
Sister of Soul

Soulspiration of the week:

"I exchange the habits and beliefs that I have outgrown for new and empowering ones that fit with the new vision for my life."

Empower Yourself Through Life-Long Learning

Quite often my kids comment about how they can't wait until they are done with school. I remember feeling that way, not wanting to be in the classrooms, doing the homework, taking the tests, etc. I had had enough and was ready to move on to the next step and get out into the world where we didn't need to learn anymore. Oh, but how wrong I was. How boring life would be and how short we would fall from our full potential if we stopped learning.

Learning is the one thing that we have the ability to continue doing no matter our age, financial position, or employment status. When we dig deep into those areas that interest us we gain not only knowledge, but also self confidence and power. Just by being avidly inquisitive and curious you keep your brain alive and open to receiving an abundant amount of information. Are you a life-long student?

You can never run out of new things to learn. The ways are simple. Read books and articles about those areas and topics that interest you. Surround yourself with intellectual people, strike up conversations and ask questions, visit points of interest and historical sites, start or join a Soulspring Group where you can begin the process of teaching and inspiring others with your life experiences and in turn learn from other women.

The subject of learning is a life-long course. It isn't just the reading, writing, algebra, and chemistry. It's as simple as finding the little interesting nuggets in our everyday life that we didn't already know.

Scratch more than just the surface and you'll uncover a whole world of new found interests, hobbies, and talents waiting to help you become who you were meant to be.

Jenny,
Sister of Soul

Soulspiration of the Week:
"Get over the idea that only children should spend their time in study. Be a student so long as you still have something to learn, and this will mean all your life." Henry L. Dohertye

Top Questions of 2009: What is the Meaning of Life?

Ask.com recently released their Top Questions of 2009 list. Not surprisingly, right up there with “What time is it,” and “What is Miley Cyrus’ phone number,” is this whopper; “What is the meaning of life?”

You’ve probably asked yourself this very question, although maybe not phrased quite this way. Do any of these biggies sound familiar?

“What’s my life purpose?”
“Why was I put on the earth?”
“Is this all there is?”

Ironically, it was this very question that awoke a passion and spurred a new kind of women’s revolution. It’s what originally sparked the idea of a small group of women, of different ages, backgrounds, and experiences, meeting regularly for the purpose of learning, teaching, supporting, and empowering. Back then they were “empowerment groups” today we call then “Soulspring Groups”.

What we came to realize is that the meaning of life is about fulfilling your purpose. Fulfilling your purpose is about following your passions. To follow your passions, you first must discover and then put them to good use. And yes, that’s where Soulspring comes in!

As we head into a new year and decade, we see an ever-growing need for a women’s empowerment crusade. When it comes to “empowerment” we all have it in us, but many are too tired, afraid, busy, stressed, confused, pre-occupied…(I could go on and on), to apply our talents and what we know to making real change in our lives, and the lives of those around us. Yet, when we do step up; oh, what great and wonderful things happen!

We’re living in an amazing time and at Soulspring we couldn’t be more exited about what the future holds. We’ll be asking for your help from time to time, but we vow that our members, friends, fans, and followers will be richly rewarded!

Kim,
Sister of Soul

Soulspiration of the Week
“The purpose of life is to live a life of purpose.” ~Richard Leider