“Praise makes us brave.”

Barbara Sher is a wise woman who has inspired me for many years and did so again when I came across this quote from her. What a great reminder. Praising others can lift them and us. Praising ourselves is a wonderful addition to our inner voice.

When we praise others and ourselves, we also are practicing gratitude as well as telling the world and Universe what we want more of in our lives.

“What are you doing?”
“I’m making a cake.”
“What do you mean? We get cakes at the store.”

The above was an actual conversation when two young women saw me doing a cooking demo. The concept was all the more confusing to them as there wasn’t a box in sight as I was using raw materials to bake the cake from scratch.

Another time when I said I was going to make bread, again from scratch, confusion erupted as to why wouldn’t I just go to the bakery if the grocery store offerings where insufficient.

Why indeed.

Now it is more popular to know what is actually in the food that we are eating, then the key was convenience. Both are useful. Yet more than both of these, I like to bake. I learned at my grandmothers’ sides. They were both amazing bakers. My mouth waters at the memories.

At a book signing, Julia Child, my hero, asked me if I was a baker.

YIKES!

When a respected mentor asks you a question, your answer had better be right.
Gulp!
“Yes, I am a baker”, I replied to Julia.

“Oh, that is WONDERFUL! I am not and I so admire those who are,” said Julia, the great cook, teacher and world changer.

She too was WONDERFUL and I fully admit my bias.

Sometimes when you are different or misunderstood because others don’t have your same passions and visions, it is important to have a mentor or coach to support you, to help you see who you are and that yes, you are wonderful.

Seeing a cake made from scratch may not have totally changed the world for those two your women however it did change and widen their perspectives and options. The French bakery in town did make delicious baguettes from the imported French flour. I miss it to this day. The oatmeal bread from my grandmother’s recipe allows me to share the love and memories with those dear to me.

Is there something you want to do?
Whatch doin?

You know you are far from the equator, in my case far north, when you hear yourself say:

“Oh good, it’s warmed up enough to snow.”

Subzero temperatures on the thermometer mean the air will not hold enough moisture for precipitation, aka snow, to happen.

It is all a matter of perception and mindset that can make the difference in your experience and can impact your success in life, both real and perceived.

In the case of snow, it can be a sign of ‘warmer’ weather as above. OR it can be the sign of yet more shoveling required. By the end of the winter season finding space for more shoveled snow can be a challenge when several feet of snow are already on the ground. Yes, I am from that far north.

Similarly when receiving a shipment of supplies, you could be delighted to now have more options to offer your customers OR overwhelmed by wondering where and how you will store all this additional stuff.

Likewise when you are writing, the first hundred words may feel too big to accomplish for that English literature class essay OR just barely the beginning of your project proposal to take your company to the next level.

While it may not always be easy to find the possible positive(s) in any given scenario, taking the time and energy needed to do that will result in easier flow moving forward rather than sinking into smothering the situation with negative thoughts and words.

Negativity increases your energy burden while Positivity can add lightness (pun intended).

What will you do to add positive light to your situation?
Comment below.

If you’d like additional information or support on moving from chaos to clarity to get your ideas implemented, click on the link below to schedule a complimentary strategy session : https://www.timetrade.com/book/7YZTH