The Pursuit of Happiness?

I began thinking after I posted yesterday about this emotional connection in marketing. Is it a good thing? I think in some instances it is, but as I began thinking of more examples, I realized how silly it has become. I think that companies like Starbucks are doing it right & I know that I try to be properly motivated in my business but then I started thinking about the razor commercial where the man shaves and then there is a beautiful woman stroking his face. Or the ever-popular beer commercials. And then, ironically, this morning I picked up the new book I am reading - "Me to We" by Craig Keiburger & Marc Kielburger, founders of Free the Children (www.freethechildren.com) - and the chapter was about this very thing! One of the stories I found quite disturbing was that of the opening of the Mall of America, which now has more visitors annually than Graceland, the Grand Canyon & Disney World combined! They also mentioned (and I've heard this before) that by the year 2000, the US had twice as many shopping malls as high schools.

We are so messed up in so many ways. I think that this is timely, seeing as how we have come out of the biggest surge of consumerism of the year - Christmas. And oh, how it continues with the Boxing Day sales. And are we any happier for it? Nope. At least, not if we see money & acqusition as the ultimate pursuit. I do quite a bit of charity work through Discovery Toys and most of it, I still get some benefit from (I donate my commission but the orders I put in still count towards my sales). That's one of the reasons I decided to take up another project that would not benefit me financially in any way but that I could do just because I wanted to. Any of you who get an email from me have seen the tag on the bottom about buidling a school in Kenya. This is a project I am hoping to complete this year. I will be much more diligent in contributing to it myself as well as enlisting the help of others. I am endeavoring to raise $6000 for this. (If you would like to help in any way, let me know). When I first took on this project, it was back to school time for us and I realized what a luxury that is - that we have to go out and buy school supplies is a gift! The kids have helped me with this project as well & I intend to get them more involved as well. We set up a lemonade stand over the summer and every time Eliora poured a glass, she told the people that the money was going towards building this school. Well, do you think anyone asked for their change?! She was very moved by it & wants to be involved.

I truly have realized that it is in giving that we find the most joy. And it is the giving that nobody knows about that is the most exciting. There have been opportunities that have come my way to help someone & I have known that unless I tell people about the good thing I did, no one will know. (So I rarely tell) And these are the moments that lift my spirit & make me realize how much we all have to give & how rich we truly are. It doesn't take much to be able to help. We raised $15 at that lemonade stand that afternoon, but to Eliora, it might as well have been a thousand.

Branded...

“The rules of engagement around building a brand have changed significantly over the past 10 to 15 years. Where companies at one time could spread their message through traditional marketing, consumers now seek an enduring emotional connection with the companies they patronize. The foundation of that connection is the most important characteristic of building a world-class brand: trust. Trust with your people and trust with your customers.”
~ Howard Schultz - Chairman, Starbucks

Who would have thought we would be seeking an emotional connection with the place we get our coffee?! But don't we? Starbucks is one of my favorite places to go, not only because they make a good cup of coffee but because of the atmosphere and the individuality (where else could I order a Grande decaf non-fat easy whip Gingerbread Latte & nobody even breaks stride). My friend Claire used to work at Starbucks and I remember we would go for coffee there after she had stopped working there & she could recognize people & remember what they ordered. I also know that my dad is a regular at the Starbucks on High Street and he gets invitations to their Halloween and Christmas parties (to which they always ask if his adorable grandchildren will be there!). At the Christmas party, the kids got to decorate little trees, which they got to keep, have free snacks & treats (as did I - anything I wanted free of charge), they made snowflakes & had their pictures taken & put in the middle (these are still posted in the store) and each got a treat bag (and so did I!). So do I get my coffee at Starbucks just because they know how to make a good cup of joe? That is only one of the reasons. This is a company that gets it. They have built loyalty into the company & I am always happy to go there.

Mitch Joel says "Branding is not the logo, the brochure or the email. It's the heart & soul of a business...and the people who make up that business. A strong brand shines when the core values and beief systems of why it was created are as obvious as the logo, packaging, website & supporting marketing materials" (http://www.twistimage.com/blog/)

This is what I try to create with my business - I genuinely try to help people, whether it's picking that first baby toy or helping them get their own business started. I know from experience that it is when I am sincere that I create that loyalty. I look at what I do as so much more than just selling toys; that is only one part of what I do. I am so glad to be doing what I am doing. Even on a day like today - I spent most of the night up with Eliora, who appears to have the flu. If I had a traditional job, I would have had to call in today & try to get the day off to spend with her. However, I don't ever have to worry about sick days...or missing a school event or concert. I love my job!

Not sure what got me on this rant this morning. I guess the combination of trying to psych myself up after several days off and just being happy that I can be home with my kids when they need me the most.

Everything but rest...

Wow - what a wonderful Christmas this has been. I feel totally spoiled and it's at these times that I realize how lucky & loved I am - not because of the presents but because of all that this whole holiday thing represents. We also got some exciting news - my brother Rob is getting married!! Sabina is great & we are so excited to have her join the family. We spent Christmas day with my family & just returned from another family gathering with Troy's family.

I am, however, totally exhausted. I am not sure how much of this I can blame on the gatherings & merriment (with the exception of Eliora waking up at 5AM on Christmas morning). No, I have another source to blame...Troy & I started watching "Lost" this week. It's one of those shows that you can't just watch one episode of. We watch 3-4 in an evening (hoping to get through Season One before we are both back to work....which is in a couple days...not sure that's going to happen). This whole relatively new phenomenon of watching TV shows on DVD is quite intriguing and very addictive. We have gone through all of Firefly, Battlestar Galactica and now we've started Lost. We often comment how we can't imagine having to wait a whole week or more between episodes - which is, unfortunately the case with BSG. The other thing I have noticed with alot of the new shows (at least the good ones) is this trend of having a "mid-season finale." What is that all about!?!?! There isn't a new episode of BSG until the end of January. And of course it was left on a cliff-hanger.

Man, talk about a rabbit trail - I was talking about Christmas....Anyways, Eliora is dancing around in her new strap-on "Happy Feet" feet tappers asking for supper. Duty calls...life resumes. May the miracle of the baby laying in the straw live on for each of you long after the tree is down and the sales are over.

The "Kiss of Jesus"

"You may feel that the odds are stacked against you in life. So what! Every person who has ever achieved something significant had to overcome the odds. The probelm for most people isn't the odds. It's that they sell themselves too short...When it comes to the thing you love to do, the thing you were made to do, aim high. The odds matter little." John C. Maxwell

Mother Theresa called failures that drive us to God "the kiss of Jesus." Well, this has been a year of kisses for me! My relationship with God is stronger than it has been in a long time. We so often sing about grace but when you experience it full throttle, it becomes so much more meaningful. To be drenched in God's mercy is the most incredible feeling. It is one of those things that is hard to describe. How do you describe a sunset to someone who has never seen colors?

It is goal-setting time for me again. And as always, I set my goals high. The reason is that if I miss them, I know that I will have pushed myself & reached things I never would have if I'd just settled for the minimum. The chapter from "The Difference Maker" I read this morning dealt with failure & how it is a neccessary step towards success. If we aren't "failing", chances are, we aren't stretching ourselves out of our comfort zone. So once again, when I set my goals for 2007, they will stretch me. I go into the year expecting great things. And I have learned that our attitude can dictate soooo much of what happens. When you don't expect alot, don't expect alot. I know that the year ahead will be filled with excitement and challenge - bring it on!

Nothing to Fear....

"Fear not that your life will come to an end but that it will never have a beginning." (J H Newman)


I've been reading John Maxwell's The Difference Maker and this morning the chapter was on fear. We can become so crippled by fear that it causes us to do nothing. I have seen many people come and go in this business simply out of fear to act. I've had several people wonder how I can earn trips & do the things I do and it is simply because I have chosen to move through my fear & not let it dictate my actions. Not always easy, but absolutely neccessary & it seems to be paying offf! There's a great story in this chapter that I wanted to share. It's somewhat familiar, but timely:

We get on board that train at birth, and we want to cross the continent because we have in mind that somewhere out there is a station. We pass by sleepy little towns looking out the window of life's train, grain fields and silos, level grade crossings, buses full of people on the roads beside us. We pass by cities and factories, but we don't look at any of it because we want to get to the station. We believe that out there is a station where a band is playing and banners are hung and flags are waving and when we get there that will be life's destination. We don't really get to know anybody on the train. We pace up and down the aisles looking at our watches eager to get to the station because we know that life has a station for us.
This station changes for us during life. To begin with, for most of us, it's turning 18, getting out of high school. Then the station is that first promotion and then the station becomes getting the kids out of college and then the station becomes retirement and then...all too late we recognize the truth - that this side of that city whose builder is God, there really isn't a station. The joy is in the journey and the journey is the joy.
Sooner or later, you realize that there is no station and the truth of life is the trip. Read a book, eat more ice cream, go barefoot more often, hug a child, go fishing, laugh more. The station will come soon enough. And as you go, find a way to make this world more beautiful. (Barbara Bush)

Well, I'm off to the store now to get some Ben & Jerry's...don't want to miss out!

All the Noise Noise Noise...

There was a story on the news last night that said that Canadian toys have different regulations than other countries - they are made louder. Oh joy! (One more reason I love Discovery Toys). The kids are getting royally spoiled this Christmas, that much I know. We sat down with them the other night and chose some gifts from the World Vision catalogue to give as well. As they were looking at the pictures, they were of course drawn to how cute the bunnies and guinea pigs were. I told them, "Well, you know they wouldn't be for pets..." They both just stared at me. When I read them that bunnies were a good source of protein, Elijah almost started crying. He opted to give the soccer balls instead! Today, Elijah & I were browsing in a pet store and there were hamsters & guinea pigs, which he really wanted. He said he'd like a mouse or a hamster. I told him if we were ever to get one of them, we'd probably go with the guinea pig as my mom is terrified of mice & anything resembling them. Again, almost in tears he said to me "But Mom, if we get the guinea pig, I'll eat it. Remember - on the computer?"
It was just priceless.

Take...3??

This is something I've been trying to do for a year now - have a blog that I actually contribute to more than once every 6 months. So here we go again - third time's the charm, right?
It is a week until Christmas eve. This has been one of the most tumultous years of my life - I've grown more and become a different person this year. I've learned the power of being true to myself and the difference that can make. I've learned the importance of making myself a priority and giving myself the value I deserve. When you put yourself at the bottom of the totem pole, you're bound to get stepped on. So it is with great joy that I go into this Christmas, being in a much better place than I have in years. I'm madly in love with my husband and very proud of my children, my business is at an all-time high & we are looking forward to going to Rio de Janeiro this March, I love living in town and the freedom it has given me, I am proud of myself - which is something I haven't been in a long time.