Purple Wren

Quotes: Grandma Moses

"Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be."
          -Grandma Moses (1860-1961)

      

Quotes: People Are Like Stained-Glass Windows

"People are like stained-glass windows.
          They sparkle and shine when the sun is out,
          but when the darkness sets in,
          their true beauty is revealed only
          if there is light from within."
          -Elisabeth Kübler-Ross (1926 -)    

   

Photo on flickr by cindy47452

Quotes: Helen Keller

"The best and most beautiful things in the world
          cannot be seen, nor touched...but are felt in the heart."
          -Helen Keller (1880-1968)

      

Something to Ponder...

"The deepest waters make the least noise."
- Guatemalan proverb

Stress Management Ideas

A friend sent me this recently. I'm not sure who to attribute it to, but I like it and wanted to share:

• Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue.
• Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
• Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.
• Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their Maker.
• If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
• If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth  it.
• It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.
• Never buy a car you can't push.
• Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on.
• Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.
• The second mouse gets the cheese.
• When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
• Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.
• You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.
• Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once
• We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull, some have weird names, and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.
• A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

Life is All About Change

Success is simple. Do what's right, the right way, at the right time.
- Arnold H. Glasow

Over the past eight months or so, I've been involved in establishing two businesses and feeling a bit like I was being pulled in different directions, even though they had similar goals.

• I created PurpleWren as a communications service specializing in graphic design, writing, Internet strategy, and business blogs.
• Mike Sansone and I co-founded BIZolution to provide small business owners with an affordable web presence. 
• Mike is the owner of ConverStations. He is an extraordinary blog coach with a passion for community building.

It was becoming very complicated. In order to simplify life, it is clear that we will be better served if we maintain our separate identities and entities. So, you won't hear any more about BIZolution.    BIZolution

But you will hear a lot about PurpleWren and ConverStations, as we each continue to build our respective businesses and collaborate as strategic partners.

It's a small change that you probably won't even notice. But it's a big one for us when you think about the energy and time we can devote to our clients and projects (and enjoying life) instead of marketing yet another company. Just wanted you to know.

Change is the only constant.
- Heraclitus

Quotes: Franklin Delano Roosevelt

These photos were taken at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, DC.  This quote came to mind as I wrote my previous post, so I went home and dug out the photos.

The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little. --Franklin D. Roosevelt

 

Do you have a quote or a place that made an impact on you?

Four Motivators in the Workplace

"The biggest mistake people make in life is not making a living at doing what they most enjoy."

- Malcolm S. Forbes (1919-1990)

Today I ran across this quote that fits perfectly. In the past, Sunday afternoon and evening was a sad time because I had to return to work the next day.  It didn't make any sense to ruin a perfectly good day anticipating (dreading) the work week, but sometimes I did, and I've talked to others who face the same issue. Enjoying my work makes every day better.

I spent a little time today watching the bluejays enjoy the peanuts we put out after the snowstorm. Nature puts things into perspective. The birds are living in the moment and enjoying the bounty at hand. Good lesson.

Some reports indicate 50 percent of Americans are unhappy at their jobs. There's a great article  on BNET by Warren Greshes titled, "what makes people love their jobs." Job satisfaction is not about money. According to Warren, the four biggest motivators are responsibility, recognition, achievement, and the work itself.

What motivates you?

Photo on flickr by chefranden

Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. With a Day of Service

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

In memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. take a few minutes to watch the video, "Now is the Time."

What can you do?

Thanks to Lena West, guest blogger at Lipsticking.

If We Could See...

"If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change."     -- Buddha

(I gave my husband a hug for this idea.)