The New Meaning of Wealth
Submitted by admin on February 23, 2010 - 3:01 am
Bonjour!
What an exciting week here at Duchess! We have a great guest post today from the founder of the blog, Redefining the Meaning of Wealth, Paige Hodges. Paige is not only offering a great perspective on wealth and success, but she’s practicing what she preaches. She’s a great writer and a great friend, so read all about the new meaning of wealth below and be sure to check out Paige’s blog at: www.redefiningthemeaningofwealth.com
The New Meaning of Wealth
Wealth is a loaded word. It conjures up images of fancy houses, big fat bank accounts, and the habits portrayed by 99.999% of the population on Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. I feel most of these definitions are becoming passé. Yes, there are still those who define wealth in these limited ways but for those of us who have had enough of excessive materialism and the pursuit of the almighty dollar, wealth is taking on a more empowering definition.
Our economy is changing. The news media keeps talking about the “recovery” but what if that “recovery” is completely different from what we are expecting. Are you ready for change? Are you ready to own less? Are you ready to share more? Are you ready to cease letting your material possessions and job determine who you are? More importantly, and this is the exiting part, are you ready to experience a brand new kind of wealth that’s more nourishing and enlightening?
The lifestyles Americans have been living are simply not sustainable and I would argue not all that fulfilling. I’m currently unemployed and have never felt richer in my life. For the last 6 months, I have forfeited buying such non-necessities as extra clothes, manicures, pedicures, facials, meals at over-priced trendy restaurants, expensive weekend get-a ways, and the newest home décor must-haves. (My one exception is the extra blonde highlights I have weaved into my already blonde hair. Some things a girl’s just gotta have no matter how broke she is!) Now there is nothing wrong with any of the aforementioned things, but I’m living proof one can still enjoy the good life even if I do have to do my own nails and beat up an egg white to apply to my complexion.
As a result of having no job and less discretionary income, I have gained free time and a more relaxed lifestyle. I don’t feel drained and hurried all the time. I’m spending more time with my husband and my friends. I have more time to practice yoga, go for walks, read, and write. I sleep better and I have not been sick (knock on wood!) in quite some time. The food I eat is more healthy and delicious because I have time to seek out good deals at the market and practice my culinary skills at home.
As I search for my next job, my goal is not so much money but work that will allow me to continue my “wealthy” lifestyle. I’m not against making money and most of us have to work, but I am against my life being held hostage to a job so I can finance unnecessary consumption when the things I really value cost very little or nothing at all. I’m no longer willing to trade my life for unfulfilling work or excessive amounts of hours spent in an office cubicle. When I’m 80, those are not the kind of memories I want embedded in my psyche.
As we redefine wealth, all of our definitions will vary but I doubt the latest tech gadget or designer purse will be at the top of too many lists. The things I value the most are my husband, friends, family, health, pet companions, education, life experiences, laughing, yoga, and free time.
What about you? What do you value and how do you define wealth? Feel free to comment and share your list as well. We live in exciting times because we have a great opportunity before us to create a broader definition of wealth. Get busy creating yours!
Paige Hodges, founder of Redefining the Meaning of Wealth (www.redefiningthemeaningofwealth.com)
Are you remarkable & fabulous?
Submitted by admin on February 22, 2010 - 1:01 am
Bonjour!
I am very pleased to share with you a guest post today from business coach Caroline Donahue. She came up with the cute word remabulous as a child, combining remarkable and fabulous into the ultimate hybrid!
Caroline is now the founder and owner of Remabulous Coaching, which serves entrepreneurs and business owners through business coaching and training in video marketing. Caroline has over ten years experience working both in the worlds of psychology and the arts. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology and Expressive Arts from the European Graduate School in Saas-Fee, Switzerland. She works in person and through phone sessions, workshops, and teleseminars. When not firing up the creative community, Caroline is an avid reader, novelist, knitter, film fanatic and conscious bookkeeper.
Caroline is also a remabulous writer and a great woman! I think you’ll love and appreciate what she has to say both here in this post, and on her website at: http://www.remabulouscoaching.com/
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”*
I love this line from Mary Oliver’s poem “The Summer Day.” It’s funny, when I work with business owners and entrepreneurs to talk about time management and organization, their thoughts turn immediately to calendars and file folders and school supplies. Don’t get me wrong- I love those things, more than most people. A trip to Staples is a bit like Christmas come early. But that isn’t what time management and productivity is really about.
It’s about your one wild and precious life. We are all given the same amount of time: the golden rule is that there are only 24 hours in a day and only 60 minutes in an hour. That’s it. We all get the same deal. So why is it that some people struggle and never have enough time to do everything they want and love to do, and others seem to blaze ahead getting everything they dream of humming along towards reality?
The difference I see is that they know, without a doubt, the answer to the question above and they stick hard and fast to their answers. When we respect ourselves enough to value our time and our limitations as human beings with only 24 hours in a day, we start to make choices. Some of these are hard. Some of them mean saying no to things that might be fun, or that others may wish we would say yes to. And sometimes it means saying yes to things that make our hearts sing, but make our friends and loved ones wonder about our sanity. This is all good.
When I sit with a client, the first thing I want to know is what they love doing that they currently don’t have time for. “What matters to you that you feel you are missing out on?” I always ask. I have heard many answers: spending time with children or grandchildren, getting to see a movie on a regular basis, getting to read, wanting to travel and see the world. It doesn’t matter what your choice is, it only matters that you give yourself the room to make it.
Once we know this, it becomes much easier to look at all other commitments and see if it’s worth giving up on this dream or this loved activity in order to do something else, something that might be a “should.” As in, “I should be on this committee.” “I should go to this event.” “I should read this book before the one I am excited about.” If you ask yourself if these shoulds are more important than doing what you love with your one wild and precious life, you might surprise yourself with some different answers.
For just this next week, I’d like to issue a challenge to you: watch how you feel when you do everything you do during your day. What do you love about your work? Your time? Your life? And what do you miss and long for that’s missing? Can you make more space for these things by saying no to a few shoulds? Can you make your “Yes!” to those things that make you feel joyful louder than the one that comes out of obligation? Let’s see what beauty can come out of that… I dare you.
Caroline Donahue, founder of Remabulous Coaching - www.remabulouscoaching.com
*To read the full poem click HERE.
Green with Envy
Submitted by admin on February 16, 2010 - 5:30 am
Bonjour!
This week’s Single Minded Women column is on overcoming envy. We all compare our lives to others, so here are some tips to stop it! Nothing makes you more disconnected from yourself, your friends and your own abundance in the present than to start comparing.
It’s natural, but you can overcome it too!
Enjoy!!
http://singlemindedwomen.com/women-relationships/duchess-digest-ending-envy/
Framing up life to beat envy.
Waking up Wonder Woman
Submitted by admin on February 9, 2010 - 8:19 am
Bonjour!
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about relationships. Maybe it’s because of what’s going on in my own life, or my reflecting back on the past two years, or maybe it’s just with Valentine’s Day coming up and our big Your Life Your Style show tonight (hint, hint – tune in at 8pm for guidance on finding Mr. Right with guest experts and co-authors Martin & Josie Brown!). Whatever the reason a few things come to mind. . .
1) Timing really is everything (or at least that makes you feel comforted when you love someone and they don’t feel the same way back!).
2) Communication is ESSENTIAL to making a relationship last. Especially when what you need to express is difficult. Not saying anything is the fast track to failure. I know – I was on that express way the last time.
3) Be what you want to find. That which is like unto itself is drawn. If you want a healthy, positive and fun relationship – maybe you should try being positive, playing nice and making yourself as healthy as possible. Ultimately it always ends up being true that what you give is what you get, so if you want a great man – try being a really great woman.
And if you’re looking for any tips in that regard, feel free to read this week’s Duchess Digest column on Single Minded Women called “Waking up Wonder Woman.” It’s on finding ways to become even greater and to develop the qualities that make you super!
Okely-dokely.
One of my greatest goals and joys is to be the Wonder Woman of aunties to my amazing niece. Here we are at Disneyland a year ago!
Redefining the Meaning of Wealth
Submitted by admin on February 2, 2010 - 7:42 am
Bonjour!
As you all know, I’ve listed a link to a friend and fellow blogger, Paige, the author of the blog, Redefining the Meaning of Wealth (part of the link loving in the margin).
Well Paige has been so gracious as to let me write a guest post on her wonderful blog, and I hope you’ll go and check it out. It’s about how our beliefs are only thoughts we keep thinking, and we can change them! It’s also about getting some clarity about what success means to YOU, not what you define it as based on everyone elses ideas and opinions of you.
Be yourself, everyone else is already taken! (okay I didn’t say that, it’s an Emerson I believe).
Please check it out and leave any comments you may have at: http://tiny.cc/SXHUM
Love, money, career, what is success to you?
