A weekend in the "Pink Bubble"

Unless you are in Mary Kay and Mary Kay is in you, a weekend in the "pink bubble" might sound a little corny. But in reality, it was 24hours of positive thinking, inspiring stories, and getting to walk across stage in zebra striped heels to a standing ovation because I am part of a Cadillac Unit. Never in my life have I seen so many beautiful and self confident women in one place.

There were over a thousand women in skirts and heels with their hair and makeup looking fabulous. There were National Sales Directors (NSD's) who had earned 2-3 MILLION dollars each in commission checks (on top of their sales). There was clapping, and cheering. There were 6 women in 1 hotel room with 1 bathroom and one sink, and we were all dressed and beautiful by 7:30am after staying up til midnight talking and laughing. But most importantly there was inspiration.

As you may know, I have been a Mary Kay consultant for almost 2 years. I would love to have $20,000 monthly commission checks and drive a pink Cadillac as a NSD. Until this weekend, I knew anyone can become successful in this company, but never truly believed it would be me. But I know I was meant to be at Career Conference in St Paul, on my 25th Birthday, listening to a NSD who replaced her ENGINEERING career with Mary Kay, listening to a Top 3 Director who had also been an engineer before starting her Mary Kay career, hearing that another NSD was able to thank God that she had no regrets when 3 men in uniform told her that her 24 yr old son wasn't coming home.

Can you imagine your first thought being "Thank you God" when you find out you have outlived one of your children? I want to be able to drop everything and be there for my family, no matter what. I want to get cheers and applause for something as simple as putting foundations on 30 women's faces, no matter how crazy they think I may be. I want to know I have someone to call that will tell me I can do it, no matter what obstacle I come up with.

I have found that in Mary Kay. I have been given an amazing opportunity, and so far, I've been too lazy, too afraid, to make the most of it. But no more. If a woman can start her Mary Kay career by literally falling down the stairs into the door of her first party and turn out to be a multi-millionaire NSD... anyone can succeed in this company, even me. There are no excuses, I have all the free training I could possibly need, the products are absolutely amazing, and the women in this company are even more amazing than the products.

All I have to do is ask. And ask I did. I got home Saturday night, spent some time with my husband and his family, and Sunday morning went to church and spent time with my boys. But Sunday afternoon, instead of having a nagging feeling to go take a nap or watch TV, I had a nagging feeling to get on the phone, and book some parties, and work my business. I knew in my heart, and finally in my head, that when I decide to work this business it will work for me.

I have a goal to be a Star Consultant and earn my brand new FREE Red Jacket for being a star team builder by June 30th. But more importantly, I have a dream. And I feel entitled to dream, and encouraged to dream. I can't imagine having an office job and going to a meeting where my boss asks what my dream is...it just wouldn't happen. But I spent 24 hours being encouraged to dream, and to encourage others to dream, and to help other women find self confidence and self worth. Mary Kay is not just skin care and Pink Cadillacs... it is about enriching women's lives, and about self growth.

I am beautiful, inside and out.
I have more than enough to share and to spare.
My dreams come true.
My choices and possibilities are expanding everyday.
My children have self confidence and believe in their dreams.
I AM SUCCESSFUL

I love getting mail!!

** I wrote this on March 11th, almost 2 weeks ago, saved it (meaning to add pics later), started getting the house ready for an open house, and totally forgot about posting it...until now

At least I love getting mail when its 40 degrees and sunny and there's good news involved. I'm not sure if I was more excited to get outside, or to open the mail and find info about Mary Kay's new Spring line AND a letter telling us the land we own is officially designated as farmland!!

I love my business, have I mentioned that before? I love it because it comes with endless amounts of free knowledge and inspiration. Yesterday was the first day I could order next quarter's new products, and I had already seen them, been given great ideas on how to show them, market them, and sell them. All from other Mary Kay consultants and directors, most of whom gain nothing financially from helping me out. I am really excited to be working my business, February was a great month for me, and I know I need to keep on pushing to make March even better, and April even better yet. The money is much needed, but what I need more is to feel successful and feel like I contribute as more than just a maid and a nanny!

And I need to be able to spend more time outside on our "farm"!! After going out to check the mail, I realized I hadn't taken a single picture of our house from the outside since before we moved in on November 21st. So I grabbed the camera and my boots and went out to take pictures before Connor woke up from his nap. I took a few of the house, then headed down to the pond. I could see from the house that it was getting fuller and bigger..but WOW! I hadn't realized just how big it had gotten!!

Then I discovered why it had grown so much in the last 3 weeks... there is a small river flowing into the pond under the snow and the ice! Walking to the pond I could hear (and feel) what seemed to be ice cracking under the snow. On my way back I found a hole about twice the size of my foot that had water in it.

I looked closer and realized the water was flowing through it from the woods down toward the pond. The farm kid instincts kicked in and I started digging through the snow with my foot to try to follow the river, breaking through the ice occasionally to see how much water there really was. It just felt great to be outside, playing in the snow and ice, and the farm kid inside of me yelling "I really own a farm!!" (Granted that 'farm' is less than 4 acres and includes a wetland designation, which I'm guessing is about 3.5 acres!!)

I am really looking forward to actually being able to use our yard this summer, and hopefully some of this spring. I have huge ideas for a vegetable garden, I've got tulip bulbs that need to get in the ground this week, and there are numerous other landscaping projects I could dream up using the boulders thy pulled out of the swamp less than a year ago.