She’s a Woman on Fire! and we want you to know her. Please say hello to…
Becky Adams
San Diego, California
WOF member: #00094
Member since March 2012
1. Please tell us about YOU, your family, your work, what you are “on fire” about, etc.
I am a mother, wife, friend, sister, daughter, step-mother, business owner, writer, skier, quilter, organizer, expert stain remover and home improvement project lover.
As a kid growing up on a farm in Ontario, Canada, I was excited to move to a city and spread my wings. That desire transported me to Montana, Colorado, and then San Diego, where I’ve lived for the last 20+ years.
Three years ago I married Tom Adams and am still in awe every day of the wonderful life we have together. We were childhood friends who reconnected after over 25 years of being apart and living completely separate lives on opposite ends of the continent.
I have a 13-year-old daughter and two college-age step-sons. Together, Tom and I own and operate Flourish Press, a boutique publishing, consulting and marketing support services company, created specifically to help people and businesses thrive.
I’m on fire about sharing my strategies for being an effective co-parent. I share custody of my daughter with my former husband, and I’ve discovered and created effective ways to make the job a lot easier. As a result, I am in the process of writing a book on the subject of being a co-parent.
2. How did you originally connect to Women on Fire?
Tom and I did a Vision Day with Debbie Phillips and Rob Berkley a few years ago. That was my first introduction to Debbie and the WOF community. I subscribed right away to The Spark! and started reading about this refreshing group of women who were committed to supporting each other, and thought… that’s too good to be true!
Then, when the opportunity came along last year to participate in the WOF Paris trip, I thought it was a perfect chance to do something special for myself (as a 50th birthday gift), and hopefully meet some wonderful women. That trip was a life-changing experience for me and now I’m hooked. I’ve invited my sisters, Mary Lou and Lori, to be involved and so now I share WOF with them as well. I’m here to stay as a WOF!
3. Your favorite part of the day is when _________?
My husband, daughter and I sit down for dinner. We always raise a glass and toast the day and then talk about what happened. We give a collective sigh if the day’s been a tough one and then figure out how to make it better. Or, we celebrate the good things that happened. But it’s always okay because we are all there together.
4. The last book you read that you would recommend to other WOF?
I recently read The Fire Starter Sessions by Danielle LaPorte. It gave great insight into how to think about our lives differently and make decisions based on what will best feed our souls. The best tip I got from the book was, rather than continue to ask myself “what do I want to do?”, instead, ask “how do I want to feel?” Then let the answer guide my decisions about everything from self-care to my life’s work. It is a powerful book!
5. What is your proudest accomplishment in the past 12 months?
My decision to write a book on being an effective co-parent, and putting a plan in place to get underway with the writing process. I’m very excited and can’t wait to dig in further!
6. If you had an unexpected free day (a “found” day), how would you spend it?
I would go to a yoga class in the morning; spend the afternoon writing (my book is in process), get a massage in the late afternoon, and then have dinner with my two favorite people – my husband and daughter.
7. Your favorite city in the world?
This is an easy answer for me – Paris! I’ve had TWO great trips to Paris.
The first was with my husband Tom, before we were married. It was our first official trip together. It didn’t take long for us to realize just how romantic Paris is! It was like we were under a magic spell the entire time we were there. We were completely smitten with each other before we arrived, but by the end, we’d sealed the deal on being together forever!
The second trip was with Women on Fire in April 2012. The trip was an amazing time of connecting with wonderful women – whom I will now consider sisters for the rest of my life. For five days we talked and walked and explored and cooked and laughed and cried and cheered each other on. It filled a gap in my life I didn’t even know was there.
8. Name another Women on Fire who has inspired you, and why?
Jan Allen. I had the honor of being “matched” with Jan at the WOF retreat in Chicago last October. I got a chance to have a little one-on-one time with her and to also sit in on her TEDx presentation. She is so accomplished, and yet so down-to-earth and wise… I came away VERY inspired by her. Thanks, Jan!
9. If you had the opportunity to teach a child one strategy that would help to guide her life, what would that be?
I would teach her is to be the best version of herself that she can possibly be. I would encourage her to bring the best of herself to everything she does and everyone she interacts with, and to maintain a high standard for her own behavior. And I would teach her to understand who she is and stick by that.
10. What is something that we might be surprised to learn about you?
I hate electronics. I run a company that is web and technology focused, and yet I can’t stand figuring out how electronic things work. And passwords drive me completely batty. Normally calm and collected… dealing with passwords (and we have millions of them for our clients) can cause me to come completely unglued!
11. Name three women who have influenced your life, and what you’ve learned from each.
Audrey Kinzer: I worked with Audrey early in my career. She was nearly 20 years older than me. She had a grace and serenity I admired and she had a very logical approach to addressing problems. Years later, whenever I found myself in a work situation where I didn’t know what to do I would ask myself ‘what would Audrey do?’ From Audrey I learned the value of being diplomatic.
My Mom, Nancy Turnbull: My mom is always quietly there. She checks in on me and our entire family; provides a place to rest when things are tough, and is there to celebrate when things go well. From my mom I learned the value of being a stable, loving presence.
My WOF Paris sisters: This group of women came along at the perfect time in my life. They helped me to see clearly past my own blind spots, and encouraged me to move ahead with my dream of writing a book. Being with them, I learned that having a supportive group of friends is a necessity, not an option.
12. Who cheers you on?
My biggest cheerleader is my husband. He’s very inspiring and supportive! And my amazing circle of WOF Paris sisters – Lisa Arundale, Doni Belau, Kim Davis, Jill Dulitsky, Jamie Eslinger, Angela Ittu, Susan Kruger, Tandi Musuraca, Debbie Phillips and Michelle Whittaker. With their support, I feel like I can move mountains.
13. What is your favorite “pig-out” food?
I have a sweet tooth, so my “go-to” treat would be Hershey’s kisses. But when I want a significant snack… something I’m going to sit and chow down, without restraint… that would have to be tortilla chips. Living in San Diego, we get an amazing array of fresh tortilla chips. So that’s what I get if I want to engage in some seriously mindless eating.
14. When you reflect on your life so far, what is the first word or two that comes to your mind?
Grateful: I have had the opportunity to do and experience many things in my life. I’ve had extraordinary screw ups and moments of grace; times of heartache and times of pure joy. When I add it all up, I can’t think of one person in the world that I would trade places with. I’m very grateful to have lived the life I have.
Fast: Whew! Oh my goodness, life is going by so quickly! I need to make every day count!
| More about Becky Adams … Becky’s gift is her ability to create comfortable spaces and events. She’s a process and organizational whiz who loves to organize parties, activities, work – anything that can be improved by putting a system in place so it flows well.As a lover of fabric, paper, textures and patterns, she enjoys sewing, quilting and all things creative. Her perspective after managing a family law firm – and the daily experience of being a co-parent with her former husband to their teenage daughter – inspired her upcoming tips-and-strategies book about being an effective co-parent. Publication is scheduled for later this year. Her theme for 2013 is Focus and Leadership. You are welcome to say hello to her at Becky@flourishpress.com. ~ Debbie Phillips |
Stay tuned for the next She’s A Woman on Fire! As senior writer, Becky Adams will now officially take over and bring you the stories of members in our Women on Fire community.
Not yet a monthly member? You are welcome to join our inspiring membership program and keep inspiration, strategies and support by your side all month long. For information and to register, go here!
