Links That Light Us Up

by on September 11, 2013

12th Edition

Hello, Woman on Fire!

We took a break last week to tell you all about Debbie’s recent visit with Oprah, and we hope you enjoyed her fun, three-part series 🙂

So now… let’s get right to it!

Best Baby Animal- The newest member of the Atlanta Zoo wanted to pop in and say hello. Check out the article here on The Huffington Post.

Baby Panda via Huffington Post Caters News

Best Paper Products- Who doesn’t love receiving a card in the mail, and who wouldn’t love something as beautiful as the card below in their mailbox? One of our very own Women on Fire Julia McLemore owns Green Ink Gallery where she creates gorgeous, fine-art note cards like the one below. These are our go-to note cards for sending a little joy and thanks to the people we love! You also can purchase larger versions of the cards and frame for your walls.

Cards from Green Ink Gallery by Julia McLemoreJulia McLemore

Best Breakfast Ever- With fall on the horizon we are itching to re-introduce pumpkin back into the kitchen. If you haven’t yet met Kristen of the inspiring food blog Dine and Dish, she’s about to blow you away with her Banana Pumpkin Breakfast Shake. Who said you can’t have a milkshake for breakfast?

Banana Pumpkin Breakfast Milkshake by Dine and DishDine and Dish

Best Conversation Ice Breakers- If you have a fear of awkward silences and rooms filled with strangers, this article could come in handy. The Daily Muse assembled 30 great conversation starters that are perfect for connecting with others. (We prefer getting to know someone over the transactional “networking.”) Do try these and let us know how they worked for you!

30 Brilliant Networking Conversation Starters via The Daily Muse

Best New E-Zine- Did we mention that we are going to Paris next year in collaboration with Girls’ Guide to Paris creator and Woman on Fire, Doni Belau? Well, Girls’ Guide to Paris just released the first issue of their much-anticipated E-Zine, filled with gorgeous photos, in-depth guides, and fun articles. Très magnifique!

Girls Guide To Paris New E-Zine

Best Cleaning Checklist- At Women on Fire HQ we have a tradition of “back-to-school cleaning” (even though no one in the house goes back to school any longer!) This roundup of unexpected places to clean from BuzzFeed may surprise you. Oops! We’ve been overlooking some problem spots.

32 things you should be cleaning but aren't via buzzfeedBuzzFeed

Best New Book to Movie Adaptation- If you haven’t read The Book Thief by Markus Zusak yet, hurry over to Amazon and get your copy! This story about a young foster girl in the midst of Nazi Germany who risks everything for her love of reading, and an unexpected visitor who is kept hidden in the basement. This story is powerful beyond words and the trailer gave us chills!

Best Hotel Hunter- This is our absolute Number 1 best-kept travel secret, that’s not so much of a secret anymore. Airbnb is a service that allows you to book a room, or full apartment or home directly from its owner. They have listings literally all over the globe, for every price. It’s similar to Yelp in that the locations and their owners are rated, so you can check it out before you book. We’ve had people on our team use it everywhere from San Francisco to New York, and Hawaii to Paris. If you’re looking to feel like a local, no matter where you go, consider ditching your hotel room for a more authentic (and often times less expensive) experience.

Airbnb- best way to travel!

That’s what we’ve got for this week! We hope you love the links and check back here on Friday for the next Ask Debbie Anything video!

Stay inspired,

xo

The Women on Fire Team

P.S. Did you miss the last Links that Light Us Up?

 

Filed Under: Inspiration, Links That Light Us Up Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Where’s your next trip? Paris maybe?

by on September 9, 2013

The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page. ~ Saint  Augustine

I love that inspiring quote and use it often to give myself extra permission to do the thing I’m crazy for — travel!

To visit a new place, learn history and culture, see how others live, and get a new perspective on my own life exhiliarates me.  How about you? Do you love to go away and lose yourself (or find yourself!) in another place?

I’ve been to Antarctica, India and Egypt.  But I’ve never been to Zanzibar, Zagreb or Zurich. I sometimes worry I won’t have enough time in my life to go everywhere I want to go! What’s the next big trip on your agenda?

Wherever you go, I hope you will share your travel dreams with us so we can cheer you on — and maybe even live vicariously through you.

In 2012, one of the highlights of my travels was when Woman on Fire Doni Belau, the founder of Girls’ Guide to Paris, and I took a group of women to PARIS! It was life-changing.

For the women who went, they made lifetime friendships and figured out next steps in their lives, all while celebrating, devouring and luxuriating in what is so historic, gorgeous and feminine about Paris!

Because you are here, you know that being a Woman on Fire is about creating transformation in your life — and nothing does that quite like leaving your everyday environment to take a fresh look at yourself. All while surrounding yourself with a powerful and uplifting circle of support.

You’ve got to see this delightful video that Woman on Fire Meredith Schoenberger created from our last Women on Fire trip to Paris with Becky Adams, Lisa Umberger Arundale, Kim Davis, Jill Dulitsky, Angela Ittu, Susan Kruger, Tandi Musuraca, Michelle Whittaker, Jamie Eslinger, Doni and me.

Want to travel to Paris with Women on Fire?

Women on Fire are headed back to Paris in 2014.  And you are invited (just in case Paris is one of your big travel dreams, too!)

We will take 20 of you on two different trips (10 women on each trip) next April and May.  Many of you are already on our Paris list for more information.  If you’re not on the list and want to be considered to join us, be sure to let  meredith@womenonfire.com know your interest so we can be in touch with you.

Soon we will be sending everyone on the list a brief application and then registration will begin soon after.

I hope the video inspires you to think about your next trip — whether it is Prague, Patagonia or with us to Paris!

Have a phenomenal week and I’ll see Women on Fire members on our LIVE CHAT at 8PM Eastern on Tuesday. I’ll share tips on The Power of Your Story — And Why It’s Important to Share Yours.

Members also should receive this week September’s CD package 9 Questions To Ask Yourself To Live An Extraordinary Life. Hope you enjoy!

 

Filed Under: Travel Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Countdown to croissants!

by on April 22, 2012

Do you ever fear your dreams may not happen?

I do myself sometimes.

Like losing weight.  I’ve tried everything under the sun to return to my svelte self of my 30s.  I eat healthy.  Walk at least 3-4 times a week.  Skip bread and pasta.  Never eat fast food.  Meditate on “releasing” extra pounds.

Still, the scales never budge and those 30 extra pounds hug me tight.

Oh, well…more on that in the future.  I’m not giving up.

In the meantime, I have plenty of other dreams coming true!

And, tomorrow one of them is happening.


This little Eiffel Tower box of soaps, a gift from Woman on Fire Angela Ittu, has been my daily reminder that my dream of going to Paris is coming true!

I’m going to PARIS for the first time ever – and taking 10 Women on Fire with me!!

And, this experience-of-a-lifetime all grew when one woman who was “burned out” — and unsure how to make a living doing what she really loved — decided to follow her spark…


Doni Belau, on the right, and I during one of our lunches to plan the upcoming trip to take Women on Fire to Paris!

Several years ago, Doni Belau attended a Women on Fire Tea in New York City.  And, as we always do at a tea, each participant shares what she is “on fire” about – or not.

Doni was the last woman to speak that day. When it was her turn, she was a little sad and very thoughtful.  “I must admit,” said, “I am burned out.”

She went on to say that listening to the plans, enthusiasm and joy of other women “on fire” about their lives inspired her to think of a step forward.

“So, I’m going to take a sabbatical — and go to France,” she announced to the cheers of everyone else!

You see, Doni loved all things French and possessed great knowledge of France and Paris, in particular.  Up to that point, it was only an avocation.  To make a living, she was in a totally different line of work as a consultant.

And, so she arranged to go to France for a few weeks.

When she returned, she knew what she wanted to do!  She would start a travel website and a business to host trips for women to Paris.

In 2009, The Girls’ Guide To Paris with all the latest happenings in The City of Light was born.  Today, Doni even has her own radio program on Overseas Radio Network.

And, now we are going to Paris…a dream and celebration for the women on the trip.

Thanks to Doni, who made her own powerful dream come true, there will be 11 Women on Fire in Paris next week riding Segways, sipping tea at Laduree, preparing a meal under the tutelage of French chefs — and many, many other activities!

We will be celebrating life and fun and our own next steps in life. The process of dreaming big starts all over again for the women on the trip.

I’m smiling at the ripple effect of one woman pursuing her BIG dream and the joy it is bringing now to us and so many others.

And, don’t worry, we won’t lose touch with you while we’re away. We’ll check in on Facebook, on Jamie Eslinger’s daily blog, and on this blog, so you can come along for the ride, too!

What is your big dream?  How will you make it happen?  What do you need for inspiration, strategies and support?

For me, I’m actually hoping that going to Paris will inspire the strategy I need next to lose a few pounds – double cafe mocha with chantilly and pain au chocolat, anyone? 😉

Filed Under: Strategies, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , ,