Links That Light Us Up

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?

 

The secret ingredient

I am on my way to California to attend a women’s conference that I will tell you all about next week.

Before I go, I want to show you a picture that delights me — of radiant smiles after a Women on Fire tea party.  Thank you, Renata Ramsini, for capturing the women at last week’s tea in Columbus led by Jan Allen. Today, I’ll tell you the secret ingredient that makes these gatherings so very wonderful and powerful.


Women on Fire Tea last week in Columbus — Front row: Erin Brewer, Kris Myers, Jan Allen, Mary Kay Purdy, Nanci Larsen, Phoebe Lapine. Second row: Jane Juergens, Lisa Everson, Sara Diehl, Laura Benton, Julie Quackenbush, Jessika Ferm, Mary Duafala, Pam Allen, Roxanne Crocco, Michele Hoyle, Julia McLemore.

Women tell me all the time they are surprised by what happens at a tea and how connected they often feel.

Maybe they’ve said something out loud they’ve never voiced before.  Or, maybe they sat next to someone they’d never met, but shared so much in common that they were sure I sat them next to each other on purpose!

What I know for sure is when women get the chance to connect in a safe and inspiring environment, magic happens.

How often does that happen in your life?  How often do you connect with people who make you feel good to be alive?

When we can vulnerably and authentically share what is on our minds and in our hearts, we feel connected. And, when we feel connected, we feel worthy of our dreams.

Radio talk show host Janette Barber, who has attended at least a million Women on Fire teas in New York City, frequently says, “the tea party always works.”

What she means is that no matter the city and no matter the women who attend, being able to be ourselves, to share what is authentic and vulnerable, and to feel connected “always works!”

Research shows that when we experience feelings of connection and belonging, it gives purpose and meaning to our lives.  So, that’s why I think there are big smiles and much happiness after a Women on Fire gathering!

Some of you may know the work of researcher and story-teller Brene Brown.  (She is both brilliant and adorable, I might add!)

If not, I hope you will take some time to check out her inspiring talk at TEDx.

She and her research suggest that “to let ourselves be seen, deeply seen, vulnerably seen … to love with our whole hearts even though there is no guarantee … to practice gratitude and joy in those moments of terror … to feel this vulnerable means I am alive.

“When we work from this place, we stop screaming and start listening and we are kinder and gentler to the people around us and we are kinder and gentler to ourselves.”

This is why I love our teas and every single occasion where Women on Fire connect and we so often share what is vulnerable.

Dr. Brown inspires us further that “vulnerability is the birthplace of joy, of love, of belonging, of creativity, of faith and so it becomes very problematic when, as a culture, we lose our capacity to be vulnerable.”

Even though it may feel scary to tell another person our heart’s deepest longings, our fears, our insecurities, doing so is the very thing that will connect us and allow others to support us.

It is why I always encourage you to reach out and gather support before you embark on your journey.

And, vulnerability is the secret ingredient of why you feel so very good inside when you have shared your heart safely with someone who receives you.

Talk to you next week from sunny San Diego!

Have a wonderful week and let me know how you’re doing ~