My bag is packed again.

After a million miles, my tattered suitcase was more duct tape than fabric so I’ve bought a new one.  I’m good to go now for another couple of years!

This time I’m headed for Alpena, Michigan to keynote the R.E.N.E.W. women’s conference, and a chance to see many of you I know and love and to meet so many of you for the first time.  I can’t wait!

Wilber checking out my brand-new Swiss Army suitcase, purchased at Target for $139. I love the 360-degree wheelie feature. Sorry, Wilber. Not this trip. Your 17 pounds of “muscle” will cause me to exceed the 50-pound limit!

In Michigan, former Hollywood producer and Women on Fire Book Co-Author Mary Ellen Jones has organized (with the help of many others, thank you!) two full days of incredible events in Alpena, including a Women on Fire tea, to bring women together to explore what they are “on fire” about.

Best-selling author and motivational speaker Stedman Graham and I paired up with Mary Ellen Jones last April at the Women on Fire Retreat. A true Woman on Fire, Mary Ellen has dedicated herself to inspiring and connecting women in Michigan.

Many of you know MEJ, as I affectionally call her, from her inspiring chapter in the Women on Fire book “Finding Love…Way Past 40.” (If you haven’t yet read the Women on Fire book, you can find it on Amazon. Or order it here and I am happy to personally sign it for you or as a gift to a friend or family member.)

My keynote talk in Alpena is “How To Be A Woman on Fire…Even If You Can’t Find Your Spark!”

If you aren’t able to join us in Michigan, I still want for you to be a part of the gatherings and the inspiration and strategies.  Here’s a teeny sneak preview of my talk.

4 things you can do right now to ignite the sparks that can lead to your passion:

• Get some rest – It’s hard to feel enthusiastic or in touch with your deepest desires when you’re exhausted. Check yourself now. On scale of 1-10, with 10 being “completely tired to the bone,” where are you? Can you make a plan now to get some rest? When you feel well-rested you’ll notice how much easier it is to be in touch with your inner joys and interests.
• Ask people you love, trust and respect what they see as your “sparks” –People who know you well and truly care about you often have surprising insight into you that you might not see yourself. It doesn’t hurt to ask!  A simple email request of them can make a world of difference for you to help you get back to what you know in your heart.
• Inspire yourself – If you love nature, be in it; if you love children, hang out with them; if you love to read, find books that uplift your spirit. So, what will you do this week?
• Get out of the rut – If you’re in indoor person, venture out even if just for a walk; if you’re active, get quiet; if you snooze until 7:06AM, explore what it’s like to wake up at 6:07AM; if you read Vanity Fair, Oprah or People read Scientific America, Organic Spa or Women2Women for a change.

(Do not despair. In my 15-year career of coaching people to express their gifts and passions in the world, I have NEVER met a woman who doesn’t have a spark of her passion inside of her somewhere!)

There are many more ways, too, to find your sparks and I’ll share more after my talks in Michigan.

Do you have tried-and-true methods you use to find and keep your sparks alive?  Please share in the comments section below. We love reading what you have to say!

Off now to track down a winter coat and boots for Alpena — and to shoo  Wilber out of my suitcase!

Love,

 

4 Quick Tips To Light Your Fire!