Smart Women Have No Boundaries
Written by Joy Chudacoff | 0 CommentsOur family is vacationing in Park City, Utah this month. I enjoy sitting on the deck which overlooks a large pond that is frequented by ducks and geese. It’s a peaceful, quiet place to sit and ponder a meaningful life filled with passion and purpose. The other day, I noticed the gardener mowing the enormous piece of land around the pond. What I found most interesting was how he created a boundary between the land and the pond. He left the grass and weeds a bit high between the pond and the ground around our deck. It created a “boundary†for people walking by. As a matter of fact, I’ve noticed that my children will not cross that area. Greg and I have not said anything to them about the pond and yet, this “boundary†created the idea, “do not trespass.†This got me thinking about the “boundaries†that live within us as we walk through life. Full Article
Smart Women Are Like Harry Potter
Written by Joy Chudacoff | 0 CommentsRecently, my son Jack and I went to the local bookstore in search of the book Harry Potter 4. We have an agreement that we will read each Harry Potter book in the series together and then watch the movie. This has two wonderful benefits: One, I get to spend quality time reading a great series with my son and, two, I’m hoping it will increase his love of reading as much as Greg and I enjoy reading. Full Article
Smart Women Move Forward Faster
Written by Joy Chudacoff | 0 CommentsI woke up this morning with two questions on my mind: (and no, one was not, “Do I have time to run to the local coffee shop before my family wakes up?â€) “Is what I’m doing in alignment with where I want to go in my life both personally and professionally?†and “What are the things I can do now to move my Big ideas, dreams, and goals forward at a faster pace?†These are two essential questions that all smart women should be asking themselves on a regular basis. Full Article
Smart Women Create the Right Internal Environment
Written by Joy Chudacoff | 0 CommentsLast week, I was having a conversation with another smart woman and we found ourselves on a familiar topic to many people with children: schools and education. This woman has children in middle school and high school and she was sharing with me that the schools have two tracks in which to receive an education. As you might imagine, one is perceived as better than the other. As I reflect on this conversation, I had to smile. It seems our children are really no different than we are. We, too, must stay on the “right†track with the “right†environment and the “right†teachers around us if we are to realize our dreams, goals, and ideas. Full Article
Smart Women Create the Right Environment
Written by Joy Chudacoff | 0 CommentsRecently, I took a road trip with my family from Los Angeles to Napa Valley, California. During my visit I learned that it takes a different environment (soil, temperature, irrigation) to grow different types of grapes to make wine. For example, you cannot create a great tasting chardonnay when you are in an environment that creates great Pinot Noir. This got me thinking about how important our environment is when we are creating something new in our lives. Full Article
Smart Women Think Like 10 Year Olds!
Written by Joy Chudacoff | 0 CommentsDo you remember what you were like at age 10? It’s right before our hormones kick in and societal expectations begin to manipulate our thinking. I remember when I was 10. I was outgoing, outspoken, with empathy and support for those in need. This got me thinking about becoming who we are authentically at a young age. We begin the process of “becoming†and then something happens along the way. Why? Full Article
Smart Women Are Like Christopher Columbus
Written by Joy Chudacoff | 0 Comments“Mom, when we get home I need to show you something really cool!†exclaimed my 8-year-old son Jack when I picked him up from school the other day. When we got home, he opened his backpack, pulled out his Social Studies book, opened it up to the last few pages and said—“Look, isn’t this cool?â€Â Jack had discovered the “index†section of books. Very animated, he explained how you could look up any word in the index and find out exactly what page it was on in the book. His eyes were as big as beach balls. His excitement was off the charts as he was full of delight over this new discovery. His excitement and enthusiasm got me thinking about how Smart Women are life-long learners. Full Article
Smart Women Prefer the “Limited†Lifetime Warranty
Written by Joy Chudacoff | 0 CommentsI received a catalog in the mail the other day from a well-known company that provides fine cookware for the cooking enthusiast. As I flipped through the pages, I came upon an ad for these whimsical cupcake pans that just looked like they would be fun to use. I noticed at the end of the description that it read “Limited Lifetime†Warranty. I laughed out loud! My first thought was “thankfully!†This got me thinking about how we go through life looking for that “Lifetime†Warranty and how it can cripple our decision-making and keep us a prisoner to predictability in our lives. Full Article
Smart Women Can Be Action Figures Too!
Written by Joy Chudacoff | 0 CommentsIn my Success Circles, women create vision boards which represent their big ideas, dreams and plans for living a life filled with energy, passion and purpose. I invite them to bring in favorite photos or magazines they enjoy reading, as possibilities for their board. This week, Dawn, a Circle member (and smart woman) brought in “The Big Book of Action Stickers.†It was a big colorful book filled with stickers for just about everything you can imagine from animals to people. As I flipped through the pages, it got me thinking about how simple it is to become who you want to be in the world. Full Article
Smart Women Plant Their Seeds
Written by Joy Chudacoff | 0 CommentsLast Friday, my children and I went to an Eco-Fest at my son’s school. It offered creative ways to think about living organically and sustaining our planet. At one point my 5 year old daughter Jenna wandered to a booth a few feet away from me, and I noticed that she became very focused on what they were doing. Minutes later, she appeared with something wrapped inside recycled paper that she was carrying very carefully. “Look Mom, I’ve made a pumpkin plant. All we have to do is plant it when we get home and it will grow a pumpkin.†Jenna carried that recycled paper containing dirt and pumpkin seeds with such care for the rest of the afternoon. She was so proud and excited about what she had created, as well as the future when the seeds grow into an actual pumpkin. This got me thinking about women in the world who are carrying their big ideas, dreams, and goals with them—-have you planted them so they will grow, or do you continue to carry them around—possibly in recycled paper, or maybe in your mind? Full Article
Smart Women Paint Their Magic Circle
Written by Joy Chudacoff | 0 CommentsI took my daughter Jenna to her Karate class the other day, and after the instructor welcomed all of the children to the class he asked them to “paint your magic circle around you.†I sat there and watched a group of children take their hands and paint an imaginary circle around their bodies and sit down. This exercise was, of course, the instructors attempt to keep 12 five year olds from running around the room doing things that weren’t meaningful, so that they could stay focused. This got me to thinking about how women “paint magic circles†around their lives as well. Full Article
Smart Women Are Nutritious
Written by Joy Chudacoff | 0 CommentsLast week, on two separate occasions, I had the topic of what I refer to as “nutritious†people come up. I was speaking at a women’s convention and I asked them to write down at least 3 “nutritious†people†they have in their life right now. I also had a conversation with a woman in my Success Circle about the difference between “nutritious†people versus those that can drain you and zap your energy level. You know the relationships I’m talking about– right? Full Article
Smart Women Develop a Mindset – “Ready, Fire, Aimâ€
Written by Joy Chudacoff | 0 CommentsThis past weekend, our family went out to Palm Desert to visit my in-laws for Mothers Day. I had the opportunity to spend some quality time with Greg’s father, Lowell. I enjoy my “chats†with him. He loves business and marketing and always has great ideas. One of the topics we landed on was how some people move forward with their big ideas, dreams, and goals, and others never seem to be able to get out of the starting gate. Why is this? What makes it happen for some but not for others? Women will say to me, “I have an idea, but every time I get to a certain point, I can’t seem to “pull the trigger!†Full Article
Smart Women Get Back On the Pogo Stick
Written by Joy Chudacoff | 0 CommentsThe other day as we were driving to school, my daughter Jenna boldly stated, “Mom, for my birthday, I want a Pogo Stick.†This statement made me curious so I asked her, “Jenna, why do you want a Pogo Stick?†Jenna’s reply was “Mom, it’s easy. You just get on, fall off, get back up, and get on again. Then you learn how to do it.†Very true, my adventurous 5- year old. As we continued down pacific coast highway, this answer got me thinking about achieving goals and dreams and the process we need to go through before really making the impossible possible in our lives. Full Article
Smart Women Love a Good Party!
Written by Joy Chudacoff | 0 CommentsRecently, we hosted our daughter Jenna’s 6th birthday party at Tumbleweed Day Camp. Tumbleweed Day Camp is this secure, natural haven above West Los Angeles that makes you feel as if you are out in the wilderness instead of 10 minutes from one of the largest cities in the world. It is a rustic, peaceful camp that offers activities for children. They have well-trained counselors who support children in having outdoor fun. Many parents that attended the party were so surprised to find this little jewel in the community. They had no idea it existed and they had lots of curious questions about how their children could enjoy the benefits of Tumbleweed as well. This got me thinking about how Smart Women know the value of parties and gatherings.If you are a woman with a Big Idea, product or service, it’s essential that you provide opportunities for the world to know about it. There are many creative ways to promote or introduce your business. Women are natural connectors. You shine at events where you can gather together to support a group or cause. Sometimes, though unintentional, you keep your business a “secret.†You go to events to promote your product or service, however when the moment arrives to spotlight your business, you may feel uncomfortable sharing your Big Idea or dream. Why? Well, self-promotion or the promotion of a product can be uncomfortable for some as it feels like selling and many of us do not like the idea of selling. Full Article
Smart Women Know How to Work the Puzzle
Written by Joy Chudacoff | 0 CommentsThis morning, my 6-year-old daughter Jenna decided to work a new puzzle that she received for her birthday. The puzzle, when put together, would represent our solar system. She dumped the pieces out all over the floor and began to realize how “big†this process was for her. I could feel and see that she was becoming overwhelmed. I sat down with her and asked if it might be a good idea to place the cover of the box in a place where she could refer to the “big pictureâ€â€”what the puzzle would look like when she’s all done. She agreed and set to work turning over each piece, getting organized, and putting the pieces that looked similar together. This got me thinking about how Smart Women create a blueprint of what their lives and work should look like, get organized, and then put the pieces where they need to go. Full Article
Smart Women Know “All About Meâ€
Written by Joy Chudacoff | 0 CommentsThis is a big week for my son Jack who is in first grade. It’s his “All About Me†presentation. We spent some time this weekend gathering all of the items that he believes are a representation of who he is right now. This morning, I was walking behind him and watching him carry his box full of items, head held high, proud of what he had chosen and really sure of who he is, right now, at age 7. It got me thinking about this exercise, “All about Me.†If I were to put my life on display today, what would be in my box? What would be proudly displayed on the table? Full Article
Smart Women are Possibility Thinkers
Written by Joy Chudacoff | 0 CommentsOne morning not long ago, I was driving to the Inn at Playa del Rey for one of my Women’s Success Circles. It was a beautiful day in Pacific Palisades—blue skies, sun shining—glorious. What a great day this was going to be! My mind turned to possibilities for the day. As I made my way down to the beach and through Santa Monica, the weather began to change. It became quite foggy. I could barely see the car in front of me. I had to turn my headlights on. I noticed that my thinking had shifted a bit. Some of the possibility thinking had diminished. The “possibilities for the day†began to fade. Why? What had changed? Full Article
Smart Women Give Themselves Permission
Written by Joy Chudacoff | 0 CommentsRecently, I was having a conversation with a woman when she asked me a crucial question: “What are the steps I need to take in order to live a life filled with passion and purpose?†It’s really a 3 part process. When a woman is ready to create her own extraordinary life, she needs to first decide what she wants. Then she needs to decide how she wants to design her life. Finally, she needs to give herself permission to have the life she has chosen. It’s essential that she believes that she deserves to have the life she chooses. If you decide what you want your life to look like but do not believe that you should really have it, then your “dreams†will never become a reality. Full Article
Smart Women Keep Their Inner Door Open
Written by Joy Chudacoff | 0 CommentsOur family went to the Santa Barbara Zoo this past weekend. I love this zoo because it’s not overwhelming (you can see everything in about 2 hours) and Santa Barbara is a favorite spot of mine to relax. When we entered the exotic birds area, a sign on the door read, “For the safety of our birds, please close the inner door before opening the outer door.†That really made me chuckle. I thought, “Well, I don’t think the women will have too much trouble remembering this!†Full Article
