Smart Women Create the Right Web
Written by Joy Chudacoff | 0 CommentsEarlier this week, I was taking an early morning walk with a good friend and smart woman and we ran into a few spider webs (literally!). It’s the time of year when spiders are spinning and carefully crafting their webs together in a way that will serve and protect them. This got me thinking about how Smart Women always create a strong and sturdy web in their lives both at work and at home. Full Article
Smart Women Practice Gratitude
Written by Joy Chudacoff | 0 CommentsLast week, I was at my Mastermind Meeting and my good friend and Smart Woman, Chellie Campbell, mentioned that she had read an article on how expressing gratitude may be one of the keys to being a happier, healthier person. The very next day, I picked up a magazine which actually cited compelling research on how being grateful or showing appreciation can lead to a happier, healthier, more productive life. Hmmm… two times in two days? This got me thinking about how Smart Women practice gratitude. Full Article
Smart Women Are In Control of Their Ride
Written by Joy Chudacoff | 0 CommentsThis summer, our family went to an amusement park in Park City, Utah, for a day of fun. When you take the chairlift up to the top of the mountain, one of the rides offered is the Alpine Slider. The Alpine Slider is a bobsled track that runs for about 3000 feet down the mountain. As we approached the starting gate, there was a very large sign that read: WARNING! YOU ARE IN CONTROL OF YOUR RIDE. I laughed out loud! My immediate thought? “Well, I should hope so!†And away I went down the mountain with my daughter sitting in my lap. This got me thinking about how Smart Women are in control of their ride—I’m referring to this ride called a life full of energy, passion, and purpose. Full Article
Smart Women Get It Off The Ground
Written by Joy Chudacoff | 0 CommentsDuring our recent vacation to Park City, Utah, one morning I was enjoying my coffee while overlooking a peaceful pond, and was surprised by several hot air balloons making their way high up into the sky. The colors of each balloon were bright, vivid, and unique. Some were like rainbows; others were bright red or yellow. They rose to varying heights in the sky, each one navigating their own unique path around the valley. This got me thinking about how Smart Women’s Big Ideas, dreams and goals are a lot like hot air balloons. Full Article
Smart Women are 40, 50, 60 and Beyond!
Written by Joy Chudacoff | 0 CommentsRecently, as I was leaving my bank in Los Angeles, I saw a stack of magazines near the door, entitled “Life After 50.†And if you have followed the media trail this past week, it’s all about Madonna turning 50. This is a big deal in our society where youth typically rules. Here’s a woman who has been a media icon for youth, beauty, talent, and sex appeal for decades. What’s the message? We as women have much to look forward to as we move into our 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and beyond. As Smart Women, we already knew this, didn’t we? Full Article
Smart Women Get Uncomfortable
Written by Joy Chudacoff | 0 CommentsI’m 48 years old and I have never been on ice skates. That is, until yesterday. My 5½-year-old daughter, Jenna, has taken an interest in ice skating and I typically take her to the ice arena here in Park City where we are on vacation. I watch her skate while listening to the most incredible music they are playing on the sound system (CC Revival and the soundtrack from The Big Chill). Every time we go, Jenna always asks me, “Mom, when are you going to ice skate with me?†And my answer has been, “Oh, maybe next time.†Yesterday, Jenna asked her usual question and as I prepared myself to give her the typical answer, she quickly spoke up and said, “Mom, please, please, skate today!†I finally admitted to Jenna that I had never been on ice skates before. Jenna’s answer: “Mom, it’s easy—I’ll teach you!†And so there was nothing left to do but rent the skates and prepare myself for what I thought would be a dreadful outcome. Full Article
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
