It's Totally Doable........

with the right tools, fuel and passengers, so

Exhibit A:

Below is a Twitter exchange between myself and Kelly McCormick, author of OutSell Yourself.  (Dancing B*a*g Lady commentary, "For those who are not familiar with Twitter just imagine it is text messaging on steroids.")

@OutSellYourself (aka Kelly McCormick) tweeted: My thought of the day: Focus on the big picture. Do 5 do-able action steps to move forward - today.  (Dancing B*a*g Lady commentary: "She said the A word, Action. It's the middle work in B*a*g (believe act to) This catches my attention.")

@believeactgo replies: @OutSellYourself thank you. will do. (Dancing B*a*g Lady commentary: "This reply announces my intention and commitment to finding 5 do-able things.")

@OutSellYourself replies:@believeactgo Keep me posted on your successes! (Dancing B*a*g Lady commentary, "Sweet!  Someone who expects my success and furthers my commitment by expecting a response")

@believeactgo replies: 
#1 doable today (1am this morning.g) rewrite executive summary of prosperity plan. CC: @outsellyourself
#2 doable today - Mailed a gift to an amazing woman. CC: @OutSellYourself
#3 doable - conference call with web designers. CC: @OutSellYourself
#4 doable today - assess need for service and request feedback from benefactors. CC @OutSellYourself
 @OutSellYourself Did 5,6,7,8 and 9, which included the all important playing catch with my son. I'll think of 5 doables each day.

@OutSellYourself replies:  @believeactgo Wow...you are creating success at the speed of light! You inspire me. :-) (Dancing B*a*g Lady commentary: "Inspiration always comes full circle.")

Get some fuel. Find a tool.

I invited Kelly into my Traveling Sanctuary B*a*g (believe act go), as a passenger, when I made the choice to follow her tweets. As I journey further down the path of developing Modern B*a*g Ladies I may want to invest in Kelly's coaching services, which assists with branding, selling and marketing. She outlines her services very well on her website.  

Soon after following Kelly's messages on Twitter, I knew I would be filling up with the fuel she was sharing.   Kelly offers the fuel.  And Twitter is the tool that delivers her fuel.  I've never spoken to Kelly on the phone or in person. We have never exchanged emails for that matter, but forever in my mind Kelly McCormick will be attached to "What are my 5 doables today?"

Kelly, delivers her expertise and inspiration for free, on Twitter, and I suspect she doesn't do it expecting everyone to hire her or buy her book.  I suspect she does it because she believes in community and building relationships.

So, again I ask,"What's in your B*a*g, literally and metaphorically?"  Are you getting the right fuel? Do you have the right tools to share your fuel? 

Focus on the big picture. Do 5 do-able action steps to move forward - today.  Heck, do 1 do-able action.  Doesn't matter how big or how small.  Believe.  Act. Go. 

Modern B*a*g Lady Truth #8

She who keeps a journal with visuals (like vision boards) and writings finds clarity in this moment, which become pieces from the past that fits nicely into her visions of the future. Besides it's just good to get it out (do not censor) and you can always use the material.   Trust me.

Your true vision for your life, rooted in your Born Belief does not accelerate your Traveling Sanctuary to speeds of 100 MPH with the intent of quickly reaching your destination.  In moments of clarity your speeds will increase, but your vision will become blurred causing you to slow down or possibility stop along side the road.  These moments are as important as the moments of clarity.

Journal Entry June 3rd 2008 (stinking at drawing is no longer an excuse.)

Website Idea June 28, 2009

Believe (thoughts) Act (draw, write, sing, color, express) Go (Visions come to life and connect with others, which reinforces the belief and creates new ones)

KISSS My B and Get on with It

I came downstairs 90 minutes ago and I am just now starting to write.  I guess I could blame my daughter for distracting me.  She came down stairs to see what mom was doing.  She actually asked if she could help me find a suitable bag for our scavenger hunt. (We interrupt this blog post to interject some mystery and shamelessly coax you into reading to the end. Just pretend you are watching the news as they break for commercial, "When we return breaking news on several Jesus sightings,")

I feel like I am getting too caught up in the details, which may be my way of putting off what is really important, MY MISSION.

Modern B*a*g Ladies is an inclusive sisterhood.  Our mission is to fuel each others Beliefs, so we are charged to take Action and Go to our dreams. 

We will spread our new found joy, shred our own and others fears and just have more fun. We are real! We are not yes ladies! We are OH YES Ladies and it feels great! 

So I've made a decision.  Which is that I will make a decision and GO!!! You know the "A" and "G" in the bag, realizing there's a false "B" (borrowed belief) which is hissing in my ear, "You can't do that. Blah, Blah and Blah."

I'm going to KISS my bought and borrowed beliefs and get on with it.  Keep it Simple Super Star!  I guess that's KISSS.  KISSS the HISS goodbye.  Yep I'm talking myself into it.  Embrace the process.  One small step for Kim. One giant step for KIM being KIND to herself.  Gosh you'd think I was trying to walk on the moon here.  Actually, sometimes it feels like it.

Here's some action words for all you Discover Your B*a*g OH Yes Ladies: Reading, Thinking, Talking.  All very nice verbs indeed.  Necessary?  YES. Enough?  NO. Reading will inspire you and get you thinking.  It may teach you a new skill.  I talk about wonderful books all the time.  I tell people my plans, but when it comes right down to it I need to blister my feet and callus my hands more.  This involves forcing myself into a corner and finding my way out. You must force change upon yourself.  You can't read and get it. Think it and get. Talk about it and get it.  You must want it bad enough that you are willing to lose going after it and then get back up again and fight some more.

So, today on my way to work I see a man walking.  I see more people walking these days.  One morning I saw a woman walking.  She was carrying a purse.  How many people carry their purse on a walk meant for exercise?  I turn the truck around. Approaching her I lower the window and ask if she needed a ride. No I'm just walking.  I kind of felt stupid.  I see her almost every day now and it makes me smile.  I honor anybody committed to more exercise.  Yet, for all I know she had her car repossessed and now she has to walk to work.  Either way she walks in a proud way.

A robe, long beard, sandals, walking stick, large rosary and a backpack.  "Should I stop?"  I lower my speed, holding up traffic behind me. My sister picked up a hitch hiker once.  Dad sternly schooled her in the dangers of picking up strangers. "I am on a major highway. What could happen?  There's too many witnesses."    I increase my speed.  "This is going to delay my arrival to work."  Blinker on, I make a quick U turn and head back toward "Jesus". 

I approach and lower my window, "Is there anything I can do for you?"  I don't remember what he says.  He looks very normal except for his clothes.  "Are you on a pilgrimage?"  "Do you walk everywhere?"  He explains that yes indeed a pilgrimage.  The first in 7 years as he as been ill.  I offer him $10.  He can not accept money, only food, water and shelter.  He had his lunch for today and today only. He explained that he was part of some brotherhood order.  "Safe journey.  I will be praying for you."   He replied, "And I will pray for you as well."  I do another U turn and he continues to walk.  "Dang I could have offered him my orange I had packed for my lunch today."  I momentarily hear that hissing in my ear.

3 years ago I would not have stopped for either traveler. Sad, but true.  In a small way this is a step towards the blisters and the calluses.  Writing tonight did not come easy. It is a labor of love or an emotional labor I wrote about in my article on The Survivor Manual titled, Sister Subsets and Brother Brackets. 

I will continue to read, think and talk.  Apparently it's inspiring some worthy actions.  I must be kind to myself and travel ahead with faith and less fear.  Did you know the most quoted commandment in the bible is "do not fear?"  I shared a kind word and hope with a man that looked like Jesus today.  Knowing that he is praying for me brings me comfort.  I leave this post off to bed sending loving energy to him and a few others.  It is a worthy action.  Necessary?  YES!

Pass the Buck ~ What the Cluck?

You've heard the expression, Pass the Buck, right? I mean if somebody wanted to pass me an actual buck, hey that would be cool. A few thousand would be really nice. On the contrary, let's take, The Buck Stops Here! Its the kind of statement Presidents and people in a position of power make. I've had the pleasure of knowing a handful of leaders who didn't need to make the statement. Their actions spoke louder than those words ever could.


Well, of course I'm not talking about actual bucks. I'm talking about passing along blame, waste, complacency and responsibility. "I didn't say it was your fault. I said I was going to blame you." I hear my son say to me, "You made me mad, that's why I yelled," Ever heard, "So and so pissed me off." No actually, you just pissed on yourself. Can't you see that? I have to confess that I've dribbled on myself more than once, figuartively and literally.

Let's take the seemingly harmless act of not putting your shopping cart into the tidy chart coral at the local grocery store parking lot. I know this annoys many people, including my husband. I have also become less tolerant of what just seems like laziness.

When I see a lonely cart stranded, I see a person who doesn't think much about themselves. That makes me sad. I wonder if Wal-Mart charts the cost to pay employees to chase down stranded carts. Here's a quick calculation. There are 3700 Wal-Marts nationwide. If each store had 5 carts per day and it took 2 minutes to retrieve each one and that employee made $7 per hour that costs Wal-Mart $1.5 million dollors annually. Hey pass me those bucks any day.

So if you abandon carts we forgive you. It feels good to place your cart neatly into the coral. Its not about being self righteous. Its about feeling good about doing your part. Simple, right? While you're at, let's think about using those reusable shopping bags.


Now onto more serious matters. I follow the Darkness to Light blog. Darkness2Light is the world's leading non-profit working to prevent child sexual abuse. With over 1,800 trained educational instructors in eleven countries, and an award winning media campaign, they're doing their utmost to make the world a safer place for children. Their blog gives us the ability to show you what they're doing on a daily basis to end child sexual abuse.

Recently they posted a calculator that estimated the cost of not preventing childhood sexual abuse.

Being complacent about serious issues that expose vulnerable victims to predators causes one to pause and sometimes act. Most of the time all it takes is gaining some knowledge to make an impact. Education is an emphasis of Darkness to Light.


Within your circle of influence, where could the buck stop with you? And within the realm of your God given talents, what could you contribute and find joy at the same time? So the next time you have been passed a "travel weary buck" for which you have the influence, time and talent to stop, do yourself a big favor. STOP IT! The empowerment will pay you an infinite currency. Heck, you just may be saving major bucks and sweet little clucks. Start small and work your way up from there. You have something great and special to give.

Kim, Julie & Julia - What's the Point?

From the moment I saw the advertisement for the movie Julie and Julia I was fascinated and captivated. I saw the movie with my girlfriend Friday night. As the movie started I said, "Ok I'll pretend I am Julia Childs and you pretend you are Julie Powell." Sorry to say, but my friends and family will have to listen to me exclaiming, "Bone Appetite" for a few weeks to come. Its my goofball way of reminding myself that I am special.

Julia Childs? A master chef, an author, an artist, a woman, a wife, a sister, a daughter, a collaborator. Julie Powell? A New Yorker, a woman, a wife, a writer, a blogger, a cook, an author. Kim Lampe? A mother, a wife, a woman, a blogger, a friend, a collaborator, a dreamer, a lost soul, found over and over again, a hissing pussy cat, a seriously deep thinking goofball.

Julia got a book deal and her own television show. Julie finished her project, got a book deal and had a movie made about her journey to finding herself. Kim.... (is currently detained by that mom thing. Hang on, I'll be back in......?) Kim took out the garbage, gave some instructions to her daughter on the proper way of decluttering your room, of which does not include scattering your stuff into 3 other rooms including her brother's and parent's bedrooms. Kim looked at piles of dishes in her sink and piles of clothes, washed and not, feeling a bit self critical of her absent housekeeping skills of late, chased her son upstairs, put the left overs in the frig and put on her slippers because her feet were freezing.

Here's my point....

Even though there are books, movies and blogs about people, you never really see everything that entails someone's life. They give you a snippet here and a snippet there. It can make you feel as if they have something "special". Something you don't have.

Now I know what I am about to say is usually reserved for that "special" moment with that somebody who bore you from their loin, but here it goes, "You are special." Why not be committed to sharing that special with the whole world? Keeping it to yourself will surely drive you to insanity. Sharing her specialness is the only way Julia Childs could have shared Julia Childs with the world (you couldn't make up that stuff). Committing to finishing all 500 some recipes in Julia Childs french cookbook in 365 days and blogging about it is how Julie Powell committed to finding her temporarily lost specialness.

Kim Lampe knows she is sharing her specialness with the world when she is laughing, smiling or listening very attentively to somebody else. She's coming to know that when she feels lost she is on the right path. She has yet not to find her better self after a good wonder.

I didn't go to Julie and Julia to steal their special. I went to be inspired to believe that I could find my special with their help. Julia was committed to writing a cookbook on french cooking. It took her over 8 years to write and it was rejected before being published. Julie was committed to finishing her own personal project, with no motive of a book or a movie.

Be committed to your own specialness and respect other's as well. We're in this together ladies! Julie, Julia, Kim, Terry, Jan, Jill, Britni, Terry, Rosi, Karla, Kirsten....

* Kim needed some inspiration to write this post, so she put on the apron you see in the photo above. It took her back that moment when she was being herself (laughing, smiling). Writing about herself in the third person gives her that feeling that she has a published book and a movie about my, I mean her, life. HA!

God is a Verb

God is a verb. God is Love.

Love isn't a feeling. Love is doing. Act with Love.

Laughing Smiling Giving
Forgiving Praying Listening
Praising
Sharing

The A(ction) is center.

b A g

It is the core. It is the hub. It is where it flows from and back to.

Features and Benefits of Being a Modern B*a*g Lady

Le'ts familiarize yourself with some main features. Hop in, Let's take a test drive.

B is your Believe. You can categorize beliefs into 4 categories called your BB's; Born, Buried, Bought and Borrowed Beliefs. Our beliefs drive our dreams & thoughts. Dreams and thoughts drive our Actions. This part is about beginning with the end in mind, so it is important to be aware of your BB's.

A is your Act. When our actions are focused around spreading joy, shredding fear and having fun we find the keys to our Traveling Sanctuary. Turn the key. Spark the fuel.

G is your Go. When we believe, dream and take action we can realize our dreams. Our G's are our OH Yes Moments. That inner Yes that isn't that temporary yes from outside forces.

You need to seek out your Fuel. You need frequent, small fill ups. Your Fuel is your self care, not your selfish care. Sometimes your self care includes sharing your fuel as well.

Have B*a*g, fuel and keys, will travel. Traveling is getting out of your safe lane and seeking to help others and yourself. It's proclaiming your dreams to the universe.

As you travel you need to be the safe place for others to renew. You will be the Sanctuary for others. Your mirrors will reflect other's goodness back to them.

Finally, the Modern part is about today being your day. Women are no longer viewed as second class citizens. We have proven ourselves, but perhaps to a fault. Not all women want to bring home the bacon and fry it up in a pan. The modern day is ready to allow women to be themselves. Let's claim it today.

B *a*g? Check
Keys? Check
Fuel? Check

Welcome aboard to your Believe Act Go Traveling Sanctuary. Your first B*a*g challenge is to go to your handbag and find some fuel. If all you can find is baggage well its time to go fill it up with one thing that will fuel you dreams and charge you to act. One of my favorite things to carry with me is my Ipod. A Dancing B*a*g Lady needs her music.

We're in a Constant State of Creation

Make Each Day Your Masterpiece

Ordinary is Extraordinary

Add Your Ray of Sunshine

You are the Star. The Sky's the Limit.

Cheap Vacations via Elephants and Vampires (ticket for two please)

Myrna Myrna Myrna you have created a book toting nerd, who responsibly escapes from the world's whoas for an hour or so a day. $10 ticket to where ever you want to go is a pretty cheap vacation. And Gretchen and Elissa from Evolution Through Vacation would be proud of me as I am jumping into these mini, low budget vacations with preparation, openness to learning and finally applying my learnings upon re-entry. Hey the sex, drama, mystery and suspense isn't bad for a heart racing thrill either(all done in very good taste of course). We are adults here.



FICTION TAKE TWO! Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen was waaaayyyyyy better than Nature Girl by Carl Hiiasen. I guess books are like a BOX of CHOCOLATES, you have to take a bite to see if you like it. Nature Girl didn't rank as low as a fruit cake covered with bitter dark chocolate as it worked in a chocolate craving pinch. Water for Elephants was more like a milk chocolate covered caramel YUMMMMM.

Jacob Jankowski unexpectedly is thrown from having it all to having nothing except shoveling manure, a mildew, flea infested bedroll and a schizophrenic boss. Set in the depression era, Water for Elephants has me comparing the plight of Jacob to the plight of people suffering from the current state of the economy, 2008. Think about it, 1931 was only 77 years ago, just a hiccup in God years. Jacob emerges, as we will and have, confronting his dreams, disguised as his nightmare.

My disguised dreams rest like a lump of soggy bread in my throat and runs its course down to my stomach, sitting like a huge indigestible ball, wondering if I have the flu or a bad case of anxiety. Could I shovel manure if I had to? YES, ACTION is the cure to my disease even if it stinky and sweaty work.

My daughter and I went to the movie Twilight today and she bought the book as well. I think she could really get into this book. As me, she is a slow reader, so she feels intimidated by lengthy in depth books. We will continue to exercise our reading muscle, quickening our pace and reporting to each other stories and life lessons. If you do not know, Twilight, is a high school love story between a mortal and a GOOD vampire. This is where the vampire enters our vacation plans.

I hope Paige and I can share our travel logs with each book read.

Chain Re"ACTION" - You Can't Plan These Things

Chain - A series of connected links.

Reaction - Any response caused by some other event.

Call it luck, coincidence, law of attraction or destiny, but when I reflect on events in my life I think about how if that hadn't of happened this wouldn't have happened. Magic is quite simple and natural.

Life as a precise, sequence of planned events is an illusion. Give is up, go with the flow, release your control freak. I mean how does it feel to plan out your day hour by hour and BAM something unexpected. What to do? My day turns out to be a complete failure.

I prefer to start each day with a general vision, based on a reminder list of what is most important to the bigger vision. If I had a strict set of to does I am sure recent chain reactions would not have happened in my life. Absent of a "to do" list I am not void of action. Expect the unexpected, take action, overcome fears, wait for the reaction, so goes the chain.

Here's a favorite chain (we have several chains and the chains intertwined)

1. I felt like crap for two years.
2. It got so bad that I finally went to the doctor for my "annual" (had been 2 1/2 years) stir up visit.
3. Long story short, I had a hysterectomy
4. 6 weeks away from work, on medical leave, and time to reflect on my life
5. Hey! I wanted to be an interior designer
6. Heard of the concept "Law of Attraction"
7. Read a book "Mommy Millionaire"
8. Learned I could learn new skills and loved the combination of my creativity and the freedom to make all the decisions
9. Started a staging business
10. Started to write short stories
11. Joined Mommy Millionaire social network
12. Met some really great women via the virtual world
13. Set out with new visions of aligning my inner and outer purpose
14. Met more women
15. Started a newsletter
16. Started a blog
17. and the chain goes on and on

Within this general chain is the relationships with myself and other great people. Overcoming my fears, trusting myself and taking action is creating my strongest life chain.

Somewhere between flying by the seat of your pants and keeping your head down, missing those "oh yes" moments, are the moments that create a great chain re"Action".

Think about whether you are driving with your head in the map or reading the map first, driving, stopping for rest and fuel and getting back on the road with your eyes on the vision, ready to stop for more fuel, rest, inspiration or just a NEW map, if necessary.

ACTION ACTION ACTION your way to your strong life chain reACTION and remember go along your journey spreading joy, shreading fear and having fun, always keeping your eye on the vision.

Memory of 9/11. What is a women to do?

Live. Forgive. Seek. Imagine.

I'm writing this post Sunday morning September 7th, 2008 at 12:50 am.

Without giving much thought to the soon approaching anniversary of the terrorist attacks that occured 9/11/2001 I rented a documentary, On Native Soil, yesterday afternoon. It is a documentary of the 9/11 Commission Report.

AM 9/11/2001 - I was sitting in the doctor's office, waiting to be seen by my doctor, anticipating the birth of my son. I was listening to the radio as these events unfolded in misbelief.

I do not find many movie rentals very appealing these days and decided to browse the special interest section. I suppose with my mind filled with overwhelming information, opinions and criticisms of recent events leading up to the presidential election I was drawn towards my selection.

An overpowering conclusion came to me. Not a new one, but one with more intensity. I only have control over my own actions. I am confronted with decisions every second, every hour, every day, every week, every year. Some hard, some easy, some even robotic. Being a robot? Am I hypnotized, low on fuel, complacent, traveling along my journey directed by borrowed and bought beliefs. PERHAPS.

All is not lost, tomorrow is a new day, but at the same time a new day that could be lost to my robotic mind. Which will I decide?

Stand in judgement OR seek to understand
Help OR turn a blind eye
Find excues OR find a way

It seems so complicated, but it is not so. You know as do I, that deep down we all know what is right and good. I have faith in humanity and in myself.

My final thoughts. People will make mistakes, people will be hurt. If you hurt or do wrong, apologize and find a way to do better. If you have been hurt, forgive (including forgiving yourself) even if an apology has not been spoken. Seemingly complicated situations require simple imagination. Allow your mind to go there.

When a small group of surviving family members of the 9/11 attacks came together to demand answers, wanting their loved ones' death not to be in vain, they were simply asking for the truth, an apology and a committment to doing better. One man gave them this at the conclusion of the long drawn out commission.

Within your reach of influence you have much power to make this world worth living in. Your mind, your heart, your family, your community, your company, your state, your country, your world, your universe. I have faith in myself and humanity. I hate to even imagine the alternative.

Money, Power, Superwoman - All That and a Lifetime of Free Massages? I Think NOT!

If having money, being powerful, snatching up that promotion, and imitating Superman was all that and a lifetime of free massages we (women) would have gone up, up and away through that so called glass ceiling, scattering glass across corporate America and the blogospere. They're even talking about a glass ceiling for women bloggers, a topic at the Blogher conference. I'm not going to categorize all women together, but humor me while I generalize about this subject.

Let's go back to the 1943. World War II had taken away much of the manufacturing workforce needed to produce goods for the war. Rosie the Riveter was born out of the government's desire to summons women's patriotism. Women answered the call, "We Can Do It!" On average these woman worked for $31.41 per week, while men doing the same work earned $54.65. After the war most were told, "Thanks for your patriotism, now go back to your homes and let the men do their work."

Their act of patriotism probably did open many doors for women in the workforce, but I would have been fuming mad if I had been treated that way. I know exactly what I would have done with that energy. Set out to prove myself, which women have done and almost to a fault. I would say that today we misinterpret this icon to mean "We Can Do It All, with a baby on our hip, while running the household,while blah blah and blah blah blahing.

Rosie the Riveter, a believable strong women, has morphed into Superwoman, an unrealistic super hero. I love this iconic poster, but I am rethinking what it means to me and I hope you can look at it and find your own definition of being a strong successful women, whether you are in corporate America, run your own business or orchestrate a somewhat smooth running household.

Here's my Believe Act Go challenge to you today. Don't be a Yes lady and pile one more layer of Kryptonite on top of your Superwomen mentality. Be your own, Lois Lane, and try a few of these strategies.

1. Learn some lessons from our "sometimes" smarter halves - Men usually do not ask permission to engage in male bounding time. Schedule downtime to be with yourself or girlfriend(s) without asking permission. PUT IT ON YOUR SCHEDULE JUST LIKE TIMMY'S BASEBALL SCHEDULE. If we don't "schedule" this time we will fill it with more chores.
2. Success List - Write down what is really important to you. Maybe categorize them by your roles. Write down your typical actions. Connect the lists. Will your actions help you achieve the things that are important to you? Select an action that doesn't line up and stop doing it.
3. Can You Believe She... - Your BAG (Believe Act Go) is not her BAG. Her BAG is not your BAG. Women have a tendency to be hard on each other. This can add to our guilt because we value other women's opinion. Often we are reflecting our own fears onto other women. Next time you start to say, "Can you believe that so and so........STOP and think why you care. Replace with, I can't believe I .....
4. Ask for Help - Asking for help is not, I repeat, IS NOT a sign of weakness. Many times we hesitate to ask for help and before we know it we are in over our heads and reach a state of being overwhelmed. Overwhelmed? Ask for help.
5. Balance Your Roles - When you're not fulfilled in one role we tend to over compensate in another. Re-balance your roles and energy spent in each worthwhile role.
6. Take your own best advise.

I have found that when you have spent 15 years working towards a somewhat borrowed belief that success = a new home, new cars, promotions and buying your children pretty much anything they want, it takes a little time letting go of that false sense of security.
A wise women once told me (in not so many words) that it is not our beauty that gives us our strength. It is our strength that give us our beauty.