Since the death of Senator Ted Kennedy, I thought about his life and legacy and regardless of what any of us thought of his politics, I think we all should admire his total dedication to family. As I talk about so often, we gain strength and courage from the people we keep in our circle. Ted Kennedy stepped in as a father figure to the children of Robert and John Kennedy, he kept them connected to the entire Kennedy clan teaching them family was everything. If you watched any of the funeral service on TV, you saw the family gathered in respect and solidarity for the family patriarch they revered so much.
Each of us has a circle of strength which can be our personal family, our work family, our friendships. Remember to reach out to your family for strength, encouragement and guidance.
This past weekend I attended the National Conference on Widowhood in San Diego, CA. You may be thinking, why would anyone want to gather with a bunch of people who are probably wearing black, morbid and crying all the time.
Well, as a widow myself, let me demystify the myth of widows/widowers - the attendees were primarily women (there was one brave man) ranged from the ages of 25 to about 75, came from 28 states and 6 countries. There were no black veils or gloves and yes a few tears were shed but the bond of a group that all experienced the same loss of a spouse was incredibly empowering.
The conference sponsored by The Soaring Spirits Loss Foundation provided educational seminars and social gatherings all with the intent to empower, strengthen and provide hope for the future.
This event truly exemplified the mission of Circle of Strength - to inspire, empower and have more fun. The buzz around the conversations were about life… about life cut short and a life well lived and about what is yet to come.
The grieving journey is hard, it is painful and it takes time. But most people on this journey seem equipped to make their life work in meaningful ways. I have found more optimism among widowed people than most others, because if they lose their worldly possessions it doesn’t compare to the loss of their spouse.
The lesson learned in general was that a group of like-minded or life-experienced people can be powerful, empowering and provide great strength. Look for a group of like-minded people in your area, check places like Meet-up.com, or a business associations or a business network group in your area. Check out community education in your area, they offer short classes in many topics from cooking to learning computer skills. The point is, there are many ways to connect and be empowered by people, no need to feel alone – so broaden your connections and get out and be inspired!
Today I was honored to receive an award called “Women with Drive“, an award given by WCCO Radio, Minneapolis, MN.
I was nominated by Linda Kay, a long time friend I’ve known for almost forty years. Thank you Linda for being my cheerleader, treasured friend and part of my circle of strength.
WCCO WOMEN WITH DRIVE: Everyday we are fortunate to be among amazing women who make our community exceptional! 830 WCCO, Maplewood Toyota and Inver Grove Honda presents Cars for Courage “Women with Drive.” Each month we’ll choose one Courageous woman in our community to be spotlighted
I just love connecting with women of strength who inspire and drive me to be my best. This week I have been working hard to make new connections from women I want to learn from. This week I’ve been learning the tricks of “Twitter” from Mari Smith ( http://twitter.com/marismith) and if you’f like to hook up with me on twitter (http://twitter.com/joannefunch).
Through Twitter I’ve met some other awesome women….more to come.
This year for me is about collaboration, and what that means specifically for me is partnering with like-minded people on my business endeavors, working with a trainer and health professional to meet my fitness and health goals, exploring new resources for my continued spiritual growth. It’s about creating a circle of people who I can count on to assist in meeting my goals. When we realize we can’t do it alone, then we build a “Circle of Strength” around us so as you journey into 2009 creating your best life, remember to create that circle that will bring you strength and support you in reaching your goals.
I celebrated Christmas in many traditional ways with lots of great food, egg nog, spiced wine, home baked cookies and a myriad of other dishes I love. But more importantly I spent time with family and friends that mean the most to me. I believe I got to know my family members more intimately and just had fun with some of my closest friends – nothing could be better. These people are my Circle of Strength, those with whom I share the most.
I wish all a Merry Christmas & very happy new year.
In my December newsletter I wrote about how in these challenging economic times perhaps we should look closer at the meaning of the holiday season and I suggested that we all make more effort to give back to those in need. The Circle of Strength motto is “Strengthening Women, Strengthening Communities” which is the message I feel most strongly about.
Women by nature are givers and so when we strengthen women, we give them what they need to take care of their families and thus their communities.
I compiled a list of things we can all do right now this holiday season to make a difference in the lives of others, if you can add to my list please COMMENT BELOW, I’d love to hear more ideas that I can share with others.
10 things you can do NOW to make a difference
1. Ask your neighbors if anyone in your neighborhood is out of a job and may need financial assistance, then gather some donations and give it to the family in need as an anonymous gift.
2. Do you have elderly neighbors that need help around the house, maybe hanging Christmas decorations or shoveling a sidewalk? This is a great job for teenagers to volunteer their time.
3. Contact a local senior center and volunteer your time with whatever needs they may have. It might be driving the elderly to the store or other appointments, it might be coming in and visiting with the seniors. The seniors are always so in need of company and often times you will get more out of the visit than they do!
4. Donate a bag of groceries to your local food bank or church.
5. Don’t walk by the Salvation Army Bell ringer next time you see one, drop in something even if it’s a buck! Those bucks add up.
6. Drop off a toy to any donation center. Teens are always in particular need of a gift. Don’t know where to drop it? Call your local fire station, they usually accept gifts for the Toys For Tots program.
7. Are you a good networker? Ask amoung your network groups if anyone knows of any job openings and then pass on that information to your email list. It can be a simple email saying…If anyone is looking for a job, I heard that so and so is hiring, here is the contact info…”
8. Do you have particular skills that could benefit someone else who is experiencing tough times? Volunteer 1-2 hours a week offering your skills for free to help someone else back on their feet. You can do this through your church, your local employment offices, a job placement organization or training program such a ROP or many other non-profit agencies.
9. Are you retired with time on your hands? I bet you have lots of business and personal skills to help someone get back on their feet, call your church or local employment offices and volunteer some time to someone in need.
10. If you like to talk and have a car, you can call on your neighbors for food or clothing donations that you can then deliver to the food bank, church or agency in need of the clothing. There are clothing agencies in your city that help those needing business appropriate clothing for job interviews, particularly now with many people being experiencing job loss. Can’t find one, ask a friend or contact me with the city you are in and I’ll email you a referral.
Tonight I had the pleasure of having dinner with a very dear girlfriend with whom I have this “soul” connection. It’s the kind of friend with whom you connect from the very beginning and even though we haven’t seen each other in well over a year, we talked just like we had seen each other last week. On the drive home I thought about how connecting with friends near and far really nourishes me and reminds me of how deeply friendships have impacted my life.
So, I urge you to take time and celebrate the incredible strength you gain from your girlfriends and embrace their love and support because they will see you through the decades of your life.
A couple of days ago I was able to connect with some girlfriends in Chicago for a short getaway. The trip included tickets to see a taping of the Oprah Show at Harpo Studios. We came upon the tickets through a connection of my friend Mary.
We received first class treatment when we arrived at the studio where we were invited into the Harpo Executive office area where we were to wait and would be escorted to the studio where the show is taped. While we were waiting, we admired the exquisite artwork that filled the walls, from a painting of Oprah depicting her in the movie “Color Purple” to the African masks that lined another wall. We waited on some comfortable sofas and were talking about our good fortune when Dr. Memhet Oz walks by and says hello on his way into a conference room. He has a warm smile is very handsome and appears shorter than we had imagined. We know the show we are seeing is a Dr. Oz segment and so he was obviously preparing with staff. As short while later who walks by but Oprah herself!! She kindly stops for a minute to say hello and generously poses for a picture with us.
Even Oprah says there are no coincidences in life and I don’t think this was a coincidence either!
After the taping of the show we were taken back to the executive offices to collect our purses and were each presented with a gift bag of items featuring the Oprah logo including a pink gym bag, ball cap, t-shirt, and coffee mug. This trip I was “Living My Best Life” (to quote Oprah) with my girlfriends and enjoying that camaraderie of friendship we have know for so many years. I understand the value of girlfriends and what meaning they bring to my life, I hope you do too!
Last night I attended a local neighborhood meeting, where about 75 neighbors gathered in a community park to talk about a proposed facility they are challenging in their neighborhood. Joe, spoke to the group and updated them on facts of the proposed project and many neighbors voiced their concerns with questions and constructive dialogue. I felt a real strength among this group who truly cared about the quality of life in their area and are willing to make their voices heard to their city council. They invited 54th Assembly Candidate Gabriella Holt, to speak on the value of neighborhoods. She spoke of how she first got involved in her community many years ago after seeing problems in her children’s school district. She shared how a small group of 100 people made a difference. Further, when she saw what was happening in her community she got involved by getting on the local school board. She wanted to be apart of a solution!
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