Give Y-o-u-r-s-e-l-f Permission

My amazing friend Ashil Ann wants to be (and will be) the first asian woman Governor of California. We recently went to coffee and throughout our conversation I said, "You know who you should ask for advice?"

"Who?" she said.

"Why don't you ask Governor Schwarzenegger for advice?"

She was dumbfounded. Perhaps up to that point she didn't think of the obvious-- because she didn't give herself permission to think of herself important enough for his time.

***

I overhead a conversation in line at the grocery store. The guy said he is going to wait 2 years before he goes after the "really big" accounts. I wondered what's he waiting for to go after the big ones?

***

Yesterday, my friend Gina helped me realize how guilty I am of this same crime. She told me "Paige - who are you waiting for to give you permission to just move forward on your book?" She said, " Just give yourself that permission and move." She was absolutely right and her words hit me like two tons of bricks. I have been giving the publishers too much authority in my life and with my project.

This experience made me realize that we have more authority over our life than any other person, but too often we put approval in the hands of others.

We wait for someone else to say "that's okay" before we can truly believe our action is truly worthy. We wait for some title, degree, or designation for us to believe we are finally qualified. All too often, we put too much power in other people's hands and not enough in our own.

Top performers give themselves permission before anyone else does. After all, Tony Robbins gave himself permission to speak and share his views before he had an audience. Mother Teresa gave herself permission to change the world even when she had no title. Wyland gave himself permission to paint even when he had no buyers.

What Do YOU need to give yourself permission to do or be so you can start achieving what you want?

I say, DO WHAT THIS KID DID (see left picture)- and give yourself permission to be a super hero. (And don't forget to make yourself a cool cape to go with it).

Old Years, New Years

Every time I go home, my mom gives me a pile from my room to go through. This time when I was home for Thanksgiving, I took home some notebooks and some yearbooks. Check out these MIDDLE SCHOOL yearbooks. Don't they seem stuck in the 80’s?

Anyway, I found a note I wrote to Deyl in one of my notebooks dated ’98. We were 18 years old. It reads: " Deyl-You are my best friend, best playmate, you are every role in my life, including my therapist"

I think what I was meaning to say was that I felt comfortable sharing with Deyl everything. And he had a way of making the good better and the worse, not so bad.

It’s funny to think of how little has changed between Deyl and I in all the years that has passed.

I also remember back to being 17 and how the criteria for dating someone was: Is he fun? Is he cute? Adults have to consider so much about whom one should date – health habits, political views, career paths, religion, views on children, etc. etc.

But at 17, when I started dating Deyl, things were simpler. The only thing that seemed to matter back then was…well… I liked Deyl. I was stoked he liked me back.

Our relationship was simply based on the fact we liked being with each other. One day of enjoying one another turned to the next and the next, and then we got married. In fact, we added in our wedding vows that “we promise to always be fun”. Then one day led to the next, and now it's almost 2008.

As we gain more responsibly in the future, I hope we will always remember to play a similar role we did for one another back when we were 18: be one another's best friend, best playmate and the best nurturer of the soul....and continue to have fun.

How has love changed (or not changed) over the years for you?

Holiday Shopping

I was amongst the millions of people who shopped on "black friday".
I usually don't like participating in the habits of the masses but the
sales were so incredible, I couldn't resist.

Although when it comes to shopping Deyl & I have a rule that helps
keep our home (therefore our lives) clutter free: 1 item purchased = 1
item plucked. Here are some of my latest additons and some getting
tossed:

Out of Control Brainstorming

Yes, I was on a roll.

Warning: writing a book can seriously reverse any attempts at home decor.