Don’t simply retire from something; have something to retire to. ~Harry Emerson Fosdick
What are you doing this weekend? Anything different?
I came across this picture that made me think about all the people who dread the idea of returning to work on Monday and dream of their retirement. Over the next decade there will be many people who will leave their job and enter into the next phase of life. Are you one of them?
Will you settle into a new kind of inspired existance and take the opportunity to pursue something you’ve always wanted? Baby Boomer, what kind of retiree will you be?
If you are approaching the renaissance years it’ a good time to put some thought into your second act. What will it look like? Will you sit it out in a chair uninspired or do something to put a little zing into your life?
At the beginning of next week on All Things Fulfilling, I am going to take you on an on-line, visual road trip for a few days to what is reported to be “The Coolest Small Town in America.” Don’t miss it!
“You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you will discover will be wonderful. What you’ll discover is yourself.” ~ Alan Alda
Home Sweet Home! Where everything is familiar, safe, and there are few unknowns. I found out seven years ago that you can find fulfilling things when you leave your comfort zone and strike out on new adventures. I left my home state of more than 30 years and ventured into unknown territory, by moving to a place site unseen. It was a culture shock at first for an East Coast gal to move to remote ranching/ski community in northwestern Colorado. But I’ve grown to appreciate all that it’s brought to my life. It ended up being good for the mind, body and spirit and a time of enormous personal growth.
I jumped in wholeheartedly, and did something even more risky. I independently published a book, a memoir, about my remarkable young life.
My life is far from over, and there is more to discover about myself. I suspect it will come next time I step out of my comfort zone and into something else.
Speaking of comfort – did you know there is a place called Comfort, Texas? What I found interesting is there is little information about the place on their website. Perhaps that’s by design so visitors will come see the place for themselves.
When was the last time you really stepped out of your safe environment? If nothing else you might learn you are stronger than you think!
This blog is brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard. Award-winning author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and short stories Lessons of Heart & Soul.
Real courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway. ~ John Wayne
I doubt I would have ever become acquainted with the term “cowboy ethics” unless I had moved West. Sure, I believe and practice what it is about but I’d never attached such a term to it.
In fact, when I began this blog All Things Fulfilling, before I even knew what cowboy ethics were, I had decided I’d use all the principles associated with the term as I went about my mission of inspiring, informing and educating people about independent publishing. The fact that I found personal fulfillment in my writing was a bonus and a God-send.
In an interview on Living a Richer Life talk radio some months ago, the host, Earl Cobb, mentioned that many people say they are going to write a book but never accomplish their mission. “How is it that you were successful?” he asked. When I set out to prove to myself that I could publish a book independently as an inexperienced writer, I took to heart the inspirational words I’d heard someone say “I wanted it more than I was afraid of it.” I also changed my vocabulary from I was going to try to write a book to AM writing and publishing a book. I eliminated the word try out of my vocabulary completely. What a difference it made in the outcome and I even became an award-winning author, to boot!
If you want to accomplish your goals and if you can’t eliminate the word try completely, this video featuring Jim Owen of Cowboy Ethics points out another way of looking at the word TRY. You will find it interesting!
Last week in the blog post A Shepard’s Tea, I mentioned having a celebration after the New Year. Perhaps a Hoe Down might be more appropriate since I found fulfillment using Cowboy Ethics in Colorado. Want to learn more about the principles behind the term Cowboy Ethics, visit this website.
“Take note of all the good and beautiful. It is there. Sometimes in the smallest crevices and sometimes boldly standing there.” ~ Lisa Desatnik http://www.GoodThingsGoingAround.com.
Last week my husband and I were granted what I considered to be a great priviledge. We were given permission to look in on the daily operations of a business that reaps the beauteous bounty of the sea. Nothing goes to waste from the harvest. What does not get processed to feed people, goes toward’s growing crops. The crustacean shells are used for fertilizer.
Lindy’s Seafood, a Mary Ellen Brand, in Woolford, Maryland allowed us to see their business first hand and take photos and video. What an eye-opening and educational experience. We arrived in the wee hours of the morning because the work day takes place from 1am to 9 am on Hooper’s Island a remote place on the eastern shore of the Chesapeake.
Grace, the plant supervisor, described to me what this line of very tedious work means to her 36 crab pickers, who come to the U.S.A. to find a job to support their families in Mexico. Typically women are crab pickers but for the first time ever, this harvest season, there were approximately four or five men among the workers at Lindy’s.
It was evident from my observations, these employees mean business! Picking crabs is treated like an art and the craft is taught to the younger generation when they bring their family members into the fold of working in the seafood industry. Crab picking is very tedious and detail-oriented labor and not for everyone. Grace mentioned the Mexican’s wonderful work ethic and the fact that they are as reliable as the change of seasons. She said they WILL NOT go home until the catch of the day is processed and will work as many hours as need be. She said she nearly has to herd them out the door to take a lunch break, which comes at 6:oo in the morning! They don’t want to stop what they are doing. From I what I gathered from our conversation, finding that kind of dedication and attention to detail from American workers is very difficult.
As they labored, not a word was uttered but Spanish music played in the background, and the fast paced rhythm kept their hands briskly moving.
From my observation, economy of movement in the workers and efficiency of the operation allows the plant to process many bushel baskets of seafood daily. It was a very fulfilling morning observing this group of people who depend on the fruit of the sea for their fulfilling livelihood.
More photos:
My husband and I would like to personally thank Terry Vincent, President of Lindy’s Seafood and his sidekick, his daughter Aubrey for allowing us to see the business operations first hand. And thank you to Grace for providing us with answers to our questions.
This blog is brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard. For information on her books Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and short stories Lessons of Heart and Soul.
If a man loves the labor of his trade, apart from any question of success or fame, the gods have called him. – Robert Louis Stevenson
An exciting landmark is coming to All Things Fulfilling. Soon, one hundred-thousand readers will have hit this website which is amazing because when I began writing about what was an obscure concept to many people I had no idea how many would be interested. What I’ve concluded is that incorporating business with a thoughtful mission makes work more meaningful. It puts the emphasis on conducting business for a reason beyond financial gain. It’s fulfilling way to live and work.
Shepard’s Garden, a Montana company is another company that has taken this idea and incorporated it into their products. They sell tea that has a verse attached to every tea bag which has been chosen “with the blessing, encouragement, and comfort of the customer in mind.”
What a great way to reinforce the contemplative moments that come with the restorative ritual of having tea. If you are like me, the time I most appreciate a cup of tea is in the quiet of the morning. What better way to start the day than by reading a meaningful passage.
Stay tuned in the coming months. I am developing some ideas for the New Year that includes gifts for a few lucky recipients.
Tomorrow we will highlight another company of interest that puts a heart & soul centered mission at the core of their business.
This blog is brought to you by the author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and short stories Lessons of Heart & Soul by Sue Batton Leonard.
“A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows.” ~ Francis of Assisi
On my husband’s side of the family there has been some illness and a life was close to ending. However, things have taken a dramatic turn. I believe part of the reason that there is good news to report is because the person who stepped into the picture to deal with the situation, my husband’s first cousin, is a natural caretaker. In my mind, she’s a healing artist. It’s what she has done all her life. The situation could not have been handled more capably by anyone else in the family.
I’m so sorry that the task was so large that it meant uprooting her life for five months and tending to an enormous number of details. She closed out one phase of her loved one’s life and lined up everything for new beginnings. Thankfully my husband’s cousin is detail oriented, and made sure every loose string was tied up. Thank you, Mary, for being the sunbeam. You, indeed, are God-sent.
The course of events has made me think about how we forget to pay attention to simple everyday acts of kindness until disaster strikes. This article mentions things we can do to brighten the lives of others that perhaps many of us have never even thought of. Check it out because as it has been said before “life is not all about us.”
This blog is brought to you by the author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and short stories Lessons of Heart & Soul.
“Effort is not measured by what you get for it, but by what you become because of it.” ~ Julie Leidel, The Bungalow Craft
There has been an increasing awareness of how creating art benefits the heart and soul. Don’t believe me? Psychology Today magazine has a series of articles that speak to this issue. Check out their article on the rising popularity of adult coloring books. Why? Because people remember how fulfilling an activity it was as a child to create a picture with something as simple as paper and crayons, incorporating whatever colors struck their heart strings.
Many people say they don’t have an artistic bone in their body, but, you might surprise yourself if you allow yourself to participate in the creative experience without judgement – purely for the fun of it. Not everyone is slated to be the world’s next greatest artist, we all have our unique talents which run the gamut. Following our passions and our God-given abilities leads us down a path to personal fulfillment.
Seek, determine and shape your life from the depths of your heart ~ Sue Batton Leonard
And remember:
Above: This print and others are available from the Motto Series @
I like the concept of taking old things that some people might consider to be passe´and bringing them back through the process of “upcycling.” The artistic ingenuity that goes into reusing and redesigning found old items into something unique strikes my interest. Not to even mention that fewer items are now being sent to landfills.
In my own home, I like the juxtaposition between old and new. Over the years I’ve incorporated some antiques into my home décor. It allows for variety and one’s own personality and unique preferences to really shine through. Each person’s interpretation of what makes a home comfortable and attractive is different. And I find it fulfilling to see how people artistically embellish their living environments, rather than using “cookie cutter” interior decorating style.
A few artists at Art in the Park in Steamboat Springs exhibited “upcycled” work that I particularly enjoyed. Chelles Painted Décor by Michelle Welch was one artist whose work struck a chord within me for her book night lights and other home accessories which had colorful glass plates incorporated into their design. Her booth space was particularly attractive and showcased her crafts well. There was a lot of thought put into her set-up. Here are a few images.Visit her Facebook page!
Up-Cycled Antiques had a great assortment of wind chimes made with old kitchen utensils. Their whimsical approach to art made me smile. After all, life shouldn’t be taken too serious. It spoils all the fun! Here are a few images I captured and you can visit their Facebook Page or their etsy.com site to see more of their creations.
That’s all for today, folks. We will be here again tomorrow and I hope you’ll check in on us!
If you have ever been successful at anything against all odds, you come to understand that sometimes risk is worth it. There are valuable lessons to be learned when we let go and take a leap of faith. Without some element of believing in something greater than ourselves, it is hard to move forward. For instance –
I remember….
When I was in my late teens our family vacationed in the Thousand Island region of Canada on a lake called The Opinicon. On many of the islands that dotted the lake there were huge rocky cliffs, perhaps 20-30 feet high. We’d jump off the crags into the water. It was scary and exhilarating all at the same time.
I’d run up the edge of the cliff all filled with vim and vigor and then stop just before going over. Finally after a few failed attempts, I’d surrender and take the big leap. Why? Because in life there are few certainties and I knew my life had been saved by grace and providence before. And, I must be honest. I was not going to let myself be outdone by my siblings! I couldn’t let that happen since I appeared to be weakling among them.
Deciding not to let being an inexperienced writer stop me from writing and publishing my memoir is just one leap of faith I’ve taken in my life. Others you can read about in my award-winning memoir Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.
I came across this picture that made me think about all the people who dread the idea of returning to work on Monday and dream of their retirement. Over the next decade there will be many people who will leave their job and enter into the next phase of life. Are you one of them?
All Things Fulfilling 
