By

More on Inspiring Women Conference Founder’s Inspiring Story!

A few days ago I welcomed my guest blogger, Lillian Bjorseth, who will be sharing the podium with me at the Inspiring Women Conference being held in Naperville on September 21.  Lillian introduced you to Deanne DeMarco, the conference founder, and she continues to be my guest blogger today as she completes Deanne’s inspirational story.  Click here to read about how courage, persistence and a fighting attitude leads to success.

Deanne will undoubtedly touch the hearts of each conference participant.  And I can honestly say she has touched mine by walking her talk.  I’ve had the privilege of working side-by-side Deanne on the program committee for the National Speaker Association – IL Chapter.  Deanne raises up spirits and graciously acknowledges others.  Her closing keynote,  “What’s Your APP?  How Attitude, Purpose and Priority Help You Have a Great Day – Every Day! is not to be missed!

By

Inspiring Women Conference Founder is Inspiring!

August 3, 2012

Chicago-area women will have a special opportunity to be inspired and empowered at the Sept. 21 Inspiring Women Conference from 8 am – 4 pm at the Country Inn & Suites, 1837 Centre Point Circle, Naperville, IL.

I am pleased to invite Lillian Bjorseth, a Face-to-face Networking and Communication Skills Authority and co-presenter for the Inspiring Women Conference to be my guest blogger.  Click here to learn about the conference’s founder, Deanne DeMarco, her personal story of triumph and what motivated her to create this “must-attend” event.

By

Chicago Area Inspiring Women Conference – From Inspiration to Action

Are you ready to attend a conference devoted to professional women that doesn’t just leave you inspired but prepares you to get in action the very next day?

Inspiring Women Conference is unique because you will not only be exposed to inspiring speakers on topics relevant to the professional woman, but it is filled with practical solutions that you can begin to implement immediately.   Additionally, you will start building relationships immediately with fun icebreakers that will make conversations with other women effortless.

Here are the logistics:

• Inspiring Women Conference
• Sept. 21, 2012  8:00 am – 4 pm
• Country Inn & Suites, 1837 Centre Point Circle, Naperville, IL 60563, 630-505-3353
• Visit www.inspiringwomenconference.com for more details and to register.

And here are the conference learning points:

1. Move closer to your dream whether to advance to the executive level at a big corporation, start a new business or grow your small business.
2. Learn how to have your happiness and fulfillment on the inside manifest itself outwardly.
3. Move past the barriers that prevent your success – right now.
4. Learn how to be a charismatic star in the eyes of your customers and organization.
5. Build relationships with other women so together you can reach your goals.

Presenters are preeminent Chicago area entrepreneurs as well as a Fortune 500 executive. Read more about them at www.inspiringwomenconference.com

• Lillian Bjorseth
• Deanne DeMarco
• Kim Ervin
• Dianne Morr
• Marcie Stern

Contact me at mstern@marciestern.com if you would like to join Country Inn & Suites, Sofia’s Med Spa and others to sponsor this awesome conference … or have any questions.

By

A “What Matters Most” Wake-up Call

What matters most to you – in life and at work?  

No really, what matters most?  We get so accustomed to plowing through never-ending to-do lists and going through the motion of our days without pausing to really address that question.  Until, one day, the answer is staring you in the face and there is no denying it as much as if you had been caught with your own hand in the cookie jar.   That happened to me recently when my 8 year old son barricaded the entrance to my home office with a note saying, “You are not doing work, Mom”. 

A “What Matters Most” Wake-up Call

You can imagine all the “reasons” and “explanations” I gave him for why I work, but in the end, what mattered most was that my son was declaring his need for some uninterrupted “mom time”. 

It is in those moments when life’s choices become as clear as if we had been hit over the head by them.  But not all our choices throughout the day have that utter clarity because we tend to approach everything as urgent instead of focusing on “what matters most”.

How do you decide what gets your attention?  What behaviors do you demonstrate consistently that either keep you focused on “what matters most” or off-track on something else?  Many of us have an “open door policy” and allow distractions and interruptions that become barricades for doing what matters most.

In my “WAAMM™: 5 Steps to Managing Work and Life Priorities” program, I talk about the 4 levels of prioritization and tips for managing priorities.  I’d love to hear from you.  What do you do to stay on track and focused on what matters most?  Please share your tips and ideas and I’ll include them in future posts!

WAAMM™ stands for What Actions and Attitudes Matter Most and is a principle for setting priorities, staying on track and choosing powerfully.

By

Spring Forward

As a Midwesterner, when the calendar says “First day of Spring”, I admit to getting a little giddy.  It helps when you see the daffodils peeking their green stems up out of the ground, when you hear the birds chirping in the morning and when everything just smells like “spring”.  For someone who has not lived through a cold and snowy winter, these things may seem poetically lame (as was recently told to me by my friend who has lived her entire life in Southern California), but it’s truly a season for new and renewed life.  It’s a time to get out of the dark and welcome fresh ideas and new opportunities. 

 What matters most to you as you transition into this new season?  Where you can move into something new or how can you welcome a new opportunity?  If you’re unsure, then let the spring surroundings guide you.  Physically take yourself outside and use all your senses to take in the newness of your surroundings.  Ask yourself these 3 questions:

  1. What is going well for me right now?
  2. Where in my work or personal life do I want to create something new or fresh?  And, what would it look like if I achieved the results I most want?
  3. What would be the costs of staying status quo and what would be the benefits if I achieved the results I most want?

Next, decide what steps you can easily take to moving forward.  Remember, this is a time to “Spring Forward” so take the opportunity to launch into What Matters Most for you.

Happy Spring!