Articles
Each of the following articles are being published in the CLR Business Solutions Bi-Weekly Newsletter. For other wonderful and poignant articles written by fellow female entrepreneurs please go to CLR Business Solutions and sign up for their FREE Newsletter. It's a wonderful way to get thought moving forward and see what other professionals are doing and experiencing in our community! Happy Reading! Many Blessings, Kristin
December 15, 2010
THE GIVING TREE
by Mark & Kristin Palkoner
As this Holiday season quickly comes upon us we can feel completely saturated with advertisements of all sorts, chiming at us to “Buy this, buy that.....,” “This is the best product!” “No, THIS is the best product.” It can be overwhelming to say the least. There are so many marketing schemes and ideas to try and get the word out about “X” product - newspaper and magazine ads, T.V., email, texting, subliminal advertising.....the list goes on. Although some of those examples are great and necessary, we believe it is the intention behind all of it that is most important! How can we branch out? How can we move into a higher perspective in communicating our intentions and meaning, not just in our businesses, but in our entire lives and experiences with others!?
It starts with belief. Belief in your product. Belief in that you’re doing your highest right in creating and sharing a product and idea that not only blesses you, but blesses all of those that see it, use it or hear about it. Establishing a true connection with clients. Taking a real look at the qualities you are expressing and not only the dollar signs and your bottom line. Not being afraid that you are missing or losing out on or have a lack of clients if someone decides to go elsewhere to fulfill their needs.
A wonderful expression of this recently happened for us. We were speaking to a gentleman about 8 or 9 months ago about our company; sharing our ideas of what we strive for, what kinds of photography that we do and so on. Our conversation was guided by something much more than trying to push a business product or service on him. We were sharing with him the type of experience we wanted to create for everyone and what it truly means for us to do our “work”. There was no pressure to get this person to be our client. Most of us know the feeling that comes over us when someone is trying to push a product on us, and we also know the difference between talking about something we are truly passionate about versus something that we feel we have to sell others on. It is less about what we can get from a person and more about what we can share- no matter if the result of that sharing is attaining a new client or just about sharing information in a positive light.
We handed him a business card, finished our conversation, wished each other an excellent rest of the day and that was that. About 3 months ago he got in touch with us and since then we have photographed his beautiful daughter’s 2nd Birthday party and also had a lovely family portrait session from which they were overjoyed and purchased several new family heirlooms. We have also received referrals from him as well.
He recently shared the reason in which he chose us was because of the loving, caring and giving qualities he felt in our conversation. He wanted to share in and be a part of that! And in turn, he would be so happy to share his experiences with his friends and family and to anyone who was interested in listening! It was such a beautiful and humbling exchange for us to see the power and grace that is found in all aspects of our lives when we are led by our heart; when we are led by the love, strength and desire to give to each other, in business and in our personal lives. What a blessing for mankind when we can intertwine all of our God given qualities and express abundance, selflessness, gratitude and Love in all that we do, whether it’s around a board room table or a Holiday dinner table with our families.
November 15, 2010
A GRATEFUL HEART
Kristin Gedney Palkoner
I love the holidays! For most of us, nothing says the holidays like... (fill in the blank). For me, it’s holiday music, snuggling by a warm fire, Thanksgiving stuffing, pumpkin pie and cranberry sauce, spending time with family and friends, watching the annual showing of A Charlie Brown Christmas, decorating the Christmas tree and of course, singing carols. But it’s also a time for reflection that always brings with it a humbling feeling of gratitude for the progress I’ve made, and the blessings that have come as a result.
With Thanksgiving coming up next week, I’ve been reflecting on all the good that has happened this year. The progressive growth of my photography business during this past year is surely something to be extremely grateful for! There were some who thought I might be crazy when I left my full time job to start another profession in the arts. Heck, part of me thought it sounded crazy! And then when my husband left his full time job to switch gears and also come on board with me there was even more uneasiness.
When starting this new venture I found, like many new business owners, that initially there seems to be a lot more money going out then coming back in. And with the economy being in it’s current state, it can feel like a wild goose chase and a game of luck when talking about business finances.
A few months ago I began to feel the burden set in of being a new business owner; a heightened sense of responsibility that I had never felt before, which came along with an immense level of stress. But I knew that all of the deep thinking I had done about the business and the inner grace that had been guiding me through the process so eloquently had to have a purpose. I thought about my motive behind the creation of this new business and how strongly I felt it could bless so many others. I looked back over the last few years of my life, then over my whole life, and saw how when I waited on Love to direct my path, I was never left wanting. I always had exactly what I needed.
I’ve heard a couple of friends say lately that they don’t feel like they are getting paid what they are worth. They feel under appreciated, over worked, and unsatisfied in the work that they are doing. They feel stuck in jobs they don’t like, unqualified for work they want, and feel there is a major lack of opportunity to do the things that they really want to do. I feel such compassion towards each of them as I have spent a good portion of my adult life thinking and feeling just this way.
Something I’ve learned over the last few years is to take off any values I’ve placed on my worth in monetary forms. I’ve worked dozens and dozens of jobs and have never been payed the same rate. In most recent years I noticed that I’ve been working jobs where I have been asked to do the most work, have had the highest levels of training and have been payed the least amount of money I’ve ever made. And to top it off I found that some of my most satisfying jobs were the ones where I wasn’t being paid at all. Looking at it at from a surface level there is no sense of balance and definitely a lack of consistency. And frankly, it doesn’t seem very fair! Yet, taking a deeper look I found that each job I’ve found myself in has helped me find a spiritual sense of balance. And the jobs have all been consistent in that they allowed me all that I needed at that specific time... not limiting it to just finances. Sometimes what I needed had nothing to do with finances at all. Sometimes it was the opportunity to be creative or see things in a different light, to meet someone new or to help someone else in need.
A wonderful acquaintance once told me that I really needed to separate my job from my finances. It took a long time for me to understand this. But now I would agree that it truly is one of the most freeing things one can do. Because when we look to our job as our only source of supply we begin to shut the doors of our consciousness to other opportunities and the unlimited resources that are always available to us.
A very helpful exercise that I like to do is sit down with a pen and paper, then get very still. I open my thought to all that is good in my life and shut out any unhealthy thoughts that suggest lack or negativity of any kind. I write “I am grateful for...” at the top of my paper and then I let it all flow out. I list any little thing or big thing that comes to my thought. It could be something as silly and simple as being grateful for the banana I had on my cereal that morning, or for the ability to walk on my own two feet, the sound of children laughing, the smell of fall in the air or literally the ability to breath. I focus my attentions on all that is good in my life and soon I feel so abundantly full that any sense of lack literally begins to dissolve. I feel more relaxed at home and less stressed out at work. I feel more stable and secure. My relationships are friendlier. I smile more. And I have a heightened sense of trust in the work that I am doing. I’ve found that new opportunities for work suddenly open up right where there seemed to be no opportunity at all. I’ll find that I have wonderful new clients who are calling on me for my services and love what I have to offer them. I find myself “working” less and enjoying more.
I truly believe that the more gratitude we hold in our hearts and strive to continue seeing in our daily lives, the happier our lives will be and the better our business practices will be; which naturally leads us in living successful lives.
And just to be clear, I don’t mean successful in a “making money” sort of way. Although, money (especially as a form of gratitude) is certainly wonderful and right for us to make as a result of our efforts. When I look back at that gratitude list I find that the things I value the most don’t have a single thing to do with how much money I make. But I do recognize the consistency of my daily supply being met.
There is a wonderful story my Aunt shared with me about two individuals who were both in need of money. One individual needed $1000 or they were going to be evicted from their home. The other individual needed $1 million dollars or their entire business was going to go bankrupt. Each of them reached out in prayer and gratitude for all they had been given and all that they had, trusting that the law of Love would continue to support them and supply them with exactly what they needed. Well, the day that the first individual’s rent was due, a check arrived in the mail from an unexpected source who had owed them money for the exact amount owed for the rent. And the partner of the business owner came in with a brilliant idea that allowed them to receive the $1 million to sustain their business.
I see this as such a beautiful example of how each of our needs can be met in exactly the way we need them to. It wasn’t about each individual praying for a million dollars. It was about the fulfillment of each individuals’ need in exactly the way it was needed. And I’ve found that if I practice living in this way and thinking about my business in this way, that the business continues to have exactly what it needs to sustain itself. I also have exactly what I need to fulfill my daily activities and feel less fearful of my supply running out in the future. And anytime I do feel that fear creeping in that I won’t have enough to survive or those thoughts of being unsatisfied in the work that I’m doing, I reach for my pen and paper, open my thought and welcome in all those wonderful ideas that bring fresh inspiration and gratitude.
So I invite you all this Thanksgiving and holiday season to get out that pen and paper and take a few minutes to write yourself your own gratitude list. Even if you feel you have nothing to be grateful for! I’ll bet you’ll be surprised at the wonderful things that come to your thought, by the smile that begins to form on your face and at the warmth that burns gently in your heart.
Wishing you all a joyous Thanksgiving filled with abundant blessings!
November 1, 2010
DIVINE CHOREOGRAPHY
We are all seeking direction in our lives. Some days that direction might include just trying to find the nearest mailbox or gas station. But for most of us we experience at least one definitive point in our lives where we are in need of guidance, assurance & support in which direction our life should go next. For me, I have found continued success in my reliance on my spirituality and asking for Divine Guidance in everything I am being asked to do.
For as long as I can remember I was going to be a professional actress. No ifs, ands, or buts. I spent my childhood acting in school plays, as well as getting involved with community theatre productions. I went on to receive my B.A. in acting and continued my career acting and producing in plays and films, both in New York and in Los Angeles.
A few years ago, I was beginning to feel a shift going on in my thought. I was not finding satisfaction in the work that I was doing. I felt I was spending money way outside my means of living. My now husband and I were beginning to talk about marriage and raising a family. And I realized my goals and desires were starting to shift. I began finding myself asking the question that many of us know too well.... “What am I suppose to do with my life?”
Doing what I always do when contemplating one of life’s big questions, I reached out in prayer to be Divinely guided. A good friend had once told me how when he was looking for employment he would write himself a spiritual resume, listing all of the spiritual qualities that he expressed. So I decided to sit down and create a spiritual resume for myself. I found qualities such as being patient, loving, ordered, always on time, honest, and a good listener on my list, as well as comforting, joyful, humorous, energetic, fun, light hearted, happy, graceful, and creative. During that time I was looking for extra work here and there to help pay my bills. A friend from church asked if I could fill in at the reception desk at a Nursing Facility for the day. While temping at the front desk I recalled a wonderful class I had taken at this same facility a few months prior and felt led to ask if the teacher was at the facility so that I could speak with her.
Right in the middle of asking someone in the office this teacher walked right in.
After my shift, we sat down in her office and I began asking her questions about the facility and about the type of nursing care given. The facility accepts patients who are relying completely on God for healing. We talked for a bit and she asked me if nursing was something I was interested in doing. I honestly told her I had absolutely no idea and had been seeking for divine guidance. She directed me to a passage pertaining to certain qualities that made for a good nurse. Here is that passage:
“An ill-tempered, complaining, or deceitful person should not be a nurse. The nurse should be cheerful, orderly, punctual, patient, full of faith, - receptive to Truth and Love.” (p. 395, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Baker Eddy.)
I practically burst into tears right on the spot as I noticed immediately that almost every quality I had listed on my spiritual resume was in this one passage. From that moment I felt a new sense of direction and a strong desire towards this nursing practice. The opportunity to take the introductory nursing class came available within a week of that meeting and I went on to work full-time at this facility for the next year, completing two more levels of nursing training. I felt such purpose in doing this work, and a wonderfully overwhelming sense of satisfaction.
During this time something unexpected also came about. My Mother, who had been struggling with a physical challenge, became in need of nursing care. I went home to help care for her until she passed on. I felt I had been completely prepared for this very trying experience. I was able to take with me everything I had been learning in my nursing practice.
Just over a year ago, I suddenly felt a shift in thought again, feeling it was time to move on from my nursing practice. This took me completely by surprise because I felt so guided into this practice. I began questioning any resistance to this wonderful purpose. I felt like I was moving backwards. I became ill, and was actually not even able to go to work. So, I again, reached out for Divine Guidance. I prayed with the understanding that God had led me into this line of work, but if I was now being asked to do something else then I could know it was because God knew where my right place was. And that place included with it all the components to make it a right idea.
My Director of Nursing sat down with me and shared something very meaningful to me that I have always held onto. She said that I would take my nursing practice with me where ever I go. It didn’t mean that I had to be at a job at a nursing facility with a badge that said “nurse” on it in order to express my gifts and talents. My gifts and talents are those divine qualities I reflect, and I take those qualities everywhere I go, in whatever job I have, and in my everyday life. They don’t stop just because I’ve punched out on the time clock. I can’t be truly cheerful, orderly, punctual, patient, creative, loving, happy, joyful from 9-5 and then turn into a sloppy, unhappy, irritable disaster the second I walk out the door. We have to stop accepting the commonly accepted falsity that we are a different person at work then at home; that we have to act one way around certain people and another way in front of others.
I think what we all begin to find is that if we are not honest with ourselves about who we are and how we feel, and if we are consistently looking within our hearts for right motive in everything that we do, we begin to find within ourselves a stronger foundation to think and act rightly in anything we are asked to do. We can go about our lives with strength, confidence and trust, never fearing failure.
So, where did this Divine guidance lead me?
My sister had bought me a new camera for my wedding that year and I had not put it down. It went everywhere with me. I have always loved photography, taking my first class back in high school. Since then I had documented almost every family event, friend’s birthday parties, children, flowers, sunsets, you name it! I also photographed headshots for fellow actors. Having had my own headshot taken dozens of times, as well as working as a producer, casting director and going to a zillion casting workshops I had seen my fair share of good and bad headshots (my own included).
I can’t completely describe what happened next, but it was like I felt completely catapulted into the world of photography. I started building my portfolio and work began to come my way. I took classes in the business of photography and attended workshops to build my craft. I found beautiful comparisons in words like “light,” “focus,” and “reflect,” as I recognized I was being led to view things in a different light, focus my lenses (eyes) in a new direction, and reflect my divine qualities in infinite ways. I felt a renewed sense of life and purpose.
During the last few years I had been doing an in-depth study of the word “grace,” after attending a lecture titled “Growth in Grace.” And in my one of my nursing classes we talked about an original Greek definition of grace: “the divine influence in the heart reflected in the life.” I felt so completely that this is what had been going on over the last few years of my life, and throughout my entire life. While pondering this it became so clear to me that the name for my new photography business would be inGRACE photography.
My husband has also come on board with me and we continually feel blessed everyday for the opportunity to work together in a way that brings love, creativity, joy and satisfaction to everyone involved. Our work relationship enhances our personal relationship and vice versa. It goes hand in hand. We feel it’s such a joy to share our lives with others and strive to give each of our clients an experience they will always remember. Our business also gives us the ability to start and support our soon to be growing family.
About 2 months ago a photography mentor and teacher informed us he was moving on from his studio of 20 years and presented the idea of us taking it over. It was an offer we couldn’t refuse. Although, it has felt scary at times, each fear has been met with the assurance of success in our confidence of right motive, our pure and honest listening, and our willingness to let ourselves be guided on a journey that we ourselves couldn’t have dreamed up. And when something is divinely governed, it leaves no room for failure. Our mission statement and everything that our company represents is expressed through the qualities given to us from our Divine Source.
I use to have my entire life outlined. Nowadays, I like to set goals for myself, but I still take each day one moment at a time. I’ve learned that no matter where I go or what I do, I am being given the ability to express my gifts. And I hold on to this fact for each and every one of us here working out our purpose. We all have divine gifts to be utilized daily. I’ve started to see my job less as a title and value of what I’m worth and more as the expression of my divine gifts in infinite ways. And I see the money that comes in as gratitude.
Jobs may change, requirements may differ, but the qualities we express are woven in the fabric of our being. Sometimes we are asked to express or feel the need to express different qualities at different times. But I know this is always in line with what promotes our highest growth. Even though at times it can seem quite the opposite.
I look at my journey over the past few years and could never have imagined that I’d be where I am right now. I am so grateful for listening and allowing myself to be humble enough to be led. I see all of my experiences fitting together like it’s own piece of art, constructed and directed in a divine choreography. I look forward to seeing where my life will lead me; the places I’ll go, the people I’ll meet, the new experiences I’ll share, the opportunities that will unfold. And how blessed to know, it will all be done in grace.
Kristin Gedney Palkoner
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NEW TO inGRACE PHOTOGRAPHY.....
We're proud to announce that starting in November I will be writing featured Business Articles bi-monthly for a wonderful company CLR Business Solutions owned by AmiLynne Carroll. The articles will be featured in the CLR Business Solutions newsletter. You will be able to find all of the articles right here on our blog!
AmiLynne is a absolutely lovely woman inside and out. Here is a little about her and CLR:
"AmiLynne Carroll is the founder of CLR Business Solutions, supported by twelve successful years as a business owner, recruiter, trainer and mentor in the financial services arena. She began her career as a creative and highly accomplished outside sales representative who quickly established her own way of successfully securing business relationships and ultimately, business.
Believing that an educated business person is a happy business person, AmiLynne utilizes her life and business experiences to positively connect with and affect the livelihood of her clients, prospects and associates. AmiLynne lives in Southern California with her husband and business partner and enjoys the ability to work daily toward helping others reach their potential, locally, nationally and globally."
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~ AmiLynne Carroll~
CLR Business Solutions
Phone: 818-883-8304
Fax: 888-833-7649
amilynne@clrnetworking.com
www.clrnetworking.com
amilynne@clrnetworking.com
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