This week I was reminded of the power of women–collectively and as individuals. I had the opportunity to attend the Texas Women’s Conference, where 5000 Texan women gathered to hear many speakers. For me, the highlight of the conference was a speech by Ms. Isabel Allende. She reminded us to pursue joy and pleasure in life–yes pleasure! She talked about “mamisma”, femininity defined by mature and maternal qualities. Mamisma is an energy available to all women, not just mothers. It is the essence of powerful women–who do not have to act like men to succeed. I wish I could have bottled the energy of the 5000 women–I sat next to a friend, feeling empowered, hopeful, optimistic. And, most of all, joyful. What if we could conquer our fears not by taking a warrior stance but by embracing our femininity? The collective power of women in the room was palpable….I hope each one of us took a little bit of it away with us! Ms. Allende recalled the stories of one woman in Mexico and one in the US who dared to make a difference. These two women were mothers, not powerful media personalities. But they chose to help others…each one of us can make a difference. How easy it is to be enveloped by fear and to forget. Courage is to remember that we can make a mark even when we fear.
May we all go out in the world and emobody the graceful energy of mamisma…
Life is Amazing! Live Well.
Anna Grassini

Have you ever listened to the voices in your head? The ones that tell you that you must be crazy for feeling stuck in the high paying job, dumb for thinking that you could do something different…those same ones that said you could be better, more perfect, thinner, more beautiful, worthy etc! If we spent even a fraction of our time talking to the people around us the way we talk to ourselves, we would be alone all the time because nobody would want to be near us. How come we are so incredibly tough on ourselves? Do we have a choice?
I believe strongly (and there is a lot of literature out there about this) that the first step is for us to be aware of the chatter in our heads. What is it saying? Is it serving us? After we gain awareness, we can decide how we might like to change those messages to something more positive. I had breakfast with a very wise woman recently who said that every day she repeats to herself that is loved, luminous, wise…and more. What will you chose to say to yourself tomorrow?
Life is Amazing! Live Well.
Anna Grassini
www.lifeinbalancecoach.com

This is what I know for sure: houses can be bought and sold. Homes we carry in our heart!

The process of selling my own house started in earnest with cleaning out a dozen years of clutter and what now seems to me over 30 years of personal history. The piles of things to shed grew higher and the closets grew cleaner, until we came to the final stages…when the clutter had disappeared and what remained now was the bare bones of the house. I have often spoken to people about this–it is the process of creating the appearance of a house that can adapt itself to the personality of the buyer…that makes itself more desirable because it is clean and organized and somewhat neutral–think a miniature scale version of the Pottery Barn…something that can appeal to different people so that they can they make it their own.

What I never realized is that this final process of staging takes away the comfort of a home…what remains is now a house ready for sale. Go visit any new home model around the country and you will know that there is an art to this presentation….

And so now that my home is a house, I owe gratitude to the folks who have shared their expertise and time, including Sherri Williams ( the Travis Country neighborhood real estate expert), Michael The Stage Coach, Joe the helper…and of course, my best friend and my partner, John. My special thanks go to all those who have listened to me and to those who have prayed so that I would have the emotional and physical strength to continue on this transition.

And now, when the finish line is in sight–I can sing because home will always be in my heart.

Life is Amazing! Live Well.

Anna Grassini

www.lifeinbalancecoach.com

I am an avid reader, especially of business books, self-help and, of course, novels. As I prepare to move from one city to another books are everywhere. It is hard to part with them–I may not remember the content of each book, but there are fond memories attached to each volume. I have imposed a moratorium on buying new books…except of those published on the Kindle! If you are a voracious reader and you travel, the new edition of the Kindle from Amazon is the best thing since sliced bread. Slick, thin, easy to use and to read (even poolside, as I did recently). I look at it fondly and love to have it at my side…and to think that it can contain 1500 books plus the archives! Now, if all my books could jump from the bookshelf and make themselves available in the Kindle, life would be…perfect? Well, really, it already is!
Life is Amazing! Live Well.
Anna Grassini

Whether in your business or in your daily life (think in relation to others!), what is the difference between being in control and choosing? Aside from the obvious negative connotation usually associated with control, dig deeper. What distinguishes the two?

Take the example of the housework that needs to get done around most homes. The wife wants the kitchen counter cleaned a certain way, the husband cleans it another way. The wife then accuses the husband of not doing it right…and he says she is control freak. True or false? What are the choices people could make here? Does the counter have to look a certain way? Can there be flexibility and possible outcomes that are all desirable? Maybe a less perfection? What is the dream beneath the idea that the counter has to be just so?
If you have to have the chore done your way or the highway and nobody can come close to doing it that way, you might explore whether you have some issues of control. If however, you can be flexible–maybe you do the task yourself without holding a grudge because you decide that it pleases you to have the kitchen counter looking a certain way and it is worth the effort. Maybe you decide that it is better to have the other person help, even if the counter does not look exactly like what you think. What are the choices that you can make that enrich your life and that of the people who work or live with you? What is the control about? “Inquire within” and look for the answers that will make your business and your relationships richer!

Life is Amazing! Live Well.
Anna Grassini
www.lifeinbalancecoach.com

Here is a viral video that made me smile…notice how long it took for the “bystanders” to catch on. May we go out in the world, and after the tears, may we spread our smiles..and our wings.

Life is Amazing! Live Well.
Anna Grassini

My graduating class only had 35 kids…very few indeed. One of my best pals back then was a dynamic young woman named Johna. For 20 years, she and I lost touch. Then recently, through the use of linkedin and facebook, we reconnected. As luck would have it, we found ourselves in the same city at the same time and we both had time for a dinner. I went with some trepidation–what would it be like to see someone whom I had not talked to in 20 years? We really used to be best friends when we started college, and then our lives drifted.

Well, suffice it to say, that our experience of meeting again was a magical experience of reconnecting. We both concluded that this was the right time to meet each other…and how curious to see how in 20 years our paths had at times been parallel and at times not, but we are in similar good places in our lives now.

So, to those of you out there reading, what are you doing to use social media to reconnect person to person? How is the experience for you? I’d love to hear!

Life is amazing! Live Well.

Anna Grassini
www.lifeinbalancecoach.com

I have been reading The Only True Genius In The Family, the latest novel by Jennie Nash. I highly encourage you to pick it up–what a great story about the complex relationship between mother and daughter. I also came across an interesting website with information on a virtual book club where Jennie will discuss the book as well as creativity. Why not have some fun and explore your creativity while you are at it? Visit creativity portal for more information and enjoy! And if you want a coach to channel your creative your creative self, send me a note!

Life is Amazing! Live Well.
Anna Grassini

Do you know someone in your life who has been touched by cancer? What if we put the power of all of us to work for the cure?  We have the chance.  Join me in supporting the campaign for  ”The Infinite Power of One” –and let’s prove that together, we are more powerful than cancer.
Twelve leading cancer centers are asking all Americans that can, to go online and donate $1.  I am asking you to consider doing so.  Simply log onto their sponsor, www.celebrations.com/cure to make your donation.  Then add your picture to their Healing Mosaic, which is a visual representation of the infinite power that one person and $1 can have on our health. After you make your donation, come back and share with us how it feels to have the infinite power of one and to work together to make our world a better place to live.  Thanks for joining me!

Life is Amazing.  Live Well.

Anna Grassini

Want a coach? Visit me at www.lifeinbalancecoach.com

If someone asked you what is your theme song, would you know which one it is? Give it some thought.  Something from the time you were a child? An adoloscent? A young adult? What song tells something about you the way you feel right now or the way you would like to be? Is it whimsical? Serious? Loving? Sad? Happy?

If you have not thought about it before, take some time and get that IPOD out…and start listening to figure out what your theme song is right now!

Will  you come back here and share with us what is your theme song is? I’d love to know.

And so, to say it with Abba, “Thank you for the music…”.  Don’t forget the joy of dancing through life to the theme of your own tune!

Life is Amazing! Live Well.

Anna Grassini

www.lifeinbalancecoach.com

P.S. By the way…curious to know what my theme song is? Stay tuned…it’s from a musical…