August 5, 2015
Barbara Winter's Joyfully Jobless News

You've got to sing everyday so you can build up to being, you know, Amazingly Brilliant.  

~ Mick Jagger

In This Issue
A Truly Powerful Power Tool
Another Power Tool
Marketing Magic for Makers
Barbara Online

A TRULY POWERFUL POWER TOOL  


When Chris Utterback and I met, we were both at the beginning of new enterprises. After she moved to Connecticut and I to Minnesota, we kept in touch via regular and enthusiastic phone calls, but we missed spending time together.

 

When I began teaching in adult ed, the first out of town location I added to my repertoire was Hartford. Besides beginning to expand my business, those trips paid me to make regular visits to Chris. Eventually, I added Providence and Boston to my teaching travels so I spent even more time with my friend who designated her guest room as Barbara's Bedroom.

 

Although we were raving fans for each other's businesses, when we were together we spent much of our time visiting friendly shopkeepers in the area. Our conversations with each other were always about noticing and appreciating the creative work of others. While we thought we we encouraging entrepreneurs, we were also strengthening our own entrepreneurial spirits.

 

Appreciating creativity in action seems to be a regular activity for successful entrepreneurs. Not only do they appreciate their customers, they appreciate others who inspire.  

 

When we habitually look for things to appreciate, it extends to our own journeys in the healthiest possible way. I was reminded of this a few days ago when I was scouting through some back issues of Winning Ways and came across something I'd written for the tenth anniversary of my newsletter.  It said:

 

The past ten years bear almost no resemblance to the decade that came before them. In 1986, I had never used a computer or received email. I had never been to New York, Toronto, Washington DC, Seattle or Greece. I hadn't met most of the people that I now talk to on a regular basis. 

 

The number ten showed up in other ways as well. In the past ten years I have:
 

Increased Winning Ways subscribership tenfold

Made ten trips to Europe

Gained ten pounds

Created ten major projects

Flown enough miles on one airline to circle the globe ten times

 

Taking time to appreciate our own journeys and milestones is also important.

 

Why not declare August as Appreciation Month? See how many people, places and ideas you can add to your own list. Make it an active, not passive, project. Send yourself a card of appreciation. Let people you encounter know about the big and small ways that they enhance your life. Treat it as a spiritual practice. 

 

It's a power tool that can not only help you build your business, it can also expand your happiness. It's another practice that can lead you to becoming Absolutely Brilliant. 

ANOTHER POWER TOOL 

Recently I got an email with a familiar question. It said, "Your book is brilliant. Is there an update planned?" I wrote back explaining, as I always do, that Making a Living Without a Job is about philosophy, not how-to, and updating isn't necessary. 

 

Upon further consideration, however, I realized that Winning Ways newsletter really is an on-going update to the ideas in the book. There are new resources and stories happening all the time. In fact, a year's subscription provides as much information as you'd find in a book. Like a book, Winning Ways is designed to be kept and used as a resource over and over again. 

  Winning Ways

Here are 15 signs you're a candidate for this lively publication:

 

There's room for one more on your cheering squad.

You sometimes catch yourself backsliding.

You're overwhelmed by the avalanche of info on the internet.

You're not sure how to recognize a snake oil salesman.

You suffer from Adventure Deficit Disorder.

You've discovered that inspiration isn't vaccination.

You're always on the lookout for ideas to add to your option bank.

You have no objection to being inspired.

Seeing WW in your mailbox reminds you that you mean business.

You love the notion of being a lifelong learner.

You know it's important to invest in tools that will help build your dream.

You've learned that philosophy is more valuable than questionable success formulas.

You like having a permanent resource of ideas that won't be forgotten on a computer file.

You've been repeatedly warned that self-employment is the place where there be dragons.

You know you're a good investment.

 

See what all the fuss is about. New subscribers arriving before August 15, will receive a bonus issue as well as the current one.

 

Subscribe or renew today by going to http://www.joyfullyjobless.com/winning-ways/

MARKETING MAGIC FOR MAKERS 

For some time now, Terri Belford and I have been talking about creating a program for artisans and crafts people who love making things, but don't love marketing. We've come up with a new program that I know will be both practical and inspiring. 

 

In fact, we're determined that participants will leave Marketing Magic for Makers with a new enthusiasm for selling the work of their hands and hearts. We'll be launching this program on October 2 & 3 in Davis, CA. A second event is happening in Nashville, TN on November 6 & 7.

Find out more here. 

Buon Viaggio,

 

Barbara Winter

Barbara Winter 

 

P.S. On occasion, I may receive a commission or compensation when you participate or purchase a product or service I recommend. That being said, I strive to always offer useful content and resources in each issue of Joyfully Jobless News.