Sunday: It’s a quiet day at the cottage. We discussed theTwitter phenomenon last night around the dinner table, all of us wondering why so many people use it. Today as I sit on the deck, a raven squawks as he flies past me. He’s telling me he’s here, that he exists. Perhaps that is what Twitter does. It allows people to claim their moments, to say to each other, “I am here.”
Monday: Read The Secret and found it a bit simplistic in a pop culture, repetitive, sort of way. But can’t argue about its message of giving thanks and having a positive attitude to attract positive events. I’ve always believed in that, although I tend to take it a step further into action. Doing good attracts good.
Tuesday: Woke up and thanked the world for giving me all that it has. Then I asked the universe to give me more, and felt a bit greedy.
Wednesday: Great lunch meeting with Robin Powell, who runs the Sony Stylestores. I had a chance to get to know Robin a little better and realized that he too has the desire to learn, create, and put ideas to the test. But his true generosity showed when he told me that I under-value myself and my ideas. It was such a subtle compliment but it now moves me to tears when I think about it. I wonder if he realizes how much his remark meant? It’s given me confidence and made me aware of how little emotional support I get as a CEO. There isn’t anyone telling me that I’ve done a good job, but now I have his words and that moment of realization on the patio to draw from. Words can be such a wonderful gift.
Later in the day I met with Corrine Sandler, president ofFresh Intelligence, one of the best research companies in Canada. As she puts it, they can survey thousands of Canadians in the morning, build a report, and deliver it by mid-afternoon. This is useful if you want to find out exactly what people think of your product. Corrine taught me how vital it is to get unbiased information directly from your market as well as how a survey can be a great form of communication.
Thursday: Met an old friend who I haven’t seen since we were 11. We went back and shared our childhood memories, touching on who we were then and realizing that underneath we are still the same, even though life has dragged us about quite a bit.
My meeting today with Andrea Clair, founder of Wink Intimates, went very well. She’s so alive and passionate; her eyes sparkle when she discusses her unique business-bras that cover up cleavage. I’m always inspired by women who see a need and create a solution (the 9to5 bra). We shared stories of men getting sidetracked by cleavage in business meetings and their attempts not to look at it. I met a young woman at an event who complained about not being taken seriously. I suggested that perhaps it was because people were sidetracked by the long, open valley that went down to her navel.
Friday: Dropped into Opulence Events, a new shop in Port Carling (right beside the Home Hardware Store). Edith creates healthy dishes from locally grown ingredients. She uses organic whenever she can get it… and her chocolate brownies are, I think, the best in the country. We ended up chatting about her new store and her catering company, with offices in both Toronto and Muskoka. She is a dynamo entrepreneur, the kind who lives her work and loves what she does. I meet so many great women. I think I have the best job in the world.
Saturday: Love changes everything. I remember the first song my husband ever sang to me. “Love, love changes everything, how we live and how we die.” And indeed it has. My life used to be full of searching — trying to find that elusive place where joy, peace, and confidence merge. Today, I sit on our deck looking out over the lake. My husband sits next to me reading and I can hear the voices of my little boys chatting away inside the cottage. Love changes everything, but I never dreamed it would be this good.
Sarah Thomson can be reached at publisher@womenspost.ca
