New Opportunities

New opportunities are around every corner.  I have found when life sets me up for the biggest fall; the possibilities appear endless with ways to succeed.  Lately, I have been feeling a little down regarding my career.  But I have kept going.  I realized a long time ago that no one can walk my path for me or do my work for me.  I have to keep on moving and going and doing.  Even those times when I feel like I am spinning my wheels, I have to remember that I am still moving.

My goal in life is to raise a healthy, happy family; do work that I love and I am passionate about; and be grateful for all that I have been blessed with.  When I am sad, I have to remember that my business is less than 2 years old.  People thought that I was crazy to leave my job, my benefits, my vacation pay, and strike out on my own.  It took a lot of painful lessons for me to realize that charting my own path is exactly what I am supposed to be doing.  Now, when I look for contracts or clients, I look for work that I know I will enjoy.  I look for work that means something and that makes a difference.

My writing brings me joy and fulfillment.  I love to put my thoughts and feelings down in black and white.  My consulting allows me to use my professional experience to help other agencies reach their goals.  I have walked in their shoes and I know how it feels to be going for that grant or accreditation or evaluation.  Being a Realtor may seem like an odd aspect of my business, but I get to help people find homes or investments.  I get to find the right property for the right person and see someone else move one step further down their own path.

Owning my own business isn’t easy.  It takes a lot of work and a lot of faith.  I have to work when I am not getting paid because that is the way I access the contracts that do bring home the bacon.  I have to be self-motivated, energized and positive, even when I don’t feel it.  I have to write even when I don’t want to because that is part of my job.  I have to search for houses and clients and contacts all of the time.  And all of that is okay.

This is the life that I have chosen and while it has its ups and downs, it brings me much more in the positive than it does negative.  I am happy with my life and my business and I want everyone to know that when I am working for a client, I am doing it because I love it.  The best service comes from love.

End of the Year Assessments

It’s that time of year again! The end of the official school year and the time when assessors are coming out to rate your programs. This is the time when accredited programs are working to ensure that their post assessments are better than their pre assessments. That everything they were told to work on throughout the school year has been done. Directors and Education Managers are walking the halls, observing and taking notes. But sometimes a fresh set of eyes is needed. Sometimes it helps to have someone come in and do their own independent observations. Their eyes haven’t been looking at the same environments all year long and they haven’t formed close relationships with the teachers that are being coached. Sometimes it helps to have a new, experienced viewpoint to ensure that all of that hard work has paid off.

Contact me. I will come to your programs and let you know what I see after spending a few hours in your classrooms. I will give you feedback that you can use to validate the work that has already been completed and fine tune those few areas that need a little more tweaking. I’ve been a teacher, I’ve been a coach, I have been a Director, and I have been an assessor. I am available to help you and your program be the best they can be.

Housing Market Rising

By Chris Isidore @CNNMoneyFebruary 26, 2013: 12:30 PM ET

http://money.cnn.com/2013/02/26/news/economy/housing-recovery/index.html

Grant Reviews

I just finished another session of grant reviews. These weren’t as detailed as my previous jobs, but still interesting and as always, a new learning opportunity. Each time I review a grant just reinforces how much I enjoy this part of my business. It’s like solving a large puzzle, making sure all of the pieces fit together in just the right way.