I am thrilled to add three new women to Spotlight on Exceptional Women. These gals are shaking it up! Click on the links to learn all about them and to find out what our other exceptional women are up to.

Sal and KK - The Midlife Gals

I, for one, think there is a tendency to take midlife way too seriously. We end up either looking back all the time or looking ahead. The juice of living right here in this moment, and the humor just waiting for us to grab at every turn, so often gets missed. Well, this certainly does not apply to The Midlife Gals. Sal and KK are full of fun and provide a great reminder to live in the moment and to laugh out loud!

Pamela Bruner - Make Your Success Easy                           The first time I met Pamela she was playing her harp and I was in awe of her talent and the beautiful notes filling the air. I quickly learned there is more to this musician than meets the ear. She is a Certified Life Coach, and Advanced EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) Practitioner, a Certified Firewalker Instructor and a women who is a dynamo at helping others to succeed.

Imagine a weekend playing, relaxing, and creating on the beautiful shores of Maine this April.

Imagine being on a retreat with a small group of amazing women who have come together to explore creativity through writing, movement and more.

Top it all off with a master facilitator who knows how to create safe space and a rich experience for all.

What and who am I enticing you to learn more about? The Gift of the Sea is a women's creativity retreat offered each spring by my dear friend, Maggie Butler.

A weekend like this one can change your life!

This retreat is just one of the many gifts Maggie shares as a women's creativity and writing coach.

Maggie is being honored this month as one of our Exceptional Women. I invite you to learn all about this wise and wonderful woman at Spotlight on Exceptional Women.

How about a summary of the gifts the fabulous women featured in Spotlight on Exceptional Women have to give - a summary of great gifts to buy and give, great books to read, great organizations to join, and more? Here you go!

Some days the news headlines are bleak. Some days the contrast between overflowing Walmart parking lots and empty spaces in front of local establishments can leave me feeling dismayed ... despite it all, those feelings never last for long. Around every corner I can find people who inspire me by their words and their work in the world.

Sierra is a woman who fits that bill. Reflecting her passion to be a stay-at-home and to support local businesses and fair trade products she launched The Green Women Merchantile.

Through her business she offers an assortment of gifts for conscious living and conscious parenting.

• Gratitude Gift Baskets
• African Market Baskets
• Children's Music ... and more.
  

To learn more about Sierra and her company, The Green Women Merchantile, and to support a woman making a difference in her community and her world ... go to Spotlight on Exceptional Women.

In The Woman's Field Guide to Exceptional Living I share this quote, "The past is a guidepost, not a hitching post." by L. Thomas Holdcroft. The operative word here is guidepost. In what ways can we learn from, be guided by, our past in order to move into the future in an empowered way?

What if we apply this question to our belief systems and relationship with money. A wise woman once wrote, "Many of us find it more difficult to talk about money than sex, death, or even childhood abuse. In fact, money may well be the last taboo in today's society." The author of these words is Olivia Mellan and she has a powerful gift to give anyone wishing to upgrade their money awareness.

Through the resources she shares at www.MoneyHarmony.com, her critically acclaimed books, and her money coaching Olivia helps people to dispel the money myths that may be ruling their lives and to set out on more informed and more balanced financial footing.

Here is one example: Is the topic of money "up" for you? Take Olivia's free Money Personality Quiz and get a real eye-opener.

I had the privilege of hearing Olivia speak and spending time with her a few months back. Her warm heart and tremendous passion shine through in all she does. She is a woman I am proud to spotlight!

Listen to a ten minute interview with Olivia.
Click here to listen...

A great follow up to the posting on "Who is on your team?" comes in the form of an invitation from a fabulous coach I know.

In a nutshell, coach Margie Scott is offering 100 coaching sessions around her 1-2-3 Let's Get Healthy Theme. These sessions are designed to help you identify areas of your life that may not be healthy and to design actions to make profound changes.

Here is the amazing part - she is offering up these sessions for $25! If you feel extra support might be helpful for you right now, Margie's offer is one that I hope pulls you in.

You can more about Margie at the Spotlight on Exceptional Women.Too, to get the details on her new program and offer check out: Living Bliss

Conversations with Exceptional Women
Ten Minute Interviews with Amazing Women Listen to Coach Margie!

For those who have read my book you know, I am all about mud pies! Coach Judith revealed recently in her blog that she too, is a mud pie queen. Here is an excerpt:

This past weekend I rode my horse for the first time in ages and it felt like a true renewal. Even the time I spent just getting her ready to ride felt energizing. Of course she was covered with mud from head to hoof. Another part of spring that isn’t as wonderful, MUD! My granddaughter and other children would probably disagree. I remember when I was a child in the spring time I would send hours in our alley (yes, in those days I lived in town, in Kansas). I could make magnificent meals out of mud for all of my dollies.

Later the hollyhocks would bloom (that is all that bloomed in the alley) and I could use toothpicks and create beautiful dolls. I used a large blossom turned upside down for the skirt and a medium one for the body with the unopened one on top for the head. Did you ever do that? I would then find a mud puddle to float them in.

What about you? Can you pull up memories of
days gone by when getting all gooey and messy was the point? The good news is that we can tap into that free flow of creativity we experienced as children as soon as we let go of the fear of getting messy, doing it "wrong" or looking silly.

Perhaps it's making a mud pie, perhaps finger painting with a child or grandchild, or perhaps letting a paint brush teach you how to paint.
What's a formula for more creativity in your life?

Learn more about Coach Judith Geiger, her fabulous retreats and her work helping clients to identify their soul's purpose. www.flyingchangecoaching.com

A package recently arrived in my mailbox containing the book, The Soul Of Money by Lynne Twist. When I opened it I knew a shift was at hand. When I read it,  new windows of understanding blew open, both about my relationship with money and the culture of money globally. I was fortunate, shortly after finishing the book, to be on a teleconference in which Lynne shared her passion and her wisdom. This is a woman changing the world.

Jolene Puffer is a woman who gets things done, has tons of great ideas, strives to contribute in meaningful ways, and is just plan fun! She wears many hats. One of which is the founder of Real Fitness for Life, and a great personal trainer. She is a powerful woman supporting woman in getting strong for strong lives. Though there are so many ways she is making a difference, I was stunned to learn her latest. Jolene signed up as a bone marrow donor several years ago when she learned a client's brother might not get a donor in time to survive. It is very rare to be selected, even after you've volunteered, because the match has to be perfect. She was recently contacted because a new baby boy with Leukemia needed her help. In an amazing act of courage and unconditional love, Jolene stepped up to the plate and checked into the hospital for the procedure. Everything went like clockwork and she is back to full swing. What a gift and what a blessing this women is!

Lisa Watters, Patty Levesque, and Maureen McDonnell came together with a huge vision, to bring the first ever Women's Conference to Asheville. They envisioned women gathering together for inspiration and empowerment and connecting in ways that would contribute to a better world. Now, so many months down the road, their dreams and hard work are becoming a reality. The Southeastern Time for Our Power Conference happens in Asheville, NC June 20-22 and is a tribute to the tremendous contribution three women can make!

About this time two years ago, I was transitioning from a management position in corporate America and part-time coaching (which I had been doing for seven years) to full-time coaching. At that time I was searching for an advanced training program that I could jump into with both feet. One that spoke to my love for working with groups, working in women's circles. In that search, I came across Helene and The Retreat Coach Certification Program. At first glance it seemed the fit: comprehensive training in a variety of experiential formats (teleconference, workbook, hands-on retreats, mentor coaching) and a skillful facilitator in Helene. I joined the program and began an unexpected journey that I am proud to say I am still traveling.

I worked my way through the program, becoming a Certified Retreat Coach in December of 2007. I am now continuing on in the Master Program. What I expected, I received: great training, an expanded network, improved coaching skills on all fronts, and a great training and great time in Colorado in the spring of '07.

What was completely unexpected: that one woman and her vision and love and grace could change my life in so many ways. Helene mentors conscious coaching and living with every breath she takes. She is the kind of woman that you want to hang out with in hopes that some of her will rub off on you. She vibrates in such great ways.

The way she shows up reminds me ...

I want to be that light for others.

I want to do great work with an open heart.

I want to be a woman in circle holding safe space for other women.

and