Resourcefulness

I want you all to know that I do do more than read stuff from Cheryl Richardson but now she has just been right on the money for me.

If you are not familiar with Cheryl, you need to be. I have a few "issues" at the moment that I'm trying to creatively resolve so I'm in.

Good luck and go to Cheryl's website: www.cherylrichardson.com

      ~*~ Topic of the Week - Resourcefulness ~*~

What’s the secret of success?  What do we need most to accomplish our
goals, to fulfill our intentions, or to realize our dreams?  Some might
say intelligence, others may say money, patience, or the right
connections.  While all of these ingredients are important, the true
secret of success is an often overlooked and critical skill ­
resourcefulness.  Let me give you a simple example of what I mean.

While taking a break after the Chicago “Celebrate Your Life” conference
(which was wonderful, by the way!), I spent some time with my good friend
Nancy checking out a possible new location for future retreats. The
resort I visited is beautiful and will be fully renovated in the fall, and
once I’ve completed my evaluation, I’ll be sure to fill you in on the
details.

One morning, as Nancy and I were sitting in our room having coffee, I took
out some tissue paper from my suitcase to wrap a birthday gift for a
friend I planned to see later in the day. As I began to fold the paper
around the gift, I realized I had no tape or ribbon to secure the
wrapping. So, rather than walk to the gift store, I decided to challenge
myself to find a way to get the gift wrapped without having the right
tools. I saw this as an opportunity to stretch my resourcefulness muscles
-­ something I enjoy doing. I took a large, pink piece of tissue paper
and carefully wrapped it around the gift. Then, I took a pink and white
piece, folded it into a thin strip, and used it to keep the ends of the
pink paper closed. But, I still needed something to secure the strip.
So, I went out into the garden to look for a long piece of grass, or a
thin branch from a nearby bush. No luck. I went back inside to keep
searching.

By now, Nancy was fully on board and we were both having fun trying to
find a solution. Nancy is one of the most resourceful people I know, and
I knew it was a matter of time before we came up with an idea. Just then,
I walked into my bathroom and immediately found the answer: dental floss.
I pulled a long piece from the container, tied it around the gift, and
stepped back to admire my creation. The gift looked like it had been
professionally wrapped (and it smelled minty-fresh, too!).

Our successful attempt to wrap the gift prompted a discussion about the
importance of being resourceful. Nancy is the Event Director for more
than 85 Hay House events every year, and she’s challenged to find
solutions to problems every day. As a result she’s a lightening-quick
thinker, a bulldog when it comes to follow through, and a master at
finding solutions to what appear to be insurmountable problems. If a goal
or dream is meant to be realized, then these are the skills you’ll want to
make it happen.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines resourceful as: The ability to
act effectively or imaginatively, especially in difficult situations. If
you develop this ability, you’re sure to succeed at the things that matter
most. So, think about it. How resourceful are you? To find out, choose
a goal or intention that’s important to you, one that also presents a
challenge. Then, take the following three steps.

Step 1 – Decide in your mind that there *is* a solution to the problem or
challenge ­ period, end of discussion. Don’t take no for an answer.

Step 2 ­- Commit to doing whatever it takes to find that solution (this is
why the goal better be important ;).

Step 3 -­ Start searching for your next step and be open to unexpected
ideas. Then take action.

Whether you need to find a new job in a hurry, money to pay this month’s
rent, an idea to help take your business to the next level, or a way to
turn a mistake into an opportunity, resourcefulness is your ticket to a
successful outcome. Just stay open-minded and be sure to keep your feet
moving :).

~*~ Take Action Challenge ~*~

When you develop your resourcefulness muscles, you’ll stop being afraid of
failure. And you’ll start influencing the lives of others in a powerful
way. For further proof, I invite you to check out this beautiful
commencement speech delivered by J.K. Rowling at Harvard University last
week. It’s called, “The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of
Imagination.” This inspiration is brought to you by Holly, our e-commerce
coordinator, who shared it with me today. Check it out here:
http://harvardmagazine.com/go/jkrowling.html

By the way, supposedly there's going to be a show on Oprah today about The Secret Behind the Secret. Tivo it!