Hope Shines Brightest
Category Archives: Lovely Traces
WOMAN: the difference you make
Hi! This is Kathy Burrus from Green Hope Coaching!
I, like many of you, have been pondering the images of the past weekend of the inauguration and the women’s marches. Now I’m not here to use my platform to make a statement one way or the other. There may be a time I do that, but this is not that time.
I’m here today because I was struck by one thing: WOMAN. Not one particular woman, but woman like you and me.
Click here for a complete transcript of this video.
EmPOWERful Series:
Five week phone sessions over lunch designed to help you accomplish the ONE THING that will make the greatest difference this month. Click here to register.
Group sessions hosted virtually designed to help women look at their own story and glean from it the significant, defining moments that influence how they live and behave.
Embrace the wonderful story of you and live MAD-ly! (Make-A-Difference)
More details will be coming out soon. Click this link to sign up to receive upcoming emails regarding these groups. Whether you live nearby or far away, you can be part of this interactive session.
GREEN GRIEF GATHERING:
Green Grief is designed to help us find the slivers of green – the Lovely Traces of Hope in our losses. As we begin to see the hope in our story, many times we are able to take our next step toward the difference we want to make through it.
Again, click this link to get updates on this event- which for the time being will be local. If you are interested in a virtual group- send me an email and we will find a way to make that happen.
Here’s to you making the difference you were meant to make.
Kathy
Green Hope Coaching
Meet ONE of my Superheroes!
Yesterday I shared a post about heroes and side kicks.
Well, one of the highlights for me at the Tribewriter conference was to meet one of my super heroes. This is Carrie Wilkerson, recently called a SASSY entreprenuer. I have also heard it said that she is the little Texan with the big voice. She was introduced as the ‘small town girl who was able to think beyond city limits” or the ‘big sister in business and life”.
She is also Carrie Wilkerson, the Barefoot Executive. I know the picture to the right is not very good, but I wanted you to see that she lives up to her name. She came on stage with this beautiful pair of heels, but within 7 minutes of her presentation, she was barefoot. She does this regularly.
Below is a little better picture but you couldn’t see her feet.
I met Carrie about 11 years ago when I first started direct selling with Mary Kay. Carrie did that too for a while, but she was always doing more than makeup.
One of the things I most admired about Carrie is that she has always been about doing what she does ‘Carrie style’.
She’s not afraid of the hard stuff- or I should say she is faithful about doing the hard thing afraid.
She is honest about what the challenges are, but will not let you get away with excuses. She’s done it! We can too!
STOP IT! She will say and did say from the stage on Sunday. “Don’t say you want something different if you are not willing to change your perspective.” Quit making excuses. Start looking at it from a different perspective.
“Don’t be paralyzed by the invisible audience.” THEY can paralyze your effort to pay your bills or invest in those around you.
STOP IT!
What you have to offer is of VALUE. If you have something of value that will transform others and you don’t share it, you are a ‘transformation horder.”
STOP IT!
If it is of value, you have a responsibility to share it. It is not your responsibility if they aren’t ready to accept your gift. Do it like you need to do but do it!
SHARE IT! PURSUE IT! YOU HAVE MY PERMISSION!
I’ve been listening and coaching with Carrie in different ways for 10 years. She has been consistent in her message, faithful to her own calling and an example in the journey. That makes her a side kick, as well as a super hero!
Yep, she may be 12 or 15 years years younger than me, but this little gal continues to be a ‘big sister’ to speak hope into my life. I am grateful that she is mentor, coach and friend. She even wrote an endorsement for Lovely Traces of Hope. Check it out in my book.
Who is your hero?
How are they also a side kick for you in your super hero journey?
I got to give mine a hug this weekend. How can you say thank you to yours?
DO IT! PURSUE IT! YOU HAVE MY PERMISSION!
Want more information about Carrie Wilkerson, you can find her on Facebook at Carrie Wilkerson, the Barefoot Executive, or go to carriewilkerson.com.
Want to know more about
Kathy’s new book,
Lovely Traces of Hope,
check it out at Amazon.com today.
Heroes…and sidekicks!
This weekend, I attended the TRIBEWRITER conference in Franklin, TN which is a “marketing conference for people who don’t think of themselves as marketers. It’s a gathering for writers, artists, and creative entrepreneurs to grow their craft, share their work, and get the attention their work deserves.”
In my previous post, I shared some of the effects of last years conference; the primary one was the completion of the “LOVELY TRACES OF HOPE” book which I had been working on for several years before committing to finish it.
This year, I am still sifting through the ‘one thing’ i will do because of what I learned. But…Jeff Goins, founder and host of the Tribewriter event kicked us off with a great reminder.
Jeff introduced us to his superhero son, Aiden who is 4. Aiden is Batman. He wanted Jeff to be – not Superman, like Jeff was last year, not Spiderman or The Hulk. You guessed it, Robin, Batman’s faithful sidekick.
Jeff reminded us that often, as business owners, authors and creatives of all kinds, we think our purpose is about being the super hero to our clients and readers.
In reality we are there to be a sidekick to the stories in our tribe. My story is only truly effective as I influence the reader engage with their own story.
I do that by:
- Being Present- show up, yes, but more than that- engaged!
- Being Helpful- Give first, often you will benefit, but help anyway.
- Being Brave- learning to do that next hard thing afraid.
Think like a sidekick and make it about ‘them’. The act of being allows activity to follow identity.
As I sat and listened to Jeff’s comical, but motivating challenge, I read the words on the card at my table. The picture below may be easier to read.
Ok! This is exactly why we need to be present, helpful and brave. If we dare to look into the depth of the world’s darkness, then people will be willing to listen to us as we dare to shine light into theirs.
I’ve never been very good at the super hero role. How about you? Are you a super hero? Sometimes we become one in our story out of necessity. But often it is not because we are super great – it is because we were present for someone, or helpful to them at a time when they needed us to be brave.
But who are you a side kick too right now? Is it your family or a close friend? Maybe it is a client who is counting on you to help them do what they need to do.
Well, I am Kathy, and I’m your sidekick!
So…how can I help you? What’s going on in your story? Leave a comment below or email me at kathy@greenhopecoaching.com.
Wondering if Kathy knows what it means to struggle to find hope in a dark place? Get Kathy’s new book called Lovely Traces of Hope?
The Beauty of Signing a Book!
OK! It’s official! I’m an author! I held my first book signing thanks to the gracious and persistent Tanya Augsburger of the Bluffton Public Library, Bluffton, OH.
Months ago- before there was an actual book, Tanya engaged me to consider hosting an author event at the library. I thought she was jumping the gun, but I appreciated her thinking ahead for me. It was a delight for me to work with Tanya to put together this book signing event. I am so grateful for her and the Library for hosting this opportunity.
I knew that book signings were often part of an author’s next steps. I knew that it was valuable to connect with interested and potential new readers.
But I witnessed so much BEAUTY in this moment and in the people who attended. Continue reading The Beauty of Signing a Book!
Influence Like a Dandelion
Ten years ago next weekend, we gathered to remember a spunky little gal named Leisha.
We celebrated her life And mourned our loss of her.
We remembered the things she didTo make us laugh
To make us cry,
To make us crazy!
She touched our lives and she taught us,
She changed us in the living and the dying.
Would she have made such a difference in our lives if she had just lived? I know I’m her momma, but I think so.
The day she died, I met her on our country road. I was teasing her because she was so eager to get her driver’s permit. I said,” you just want power. ”
I could see the wheels spinning in her head and her eyes were sparkling.
She spoke, “I don’t need power. I want to influence. I want to say, I’m going come with me.”
“Honey you were made to influence,” I replied as I stroked her nose like I had so many days since she was born.
10 minutes later, she was gone.
I want to influence. I want to say, I'm going come with me. Click To Tweet
Several have asked why, out of all the pictures I have of Leisha, I chose a black and white one of her blowing a dandelion for the cover.
Well, dandelions have long been important at the Burrus house.
For one thing, Continue reading Influence Like a Dandelion
So yesterday my book came!
So yesterday I celebrated when I received the first copy of my first
book (not sure if it is first or only yet). I was filled with raw emotions: happy, sad, celebration and grief all mixed together. But I was in awe that this had actually come to be.
That same day two other books came out:
Present over Perfect by Shauna Niequist, #presentoverperfect
and Uninvited by Lysa Terkuerst, #uninvited
Both books are already best sellers on Amazon.
I chuckled to myself that all these books came out the same day. Continue reading So yesterday my book came!
Thank you Professor Sittser
This past week, I have been working intently to finish up details for publishing the Lovely Traces of Hope book. I had one of those moments as I sat late into the night reading/ editing/ proofing yet again through my own story.
For the umpteenth time, I was reading through Chapter 14, Turning East, which I have sent to many of you already. (Click here if you haven’t read it yet.) In that chapter, I share excerpts of Jerry Sittser’s book called A Grace Disguised. Jerry literally led me through much of my grief through the sharing of his own story.
Several months ago as I was reworking that chapter for the book, I sent Jerry a letter to thank him for being bold enough to share his story because of the influence it has had in mine.
Here was his reply…
You are invited
Remember –Email Kathy@greenhopecoaching.com by August 8th to reserve a signed copy of the book.
Would you like an invitation to print off and share with a friend? Click on the image below!
A Book to Proof
I was sittting at the Arby’s across from the mall in the area that is all window. People watching at its best. The sky was clear with the exception of a few, very small, very white clouds slowly drifting by. What a beautiful day!
Every thing about this moment was life-giving. Even the woman Continue reading A Book to Proof