The Routine of Life Sets In (I hope!)

Why is getting out of bed so hard? Mary Kay makes it sound so great when she talks about the 5 o'clock club! And yet, it is hard. She says, "Get out of bed anyway!" My hasband says, "Just do it!" Honestly? At this point I would be happy just to join the 6 or 7 o'clock club. Annabel doesn't wake up until 8 or 8:30 and I am often tempted to stay in bed until the last possible moment. And I really hope someone reading this can relate....that I'm not the only person who has struggled with this. Even stranger to me is that I think my ability to wake early has actually declined. While staying home with Annabel has been an irreplaceable experience and I love every minute....it has made me soft in some ways. I no longer have to wake up for anything. So it comes back to self-discipline. And I just know that I do so much better at following through when I have someone to be accountable too. It's easy to change my mind when I am the only one who knows my resolution but, I hate to let others down. So the plan is to wake up two hours earlier at 6 am. This means I need to be in bed by 10. Upon waking I will accomplish the three basic things I need to do every day but, are hard to do when Annabel is up. FIrst I will clean around the house for a half hour. Then I will excercise for a half hour or so. Last, I will shower and dress for the day. This leaves me the rest of the day to work on other tasks and goals in between taking care of Annabel. What I've noticed is that if I put these things off I just spend the rest of the day trying to accomplish these three basic things often leaveing little to no time for other things like MK!!! So starting this week I am going to work on my sleep/wake routine.

The Secret

There's good news and there's not so good news. The good news is that at our weekly training the Sales Director taught us that there are two main things we need to become a sales director! So, I was thinking, Finally, the secret.... and she says it is commitment and time management. So simple; I love it! So that's the good news. Simple is good, right? We can do that. And commitment....I'm there. The not so good news is that time management is probably one of my greatest "opportunities for improvement." Now, she did share a few suggestions for time management. But, this is not enough for the barely reformed from constantly being late, often procrastinating, lose track of time all the time, and ADHD diagnosed me. Since I am so committed to this goal however, I got to work on it right away. Funny thing I discovered is that Mary Kay has a ton of tools to help us with time management! I suppose I had a vague idea of this when I was goofing off the last five years and not taking my business very seriously. So now things are going much better. I use a Weekly Plan Sheet that allows me to plan my entire week out and share it with Mr Ogg so he knows what's happening as well. Even better they have these Daily Action Sheets that include a Six Most Important Things To Do list for personal and MK for that day. Plus it has an hourly break down of your day's schedule....call tracking...list of errands....It has EVERYTHING (except your grocery list) right there at a glance. What I'm discovering is that if I do this daily--writing it out the night before and looking at it with my coffee in the morning--I can actually feel sane. Imagine that! So if you are not real time or task oriented...or even if you are and you just want to get more done....I highly recommend this. So along with my commitment, some of these newfound tools and some extra self-discipline I do hope for the seemingly impossible: that an effecient, more productive and punctual me might yet emerge!

Forecast: A gloomy outlook and a flurry of excuses.....but, the weatherman is often wrong.

So happy to be back at home with my sweeties but, still dusting off stardust from my week in Dallas. The wonder hasn't worn off quite yet and of course I'm telling everyone about it. Bit by bit however, the not so glitzy reality does start to sink in. First I realize that I am going to have to do a lot of work to become a sales director! Next, I find out I won't have the use of our family car for the month of August as I had expected! And finally, it REALLY sets in...my husband still can't help me or support in the way I want...he's in Medical School and we have a baby! AAAAAAAAHH!!
Ok, so I needed to refocus. I started to think of what I wanted to accomplish and WHY. Part of the reason I am doing this is to prove to myself (and the future Dr Ogg) that I can do the WORK. So I need to commit even though it's hard...I guess that throws out my excuse of it being too much work. Next, I remembered the story I had read of a sales director who earned her first Mary Kay car by riding a bicycle to her parties. And she was working full time at another job. Ok, so that negates the no car excuse...I'll hold parties anyway. If she can do it, I can. Right? And as for support well, I suppose any of the single moms who've been a success in MK probably would argue they've had it worse. Hmmm I guess I will need to find a way. Plus, it will be worth it when I am wearing that sharp suit, driving a free car and knowing it came from determination and a desire to see other women succeed. Gotta love that visual! I better start making some calls.....

Big Bling, 4" Stilletos and Even Bigger Dreams

Posing with my unit awards: Queen of Sharing (recruiting) and Miss Go-Give (my fave)

On my Left: Elizabeth Fitzpatrick our National Sales Director,

On my Right: Trish Goodin-Yard, my Senior Sales Director

Imagining myself in the Director Suit.

Waking up on my last day of what I know will be my first of many Mary Kay seminar experiences I am excited at the possibilities that lie ahead. I am also excited to finally hold my sweet little 10 month old, Annabel, and see my husband after 4 days away. But, I am also saddened. Sad to think of leaving this seemingly magical place. A place where I have a bond of sisterhood with almost 8,000 women. Women who I've never met before yet, I know their heart. Mary Kay women are a group of loving, hopeful, and positive women who are not afraid to take some risks to get what they need and want out of life. They're not afraid to just "throw their heart over the bar" and pursue their dreams. And I am excited that all of our little girl dreams can come true! That ordinary women can rise to the occasion in 2 million ways...all across the world. This experience gave me the big picture of how we are making a positive and often dramatic difference in the lives of Mary Kay consultants, their families' lives and of course in the lives of our wonderful customers. Oh, it's hard to leave this magical place that amazingly brings to life the dreams hidden in the heart of every woman. Those beautiful dreams that most of us have hidden so deep inside that we almost can't see or hear them anymore. And then, you join Mary Kay to make a few extra hundred a week or month. You begin to work: booking, selling, and maybe even recruiting....you decide to go to seminar... And suddenly you realize someone has heard your silent wishes and secret dreams. You are being treated like the star you always wished but, never thought you could be. You are being shown a vision bigger than you ever thought possible and you are inspired by the hope and courage and achievement of your sister consultants and directors. I know that God has given Mary Kay a beautiful purpose in this world. It's like they have special binoculars into our hearts...and do you know what's in there? There are days filled with the best girlfriends you could want, fun, education and support for becoming everything you've dreamed of, confetti, princess gowns, cirque du solei and Broadway-like performances every night, beautiful dresses, suits high heels and jewelry....I could go on. And in MK there is recognition for every effort whether small or monumental. Cool, huh? Basically, it's seminar. So, you can probably tell that I am excited and it's hard to really know what seminar is like until you go. My sales director has told me about it every year for the past five years and I didn't get it. If you've ever been to the Grand Canyon you will know what I am talking about. You can take pictures and try to describe it but, people just won't understand until they see it for themselves. So I hope you'll come next year and find your inspiration. My friend Kristen Joy said it the best, " I've learned three things at my first seminar: 1. My bling is not blingy enough, 2. My heels are not high enough, and 3. MY DREAMS ARE NOT BIG ENOUGH." So, now the real work begins, back at home. Booking, selling and recruiting to make my BIG dreams to come true. And that is what this blog is about. So follow along if you want to know what it takes to become a sales director because I intend to find out this year!