When I founded Femail Creations over a decade ago, I didn't have a clue about starting or running a catalog company— what I did have was passion. I was passionate about creating meaningful work and making a difference. I believe finding our passion and our purpose are the most important things we are meant to do.We each have unique gifts and talents and the world needs us to share what we are uniquely passionate about with others.
Let yourself dream. Ask yourself, “What am I the most passionate about? What would I do if I knew I could not fail?” The answer could be life changing.
If you don't have the answer now, keep asking yourself until you do. In that moment—when you've given yourself permission to dream and tapped your passion—you will have discovered what you should be doing with your life.
A few years ago I wrote a book about how I found the courage to start Femail Creations, a gift catalog and Web site that supports women business owners and artists. That book was called Dream Big and I would encourage you to read it because it's all about what happens when we give ourselves permission to dream. There is a lot of power in learning about the paths others have taken to discover and follow their passions. Believe me, if I can do it, you can too!
It's important to remember, too, that our passion and purpose can change shape over time.
In 2006 I had the sense that my purpose had expanded once again and I created a home party business called Barefoot Parties, where women can come together to do what we do best—talk and shop!
Barefoot Parties is all about embracing the spirit of kicking off your shoes, relaxing, and having a good time with your friends. Barefoot Parties also offers women meaningful work and the opportunity to give meaningful gifts.
Creating Barefoot Parties has allowed me to express my passion for empowering women to launch their own home-based businesses so they can have more flexibility and more fun.
I put together this deck of cards to inspire you as you go about discovering or rediscovering your passion and purpose. On one side you'll find a thought or inspirational quote to ponder—something written either by me or by a woman I particularly admire. On the flip side, you'll find an affirmation to help you put that thought into action. Use the cards in whatever way feels right for you. You can draw a card every day and carry it with you or choose one when you're feeling particularly stuck. Let a particular card call to you, pick one at random, or take them in order. It's entirely up to you.
My hunch and my hope is that the affirmations on each card will become like good friends—sitting on your desk, stuck to your mirrors, fridges, and filing cabinets, helping you connect with your passion and stay in tune with your purpose.
If you know what your passion is, take the leap. If you have lost touch with your passion somewhere along the way, reconnect with it. If you don't know what your passion is yet, discover it!
Live life with moxie, and above all, give yourself permission to dream.What you discover will change your life forever.
Lisa Hammond
The Barefoot CEO
About the Author
Lisa Hammond is the founder of Femail Creations, a mail-order catalog and Web site featuring unique gift items by and for women, and author of the best-selling Dream Big! (Conari Press). In 2006 she launched Barefoot Parties, a home party business to help even more women create meaningful work and follow their dreams. Because of her unconventional approach to business, Lisa has become known as The Barefoot CEO. She was recently honored by the National Association of Women Business Owners as an Entrepreneur of the Year, and won the Moms in Business Create Your Dreams Award and Small Business Person of the Year by the SBA. She has been featured in Oprah's O magazine and on the cover of Business Week.
Lisa lives in Nevada with her supportive husband, Jeff, two amazing children, Harlie and Bridger, and an Airedale named Zoë, who doesn't realize she's a dog.
First published in 2007 by Conari Press,
an imprint of Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC
With offices at:
500 Third Street, Suite 230
San Francisco, CA 94107
Copyright © 2007 by Lisa Hammond. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC. Reviewers may quote brief passages.
ISBN-10: 1-57324-316-7
ISBN-13: 978-1-57324-316-2
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