With Gratitude

Authentic Friendships

Do you have a best friend?  Do you remember when you met your best friend?  When I was in college at Concordia University, I met my best friend and we just clicked.  We look nothing alike really, she has green eyes and blonde hair, and I have dark eyes and dark hair.  We were raised in completely different towns from different backgrounds, but one thing we did have in common…we were both genuinely nice women.  We are women who don’t compete with each other.  We both love dancing and watching entertaining live shows.  We like laughing and are always looking to watch funny movies or standup comedy.  We also really enjoy helping people, and that is why we both went into the field of education.  

What do you and your friends have in common?  See, what I look for are people who have good hearts, beautiful minds, and authentically accept who I am and also care about me as a person.  It doesn't matter how many friends I have, just as long as they are real friendships. I have friends who come from diverse backgrounds and feel that my friendship circle is an open, not closed one.  I believe that a bridge of friendship can be built, even if we don't always agree on everything...and that is okay.

Today, my best friend and I live miles apart, but the bond formed through Faith and Friendship will last for a lifetime.

What do you look for in a good friend?     

Soar In 2019

Hello! So now that some of us have set new year's resolutions, we can stop dreaming and start soaring in 2019.  How have you decided to soar in 2019? This can be a personal goal to take better care of ourselves by cooking healthy meals, sleeping more, or by exercising routinely. It can also be a professional goal to finish a degree, apply for your dream job, take a class, learn a new skill, or finally start that business you have been dreaming of.  You can also give back to your community by volunteering and serving others who really need your help.

Whatever it is, I have realized that I cannot do everything on my own like I have been trying to do in the past.  I am relying on my faith in God every day and trusting in His plan for my life. Don't worry if you feel lost, or don't know what or who you are supposed to be in this life.  We all feel that way at times.  Last year I faced personal struggles and financial setbacks.  Honestly, my life was a mess, but I came to God in daily prayer and began to read his word.  He filled me with peace, love, and more understanding of the people around me.  I have learned so much and feel that I have grown into a different person through serving the homeless community and low income youth.  I'm still learning so much about people and relationships, and I hope that never ends.  

How will you serve others and soar this year?  

New Year's Resolutions

Happy New Year and thank you for showing
your support for me this year! I appreciate you:)

A Modern Day Christmas Carol

Hello there! Merry Christmas to you!  

Who are you celebrating with this year?

It's time to get the party started.

Where is my Love?

It looks like it's just me and my books.

The lesson I learned this year is that we should be coming home and cooking and eating dinner with our families instead of working so much overtime.

We should be enjoying life instead of Instagramming every second of it.

We should spend more time cuddling in each others arms instead of always being too busy.

 You don't want to miss out on what really matters in life, finding love and happiness with the person of our dreams:)

Don't waste time, you only live once!

Dress: Vintage
Photography: Kendra Blair
Set Decoration: Joanna Joy
Decorations: Michaels and Jo-Ann

Sharing Positive and Inspirational Messages with PleaseNotes by Cheryl Sutherland

Cheryl Sutherland, Founder of PleaseNotes

Hello! Today I would like to introduce you to Cheryl Sutherland, the founder of PleaseNotes.  I recently met her at the Female Founders section of the Wonder Woman Tech Conference in Long Beach, California.  The positivity in these notes and journal immediately spoke to me.  Her products are focused around personal growth principles with the themes of Confidence, Clarity, and Creativity.  Her specialty item is the PleaseNotes Guided Affirmation Journal touted as a “Personal Growth Seminar in between two covers” and 10% of the proceeds from PleaseNotes goes to organizations that support women in creating their dreams!  Nice:)

Now let’s get positive with Cheryl from PleaseNotes…

Please Nots Sticky Notes

Hello Cheryl!  Thank you for joining us on the blog today.  Can you please tell us about your background (work, school, hobbies, etc.)?

Certainly!  I was born in Calgary, Canada and have always found myself in occupations that allow me to interact with and help people. From retail sales, banking, coaching all the way to this!  I went to school for Sales and Marketing with a focus on Marketing Management, and have gone through a plethora of personal development courses and training.

Mirror Mirror Decal Affirmations

What are PleaseNotes and who are they for?

PleaseNotes is a brand of Affirmation-Filled Goods to help people become their favorite versions of themselves.  I feel like PleaseNotes are great for anyone that is attempting to feel better or be better. Whether your looking to change jobs, be more fulfilled or feel happier then you do now, PleaseNotes are for you.

Label of Love Cheeky Collection Reusable Water Bottle Stickers

What steps did you take to go from a place of trying to figure out what you were passionate about to being an entrepreneur?

I knew I was ready to start something new, however, I knew that the person I was wasn’t going to be in the right space to build something and see it through.  I wanted to work on my sense of self, my confidence and really getting clear on what I was really passionate about.  I ended up quitting my job and building up the person I really wanted to be through working with affirmations, journaling and delving back into personal development work. I realized that I was always lit up when I participated in personal development work and that I wanted to do!

Inspirational PleaseNotes Journal

What inspired you to start PleaseNotes?

When I had been going through the process of discovering what kind of business I wanted I wrote out a list of attributes of what the business was, what I wanted to do, be and feel while working. Some of those included being a product that I can sell in stores and online, something that helped people, something that was playful and fun and something I could do on my laptop by the beach. When I said to myself, I wish there was a way that I could surround myself with affirmations, I was able to recognize that my idea was the business I was looking for.

Inspirational PleaseNotes Journal

I see that you describe the PleaseNotes Journal as a “Personal Growth Seminar in between two covers”, can you please tell us more about your journal?

The Journal takes a person through a journey of self-discovery.  My goal was to empower people with the tools to create the change they’ve been wanting themselves versus seeking the answers externally. It really mirrors the process I went through to discover my passion and my business To get people started, they would use the “Journal Juice” workbook that has 6 different exercises that support a person in seeing and appreciating who they are and the life they have, what they would want to change in their lives and what they really want to created and leave behind.  Every page has a different affirmation or inspirational quote that’s been chosen to be inspirational and relatable.  Quotes include Michelle Obama, Brené Brown, Drake, Elon Musk, Adele and Eckhart Tolle.  I wouldn’t be able to tell you how many times people have told me that when they are writing about something or working through a situation that the perfect message shows up at the bottom of the page. If you’re ready to get really clear, really fast, this Journal is for you.  Plus, you can always download and redo the work book as many times as you would like for no cost.

Inspirational PleaseNotes Journal

How do positive PleaseNotes messages help people who are trying to accomplish a goal, increase their self-esteem and self-confidence, and where are the best places to put these happy feel good notes?

When you want to change or build a habit or thought process, it takes repetition and emotional involvement. A person gets started in their Journal however in surrounding yourself with continued reminders, you keep yourself in the feeling of what you want versus where you currently are.  That’s why putting messaging in Sticky Notes, Mirror Decals, Water Bottle Labels and Enamel Pins are so fun because it’s easy to see and share with others. 

Cheryl Sutherland, the inspiration behind PleaseNotes

Empowering Enamel Pins 

When I was browsing through your website, I saw that you have a #HustleKit , can you tell us what’s in there?

Yes! So I created the #HustleKit to be a little sampler of all the items in the main line.  Curated for existing entrepreneurs or those looking to dip into entrepreneurship (wantrapreneurs) it even includes exclusive items like a super cool pen that says “I’m choosing to be…”  and 4 great tips with videos to help people draw out an idea, handle and use stress, set goals and more.

What other products do you offer and what new products do you plan to come out with in the future?

Right now I have the full sized Journal in some fab new colors, the “Mirror Mirror” Mirror Decals that are great for windows, walls and mirrors, the “Label of Love” which are dual-sided affirmation Water Bottle Labels, the new “Brightly” enamel pins and the Sticky Notes, which have a different affirmation on each page! Next up, I’m actually re-opening my coaching practice! I focus on Optimism and Authenticity for two reasons; when you decide things are going to work out for you, you are able to solve problems quicker, be less stressed and be more creative and Authenticity is essential for building anything you want to be long lasting, making clearer decisions, and building a life from your intuition and internal power versus your head.

Are there any final words of wisdom that you’d like to share?

Let yourself be happy, do the things that spark your curiosity,  say yes to what you want and self-doubt isn’t real.

Cheryl Sutherland

Where can we find you?

www.PleaseNotes.com

www.CherylSutherland.com

www.Instagram.com/Please_notes

www.facebook.com/PleaseNotes

Thank you Cheryl for sharing your positivity with the rest of us!

Thank you!!

Volunteering with Convoy of Hope

Hello! How are you doing today? Do you enjoy volunteering in your community? What do you enjoy doing to give back? Over the past few years, I have had a great time volunteering with Convoy of Hope at Ted Watkins Memorial Park in Los Angeles, California.  At this event they served meals, provided free shoes, groceries, health and dental screenings, haircuts, family portraits, and much more to the community of Los Angeles. Hope Starts Here.

Convoy of Hope is a faith-based humanitarian organization is helping to empower others to live independent lives free from poverty, disease, and hunger.
 A Passion to Feed the World @ Convoyofhope.org

Our community event was held at Ted Watkins Memorial Park in Los Angeles, CA and the sunshine was definitely shining down on all of us today:)

Changing the world through Kindess:)

This Saturday I had a great time volunteering with @convoyofhope and meeting all of the wonderful women in the Los Angeles community @ Ted Watkins Memorial Park. Our tent shared information with women on self- breast exams from the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.

It was nice that the National Breast Cancer Foundation provided instructions on self-breast examination in both English and Spanish. That was so sweet and thoughtful!

Here are some pink bags of Hope from the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

If you'd like to find out more on how to get involved and volunteer, please check out their website
 Volunteer for Convoy of Hope

Look at the back of this beautiful truck from Convoy of Hope. Who else listens to positive, encouraging KLOVE radio?     

Where do you currently volunteer?  If so, why do you volunteer and what do you enjoy most about your volunteer experience?

If not, where will you volunteer this year?  

There is no greater feeling than the feeling we receive from giving back to our communities through service.   

Please leave your comments below, I'd love to hear from you:)