The sky is the limit!
Wow! What an incredible week it’s been at the Finishing School for Modern Women!
I didn’t think there could be an experience this week, as extraordinary as we had at the Conversations of Color panel discussion, that I told you about in the last newsletter. I was happily wrong. Janet Federico of Thrive ICT and I debuted the new Picking up the Pieces class on Tuesday night, and it was equally awesome!
Picking up the Pieces with Co-Teacher Janet Federico
You would think that a class about transcending trauma would be intense and maybe a bit sad. In this class, there were way more laughs than tears. While it is introspective, this class gives mind-blowing insights into why we experience what we do and what to expect in the aftermath. Just learning this information has helped me.
Sharing coping strategies with other Modern Women, and talking about how to let go, trust and embrace vulnerability was uplifting and activating. I could tell everyone felt jazzed when it was over because no one wanted to leave! This energy of love and hope we create when we come together as a community is one of my favorite things about the Finishing School. We are all in this together.
I want more of you to have this experience with us, so I’ve asked Janet to come back and do the class again. This time the class will be on a Saturday, on August 24 from 1 to 3:30 PM. (Register here.)
Trauma is far too common in our society, and it isn’t something people want to talk about. Focusing on getting unstuck, and rather than what got us there, is the secret sauce of this class. It isn’t productive to walk the aftermath alone. Please join us for this beautifully transcendent experience.
More new classes:
Ready for Your Closeup with Co-Teacher Christine Moser
Changing gears a bit, another new class debuting this month, Ready for Your Closeup with Christine Moser, is going to be so much fun! Christine, who does freelance photography in her spare time, suggested this class on our 2018 year-end survey, and I love the idea of learning how to feel confident being photographed.
When my friend Jake Euker died, there was a long slide show of pictures from parties, concerts, and events, many of them I’d attended. But since I refused to let anyone take pictures of me, because of how I felt in them, I wasn’t in a single one. It was like I was invisible; not present in my own life.
That bothered me. From then on, I’ve decided that whether I like the picture or not, I will be present in my life – and in photos. As my Brand Mistress, Jessica Wasson told me, “People want to see you in person. Why wouldn’t they want to see you in pictures?”
You see, our families don’t care if we’ve put on a few pounds or have a few more wrinkles. Chances are, they don’t even look at us that way since we’re often so much harder on ourselves than anyone else is. They love us and want to see us present.
If you’re avoiding the camera, or just want to get better pictures of yourself without filters or editing, join us on Sunday, July 28 from 2 to 4:30 PM or Wednesday, September 11 from 6 to 8:30 for a silly, fun afternoon of playing around, and experimenting to find your comfort zone. We’ll cover lighting, how to stand and position your body, quick makeup tips, and helpful hints for fabulous photos! You’ll need to bring a cell phone, tablet, or digital camera to take pictures of yourself. Then, you can keep all the ones you love or destroy the evidence.
Registration is limited, and going fast, for this very hands-on class. Register here for the September 11 class.
Sell it!
I know not everyone feels like this, but I think making sales is empowering. It’s challenging and takes some creativity. For eight years of my life, I sold Aveda products to salons, and I learned a lot about people and consultative selling. I loved helping people be more successful through the products and education we offered. It made the experience a win-win for everyone, which is how I think selling works best.
As part of our business skills series, I’m going to offer the Sell it! Class, debuting on Thursday, August 8 from 6 to 8:30 PM and Friday morning, September 11 from 9:30 AM until noon. Sales can be one of the most lucrative careers for women since pay is usually based on commission; it has no ceiling. We’ll go over how to uncover opportunities, cultivate connections, and gain commitment without being “pushy.”
Whether sales is part of your job description, you have to pitch your ideas, or you want to ramp up your powers of persuasion, this class is for you. Register here for Thursday, August 8 or here for the Friday, September 11 class.
Other upcoming classes:
Everyday Intuition
I’m super excited my sister, Jennifer Jean, will be back on Saturday, October 19 to do our Everyday Intuition class. You never know how things will go, working with siblings, but the first time we did this class together, it felt like we’d been doing it our whole lives. She hasn’t been back for a couple of years, so this is going to be a blast!
Here’s what it’s about: Do you listen to your “gut feelings?” When we develop the ability to listen to our intuition, decisions become more natural, creativity increases, and our talents and potential strengthen. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll discover which kinds of intuition are natural for you, how to connect your instinctive voice and how to apply your gifts to boost your business and personal life.
Not sure when she’ll be back, so mark your calendar now! You don’t want to miss it.
Know Your Worth Women’s Leadership Conference
Though this isn’t an official Finishing School event, I am co-chair and a sponsor of this powerful conference. This year our theme is “Born to Inspire,” so be prepared to get ready for lift-off! This year’s program is so amazing. I’m nearly peeing myself. I’ll have more exciting news about this coming soon.
The conference will be all day on Friday, September 27, so mark your calendars now! Registration will open Tuesday, August 6, and it sells out FAST! You’ll be the first to know.
After such a great week, it’s a great time to sparkle! Here’s a link to the blog post I wrote last year around this time about how to own your sparkle.
Sparkle on!
Headmistress Jill