Friday, June 6, 2014

When is it SAFE to be a GIVER?




Is it ever safe to be a Giver 
in a world
that seems full of takers and Me's?

Of course! 
I Invite You to
Be yourself & don't give up 
on Community. 

We have all learned lessons, been hurt-- 
had to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off & get right 
back out there and try it again.






It hurts my heart when I hear women say:
  • I don't trust other women anymore.
  • I have withdrawn and run from community because I've been hurt.
  • Women are mean, vindictive, selfish, & backbiting.
  • Men make better friends...

Yes there are people like that out there. The term mean girls didn't show up out of thin air... It shouldn't hold you back from living the fullest life that you can.

Harvard Health reports:
  • Men live a longer, healthier, happier life when they have-- a Wife.
  • Women live a longer, healthier, happier life when they have-- deeper, meaningful friendships and relationships with women.

 Get back out there! 
Create Community & Healthy Relationships 
for 
Health & Happiness!


Be Conscious and Have Boundaries.

It doesn't mean that you give yourself away until your well is depleted.

We can all learn to do it better... 
Hence, one reason that I created the 
A community of Givers that end up Receiving Exponentially.


~GIVERS~
 I encourage you to embrace that beautiful, loving 
quality about yourself!
It's a gift, a strength... not a weakness. It's Lovely!

Boundaries:

1.   Learn to Love Yourself & Acknowledge Your Gifts!
  • When you truly know yourself, acknowledge your gifts and see the positive instead of "tagging" characteristics as flaws or negatives... You can learn to love yourself and take back your personal power. 
  • It's imperative to stand in your personal power to create and consistently adhere to the boundaries that you have created.
2.  It's Okay to Say NO
  • Guilt be gone. My favorite mantra... "Guilt Sucks... Let it Go." Saying this over and over to myself has gotten me through some tough decisions & allowed me to learn to let the guilt go...
  • Give yourself permission to say no. You are a giver. You give all of the time. You do not need to over do it and give yourself away.
  • You have value. You can say no. 
  • When you shift the paradigm and the way that you think about giving, it lifts a huge weight off of your shoulders & When you say Yes... It's a gift... Not a duty or responsibility. 

3.  You need a clear view of the difference between a WE & a ME.
We's are inclusive. They want to collaborate & give to see the other succeed. They don't operate from a place of competition, sabotage or sole success. They are innately Givers.
  • Me's are all about themselves and really only give to GET in return. Some Me's are in transition. Don't isolate yourself. Be aware. Be conscious. Be kind. Don't be vulnerable.


4.  Are you giving to save someone or to see them truly successful? 
  • We need to look at and address Healthy giving.
  • There is a difference. No heavy lifting. Only those that want and are able to rise will. There is no saving anyone. We save ourselves. We can have the support of others... but to truly be saved we have to do the heavy lifting ourselves.

5.  Learn to Ask for what you Want & Need.... then Learn to receive what is being offered.
  • Think about this one. It's important. It's tough. It's beautiful when you get it.
  • Just because you are a giver does not mean that you do not need to receive in return. No one wants to be around a self-sacrificing martyr... It is actually selfish to just give in a community of givers and not allow others to give to you. 
  • If you truly want to be in community with givers - A WE needs you to receive what they are offering to you. It's a gift that they are giving you. They do not want to to receive from you if you are not accepting as well. 
  • Be aware of the difference - A Me doesn't care if you receive. A ME has no problem asking for what they want & need. A self-sacrificing martyr... that is a Giver attracts ME's...
  • Which sounds safer, more fulfilling and productive? 

6.  Give to Yourself First
  • Love Yourself First.
  • It's more than okay to take care of yourself. It is essential! How can you continue to give if your well has run dry?
  • My friend and Strategic Alliance Partner, Patrina Wisdom teaches women all about Sacred Self Care. Patrina invites her clients to take a break from their lives... take time to take care of themselves, while being surrounded by a sacred community of other women, take a moment to breathe... REJUVENATE, RECLAIM AND REVITALIZE your body, mind and spirit in her annual retreats. I invite you to check out her website if you are ready to learn the art of Sacred Self Care.
  • Baby Steps - You can do it. Just take the first step to learning to take care of yourself first.
Being a Giver 
is a Powerful Trait. 
Thank you 
for showing up in the world 
 & 
offering your gifts to others. 

I Honor & Appreciate You!


With Gratitude,
Kimberly Reyes
Pathfinder, Lifestyle Curator, Super Connector,Master Networker, Author & Speaker

Kimberly Reyes Lifestyle by Design

HELPING YOU DESIGN A LIFE CONNECTED TO YOUR TRUE NORTH



Thursday, June 5, 2014

Givers Syndrome - Is that working for You?

Givers Syndrome - Is that working for You?



If it's not... I say let's rethink it and shift your energy in a new direction! Shift your paradigm and the way that you think about giving.

Why do we always try to change our innate personality traits and hang a negative label on them?




I LOVE that I am a Giver! It expresses the feminine energy that is a deep part of who I am. When I suppress that part of me and function primarily from masculine energy in business... I am not balanced


or happy. Do I need boundaries? YES! Do I need to be conscious of who I give to & whether they are takers and never give back? YES!

One of my main messages in everything that I do: consulting, coaching, speaking, & writing is to help each of you learn to accept your innate gifts... AND to learn to see others in a new way so that you can honor and appreciate the people all around you. Once you see yourself clearly and the people in front of you... it will change your world.



Welcome to my V.I.P Day - Part of my work with clients is truly seeing yourself and your gifts. 
When you have clarity around how you are showing up in the world, what your innate gifts are, what brings you satisfaction and joy-- 
and how to leverage them for greater personal & professional success... life changes.





If you are an introvert - let's figure out why that is a positive.
If you are a giver - let's identify how that best serves you.
If you are an extrovert - let's figure out what is working, what isn't & how to soar.

None of these traits are negative. They need to be acknowledged and not put away & hidden. Stop letting the world tell you that you need to be like someone else. I don't want you to be anyone but you! We can all learn to embrace who we are, how we show up and how we can safely & authentically thrive! Take back your personal power!

Let's be REAL!  We all need to get tools, techniques & develop skills to truly sit with any trait so that it fully serves us. There is nothing worse than being self conscious or insecure in business. Even the most talented business person can be bogged down by self doubt. When you embrace who you are... those things fade to the background, allowing you to shine and be successful.

More tomorrow....

Kimberly Reyes
Pathfinder, Lifestyle Curator, Super Connector,Master Networker, Author & Speaker

Kimberly Reyes Lifestyle by Design

Helping you design a life connected to your true North



Thursday, May 29, 2014

An Extrovert's Guilt, Shame & Fear.... A Confession



Food for Thought....

With my background in psychology, my post as Super Connector & Master Networker - - I often work with clients and teach them how to interact & connect with someone that has a different personality style. We all long for community and to connect on a deeper level. Most of us did not learn those skills from our family of origin AND the ease in which we connected as children has left us long ago....

I work with each client to create a safe harbor for exploration & discovery. During that specialized process we explore ways that we show up, see the world and ways that we can shift our personal paradigms to see others in a new light, and connect with more success and ease... Introversion and extroversion is a key element that we tackle. It's life changing when we identify ourselves and can see others without judgement.

Judgement and debunking misconceptions is a vital part of the process.... Invariably, the way that we think about and identify each other, and even ourselves, is based on our own personal lens.... That Filter has been affected by our past, surroundings, personal style and experiences. Our perception very rarely has anything to do with the person being judged ....

My Personal Journey

Always a new paradigm to shift to... and through to the next. My life has been a series of continually shifting, flowing paradigms as I work on the journey to the life that I want and to the Best person that I can be...

This work isn't for everyone. Many don't even know where to start... I have been doing this for over 25 years and every time I tackle something Big... Something else shows itself.

I work closely with women and in community to help others on their journey. They know that I am not perfect, that I have lived a thousand lives, that I will always be me and honest... But, most importantly they know that I am a safe place to land... because I live it and I understand.

Do I need to share this because I am an extrovert that needs to be heard? No. I would be happy as a clam to journal and tuck it away. I share because what I learned in the beginning of this journey, is that when I share it reaches people. People that I may not reach any other way... and people that may not be reached by anyone else. The letters and messages keep me sharing. It's not always fun. I see change. I am of service, because I always want other women's journey to be easier than mine. If I can make one women's journey easier... It's worth it.

I didn't use to share. I didn't used to cry or touch people either... It's a journey. 
Now... I am known in community as the crier and hugger... It's a journey.

Was it easier when I was not connected, didn't see myself clearly or others? Absolutely. I have this internal moral compass that guides me and I just have to keep striving to be the best that I can be. I have to take other people into consideration. With boundaries, I have to acknowledge how I touch the people that I come across... Always conscious.



With the help of a friend...
I shifted and recognized my journey in a new light once again.

Our family of origin and the past that we've led creates our filters...
Including the filter in which we function, see ourselves & the world around us.






Guilt, Fear & Shame

I have been talking about releasing guilt since the beginning of my work: since 1988. My motto that I created to help me move through and release the guilt from childhood has served me well, "Guilt Sucks, Let it Go!"

The next stage of the journey was tackling Fear. Fear is a biggy for most of us. The fight and flight response was a go to for me. I would cut and run at the drop of a hat. It didn't take much. I would stand my ground and fight to the death to defend and protect myself. That usually showed up with words which were sharper than any sword. But, if you disappointed me. I would leave. Learning to stand still is not an easy task... I am standing still.

So... the next stage was shown to me. I love Brene Brown and have been referring her since she released her first Tedx video. I just never got the shame thing. I got guilt. I got fear. I could see how shame manifested in others (funny how that works). I was not able to identify shame in my life. Not that I identified with. I was sure it was there... I just couldn't see it.

Then comes the next paradigm shift...
(This is how it works. Solve one thing and the next appears.)


Shame
I was able to identify shame in my life: what it is, how it shows up & how it affects me.


When I am told, "You are an extrovert." To me... it means I don't like you, you irritate me and I can only take so much...
There is shame in that...

When my father told me at 12 that I could ONLY go to the Large family reunion if... "I promised not to be myself." (he did not take me... )
There is shame in that...

When I was told by my mother to tone it down because I made my sister feel bad...

There is shame in that...

When I have dated men that ask me to shift when I am happy & I have to turn it off because it's too much energy for them to handle...
There is shame in that...

When I have dated men that ask for the "other" Kimmy to come back, because I can't keep it contained 100% of the time...
There is shame in that...

When my daughter tells me that she can't be around me & that she doesn't want to deal with me crying or ever hear how I feel-- that it is painful to deal with because she is an introvert...

There is shame in that...

What I realize is that All of my issues related to shame are around my extroversion. Extroversion is the way that a person is hard wired. We can learn to adapt and adjust... but, it's brain chemistry. 

When there is criticism... and there has been a lot... I feel shame, my feelings get hurt and then I feel guilt that my energy has had an effect on other people in a negative way. I feel bad. To take it full circle... Fear comes in... I fear that if I show up with all of my power, energy and shine that I will be alone. That people will leave because I will damage them in some way.  How is that for raw & authentic? Yup. Ouch...

In one way I envy the extrovert that is shallow and unaware.
That has got to be an easier place to live.


On a daily basis when I do public speaking, writing, training, etc. I am the biggest champion of Introverts and I yell it from the mountain tops. Introverts haven't spoken up and have been told that they need to be like someone else. I hate that.  

Truth is... I am a champion of people. I love people. I want everyone to be seen and appreciated for who they are and to cut each other some slack. Including Me. Sometimes I just want people to cut me a little slack. 


When you know yourself and your personality style... You can see others more clearly too. When you see others clearly, there is a deeper understanding of where they are coming from and fewer judgments and misunderstanding. When you frame a person with your personal lens instead of seeing them authentically as they show up...  You will never see authentic.

In the same vein... just because I am able to clearly see other people, I should not dim my light to make others feel like they are more. There is a healthy way to be considerate, compassionate and still be me. All of Me. 

I dimmed my light to make others feel more comfortable. I dimmed my light so that my father would love me and allow others to see and love me. I dimmed my light for my mother so that I would not outshine my sister. I dimmed my light for men that I have dated to try to be a better partner. 

I have tried. But, it seems that I cannot dim my light enough for my daughter. She does not want to be around me. No matter what I try. There is shame in that...

It is so funny that the thing that people are drawn to the most, is also the thing that is criticized that most.

I am confident of the future, my plans, my potential and my journey. I invite you to join me as I am... not as you want me to be. I like who I am and I am standing in my own personal power. 

Just because you are feeling bad about yourself... I will not let you shame me. I respect & honor every woman that I hold space for. I expect the same in return. I will not dim my light or allow myself to take on the guilt.  

No More Shame for Who I Am

I honor Me... 
The woman that I have created and built up from scratch. 
I am worthy.


I invite you to do the same.  Once we honor ourselves and each other, life is beautiful.




Kimberly Reyes
Pathfinder, Lifestyle Curator, Super Connector, Master Networker, Author & Speaker
Founder/Principal 

Helping you design a life connected to your true North

Friday, May 23, 2014

Food for thought: How Are You Showing Up?

Food for thought:    How Are You Showing Up?


I teach clients how to create a lasting and powerful network. Part of that is really looking at how you show up and how you make the person "standing" in front of you feel. Are you being the Host/Hostess or your own space(TM)? Do you make that person feel like they are important?

It goes beyond meeting someone on the phone or in a room at a networking event.

What happens after your initial Meeting?

Time is the biggest gift that I can give anyone. I have so many moving parts in my business. If I schedule time for you... I am showing you that I value you enough to make time for you in my life AND in my business.


When I say that I will meet you. I do. I have driven back from Los Angles to make an appointment. I drove back from a funeral in Sacramento to meet with another busy industry leader... I made a midweek appointment with a leading woman entrepreneur even though I had 3 speaking engagements in 3 different cities this week.

We are all important. Each person that I schedule is important. I am important. I do everything that I can to accommodate people... So that both of our schedules can coordinate. We are all busy.

When you change times with me, reschedule, and then not follow through it sends a very clear message.  Life happens and things come up. BUT, when you reschedule with me because your appointment after mine cancelled and you don't want to make the drive to just meet with me....  You are sending a very clear message about how much you respect or value me, my business and my time.

This happened to me 3 times in the last 4 years. Two of the 3 have since come back and have asked me to help them with their business and have asked me for favors...



So, I ask you? How are you showing up in your life and in your business? Authentic? Consistent? In integrity? How do you look in public and in your private transactions? Are they consistent?

If you are planning on moving through this business community for years to come... Remember that how you show up today is how people will remember you tomorrow. It's not always about what you do... It's about how you make people feel.

Be gracious, Be consistent... Authentically want the best for yourself & Others... Be charming so that people know who they are dealing with every time you show up. It will help you build an empire!

With Gratitude,
Kimberly Reyes
Pathfinder, Lifestyle Curator, Master Networker, Author & Speaker
Founder/Principal 

Helping you design a life connected to your true North

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Women Leaders... This is for You!




Are you creating cheerleaders that are your peers? 

OR

Are you only interested in gathering cheerleaders that are followers?



Kimberly Reyes has created the community where you can have both! You need both to rise! 



It has been in the works for years. It is all done with intention and every tiny detail is planned and deliberate... The beauty is that it is so organic... the community is enveloped in a safe harbor and never know the mechanics that creates the magic. Beautiful to see & experience...



What is the difference?


A community of peers that cheer lead for you know where you are, how you feel & can identify with the journey that you are on. They know how to help you, support you and authentically want to see you succeed. There is no need for competition. This is a community of We's: egos are left at the door. 
Everyone has the opportunity to rise together as one.


Have you create a community of cheerleaders that follow you and support you? 
Bravo! Good Work! You are an Influencer
Now what? 
  • Who do you call when you fell insecure or have a bad day?
  • Who shows up for you when you have had an off the charts day and you want to share your successes?
  • Who has your back & can give you authentic feedback?
  • Who has been on the journey for a while, can share vetted resources, trusted partners and just get's it?
  • Where do you find a community of peers to create deep authentic relationships, people that you can trust and rely on? 
Followers Can't...
  • You can't tell your followers when you are having a bad day. It changes their opinion of you & hurts your brand.
  • You can't brag to your followers.... it leaves a bad taste in their mouths and dilutes your influence.
  • You can't count on your followers to have your back: some will & some won't... but, rarely will you get trusted feedback. People are afraid to be isolated by the influencer.
  • You cannot get consistently trusted referrals for resources from Newbies. They just don't have enough time in the game.
  • Where do you find a community of your peers to create deep authentic relationships, with people that you can trust & rely on???? Kimberly Reyes Energy Summit Community


Without both... It is just all about being a ME...

As we rise… We need both. 
Kimberly Reyes has created a unique community to help provide you with BOTH!

It is impossible to Make and sustain the rise Alone!
We all need the support of community!


is a Safe harbor where Givers come together and are Creating Magic!

This unique community has been a game changer for all involved & the outcome between the connections and collaborations have been exponential!

 At your level... You need to look outside of your community to find your tribe. Kimberly is hand selecting women from across the country and matching them with the "right fit" ... Kimberly Reyes is setting everyone up for Success!

" The strength of Community doesn't need to be
bound by geography...
the strength
of Community
HAS
to be bound by hearts"
~ Kimberly Reyes 



We are all rising Together as One!


You are cordially invited to join Us






In the spirit of being authentic & open... As a leader & Influencer... It's exhausting & lonely to keep it all going without a community of equal peers to have your back. 

My community has my back. We will have your's too... 



aLWAYS WITH THE DEEPEST GRATITUDE....

KIMBERLY rEYES
PATHFINDER, LIFESTYLE CURATOR, MASTER NETWORKER, 
AUTHOR & SPEAKER

Helping you design a life connected to your true North

Saturday, May 10, 2014

Vulnerability & Fear... The Gift.... An Open Letter to the Women in My Life...





Food for thought....
As we convene together in the Kimberly Reyes Lifestyle by Design Community and the Journey continues... 

To truly be vulnerable, open and going the extra mile on that journey takes something BIG and POWERFUL. We are on this journey together... but we all join it from a different place. What is easy for one may be difficult for the other and vice versa. When you are conscious of that, it allows you to receive the other person from where they stand, instead of projecting onto them. You truly gain the ability to see them without judgement.... Just from a place of love.

Why do we stay closed off and have such a difficult time being 
open and vulnerable? 
It's because we are afraid that we will be 
judged and that people will turn their backs on us and leave 
when they see the real us.

publicly offer my letter to her, that may have been private, as food for thought for the entire community. I am speaking for myself now. But, I encourage you all to think about what this means. What it would mean to you and what it looks like to offer it to someone else... to authentically embrace the words and deliver them from your heart. 

I have been gifted this message twice in my life from close friends and probably would have never been able to move into vulnerability and sharing without that security. 
Read the message below to my friend and one of my alliance partners. Is this missing in your life? .... What would it look like to sit and receive 


Dear Friend,

I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU.
As my friend, You are safe. You are INVITED to show up as you are... authentic, vulnerable, open and exposed. The good, the bad and the ugly... cause it's not always pretty for any of us. Once I invite you into my inner circle... and friend... I have... I will not leave you. That is my word to you.
I respect you. I will not judge you. I will keep your words in confidence. It is a true gift of friendship when you allow yourself to be vulnerable, authentic and show your soft underbelly....
You are invited to show up how ever your heart tells you to. You do not need to be afraid....

I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU.

Sent from my heart to yours with love,
Kimberly 



Kimberly Reyes is DETERMINED to change the way that Women Network and Collaborate together! One Woman, One Event, One Network, One Community at a time! If you want a safe place where peers that are hand selected to support you, who are truly creating community to see the other successful, and are all rising to the top together as ONE…Join Us... 

Find Out More...Kimberly Reyes  Lifestyle by Design Energy Summit Community

Kimberly Reyes
Pathfinder, Lifestyle Curator, Master Networker, Author & Speaker
Founder/Principal 

Helping you design a life connected to your true North

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Do you matter in the lives of others? You Matter...








Do you matter in the lives of others? 

Photographer Paul Cockrell has made a difference in mine...


Anyone familiar with my events knows that I honor and appreciate art and artists. You will always find art, wine, cameos, pearls, sailing, water, boating, spas, etc... in everything that I do... The things that speak to my soul... What do I say? "If it doesn't make me happy or feed my soul, I am not doing it anymore!" Art speaks to my soul and evokes an emotional response. I love to share that with others and my design clients know that I introduce original art into each project... either as a purchase or a gift.



Art has played a major role in my life and I don't think that the artist always knows the impact that they create with their work.... All the pieces fell into place when I created and planned my last Energy Summit and had just 3 weeks to pull it together. One piece was that to my surprise, I was invited to hold it in Placerville (my home town that I had only recently visited for the first time in almost 20 years) and I had just started following an amazing photographer that happened to live in Placerville: Paul Cockrell . When I asked him to meet my group, he graciously agreed. 
Little did he know why that mattered so much to me.




How can two people see a small town in such divergent ways and how do they finally come together as one? 

The town that I only pictured in my minds eye in black and white for more than 15 years... Has been brought to life and infused with color... It's charm and character that had been lost in my heart has been pulled forth with the obvious love and care seen through the photographer's lens. Paul has the amazing ability to make cold inanimate objects feel warm and inviting... Not just buildings, but metal and stone. He has gifted me with a shift of how I see my childhood town and enabled me to recall good memories that had long been put away... A trigger of color and warmth where there was none.




The big house on the hill looked pretty from the outside, but the neighbors knew. People in the community saw my family one way, when the reality was askew. We moved to Placerville when I was 6 and I left when I was 19. Thirteen years of hell. You never know what goes on behind closed doors. Once I pulled away, it was physically impossible to go back. I would start to have panic attacks as soon as I would start the ascent up the foothills... Many miles away...  That was my reality and I just stayed away, blocking it from my thoughts.

A Facebook page and reconnecting with some wonderful souls from high school made me take another look. Opened my eyes and mind to the possibilities of even thinking about that town again, the time spent and experiences had...

More tools to shift my paradigm from one extreme to right of center... Would be the art that Paul unknowingly offers...



Bringing back the wondrous memories of a child growing up in a small town... 

Good friends, slumber parties... long bus rides and time to chat...

Sitting with anticipation on the curb near the Bell Tower... eating warm peanuts, watching down the street, enjoying the parade and keeping an eye out for the horses pulling the wagon trains... Flashy saloon girl costumes with stockings and heals... carts with goodies for sale... and the county fair that would follow the parade...





Exploring for hours the fields, meadows and forests... Large boulders partially buried in the ground,
worn out places in the rocks where the Indians had ground egg corns... Surrounded by majestic oak
trees that spurred on the imagination of a child and the life of the women grinding food for their families... the children that played in the creeks, valleys and streams...

Summers spent rafting down the American River, wading in looking for tadpoles, panning for gold...


Chasing cows that had gotten out, horses that needed a saddle, baby goats that needed to be bottle fed... or gathering the eggs that the chickens had laid. The various babies that lived in a play pen and needed their noses wiped and bellies full. Bunnies that multiplied... lessons learned... Animals of all sorts passed through and needed care.

The higher mountains with the smell of pine. The feel and smell of the damp forest floor and the crunch under foot... The hidden swimming holes and ponds for fishing...

Climbing trees... So many trees...

The hours, days and years of exploring unattended and the beauty that was hidden away in my heart.



Paul Cockrell is following his passion. An engineer by trade. His art speaks to his sole and it shows in his work... It spoke to my soul. Thank you to Paul and check out more of his spectacular work. I am a fan. I am a Big Fan and I hope that you will be too.

You can find his work in person at Gold Country Artists Gallery on Main Street in Placerville. 

You do matter. Just like Paul, who never knew the impact that his photography had on me... I am POSITIVE that you too move through the lives of others... touching, impacting and influencing those around you. What are you gifts? I ask my consulting clients to sit and make a daily gratitude journal. Not your ordinary gratitude journal... But, start paying attention to your day. Start noting the things that you do throughout your day that you do to be of value. What makes you special? What makes you... You? I think that you will be surprised and that you will begin to see yourself differently.

You Matter! I promise that you are making a difference in the world and touching others more than you could ever imagine. 
I honor You. I appreciate You. You Matter!

Go out and tell someone else today that they matter and share why they matter to you. The biggest gifts in my life have been from strangers. That is changing and evolving now. But, it has made a huge difference in my life. You can make that difference in the life of someone too! Do it big and let someone other than those in your inner circle know that they matter... and why. That is a precious gift that you can give.

I invite you to come back and share your experience... or go onto my facebook page ( don't forget to like it while you are there) and share in the post thread... Your story too, can change someone's day today.

With Gratitude,

Kimberly Reyes
Lifestyle Curator, Master Networker, Author & Speaker
Founder/Principal 

Kimberly Reyes Lifestyle by DesignDesigning a life with grace and ease