What An Amazing Ride! xoxo

I am sitting in my home in the quiet morning hours trying to find the right words to express how I feel.  Tears are streaming down my face as I think of the past 12 years with my Tiny Touches business. Tiny Touches has been a part of me for so long. For a long time I never really saw myself doing anything else. But just like many things in life....there is a time and a season. It was time for me to move on. It is so very bittersweet.  

It is very surreal to say that I have sold Tiny Touches. I am officially handing the torch to someone new, someone who will love and take care of my customers as I have, but in her own way. (name and info to come)

 Over the course of the next few weeks I will be creating my final baby impressions, finishing orders....and then boxing up and moving out my business. Wow. It is really happening.

The impact Tiny Touches has had on my life is more than I can even articulate right now. I have grown and learned so much. I have made friendships. I have laughed and cried with customers. I have been present at the beginning of life and even present at the end of life for some of my little angel babies, creating little keepsakes. I look at each experience I have had as cherished memories and those memories and experiences will continue to impact my life forever. I take each lesson with me, they are forever a part of me.

It is time for me to stretch my wings again and find more ways to grow, more ways to serve and more ways to love. 

There will be more to come from me. But for now this is a goodbye to a love in my life. Goodbyes are hard, but thankfully I know good things are in store. What an amazing ride I have had making impressions. I love you, really I do. From the bottom of my heart...thank you for the memories.

Lessons Often Come in Threes

It is funny how lessons come in threes. Today’s post follows suit with the last two on my blog. I am really trying to be open to the lessons that cross my path. Todays, is just too wonderful not to share.

This morning I was lying in bed, seriously contimplating just stay in bed for as long as I possible can. It’s Friday. I am feeling lazy. I am so cozy. I am snuggled just perfectly in my covers.....AND IT IS RAINING!!! I love the rain. I love to be in bed when it is raining. Awwwww, perfection.

I had my iphone near me, as I do each and every day. Checking what is going on in the world around me. It often replaces my books, I am finding, as I read blogs and view videos regularly from my phone. Weird. 

Anyway......this morning Marie Forleo (my business mentor) had posted a link, on facebook, to a video and said it would be worth my time to watch and so since I was so comfortably lying in bed getting ready to just do a lot of coziness things....I decided to watch.  10 minutes later and with about 3 tissues full of tears next to my pillow I jump out of bed ready to embrace this day.

The lessons in this video are many. Watch. Enjoy. And once again, go do that thing you have been wanting to do and know that if you are doing it because you love it.....everything will turn out just as it is supposed to.

My heart is very full today. I am thankful for lessons, people, books, messages, life and loved ones, that teach me each day how to be a bit better than the day before.

Enjoy this gift of a day!

Much love,

~Amy

Are you an entrepreneur? What are you waiting for?

How do you know you are ready to be an entrepreneur? Do you have a little fire burning and you keep pushing it away? When is the perfect time? When will you have all the money to get started? When will you have the knowledge it takes? When will you have the skill and ability? What if you fail? What if you succeed? When will you have all the answers?

NEVER! There.....now you can begin. :)

It is so funny......I am seriously the queen of questions. No, really I am!!! I have to answer these questions myself as I being a few new entrepreneur endeavors I am working on. I am starting a new business and all the scary feelings I had when I started Tiny Touches are looming over my head now. Only good has come from Tiny Touches and so why do I question my ability to start something else? I don’t know!!! LOL Fear I guess, it always seems to get in the way....

I look at starting a few business much like starting ANYTHING big. How about collage, getting married, having babies, etc? Are you really ever ready for ANY of that? Do you ever really feel like you have ALL the information you need? Don’t you start each one of those chapters in your life and think....what the hell did I just get myself into.....I am in way over my head? 

I just watched this video I found on youtube and I want to share it with you. I LOVE THIS!!! Maybe a little too much. It think I have watched it about 22 times now and I just discovered it yesterday. BUT in my defense, you kind of have to watch it several times to let each brilliant piece sink in. Watch it and love it! And then do that thing you have been wanting to do.

Big ol’ hugs to you today! 

~ Amy

Just BE You!

The past several years in my life have brought huge changes for me. Some happy and some sad. BUT what I love the best about this journey of mine is that with each passing day I am learning so much about myself. I am learning to just BE and to not try to BE anything other than who I am.

So, on this beautiful Spring day, although it feels like summer here in Cali (where I am spending my Spring Break), I share with you a self scribed message in the sand. Remember to be true to who you are and never try to be something for anyone else. Our time in this life is precious ~ so spend it wisely and spend it creating all the fun in your life that you want.

I am thankful our lives have crossed and I hope they keep crisscrossing!

Much love,

~Amy

The world is a beautiful place....are you contributing?

What are you doing today to make the world a better place? Are you snuggling your baby a bit longer than normal? Are you sitting down with your 3 year old to play cars (and leaving your phone across the room) ;) ? Have you smiled at a stranger? Picking up a piece of trash up off the ground "just because"? Forgiving yourself for that something that looms over your head? Forgiving someone in your life that you need to forgive? Singing a song loud and proud as you drive down the street, just to be enjoying the moment and releasing positive energy into the universe?

I find that when I think about the question "how am I making this world a better place?" ..... I often think I have to do something BIG....like move mountains. :) You know what I mean, right? I think I am starting to realize at the ripe old age of 42 that to make the world a better place starts with the little things.  Now, some of what I mentioned above is not necessarily small.....like forgiving yourself or another person....those can be huge things. If you are not ready for the big stuff....start small.

How about dropping little pieces of kindness behind you instead of bread crumbs, like Hansel and Gretel, the world will instantly be a better place if we all do this. Take the few extra seconds to open a door for someone or take a deep breath and not get mad at your loved one, make eye contact with the checker at the grocery store and really ask how he/she is doing. I think sometimes we get so busy with just trying to get through the day that we do not stop to enjoy the little interactions we can have with our fellow human beings.

I am trying to slow down and just be. I am trying to not think of my weeks and months as time to check off and just get to the weekend or to a big trip. If we are not enjoying our days, we need to change something. So, if sprinkling around kindness helps you enjoy your days, just start. Start small and work your way up to the big things.

To quote a distant Kentuckian cousin of mine....."themens" (those are) my thoughts.

Now.....go and enjoy this beautiful day and so something to make this world a more beautiful place. :)

Much love,

~Amy

Take the First Step

Why is it that getting started, with any project, can seem so ginormous?

I am one of those people who has a history of over thinking things WAAAAAY too much. I have been this way my whole life. I debate, weigh out the options, debate, talk to trusted friends, worry, decide, then change my mind..... and on and on. I over analyze, over worry, over everything, just to put off what needs to be done. If I am "carefully considering" a certain situation I am not really having to commit to it. 


Now, that is not to say that many decisions we make need a bit more time to consider than others. But putting off the inevitable is just delaying what needs to be done.........making a DECISION and choosing a course of action.


Now this may seem funny to those of you who do not suffer from SLOW DECISION MAKING DISORDER (a term I just thought about and quickly decided to create. LOL) Yay me! See I am getting quicker. 


But ever since I was a little girl I have struggled with decision making. When I was about 8 my mom took my sister and me shoe shopping. My sister walked right into the store and picked out a pair of sandles within a few minutes. Me on the other hand,  took an hour to properly decide what would be the perfect pair of sandles for me. I have no idea how my mom had the patience to let me take so long. But needless to say I did finally decide. 


So this past year or so I have been just deciding and going with my decision. Not over thinking things. And guess what?! It is getting easier. Who knew one could actually practice making decisions?


So, if you are anything like me, I challenge you to take the first step. Make that decision you have been putting off and go with it. Actually making a decision takes away the stress that builds up as you are trying to make the decision. Seems so simple, but it is true. 


Now, I am not perfect and this is something I will continue to practice....but I can tell you that things are getting better for me. Besides not being as stressed about stuff, I actually feel more productive because instead of wasting time pondering and over analyzing, I am actually DOING. 


I think about when I started my Tiny Touches business there were SO MANY decisions that needed to be made. But looking back, I did it. I just kept going. One thing at a time and low and behold everything that needed to happen happened. Running my business has helped me in my "slow decision making disorder".  When running a business, if you sit back and think too long, business will just fly by and not wait for you. Tiny Touches has helped me in so many ways. It is funny when you take on a big challenge you don't always know the lessons you will learn. I got in to this business to help make some money for my family. But I think one of the best parts about Tiny Touches has been the personal growth that has come from it and that is something I could not have foreseen. 


When I let my thoughts get in the way of this philosophy I get all stressed and overwhelmed. But when I just take action and actually do something, working towards my goal, things seem to go so much more smoothly.


Apply this philosophy to everything you do. And just so you know I am talking to myself here.........I do have to remind myself of this advice all the time. I am not perfect at it, but I am taking it one step at a time.    


Much Love,
~Amy

My Little Hand and Footprint Empire......

Oh boy! I have butterflies in my tummy today. It is the day of my big announcement with Tiny Touches. After a lot of thought and tender loving care I have decided to sell my little local Hand and Foot Impressions business. Many reasons have brought me to this point, but I will start with the letter that is going out to my customers......

Hello, dear ones . . .

I'm nestled in your inbox today with an exhilarating — and bittersweet — announcement.

I'll set the tone with a little Tom Petty:

It's time to move on, time to get going.

What lies ahead, I have no way of knowing.

But under my feet, baby, grass is growing.

It's time to move on, it's time to get going.

Tom says it so well. And now, I'll say it my way: I've decided to sell TinyTouches.  I am looking for the perfect person who'll pick up the business & carry it forward, with love. The details are still in flux, but I expect to have everything finalized by the end of summer 2012......or sooner if the perfect person arrises! Till then, I'm still in full swing — and I'd love to see you & your little ones at my home studio, as often as you like.

If that certain person is YOU - or someone you know - we should talk. Please call me, email me, or text me, any time. I really am looking for the perfect person ready to invest and carry on the love of this wonderful business.

This business transition reflects a big step in my entrepreneurial evolution. I'm rising into a new role as a teacher & trainer for aspiring home-preneurs. The training program of my business is going so well that I am going to focus on helping others build a successful business of their own.

Thank you for supporting Tiny Touches all these years — I promise to leave my little empire in tender & capable hands. And I hope to see you & your family in my studio, through the summer & fall . . . right through to the final farewell.

With love,

Amy

There it is.....I am teary and excited and nervous and ready. Crossroads are always a time for pause and reflection. I have given this decision much thought, tender consideration, and energy. It is time for me to move forward and I am looking onward and upward. 

To you, the perfect person, who is waiting for your answer to your prayer....I have just the right idea. Let's talk. There is much to do and I can't wait to get you started. :)

Much Love,

~Amy