LADIES – ARE YOU READY TO LIVE YOUR MOST AWESOME LIFE?

ARE YOU READY TO EMBRACE YOUR GOALS AND DREAMS?

WE’VE GOT THE PLAN TO GET YOU THERE!

 September 20^th, 2013

Make It Happen Women’s Conference

DePaul University, Naperville, IL Campus

8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

 The Make It Happen Women’s Conference, presented by professional speaker and purseologist, Deb DiSandro, and author and business success coach, Marla Tabaka, is a day to renew your mind, redefine your goals and leave with a plan in hand.

Whether it’s career advancement, strengthening personal relationships, or improving your overall health and well-being, the techniques and tools in this program are designed to help you overcome the fears and doubts that may be holding you back  so that you can achieve the success you’ve always imagined.

Get ready to make your personal and professional dreams a reality!

Register today at www.makeithappenlive.com and get two tickets for the price of one!

For more information, call and talk to Deb – 815-954-5817

For those of you who have a dream to write and publish a book, this is the first in a series of writers I’ve coached who have achieved  just that. May their dream realized inspire your dream!

Lisa was a shy kid, so shy in fact that she was bullied in school, which only magnified her shyness and insecurity.  At some point Lisa’s shyness became a disorder called, Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD). Every day she battled the inner demons that threatened to engulf her life. But she was determined to heal and also share her story of healing and hope with others. All of that came to fruition and culminated in the publishing of her book, Releasing the Secret Pain: Moving Beyond Social Anxiety Disorder, 2012 (available on www.amazon.com or www.Barnesandnoble.com or on Lisa’s website at https://www.releasingsocialanxiety.com/ )

Just like the confidence she exudes, no one can see the years of struggle, sweat and tears that Lisa put into her book and new-found freedom from SAD. Lisa chose my one-on-one coaching program and felt it gave her the consistency and motivation she needed to stay focused. It took  some major revisions before she decided on the part memoir, part self-help final format.

Lisa said, The most difficult times were the times when I thought the book was 100% completed!   Then I’d get some feedback that would mean a significant re-write.  The initial emotion when I received the feedback was denial (that the book was good as is!), then sadness (when I realized the person giving me the feedback was probably right), then acceptance (that I was, in fact, going to re-write the book again).  I re-wrote the book completely, four times, and two of the times were based on feedback.  The feedback received after version three was done was especially hard because up to that point, I had put the most energy and time into version three.  But, once I finished crying about it, I put a new lens on and saw that I could produce an even better book.

In addition to her willingness to revise, there were two other factors that contributed to Lisa’s success. Her positive attitude and her desire to help others. Whenever we spoke, Lisa remained upbeat and honestly believed that she would one day finish her manuscript. That could be because she had a higher purpose for her book. Lisa always said her main reason for writing Releasing the Secret Pain was to raise awareness of social anxiety disorder.  She said, For all those suffering, I wanted them to see that they are not alone and that there is hope for a better life. Lisa is currently presenting for school districts and support groups.

If you’re ready to write that book, contact Deb for support! deb@slightlyoff.com

When I became a mom, I wanted to be like June Cleaver, but most days I was more like Joan Crawford.  When my first child was born I called the White House and announced, “A future president has arrived!” But with each kid you  learn to lower your expectations.  When my third child was born, I called Dominoes and ordered a pizza!

Dear Moms, forget perfect today.  Forget all of the crazy, unrealistic expectations you had for yourself and your children and embrace your Slightly Off side.  Let everyone be Slightly Off today- your kids, your husband, your mother-in-law, your mom.  Balance is a myth.  The perfect mom is a myth. Have a Happy Mother’s Day!

I spent the last week in Wisconsin teaching and speaking with writers about their goals and dreams. It was an exhilarating week of learning and growing on both sides of the desk and podium.  And as always I experienced some Slightly Off moments.  The first has to do with a jacket I brought along to help me look “professional” – at least more professional than my regular work outfit which consists of sweatpants and pink pig slippers. 

While I was away I also turned a year older and there is no way around it, I am now firmly planted in my 50’s. The combination of the jacket and the birthday hit me hard, one day, when I looked in the hotel mirror and saw this exhausted, but happy vision in black and white staring back at me.

My jacket sported big, bold, black and white zebra stripes.  I stood there staring at myself then turned to my husband and asked, “Does this make me look 50?!”

Unfortunately, my husband was back at home and couldn’t hear me from 200 miles away.  And I wasn’t about to blow my professional cover and ask my class of writers who seemed to find me rather astute or at least interesting.  So I wore the jacket to class and onto my speaking engagement the next day. 

Everywhere I went at least one or two ladies would look at me with envy and say, “I love your jacket!” However, these women were not in their 50’s; they appeared to be lovely ladies on the blush of 70.

So, now I’m asking, “Does a bold animal print jacket say 50+?!”
Maybe it depends on the woman, but I have a feeling my jacket is going to the back of the closet for another decade or two.

It’s easy to put your dreams up on a shelf for “some”day, but Charles Denton, age 89, took it down, dusted it off and discovered that dreams don’t have expiration dates!

Last October, I was critiquing manuscripts for an author fair and Charles shuffled in with a binder of hand-written poetry under his arm. In a short time, I not only fell in love with his work, but with Charles himself. Soon I was typing and submitting poems for publication and meeting with Charles on a weekly basis.

After a few rejections from poetry journals, I asked Charles if he would like to self-publish. I’m glad he agreed. His poetry is meant to be shared and preserved. Crossing Purposes is now available and can be purchased and shipped for $15 (e-mail deb@sligtlyoff.com to order copies.).
Reviews –
“Charles Denton writes from the heart. He is a close observer, whose poems mirror the wondrous complexities of existence. Richly tempered and finely textured, they take us not to a distant place or time, but to a finer inner self.” – John Lehman, founder Rosebud Magazine http://www.rsbd.net/ and poetry editor.

“A thought provoking and rich collection of poetry with just a hint of southern charm. Mr. Denton inspires you to reflect on the profound relationships in nature, and in your own life.” – Deb DiSandro, author and writing instructor

Charles is an inspiration to us all and his poem, Dream Reaching, may just be the motivation you need to pull your own dream off the shelf.

Dream Reaching
by Charles Denton
How far is one’s spirit cast down
Beyond his reach, seemingly
Beyond his effort to endure
For a time perhaps
But not beyond his dream
For the dream is like a cleft
Where fingers grip
And each vision reaffirmed
An uplifting niche
On a gaping chasm wall
Where the sands of misadventure
Sift in choking dust
And the rocks of failure
Pelt heavily the upturned face
So that the being entire cries out
To bow the head and hunch the shoulders
In beaten retreat
But the drawing dream
Will not accede
And one has but to grip it
With the eye
And not set it loose
For there is no depth
Greater than the sight
Of a dream embraced

You’re all invited to Charles Denton’s Book Signing!
For those local to Chicago, please join us:
Sunday, July 19th 1-4 p.m.
Driscoll’s Pub (815-436-0992)
201 Vertin Blvd., Shorewood, IL 60404
(No reservations required. Drop me an e-mail if you plan to stop by)
deb@slightlyoff.com