Dear Friends,
We first decided to live what we love over thirty years ago. We were frustrated and discouraged with our jobs and the amount of red tape required to work for state operated social service agencies. We also hated going our separate ways each morning. After careful consideration, we decided that the solution to both problems was to work for ourselves, and we opened a store selling kitchen supplies. That allowed us to do something we were passionate about and, at the same time, spend more time together. For us, that was the perfect answer. Over the years, and through the creation of eight businesses – some little, some big, from toys to cookware to ski racing – we strove to identify what brought us happiness and always built our success by following our hearts.
One of our more pivotal changes came while on vacation in Barbados with our son, Jesse. The three of us were walking on the beach in search of lunch, and came across a man sitting under an umbrella with his feet up on a cooler and a lunch menu written on a blackboard sign. We ordered three burgers and drinks. He handed us the drinks, three raw hamburgers, and a pair of tongs, pointing to an oil drum that had been turned into a charcoal grill. That’s when it dawned on us that we had spent forty-two dollars for food that couldn’t have cost our vendor more than five. And we had to cook it ourselves!
We might have been annoyed had we not admired him so much. Why did we admire him? Because this man’s ability to look at life a bit differently and create his own model for how to earn a living inspired us. He introduced to us a freedom that we’d never imagined possible. Years later, inspired by that lunch on the beach, we moved to Anguilla to open Blanchards Restaurant.
We’ve captured our stories in two of our books: A Trip to the Beach and Live What You Love: Notes from an Unusual Life. Our newest book, Changing Your Course: The 5-Step Guide to Getting the Life You Want, is the first in the Live What You Love series and it’s filled with practical tools and inspiring advice guaranteed to help you live the passionate and fulfilling life you’ve always dreamed of. The next book in the series, Working for Yourself, will be published in fall, 2008.
Now, we’re spreading the Live What Your Love message through the launch of this Web site and this is completely new territory for us. At our first Web site design meeting – in a room filled with twenty-something techies – Bob’s head was the only blip of white around the table. The terms tossed around the room sounded like a foreign language to us: Web 2.0, RSS Feeds, User Controls, Collective Intelligence, Blogging, Podcasts .… Could we do this? Did we understand? We weren’t so sure, but we were excited.
We’re still learning about blogs and Web sites and our hope is that you’ll contribute your thoughts as well. To us, living what you love is very much about meeting new people and sharing experiences. Life is about relationships and we love that this technology allows us to meet people from across the globe that we’d never have an opportunity to meet any other way.
Please join us! Comment on our postings. Share your stories, life experiences, successes, obstacles, and whatever else comes to mind. Explore the ideas in our books and our 5-step D.R.E.A.M. program. Help us spread the spirit and encourage everyone to live what they love.
8 Comments
Your book, Live What You Love, popped off the shelf and into my hands yesterday. I am only on the first chapter, but I can already tell it is going to be a great experience for me.
Living all over the world and doing so many things in my short life, I too have lived what I love. But being back in the States two years now, I can feel myself falling back into the box that so many Americans never venture out of.
I am looking forward to the rest of your book and learning about your experiences with the website.
Cheers,
Ron
Ron, we are thrilled to hear that you understand first-hand what it means to live what you love. It sounds like your journey - both literally and figuratively - has been amazing. And don’t worry, you’re not alone. We believe in the importance of living a passionate life deep in our souls, but outside forces and circumstances can temporarily steer us in the wrong direction. The trick is to pay attention. Every time we feel like some part of our life needs adjustment - whether large or small - we give ourselves time to think about it. That’s the first step, don’t you think?
I’m enjoying every minute of Trip to the Beach. I love to read travel memoirs, and yours is no exception. What I find intriguing though is how you so eloquently capture the island life. I’ve never stayed on a secluded island, but now I feel like I have! Thank you for sharing your life with your readers!
God bless you!
Donna, thanks so much for your kind words. Anguilla is indeed a very special place and we are honored to be able to share it with you.
I just finished your book “Trip to the Beach”and throughly enjoyed the relationship you developed with your staff. You gave a portrayal of what true friendship should be like and I was amazed at your ability to so quickly establish a relationship with the person true soul. When I looked up your restaurant on the web, I was amazed that most of the original staff is still together. It must truly be a family experience that you have built. I hope to visit your restaurant some day, but for now thank-you for allowing me to live a dream through your writing..
Jim
Thank you for your wonderful book . your book will be help lots of readers who has a dream in their life. great job . DONT STOP TO SHARE YOUR STORY WITH US .
Reading this blog reminds me of a customer of mine a while back. She had left a not so great job at a car dealership to go to cosmetology school after reading the book “Who Moved My Cheese?” A year after graduating, she was miserably unhappy in her chosen profession. She had no clients. She had no money. She was contemplating going back to the dealership (if they would have her back). And she told me how she hated that stupid book because it was made her think about changing her profession. She said she didn’t even really like doing hair but it was easier than going to college.
Ironically, I had just finished reading “A Trip to the Beach” and was in the middle of my own yearning for change. I went out to the car and got the book and handed it to her - telling her how it had changed my outlook. She took one look through it, handed it back to me and said “That has NOTHING to do with me. I don’t want to move to an island. I don’t like cooking. The last thing I need is another book to screw up my life even more.” Three months later, she was at the same dealership complaining about the same old things.
It always amazes me. People think they want change. But it isn’t about a change in latitude, it’s about a change in attitude (Thank you Jimmy Buffett for the wisdom!)and it doesn’t matter where you go, if you aren’t ready to live with passion for something you do or be willing to work through the hard stuff to get there, then it really is just another trap.
Thank you both. I have just finished “A Trip to the Beach” - a book I found after looking up books on moving, working, and sailing in the Caribbean.
Two years ago I changed practically everything in my life and am gearing up for another massive change in another couple of years. It is time to live and pursue my dreams - no matter how big they may be. It’s wonderful to find friends that can encourage you and inspire you - even if it is in the pages of a book. I cannot wait to come to Anguilla one day and give the both of you a tremendous hug and thank you personally for what you have given me.
I also am impatient for your other books to arrive at my doorstep (ordered yesterday!) - I’m looking forward to pouring through them and continuing my journey alongside yours.
Wishing you the best of everything…
Michelle.