We now have almost 50 sales reps selling our inspirational cards, journals and notepads to stores around the country. That may sound like a lot but we have a long way to go. From what we can see, small business people are still struggling as much as they were last year. It seems like whatever improvements in the economy we hear about on the news haven’t really hit Main Street yet. Thankfully, our products are reasonably priced and carry positive messages of hope and encouragement so we’re off to a good start. (People need encouragement more than ever these days.) We get requests from many of you for stores in your home town that carry our products but as we said, we still have a long way to go. One step at a time. If you know any stores that would like to carry our line, please let us know. (And if they place an order, we’ll send you an assortment of free products as a thank-you gift.) One step at a time – with the help of our friends.

Blanchards Restaurant is thriving, despite the economy. The number of tourists visiting the island is still way down from past years but we’re doing well. Our staff is as energetic as ever and truly love what they do. Last week we had a private party and it was a blast. We set up a bar on the beach and everyone watched the sunset over Meads Bay while sipping rum punch and nibbling crispy grilled shrimp drizzled with a soy-sesame sauce. It was one of those perfect nigts we’ll all remember forever.

Lots of hard work and plenty of patience pays off in the end. If there’s something you’d like to do, the first step is to believe in yourself. You really can do it! We never thought we’d be able to have two businesses at the same time but here we are, figuring things out as we go along. Take one step at a time and don’t expect everything to go smoothly. Just face each obstacle head on and make the choices that take you where you want to go.

Good luck and keep in touch!

Now that we commute between Florida and Anguilla, we’re very aware that it takes a little extra effort to connect with nature when you live in the suburbs. Sure, there are beautiful tree-lined streets and green backyards but that isn’t always enough.

What does nature have to do with living what you love, you might ask. To us, the answer is clear. When you spend time in a natural environment, something truly magical happens. Mother Nature soothes your spirit, sharpens your senses and in turn, inspires you to focus your thinking.

As soon as we arrived at our new home in suburban Florida, we felt an immediate need to locate nearby walking paths, streams, gardens and parks. To our delight, we’ve discovered new places to visit every week: Japanese gardens, boardwalks through the Everglades, nature trails, deserted beaches with only a few fishermen, botanical gardens, quiet ponds and lakes, farms, and bird sanctuaries.

If you need a shot of energy and inspiration, we urge you to spend some time outdoors. Even just a short time in a natural environment can have a positive impact on your well-being.

For those of you who have asked for more information about the boxes themselves, that’s easy. We have 21 designs in a variety of sizes and colors. They’re all made in the U.S.A. using recycled paper. But the best part, as many of you have pointed out in your e-mails, is that each box has a secret Live What You Love message inside. So once you’ve filled your boxes with whatever gift you’re giving – cookies, soaps, exotic teas, holiday ornaments, candy or whatever suits your fancy – not only is there no wasteful, disposable packaging, but there’s an extra hidden gift that remains true long after the box has been emptied.

Again, thanks to all of you who have fallen in love with our Little Boxes. We truly appreciate your enthusiasm!

People use all kinds of excuses for not making a change, and most people list fear and lack of money as their biggest obstacles–but it’s a lack of information that usually turns out to be the culprit. Ignorance isn’t bliss, it’s scary. Since it takes no money to research your options, why not spend a little time coming up with a list of choices that will help bring you closer to solving your problem?

Take a piece of paper and describe your problem in a single sentence at the top of the page. Then list as many solutions as possible, even if some of them seem far-fetched or out of reach. Don’t let yourself reject any solutions at this point. It’s impossible to know which one will be right for you until you weigh the pros and cons of each and every opportunity. Here’s an example:

PROBLEM: I need to get into better physical condition.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS:

Join a gym.

Buy a treadmill.

Attend an excercise class.

Sign up for a dance class.

Walk every day.

Jog every day.

Swim every day.

Ride my bicycle every day.

Go on a diet.

Join a sports team.

Eat more healthful food.

Consider all of your options and be as open-minded as possible. In order to successfully solve any problem, you’ve got to get a handle on the various solutions before moving forward.

As children, we both tried to color between the lines. That’s what was expected and we always wanted to do what was right. When we were in college, working for ourselves was the last thing on our minds. It never even occurred to us that having our own business was something we should consider. But somewhere along the way, we wondered who actually wrote all of these rules? Who passed the law about coloring within the lines? And who decided that we should follow a traditional career path?

We stopped playing by the rules – or at least what we thought were the rules – when we finally realized that our life belongs to us and us alone. When other people advised us to follow a traditional career path rather than start our own business, we listened but moved on, trusting our instincts and taking a series of calculated risks. Advice is generally well intentioned but not always useful. One piece of advice we were given was that we were too young to get married. Thirty-five years later, we’re still happy with our life together and more than a few of our early advisors have been separated or divorced more than once. So much for living life the way other people think it should be lived.

What we’ve learned, and what we know deep in our souls, is that although fear is a powerful force, it’s critical to keep whatever we’re worried about in perspective. The best way we know how to approach fear when making a change is to understand – and be very aware – that it’s impossible to prepare in advance for everything that might happen to us down the road. It’s true that some level of risk comes with any change.  But when we worry so much about every potential problem that might arise and therefore, we never make a move, it’s time to take control.

If you’re in a position of wanting to make a change but you have a long list of “what ifs” that’s keeping you from moving forward, it’s time to change your relationship with fear. You will absolutely not be able to predict what obstacles may or may not lie ahead, so you may as well stop worrying about them now. Stop focusing on what can go wrong and start thinking about the positive affects of making a change.

Take one step – and one day – at a time. When you hit a bump in the road, you’ll find a way to deal with it. You may even take a detour and end up going in a different direction than originally planned. That’s okay. It’s actually more than okay. That’s life. Truthfully, we’ve found that those detours are usually the best part of the journey.