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Archives for September 2011

99-years-old and still upbeat

September 29, 2011 by Sonia Marsh

 

As many of you know, I seek out “Gutsy” people and when Posie showed up, I couldn’t resist.

Posie is a clown, but not your ordinary clown. She’s a 99-year-old clown.  (More photos of Posie )

Her real name is Marie Kellogg, and guess what? She’s a world traveler, scuba diver, business entrepreneur and wisdom giver.

When people interview Posie she says, “You’re here because I’m a clown, right? Or do you just want to know the secret of a long life? Well, I’ll tell you both. There’s no secret. “Have fun and keep breathing.”

The problem Posie has these days is her hearing, and with one hearing aid in each ear Posie is concerned. “You’ve got to be able to hear,” she says, “especially with little kids. A clown has to talk to her people.”

When asked about travel, Posie says something truly inspiring:

  • People think they can be too old to travel.
  • I’ve got the time to do it.
  • I’ve gone by myself, with friends and in groups.
  • You experience life better when you go.

What a brilliant piece of advice from Posie. I believe travel benefits the mind, and that seeing other places and experiencing new cultures helps you get out of your comfort zone. As you can hear in my podcast with Robert MacPhee, travel makes it easier to take risks and overcome your fears.

Posie visited Africa two years ago and says:

“When you see how little people really need, all the stuff you want doesn’t make sense anymore.”

Once again, Posie and I are in agreement. Living in a third world country is the best way to learn the difference between wants and needs.

Not only does Posie have eight passports, each a reminder of her travels from London to Australia, but she’s also planned a cruise to Hawaii in March, 2012. I love the fact that Posie is looking for a date, and find it interesting how people’s expectations change with time.

“If you know a 90-year-old man, let me know. But he has to be able to walk, and it would be nice if he could still drive.”

Here’s what Posie had to say about her first time para-sailing a few years ago:

“Oh, you don’t do nothing except stand there and let them hook you up.”

Then she discovered scuba diving.

“I was in the water with Cousteau. Not Jacques but his son. I was in seventh heaven looking all around.”

Posie or perhaps I should call her by her real name, Marie Kellogg, was born in 1912 in Kansas.

Life hasn’t always been easy for her. She married a widower with four children when she was 24, and raised his children. She always wanted her own children but tried for sixteen and a half years, and never conceived.

She worked hard in a man’s job in those days, running a gas station.

“I sold more fan belts than anybody,” she says. “In those days, women weren’t supposed to work, and my husband said he wouldn’t trust a woman to do a lube job anyway.”

Her husband died of pancreatic cancer when Kellogg was only 40.  She had very little money and no income, so she moved back with her siblings and disabled mother in Kansas City.  But Kellogg was a sharp business woman and started small. She bought her first apartment, then the one above and below her. Then she bought a fixer upper house.

“I have enough money. It’s not everything, believe me.”

Her real joy in life is to dress up and perform as a clown.  Although she no longer performs as a clown, her main reason is make-up:

“It kept drifting into my face cracks and, well, I looked scary…You know, noses never wrinkle?”

But as a clown, Posie is ageless, although she states:

“I hope to hell I don’t live to be 107. My doctor says I’m depressed. But I’m realistic. I’ve lived a fun life with good times, and why would I want to stick around for the bad part?”

Photo credit and the entire article linked here:

“What’s so funny about turning 99? Ask Posie the clown. “

Please share with someone in your life who needs uplifting. Do you know any “Gutsy” people you’d like me to interview?

Please contact me.

 

“How to get out of your comfort zone” podcast

September 26, 2011 by Sonia Marsh

 

Last week I asked Robert MacPhee all the questions I received from you on my blog and via e-mail. Here in my very first podcast interview (44 minutes long) and your chance to listen to Robert’s answers. I have outlined the order in which I asked the questions below. Please contact Robert directly if you wish to purchase his book, Manifesting for Non-Gurus: How to Quickly & Easily Attract Lasting Results, and the companion journal. Robert is very helpful, if you have other questions for him. (Please click link below to listen to podcast.)

PODCAST WITH ROBERT MACPHEE 9-22-11

  • Not getting the results I want: Why? Q: Over the years I have been told that to manifest something one has to be pure of heart as well as intentioned, however, I have noticed that I have had clear intentions which have manifested nothing or not what I desired, and other times with unclear intentions manifest things better than expected. What is going on there?
  • Procrastination and self-sabotage. Q: My comfort zone is impeding me from going ahead with a lot of seemingly easy things that would not stop someone like you. By now, after 18 years and 4 finished books, I should have published much more than I have yet I constantly self-sabotage my chances. Lots of people have encouraged me, but I procrastinate, make excuses to myself and others, and put up obstacles in my own path. It’s as if I’m expecting, by some stroke of fortune, that this will all just happen. My question might be: Why do I constantly self-sabotage myself from making any real effort to be published?
  •  How not to fall back into old habits and choices. Q: I’m in the process of recreating a new life for myself after a divorce and want to know how I can avoid falling into the trap of doing things that are familiar and comfortable that will take me back to my old life. For example, I’m dating a guy that has the same 4-5 characteristics of my ex-husband and I don’t want to go there again.
  • Divorce, Loss of Spouse, Feeling stuck. Q: My friend Tina lost her husband three years ago. They lived in Panama and she was forced to come back to the U.S. to live with her dad in Colorado for financial reasons. She’s in her 50’s and her dad wants her to move out by December and get a job.
  • Travel and your comfort zone. Q: What effect do you think travel has on a person to get out of their comfort zone and change?
  • Fear and how to overcome it. Q: As I have gotten older I have developed an intense fear that sometimes cripples me. Some days are ok and some days I can’t do anything. It comes over me like a panic attack. I know this fear is keeping me from doing things. For example, I would love to teach at a college but I am afraid to stand up in front of a group. How do I stop this “fear”? I have become fearful of the fear! I know it’s irrational and silly but I can’t shake it. I have even thought of acupuncture or hypnosis. It is stopping me from being gutsy.

 I hope your questions were answered. Please share if you have a friend who might be going through a similar problem and needs to get out of their “comfort zone.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

How women need to speak to men to get results.

September 22, 2011 by Sonia Marsh

 

If  I told you that most women don’t speak the language that men understand and get upset when their needs aren’t being met, would you agree?

As the only female in my family (expect for my dog) I did not realize how much more effective my communication skills with three sons and husband could have been if I had learned how to speak, “Men-glish.” No, this is not a joke, I’m serious. I could have had results when I asked instead of “nagging” for things to get done around the house. But fortunately, it’s not too late. I listened to Alison Armstrong speak at the “Inside Edge” about effective communication with males, whether at home or in the work place, and bottom line, there is a huge difference between the way men and women communicate and how they interpret what they hear.

Alison Armstrong started studying men, twenty years ago,  Like so many women she thought:

  •  Men don’t care.
  •  Men were actively withholding  it.

She soon discovered how much men want women to have what they need and that women don’t know how to ask for what they need. The problem, according to Alison, is that:

  • Women need to ask for what they need.
  • Women need to stop asking for what they want.

One problem is that most women say, “But I don’t know if I deserve what I need?” A lot of this stems from their upbringing and how their own mothers used guilt; for example, “Do you know how much I’ve sacrificed for you?” which explains why women sometimes have trouble asking for what they need. Alison believes that women don’t ask for what they need (like attention) because of these issues of (not) deserving.

  • Women and men don’t ask for what they need so the other person can understand.
  • Men often exert so little pressure that their partner didn’t realize they were asking and interpreted it as simply “sharing.”
  • Women have a tendency to ask-ask-ask-ask, the same thing over and over again, so men tune out and think they’re “nagging.

Alison says a woman needs to ask herself, “Do I really need this?” first before she follows through with the four steps below.

We need to go from Ask to Enforce to get what we need.

(Level of escalation) is marked with numbers

  • Ask (3)
  • Insist (5)
  • Demand (7)
  • Enforce (10)

Have a great ASK. For example, “I need you to organize your closet.” (if you’re talking to a teenager.)

INSIST, is a reiteration of ASK adding, “Was there something you needed to get it done?

DEMAND, “I asked, gave you what you needed, but you didn’t get it done. I want to give you another chance, but if you don’t want to, then you go to ENFORCE.

There are 4 element to a great ASK.

  1. I need______ (simple statement)
  2. It looks like______ (what, when, how often, by when) describe details. Most couples assume the other person knows what this means and looks like. Describe it. For example if you want more affection, describe what theat means to you. Don’t assume the other person knows.
  3. It would provide______ (give, allow, create, results, qualities) Explain this is why it matters to me. Alison gave the example of what she said to her small kids. “If you let mom sleep until 7, mom will be more patient.” Let the other person know what’s in it for them.
  4. What do you need to give me what I need?______(This is the partner question.)

You can also ask your partner, “What’s your favorite way to be asked?”

or “What do you need to give me what I need?”

I experimented yesterday with my husband and it worked. Instead of say, “Can you check out…..” which is usually how I ask my husband, I said, “I need you to check out….” and he did it right away, which avoided all the nagging.

Do you already know how to communicate efficiently with men, your spouse, your kids?

If you’re a guy, do you agree that you prefer to be asked directly, with a “I need you to…?”

Please don’t forget to call in with your questions today, September 22nd, at 4pm PST with expert Robert MacPhee. Check out how and why

 Photo credit above

How can I change? Call the expert on 9/22/11.

September 19, 2011 by Sonia Marsh

  • Are you sabotaging your own dreams?
  • Do you try a diet and exercise program and then give up?
  • Do you compare yourself to others and then give up?
  • Do you blame external events on why you’re not getting results?

On Thursday September 22nd, at 4 pm PST, you get the chance to call expert Robert Macphee.  He shall answer your questions related to, “How to get out of your comfort zone and get the change you want.”

Please call in with your questions:

When: Thursday September 22nd, 4 pm PST.

Dial In number:  (712) 432-0404
Participant Code  702847#

Robert MacPhee is the author of the great little book:  Manifesting for Non-Gurus: How to Quickly & Easily Attract Lasting Results.

Who is Robert MacPhee?

  • Robert MacPhee is the Former Director of Training (4+ years) for Jack Canfield (Jack is the Co-Creator of the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” book series and the author of the bestselling book “The Success Principles”…)
  • Founder and President of Heart Set, Inc.  A company dedicated to increasing awareness and helping people understand change, get out of their own way, and get more of the lasting results they really want.
  • You can read more about Robert MacPhee on this post: Do you need help? Ask expert Robert MacPhee

 Downtown San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. We uprooted our family in 2004-2005 and moved to Belize.

Just like my husband and I longed for adventure and change, so did Tina and her husband John. They wanted something new and exciting in their life, so they sold their home in Arizona, and rented a house in Panama. After a short while, John found work as a contractor, and was soon able to open his own business.

  • What gave Tina and John the courage to uproot and pursue their dream?

Things were very different on the island where they lived; getting supplies shipped in, learning how to work with locals, trusting people, and so many other issues that go with island-style life in Central America.

  • How did they overcome their fears of making a living in a foreign country?

After a few years, John got cancer. He was treated locally, however, it was terminal cancer and after he passed, Tina had to figure out what to do?

  • How did Tina handle her husband’s cancer treatment in Central America?

After a year, Tina decided to return to live with her father in Colorado. She was not making enough money to support herself in Panama, and needed help.

It’s been three years now and Tina is lost. Her 85-year-old father wants her to move out and find a job. Tina called me in tears. She’s scared and has no idea where she wants to live, what kind of job she can do, and all she wants is a person to take care of her.

  • How can Tina get the courage to change her life and get out of her “comfort zone” in the safety of her dad’s house?

What makes a person do something bold? Is there a secret to getting “unstuck”?

Get all your questions answered by author Robert MacPhee, an expert on how to quickly and easily attract lasting results.

When: Thursday September 22nd, 4 pm PST.

Dial In number:  (712) 432-0404
Participant Code  702847#

If you cannot call in, please contact me on the contact form on my website to ask your question, or leave a comment with your specific question and I’ll ask Robert to answer it for you.

Any questions?

 

 

Cell phones for soldiers, win a free ticket.

September 15, 2011 by Sonia Marsh

I never imagined that one of my sons would one day become a soldier.

As a mother, we always want the best for our children and worry about them from the day they are born.  We want them to do well in school, to make friends, and to succeed in life. I should have known Jordan would one day enlist; his compassion, kindness and respect for others, is something that started in Kindergarten.

When Jordan enlisted with the National Guard, and graduated this summer from Army Basic training, I had mixed emotions, both immense pride, and also fear.

Now it’s my turn to do something for our soldiers. I admit, my feelings have changed. These young men and women give me hope that society has not lost the core values that we don’t always experience in civilian life.

You may recall I contributed some tips for kids moving to college on General Motors The Future is Electric blog. Since GM is involved with the Cell Phones for Soldiers program, I would like to help with this project by asking you to send me your used cell phones, rather than tossing them. Why? To help with the cause. Chevy wants to provide 750,000 free communication tools in 2011.

 

Here’s my used phone which I’m donating to “Cell Phones for Soldiers.”

 “We feel ‘Cell Phones for Soldiers’ is a worthy cause that fits well with GM’s long-standing commitment to support the men and women serving our country,” said Mark Degnan, GM director of local advertising, marketing and training. “Personally, with a brother and a nephew in active duty in Iraq, I know how important every call home can be for soldiers overseas, and their families at home.”

Thanks to Brittany and Robbie Bergquist of Norwell, Massachusetts, who started the Cell Phones for Soldiers program when they heard of a soldier having to pay almost $8,000 for a phone bill to call his family from Iraq. They decided to help and raised $21. At the time they were only 12 and 13. Now their organization turns old cell phones into minutes of prepaid calling cards for U.S. troops stationed overseas. Here’s a link to a video on Cell Phone for Soldiers with Robbie and Britanny Bergquist.

Reasons why you should consider donating your used cell phone to our soldiers:

  • More than 130 million phones are retired every year in the United States.
  • If just 2% of Americans were to donate their unwanted phones, every soldier could get a free call home.
  • So far $1 million in donations has given 400,000 minutes to troops.

Thanks to Chevy, who provided me with 8 free tickets to attend the 14th Annual Coronado Speed Festival, September 25-26, 2011. This is a vintage race with cars dating from 1952-1972.

“Join thousands of race enthusiasts and fans in this premier motorsports event saluting our nation’s military.”

Chevy will be celebrating its centennial birthday at the Festival and will be offering test drives in new Chevy vehicles. You’re invited to visit their booth.

I’m donating 6 free tickets to the first 3 people  (who e-mail me at sonia@soniamarsh.com, and send me their used cell phones.) Two tickets per cell phone, so you can take someone with you. If you can send me two or more used phones, that’s even better. I shall send you the address to mail it to when you contact me. If you’re attending the SCWA meeting on Saturday, September 17th in Fountain Valley, California, I shall give you the ticket then if you’re one of the first 3 to contact me.

If you wish to participate on your own, here is a list of cell phone drop off locations by zip code.

Hope to see you at the 14th Annual Coronado Speed Festival, September 24-25.

 

 

 

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