Make a Difference - The Coolest Women Make More of Life
You know the best part of being the Coolest Women on the Planet? You can MAKE the MOST out of life, and it makes an even bigger difference in your world.
When I started this process of building a better life, making the most of my world and learning how I could make a difference for others, I began to realize that life isn’t always the way we perceive it. I’m a fairly basic person with essentially basic needs. I like the simple things.
I’m a writer, so I love putting words into action and making them sing with rhythm and voice. I’m particularly fond of the little events that bring joy and wonder to life - no matter how difficult the day maybe, I seek to find the joy. Seeking Joy has become more than a habit for me, but rather a motto - an actual way of life.
Though I often struggle, like others, with the trials life hands me, I find when I’m seeking joy it finds me. That’s when I can make the biggest difference in my world.
Many years ago, I learned that the secret of true wealth is in the faith to pursue true riches. Monetary gain offers nothing if my heart is in the wrong place. I believe God has a place for me and He will provide the source for that adventure. Today, I’m living proof of His power. Tomorrow, I’m living proof of His inspired faithfulness. I believe God has a plan.
I can make a difference because I know the secret of prosperity is God almighty at the center of my life.
Coolest Woman on the Planet - Connections and Chaos
Have you ever wondered what the connection might be between the Coolest Woman on the Planet and mass chaos? The comparison didn’t occur to me, until this morning as I drove my son-in-law to work. He overslept, missed the bus, and needed a ride. Ahem, well, Mother-in-laws must be good for something!
The windshield was iced over, the roads were a disaster, and in the middle of the chaos, the lights on the dashboard began to look more like a Christmas tree twinkling at me. The ground cable on my battery was corroded and in desperate need of my immediate attention. More chaos…
Meanwhile, above me was the largest gaggle of geese I’ve ever seen flying in multiple V formations toward their warmer destination on the eastern plains. I’ve been in the city for almost two months and the concept of hearing geese fly over on their mission to arrive in a warmer climate hadn’t occurred to me until I was awakend one morning at the crack of dawn to the sound of honking birds.
But what could possibly be the connection to the Coolest Woman on the Planet? Well, I’ll tell you… While I watched those birds drift across the sky in a constantly moving V formation, melding their way through the clouds high above the traffic, I felt inspired, motivated and encouraged. How can I be less than my best when God’s creatures set such a fine example above me, with a promise so big and bold that it literally covered the skies over me?
Faith brings its own inspiration. If you simply set out to believe, God will show you the way with divine leadership, inspired by the Holy creation of nature at times, to attain your goals. Such was my response this morning, to the geese honking their encouragement and motivation down from gray skies through the hurling snow flakes on a morning when I’d had no intention of being on the highway - in a broken down van.
So, after stopping by a station to get the van repaired, or at least checked out, I came home to write down my experience. See “Faith Comes on Wings” and was reminded by my buddy Oris, that today’s my day to post on his blog… So, I referenced my post to Honking Geese. And while catching up on my email connections, I was reminded by Shannon to visit her blog and left a comment about Driving Traffic.
The connection between the Coolest Woman on the Planet and Chaos, of course, is INSPIRATION. Go now into the world to make a difference and be inspired to accomplish the task set before you with faith and motivation that your goal will be accomplished!
Child Golf Prodigy - Make a Difference
A friend who cares…
Life can deal some winsome beauties at times. Other times, the world crashes in around you and doubles back to knock you off your axis. This week has been interesting, to say the least. Friends have shown themselves to be untrustworthy, remarkably invaluable, and off the rocks dangerous in some instances. Of course, in part, I’m using the term FRIENDS loosely.
Then, along comes a friend who mentions all the right stuff, includes me in his circle of prayful protection, and reminds me that I’m loved. Did I ever NEED to hear that!
I’ve never been good at confrontation, but I’m telling you, we must sometimes move outside our comfort range and confront those who are not living up to their potential. Such was the case of this week’s revelation.
Putting on the max…
Pressuring up to convince those under some authority to live up to their potential meant I had to stand on a firmer foundation and state my own wish for them to make a difference. Whew! That wasn’t so bad. I learned that to make a difference, I had to stand on precidence too and require others to meet expectations that possibly weren’t theirs to meet. They had to meet mine.
It took a few hours to work up the guts to confront a contractor, some contract managers, and my former employer turned contract and get the results I wanted. But, once the confrontation was over, I knew the results would WOW! even the worst of folks, but my team was WHOLE!
A friend who cares is sometimes all it takes to encourage you to take that step and confront your demons to Make a Difference in your world.
The Coolest Woman on the Planet is out to Make a Difference!
It isn’t every day that life starts over fresh and you can change your purpose in life to make a difference for those who walk behind you. Or is it?
When the day began with geese honking overhead and the drone of traffic on a Sunday morning, this Colorado native looked out the window to sing praises for another day of Sunshine and a view of the Rocky Mountains. But, there was more to come.
“Life isn’t always as it seems.” So the story goes…
On the drive around Denver to pick up her granddaughter, this metro area grandmother concentrated on the joy of watching the sun drift across the city to the mountain peaks on the west. “Not a better time could be had, if I were surrounded by friends at a party,” she thought as she stopped at the light near her daughter’s apartment. “Life is good!”
The visit revealed some concerns the daughter has about daycare and how to take care of her daughter and work full time too. “But,” she shrugs, “I don’t really have to worry about that, you’re here to take care of her while I work.”
Grandma care is up there really close to Mommy care. But there’s got to be a better way. Mom’s need time to be home and care for their children. Particularly single moms, those babies need an opportunity to know their parents, especially when they only have one. As much as this Grandma enjoys caring for her grandbaby, there’s got to be a way that women can make a difference.
So, what can the Coolest Woman on the Planet do to Make a Difference for Single Moms out there around the country who need time to be home with their children, while they work and support them?
Helping young moms create alternative income sources that will help them to spend more time with their children is one option. There are others, but that one is rising up and calling all women who want to make a difference, together.
If you’re interested in making a difference, and want to join the Coolest Woman on the Planet in an effort to Make a Difference, for single moms the world over, ADD your name and email to the sign up box on the top left side of this page and let’s see if we can’t MAKE A DIFFERENCE together.
Coolest Woman on the Planet - Solutions
Are you still beating your head against the wall, searching for solutions to the problem of beating the Recession? You don’t have to. There are tried and true resolutions that you can use, right now, to get your life and business in order to not only survive the recession, but to thrive right through it.
Being the Coolest Woman on the Planet means you must have some knowledge of what’s going on in the world… Or should, at least.
But when I read the newspaper recently talking about a recession, I nearly gagged. Recession? Where? My business is booming out of control. Then a friend came by and started quizzing me about how I keep up my motivation during a recession. Now, I remember surviving a few recessions over the years. There was that embargo thing with Carter, then the other Recession thing with Reagan, and I remember a stock market crash in the 80’s. Then there was something about gas prices in the early 2000’s and recently when gas took a hike then receeded to something that appeared more reasonable in comparison, but a RECESSION?
Well, I’m not totally oblivious to the financial collapse that’s been happening around me, although I refuse to participate in it. So, I did have an answer for my friend.
“It’s like starting out a new business, you plan your strategy, start the wheels turning and aim your business strategy toward the nearest sunlit valley filled up with milk and honey.” It could be that I’m being a bit facitious, but seriously, if you’re going well, and the roll is downhill what’s to stop you? When you get to the bottom, you’ve got enough momentum to climb the other side.” Then my daughter started singing this little ditty to her daughter, “Just keep movin’.”
I remembered the little engine that could, and I realized that my Recession Solution is to keep doing what I’m doing, only do it better. If you’d like to know more about how to survive a Recession without burying your face in the sand, go grab yourself a copy of the Recession Proof Your Business Report and learn how you, too, can not only survive recession but thrive and grow your business too.
This is an economic solution everyone can do.
The Coolest Woman on the Planet is a Grandma
You probably think I’m not telling the truth, but honestly, it doesn’t matter what you think. My granddaughter agrees that I’m the Coolest Woman on the Planet, and even if I did have to bribe her with Chocolate Winky Dinks, I’m still going to announce it to the world.
At the tender age of 15 months, she already has a mind of her own and the ability to announce to the world how she feels. When she says I ‘ove you Gamma! I know she means it. So, it is NO surprise that when I ask her who the coolest grandma in the world is, and she said ” ‘ou” I’m for most certain going to announce that to the whole wide world. I like being cool.
So, there it is Jan Verhoeff is the Coolest Woman on the Planet, so says her granddaughter.
Coolest Woman Story on the Planet
There is not one single woman on the planet with a relative who survived the 50’s and 60’s who has not experienced this moment. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve gone to the bathroom in a public place with my mother and heard her tell me HOW to go to the bathroom in public. Never mind the fact that yellow water is running down my legs as she’s wiping off the seat so I can go pee in a clean bathroom - the puddle on the floor won’t matter. My yellow socks won’t be noticed. And quite honestly, it doesn’t matter that I really don’t care what she says when I squat to do my duty, my fanny is going to touch the pot, because *I* am NOT graceful enough to maintain The Stance.
If you want to read more - go to THE STANCE and read the whole story.
Making the list - Coolest Woman on the Planet
There was a point in time when I thought it might be necessary to go outside the circle of who I know to find women who inspire me enough to be considered the Coolest Woman on the Planet. Perhaps, there will come that time, but for the moment, I’m looking at women I know personally and those who are recommended to me by others who read this column.
I got an email earlier this week asking if I knew who the next Coolest Woman on the Planet might be, and honestly, I don’t. I’ve got a few candidates, and I’m considering each of them, while I collect enough information to write their biographies. If you know the “Coolest Woman on the Planet” then perhaps you’d like to send a recommendation to me for one of the next ones. I’m sure there’s room for more.
I’ll consider most any woman who strives for excellence.
Contact me by email at verhoeff.jan@gmail.com to submit a woman for Coolest Woman on the Planet.
Coolest Woman on the Planet
Dixie Monroe - teacher at Lamar High School, Lamar, Colorado is the coolest woman on the planet.
Occasionally, you come across someone so totally awesome that you simply have to comment on their personality. Such was the case at the grocery store recently when I ran into a former educator. She’s knocking hard on 90 these days, and still sharp as a tack. The lady greets the day with a glimmer of sunshine in her smile, and livens up the world with grammar and spelling rules. I can vaguely remember why dangling participles are a no-no. And to this day I can quote why various literature pieces are more appropriate for intelligence quotient testing than others (although I still disagree with her).
I don’t have a photo of Mrs. Monroe, but there’s an image in my mind of the woman standing in front of her students, properly correcting their grammar and educating them in the basic code of good manners. Her hair was coifed in a softly curled frame around an expressively beautiful face with an encouraging smile. Her pristine white blouse had short sleeves, a button front, and an open collar with a single strand gold chain and a small locket at her throat. Her pleated skirts fell smoothly over a nicely shaped body, and though the years had added a few gentle curves, she had a spring in her step that every high school girl admired. The words graceful, mature, and eloquent come to mind in describing Mrs. Monroe in her position as high school English Instructor. She hadn’t been born to wealth, but she had comfort, intelligence and a goodly measure of that gentle quality you simply understood meant, she was a lady.
Good grammar, English, and punctuatin weren’t here only interests, she knew history well and could explain national politics as well as any other. The core foundation of her existence was in helping others. She set out each day to teach, to give, and to assist others in their endeavors. I never knew her to seek self fulfillment or selfish desires, her hands were always open, in an effort to give.
There may have been those who saw her differently, and there were times when I wanted to skip her class as well, but looking back I realize her intentions were simply to help me be a better me.
Thank you Dixie Monroe, educator in the Lamar, Colorado schools for many years, for your efforts to help others to learn, to inspire and encourage as you motivated your students.
