In This Issue...

Reflections
Upcoming Workshops and Events
News/Announcements
Mini-Reflection Exercise
This Issue's Sponsor

Reflections (by Teresa Thomas-Carroll)

It’s a gray, foggy Saturday and it’s affecting your mood. You brew a cup of tea, pick up a good book, make yourself a nest of blankets and make the most of it. Or you stir up some iced tea and turn on a travel channel to escape somewhere sunnier.

You’re a little low and can’t pinpoint why. You call a close friend and suddenly feel like yourself again.

Busy, busy, busy that’s how your whole day has been. You decide that the world will not end if you take a break to enjoy a short walk or the view out your window.

Cleaning seems like a never ending task and you’re irritable that things aren’t the way you’d like them. You turn on your favorite uplifting music, sing along and make up new dance movements while you pick up the house.

Your best pair of jeans gets paint splattered on them. You get creative and use a little more paint to transform the splatters into a trail of daisies along the leg.

When we’re in a funk, it is easy to forget that simple pleasures can really change our mood often instantaneously. Sometimes we just need a little help to see the sunlight behind the cloud.

Use the Mini-Reflection Exercise  to remember your own pathways to the sunny side.

Upcoming Workshops and Events

Let’s Dish! Business networking

These sessions have been a hit! Participants asked that we help expand their networking connections by offering additional sites so we have added Maple Grove and Rochester. Connect with other businesses, have fun and make your life less hectic by coming home with meals for the rest of the week! $79 covers everything (this is LESS than the price to dish alone!):

• Easy and interactive networking facilitated by Teresa from Purple Crayon Factory
• Four fresh, delicious meals (six servings in each)
• Light refreshments
• A chance to win a $50 Let’s Dish gift certificate
• Super goodie bag

“Excellent event! I love the multitasking of it -- bringing home dinner and networking at the same time...great! And your gift bags were terrific -- amazing. Thanks again for a really fun time.” – Lenore Moritz Rabatin, MomCulture

What more could you ask for? Choose your session: Next week - Monday, June 11, 5:30-7:30 p.m. in Maple Grove or Tuesday, July 24, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. in Rochester. E-mail us for more details or to be included in the goodie bags. To register, click www.letsdish.com and select the location and “RSVP to private party”. Select the date and enter this password: Purple. Select your four meals (each serves six or split into eight smaller meals). When you check out, enter the promotional code: Purple5 to receive the reduced $79 rate. Register today!

Online Ideal Business Support

 “I LOVE this group! I’m gaining clarity by being accountable.” – participant

”This program is a real kick in the pants for me.” – participant

Want regular motivation and accountability to bring your business to the next level? Join this year-long supportive network for mission-driven small business and wellness professionals to pursue and achieve business aspirations. Facilitated by Teresa Thomas-Carroll. Our discussion and action will be centered on Lynn Grodzki’s Twelve Months to Your Ideal Private Practice: A Workbook. Interested? Click here for more details and pricing menu. When you’re ready to get serious to explore and move forward on what you need for your business, simply e-mail your type of business and briefly state what draws you to apply to be an active participant in this group.

Universe Changers! — sponsored by the Minnesota Women’s Press
Join one of these new discussion circles for women — because we have always made change by talking with each other. Come prepared to discuss the big and the little things in life. Let’s make change in the universe by sharing our stories, ideas, and opinions. Facilitation orchestrated by PCF. No charge to participate. Click to RSVP. June topic: Creativity. Attend any of these locations:

• 2nd Thursday of each month, 6:30-7:30 p.m. (next circle: Thursday, June 14) at:
  Clickity Sticks & Yarns, 2722 East 50th Street, Minneapolis, MN, 612-724-2500
  (Non-knitters welcome, too. Bring a project or just come to converse)
  
  
• 3rd Tuesday of each month, 6:30-7:30 p.m. (next circle: Tuesday, June 19) at: Crafty Planet, 2318 Lowry Ave, NE Minneapolis, MN 612-788-1180
  (Non-crafters welcome, too. Bring a project or just come to converse)
  
  
• 4th Tuesday of each month, 6:30-7:30 p.m. (next circle: Tuesday, June 26) at:
  Brewberry's Coffee Place, 475 Fairview Ave. S., St. Paul, MN, 651-699-1117
  (Tea drinkers welcome, too.)

Whether or not you can participate in the group, you can contemplate the topic and post your thoughts on PCF's blog

Small Business Marketing Jam
Each Marketing Jam just gets better and better. Our May event drew 40 participants from a wide range of businesses. Several have already registered for the next session in September when our interactive focus will be on Marketing from the Heart. You can also book your very own session for your business or networking group. Co-facilitated by Taiha Wagner of Mom on the Go and Teresa Thomas-Carroll of PCF. Because of our wonderful sponsors, we are able to offer a pre-registration price of just $20. Reserve your space now! Wednesday, September 26, 6- 9 p.m. (Appetizers served from 6 - 6:30).To pre-register or order gift certificates, e-mail your name and address.

News/Announcements

• Are you aware of an upcoming conference or an organization that could use a refreshing workshop or interactive networking session? If so, let us know who to contact and we'll be happy to send information. Word of mouth is our best marketing, thanks to you!

• Achieve your goals and dreams! Check out our individual services to help you get and stay on track.

Mini-Reflection Exercise
Brainstorm a list of simple things that bring you joy. (Alternatively and highly suggested: It’s also fun to quickly tear out pictures and words from old magazines that coax a smile out of you. This is not about being perfect. In fact it’s more fun to be far from perfect—isn’t that what this is about taking an imperfect feeling and adding lightness to it? Tear out a simple shape to use as your background paper. Smoosh the glue…hang images over the edge…close your eyes and play “pin the image on the collage”, oops, you tore a word but it’s ALL right…add a fortune cookie slip you’ve been saving since who knows when, scribble some inspirational words with your non-dominant hand, keep it easy and fun. Like when you were a kid and hadn’t learned yet to judge your expression.)

Post your list or collage somewhere to remind you of the myriad of simple ways that you can use to brighten your day. When you feel resistant, give it a try for five minutes and see if anything changes.

Recognize that as counter productive as it sounds, sometimes we choose to remain in a funk. Just as a plant needs the rain as well as the sun, being under a cloud is sometimes just where we need to be before we can notice the light.

This Issue's Sponsor

(Reach over 1,000 readers by featuring your business or event here. For details visit PCF’s sponsorship page.)

This issue’s sponsorship section has been donated to Team Bolder in support of Bolder Options.

Subscriber Information

Purple Crayon Factory’s refreshing workshops, networking events and services support you to create the life you want with resources you have. We value creativity and facilitating meaningful connections between people and ideas. Whether you seek big transformation or simply inspiration, we have something for you or your organization.

Teresa Thomas-Carroll is the publisher of this newsletter and can be reached at 612-722-6931 or teresa@purplecrayonfactory.com. Check out her musings on PCF's blog.

Purple Crayon Factory respects your privacy and does not give out or sell subscriber names and/or email addresses. You are welcome to pass this newsletter to your friends and colleagues as long as the entire newsletter is kept intact. If this newsletter has been forwarded to you, you are welcome to sign up to receive your own copy at subscribe-956609963@ezinedirector.net. If you wish to be taken off this list simply send an email to remove-956609963@ezinedirector.net

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