And I’m having a virtual costume party!

To get the ball rolling, a few friends volunteered their favorite childhood costumes:

Lisa Hunter: Princess Leia, complete with double-donut hair and a dress my mom made from living room drapes.

Sally Kuhlman: One year when I was a teenager, I dressed up as Santa Claus for Halloween and little kids kept saying, “Look, Mommy, there’s Santa!” and wanting to come up and talk to me.

Sharon Roemmel: This isn’t from my childhood, but apparently people call me “Peter Pan” when I’m not around and I kind of remind people of a wood nymph or pixie. So this year I’m going to get elf boots with a wreath of leaves in my hair and many find some pointy ears.

Joanne Scharer: I went as a garbage bag one too many times (Mom wasn’t into costumes) and I was Strawberry Shortcake once.

Inspired Spouse: The Devil. Many times – because I liked the horns and the red costume… plus I was a little devil myself.

Jen Hofmann: Hands down, being a butterfly in nursery school was my very favorite costume. Nice job, Mom.

Costume Party instructions (there’s candy involved):

Mention your favorite childhood costume before Saturday night and get a chance to win some really good candy. We’re talking treats, not tricks. Winners chosen at random (it’s ADD day, of course it’s random!).

What was YOUR favorite childhood costume?

Maybe you’ve heard enough about retreats lately, but several people have asked where I went. Sooo…

Here’s a Top 10 of my favorite places to retreat.

10. My parents in Connecticut
9. My in-laws on the Oregon Coast
8. Orcas Island, Washington
7. Sharon and Theresa’s farm in South Salem (goats!)
6. A secret cabin in Prineville, OR (I’ll never tell!)
5. Basically anything on vrbo.com
4. Anywhere on Kauai
3. My meditation corner in my office
2. Mount Angel Abbey (where I stayed this month)
1. Breitenbush Hot Springs

Total ADD non-sequitor

I just learned this week that the owners of my favorite odor-eliminating product (that I highly recommend if you have pets) had a house fire. This would be merely heartbreaking if they didn’t also run their small business out of their house. They’re turning lemons into lemonade and doing a fire sale: everything they sell is half-off.

I make no money in mentioning it, I want to spread the word to help them out. More details here if you’re interested: http://odorxitfire.homestead.com/

Okay, so back to the main topic. : )

I’m wondering this: Where are your favorite places to retreat?

Time wasting

You might think it’s evil, but it holds a precious place in the life of the self-employed. Sure, it’s not visibly productive, but giving your brain something to do helps it concoct the next money-making scheme, the next cure for the flu, or the next way to create world peace.

Don’t knock it. : )

Here are some totally random fun things that my buddy, Lisa Hunter of Inner Business Diva, likes to do to totally zone out. She calls it “Zombie Mind”.

• Play “Gold Strike” on www.deadwhale.com
• Go to www.myinnerworld.com. Lisa suggests clicking on the wishing well and playing “word magic”. She said, “I LOVE THIS SITE and it’s SUPER fun for dreaming, visioning and connecting back in with yourself.” A step up from zombie-mind, to be sure!

At Inspired Home Office, zone-out websites of choice include:

• The vocabulary game/food donation site: www.freerice.com
• www.jigzone.com – the free place to do jigsaw puzzles online
• Solitaire. Unoriginal, but brain-deadening nonetheless
• Watching cake decorating videos on YouTube (yes, seriously)

The ADDness goes on, but I’ll stop here for now. Have you any random suggestions to add?

I blew up.

A bottle of cola, that is. With Mentos candy. Have you ever tried that?

My friend and adventure buddy, Lisa Hunter of Inner Business Diva, put me up to having a little fun she calls an Adventure in Free Time. (Really, Lisa Hunter is the only reason I’m even remotely cool.)

Here’s where it all the exploding fun happened – including a photo of me suited up in rain gear (to protect me from the downpour of cola). Check it out:  geyser drinking!

Sally’s going for the MINI!

My friend, Sally Kuhlman, dreams about Mini Coopers the way most people dream about Hawaii or winning the lottery. She’s Mini-obsessed.

And she needs our help.

Her Cooper dealership in San Francisco got wind of her Mini-passion via twitter. She plans woo them into winning a Mini by tweeting and blogging about it in a big way.

You know I’m a believer in big dreams.

Here’s where you come in:

All you have to do is cut, paste, and tweet the following phrase:

I believe in @Sally_K’s dream, do you @MINISF? #MiniSally

Or you can improvise – just make sure you use the hashtag. I promise this is not a scam and that Sally is a real person. I know her. She’s adorable and amazing and wants to drive a Mini. Will you join me in helping her out?

The ADDness goes on, but I’ll stop here for now. Have you any quirky, fun or random suggestions to add?

Wow. All kinds of yummy autumn-themed and seasonally-related things have been falling (ha ha) into my lap lately.

I just had to share, of course.

Wheels of Time

I have completely and totally fallen in love with Partners in Place, a company that helps you create a healthy relationship with time. Unbelieveable. I’m bringing their Wheels of Time kit-that-is-a-journal-and-collage-in-one with me on retreat next week.

Gor-geous. My heart is singing.

Living in Season

Who couldn’t love a person with a name like Waverly Fitzgerald? I’m so thrilled for her, too, since she has recently launched her new online magazine. Its content is as inspiring as her newsletter, but now it’s more beautiful to look at, too.

If you want to feel nourished, body and soul, go spend a few minutes with Waverly. You’ll be sooo glad you did. Her site: www.livinginseason.com

Go outside

That’s what my mom used to tell me as a kid. Here’s a little reminder from me to go do it.

Go notice for yourself the slant of the light, breathe in the scent of the changing air, maybe pick up a leaf or two. Time doesn’t fly past as quickly when you stop to be in it. Go on, get out there… and have a wonderful weekend.

The ADDness goes on, but I’ll stop here for now. Have you any autumn-y, random suggestions to add?

The problem with a diagnosis

Speaking as someone with ADD, I take issue with the very name of this normal brain variation. It implies that I’m deficient in attention and that I have a disorder.

Compared to what?

Whether you have it, or just think you do, avoid the temptation to use it as a club to beat yourself with. Let the professionals say what they will, you’re still perfect. Your brain is perfect. Don’t let the diagnosis get you down.

ADD: A party in your brain

Thing is, there’s a lot to celebrate about having ADD. It brings assets and advantages to self-employment that some people can only dream of.

Want specifics? Here are a few:

• idea-generator
• connect the dot-er
• out of the box thinker
• vivid imaginer
• active do-er

ADD brains are fast!

If regular brains are like a VW bus, ADD brains are like a Lamborghini on high octane. They’re so fast and so wickedly creative that sometimes it’s hard for the brain-owner to keep up. What was I thinking a second ago? Whatever it was, it’s been quickly replaced by a dozen MORE thoughts.

Frankly, I celebrate my brain. Because it doesn’t work like everyone else’s, sometimes I like to give others a short tutorial on what kinds of things I need. For instance:

• I don’t remember what you tell me verbally. I have to see or touch it to remember. Send me an email – or let me get a pen.
• If I don’t share a good idea immediately, it will fly out the window forever. Sometimes it sounds like interrupting, but I just need you to help me remember it.
• If I can’t see my calendar, I have no idea what I’m doing tonight, next weekend, or next summer.
• I need context. When you ask, Did you get my email? I will have no idea what you’re talking about. I will definitely ask you: Your email about what?
• Basically, if it’s not right in front of me, it’s completely out of mind.

It’s so not personal.

ADD and small business

Starting Inspired Home Office and running it helped me get comfortable asking for these things without feeling ashamed. I’m at peace with how my brain works.

I’ve also set up lots of systems that put important stuff front-and-center, so I can remember to do it, follow up on it, complete it, and connect. I used to be on ADD meds, but I hardly ever need them now. Most of the time, I seem like a “normal person” because my systems are so effective.

Deep down inside, there’s still a big old party going on in my brain. It’s awesome.

Wants some truly positive info about ADD?

I can’t recommend the book by Drs. Hallowell and Ratey strongly enough. Delivered from Distraction is the go-to book for kids and adults alike. Both of the authors have ADD. I bought 8 or 9 popular ADD books when I got diagnosed and this is the only one I still own.

Another resource, much lighter, is a website by ADD coach, Pete Quily. I don’t know Pete personally, but I love his 151 Positive Characteristics. Check it out.

The ADDness goes on, but I’ll stop here for now. Have you any shiny, random ADD suggestions to add?

The Inspired Cat speaks up

Whatever you say, this woman is not a pet psychic. She’s a down-to-earth gal who listens to animals. Nobody laughed when Richard Gere talked with horses. Bridget Pilloud can too. And dogs and cats… even a walking stick (a kind of pet bug).

Bridget talked to the Inspired Cat this summer. Just your basic check-in. Sassafras revealed that she’d like to play more “feather” and that she likes my hugs. Awww… just what a mom loves to hear.

Bridget’s at petsaretalking.com and on twitter with the same name.

More animals speaking…

When I’m on twitter and in a random kind of mood, I’ll click on just about anything. In addition to cat photos with poorly spelled captions, I stumbled across this website about animal totems.

Apparently when animals (primarily wild ones) show up repeatedly in your life, they have a message for you. This quirky website can tell you what it all means. I’ve had a frog singing outside my window for days. I ought to look that up!

On my must-read list

Sara Wiseman is just about to release her new book, Writing the Divine. In it, she explores the topic of channeled writing. It sounds healing, soulful, and wonderful – just the perfect read before a retreat.

I can’t wait until it comes out.

Here are the details – http://sarawiseman.com/my-book

The ADDness goes on, but I’ll stop here for now. Have you any shiny, random woo-woo suggestions to add?

I do not have a problem and am not in denial. Really.

Apparently 76 (the gasoline company) has launched a very humorous ad campaign about driving and drivers that has everyone talking. What isn’t funny, however, is what Inspired Spouse put on my desk this week to sign.

Yes. It’s 76′s backseat driver contract. I actually laughed out loud for 5 minutes as I read it and then refused to sign. It’s true. Gentle, loving Jen Hofmann has rather strong opinions on how a car ought to be conducted. Especially while in the passenger’s seat.

The sweet side to this bitter pill is that 76 has a companion (read: retaliatory) contract for the co-pilot. Which, if Inspired Spouse is navigating, of course must be followed to the letter. Dear Inspired Spouse won’t sign either.

Needless to say, I do most of the driving.

Something shiny!

The brilliant and wonderful Marissa Bracke introduced me to a very cool new tool! I love new tools! Especially when they’re practically fool-proof and free (or at least free for a while).

If you have a service-based business in which the effort to schedule appointments results in phone tag and endless email chains, perk up: here’s something shiny you might like!

It’s called Time Driver. I keep wanting to call it something else (and often do), but that’s its real name.

If you use Google Calendar or Outlook, it allows your clients to view your available appointment times that you’ve pre-chosen – and it plops their appointment onto your calendar. It does not allow them to see that you’re getting your hair done or going out with the girls. Just your available times.

A couple of my clients (bless them) test drove it this week and so far, reviews are enthusiastic. I think it’s going to really help prevent the stress/overwhelm I sometimes feel when folks request appointments. I’ll keep you posted!

Speaking of free.

I talked to someone the other day who is starting a business and has paid for marketing classes and business classes and coaching classes and accounting classes (do you see where I’m going with this?). She has barely gotten her business off the ground and she is in a world of credit card hurt for all of the classes she’s bought to launch her business.

Did you know that some of your Federal taxes actually pay for the same kinds of training? And that you can get them for free or low-cost? Right in your own neighborhood? I swear to you, this is not a gimmick.

Almost every community in the country has a Small Business Development Center that is funded, in part, by the Small Business Administration.Yes, your tax dollars.

SBDCs provide excellent, free advising from a knowledgeable business experts and offer a wide variety of business classes and workshops – sometimes for no charge. They help businesses owners feel more confident and committed to growing their business.

In other words, think twice before spending thousands of dollars on the same information you can get for free. If you’re feeling stuck in your business (whether you’re starting up or established), check out your SBDC. You’ll be glad you did.

The ADDness goes on, but I’ll stop right here. Have a fabulous weekend!

Warmly,
Jennifer