The Invisible Woman

Have you ever felt invisible?

Do you sometimes feel like you speak but no one is listening?

Do you ever do things and feel that no one notices?

 

These feelings are often the reality for many women, especially if you’re a mom.  You cook and clean and work and take care of the family, etc., etc., etc. And it seems that no one notices.  So, why bother then?

 

If you have ever felt this way, feel this way now, or have a friend that has expressed these feelings, then I encourage you to watch or share this clip from You Tube called The Invisible Woman. Here’s the link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YU0aNAHXP0.

 

The Invisible Woman clip reminded me of what life is all about – it’s about living for God and about leaving a legacy. I forget sometimes that when I do things, I’m really not doing them for my family, friends, or clients, but for God. Realizing this has been one of my biggest life lessons. In the past, I wanted to be recognized for all that I did. For example, when I was married I always wanted my husband notice I did the dishes or I did this or did that. I wanted him to recognize and acknowledge me for what I had done around the house on top of my full time job. And, when I was in a network marketing company years ago, the company would hold recognition parties for high sales. I always wanted it to be known that I was at those parties so everyone could go “Wow, look what she did!” I didn't even care as much about the money; I craved the recognition from other people.  This clip was a powerful reminder that it’s not about who notices me, it’s about God always noticing what I do and the legacy I am leaving.

 

When you start feeling like the Invisible Woman and that no one is noticing what you’re doing, that no one is taking note of the life you’re building, just remember this. Grand, magnificent cathedrals were built eons ago and today no one has a clue who built them.  Yet, the cathedrals have stood the test of time for many, many years for people to continue to love and admire them. The cathedral builder, though unknown to us, left a lasting legacy.

 

We don’t have to be bricklayers to build our own cathedrals, to leave our own legacies. Every thing that we do has the potential to bring love and joy to someone today, tomorrow or in the future - - a smile, an attitude, work well done, a listening ear. Every little thing done in the right spirit is another brick on our cathedrals.

 

So what am I (and what are you) doing today that no one needs to notice that could leave a legacy for many to enjoy for decades to come?

Wishing you Peace, Love and Joy in your life :)

Stephanie Bivona

A Little Stress in my Life

Do you ever have days when you feels like it’s "just too much"? Well I have been having a lot of those days lately. And when I feel overwhelmed it seems like I can’t get anything done. When I shared my feelings with a trusted friend, he reminded me that I used to manage my schedule with more ease and he questioned what had changed or what I was doing differently. Later, when I had a chance to think about his question, it hit me. I had stopped doing something that had been working for me in the past.
 
I don’t know exactly when I got out of the habit; I suppose it was while I was going through some changes the last few months. Well, I finally got back into my old routine and it’s been working so well (again) that I thought I would share it. 
 
First of all I take one day off each week, usually Sundays. On that day, I sit down and figure out my "to do’s" for the coming week. Then I prioritize all I need to get done. For me, talking to new clients goes near the top of the priority list; going to the grocery store a little lower. My next step is probably the most important one. I actually block out time on my calendar to make sure I make the time to get things done. I only book about 80% of my day, leaving room for adjustments. Lastly, each night I review the next day’s schedule to see if I need to make any adjustments. You know I might have booked a consultation with a new client that day and need to follow up right away. Or an unplanned family or personal issue might require my attention so I’ll move things around to accommodate. But by the time I go to bed I already know what to expect and what’s expected of me that next day. 
 
When I follow my plan, my days go much, much smoother. So, if you’ve been feeling overwhelmed lately, you might want to give this or a similar plan a try. What do you have to loose but a little stress!

-- Stephanie Ann Bivona
Wishing you peace, love and joy in your life:) 

An Old Favorite Thing is New Again

Before I jump right in, I want to thank EVERYONE your kind words and well wishes from last week. It's certainly fun and rewarding to be back in contact with all of you.

 

For those of you that may be new to my blog, let me tell you what you can expect. I share (post) weekly, usually on Monday. Sometimes I talk about life, sometimes spirituality, and mostly about fashion since that is my passion!

 

As most of you know, I’ve really love jewelry because of all that you can do with it and how it can change an outfit from drab to fab. Well, about a year ago I was introduced to a beautiful jewelry line - Lia Sophia. I (and my clients) love it so much that I decided to become an advisor for the line. I have found it to be a perfect tie-in with my business. When I shop with my clients, the first things we look for after the right clothes are perfect accessories. You see, an outfit can be totally transformed by adding the right piece of jewelry. Just the other day I was doing a fashion workshop. One of the participants had on her gym clothes. We added a well-chosen necklace to it and everyone was shocked at how it took the outfit from ‘workout’ to ‘lunch out with the girls’ in an instant! When choosing jewelry, the color should flow with, coordinate with, the outfit but it doesn’t have to be the same color. And, size should be in proportion to the body. The Lia Sophia jewelry line helps me show clients exactly what I mean because it has great variety, something for almost every one. And, in my opinion, there is not a boutique or department store in town that can come close to the quality and guarantee for the price that Lia Sophia offers. Lia Sophia has made one of my old favorite things new again!

 

I would love to bring my fashion and jewelry tips and Lia Sophia to you – in your home or office. How convenient is that! It is a great way to get free jewelry and for guests to get great style tips. The in-home/in-office workshops are 1 hour long. We cover the importance of image, how to dress for each body type, how to mix and match things together, and the right accessories. It‘s a condensed version of my 3 hour Image Empowering workshop that costs $35 per person . . . and it’s absolutely free to attend. On top of that, the hostess gets a complimentary 30 minute individual image consultation with me and tons of free jewelry. It is such an awesome deal!

 

Who do you know who would love a fun hour of fashion tips, great jewelry and a good reason to get together with girlfriends? Let me know so that I can schedule time with them in November. My promise to you is that it will be well worth their time . . . or yours!

Wishing you peace, love and joy in your life:) 

Life Changes

I'm Baaaack! I know some of you have wondered, “What happened to her? Is she still in business?” Well I’m back and the answer is “Yes, Yes, Yes!”

I went through some major life changes the last few months. My husband and I separated. After reconciling for a short period, we decided to go ahead and divorce. On top of that, the company I was using to edit my posts and I decided that our working relationship was no longer working. (I’ll share a secret: I’m a great stylist but at times my writing needs a makeover. So, for me, having an editor for my blog is just as essential as knowing what styles works best for your body type!) In short, my mind was more than a little preoccupied.

Well, two weeks ago I moved out and into a new place. Oh, I am so happy there. And, I found a new company to do my editing. My editor is great and you can find a link to her company under “My Links”.

I know that many are afraid of change. I try to look at change as an opportunity. Anytime I’ve had a big change in my life, great things have happened.  Have you ever known you needed to make a change and did your best to avoid it because you were scared of the outcome? Or, have you ever been afraid to make the wrong decision so you didn’t make a decision at all? Even though I know that goodness can come out of change, I spent the last 3 months in that place of fear and indecision. Deep down I knew I needed to get out of my marriage, but I kept saying to myself that I took vows for this; I gave my word to this. But in the end, we just did not want the same things. I finally made a decision - and I have proof that it was a good decision. I’ve been blessed in that my divorce has been very amicable and I am truly grateful for the time we had together. It seems that since I made that decision everything in my life has gotten so much better. I had my biggest month in my business since I started! I entered into some new business ventures and partnerships. And, I’m meeting more and more people every day to work with. I love it! I just love it!

So I’m back. You can once again expect to see my weekly posts. And if you are waiting to make a decision in your life – now is the time. Then watch for all the great things that happen for you.

Wishing you peace, love and joy in your life:)