There are times in life in which we all get down.  I know there are times when I get tired and frustrated and find myself wanting to crawl back in bed for the day.  We can’t always do that, can we?  Nope.  Sometimes we have to have a little self-talk session and kick our own butt back into gear.  Recently I was running low on my energy reserves and feeling a little empty.  Just about that time, I had the opportunity to attend the annual eWomen Network Conference in Dallas, Texas.  It wasn’t a cheap offer, but it did include a two-for-one if I brought my daughter.  I could not pass that up!  So, my daughter and I attended the five-day conference – and it was the best thing we have done together in years!

This was just the thing I needed at this time in my life.  I have been struggling with finding the right direction for my life and my next steps.  This event with all the fabulous women we met and the amazing speakers we heard affirmed many of the things I already knew as well as got my brain thinking about new possibilities.

Many times, I find myself reading books or listening to speakers who say the same things I have heard repeatedly.  The reason they are all saying the same things is that the principles are sound and if you follow them, you WILL get the results you desire.  The eWomen Conference had a lot of the same stuff I have heard and have been sharing with others for years – but I have found that it is not always the message, but the messenger that makes the difference.

Lisa Nichols made that difference for me.  Lisa is a well-known public speaker and author and may be best known for her work on the DVD The Secret.  Lisa was our conference closing keynote speaker.  She is one of the most powerful speakers I have heard and her words touched my soul.  From Lisa’s conversation with us, I took away one nugget of greatness that I will hold on to for the rest of my life, which is filling your own cup happiness cup first and then use the overflow to serve others.  Think of it this way:  You have a cup on a saucer and you are going to fill that cup with tea.  The tea represents your happiness, energy, passion, or whatever else you want it to be.  You start to pour the tea into the cup and when you reach the rim of the cup, you keep pouring until it overflows into the saucer below.  This is the critical point here – the tea in the cup is YOURS and the overflow is for others.  You do not serve others from your cup.  You need to keep that cup full and you cannot dip into it to give to others.  For you to be at the top of your game or the best you can be, you have to consistently replenish your cup and IF you want to serve others you have to over-fill your cup so that you have extra to give.  This was the key take-away for me.  Often times I neglect my needs and keep giving to others.  I will then find myself tired, withdrawn and a little bitter.   I know that I know that I need to take time for my own self-improvement or development, but I needed that visual from Lisa to understand that I really, truly need to take care of my own needs first so that I can effectively help others.  I have said for a long time that we all need to find happiness with because we cannot give away what we do not have, but not only do we need to find that happiness, we need to add a little bit more so that when we give some away, it doesn’t dip into our own ‘cup of tea.’

Meeting Lisa Nichols with my daughter, Felecia

I will continue to read positive mental attitude and positive psychology books, as I know each nugget of information I learn may be just the thing I will need for myself or someone else down the road.  I will consistently fill my cup and strive for overflow so that I can continue to give to others.

Thank you to those who have reached out to me recently with kind words and affirmations.  You help fill my cup and feed my soul.  Many blessing and much happiness to you!