Epicure event at

The Studio

            on Saturday May 5th

 from noon to 4pm.

• Sample some of the new Spring and Summer Epicure products,
• Enter win some wonderful prizes and
• Just spend some time hanging out and chatting with friends and neighbors.

No need to RSVP, we’re rocking it Open House style so you don’t even need to be on time!!

The Studio @ Plain Jane Ink

3-691 Corydon Ave

2nd floor, 2nd door on the left.

“Our little treasure trove of wares just up the stairs!”

Laura Allard is an Independent Epicure Selections Consultant … and loving every minute of it!!

After the sudden and tragic death of my only sibling, my fun loving brother Allan, in June of 2011, I moved through life day by day. I sighed a lot. Apologized for sighing a lot. Was tired a lot. Apologized for being tired a lot. And began Grief Counseling in September. It was one of the best decisions of my life to date.

Through Grief Counseling I came to understand:

• Grief is work… there’s no magical solution, it effects different people in different ways, and it needs time, lots and lots of time;
• There’s a physical aspect to Grief…. it requires an amazing amount of energy, and until one understands that, life is a little frustrating;
• You have to fully engage and decide to work through it. There can be comfort in staying put and refusing to let go, but there is much light on the other side when you commit to the work;
• A good fit with a Counselor makes a world of difference. If you’re not happy or comfortable with the first person you call or meet, move on to another until you feel respected and understood;
• Healing yourself is not a betrayal of the one you lost. It actually makes you stronger so you can move forward and continually find ways to honour their lives;
• Crying is OK, and a wonderful release when you allow yourself to do it;
• You’ll still wake up every morning knowing that you lost someone you love to no end;
• How you handle that will change with lots of time and work;
• The picture reel in your head may never stop, but you’ll come to welcome and enjoy it.

It’s a daily process this thing called Grief. It hovers, can smother and wear you right down to the core…if you let it. Honour the one you love, honour the people who are still here, do the work, and whenever you have the chance, watch the sun rise.

PJ xo

Such was the case for me last evening as I dragged myself up to my meditation studio thinking I’d do an easy music meditation.

After a physically intensive weekend, moving the house around to create the studio space, I really just wanted a nice quiet end to the day, and could not have been less prepared for what was to come….

The music I chose was a new CD called Journey Home. As I sat and the music began it made me smile, so I thought, great, I am going to have a Ketut like meditation, smiling even in my liver   And then the music took hold, gripped deep within my heart as I kept pace with my breath and the words “I dedicate this practise to you Allan and Amy” came, as did the tears.

I ended up having the most intense emotional grief meditation I have had to date, and it could not have been more beautiful. From Allan and Amy came a slide show of all those I have loved and lost in this lifetime, and I did indeed come back to smiling, even in my liver

This is the beauty of non-attachment. Not being attached to outcomes can result in something truly magical happening. And thus is the case with meditation. Sometimes we struggle, trying to quiet our monkey minds and just watch the thoughts float by, and other times, when we truly open our hearts and minds, step out side our comfort zones, the extraordinary happens. We just never really know when that will be, and the surprise of it makes it all that much more special.

Breathe, open your shoulders, open your heart, and smile….even in your liver

Namaste,

PJ xo

Mine is not as impressive as this picture included, I chose this one as I love the colours and how comfortable it looks. In my home meditation room, otherwise known as our guest room, I have a yoga mat and a couple of red pillows, a cube styled bookcase with a cd player on top and a bunch of candles. It also houses a turquoise Buddha and a beautiful book on living in Bali.

I keep my meditation journal here as well, and right after I complete a meditation, just write a few lines as to how the session went.

There are corner windows in my meditation room, and it feels like a tree house as it is on the second floor. It’s as close to a sacred space I could find in my house in the city, and it welcomes me each and every day, and makes me smile even when just walking past it. Ah the power of meditation

My meditation room proves that it doesn’t have to be a fancy space, expertly decorated, but I would argue that it does need to be a space that feels comfortable and welcoming to you so you’ll love spending time there and look forward to it each and every day.

What does your meditation space look and feel like?

PJ xo

Happiness is and always will be a work in progress, and it’s our jobs to keep planning for it. According to one of my favorite Happiness icons:

Talk about having to put your money where your mouth is, walk the walk and all that…WOW!! What a lesson learned. But you know, well worth it, so very well worth it.

Truly, challenge = opportunity and as such, being happiness challenged, created for me, happiness opportunities of epic proportions. I wasn’t going to go the easy route and just do a few happiness cultivating exercises, oh no, not me…I dug deep…right down to the very core of the cause of said unhappiness, and found…well, I found some true gems in surprising places.

Life is funny, it really does present you with what you need when you need it, if only you allow yourself to listen. The old adage that states the teacher is there when the student is ready to learn, couldn’t have been more appropriate at this time in my life.

The key word in the above paragraph is of course “Listen”. Although our inner workings usually have a very good idea of what we need and when, often, we fail ourselves by refusing to listen, because for some reason, we think we know better.

I challenge myself and you to stop that immediately!!

Along the vein of Stop, Drop and Roll that we all learned in our early early years, let’s apply the same principle and Stop, Flop and Listen Stop yourself from rationalizing why you shouldn’t do something you are intuitively attracted to, Flop down on a soft and welcoming surface (try not to just hit the floor!) and Listen to what your heart and your body are telling you.

Looking forward to hearing about what you heard and how that’s worked out for you!

Be Happy All Ways and every day,

PJ xo

Here are just some of the highlights:

PJ: How did you decide upon this path?

KJ: The Uppercase Living opportunity was presented to me just before the company expanded into Canada.  The chance to “get in on the ground floor” so to speak with an up and coming company offering such a unique product was something I just couldn’t pass up.   It wasn’t just the business potential that attracted me however, I knew that I would love doing this job – the interactions with other people, the decorating aspect and the creative design really appealed to me.

PJ: What type of financial investment was required?

KJ: The initial financial investment is quite reasonable.  Uppercase Living offers two levels of starter kit, the Essentials Kit is $99US and the Essentials Plus Kit at $199US. Depending on the current special, the cost of getting started can be even less.   Both kits contain the business materials you need to get started such as samples, catalogs, order forms and more, as well as product credit so you can choose items for your display or home.

PJ: How did you manage the balance between creating your business and the rest of your life’s responsibilities?

KJ: I won’t lie, it can be hard sometimes.  What has worked for me is scheduling “business hours” for myself instead of just trying to fit my business in.  This way I make sure I am putting the time I need into my business on a daily/weekly basis, without taking time away from family activities. My family can see when I will be working and knows what to expect during that time.

PJ: What would you consider to be your greatest accomplishment to this point?

KJ: Honestly, there have been so many! There are two that really stand out though – the first is becoming the first Director in Canada after only 4 months with the company.  It may not seem like the most exciting accomplishment, but I know how hard I worked to reach that point and I am so proud of myself for meeting that goal!  The second is that I was awarded Uppercase Living’s Top Rising Star Award for both Sales and Recruits at the 2010 annual convention. The fact that I won two top awards out of all the demonstrators in both the US and Canada just six months after starting the business just blows me away!

PJ: What advice would offer someone thinking about pursuing a similar path?

KJ: For direct sales in general: You need to enjoy your product.  Your enthusiasm will take you far – if you are excited about something, others around you will be excited too!  This isn’t enough though to make you a success, you will have to work for it.  It does take time and energy to promote yourself and get your name out there.  You will have to try new things and push yourself to succeed.  The great thing is that most people can benefit from stepping outside their comfort zone, so you will gain more than just money from your home business!

And this is just from PJ:  I wanted to provide this platform for Women in Winnipeg and Manitoba to learn more about Biz Opps that might work for them and their families. Kristy graciously spent the time, sick kids in tow, to provide some insight into her own journey to self employment success to help others become successful at theirs. To me, this is a Woman to Watch and someone who walks their talk.

For more information about Kristy and the Uppercase opportunity, please take a peek at the Women in Biz Opps page on this site.

Now I think it’s time for me to go look at my walls and see what I’d like to paste on them!!

PJ xoxo

Do you enjoy what you’re doing but feel there is something missing or lacking?

All you might have to do is turn up the heat on your inner Happiness Thermostat!

According to all the reigning experts on Happiness, the cultivation and successful application of it in your life is a choice, and a habit to be developed through regular practise.

“It doesn’t matter how long we may have been stuck in a sense of our limitations. If we go into a darkened room and turn on the light, it doesn’t matter if the room has been dark for a day, a week, or ten thousand years — we turn on the light and it is illuminated. Once we control our capacity for love and happiness, the light has been turned on.”  - Sharon Salzberg

So, how do you go about raising your Happiness Thermostat?

With a little help from your friends and some introspection into what Happiness really and truly means to you. And, by being one of the two lucky winners of the book “Happy For No Reason: 7 Steps to Being Happy from the Inside Out” by Marci Schimoff.

In this book I found validation of my own opinions of living an extraordinary ordinary happy life on my own terms. As a matter of fact, I was so “Happy” with the book and the principles in it, I became a Facilitator of the program! It has been the voice in my head for all things Happiness since then, and I am delighted to have the opportunity to share it with you.

How do you win?

Simply comment on this post, or for the shy ones, send me an email, and tell me why you could use this tool in your own life. The principles in this book are rooted in common sense, are easy to apply and come with fun little exercises you can practise at work, at home and even in your car. If you are indeed looking to champion the cause of Happiness in your life, you’ll want this book as a guide.

Looking forward to hearing from you!!

Cheers to being happy at work and play!!

PJ xoxo

Have you heard this kind of story before?

In the city of Victoria, 85% of jobs are found and secured via Networking. Victoria is a mecca for Networking so your city’s percentage might be a little lower, but that does not detract from the value of  and need for including a strong Networking component in your Job Search or Business Development plan.

Networking opportunities abound in all communities, large or small, all you have to do is head to Google and you’ll find what you’re looking for. Local Chambers of Commerce are a great place to start and then, once getting out and meeting a few people, you can fine tune your efforts and associations to best meet your needs.

Networking doesn’t have to be all consuming. Some people stop themselves from getting involved for fear that an organization might suck up all their free time. Much like researching companies before applying to positions, doing your due diligence on Networking Opportunities will garner the same results. The time and energy you put into your research will prove to be time well spent.

The flip side of this is of course… Networking can be immensely rewarding. Not only from the potential of finding a job or promoting your business, but value can also be found in innovative mentors, new friends, expanding your circle of influence, and connecting with people who can be part of an authentic brainstorming group, providing you with honest and good for you feedback.

But, you have to be prepared going in as well. Whether you’re a Job Seeker or a Business Builder going into a Networking event, you have to have a blurb/ elevator speech ready on the tip of your tongue so you can introduce yourself with confidence. First Impressions count, and you never ever get a second chance to make them.

My little blurb goes something like this: Laura Allard, Plain Jane Ink, job search and self employment support for Women and ordinary folks. It usually gets a little crick of the head and the response we all hope for… Tell me a little more about that….which eventually leads to…May I have a card?…

Fear of Networking can be relieved through preparation, and once you get that first expression of interest, you’ll become a believer in the power and necessity of networking.

Cheers to creating a great Network!!

PJ xoxo

Puzzling or helpful?

Assessments, often used in Career Counselling can be either Friend or Foe depending upon your perception.

Some may resonate more with you than others, but the key here is to take what you need and move on without allowing them to pigeon hole or limit you.

I am a fan of True Colors, The Keirsey Temperment Sorter, and a new fan of Enneagrams, mostly because they make sense to me because of how my brain works. I appreciate the logic they provide and have found both great solace and understanding of myself as a result of continued use of them all. In all of them I have discovered that being ME is OK, that there really are others out there who think like me, they just may not be within my immediate circle of influence.

The combination of the three have added a new level of peace of mind to my life and have allowed me to trust my own decisions more. They have also validated some of my before thought of “quirky” traits, which makes me smile every time I think of them, which is quite often now that I have that level of understanding.

Others resonate with the tried and tested long standing MBTI. And frankly, at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what tool you use, but and however, if you are struggling with certain areas of your life, whether work related or on a personal level, these types of assessments can indeed shine a light on why the struggles may have ensued and add a deeper level of understanding of yourself. They may even allow you to cut yourself some slack, which we all need a little reminder of from time to time.

From a job search perspective, embarking upon the path of this type of self discovery can indeed make finding that right for you job all that much easier. When we have a better understanding of who we are, how our brains work and how to communicate with different personality types, it opens the doors to making better decisions about the right career path for us. Now, we may change that path a few times through out our working lives. Once frowned upon, career recreation is now considered a testament to your personal and professional growth and development.

So, long story short… do a little exploring, find a tool that resonates with you, and learn a little bit more about yourself today. I can guarantee it will be time well spent.

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave A trail” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Happy Trail Blazing!!

PJ xoxo

There’s a spring in their step and a slight smile on their face and they’re not bogged down by traffic or screaming kids in the back seat or the spouse that made them 10 minutes late?

Do you think this just happens naturally and they’re lucky?

Think again, because, Happy work and Happiness at work is of our own creation… just as is the discontent we feel so vehemently when we quit our jobs in the heat of an unfortunate moment. When we think we really can’t take anymore and the only solution is to remove ourselves from the situation. Been there, done that, burned the t-shirt

Choosing work that allows you the choice to make it Happy Work and a Happy Work environment is the first step to being able to be Happy at Work. Not rocket science right? Yet, millions of people complain about workplace dissatisfaction and malcontent. Why? Possibly because they didn’t choose the right work or work environment for themselves in the first place.

Those of us who have made sacrifices to align the work we do with what makes us happy have indeed, maybe even accidentally, but I’d like to think it intuitively, chosen the path we are on. And for sure, not every day is sunshine and roses. Not every person we work with is our ideal work mate, not every decision the company makes is one we would have made ourselves if we were in charge, but who cares… day to day life, the stuff that affects us each and every moment of each and every day is good. It makes us smile. It doesn’t make us mournful at the thought of having to spend 8 hours in a dingy grey cubicle with people we can’t stand to see.

Do a litmus test on the job you are applying to…. even if it fits your qualifications and background to a T and pays more money than you could have ever have hoped to have made in your life… does it provide you with the freedom and opportunity to cultivate Happiness for yourself and those around you? Answer that question even before you set out to write a cover letter and see what a difference it makes in the end result.

This is Your Future… you have the right to Happy work and a Happy work environment, but the first step is the choice you have to make to make it happen for yourself.

Bravely go where many have gone before and choose Happiness!!

PJ