Part of the joy of following your own Creative Career Path is the fact that you can meander onto different creative paths along the way. Who says you should only work at ONE job?

I am learning, as I talk to others, that creative and imaginative people think in terms of doing many different things that bring them joy. Thus they often create many ways to make money – they have multiple income streams. The idea has great appeal to me at this stage of my life. I want to continue to learn and grow in so many ways!

Through the start of Creative Career Paths, I began talking to a woman who has been an acquaintance of mine for over 20 years. She and I discovered recently that we think alike in a lot of ways, and both have a passion to help people – especially women – find ways to make their lives better. Her name is Sandy Cookman and our friendship is growing. We have spent hours talking and planning over the past several weeks, and have decided to do a business together called Blooming Boomers.

We are excited to create new material to encourage women to live their lives in FULL BLOOM! We both have a passion to help people come out of mediocrity and take action to live abundantly and full of joy.

We are working out the details of a special relaxing evening just for women called “Less Stress, More Joy” which will be held at the beautiful Plummer House mansion in Rochester, MN. This is for any woman who is interested in learning more about how she can create a more fulfilling life, and also connect with other new friends. We will present two workshop sessions along with a delicious dessert.

The event will be held on Wednesday, August 19, 2009 from 7:00 to 9:00 pm at the Plummer House and the cost is $35. You can purchase tickets online (Click on Upcoming Events on the Creative Career Paths website) or at the door the night of the event. Please call to reserve your spot at 507-289-3310 or email me.

This evening will be the first in a series of workshops. Sandy and I plan to offer additional gatherings to provide information and encouragement to women in subsequent months. In addition to live workshops, we plan to provide printed materials, conference calls and group coaching for women who are looking for support in improving their lives.

We are indeed the Blooming Boomers – encouraging our own lives to full bloom! Sandy is represented in the flower pot by the short, pink flower and I am the tall one. Please join us on August 19 for this fun evening! We would love to share our enthusiasm with you.

Sherrie Porterfield & Sandy Cookman

I am in the process of developing my business of Creative Career Paths while working a regular full-time job.

I am discovering that I have far less free time nowadays as I spend a good deal of it learning new things about business, career change, ways to use the internet, and how I can best help people. But I love it!

I have always loved learning, and now that I can learn about how to help people by growing my own business, I am deliciously motivated!

There are always obstacles along the way, however. Some are simply annoying and small, but seem to grow when I am scarce on time to address them.

One such obstacle came in the way of receiving a barrage of junk responses to my blog. I knew I had a problem when several replies were in jibberish. So for a while, I have had to make my blog inaccessible so as to clear up the mess.

I am learning that sometimes I can figure out how to solve a problem on my own, and sometimes I simply need to admit I need help from someone who is smarter than me. My trusty website developer was able to clear up the blog spam, and now I am back in business!

I am pondering the idea of developing a package of information that can specifically help those of you who find starting a business just too big an obstacle to overcome.

There are SOOOO many things to learn and discover along the way. As I learn them, I hope to collect helpful information that I can share with my clients in the future. I am excited at the prospect of turning my obstacles into lessons to share.

Are YOU thinking of starting a business? What do you consider your biggest obstacle in the way of your creative career path?

Recently, I led a workshop called “The Vibrant Mid-Life Woman – What’s Next?” I discovered that women who classify themselves as vibrant women seem to exude a confidence about their life that was not evident in earlier years. They also seem eager to make some positive changes in their lives.

I went to the website, Vibrant Nation, http://www.vibrantnation.com/  and asked for some descriptive responses to what the term “Vibrant Mid-life Woman” meant to those on the site. Included were the following responses:

“I am finding that women are “reinventing” themselves in this stage of life. Most of us are still in the workplace and dream about “doing what we’ve always wanted to do.” A lot of us want to make an imprint on this world, making it a better place for ourselves but particularly for our descendants. But we want to have fun doing it. We take jobs which aren’t upwardly mobile simply because we feel some kind of satisfaction. We still have obligations for parents and kids but know that balance is next to godly (family, health, fitness, work, leisure, etc.). Oh, and don’t forget the arts. We love to listen to music, knit, read, and nest. We’re empty-nesters or soon-to-be empty-nesters and were looking to fill that gap (a friend just got a few egg-laying chicks and built a coop!).”

“Each of us has had a life rich with experiences from the difficult and heart wrenching to the ridiculous, the funny and the sublime. Every single experience shapes our own unique vibrancy. When we fully engage in something we love to do, we often tingle with excitement. Whether it’s a personal or professional pursuit, being a vibrant mid-life woman means that our energy is boundless and our enthusiasm is infectious when we pursue our dreams. Dreams? Yes, because as women in this vibrant nation, we know it’s one of those right times to zestfully engage in exploring this next and best chapter in our lives.”

“A vibrant mid-life woman has a job that she enjoys waking up to in the morning. The kind of job that gives tremendous satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment. One where she is expected to share all of her ideas with persons above and beneath her. She has her household well organized, so that not only can you easily find everything, but that the arrangement makes sense, even though she’s not there. She is active in her community and you can find her many volunteer situations.”

You can find the discussion at: http://www.vibrantnation.com/conversations/3611-what-is-a-vibrant-mid-life-woman/

I like what these women had to say! There is indeed a sense of community, creative energy, and confidence in the life of a vibrant mid-life woman.

Sherrie

A hundred years ago, women connected with each other via such things as quilting bees or potluck socials. Today, in our hurried lifestyle, communicating with each other is vastly different.

Before we sigh and wish for life as it used to be, let’s consider the opportunities we have at hand. I just spent a few minutes checking out a social networking website for women 50+. It was engaging, informative, and encouraging to link up with other women in support of each other. I think connecting through website networks is a great way to communicate. We can literally talk to people anywhere in the world! I like the idea that we can share ideas that can benefit each other.

I hope that I will have many chances to interact with other women – particularly those who have a passion for finding and doing things they love. I may have the opportunity to connect face-to-face through small groups and seminars; I may exchange ideas through teleseminars; and now I may make some new friends through social networking on the web.

I’ve just come through a busy week of juggling my full time regular job, along with inching even further towards developing my business of Creative Career Paths.

Last Wednesday evening, I held my first Community Education Class called “Work At What You Love”. Though just a handful of participants, I was delighted to interact with each person. It fascinated me to hear some of the frustrations and passions represented in the group.

I was struck by the running theme that life is too hectic and chaotic to even think of being able to focus on what kind of life we really are meant to live!

We discussed the definite downside to today’s ever-invasive technology. There seems to be an elusive longing for truly quiet time – time with NO interruptions. Enough time to truly relax and reflect on what’s really important in our lives.

I guess that’s one of the reasons that my new business has such appeal. It offers the specific opportunity for people to zero in on what truly is important.

To your dreams,
Sherrie