Fearless Women with a Purpose

For several months I have pondered what is next for Fearless Women? Should I back burner all that I put sweat equity, passion and pain into? My physical health break down and break through at the end of last year, gave me moments of enlightenment. Of course, just when you think the door to enlighenment opens, the wind shuts it closed. Damn that wind!

So I spoke to a few of my fearless friends to gather ideas and opinions on the subject. The questions were, "Do you think there is a hole that needs to be filled with another membership site and women's groups around the country? Where do you see it going?" What I got back at first are questions, "What do you want?" I just wanted suggestions. I wanted someone to flip the switch and light up my room on the subject.

At the end of the conversation, when everyone except one woman was on the call, Betty Liedtke, we discussed more ideas. She expressed such passion about being part of Fearless Women and what it meant to go to the event in LA last year. Then I thought, if I could bring purpose to it in the most simple form, I could do something meaningful and NOT burn myself out.

I revisited the inspiration I felt from these two women, Betty Liedtke and Tabitha Kyambadde. They met because of Fearless Women. Betty was in my Fearless Women, Fearless Wisdom. She spoke about being a fearless woman and being in the book at a Toast Masters gathering in Minneapolis. Tabitha who lived there but is from Uganda, was very moved. She later asked Betty more about Fearless Women. Long story very short, they became fast friends and Betty went to Uganda to help Tabitha with her mission to build a community for women and chidren who live in a slum brothel in Uganda. This village is to become "Miracle Village."

I was so moved by Tabitha's passion that I asked her to be in my newest book Fearless Women, Visions of a New World. I felt that Tabitha had a huge vision.

In the simplist most intimate way to carry on, I will be doing a webinar once a month co-hosted by another woman in my new book, Teresa McKee from Knoxville. We will be interviewing Tabitha and Betty about their passionate cause and give everyone a call to action to buy the new calendar, Fearless Women, Visions and Wisdom with Tabitha on the cover and all the proceeds going to build "Miracle Village." Every month we will feature a woman from either the books or calendar who have a passion to change the world! Yes, that feels very good!

Sometimes you have to surrender what you think you should do to find what just feels so so very right! Exhale....

I would appreciate hearing your comments about your fearless purpose!

Yours in Fearless Purpose,

Mary Ann

If you think you can...

...or if you think you can't, you're probably right. Oh, that Henry Ford...what a guy! Here's a man who was brought up on a farm, encouraged by his parents to tinker with clock in the kitchen and had only an eighth grade education. Most would look at him and say that, this is a kid going nowhere in life. He turned out to be the most influential man in the industrial revolution.

PBS had a really interesting documentary on Henry Ford tonight. If was educational and very inspiring. He fought for the common man at the very beginning and then later caught up in competition and egotistical accomplishments. We have much to learn from Henry. His story encourages us to think outside the box and  passionately follow your dream...your calling. However, he was not the greatest father and his son, seemingly much more sensitive and malleable, did not meet up to Henry's expectations. Edsel (an unfortunate car was named after him) died of an ulcer due to stress before he was 50 years old.

I suppose you can't change the industrial world and be a totally sweet guy, can you? The things I want to take away from this example is his perseverance and steadfast focus. I admire his ingenuity and fearless vision a changing world.

Looking at these historical figures, I am stunned by what they accomplished to shift the planet into the next realm.

So it's about vision, following your dream...your calling and going for it fearlessly, no matter what other's may say.

Fearlessly dreaming,

Mary Ann

I Don't Know

This is day 28th on my 31 day blog challenge. I don't know. I think that is a declaration. A statement that I have been sitting here contemplating. We say it alot but do we mean it and embrace the "don't" part of the "I know?"

If I truly don't know, does it mean I've lost my head or just my mind? If that is the case, isn't it a good thing? Aren't we truly too much in our heads? Isn't that what mediation is about...getting out of our heads?

Speaking of which, and to take another journey from the rediculous to the sublime, you must do me a favor. Take your earphones and put it into your computer or smart phone and absorb yourself in this trancendent chant by Deva Premal.  I will leave you with this beautiful song that will take you out of your head and into the relm of you heart. Close your eyes, take a deep breath and Enjoy!

 Go to Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=aifSjuyeE5M

Yours in blissful...I don't know,

Mary Ann

A photographer with a Big Vision!

My visionary friend, Joe Sohm, spent thirty years traveling across America capturing images of with his camera. What drove his creative pursuit was one phrase, "How to you photograph Demoncracy?" He captured a historic, heartfelt portrait of all 50 states of America. Photographing American presidents to American homeless, from national monuments to small town America, Joe passionately explored and took tens of thousand of photographs.

In 2009 Joe Sohn assembled his 30 years of images into an amazing photography book, Visions of America. Being a photographer of now four photo/essay books, I was impressed with his journey to create the images and in awe of his commitment to creating this 12x12, 312 page photo book! It is an extraordinary accomplishment and not a project for the faint of heart. But Joe's passion and inspiration doesn't stop there,  he felt called to create a photo symphony!

One of Joe Sohm's close friends is the talented composer, Roger Kellaway. Roger loved the idea of setting music to Joe's visual show of Americana photographs. Roger then brings into the project Allen and Marilyn Bergman (known for hit's such as "The Way We Were") to write songs for each segment, Clint Eastwood narrates the show telling Joe's story with Steve Tyrell and Judith Hill singing the songs.

Tonight we were honored, and inspired to be in the audience of Visions of America for it's west coast premiere with the New West Symphony. What a beautiful concert filled with music that breaks your heart open and photographs of America that covers part of Joe's passionate journey that led up to this moment in time. It brought tears to our eyes and filled us with a rekindled love for our country.

I am grateful to Joe for his encouragement to create my last two books, publishing them myself through his designer, Peter Green. I watch Joe do such "outside the box" creations. Watching him take these huge leaps into the creative abyss makes me realize that anything is possible.

Yours in fearless inspiration,

Mary Ann

Simple Gratitude

I talked to my Mom yesterday who turned 90 year old. We celebrated her birthday last Saturday with the family. When I spoke to her yesturday, she shared how busy she was with all the phone calls and she received 15 birthday cards. She was pretty tired but so very grateful for her well wishes.

Whenever I talk to my Mom, she reminds me of "simple gratitude." She remembers every kind gesture, every card given to her and everything in her day that gives her joy. At 90, it is inpiring to see her in such appreciation. It makes me inhale the joy of life and exhale what's not needed.

Finding this image that sybolizes simple gratidude, I found these 7 Simple Steps to Cultivate Gratitude. As I was looking through the seven steps, I noticed the second step was "never compare."  I don't usually compare myself to anyone but lately, let me ask you, do you ever read stuff on Facebook and feel just a little inferior? Perhaps feeling like you are just not doing enough in your life or business or have as many people commenting on your posts? Everyone seems so full of joy with inspirational sayings, cleaver musings, incredible events to promote, campaigns for remarkable products and new photos of themselves that are showing them so full of positivity that it would make anyone run out and buy a button that says, "have a nice day." So when I start feeling that, I fold my laptop and take a nice walk around Lake Hollywood or watch House Hunters International. 

That's why my Mother is such a touch stone to the simple gratidutes in life. She doesn't have a computer, a cell phone or even a CD player. She recently got high definition TV and was beyond thrilled. 

So as I inhale the simplicity of life, I exhale the need to posture, prove that I am something  I may not be at this moment. But honestly who really cares? Only me! The truth is we are all extraordinary humans on a spiritual journey! I think we just need to relax more and not try so damn hard.

So I hope you are appreciating and loving your life with "simple gratitude."

Yours in Fearless Simple Gratitude,

Mary Ann 

Fresh New Creativity...

This is the 25th day of the 31 day blog challenge. To be honest with you, I missed two days. Oh, well....it happens. I just get so distracted by people holding shiny objects in front of me and go off on other journeys. It's fine...it's all meant to be. I know I am on a fearless journey of discovery and all is well.

Oh, I love to swim in fresh creativity. It's the place to play for me. I have been focusing on Fearless Women gatherings, and doing work to help "change the world." I found that I felt burned out, stressed and wondered why the phone stopped ringing with photographic inquiries. Dah...it's because I digressed and lost my focus (pun intended) on my photographic work.

So I fearlessly decided to put my marketing into my photography. We are creating lot's of different photographic campaign's throughout this year. Valentines Portrait Days,
Kid ACTivist portraits for ACT Today for Autism fundraiser with a calendar for 2014, pet portraits in the summer etc etc. It's amazing how much the phone has been ringing for photographic work since I have put my head into creating marketing for my photography!

I had a test shoot with a young woman I know, Christina Dunbar, who is passionate about helping other sensitive, spiritual, beautiful, badass women become the starlets of their life and business. She was perfect to do test photo session for my Fearless Diva series. I had so much fun creating lighting and shooting from differnet angles. It's just what I needed. As you can see, we have some fun!

And with this Fearless Diva Valentine's Portrait Day I ask, "What's Your Fearless Sexy?"

Yours in Fearless Creative Sexy Bliss,

Mary Ann

What is Your "Yes" for this Year?

 I am a big fan of marketing guru and writer, Seth Godin. His latest blog, "On behalf of Yes" got me thinking of my own "Yes." What is your "yes" this year?

Yes, you can achieve your dreams.
Yes, you can recreate yourself, your vision, and your business and succeed.
Yes, everything will be just fine....even better.
Yes, life is filled with so many amazing choices...so choose and if the wrong choice, choose again.
Yes, you can make a huge difference in the world and still keep your sanity.
Yes, you can be creative and make money.
Yes, you can do what you are called to do, inspite of what other people say.
Yes, you can live in your truth and a transparent life and be totally in your power.
Yes, Yes, Yes, Exhale...

"Yes is an opportunity and yes is an obligation. The closer we get to people who are confronting the resistance on their way to making a ruckus, the more they let us in, the greater our obligation is to focus on the yes.
There will always be a surplus of people eager to criticize, nitpick or recommend caution. Your job, at least right now, is to reinforce the power of the yes." Seth Godin

Yours in Fearless "Yes!"

Mary Ann