Where Ideas Find You
My first book is called Six Degrees to Your Dreams, representing the six degrees of connection theory – how we’re all no more than six degrees away from the person, idea, resource needed to bring us another step closer to realizing our dreams.
I’ve gotten important ideas, resources and contacts through the most unexpected avenues over the years, particularly since I became a member of a women’s group dedicated to helping each other realize our dreams and goals back in 1999. I’m sure you have too. A recent experience prompted me to write about this topic again.
I’m close to completing my cookbook, Comfort Food from the Heartland: Recipes from a South Dakota Farmer’s Daughter. As with many fun, creative projects, this one took on a life of its own and became a more involved process than I had originally anticipated. In large part, because I want it to be pretty! So, there have been a number of food photography sessions.
I’ve requested quotes for publication. Two from large national chains where I regularly do business and I also walked into a local print shop to get a quote from them. The first two came in neck and neck; I never heard back from the local print shop and promptly forgot about them.
The final food photography shoot involved table settings, candles and flowers. So I visited my favorite florist, Maryam, at Artistic Flowers & Home Décor in Lake Oswego. I’ve purchased bouquets for the Authentic Expression video class series I’m recording, so have been in several times recently and Maryam and I have had a few lively conversations. I really like her.
I’m excited about the projects and felt comfortable sharing with Maryam what the bouquets have been for – and showing her photos later. She specifically asked where I was publishing my cookbook and recommended the print shop I’d forgotten about. They’ve done quite a bit of work for her and she loves the place. Maryam picked up the phone, called the manager, I headed over there that same moment, and left with a quote for right about half (I suspect that extra discount was because of Maryam’s referral) the figures of the other two quotes. And…the design specialist is a musician and photographer with a Fine Arts degree…the two large stores couldn’t get close to that level of expertise.
Score!!!
See…you just never know where the next step in the six degrees to your authentic dreams will come from. So don’t be afraid to talk about them, and open your mind and heart to receive inspiration and guidance from wherever it may come.
Authentically Yours,
Laura
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