My last day.

Today was my last day at the college. Four years. 10,222 sent emails. Over 1000 meetings. At least 60 workshops/events… one local TV show and a book later, here I am starting my new biz Sweet Spot Style.

My coworkers gave me this card. They said it reminded them of me. And I do feel like a Spanish Flamenco dancer. I feel proud of my time at Marlboro. I feel blessed to be able to do work that is meaningful and fun. I have to tell you, I love encouraging people to do what they love and go for their  ideal career path. But I never thought this job would lead me to my OWN dream career.  After years of encouraging others to go for it, it's time to take my own advice, to set fear aside and listen to that inner voice… head held high, bright yellow billowy skirt and  all… I'm ready for the next adventure.
Thank you Marlboro, you've been good to me. xo Desha

Let's dance.

Quitting your job? Starting a business? Let's talk!

Hello dear ones,
I have some big news for you today. Last year on the Solstice I received some divine information that indicated I would be writing a book, starting a biz, and leaving my current work as Director of Career Development at Marlboro College by the end of 2013. And so it is my friends. The book and biz are in progress and my last day at the college is Jan. 1, 2014.

I've had lots of jobs in my life and it's always been hard for me to quit, even the bad ones. But leaving a job I like is even harder.  I love working with students to help them see the bigger possibilities that exist within themselves, and now it's time to share this calling with my tribe. I feel very drawn towards working with women who are at the edge of their dreams and need a hand to hold as they embrace their fear and go for it.  And that's why I am choosing to go down this very risky path of giving up something great to go for my soul calling. I love the quote by Iyanla Vanzant- "You must have a test to have a testimony."

This is my test. There's A LOT OF FEAR out there. If you are an entrepreneur, I'm sure you've heard it  in the voices of your friends and family… "the economy is bad….most people fail at business within the first two years… how will you survive????"   And I get it.  I know people who have gone into debt, even lost their family over their business. And if I focused on those stories, I might just throw in the towel before I even get started, but that is not my style!

Thus,  I've made it my personal mission to find stories of women who are killing it within their first two years of business. I'm looking for women like me who don't have a sugar daddy doling out cash and who have to figure it out because their livelihood depends on it. And that's why I'm a big fan of Hilary Rushford (a fellow B-School Alum!) and founder of Dean Street Society. She's a personal stylist and  business guru who has managed to make a profitable online business in two years that she loves. And that, I love.

Hilary is rolling out a new program that is right up my alley. It's more than just a book, it comes with a built in tribe and toolkit for women who are on the edge of their entrepreneurial dreams and includes inspirational case studies of people building successful businesses in the first 2-4 yrs. Just the kind of stories we need to hear! It's called the  4-Part Entrepreneur Cocktail and I am more than honored to be part of the Dean Street Society Happy Hour Dialogues to start the conversation rolling. 2014 is the year I officially launch my book and biz, so it's perfect timing, and I'd love for you to join me.

In my opinion, there is no better way to go for your dreams, than to find someone who is already doing it and learn from them and that's what the 4-Part Entrepreneur Cocktail is all about.

According to Hilary, "The 4-Part Entrepreneur Cocktail is for you if you are a blogger or entrepreneur who sometimes feels lost, over your head or unsure where to start or what to do next, like you should be further ahead by now. This applies to readers who haven't yet decided whether to start a business, those a few years in, but who have yet to really succeed the way they'd hoped... It's for anyone who secretly feels there should be a better, easier, less overwhelming way to do this. It's the book I wish I'd read when I was just getting started two years ago."

Join me for Hilary's 4-Part Entrepreneur Cocktail!

I'm on board. How about you?
Here is what I'd like to suggest. You sign up here so Hilary knows I sent ya, and I will...

1. Hold your virtual hand and encourage you throughout the process.
2. Provide you two free Sweet Spot counseling sessions (worth $200!). Following along with the Hilary's cocktail theme, we'll do Before and After Shots. Because self-assessment and reflection are vital to growth, the Before Shot will give you a chance to check in with me before you start the program to acknowledge where you are in your business/life and what you hope to gain out of the program. At the end of the program you report back and share your After Shot - including clarity around your intentions, accomplishments and action plans. You'll have one on one time with me to make a plan to help you continue working towards your soul's Sweet Spot in a way that feels oh, so good.

So, if you are thinking of doing your own thing, whether you are starting a blog or your dream business-  Click here to view more details about Hilary's 4 Part Cocktail and let's start 2014 on the right track, baby.

If you aren't an entrepreneur, that's ok. I'd still like to invite you to come along this journey with me by staying in touch in 2014. Either way, I'd appreciate the company.

xo
Desha

Sweet Spot Style Featured in Snowed-In Magazine!

Hi friends! I'm excited to have a fashion feature in SnowedIn Magazine produced by Ashley Pahl of She Makes a Home. Check out the full magazine here- it's gorgeous and it's free! xo Desha

Make Art.

Sometimes I forget how fun making art is. Ah, it can be such a stress-reliever. Today, I took Iyla and her friend to the River Gallery School of Art to check out their Word and Image Workshop, which included  brush paining, collage, calligraphy, letter setting, and book binding. We did it all! Carol and Donna were so patient helping the girls (and me!) make sweet little journals and after Iyla's friend said "this was the BEST day ever!" I think they did a pretty good job, right?

Check out the after school art classes for kids, scholarships are available!

xo Desha

Sneak Peak: New Website Plans & Social Suzi Giveaway!

Ooooh, la la!! I'm So excited to share this mood board from my web designer, Social Suzi. I can't wait to launch my new website, inspired by some of my fav online businesses, fashion, food, and COLOR. Here's a sneak peek of what you'll be seeing from my new site in the months to come...

I've really enjoyed working with my "web gal" as I call her. Susie has not only suggested an amazing design for my site, she also helped me think more broadly about my overall brand. She calls these sessions The Brand-Igniting Sessions. She asks the right questions to get you to think about your products, your audience, and overall biz goals so you can get out of brain fog and get to work. And now you can work with her to just that over at Social Suzi.

Sweet Spot Style Mood Board made by Social Suzi

Sweet Spot Article in Amulet Magazine!! Win Your Free Copy!!

Have you read Amulet Magazine? It is rapidly becoming my favorite online mag... the combo of stunning photography, great design and sensual/powerful female energy is too hard to resist. When I read the first issue, I poured over the bios of each contributor. You know you want something when you feel a tinge of jealousy, right?  So, it's extra yummy to see my name and bio listed as a contributor this month. Yes!!

This article is extra special to me b/c it was inspired by a poem read by writing shaman and friend, Suzanne Kingsbury during her Tuesday night Salon at the dollhouse.  And not only that, but the piece is accompanied by photos from gal pal and creative cohort extraordinaire, Elle James.  Doubly sweet!! 

You can read the article in two ways.
1. Enter to win a free online copy of Amulet, see below for details.
2. Or, just buy it right now and get ready to fall in love. 

IT'S SO EASY .... HOW TO WIN YOUR COPY OF AMULET MAGAZINE

1. Like Sweet Spot Style and Amulet Magazine on Facebook.
2. And then, leave a comment below (or on FB) and tell me one way you are embracing fall this year.

I will pick a winner one week from today on Sunday, Sept 29 so make sure and enter for your chance to win your free online copy of Amulet now!

Happy first day of fall... may you find your Sweet Spot within the shadows this season.
xo Desha

Retreat

I'm finishing up my first draft of Sweet Spot Style (the book) and I needed a little quiet space to collect my thoughts, so last weekend I had the pure luxury of staying at The Sanctuary in Westminster West, Vermont. Homeowners Caitlin and Peter where out of town and I was in charge of making sure Sasha and Maya (the kitties) didn't get eaten by wild coyotes after sunset. I am good at that kind of job :)

It's funny, I was dreaming of being all alone, getting uninhibited free time to write and focus, but oddly enough I found myself creating my own distractions. Maybe it is b/c I'm so used to being interrupted, with 50 things to do at all times, the phone ringing, dinner to make, or my child who wants to play Barbies.... and all of these things were gone. Yet, what did I do, but pick up the phone and ask my family if they would like to join me? How crazy is that??? I told hubby, "I think I kinda I miss you..." but actually I think it was that I'm not used to spending much time alone.  Luckily, hubby reminded me of my mission and told me to get back to work :)

And I'm proud to say I did. The writing itself, dare I say, is done with over 43K words and 125 pages, time for editing and picture placement. To celebrate, hubby and daughter joined me for lunch in the garden and a gorgeous hike on Sunday. What I learned this weekend is that I really do need to be careful about not creating distractions that pull me from my mission and that sharing the beauty of a magical place does give me joy, but there is something to be said for keeping a little of that magic all to myself.

Sweet Spot Style featured in StayBasic Magazine!

Very excited to share that my article "Creating Your Sweet Spot Kitchen" was published today in StayBasic, an online magazine that brings expert advice, helpful tips, and action steps to help busy moms create an easy rhythm for living a more simple, beautiful and healthy life. 

Sign up HERE for your free copy of StayBasic Magazine to read my Sweet Spot article and find endless inspiration for healthy meals and living. Plus it's a really pretty mag, check it out!!

issuu.com/staybasic/docs/staybasic-sept-oct?e=0/4875434

Get the MOST from your to do list

My daughter knows about lists. My husband makes lists daily and checks it off. It has tasks like clean the bathroom, wash the clothes, call the electrician, research counter tops, etc. When my daughter wanted to play with me the other day, I showed her my list of things to do so she would understand I had lots to do. We read the the list of ten things together and at the end she said, "Can you add play with me on your list?

Wow. That was a bit of a wake up call. I put the list down and said, "Let's play now."

Coming home from work today, I saw that my daughter had made her own list and once again I was reminded of what is important in life. It can't be all about the work, our lists need to include a little play and I'm happy to report that was one thing that was checked off her list.

It's like a scene from your blog...

Late summer dinners on the porch in Vermont make me happy. Even without a kitchen and washing dishes in the yard with a water hose, everything is better with wine and good friends.

it's like a scene from your blog.... Theo

sweet friends reunite

black rice, roasted root veggies and honey tofu polenta bake from Gita

blessings

Vermont Farmhouse Garden Magic Story

Every home tells a story. Whether it's brand new or 300 yrs old, there is always a story to tell. So when my editor Abigail Gehring Lawrence invited me to her childhood home in Vermont, I was so happy to pull onto the dirt driveway and find this scene.  Hope you enjoy this snapshot of our evening and get a glimpse of the true glory of summertime in Vermont.

Abigail's childhood farmhouse, built in the late 1700's
 Wilmington, VT

farmhouse garden magic

appetizers included bacon wrapped figs with maple,  coconut dipping sauce
wine and Tim's homemade ginger ale on the porch

main course in the garden

farm fresh salad with watermelon, dill, avocado and nasturtiums

inside we found relics, curious collections left behind by trusting family members

trinkets to behold

treasures on display

untold stories abound

the heart of a Vermont home

secret places yet to explore...

~ thank you Abigail and Tim for sharing your VT Sweet Spot with us ~

It would be nice if...

I don't recommend remodeling your kitchen, writing your first book, building your business and your website, taking an online PR class, and some other stuff I've forgotten to mention like helping to organize a fundraiser, being a mom and working. It would be nice if I could just do one or two of these things at a time, but alas we create our own reality and this is the one I've patched together.

I guess it's just in my blood to multi-task. At the most I had seven part time jobs at one time. Even in high school I had three part time jobs. I'd leave school early to work the 3-6 shift at the church daycare,  and then dash out the door to take the 6-9 shift at  M.M. Cohn's, a Southern retail store akin to Dillard's or perhaps some lesser version of Macy's? Yes, this required an outfit change and I was usually speeding to get there on time. The third job was working weekends at a hippie store in the mall where I sold tie-dyed shirts, incense and beads while listening to the Grateful Dead.

I'm getting off subject here, as I was saying... I tend to thrive with threes. Three relatively big tasks is a good thing, keeps things spicy.  Three boyfriends always seemed to work well, too. If one made you mad, the other would cheer you up. As the saying goes, one man can't possibly make you happy- but, how about three? I say it's the magic number!

I'm getting off track AGAIN, see that's what happens when you multi-task. You get off track because instead of writing your book, you start looking at kitchens and when you are supposed to be looking at designing your kitchen you are playing dress up with your daughter walking around the house in your prom dress from about a million yrs ago (at least it still fits!) and trying not to fall down the stairs in high heels that you haven't worn since you moved to Vermont ten years ago.

It would be nice if I could just write my book.
And you know what?
I think I better go do that.
Xo Desha

What My Dad Taught Me About Money

I believe we create our own happiness, so whether you are rich or poor, life happens. We have to deal with tragedies that are beyond our control and experience the feeling of love regardless of how much money we have. But to say money doesn't matter would be a lie. It does matter. I see money as a form of energy and the owner gets to use it how they choose. You may hoard it and become greedy with it or you may give it freely.  Your relationship to it can offer you freedom or control your life completely.

My own story around money is complicated and I won't go into it here, but I'm sure, like you, my world views are effected by early relationship to money, or lack of it :)

I am not one who believes money is evil or bad. I am not one who believes I need to obtain buckets and buckets of it to feel safe, happy and secure. There are times in my life when I didn't have a cent, and I survived. What I do feel is that money is a tool that can offer me and my family options. I seek to obtain it in a way that matches my values. I seek to use it in way that enhances joy for those around me and for myself. I feel good about giving it when I can, and in fact, I make it a priority to do so.

I will be the first to admit that I enjoy life's little luxuries. I enjoy a pedicure every once in awhile, a trip to another country, taking my friend out for a meal, buying new curtains. And I'm clear that I don't like the feeling of not having "enough" although I try not to let fear of lack dictate my life or choices. It's a tricky balance, that one.

I am clear that I won't live my life just to accumulate it, nor will I sacrifice my freedom and lifestyle to obtain it. What's the point of that?

Growing up with less has allowed me to be thrifty, to create wonderful experiences and spaces on a budget. It's made me more creative in many ways.  It instilled in me a certain respect for it that I might not have if I was born with loads of it.  I can stretch a dollar quite far and certainly grateful for what I have. Even if I complain that I don't have enough, the reality is that I'm blessed. As Joe Peacock said, money doesn't equal happiness, but it sure don't hurt.
xo Desha Peacock

This is my second post as part of The Declaration of You's BlogLovin' Tour, which I'm so excited to participate in! The Declaration of You helps uncover your own definitions/ideas/values/perspectives around themes such as intention, self-care, success, money and more. Read my first post on SUCCESS here. 

The Sweet Spot is Self-Defined Success

This post is part of The Declaration of You's BlogLovin' Tour, which I'm so excited to participate in alongside over 200 other creative bloggers! Learn more here. The Declaration of You helps uncover your own definitions/ideas/values/perspectives around themes such as intention, self-care, success, money and more. I'll be guest posting on SUCCESS and MONEY, two of my favorite subjects. Let's get started!

If someone were to ask if you were a SUCCESS, how would you answer? What would being a SUCCESS look like to you? This is such a deeply personal question, answering it is sort of like spilling your heart and soul out for the world to not only see, but also judge. And while no one has ever asked me this question straight out, I feel like every time someone asks me what "I do" there is an opportunity to be judged. And really, this is just part of human nature, isn't it? We each have our own thoughts about what makes someone successful and it's nearly impossible not to judge around those standards.

The problem is that each person's definition is so unique, so deeply personal that it's really quite silly to try and gauge another's success based on our own personal definition.  And even more damaging is basing our own self worth on someone else's definition of success. 

I'm sure my friends and family want me to be happy and successful, but their view of happy and successful might be quite different from mine. Here are my wild guesses about how others might gauge my success:

My mother might feel I'm a success if I have a stable income, stay married, be a good mom, go to church and be a good Christian.

My husband might feel I'm a success if I could keep a tidy and organized house, get my daughter to eat more vegetables, exercise, maintain a steady career. Be still.

Some friends might feel I'm a success if I become famous, have my own show, write a best seller, and become filthy rich.

Still others might feel I'm a grand success if I am able to make a small imprint on the earth through recycling, composting, gardening and living a simple life.

I could try and live my life so that others might see me as a success, but there's a few problems:

1. I'm only guessing about how others might see me as a success, I could be completely wrong about these assumptions.

2. Even if I knew for sure how others would perceive me as successful, there's so many versions that I couldn't possibly make every one happy.

3. Does it even matter? Who cares if others see me as a success? Do they sit around and think about my success? I seriously doubt it. They might judge for a few minutes and then it's on to "what should I make for dinner" or "what am I going to wear to work tomorrow."  And those that truly love me will accept me for my success and failures. 

What's the moral of this story?

If it's a fact that I can't please everyone (or maybe not even one person!), I might as well try and live by my own PERSONAL DECLARATION of SUCCESS which includes...

- walking my daughter to and from school most days 

- creating an environment that makes me and my family feel abundant, joyful, cozy, comfortable and surrounded by beauty

- wearing clothes that creatively express who I am

- feeling financially free to live the way I choose

- exposing my daughter and myself to other cultures in a meaningful and adventurous way

- living my higher purpose, which for me means doing creative, meaningful work that uplifts and fulfills me

How about you? Do you live by your own declaration of success?  Leave your comment below and join me on the Declaration of You Facebook Party to discuss this notion of SUCCESS and much more!

The Perfect New England Getaway...

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Prescott Park, Portsmouth 

I love discovering little nooks like these.

Gardens near Prescott Park

Getting ready to see Annie at the outdoor theater, Prescott Park

If you are looking for a New England get away, I suggest Portsmouth. We went there a couple of years ago and I wrote this mini city guide with some pics of the beaches and recommendations for shops and restaurants. This time around we fell in love with a Caribbean seafood place called the Blue Mermaid, with seafood paella and plantain encrusted cod. Try the carrot coconut rum drink, too. Yum!

If you have kids you really should plan your visit around the shows at Prescott Park, an outdoor theater right next to the ocean. There's a lovely garden perfect for a little picnic and glass of wine.

Portsmouth is a great place to spend a couple of days at the beach, hit a show at the park, do a little shopping downtown and have a sweet little vaca.

Sweet Spot Style Summer Office is Open

Hello dear ones, July is dedicated to writing, playing, decorating and seeing private clients. I'm excited to reopen my summer "cabin" office! I had the joy of counseling a client today in the space and it reminds me how much I love helping people get clear about their hopes and dreams. If you are interested in doing a little one- on- one work around manifesting your dream career, decorating with meaning, or designing your own personal Sweet Spot Life, give me a shout. We'll talk over hibiscus tea and lemon cookies. xo Desha