Abundance is all around us, and even when we’re not aware of the bright signs of prosperity, they shine on, hoping to attract our gaze.  Sadly, our attention is often misdirected.  We concern ourselves with the depressed economy, or compare ourselves to those with more stuff, cash or opportunities, or we pine over dreams that have yet to come true.

This Holiday Season, we invite you to reconfigure your focus. We know that the greatest rewards in life are free: the health and love of family, friends, and fellow entrepreneurs. We challenge you to adopt a spirit of gratitude. Share in the revelry that life’s simplest pleasures can offer. Laughter, community, and the bold expression of your talents are the seeds of gentle greatness, so selflessly feed on these fruits to nourish and grow strong.

After a free coaching session with Santa's elves. Bryan asked for cookies...Hats are not cookies.

There’s plenty of time to think about and talk about money. Let’s continue that conversation in 2010. Together. For now, the one opportunity for joy exists in this moment. Seize it intently, live fully and without restraint, smile broadly and dance. Celebrate all that you have with humility.

From our entire team, our best wishes for a joyous, passionate and prosperous holiday season.  Thank you for choosing to be part of our community.  We simply cannot wait to create 2010 with you.

With gratitude,
Miata & The Abundance Bound Creative Team

My daughter’s school follows a method of teaching that helps children to develop mathematical skills  by focusing on their practical applications in life. Instead of memorizing times tables and formulas  – which is the way that I learned math – the children are taught how to use math to solve real life problems. There are plenty of arguments both for and against this type of teaching. While I do see some of its shortcomings, one of the things I am very happy about is that since kindergarten my daughter has worked with money in the classroom, becoming increasingly comfortable with some financial basics that I know will serve her well.

I remember the first time  she was learning the differences between pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters. We would play a game where she would be offered a “trade” and would have to decide if she wanted to make the deal. For example, I might have two dimes and offer to trade them for one of her quarters. It was fascinating to watch how in the beginning she would eagerly make that trade. I could also easily get her to hand over those two dimes for just five pennies. Of course, given her basic understanding of numbers – two was better than one – and five was certainly better than two! Read more »

For almost 3 months I have been eating a 90% vegan diet. I feel pretty great. I’m finding that I have so much more energy, my mood is consistently good, I haven’t gotten sick even though I’ve been surrounded by people with the flu, AND I weigh less today than I’ve weighed since I was about 19 years old.

I share this with you not to brag – but rather because, for me, this has been a pretty significant breakthrough that I think brings lessons I can apply to other areas of my life. For as long as I can really remember, certainly since high school, I have struggled with food and maintaining a healthy diet. For years I have known that I wasn’t eating particularly well – but dealing with it in any sort of lasting and meaningful way – has always seemed more than a little bit overwhelming. At least twice a year, I’ve discovered a new book at Barnes & Nobles, with the latest low carb or high protein or food combining “solution,” and have convinced myself that finally THIS is the diet I am going to follow. THIS one will be the answer to those extra pounds. THIS time I’m going to stick with it. I get started with a vengeance, making lists, hitting the grocery store, sorting through new recipes. And time after time, usually in less than a month, one day “off the diet” turns into 3 days, which turns into a full week…you get the picture. Read more »

I arrived this afternoon to pick up my 2-year old from preschool. As I generally do – I hung back in the doorway so I could observe him for a while before he spotted me. He was sitting at a table with a small group of children doing a craft. A little girl next to him was using what seemed to be the only glitter stick and it was obvious that my son was practically desperate to get his hands on it. Like all parents – we’ve tried to encourage the idea of “waiting your turn” and I’m certain his teachers work on this as well. It was incredibly funny and precious to watch as he valiantly struggled to exercise patience. Picture him – eyes glued to the glitter as though willing it to come to him – while sitting on his hands, literally trying to force himself not to reach out and snatch it right out of the fingers of his classmate.

It was wonderful watching him try so hard and as I stood there, I realized that even 35 years later in life, I too struggle to wait – and to let things happen in their own time. As I speak with entrepreneurs, I find that a common ailment amongst us, is patience. We want our efforts to pay off now! We want to see our labor unfold into immediate success. Small business owners often must work months and even years at a time before achieving the goals we’ve set for ourselves. And while it’s not quite as simple as sitting on our hands, we too must find a way to stay the course, even when things take longer than we would like. Read more »

Recently I went through a challenging time when a business associate that I very much respect, felt that my ethics had been lacking in the way I had handled a particular situation. This caused me an enormous amount of anxiety and upset because my integrity is probably the thing on which I place the  most value as a business owner. Having that called into question will never be something I would take lightly.

I spent a great deal of time in thought about the whole situation. I turned to other business colleagues asking for their honest opinions about what had occurred. In the end, I absolutely accept that mistakes were made on my part AND can honestly say that I fundamentally disagree with the accusation that my actions, at their core, were in any way unethical.

At the end of the day, as painful a time as this was, I think it raised an important question that we must all address as business owners: How much are you thinking about business ethics? The truth is that the more your business grows – the more you will face decisions about the “right” way to handle things. Read more »