DARE TRIUMPH

The workshop at NYU was so successful we are still reveling in the feeling! It was a TRIUMPH! The receptivity and evaluations for the event were all TOP-NOTCH. Unfortunately, we had so much response that we had to turn people away, so we will be organizing more of these.

Let me give you another great tip from one of our panelists. Kathy Gurland, an inspiring post-40 woman who runs a hospice-care consulting firm, told us not to be afraid to go back to school, as that is where the idea for our life’s work may actually strike.

I can speak to that. Going back in my fifties to get an MBA in finance at NYU was hard, let me tell you. But it is one of the best things I have ever done. It is NEVER too late to do almost anything the mind, heart, and soul aim to accomplish.

DARE TRIUMPH

One of the most powerful elements of our workshop at NYU was the brainstorming session. We asked our over-40 participants to write their life history to date, and then their perfect obit! Then we asked the most thought-provoking piece, “What is keeping you from your perfect obit?” We asked them to focus on three priorities that they could start working on over the next three months.

We were so delighted and inspired by the results of this brainstorming section─it turned out to be the highest scoring part of the day! Women who never met each other before opened up about their fears, dreams, and schemes—laying groundwork for a career transition, their reinvention, or for their legacy. When it was time to regroup for the workshop wrap-up, I thought I would need a police whistle to get them to stop talking!

This was indeed proof-positive to me that supporting groups like this work! They inspire spontaneity and ideas, create action, and put challenge and potential into the air! And the result? Optimism, hope, and excitement. The fact that several women rose to our “DARE ME…!” challenge and recited their DARES out loud was even more gratifying!

DARE TRIUMPH

We all need inspiration! It really helped our participants at the May 6^th NYU workshop to hear the stories of our role models─ the women who have overcome huge obstacles, who DARED to find a new path, and follow their dreams. It certainly has always helped me in my life!

I’d like to share with you the story of Carol Hoenig, one of our panelists at the workshop─ I absolutely adore her!  This dynamic post-50 publishing consultant and writer had her job eliminated, suddenly, and although for years her friends and peers had suggested over and over that she leave and start her own business, fear had always stopped her. Newly divorced, and having just purchased a home, it was the loss of her job that pushed her into a new life. Instead of hitting the pavement with her resume, she went freelance. She pushed through the fear, believed in herself, and reinvented and booted her life on many levels. She tripled her income, and out of fear and adversity created something even bigger and much more fulfilling!

Yay, Carol! And Yay, you when you DARE to do the same!!

Our workshop on May 6^th at NYU was a personal and professional TRIUMPH for me. It created a template for future conferences─it was interactive, lively and inspirational, focusing in on the challenges and opportunities that affect the lives, career transitions, and philanthropic pursuits of women over 40.

To inspire our participants, we included research about the characteristics of brave and determined women over 40 throughout history. Then, we dived into individual exercises and interactive brainstorming sessions. And our participants loved the quiz which opened with this question:

1. When it comes to interacting with people, those closest to me would say I am a:

1. Dynamo – I’m always in motion!
2. Enthusiastic supporter and team player
3. Undisputed expert, born leader – and always eager to learn more
4. Strong consensus-builder and mentor
5. Efficient contributor – working because I have to

The results of the 10-question quiz really triggered some spirited discussion─even I couldn’t get my usual 100 words per minute comments in there!  But I did manage to generate a laugh at the notion that advertisers think women over 40 are all cougars, cobras and crones, or queen bees, OH MY. Judging from the ads on network news show, you would presume all we think about is plastic surgery, midriff bulge, constipation or peeing our pants!

Thanks again to these participants who said of the workshop,

“…a good motivator and confidence builder and idea generator!” (Donna)

“…so informative and empowering.” (Susan)