July 2018 Newsletter + Member Announcements

As many of you know, besides building Great Girls Network I spend a part of my time doing coaching. Invariably I find a “theme of the month” with my clients.

The theme of this month is VALUE — not only understanding what you value in life, but also changing your way of valuing yourself. Self-worth is paramount to creating the life you would love to live.

Self-worth is also vital in being able to appreciate the life you already have!

Whether you are running a company, a stay at home mom, working for others, or doing a variety of activities (like volunteering, grand parenting, going to school, creating art), how you feel about yourself makes all the difference in your ability to succeed in those endeavors. And I keep finding women especially, but also some men, who consistently value others over themselves.

That doesn’t mean we don’t want to appreciate and value our co-workers, bosses, spouses, children, friends, relatives — whoever is important to you. What it does mean is that putting them in a primary position — over you — making you less than, somehow, diminishes you in the process!

“My kids come first!” “I’m doing this to please my boss!” “I put my (wife-husband-partner-boyfriend) first because I want (him/her) to be happy!”

Have you heard yourself thinking that? Saying that proudly?

I’m not advocating super-narcissistic,egocentric arrogance here. I’m just saying that when all those “others” matter more to you than you, then you are likely to be suppressing your true self in order to keep the peace, please them or maintain some sort of status quo.

Is it worth it? Do you stop and really think about how valuable you are to them? Do you imagine their lives without you? Have you stopped to think about the difference you make in their lives?

When you feel truly valuable, that you matter — firstly to yourself — you might find yourself making different choices, seeing others more objectively, asking yourself what works for you instead of whether they are happy or not.

The sad truth about all this is: we don’t actually have the power to make others happy. And spending a great deal of energy trying usually leaves us feeling depleted.

I decided to start writing in our blog about this, calling it “Confessions of a Recovering Helpaholic” — so check out our blog on our website to read more about it. Click here to go directly to our blog….

Ann Ranson, coach, consultant and facilitator of change offers:

On August 24-25, I will be facilitating The Transformation Game…
More than a game – it is a journey within that is out-pictured onto a board game.

▪ It illuminates patterns, offers insights towards new directions, and supports change and transformation.
▪ The Game is an incredibly clear mirror of your life and is a tool for initiation and change.
▪ The goal of the game is to gain awareness about a playing focus that you set.

Offered by Ann Ranson, Accredited Advanced Transformation Game Facilitator [email protected] Cost: $150 // Location: in my home in North DallasTestimonial: “Ann navigated four very different personalities with ease and was able to offer deeper insights and ask poignant questions that enriched the whole experience.”

Mary Kate Powers, Director of Operations at Brass Tacks Collective shared:

My company (a teaching advertising company) has a few workshops relevant to the creative industry that are open to the public in July, and I’ve provided the registration links below. All of them are on Saturdays from 10am-12pm at WeWork Thanksgiving Tower, registration fee $25 per workshop:

▪ Writing for Advertising (July 14th) Writing for Advertising Workshop with Brass Tacks Collective
▪ Intro to Service Design (July 21st) Intro to Service Design Workshop with Brass Tacks Collective
▪ Color Theory (July 28th) Color Theory Workshop with Brass Tacks Collective, Part 2

Dr. Jaime Goff is offering a 6 month AWARE Women’s Leadership Program

▪ As a result of participating in this program, you will:
▪ Identify and embrace your Authentic leadership identity and purpose
▪ Become more Resilient through receiving 360 feedback, enhancing your leadership networks, and applying important leadership skills
▪ Increase your capacity for Empathic leadership by becoming aware of your own and others’ emotional landscapes

The program includes:
▪ An initial two-day retreat in Dallas, TX
▪ Five monthly 2-hour virtual meetings
▪ Lumina Leader 360 assessments
▪ Participant guide

The next cohort begins with a two-day retreat in Dallas on September 14-15, 2018. Registration is now open at Registration is now open so click here . The first five women who sign up will receive a 25% registration discount using the code AWARE25!

Judy Watson shares:

Margery and I had the pleasure to work with Lenita Dunlap , the ED for Heart House in developing revenue strategies. Lydia Epps, Jennifer Owens and Maddy Kulkarni soon contributed their expertise. We know that other Great Girls have invaluable contributions to be made for the emotional and educational welfare of the refugee children of Heart House.

Your skills are invaluable to Heart House’ s upcoming Bold Strokes Art Auction & Marketplace on November 17th.

In the words of Lilly Neubauer (pictured above with her husband Markus and some of the wonderful children at Heart House), this year’s co-chair:

“Put your skill set to use as a Bold Strokes volunteer. Let your talents be seen by signing up for one of our limited artisan marketplace tables. Showcase your business with one of our sponsorship opportunities. And, of course, be ready to meet and be dazzled by the children of Heart House Dallas!”

For more information, contact Judy at [email protected].

Karen Almond, is originally from Arlington, Texas. She was one of four children with a Dad who made sure each one of them was enamored with the arts.

Karen first became interested in photography in high school, where she spent hours in the darkroom working on the yearbook staff. Photography was Karen’s major in college and her career began when she was hired by Gittings, a family owned portrait studio. After spending three years there, at age 30, she opened her own photography business. [MM’s note: Karen has been taking my head shots for me for years. I was so relieved to find her relaxed, fun manner and complete confidence broke my fear of having my picture taken! And the results are great pictures that I treasure!!!]

Her first foray into arts photography was at a production of Hansel and Gretel at the Dallas Opera Theatre in 1996. Fast forward to 2018 where Karen is now the production photographer for The Dallas Opera, The Dallas Theatre Center and The Dallas Children’s Theatre. She has also photographed productions through out the country and will return in the fall to the New York Metropolitan Opera.

The picture above is Karen backstage at the Met with 2 Russian Wolfhounds that were appearing onstage in the production Anna Bolena.

As a committed member of GGN, Karen attends Track meetings and also generously photographs our Semi-Annual Gatherings. Check out our website to see her fabulous pictures! [Thank you to Lynne Sipiora for this member profile]

We have an open Great Girls Network page which we would love for you to go to and “like” and “follow us first” to keep up with our events and also perhaps spread the word about our group.
Click here to go directly to our Facebook page to like and follow!
If you join GGN, you will have access to our closed Great Girls Network Group which serves as a forum to ask questions, think about new ideas, and share updates with our members. We have such a talented group of women this gives you access to whatever they have to offer that might help you grow.
The private group on Facebook can’t be accessed by anyone not in the group, so you will be in a safe environment with women who are committed to our values and our pledge to end the comparing and competing that gets in our way out in the big world.

Joining Great Girls Network is not only an opportunity for you to experience relating to women on a deeper, more meaningful level, it also enables other women to take advantage of these connections. Even if you don’t go to Track meetings, your membership increases our funds so that we can offer scholarship members a chance to engage and learn with us. And the Semi-Annual Gatherings are unlike any other “networking” event! We know women don’t network like men. We want to build relationships, we want deeper, more meaningful connections. That is exactly what GGN provides.

We created a digital card that helps people understand what they can get from joining GGN so click here to see the card.

Your membership helps give us that foundation, the strength to grow and have an impact on the lives of so many more women.