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What would you do if you were brave?
I've never considered myself particularly brave, although there have been times when others thought I was acting bravely. Bravery is a subjective term and its definition varies from one person to the next depending on an individual's personal limitations and boundaries.
 Almost 15 years ago now, I found myself in a rut. Up until that point, my life was consumed with work, raising my daughters, more work, tending to my home, much more work. I had no social life, no network of friends outside of work, absolutely no balance in my life. I was in my mid 30's and had convinced myself that I was happy. Well, maybe not happy, but I had great kids, a nice home, and a great job - isn't that enough?
And then one day I was invited to attend a workshop that ended up having a profound impact on my life. So much so that I still think about it some 15 years later. I can't remember the name now and it really doesn't matter - it was a workshop about your funeral. Does that sound morbid? It wasn't. In this workshop, you had to imagine yourself at your own funeral and ask yourself these questions:
*Who was there? Was it a few people or many?
*What did they say about you?
*When you looked back over your life, of what were you most proud?
*Which accomplishments were the most gratifying?
*Do you have any regrets?
*If you could do it over, would you? If so, in what way?
Not only did you have to answer these questions, you had to write the answers down in excruciating detail. And so I ended up doing  a totally unexpected soul searching in which each of those questions led to many others:
*How do I 'give back' to my family, friends and community?
*Is any difference of opinion worth ruining a relationship over?
*What's more important, work or family?
*Do I do enough to respect the planet? The people who matter most to me? My mind and body?
*What if I had channeled my energy into something positive rather than wasting so much time agonizing over the reflection in the mirror?
Ok, so the last one is meant to be funny, but truly, how many of us worry about the superficial things? Addressing all those questions opened my eyes to how narrow my life really was. It is a cliché, but time flies by and when we get to the end, do we want all our answers to be 'I shouldas'?
Suddenly I didn't want to waste a moment. My knee-jerk response at the time was to screw up my courage and have a mini-mid-life crisis. I went from doing basically nothing to doing the craziest things I could think of to do:
I earned a private pilot's license, learned to ride a motorcycle, and, despite white knuckle terror, I jumped out of a perfectly good airplane. I even became a certified instructor and began teaching continuing education courses at a CA State certified college.
[It is important to note that all of these things happened in the span of six months, which led my coworkers, my family and my children's friends to seriously question my sanity. Obviously, I had tipped the balance scale upside down and needed to find a middle ground. It was a crazy year, filled with fear, adrenalin, and excitement, but I don't advocate trying to make up for 30 years in one six month period.]
Since the day of the workshop, I have been striving for balance and to consciously be brave. It isn't necessary to compress everything we've ever wanted to do into a crazy timeframe, but do you even know which things you want to do before you get to the end? Do you make the time for balance?
So when you sit down to consider your life, try to remember how quickly life goes by and do your best to maintain perspective. Don't wait for a tomorrow that might not come. Do the things that make you happy. Take that exotic vacation. The next time your child has an award presentation at school that conflicts with a meeting at work, reschedule your meeting. Tired of Corporate America? Start your own business. The next time someone picks a fight - ask yourself 'is this important'? If not, let it go. 
Strive for balance. Don't run away from your life, run toward it.
When you get to the end, how do you want your questions answered? Above all else, what would you do if you were brave?
For more information about Executive Errands, please visit our website www.executive-errands.com or call us today at 760.469.2487 |
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Gasoline Prices Making You Crazy?
With no end in sight to soaring gasoline prices, it makes more sense than ever to outsource your errands.
While many service providers have increased their fees as a result of the current gasoline situation, Executive Errands has not raised its rates and has no intent to do so in the foreseeable future.
Executive Errands offers Personal Concierge services on an hourly basis as well as affordable monthly plans beginning at $110. For some, a tank of gas is already at $110 and who knows where that will top out? So besides saving time and bringing balance to your life, outsourcing your errands just might save you a few dollars at the pump!
Executive Errands' membership plans include preferred rates from a network of insured vendors including painters, plumbers and other home maintenance specialists as well as luxury services like mobile spa, catering, party planning, and wedding planning assistance.
Executive Errands' clients are assigned their own dedicated Concierge who is licensed, bonded and insured and who will carry out assignments in the strictest of privacy and confidentiality. The initial consultation to determine a client's particular needs is always complimentary.
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Executive Errands - SUMMER SPECIAL
Effective June 1st through August 31st, 2008, Executive Errands is offering a special program for new clients.
You may purchase a block of 100 hours of our Personal Concierge service for $4000, level paid over 9 months at $445/month. This represents a $620 savings over our lowest standard program and has the added benefit of no monthly hour caps.
 These 100 hours may be used at any time over 12 months. There is no minimum or maximum in a monthly period but all hours must be consumed within 12 months from purchase.
This special offer is ideal for realtors, lawyers, contractors, or anyone who needs help for themselves or who would like to do tasks for their clients/customers. As always, Executive Errands Personal Concierge services are tax deductible when used for commercial purposes.
There is no membership required to utilize this special.
Other Terms and Conditions: If a client goes over the 100 hours before the end of the 12 month period, additional hours will be charged at $40/hr until the 12 month window closes. No other offers may be applied in conjunction with this special. Hours are for Concierge Service only. Separate charges apply for subcontract Service Provider work, i.e. home cleaning, spa services, pest control, etc and/or incidentals (groceries, etc). This offer expires August 31, 2008
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Effective June 1, 2008 and until further notice, Executive Errands is now offering 2 hours FREE to any Home Buyer. All we need to see is the date on the escrow closing statement and we will provide two hours assistance with unpacking, wait for utility  hookups, wait for furniture deliveries, shopping, babysitting, dog sitting or any other labor-related activity that will help the new home buyer get settled.
Realtors - please pass this along to your clients. This is a $130 gift that costs you nothing, yet will generate good will with your clients and hopefully will lead to increased referrals.
For more information about this gift or any of our services, please call Executive Errands at 760.469.2487 or visit our website at www.executive-errands.com |
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PRESS RELEASE
Private Trade Winds Inc. has selected Executive Errands as the private Concierge Service for their Desert properties.
Executive Errands has been selected by Private Trade Winds, a luxury rental, trade and travel company, to maintain its luxury properties in the desert and serve its upscale visitors.
Through Private Trade Winds, owners can rent and trade their vacation homes to a select group of qualified travelers. Private Trade Winds offers you the opportunity to access exceptional vacation properties with a standardized level of luxury that you can count on without endless research or disappointment.
Private Trade Winds is actively searching for qualified luxury properties to rent and trade here in the Desert.
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Service Provider Spotlight
Mark Johnson Installs
Known for his quality appliance installations, Mark Johnson Installs has just added Handyman services. When you need a ceiling fan installed, a new electrical outlet, when you have a heavy picture to hang, or if you have a 'to do' list filled with minor fixit projects, give us a call and we'll get it done for you - professionally, quickly and when you need it. No job is too small. Serving the Coachella Valley, from Palm Springs to Indio. Like all of our Service Providers, Mark Johnson Installs is licensed and insured.
When you need someone and don't know who to call, why pick a name at random? Call Executive Errands today - we're the one-stop-shop for all things home-related.
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Other News & Announcements
The importance of Community involvement cannot be stressed enough. Each of us, as we work through our lives, needs to give something back, be a mentor to others, and to promote education as the path to independence.
Executive Errands is a member of the Women's Leadership Forum, a dynamic, diverse, non-partisan Valley- wide organization providing leadership, mentoring and educational opportunities to women of all ages; connecting members locally, regionally, nationally and globally. This group provides ongoing mentoring for teens through the Young Women Ambassadors Program and the Wall Street Teens Symposium and strives to provide great networking and business educational training through the Women Leaders Entrepreneur program.
www.womenleadersforum.com/index.html
 Executive Errands is now a member of The Girlfriend Factor, a fun social group with a serious mission. Their aim is to ensure that higher education and occupational training are financially accessible to all adult women who choose to improve their economic position in life and who strive for self-sufficiency. The GFF mission is to celebrate and explore the powerful influence women have on each other's lives through building friendships, sharing experiences and providing financial support in the form of educational grants to motivated women.
Please call 760.469.2487 or for more info about our services: www.executive-errands.com
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 This newsletter provides a forum not only to promote our company, which is obviously important, but also serves as a way to promote positive intentions. If these words inspire even one person to think differently, if they motivate you to get involved in the Community, if they inspire you to take even one small step toward balance then we've served our purpose.
Our goal here at Executive Errands is to help free you up so that you can enjoy life more often, spend more time with your family, worry less about all the little things that need to get done.
There is a coupon special at the end of this newsletter for a workshop that might impact your own life. Please be sure to check it out.
When you answer the question 'what would you do if you were brave?' - feel free to email me your thoughts. I would love to hear them.
If you've enjoyed this newsletter, please forward it to your friends. Back issues are available through our website. Sincerely,
Leslie Spoor 
760.469.2487 |
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