Our Story

Catalyst

Hi, I'm Pamela. I have been on a mission to help people (and myself) to Choose Joy in the Journey.

There are many factors that contributed to the creation of this focus, but a major catalysis was attending a woman's meeting about the prevalence of depression among women (although women don't have a monopoly on this challenge). It was a panel discussion with 3 women who were pillars of the community who spoke openly and honestly about their struggles. By the comments, questions, and tears in the audience, it was clear that many were suffering from this.

There were 3 common themes that became evident that contributed to their depression and lack of fulfillment:

1)     Measuring oneself against others or against perfection and feeling like you don't measure up – leading to self-criticism.

2)     Being busy taking care of everything and everyone else, but not taking care of one's own critical needs, like exercise, friendship, alone time, and having a meaningful hobby.

3)     Becoming stagnant in the day-to-day grind and not continuing to study and set goals that move you forward.

As I looked around this room of women and related with them, I had the thought, "we are raising the next generation, what are we teaching them? How can we positively influence others when we are depleted and unhappy, then feeling guilty because we are unhappy?”

I had this burning desire that I wanted to do something to help, but I didn't know what.

Plan

Over the next couple of years, I read countless books and filled piles of notebooks with notes and ideas. Finally, at the beginning of 2008 I had a plan. I told my husband, if I were to do something to help, I would make a planner that focused on filling theses needs for women. I outlined the planner for him explaining some of the key features:

• Have key routine tasks figured out each month so you don't have to worry so much about what to do in your home and yard, and to get the endorphin rush of checking things off without having to write them over and over.
• Have a focus for each planner that is positive and inspirational to keep you positively focused and continuing to grow and improve.
• Present the 8 Areas of Balance to help you identify and keep focused on what you truly value.
• Have goal-setting tools to keep you work on things that are meaningful to you.
• Have fruits and vegetables in season and a health tracker to help you have better health and energy.
• Have an end of week and month evaluation to help you chart your progress, celebrate successes, and learn from mistakes so you are only measuring yourself against yourself and your potential.
• My goal was to help others to live more intentionally and choose joy in the journey.

My husband said, "it's a good idea. Do it."

Creation

I named it “The Woman’s Success Planner” and made test planners. I gave them out to a few people, had them try it for a month and give their feedback. I made changes based on their feedback then handed out another month's planner. I repeated this process for about 8 months, each month the number of people wanting to try the planner grew.

A few months into this process, I went to a Successful Mothering Conference. As I sat through the keynote speakers who were CEOs of big companies, News Anchors, Former Mrs. America, etc., I had the thought, "who am I to start this business? Who am I to tell others how to improve their lives when I haven't accomplished all that these women have and am so imperfect?

Then, this thought came powerfully into my mind, "Who are you not to do this? These women are just ordinary people who decided to put themselves out there and act on their gifts. I should act on my gifts."

We did our first official printing in the fall of 2008.

Refining

It was originally called The Woman's Success Planner, but over the first years, we received numerous of emails from men asking why it was called The Woman's Success planner, didn't we know men also did things in their home and yard and liked to set goals? We had women contact us to get additional planners because their husband, son, or boyfriend took theirs. Since we had an increasing number of men purchasing the planner, we redesigned slightly and renamed the planner The Success Choice Planner.