If you want an extraordinary life, do this
Me, in Valais, Switzerland. Photo courtesy: Scott Harris.
Do you dream of living an extraordinary life? If so, do you have a clear picture in your mind of what that is?
First, let’s define what an ‘extraordinary life’ is and what it looks like.
There is no real right or wrong answer, but there is one clue, and that is the “extra” in extraordinary. So that means an extraordinary life is just that ‘extra’ step beyond ordinary.
The problem is that many people look to Hollywood, celebrities, stars, the rich and famous for role models of people who live extraordinary lives. In the age of Instagram, we also look at influencers on social media. And we inevitably compare ourselves.
Know this: every person, no matter how famous, has upsides and downsides to their lives. There are benefits and drawbacks to everything we do, and that includes the lives of the super rich and famous. So riches and fame may, or may, not necessarily be the measure of what an extraordinary life is to you.
It is easy to look at someone like Britney Spears, the British Royal Family or the glamorous Marilyn Munroe, and think that is what extraordinary lives look like. And they are extraordinary lives, don’t get me wrong, but that doesn’t mean yours can’t be, too. It would just be different and unique to you.
We need to stop comparing ourselves to others and look deep in our hearts as to what we want out of life. The key is to come up with our own definitions of success, meaning and fulfillment. If we want a life that is more than ordinary, we need to define that as well so we know what we are working toward.
For me, an extraordinary life is following my heart, no matter where it takes me. The photo I chose for the top of this post (taken in Valais, Switzerland a few years ago by a colleague, Scott Harris), is one of my favourites because it captures my joy of following my heart of travelling the world (pre-pandemic, of course). More about that in a later post, though.
If you want to live an extraordinary life, begin to ask yourself quality questions and do so on a consistent basis. The quality of questions you ask yourself determines the quality of your life. These are questions that get to the heart of what is most important for you. Quality questions take into consideration your top values and are specific to help you get specific answers that are connected to your heart.
For example, let’s say you want to travel and so you ask yourself: How can I travel the world once the pandemic is over? That is a general question. Instead, ask yourself: How can I do what I love and travel the world and get paid handsomely for it? That is a quality question that gets more specific and right to your heart.
I use travel as a theme here because it is one of my top values. But here is another example:
General question: How can I make more money? Quality question: How can I make more money than ever by doing what I love?
I’ll be writing more about quality questions in the next post, but, in the meantime, here is an exercise that will help take you one step closer to living an extraordinary life.
Try this: Visualize the way you want your life to be, truly from your heart. What is in your heart to create? What do you want to achieve? Who do you surround yourself with? How do you present yourself to others? Write it down and try to define it, by describing it and letting the feeling settle in your heart. Meditate on it (or walk on it). Then ask yourself quality questions that can help you get there.
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This is a series of posts on the topic living an extraordinary life.
Shannon Skinner is an award-winning broadcaster, author, speaker and writer. She loves to travel the world tasting the fines foods and sipping on the finest wines, and meeting interesting people. She is the author of The Whispering Heart. Watch her interviews with extraordinary women at www.ExtraordinaryWomenTV.com.
Daughters of Penelope ‘Salute to Women’ Awards
It is always a privilege to be celebrating women who have achieved some measure of success in their careers. Yesterday, I was blessed to be able to celebrate the achievements of one woman who has my utmost admiration, Toronto’s style icon and entrepreneur, Mary Tripi, at the Daughters of Penelope Salute to Women luncheon in Toronto. It just so happens that Mary was also honoured along with a woman I have wanted to meet for years, the former Mayor of Mississauga, The Honourable Hazel McCallion. Also honoured in this salute to women were Gloria Bazos, Aspa Kostopoulos and a number of Greek female doctors in our community.
Congratulations to all!
Mary Tripi and The Hon. Hazel McCallion
The Daughters of Penelope organizers and honourees
Mary’s son and business partner, Nicholas Vrettakos
Mary gives a rousing speech
Season 3, Episode 6 of Extraordinary Women TV airs tonight on Rogers TV
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
TORONTO, Dec. 2, 2014 – Season three, episode six of Extraordinary Women TV with Shannon Skinner airs tonight featuring on-location interviews with several Toronto entrepreneurs and artists including: designers Linda Varekamp, owner, Stitch and Spoke; Nadya Asti-Rose, owner, Taska handbags; and Devorah Miller, owner, Red Thread Design, a children’s clothing line. Plus artists Deborah Baker and Chris Trigonopoulos. Filmed on-location during Artfest. The show airs tonight at 7pm ET on Rogers TV Cable 10/63 in Toronto/Scarborough.
The show aims to empower women get their dreams into action by providing the tips and tools from some of today’s most extraordinary women. This season, Shannon goes on-location around the city of Toronto to speak with women from a range of pursuits about their passions and challenges — and how they overcome them.
Now in its third season on Rogers TV, the television series began as a live web TV talk show for women in Canada, and has grown into an inspirational, relevant and informative resource for women who want to follow their hearts and dreams, and live extraordinary lives. In January 2013, the show began airing on Rogers TV in Toronto/Scarborough, with 46 episodes being produced and aired over the first two seasons. The show has also aired in several other Rogers’ Ontario markets. And last season featured the “Woman to Watch” regular segment.
Shannon’s guests are women from all walks of life and industries, including: arts and entertainment, business, charities, media, sports, experts – and more. Some past notable guests include: entrepreneur Debbie Travis; actress Mariel Hemingway; singers Jully Black and Sarah Slean; philanthropist, The Hon. Margaret McCain; dean of law faculty at the U of T, Mayo Moran; fashion designer and Canadian icon, Linda Lundstrom; president/CEO, ROM, Janet Carding; Rebecca MacDonald, founder, Just Energy; actress Sarena Parmar; Plan Canada’s president/CEO, Rosemary McCarney; among many others.
Nearly 300 episodes have been posted and archived on the web for public access since its inception in September 2010, when it began as a live web TV series, and 52 episodes have been produced to-date for Rogers TV. Extraordinary Women TV is produced and owned by Shannon Skinner and Comfy Chair Productions Inc., and is filmed in Toronto.
Rogers TV Toronto’s full scheduling information: click here.
Upcoming event: ‘A Woman’s Legacy’
I wanted to let you know about this amazing event taking place on Thursday, Nov. 21 in Toronto, which may be of interest to you or any special woman in your life.
“A Woman’s Legacy“ is a ONE DAY event with 7 powerful guest speakers, including:
Jann Arden: award-winning singer/songwriter — who will be speaking and performing
Loretta LaRoche: acclaimed stress expert/author
Susan Cain: best-selling author, “Quiet: The Power of Introverts”
Amanda Lang: Canadian journalist, author & Co-Host, CBC’s “Lang & O’Leary Exchange”
Julia Gillard: First female Prime Minister of Australia
Roxana Saberi: Iranian-American journalist and former Miss Dakota
Kim Marr: Developed International (US) Network Program for Foreign Buyers & an author
Hosted by comedian Jessica Holmes.
My friends and fans of Extraordinary Women TV have the opportunity to attend at a special rate. All you need to do is register using the PROMO CODE: EWTV.
For more details and to register, click here.
Hope to see you there!
INTERVIEW: The love of a mother can move mountains: Dana Florence (VIDEO)
Before becoming a mother, Dana Florence was a primary school teacher with a passion for helping children reach their full potential. In her heart, she really wanted to start a family of her own. When she gave birth to triplets on Jan 1. 2008, life changed — dramatically.
The triplets were born 15 weeks premature and the fight for their lives began, enduring many tests, procedures and surgeries to keep them alive. Eventually, the children — all three of them — were diagnosed with severe cerebral palsy. Today, they all require equipment, such as wheelchairs and walkers, and constant care to help them with everyday tasks that many people take for granted.
These children — Taylor, Cole and Brody — are the inspiration behind Three To Be, a Toronto-based organization that Dana and her husband, Jared, founded to help children with neurological disorders. Three To Be’s mission is to advocate and raise funds to support and advance the development of innovative research, education and therapies for children with neurological disorders. So far, they have granted more than one million dollars to The Hospital for Sick Children and Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. Recently, they purchased a robotic device to help children with cerebral palsy learn to walk.
And this is just the beginning.
“If you don’t go through difficult things in your life, you don’t realize what you have to be thankful for.” ~ Dana Florence
At the heart of this story is a determined woman who has taken a difficult situation and made the best of it; moving beyond basic survival to inspiration — to making a difference in the lives of many children who need it the most. It is also the story about how the unconditional love of a mother can be powerful enough of a force to move a mountain.
I invite you to watch my in-depth interview with Dana Florence on my web TV show, Extraordinary Women TV with Shannon Skinner. I asked her about the organization’s vision, and how she finds the strength and support to keep going. I also asked her if, reflecting back, she would change anything. Her answers — from the heart — provide insight into a woman who is nothing short of extraordinary.
To go to the interview, click here (VIDEO).
INTERVIEW: Shannon Skinner interviews Pat Mussieux, founder, WealthyWomenLeaders.com (VIDEO)
I have heard it said that most women do not reach their full potential until their fifties. It seems for many women, it takes five decades of living to develop self-confidence or self-worth. It also seems to take that number of years to develop an attitude of not being concerned about what people think of them.
I have also heard it said that until we stop being worried or concerned about what others think of us, we will not become who we can truly be in this world.
The adage “life is a journey” rings true. Our life story unfolds like reading a book: word by word, sentence by sentence, paragraph by paragraph, one chapter after another, from start to finish.
When we make a major change in our lives, usually the decision is a culmination of life events and experiences, like reading a story, that brings us to the proverbial aha moment: the one that seems to take a quick snapshot of our entire past and synthesize it with our heart’s desires and vision for the future.
The aha moment that changed Pat Mussieux‘s life and put her on the path of helping women entrepreneurs achieve success was the evening she turned 50. At her 50th birthday party, her two step-children spoke fondly about Pat to family and friends who gathered to celebrate (it was a surprise party). At that point in time, Pat was experiencing an unfulfilled marriage.
photo credit: Pat Mussieux
Something in her that night shifted.
The woman who previously ran a half-marathon a year and had a range of business skills, made a conscious decision to change her life.
At the age of 50, she began to fully realize her potential. Over the next few years, she divorced, moved across the country, re-established her business, wrote a book, established a relationship with her mother (who was estranged), and traveled around the globe on a private plane.
But, change is not often easy, and the road was a challenging one. She found mentors and harnessed her business skills, and worked on changing her mindset and attitude with new tools and techniques. She transformed her life; creating success and happiness.
When someone transforms their life, it does not go unnoticed. Pat’s friends asked what her secrets were and, once they started to use them in their lives with positive results, the “new” gutsy and determined Pat knew she was on to something. That “something” has helped many other women entrepreneurs create successful businesses.
I caught up with Pat Mussieux at the Ignite ‘n’ Connect event in Toronto. In this on-location interview with Pat, she gives some insights about why many women entrepreneurs do not succeed in business and provides some real solutions – check out the VIDEO (below):
Check out more of Shannon’s interviews at: http://www.ExtraordinaryWomenTV.com
© Shannon Skinner 2012. All rights reserved.
What it means to be a w-o-m-a-n
Welcome to my new blog! This site is “under construction” and I decided not to wait to share my voice and words, so here it is…
As I prepare to attend next week’s We Move Forward 2012 International Women’s Day event on Isla Mujeres (“Woman Island”), Mexico, I find myself reflecting on what it means to be a “woman.”
Perhaps the meaning is unique for every woman. Or, maybe there is an underlying meaning shared by every woman on the planet. Perhaps it simply comes down to individual values.
One dictionary definition of a woman is this: an adult female human. Somehow, though, that does not capture the “essence” of what a woman is, or how she shows up in the world.
It is far more than that.
Yesterday, my niece had a baby, which makes me a “Great Auntie.” I’m excited to have this new introduction into our family – so special. Let’s face it, giving birth is an experience unique to the female gender. So, certainly having the ability to have a baby is very womanly. My niece is a young woman and perhaps what she will deem “being a woman” will be defined by this experience; only time will tell.
But what about women who choose not to, or simply can’t, have children? Are they any less womanly than a female who chooses to procreate?
No.
And is the stay-at-home mom any more womanly than the career-type who is determined to be fully independent, run a business or have a high-powered job, and maybe travel the world, regardless of whether she has a family? Or vice versa?
I don’t think so.
Being a woman is not just about looks or our physique either, although, hey, the anatomy type is certainly a criteria.
Women are: girlfriends, wives, mothers, daughters, granddaughters, grandmothers, sisters, nieces and aunts – and Great Aunts. They are also healers and nurturers. They not only create a family, they hold a family together. A community is created by women. Women are the glue that holds our society together.
I’m looking forward to the We Move Forward 2012 event, celebrating women, on the “island of women.” There is a fantastic line-up of speakers, storytellers, healers – and women from all over coming together to form “community.” My talk show, Extraordinary Women TV with Shannon Skinner is the proud media partner, and I also look forward to blogging about my experience – and insights. So, stay tuned!
In the meantime, I’ll leave you with this video:
Bette Midler singing “I’m a Woman”
© Shannon Skinner 2012
