Jan-Feb 2021 On Purpose Woman Magazine

On Purpose Woman A Force for Good Jan / Feb 2021 FREE On Purpose Woman Publisher/Editor Ginny Robertson Creative Director Kathryn Yarborough Contributing Writers: Elaine Robinson Beattie Carol Burbank Kim Wells Eley Judith Goldberg Patti Hornstra Andrea Hylen Adrienne Newberg Cherryll Sevy Amber Tichenor Lori Ann Wood Kathryn Yarborough Cover Art By: Donna Robusto Click here! Subscribe! Get the On Purpose Woman Magazine delivered straight to your inbox! On Purpose Woman Magazine is published bi-monthly online. We reserve the right to edit or reject any material submitted. Neither the publishing team or the advertisers accept responsibility for errors. Publication and distribution of this magazine does not constitute an endorsement of information, products or services. The publisher reserves the right to reject any advertisement or listing for any reason. To reproduce articles, always credit On Purpose Woman Magazine with the link to the issue. Also, credit the author and leave their bio and contact info intact. Ginny Robertson, Founder On Purpose Woman Community Founder/Editor On Purpose Woman Magazine Kathryn Yarborough, Global Facilitator On Purpose Woman Community Creative Director On Purpose Woman Magazine On Purpose Woman Magazine & The On Purpose Woman Community Stand With Our Friends and Colleagues Black Lives Matter For 20 years, the On Purpose Woman Community has welcomed and encouraged all women to join us in “connecting women around the world to their gifts, their purpose, and each other.” On Purpose Woman Magazine has always been committed to diversity within our pages. We embrace diversity. We will work harder to practice inclusion. We will use our platforms of privilege to do both. 10 Letter from the Publisher   Ginny Robertson 12 I'm Healthier (and May Live Longer) Because I Live Gratefully  Cherryll Sevy 20 Meet New People in Facebook Groups! Kathryn Yarborough 30 What to Expect When You’re Publishing a Book Kim Wells Eley 40 Freeing Females From Frenemies. What Are Signs of Female Hostility and How Does It Impact Me?   Amber Tichenor, Ph.D. 50 Parenting Pronouns and Puppies   Patti Hornstra 58 6 Tips for Making Gratitude a Way of Life Lori Ann Wood 62 Cover Artist Story  Donna PIPPI Robusto 68 Poem for the New Year Carol Burbank 70 Cultural Superpowers Part 2: Courageous Leadership   Elaine Robinson Beattie 76 Business Directory 82 A Reality Check on Your Retirement Savings Adrienne Newberg 86 Real Women. Real Purpose. Talk Show. Upcoming Topics 88 Collaborate with Others (in a way that makes sense)   Andrea Hylen 96 SiSTARs Conversate, Communicate & Collaborate during COVID: Soul 2 Soul   Kim Wells Eley 106 Aquarian Dreaming Judith Goldberg Our Table of Contents is CLICKABLE! Thank You to Our Advertisers Andrea Hylen * Art of Healing * Baltimore Organizer * Brave Healer Productions * Coach Claudette * Coaching By Shelly * DoraVilk * Earthsave Baltimore * Elizabeth McCain * Epilogue Tributes * Grey Swan Inn * Joann Bracken * Judie Harvey Editorial Midwife * Julia Mattis Re/Max Advantage * Lilia Shoshanna Rae * Lisa Diane McCall *  Marci Yankelov Real Estate * My Best Mid Life * Newberg Financial * Nourishing Journey * Rebel Magic * Renu 28 * Sahffi * Storyweaving Coaching and Consulting *  Temple In the Woods * The Heart’s Voice Movement * Tyme2Organize * Uncommon Design, LLC * Veronica Grey * Wise & Well Center at Keswick Click our ads! Inside On Purpose Woman... From the Publisher Kathryn and I appreciate your checking out this issue of On Purpose Woman Magazine. There are some outstanding resources for your Mind, Body, Spirit & Business. Thank you to the talented women who share their wisdom on these pages, and be sure to check out our advertisers if you're looking for a product or service in the new year. This magazine is a labor of love, and we'd love for you to share it with your women friends and colleagues. 2020 has been a year for the history books! Few people have not been challenged in some way, and there are those whose lives are forever changed. I'm choosing to end this year in Gratitude for all of it: for the lessons learned, the frustrations (and anger), the mistakes made. I'm grateful for the opportunities to practice self-compassion as I judged how I used my time at home and fantasized over what I could have gotten done, if only… Early in the pandemic, I read a lot about just that…getting things done. Then the title of an article in the Washington Post got my attention. Sunny Fitzgerald wrote that "It's OK to Not Be Productive During a Pandemic." She helped me to acknowledge how huge, scary, and uncertain things were and that I needed to be gentle with myself. If this resonates with you, read her article HERE. I did accomplish things, eventually. I also paid more attention to self-care and doing things that matter, and I'll carry those lessons into non-pandemic times. While I have your attention, here are a few things you might want to check out. All of the On Purpose Woman Global Community Connections Over Coffee online gatherings have the same focus in January. You'll have the opportunity to Create Your Vision for 2021 and share it with the other women who show up. More info on the facing page. There are more choices to attend, as we have added two evening meetings. Also, be sure to check out other events and resources on page 55. Finally, the On Purpose Woman Global Community will be 21 years old in March. We are planning an online celebration and would love for you to join us. Find out more on page 26. I wish for you and yours a healthy, happy, abundant New Year full of much love, kindness, peace and self-compassion. Ginny I decided several months ago I simply was going to find something or someone every day to be grateful for. It did not start out so well back in March. With little warning or mental preparation, Covid threw us into a silent, empty world, with only essential services open. I struggled with the stay-at-home orders, not seeing my family, and grappling with the associated fears of this unknown pandemic. My overall feelings of well-being and optimism had been dismantled. I was stressed, sad, not sleeping well, felt disconnected, and many days unable to focus on anything except binge-watching movies. As we near the end of this incredibly challenging 2020, I realize I am feeling good. I am relaxed, sleep well, no longer depressed, and now able to enjoy my life as it is today. Vitamins, drugs, or a strict fitness regime? No. I decided several months ago I simply was going to find something or someone every day to be grateful for. Believe me, some days are difficult. I still miss my life as I knew it, with days with my grandkids, dinners out, travel, and getting together with family and friends. I miss my old way of life with its routines, activities, people, face-to-face conversations, and the ease with which we moved through the world. Many of you share that feeling of loss. Now, I begin each day with Calm, a short meditation mindfulness practice, followed by my mug of coffee, and then a gratitude walk in the morning. At first, I stopped to take pictures of interesting plants, flowers, and "interesting yard art." Things I failed to notice as I rushed by only weeks before. I photographed chalk art messages on the streets, window signs with messages to stay strong, and teddy bears perched in windows to entertain kids on a neighborhood bear hunt. I was grateful to people who found creative solutions to our new reality: sharing the best senior store hours and where to find supplies in high demand and short supply; ways to support local, small businesses by encouraging food takeout; music on the balconies; and cheering essential workers as they changed shifts. Find Sweetness in Every Day Each day, I discover more ways to feel and express gratitude in today's world shattered by a pandemic, split by divisive, angry politics, racial and social unrest, and widespread financial and personal hardships. I found a sweetness in everyday acts of kindness, simple delights, and the slower pace. I enjoy fewer obligations and now savor life in fresh ways. Gratitude not only made my days brighter, but I realized several significant health benefits. Science backs this up with research proving gratitude has a positive impact on health and longevity. Improved Relationships This past year, I have enjoyed better, closer relationships with family members and friends. Deeper, more reflective conversations, socially distanced, yet emotionally closer. I have several deeper friendships with women I had previously known casually. When we contact long-ago friends, gratitude can soften lapsed years, past grudges, regrets, and bitterness from past hurts. Research studies that link gratitude to more positive, stronger relationships and longevity. Gratitude is the positive acceptance of a relationship as it is and allows us to be fully present with others. The expression of gratitude also enhances relationships and builds deeper emotional connections. There is no greater gift we can give one another. Spiritually, gratitude can deepen our faith and connection to God, our Higher Power. Better Sleep At night, I reflect on what I am grateful for each day. I have noticed that I am sleeping longer and deeper. Better sleep quality has a significant impact on our health, as it affects blood pressure and cardiac health. A 2011 scientific study validated that fifteen minutes of writing in a gratitude journal helps to improve sleep. Sharper Brain Function As mentioned above, I was unfocused, anxious, and depressed in late spring. As I practiced gratitude daily, I noticed I felt more alert, focused, and my thinking was clear. Neuroscientists have found that gratitude creates and strengthens neural pathways that help with resilience and overcoming stressful situations. Once again, science backs what I experienced. Improved Emotional Well-Being I had many "down-in-the-dumps," grumpy days in the spring. I rarely do now. When we express gratitude, our brain releases dopamine and serotonin, neurotransmitters that make us feel happy and relaxed. Gratitude also reduces cortisol, nicknamed the "stress hormone," which causes anxiety and depression. Cortisol is also that wicked hormone that keeps weight on our bodies as a survival mechanism. We are also less likely to get angry, which has a direct effect on our blood pressure. A Longer, Better Life These health benefits become significantly more important as we age. We all know the big four of health--good nutrition, daily exercise, sleep, and managing stress. Just as important to our well-being, both today and over the years, isn't it time to add gratitude to that list? (Ediitor's note: You’ll also want to read Lori Ann Wood’s “6 Tips for Making Gratitude a Way of Life” in this issue.) I'm Healthier  (and May Live Longer)  Because I Live Gratefully By Cherryll Sevy Cherryll Sevy, a writer, speaker, and facilitator, engages and inspires women to live their best life after fifty. Connect at  https://cherryllsevy.com, cherryll@cherryllsevy.com Join her Hourglass Workshops Facebook Community. Our Ads are Clickable! Try one! Meet New People in Facebook Groups! By Kathryn Yarborough If you want more clients, one of the best free things you can do is network in Facebook groups. It doesn’t cost money, but it does take time - a few hours a week. So if you’re going to use the process I’m sharing with you here, be willing to put in the time. How to network in Facebook groups: Find up to five active Facebook groups where your ideal clients are members. Go into each group several times a week. Read a post and then read the comments on the post. As you read the comments, reply to some of them. Intelligently and meaningfully. Be sure to tag the person who wrote the comment. Do this for three to five posts in each group you visit. The gold is in replying to the comments written by strangers. These people will wonder who you are. They’ll feel seen and heard by you. They’ll be curious. Some of them may visit your personal page and check you out. If a link to your Facebook group is visible on your personal page, they may join it. Three great groups to network in: Women Loving Life On Purpose Woman Global Community Moving Sidewalk Movement If you keep showing up in the same groups, over time, members of that group will recognize your name. They will become interested in you, visit your personal page, follow your business page, and join your group. Design your Facebook group for your ideal clients - with tips, guidance, and community she loves - and she'll join it. After a person has been a member of your Facebook group for a bit, she will actually be happy to hear about your offers. Your qualified, potential ideal clients want to know about the solutions you provide to their problems. Don’t inundate them with requests for money and opportunities to work with you by posting every day about them. But if you’re regularly providing good content in your group and getting engagement, every ten posts can be an invitation to take a next step with you – a low cost or a free offer. When they’re doing that low cost or free thing with you, be sure to tell them about the next step, which could be a medium or high-cost offer. For example, to make $75,000 for the year, if you’re a coach, energy worker, healing arts practitioner, or some other type of on purpose, heart-based solopreneur, all you need is 30 clients each year to sign up for a $2,500 package (or a package with 10 monthly payments of $250). Just 30 people a year, and you’ve achieved your income goal! But if you’ve run out of potential clients and you’ve exhausted all your current contacts, trying to attract just one new client can feel daunting. That’s when it’s time to create a real marketing plan that includes ways to let strangers know about you and the wonderful work you do. Networking in Facebook groups can be one of those ways. If you decide to network in Facebook groups to attract clients, do it consistently. Have a plan for how the strangers who meet you can take a next step. For example, if they’re a potential ideal client invite them to join your Facebook group where they can get to know you better. That way, when you post about an offer in the group, and it’s right for them, they’ll say YES! When you have a few hundred new potential clients in your Facebook group every year, who come to know, like, and trust you, selling your $2,500 package to 30 of them becomes possible – even easy! Body text Body text Kathryn Yarborough teaches on purpose, heart-based solopreneurs how to be the fullest expression of themselves so that they easily manifest clients and grow a business they love. Join her Facebook group for more tips, guidance, and community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/MovingSidewalkMovement Visit her website at: www.ManifestingClientsAcademy.com What to Expect When You’re Publishing  a Book by Kim Wells Eley My phone pinged as I received a text:  “I’m pregnant!” What? I thought. My girlfriend stunned me with her words.Wow, she’s not in a relationship. Her two daughters are adults. And she’s in her 50’s, like me… As I sat with my jaw hanging down in shock, she quickly sent a follow-up text: “With a book idea!” OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I set my phone down and laughed out loud. Afterwards, I couldn’t stop thinking about the similarities between birthing a child and publishing. My mind began racing as I created a mental list. With books: You become “pregnant” with an idea You begin developing the story and it grows until it is fully formed It often takes months (and sometimes years) to develop Often you are unsure what to anticipate You give “birth” when you release your manuscript You are a proud “parent” once your book is released Many prospective authors contact me and say, “I don’t know where to get started!” Their statement makes me think about the famous book about pregnancy, “What to Expect When You’re Expecting.” While I am not a mother, I have been a “book doula” for a number of books, working with writers from idea to book launch and enabling them to “birth” their books. From my experience as a writing coach and publisher, here is what I can share so you know what to expect when you’re publishing a book. You have an idea – now what? As my friend described, you become “pregnant” with an idea for a book. Once you know your idea, frequently it dominates your thoughts until you feel compelled to take action. It’s time to write! The first step I suggest you think about is what you will do with your book idea if you publish it. Is it a passion project, or will you use your book to promote your business? Will you only sharing your printed book with friends and family members, or will you publish it to booksellers and online retailers for sale? The decisions you make will determine the scope of your book project and how to proceed. Picking out a name I’m surprised how often writers already have a title in mind for their book without having written a word. “I haven’t started,” they share with me, “but I’ve got the title picked out.” I often advise my clients to choose a title and subtitle using a test I call the“Huh?/Oh!”approach. Your title should be something sticky, something memorable that intrigues your reader, making them say, “Huh?” Great titles have lasting power, and you want yours to be memorable. After choosing a great title, select a subtitle to explain what your book title is about. Your subtitle gives more clues about your content. Your subtitle should make your reader exclaim, “Oh!” as they gain a better understanding of your title or your idea for your book. I’ll share an example of a book that I believe brilliantly passes the “Huh?/Oh!” test for its title and subtitle. Elizabeth Gilbert famously wrote the book, “Eat Pray Love.” The title is intriguing, and the first time you encountered it, it likely made you say, “Huh?” It’s not immediately apparent what eating, praying and loving have to do with one another. The subtitle she chose, “One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia,” illuminates the reader on what the book is about. The reader knows to expect a quest for knowledge and an international adventure. While the title is catchy, the subtitle offers more insights. I have often heard when someone chooses a name for a child, they should stand on their back porch and yell the name to see if they like the sound of it. This is suggested because a parent may often shout their child’s name while calling them. While you will not need to scream your book’s name to call it into your house, as an author, you will be sharing your book’s name frequently. Be sure it is a name you like. Another identifier for your book is an ISBN, or International Standard Book Number. You need to assign an ISBN to your book in order to sell it. You can think of it as the Social Security Number for your book. If you want to publish your book with online retailers, you must obtain an ISBN. If you work with a publisher, they generally provide you with your ISBNs. If you are self-publishing, you have two choices. You can either choose an ISBN through the publishing company you use to self-publish, or you can purchase your own ISBN through Bowker. Bowker is sole provider of ISBNs for the United States and other parts of the world. You can buy ISBN numbers at their website, www.bowker.com. When you purchase your own ISBNs, you own the rights to your book, which is preferable. Choose a team When you are expecting a book, it’s a smart idea to choose a team to help you. While you can write and publish your book alone, hiring others can make your book publishing journey easier, more efficient and less painful. Here are some people you may consider adding to your team: Writing coach A writing coach enables you to organize your ideas for your book and choose a direction to take. They will act as an accountability partner, helping you stick to your publishing goals and deadlines. As a skilled writer themselves, your writing coach can answer your writing questions. Editor A good editor is worth their weight in gold! When you hire an editor, they review your manuscript for content. They will offer comments and suggestions to improve your writing. You want a great editor to collaborate with you to craft your story in a way that is compelling, clearly written, and free from errors. Virtual Author’s Assistant When you hire a virtual author’s assistant, you count on them to tackle your social media, publicity, marketing for your book, and other administrative tasks. This is a huge help with all of the many aspects involved in publishing. Depending on your needs, you can hire a virtual assistant for several hours a month or week. Publisher A publisher is a project manager for your book. They set up the timelines for every step of the process and act as the central point of contact for the editors, graphic designers, printers, and others on your team. There are three types of book publishers: traditional, self-publishers, and hybrid publishers. Book Marketer Book marketers are crucial to getting the word out about your book. They enable you to identify your ideal reader, discover the best ways to reach your readers, and analyze the effectiveness of your results. They do the work of narrowing your focus so you are selling your book to the readers with whom your message will most resonate. Book Publicist The goal of a book publicist is to drum up interest and excitement surrounding your book. They create awareness through media interviews, featured stories, book reviews, and articles. Anticipate months of work While you may feel on fire about your book idea, know that it will take time to write, edit, format and publish your book. Getting the idea can be fun and relatively quick (like conception) versus the process for publishing the book (which can take months, like carrying a child). There are many parts to the publishing process: Creating an outline Crafting a strategic plan Writing your shitty first draft Reviewing and editing Formatting Creating a cover Marketing Public relations Book launch Anticipate that it will take time to write your book. If you are self-publishing, you’ll need to schedule time for tasks such as choosing keywords, selecting the right genres, ordering a printed proof, and other tasks that may not be immediately visible on your to-do list. Ultimately all the pain will be worth it Yes, there is labor involved in writing a book. Trust me when I say it is all worth it. When you hold your printed book in your hands for the first time, it is an amazing feeling. Kim Wells Eley  is a speaker, author, & publisher. A cat lover and a collector of orchids, she gets all of her news from comedy channels. KWE Publishing (804) 536-1972 kwe@kwepub.com  www.kwepub.com Check out Kim's other articles on writing in the last 6 issues of On Purpose Woman Magazine. Click Here! Subscribe! Get the On Purpose Woman Magazine delivered straight to your inbox! What Are Signs of  Female Hostility  and How Does It Impact Me? [Part 2 in a 3-Part Series on "Freeing Females From Frenemies."] By Amber Tichenor, Ph.D. Freeing Females From Frenemies. "There are two powers in the world; one is the  sword, and the other is the pen. There is a great  competition and rivalry between the two. There is a third power stronger than both,  that of the women." -Muhammad Ali Jinnah (Brainy Quotes, 2020) Shades of Grey While there are distinct actions to be aware of, female rivalry is colored in various shades of grey because it's so intangible and passive-aggressive. Part I of this article series defined female rivalry, the many ways it shows up, and why it occurs. This article addresses the signs to recognize when dealing with a frenemy and what it feels like when it happens to you. Rivalry comes in many forms, and a frenemy can make your life a living hell. If left unaddressed it will continue to escalate, and at a certain point, can turn into bullying. That's why it's important to know when it's occurring – so you can stop it. When women share their stories with me, frequently the start of our conversation focuses on rivalry they've experienced within an organizational setting. Our discussions usually evolve to their sharing other stories of rivalry they've experienced in their personal life because it's rare only to have dealt with one instance of it. Commonly, the other stories they share are more personal. They originate from social settings, college, high-school, middle school, or grade school. And yes, unfortunately, this behavior can start at that early of an age. Rivalry does not differentiate between age, social status, size, demographics, or race. Its boundaries are limitless. As they reflect and memories surface, they connect the dots of what happened then to how they react now. Let me tell you, as they look back in hindsight, the women are astounded by the impact it's had on their lives. Signs To Notice This negative behavior is vast and can also be quite ambiguous. Here are some key signs to keep on your radar that signal you may be dealing with a frenemy: Purposely excludes you and/ or others Is envious of you Takes credit for work you've done Is untruthful and likes to spread gossip Is controlling and manipulative May struggle with anger Wants to be the one in charge Why Don't You Just Tell Her Off? Have you ever been in a situation, either at work or personally, where you felt verbally attacked or bullied? Did you feel paralyzed with disbelief or fear and felt like you had lost your voice? When you feel attacked or bullied, you may freeze. The human brain has a defense circuitry system that triggers bodily reactions when you perceive danger. This is called a fight, flight, or freeze reaction. With female rivalry, the aggressive acts of behavior are often so startling that you are caught off-guard and unaware of how to handle it appropriately. As a result, the behavior is frequently left unaddressed. Additionally, when there doesn't seem to be a reason why, you don't feel safe. It's human nature to look for reasons why you've been treated badly, and it feels safer than to not know. However, this can cause internal 'victim-blaming.' As a result, it's not uncommon to end up doubting your behavior, questioning your actions, and blaming yourself. "I must have done something to make her mad" or "she misinterpreted my behavior." You may not share your experience because you don't think you have a support system, or you encounter silent bystanders, who watch the harmful behavior, yet do nothing to stop or prevent it. How it Makes You Feel The impacts can make you feel like; You've lost your voice You've lost your joy You've lost your shine Your world is grey This behavior tends to happen gradually over time and in stages. When you finally figure out what's happening, you may realize that you aren't as strong as you used to be. You may feel disbelief that it's occurring. You may try to defend yourself against the behavior, only to be shot down again. You may second guess yourself and feel depressed. You will undoubtedly experience a lot of negative emotions like disbelief, sorrow, stress, despair, anxiety, and fear. The range of emotions you'll feel can be overwhelming and will have an impact on you mentally, physically, socially, and psychologically. You may not be aware of the ramifications until much later... when the situation is behind you. The good news is that there are ways to overcome the negative effects of a frenemy. I'll share that in the next issue of On Purpose Woman Magazine. Amber  Tichenor  is the founder of To Be, Coaching + Consulting® and author of, “Behind Frenemy Lines: Rising Above Female Rivalry To Be Unstoppable Together” released by Morgan James Publishing, 2021. She has a PhD in I/O Psychology and is a thought leader in the topic of female rivalry. amber@tobecoachingandconsulting.com https://www.tobecoachingandconsulting.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-tichenor-phd/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/tobecoaching/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/ToBeCoachingandConsulting Hi, I’m Patti H., and I’m the mother of a transgender child. Other than that, my life is now and has always been wonderful yet largely unremarkable. My story, my journey, started three and a half years ago. My ‘normal’ life was suddenly a whirlwind of tension, research, confusion, and therapy, none of which proved to be productive for me. About a year ago, I realized that I had things bottled up inside that needed to be said. So, I started to write down my thoughts, my memories, my feelings. And then, one day—voila!—I had written a book. My book, When He Was Anna: A Mom’s Journey Into the Transgender World, is a ‘no BS’ chronology of my first two years as the mom of Tristan, a transgender teenager. Writing was my therapy. Reliving the memories, happy and sad, helped me to mentally work through some of the ‘what-ifs’ that plagued me in my quest to understand my child. I will admit, in the beginning, I was absolutely no help to my child. In fact, I was a wreck. I was in uncharted waters and felt like I was sinking fast. Kids, even teenagers, so often expect their parents to have all of the answers, to fix everything, or at least to have a lifeboat to offer when they start to sink. I had no answers, no fixes, and not even a buoy ring to toss out, much less a lifeboat. To make matters worse, I’m a total control freak. So, what’s a control-freak mama to do when she’s lost control and cannot find a way to help her kid? That’s easy—she gets the kid a puppy!! Yes, a puppy. A puppy would fix everything, right? A puppy would give Tristan someone to love and care for. They could bond; they could snuggle. A puppy would be fun. A puppy would make Tristan happy. A puppy would heal the depression. We would all love the puppy. We would spend our evenings at home playing with the puppy and laughing at the puppy. We’d be so busy having fun with the puppy that we wouldn’t have any time to argue; who can argue when you’re so busy laughing at the adorable puppy? Puppies really do fix everything!! And we needed fixing faster than you could scream “QUICK, TAKE HER OUTSIDE, SHE’S PEEING ON THE FLOOR AGAIN!” My puppy plan had just the tiniest little hiccup. Anna (before she became Tristan) had been singing the I Want a Puppy Song for a while, and Curt (the love of my life since 1987 and the father of our four children) was having absolutely no part of it. He had refused to even consider a puppy. I, on the other hand, have always been a sucker for a puppy, so Curt was used to me siding with Anna every time she found another puppy that she wanted to bring home (she was working in a pet store, so there was always a puppy to bring home). Anna would show us a picture of an adorable pup, I’d point out how adorable it was, and Curt would tell me that my next husband and I could have as many puppies as we wanted (somehow he thought this was funny). His no puppy stance was quite firm, until it wasn’t. It all changed when Anna became Tristan. Desperate times called for desperate measures, and Curt finally saw the logic in adding a puppy to our mixed-up mix. We chose a tiny, two-pound ball of white fluff that Tristan named Caly, and our short-term mission was accomplished. Caly was (and still is) a bundle of love and joy wrapped up in a fluffy white jacket. And while I don’t advocate answering all of life’s problems with a puppy, she certainly helped us as we were trying to navigate around a pretty big boulder in our family road. Adding a puppy is almost like adding a toddler: feeding schedules, nap times, potty training. Caly made us laugh and kept us busy. She also distracted us from the angst that was our lives; she gave us something else to focus on rather than our constant disagreements about gender and pronouns. Caly didn’t solve our problems, but she sure did (and continues to) give us a reason to smile as we struggle. Pretty soon, however, it was obvious that adding Caly to our family was like putting a bandage on a hemorrhage. She gave us a common ground, a neutral territory. Caly was goofy and happy, and she always made you smile. But our family was hemorrhaging pain of a unique sort, and puppy love can’t take that away. We had the pain of a child who was trying to leave her whole identity behind and struggling to find her place in her new world. We had the pain of a mom who just wanted the whole situation to go away, who wanted to put her head in the sand, so she didn’t have to deal with it. I didn’t want to learn about correct pronouns, and binders, and gender dysphoria, and name changes. I hadn’t signed up for any of this. I wanted my daughter back. Here I was, about three months into this transgender journey, and I was so lost and confused that there’s no way I could help my child—my smart, funny, beautiful little girl who was still smart, funny, and beautiful but not my little girl anymore. If only we could really answer all of life’s problems with a puppy. Look for Part 2 in the March/April issue of On Purpose Woman Magazine. Parenting Pronouns and Puppies by Patti Hornstra Patti Hornstra  is a native of Richmond, VA, and a VCU graduate.Her days are filled with adventure as a real estate broker, while her nights are spent fixated on becoming a writer. www.authorpattihornstra.com We often rush through life and miss the pieces of our blessings. Most of us, even if we’re not waiting to feel it, believe we should be more grateful. But we’re not sure how to do it. My Tips for Making Gratitude a Way of Life: 1. Practice gratitude every day, even though it will be awkward and forced at first. It is true that you won’t be feeling gratitude when you most need to experience it. But push through. You’re not being hypocritical or fake if you do. You’re persevering. And let me add, be patient with yourself. It’s not easy. 2. It’s ok if your exercise is short and even repetitive some days. I have been known to write down the words and just read them every day. The very same words. And then later on, leave a blank to fill in with something else you are grateful for. The point is not the eloquence but the discipline to do it. And short and simple is a good place to start. 3. Practice gratitude at the same time every day. Habits are powerful tools to change behavior and ultimately change the trajectory of our lives. Most habits use time markers to help us remember. Like brushing our teeth. If we left that to us remembering, we might only brush a couple times a week rather than a couple times a day. The same with expressing gratitude. Pick a time when you can express gratitude daily and make it part of your routine. Maybe even when you’re buying coffee or eating lunch? 4. Tack your exercise on to a habit you’ve already formed. Along that line of thinking, a new habit is best adopted through the buddy system: adding it to a habit you have already formed. For example, when we got a new puppy, we often forgot to let her out before going to bed. Now, as soon as my husband picks up his dental floss, he coaxes the dog out the front door. So perhaps on your commute home when you pass a certain landmark, or as soon as you pick up the mail each day, you might mentally (or verbally) start listing what you’re thankful for. (I do mine every day when I take my meds.) 5. Put stop signs in your life to help you remember. Sometimes we have to get even more creative. Sometimes the worries of the day or long-term life concerns crowd out our ability to add new habits easily. That’s when stop signs help. Use sticky notes (a personal favorite) or Siri reminders. Set a timer or ask a friend to be your accountability partner and talk through what you’re grateful for on a regular, set basis. We all use reminder services for other commitments, like paying bills or automatic retirement savings, so why not use it for gratitude? 6. Your practice of gratitude doesn’t have to be spoken or written. Praying gratitude should be our goal, but some of us aren’t there yet. Some of us feel too deep in struggle. We need to be aware of our blessings first, and then the natural overflow of that will be thanksgiving to God. So to get started, be honest with yourself about what you like to do most. If it’s something you enjoy and it just happens to involve gratitude, double prizes!! If you’re a word person, start a gratitude journal or a gratitude document on your laptop. Send an old-fashioned thank you note once a week to someone in your current or past life who has helped make yours better. If you’re a mom or caregiver, make it a point to tell your children or loved one something you’re grateful for each day. If you love photography, start a gratitude album on your phone and fill it with pics of everyday scenes that you are thankful for. If you are driven by social media, make a point to do gratitude posts on a regular basis. After a few weeks, I dare you to not mention these things when talking to God. Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving. Colossians 4:2 Remember: no matter how you feel, no matter how you do it, commit to being grateful. That’s where you will encounter the Giver. And no one should miss out on that. 6 Tips for Making Gratitude a Way of Life By Lori Ann Wood You’ll also want to read Cherryll Sevy’s article “I'm Healthier (and May Live Longer) Because I Live Gratefully” in this issue. Lori Ann Wood Having discovered a serious heart condition almost too late, Lori Ann writes to encourage others through life’s divine detours. Click here to download a beautiful printable of Lori Ann’s 6 Tips for Making Gratitude a Way of Life, as well as other resources available free on her website. My Story By Donna PIPPI  Robusto (Our Cover Artist) I am a Baltimore based fine artist and studied studio art at the University of Maryland. I exhibit and sell my work in the region and have won awards for my unique creations. My artistic inspiration emanates from a place of inner vision. One of my goals is for my art to be luminous and life-affirming. Being a linear artist, my creative expression involves lines in one form or another. Using iridescent pen and ink, I create complex images in the visionary genre. During the early stage of the creative process, I focus inward, clear my mind, relax, open up, and let go. In this receptive state, inspiration often begins with a simple doodle that can become quite elaborate. As the work progresses, I make decisions and direct where to take it. Ultimately, I find myself pulling order out of chaos, thereby bringing the creation into greater “alignment (a line meant).” Eventually, I’d like to be artistically known as just “PIPPI.” It’s how I sign my work. Future plans include writing and publishing a book of my art with my accompanying poetry. Check out my work here: Website: www.donnapippirobusto.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pippiart/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pippicreations/ Body text Cover Artist Donna PIPPI Robusto Check out my work here: Website: www.donnapippirobusto.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pippiart/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pippicreations/ What if the blank page is full of words unsaid, whole in the web of the new if your unscrawled lists, visions, memories are the stories you cannot live without if already they shine, waiting for your hope to make them real what if ink is the bridge between sleep and flight, flesh and light, and your thoughts quicken breath into beauty if what you love longs for you to name it, and touching pen to page makes the sun rise in your heart why not write it, that road from past to future, write what calls you, write, what you know and see document, invent, celebrate that place where being and doing meet in desire and tell that story -- yours, beloved, in all its puzzle and gift Carol Burbank is a writing mentor, editor, and writer, founder of the Storyweaving Retreat Center in Fort Washington, MD. For a free 30 minute introductory session, email cburbank@storyweaving.com. Originally published in Science of Mind Magazine. Poem for the New Year by Carol Burbank For writers, journalers, creative explorers all… Take out your journal and be free! Cultural Superpowers in Organizations Part 2: Courageous Leadership by Elaine Robinson Beattie Collective talents Courageous Leadership Clear values Collaborative strategies. Cultural Superpowers I created this theory of Cultural Superpowers (CSP) to teach organizational development, reliance, and health. It's a simple but multifaceted concept. In my work, I define culture in terms of philosophy, values, beliefs, or principles. These are the essential components of an organization's DNA, and I use them to define culture within the context of organizations.Most organizations have created strategic plans and mission statements to drive operations and decisions. They can be replicated in other locations; however, corporate culture is unique and highly contextual and cannot be easily re-created. In addition to the written mission, vision, and values, there exists an unspoken social order understood by most employees, which is foundational to ensuring the continuation of the cultural environment. CSP = Collective Talents + Courage+ Clear Values + Collaborative Strategies. Said another way, Cultural Superpower is a collective, comprehensive, and compassionate phenomenon. Collective individual talents are about honoring, utilizing, and honing the organization's collective talents to work together. Every organization has a superstar or two, but what if we termed all our staff superstars? What if we give everyone a chance to shine their unique and essential light? What if all members are regarded as essential workers because, by definition, essential means needed, necessary, crucial, or indispensable? In my last article, I discussed this theory's first part—a cultural superpower's collective talents. A collective must be managed well and managed with intentionality. Every role matters. Every voice matters. Every person brings a talent or talents with a unique function. If we lead a group of people, our task is to look at our people, person by person, to make sure we are giving them every opportunity to work in their unique way. Doing so is mutually beneficial to all involved. Today, more than ever, we must lead courageously, compassion- ately, and confidently. Competence and integrity have always been part of the leadership traits most admired, but what if we added to those traits group transparency, authenticity, and vulnerability? Whew, that takes guts! We would see increases in generosity, innovation, creative collaboration, payroll reductions, recruiting turnover, and training costs. I believe we can lead courageously when we start with the mindset that we are at our best when we work together. Courageous Leadership is about honoring the collective talents and empowering those collective talents. The diversity of thought, age, culture, race, gender education, etc., can bring about exciting opportunities, solutions, and results when led healthily. I challenge those of us who lead teams to take it one step further – to be intentionally inclusive in our meetings and problem-solving sessions. What if we were trained to see perspectives from those missing at the table and to consider those not represented? If we ask the question 'whose voice is missing?' we would save time and be more effective in solving complex problems. More importantly, we would be more successful in our work because people would feel valued, included, and honored. Organizational change is a massive undertaking for leaders today. I have been there (amid a merger), and I can now admit that I was terrified. Terrified that the message of change would create more fear, division, frustration, and that I would stand alone with little or no support. How do we lead change courageously, particularly in a diverse and divisive environment? Courage in leadership is needed today more than ever. COVID19 has changed our world and our operations. We have had to learn to pivot quickly, make rapid adjustments, and embrace new ways of doing. It's also tough to lead change when we are not honest with ourselves and others. I have learned the value of telling the truth and standing firm without wavering, a lesson I wish I had known in my earlier days. I struggled to say the "whole" truth because I was afraid of what would happen. Many of us have faced challenging situations and had to make tough choices. It is risky, but there is always a risk when making tough choices. This is unavoidable in leadership. I have been reprimand- ed and even terminated for speaking my truth. But guess what? I survived. I am not suggesting we be rude and reckless, but I do advocate the importance of being honest, intentional, and courageous. I believe people are inspired when they see who you are and why you are promoting a particular change or making a bold decision. People are motivated to action when they are included, trusted, and "let in" to be part of the change. I want to challenge you to begin to incorporate a strategy of inclusion in your organization. You may discover a wealth of talents with unique perspectives and approaches that may have been overlooked. Bring those approaches and views to the table. We all win when we practice inclusion. Be courageous! Part 1 can be found in the Sep/Oct issue of On Purpose Woman Magazine. Go to www.OnPurposeWomanMagazine.com and click on Past Issues. Elaine Robinson Beattie  is an Inspirational Speaker and Leadership Coach working with C-Suite Executives at Fortune 500 Companies and small business owners who believe in investing in personal growth for themselves and their team. https://elainerobinsonbeattie.com/ Business Directory A Bridge To Wholeness .Jennifer L. Crisp, RN, Founder.Bridging the gap between western and complementary medicine. www.abridgetowholeness.com At Length. Jewell Machlan. The Rolf method and therapeutic massage. This method is amazing! Give it a try! www.atlength.org BEMER Distributor. Doria Musaga. BEMER therapy improves blood flow to increase energy. Decreases pain, chronic fatigue, aids recovery from injury. 667-786-1032 http://bmruniversity.com/whatisbemer www.nursedoria.bemergroup.com Blue Lotus Physical Therapy & Wellness. Joyce Fishel DPT. Specializing in Holistic Pain Relief & Therapeutic Movement. www.BlueLotusPhysicalTherapy.com 443-650-8886 Brave Healer Productions. Laura Di Franco, MPT. 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Creating a financial plan for financial freedom. www.NewbergFinancial.com Adrienne.newberg@lpl.com Nourishing Journey Café & Wellness Center .Jennifer Palmer.Healing Bodies ~ Opening Minds ~ Uniting Hearts. Columbia MD. www.nourishing-journey.com 410-992-3001 On Purpose Woman Community Connections Over Coffee. Ginny Robertson. 9 monthly meetings in Maryland and one in Richmond VA. Online on Zoom until further notice. www.OnPurposeWomanCommunity.com On Purpose Woman Magazine. Contact Ginny Robertson for advertising rates, writing for the magazine or being our cover artist. www.OnPurposeWomanMagazine.com Open Heart Healing. Karen Tasto. Tune in & turn on to your fullest feminine expression. Coaching, Reiki, women’s circles. www.karentasto.com Plexus Ambassador.Natalie Gallagher.Natural plant-based health and wellness supplements and skincare, balancing blood sugar, reducing inflammation and healing the gut. https://plexusworldwide.com/nataliegallagher Positive Power Publishing. 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Compassionate, professional writing mentoring and services: coaching, manuscript evaluation, editing, publisher/agent proposals, research, ghost writing.cburbank@storyweaving.com Temple in the Woods. Claudette W. Gadsden. Bed & Breakfast off the beaten path. A Place to Nourish Your Soul www.TempleintheWoods.com “The ABCs of Conscious Parenting: Bringing Ease and Joy into your Relationship with your Child.” By Jill Mann Pekofsky. A “tool-box” in a book! consciousparenting@comcast.net Find it on Amazon. The Organizer. Bonnie Blas Kashnow. Paper Management, Checkbook Balancing, Personal Assistant. orgnizr18@cs.com. www.baltimoreorganizer.com 410-358-9290. Trades of Hope. Michele Silva-Dockery. Empowers women across the globe out of extreme poverty. Beautiful handmade jewelry and home decor! www.mytradesofhope.com/MicheleSilvaDockery Virtually Nat -Digital Marketing Agency.Natalie Gallagher. Growing businesses through web design, web maintenance, SEO, and social media strategy.https://virtuallynat.com List YOUR Business Find out how. Our Ads are CLICKABLE, Try One! Whether you’re 23 or 35, it’s important to know if you are saving enough for your retirement. There is no time like the present to ensure you are allocating enough funds to your retirement account. With folks routinely living into their 80s and 90s, it’s more important than ever to ensure your money lasts your lifetime. Millennials have the advantage of time. You can benefit from compounding and the long-term trends that can make a real difference over the course of several decades. A good savings target is 15% of your income. That’s a very general target, and in many cases, it’s too conservative. That can be a real challenge if you are also saving for a house and/or paying off student loans. The important point is to make a commitment to your retirement savings by contributing a consistent amount with each paycheck (or, if you are self- employed, every invoice). The absolute percentage is secondary; more important is to set a goal and stick to it. How will your lifestyle change? In retirement, you may no longer be drawing a salary, although many folks take up some form of self-employment that brings in an income. It’s up to you whether earnings will be part of your retirement plan. If not, your retirement savings should be robust enough to supplement your Social Security without sacrificing your lifestyle. You can check your projected Social Security payments on the Social Security Administration’s website. Time may heal all wounds. Millennials may have unpleasant memories of the Great Recession and the family turmoil it could have caused. A conservative attitude toward risk isn’t surprising given those circumstances, but sticking to overly conservative investments has its own risks, such as not keeping up with inflation. You have time to recover from the inevitable ups and downs of the markets, which means you might want to consider adding some aggressive investments to your retirement account. Figure out how long your savings will last. To get a reasonably accurate figure, you should derive your annual “burn rate.” That’s the amount of savings you’ll need to live on each year. You then see whether it will last for your estimated life expectancy, which you can check with any number of online calculators. If the answer is no, you’ll have to increase the amount you save now and/or cut back on your retirement plans. Your retirement finances are not set in stone. You have options at any age. Call or email me to review those and decide on the best course of action. Don’t put it off—the sooner you understand your financial alternatives, the sooner you can take positive action to protect your golden years. Body text A Reality Check on Your Retirement Savings By Adrienne Newberg Source/Disclaimer: This material was prepared for Newberg Financial and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. This information has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Please note - investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalty. Adrienne Newberg  has been a Financial Advisor for 22 years and is currently doing business as Newberg Financial at LPL Financial. She has three grown children and volunteers with K-9 Lifesavers. www.NewbergFinancial.com Adrienne.newberg@lpl.com 410-409-5284 Collaborate with Others (in a way that makes sense) A Tip for Building an Innovative Business and Life (Tip #7 of 8) By Andrea Hylen How do you feel about collaboration? Collaborations can last for an hour or last for decades. Collaboration can be a short-term or long-term experience. Guest blogging, radio show guest, conference speaker, affiliates are all examples of short-term collaboration. For ten years, I was a Girl Scout leader with Karen DaGrava. We had planning meetings in the summer and mapped out ideas for each meeting, field trips, community events and travel. With that structure, the moms and dads in the troop would contribute ideas, as well as lead activities. During the planning, Karen and I bantered and hammered away, then wove our visions together. Our troops went camping, volunteered in the community, sold thousands of boxes of cookies and traveled to Savannah, Georgia and Los Angeles, California. Some keys for a good collaboration 1. Common Goals and Intentions: This could be a mission statement or clarity around the ultimate destination. What do you want? 2. Clear Agreements: Be clear on roles, expectations, finances and time. 3. Be Flexible: Keep re-evaluating. The best ideas appear in the process of creating and taking action. 4. Start with a Foundation of Respect: Do you like this person? Do you each bring something unique? Evaluate your strengths and weaknesses. 5. Build Trust in your Communication: Communication takes time and is slower when you are planning and working out the details. Be patient. Listen. Speak. Sandpaper and Friction One of the most important elements in collaboration is how you work through the sandpaper and friction. This is not going to be all, “Kumbaya, and roses.” Be ready for incredible opportunities to challenge each other. This is where new ideas are birthed, and clarity arises. When you enter into any relationship you will have challenges. There will be feelings. Notice when something triggers you and take responsibility for handling your emotions. Be willing to stay in the conversation. That may mean asking for time to think about it and to step away to feel your feelings and reflect. One warning: I am not talking about drama or emotional hijacking. I am talking about passion, creativity, personal power and different perspectives. Be ready to disagree and even strongly disagree! Work through it. When Marie Ek Lipanovska and I were co-leaders of a project called Sensual Voices: True Stories by Women Exploring Connection and Desire, I learned the power of the sandpaper. I am the founder of Heal My Voice and Marie is the founder of Heal My Voice Sweden. At the core of our collaboration is a deep respect and trust for each other. Our mission and intent is clear. One day we were making a list of women who were interested in signing up for this nine-month program and found that we were attracting women who had extremely different lifestyles. Let’s just say, we both got triggered emotionally as we championed our choices. When I look back, I say that I learned how to ‘go to the mat’ and stay connected. I felt the fisticuffs. We didn’t actually wear boxing gloves and get into a ring to fight each other, but our energy, our passions, our view of the project was so different in that moment, it brought heat. Thank goodness we were willing to feel the uncomfortable feelings and stay connected and talk through it. I was staying with Marie in Sweden for six weeks and we spent three days talking about this from our different perspectives. We cooked, walked in nature and meditated together. And we gave each other space to feel and think. Both of us believed in holding a sacred space for the women. As we worked through the details, we decided to trust that the women who felt drawn to the program would be perfect. We were used to holding a wide range of experiences and emotions. Why would this be any different? Because of the trust, we also created an innovative coaching style, used on Zoom, which helped the women go deeper in their healing. A bonus that came out of the sandpaper! In Summary: 1. Common Goals and Intentions 2. Clear Agreements 3. Be Flexible 4. Start with a Foundation of Respect 5. Build Trust in your Communication In the Jan/Feb 2020 issue of On Purpose Woman Magazine, I shared Tip #1:Be willing to go on the ride.”There was a spark and a desire to say yes to “something.”A business idea, a relationship, a class, or an event. In the March/April issue, Tip #2 Notice what turns you on.  There is something in the desire that lights you up and ignites your passion. You can feel it in your body and heart. In theMay/June issue,Tip #3 Pause and Reflect.  You have to be empty so new ideas can land. Give yourself space to daydream, to be dormant and take root. In the July/August issue, Tip #4 Make friends with change, discomfort and ‘not knowing.’ Create some micro-disruptions to shake things up. Take action. Let go of the attachment to an image. In the Sept/Oct issue, Tip #5 Cultivate Personal Power.  Get Support. Train your mind. Develop humility. Strengthen your nervous system. Stand up for what you believe In the Nov/Dec issue, Tip #6 Manage Your Energy and Time. Balance energy in and energy out. Declutter. Review your calendar.Put yourself on the “to-do-be” list Be willing to go on the ride. Notice what turns you on. Pause and Reflect. Make friends with change, discomfort and ‘not knowing.’ Cultivate your personal power. Manage your energy and time. Collaborate with others. Notice when something triggers you and take responsibility for handling your emotions. Be willing to stay  in the conversation. Andrea Hylen Author of Heal My Voice: An Evolutionary Woman’s Journey. Creator of The Writing Incubator, on-line writing community. www.andreahylen.com Martha High SiSTARs Conversate, Communicate & Collaborate during COVID: Soul 2 Soul By Kim Eley Yemaja Jubilee When stars collide, it is called a stellar collision. A sparkling new creation began with a stellar collision between two soulful SiSTARs (sisters who are stars). Two ladies who started life in small towns in Virginia and moved to many places all over the globe, reconnected. One SiSTaR is Martha High, the "Goddess of Soul," a celebrated musician who wrote a book about her years with James Brown. A worldwide accomplished R&B singer, Ms. High was forced to move back to the States when the Pandemic hit. She was friends with another incredible SiSTAR, Yemaja Jubilee, co-founder of Cultural Libations and author of Couldn't Keep It to Myself. With her partner, Professor L. Roi Boyd, Jr., Yemaja produced and presented exhibitions, musical productions, and cultural events. Her livelihood was impacted by COVID, as well. Martha and Yemaja reconnected, laughing and talking about what would happen next. Yemaja shares, "I remember we were optimistic about our future and how we had to continue to trust The Big G to show us the way.” This was not the first collaboration for the fearless females. In 2017, Martha debuted her art exhibition at the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia, which Cultural Libations coordinated. Ms. High illustrated the book cover of Professor Boyd's first book, Bless His Soul: The Agony, The Ecstasy, and the Destiny of Michael Jackson. Not being able to do their work in person was a new challenge. These SiSTARs and friends were determined, however, to keep their light shining. "We kept reassuring each other that we needed to stay positive" Yemaja recalls. "I suggested that Ms. High write a second book. We talked at least three times a week over three months." Another star connection, this time with Jenelle Harris, propelled Yemaja's career. She was featured on virtual platforms, including the magazine Lemonade Mindset. As her manager, Jenelle enabled Yemaja to appear in Sheen magazine and encouraged her to submit her poetry to MTM,NISH, and several others. When she was featured on the cover of NISH, Yemaja adopted a new moniker, "Beloved THE Soul-Full Poet." Yemaja's poems have since been featured inOn Purpose Woman Magazine. She is also a guest columnist in her hometown paper,The Charlotte Gazette,and performed spoken word virtually duringCome Find Your FAB, FAB Women's annual networking event. A believer in abundance, Yemaja connected Jenelle with Martha. Jenelle empowered Martha to appear in Sheen Magazine, on the cover of MTM, and on several virtual platforms. Yemaja and Martha are also radio personalities onStudio W Buzz: Martha's show is It's High Time, and Yemaja's is Celebrity Buzz. These creative Souls remained open to change. Unable to travel on the world stage, Martha was looking for ways to express herself creatively, and Yemaja wanted to share her poetry in a very special way. After months of conversation, Yemaja prayed about their next steps. "I asked The Big G to show me the way." She explained, "One morning at about 3:00 am, I sat up in bed, and I heard it intuitively: 'Martha is an artist and a damn good one. You are a poet…You two are a perfect fit. So, a collaborative effort will give birth to a beautiful work of art and poetry.' I got on the phone with Martha and I said, 'The Big G has given to me… you are the 'Goddess of Soul,' and I am 'Beloved the Soul-Full Poet'! We will write a book called Soul 2 Soul!” Next, they figured out how to birth their creation. "We agreed I would get started on the poems. I don't write the poems; I download them and, at first, nothing came," Yemaja shared. "Martha would ask, 'How is it coming?' and I'd tell her, 'It's in process.' We had agreed that she needed the poems because she would read them all and, when inspired, would create a painting. I remember saying, 'Okay, Big G, help me.'" She said, "I was at my country house, alone, walking barefoot, hugging trees and dancing in the rain. Then it hit me! I downloaded poem after poem! I informed Martha she would have the poems by the end of the week. Before we began working on the poems and artwork, we had three invitations for appearances on various virtual platforms. My poems came to me on the same day Martha announced our book on those platforms!" I became a part of the story when Yemaja reached out to publish their book. Martha had told Yemaja that comedian and musician Steve Martin was doing the same type of collaboration with a graphic artist for a comic strip he was writing. That validated our collaboration and how in tune we were. We maintained great respect for each other's process and never told each other how we thought the book should be done. Martha and Yemaja reached out to their Soul 2 Soul tribe to give feedback. They asked for testimonials to share from their beloved friends. They started with two, but interest was so phenomenal that they ended up with twelve. Yemaja shares, "It came into manifestation because of consciousness conversations with The Big G. I sought and asked for guidance. I then continued to conversate, communicate, and collaborate with Martha, Jenelle, Kim, and my community of SiSTARS. As a result, we birthed what is now destined to uplift, inspire, and empower others to follow their own process to manifest their creativity and dreams." Kim Eley  is a speaker, author,  & publisher. KWE Publishing (804) 536-1972 kwe@kwepub.com www.kwepub.com Get the On Purpose Woman Magazine delivered to your inbox! Once You Know Your Purpose, Then What? Ginny Robertson interviewed by Kathryn Yarborough Click Here Subscribe Aquarian Dreaming By Judith Goldberg Do you remember the sixties? They say, if you do, you weren’t there. Sex drugs and rock ‘n’ roll… “turn on, tune in and drop out”, mantra of LSD Guru, Timothy Leary. The psychedelic world of Bohemian counterculture flourished in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury and New York’s Greenwich village. Each coast had its defining generational event, the 1967 Summer of Love in Golden Gate Park, and Woodstock in ‘69. It was a time of rebellion and idealism. “Hair” opened on Broadway in April of 1968, awakening the collective consciousness to the “Dawning of the Age of Aquarius” when “Peace will guide the planets and love will steer the stars.” Free love (read sex) and peace triumphed briefly before utopia collided with reality. In the ensuing years, many alumni joined the great middle class; some entered the corporate world, and a stalwart few continued the good fight as activists and social revolutionaries. The sixties may be gone, but not forgotten. The New Age had yet to dawn, but these pioneers gave it a ‘practice run’. The taste of individual freedom and the vision of a transformed world is still implanted in their psyches, and by extension in the collective consciousness. We have been living in the backlash ever since. Ronald Reagan, elected governor of California in 1966, ushered in an era of conservative politics. Sworn enemy of long-haired rabble rousers and anti- establishment protestors, he vowed to “clean up the mess in Berkeley”. As president, in 1980 he brought his brand to the White House. Enter the planets. The Reagan presidency began with two conjunctions (joining) of Jupiter and Saturn in the sign of Libra, on December 31st, 1980 and July 24th, 1981. The outermost visible planets, Jupiter and Saturn are called the great time keepers. Every twenty years their conjunction marks a turning point in humanity’s evolutionary journey. Under Reagan, the re-structuring of the social order (Libra) began in earnest. The last four decades have witnessed the fracturing of society along social, economic, political, and racial lines. Systems were engineered to benefit an elite class, and large corporations. The middle was hollowed out. Who can forget ‘trickle-down economics’ and ketchup asthevegetable in school lunches? The gap between the haves and have-nots has grown into a yawning chasm.  Aquarian ideals, by contrast, embraceequality, multi-culturalism, collaboration, and progressive change.Many awaited the dawn of the promised golden age at the turn of the millennium; what arrived in its stead was Y2K hysteria. Jupiter and Saturn joined in Taurus, sign of money, on May 28th, 2000, as we entered another two decades of run-away materialism and the exploitation of natural resources. Tacking down the beginning of an age that is 2,150 years long is no mean task. The shift is gradual yet punctuated by pivots. As far back as the early ‘90s some astrologers pegged the turning point in 2021, with a later installment when Pluto enters Aquarius in 2024. I recoiled — why do we have to wait so long? One answer, we had to endure the death throes of the old ways; more people had to awaken to a greater common purpose. The celestial clock finally chimed on December 21st, 2020, the winter solstice, as Saturn and Jupiter conjoined in the sign of Aquarius. Does the return of the Sun, on the shortest day of the year herald the dawn of the New Age? A Jupiter- Saturn conjunction in Aquarius is rare; the last occurred 615 years ago, in 1405, coinciding with the ending of the Middle Ages and beginning of the Renaissance. There has not been a Jupiter-Saturn conjunction on a winter solstice in the last 5,000 years. December’s unprecedented event catalyzed a new egalitarian and humanitarian era. Astrologer Stephanie Austin put it succinctly, “Aquarius’ spiritual task is the development of group consciousness, where we evolve beyond identification with family, religion, race, and country to being a member of the human race. It is the sign of equality and diversity, innovation and reform, collaboration, and community. The Age of Aquarius is the age of liberty, equality, and freedom for all, the age of unity in diversity… Aquarius instructs us to be inclusive and inventive…What is needed most…is a revolution in consciousness. We are in the midst of an evolutionary shift, moving from materialism, polarization, and domination, into the paradigm of the heart, where we realize our interconnectedness, equality, and divinity.” As much as we would wish otherwise, the New Age arrived in its infancy not in its maturity. The task remains for us to nurture it along. “We are the ones we have been waiting for” as the Hopi prophecy states. The shift in consciousness on the planet has reached a critical mass where 53% of humanity has matured into an “Aquarian” mindset. The path to the future has been laid out, but nearly half the population lags behind. As early as the 1960s, a group of researchers developed a model of the evolutionary development of individuals, organizations, and societies. The authors ofSpiral Dynamicswere psychologists and social scientists. Their work mirrors the theories of philosopher Ken Wilbur who later linked arms with them. Their observations are acutely accurate.Spiral Dynamicscodifies eight hierarchical stages in human evolution.A simplified overview is available at here. A deeper dive down the Spiral Dynamics ladder describes prevalent behaviors in human society— tribalism, prejudice, demagoguery, religious fundamentalism, self-gratification, entitlement, aggression, anti-intellectualism, and competitiveness. Generations will continue evolving decades, if not centuries hence, until the promise of the Aquarian Age is firmly anchored. Our current problems are so complex, widespread, and global, that new, creative solutions are needed. The Aquarian Age bodes well for its embrace of science, technology, environmentalism, and out-of-the-box thinking. The winter solstice Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in the sign of the water bearer is a ready-made harbinger of the turning age. Two thousand years ago, the two planets merged to announce the dawning of the last Great Precessional Age* of Pisces. They joined in that sign in 6 BC., forming the bright “star” astrologers believe the wise men followed to Bethlehem. For information on this event click here to see my 2006 article: “Star of Wonder.” Jesus was the acknowledged avatar of the Piscean Age. Now,weare midwifing a difficult, but promising new birth. Here on Earth, we are God’s hands. Let’s get to work. *The precessional ages are determined by the constellation in which the sun rises on the summer solstice. Each age is approximately 2000 years long. Collage by J. Goldberg Collage by J. Goldberg Judith Goldberg, MFA  is an evolutionary astrologer, past life regressionist and book author.  channelingjosephine@gmail.com Follow the progress of her new novel at: www.channelingjosephine.com  The “green meme” aptly describes Aquarian values: “Explore the inner beings of self and others; Promote a sense of community and unity; share society’s resources among all; liberate humans from greed and dogma; reach decisions through consensus; refresh spiritually and bring harmony.” Click And tell your friends how great it is. Click Click Click for More Info Share this magazine! Our next issue is coming March 1, 2021. This magazine is for women and by women. I believe it's a force for good and much needed now. You can help by sharing this magazine with your friends, posting it on social media, and talking about it in your communities. See you next time! Kathryn Yarborough, Creative Director Ads are due Feb. 20.