Tag Archives: success

Latest News: Can I Interview You?

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In early April 2014, I received an email from a Success magazine writer. She had discovered that I taught and facilitated the Success for Teens/Blogging class at High Desert Montessori through my blog post titled, “Success for Teens and Blogging”.

Her email said something like, “I’m a writer for Success magazine and I was wondering if I could interview you in regards to the class you taught covering the Success for Teens book.” After calming down from the excitement I messaged her that an interview would be great!

The interview titled, “Multimedia Mash-Up“, appeared in the August 2014 issue of Success and is on page 32. It’s the issue with Jimmy Kimmel on the cover. If you have an online subscription you can read it on the Success website.

Here are a few excerpts from the article:

  • ” ….. but, doing this as a creative expressions class, I was kind of creating it as I went along – while tapping her skills as an author, blogger and landscape photographer.”
  • “Discussions helped students get a handle on their reactions to the book’s content. For instance, in Chapter 7, “You’re Always Learning,” Downs told the kids, “This has been a learning experience for all of us … The more things you learn that you don’t like [by exploring a wide variety of topics], the closer you get to what you do like.”

I augmented the content from the book with teaching the students how and why to blog. They blogged about our discussions during class, guest speakers and assignments. In addition, I brought in almost weekly guest speakers from the local community to tie in with the theme for each week. Lastly, I weaved a few art projects into the program as well.

We concluded with creating vision/dream boards and a performance by a local band, CRVSH. One of the members of the band attended HDMS and it was the perfect conclusion to the class as they performed their song, “No Givin’ Up”. The last chapter of the book is titled “Never Give Up” …

In their own words, here’s what the students shared they had learned:

  • Being Positive
  • Focus on Goals
  • Doodling is Good for the Brain
  • Learn More About Myself and How to Handle Things Differently
  • How to Make a Difference
  • Patience
  • I am Awesome and I Can Blog
What the students may not know is that they taught me as much as I taught and shared with them.

I’m extremely grateful that I got the opportunity to teach this amazing group of middle school students at HDMS and that Betsy J. Simnacher reached out to me and wrote such a beautiful article about the class.

*** How did I even end up teaching this particular class at this particular school?

First, my two kids, Thomas and Lillian, attend HDMS. I am so in love with this school and the Montessori theories. In Summer 2013, I could take it no longer. I wanted to be a part of the school.

I set up a meeting with the principal and the assistant principal in which I put forth absolutely everything I had knowledge about and was skilled in doing. Blogging was one of the items I mentioned as well as the Success for Teens program. I had known about it for several years as I facilitated a scaled down version for the self advocates at either the 2011 or 2012 Chromosome 18 Conference. I believe I initially discovered the program in an issue of Success magazine.

The principal suggested it to the middle school team as a creative expressions elective and in Spring 2014 I completed the program. Then came that surprising email from Betsy!

H♥rtfuly Inspired™,
Camilla
See It. Share It. BE IT … Spread Love Everywhere You Go!

The Past

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“Let the past be a servant for making the future both more enjoyable and profitable.” From “The Seasons of Life” by Jim Rohn

– My hope for each of you today is that you let go of at least one issue, friend or event from your past and enjoy TODAY! –

Enthusiasm

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“You can do anything if you have enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is the yeast that makes your hopes rise to the stars. Enthusiasm is the spark in your eye, the swing in your gait, the grip of your hand, the irresistible surge of your will and energy to execute your ideas . . . Enthusiasm is at the bottom of all progress!” Henry Ford

May each of you let your enthusiasm shine today!!

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Movie Musings: The Treasure Seekers

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I now review movies on our Team TLC website – go here if you want to see more.

★★★★★

June 4, 2011, was movie night for Team TLC. We have a Saturday tradition of watching a movie together in my bedroom making full use of this fancy projector I use for teaching my Social Media workshops.

We get our movies from our local library, South Valleys Library, so most of them are a few years old to really really old! Which actually adds to the adventure of it all in my eyes.  I love popping that DVD in, not knowing what it holds and at the same time knowing it will be 5 year old and 9 year old friendly.  Ya see, I just don’t much care for MANY of the new and newer movies – with a few exceptions.

The Treasure Seekers (amazon affiliate link) was my choice for us tonight.  It’s setting is English Victorian Age and this movie had me hooked from the moment it began.  I loved everything about it. I have not read the book of the same name authored by E. Nesbit; but from what I’ve seen on Amazon this film is loosely based on the book.  Fine by me as I adored this movie.  Thomas and Lillian both sat still and watched the entire movie.  And, actually, they are always happy with what I have chosen. Thomas was a tad bit disappointed as he thought they would literally be searching for treasure.

I saw some of my little family in the Bastable family. A single (widowed) entrepreneur/inventor dad with piles of unpaid bills.  In addition to an olden day loan shark who holds the mortgage on the Bastable home threatening to take the home in seven days. I found this movie to be very inspiring. In addition to holding a message to continue on the journey one has chosen no matter what others think or how uncomfortable it may get along the way. To have faith and NOT give up, especially when it seems that there are no options, choices or hope left.

The Bastable family worked with one another as a team – sometimes on the sly.  The kids were attempting to help Dad every second of the way. Even though throughout the movie their attempts backfired.

 

The Treasure Seekers is a family movie night must in my opinion. It gets 5 stars from me – family friendly, motivating, inspiring and FUN!

Latest “Book and Movie Musings”:
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Dares, Choices and Changing the World

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(Based on a Toastmaster’s Speech I delivered today, April 5, 2011)

Three concepts for all of us to ponder . . .  The first concept is that of choices.

Do you live each day thinking, “Well, I’ve got to do this and I’ve got to do that”.  Or, “I’ve got no choice in the matter?”  Or, do you live each day thinking, “If I choose this one, then this will happen and if I choose this one, then that will happen.”  I CHOOSE this! Do you say “I HAVE to do this, that or the other” or do you say “I WANT to do this that or the other”?

A poem to share with you –

“Happiness”

Life is so happy, it makes me cry.
And I cannot, tell a lie on April Fools.
The point is that you will have a non stop lovable brain.
And it has our choices in it.

Now, I think this is an absolutely beautiful and powerful poem! I may be a bit prejudiced, though, as my 9 year old daughter, Lillian Darnell, wrote it this past Friday, April 1, 2011. I’d like to share why I think, partly anyway, that Lillian created this poem.

Lillian received an email from a family member with the following statement, “I often feel like I have no choice” .  I disagree with this attitude and felt the need to share that with Lillian.  I explained to her that each of us ALWAYS has a choice.  No matter what decision we are faced with making, no matter what situation or circumstance, we always get to choose. There are consequences to accompany whatever we decide; but we get to make that choice.

I believe it’s not even which choice you make that matters as much as what you do with your choice after you have made it.  Once we make a choice, we should then make it the right choice! She really took my point of view to heart and mind.

Choices – one concept to ponder . . .  Which leads me to the second concept of Changing the World.

What are you doing to contribute to our World – whether it’s changing it for the better or adding to it for the better? I’m not meaning or saying we all have to be an Einstein, Earhart, Branson or Buffet. What I mean is in your own way – what has meaning to YOU!

Do you wake up every morning and conform?  Are you doing the same thing day in and day out – doing something that means absolutely nothing to you?  Or are you waking up thinking, “Hot Darn! Another day to work towards my goal.  Another day to enjoy the heck out of while I’m working my way to that goal.  Another day to squeeze every ounce of joy, love and happiness out of!”

Two concepts to ponder – Choices and Changing the World.  Now to wrap those two concepts up and give them a nice foundation with three words – I Dare You!

I Dare you to retrain your mind and thought habits about thinking you have no choice in matters.  You have a CHOICE with every single decision that involves you. I Dare you to do what you want to do with your life. I dare you to not conform.  I dare you to stop doing it the way everybody else is doing it cause that’s the way its always been done.  I dare you to have FAITH in yourself and what your gut or your intuition is telling you should be doing in this World! I dare you to be Different!

The thing is if we look back at our history and even our present, and look at the people who are successful at doing what it is they know they were meant to do; there is ONE common thread amongst them.  I’m talking about the creators, the innovators and those that change the world.  Race does not matter and gender does not matter.  That common thread is that they were and are DIFFERENT.  In the beginning everyone around them whispers or even says aloud, “(S)he’s weird – (s)he’s different – what’s wrong with that person?”

It is my belief that each and every one of us is different in our own unique and special way.  I think way too many of us cram that different part of us back down saying “Get back in there, You’re making me look weird, You’re making me look different.”  It’s time to uncork that different aspect within us and share with those around us for the benefit of ourselves and the world.  Amazing events will and must occur when we do this!

Just some concepts for us to ponder . . . I Dare You to Make Choices and Then Make Them the Right Choices, I Dare You to Change the World, I Dare You to be Different!

Another Lillian poem to leave you with –

“Pretty Flowers”

A poem is a sweet brainer.
You listen to music.
And the point is that your creative brain is a bank.
And listen to it.
I love you a lot, of pretty flowers.

(This post and speech were inspired in part by Earl Nightingale’s, “The Strangest Secret“{amazon affiliate link}, and William Danforth’s book titled “I Dare You“{amazon affiliate link})

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This article is now part of my inventory in Inspired Living.  

I enjoy taking the time to share information with y’all that I think is helpful and give you ideas to live an Inspired Life. So, if you feel this helped you in any way, toss a tip into the tip bowl on the way out of Inspired Living.

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If you can’t afford to donate, please feel free to pass this article along to others who might get some help from it. Thank y’all to everyone who has donated and shared in the past. I don’t always get a chance to respond, and the donations, shares and comments are my indicators that what I share is helpful. Thank YOU!