Happy New Year from My Own Molly!

In the spirit of new beginnings, there's never a better time to reflect on the past than in the new year. It's healthy to look back at things that "were" so you can prepare for things to come. 

So here is my 2013 Year-In-Review:

To start, I lost my very best friend and my greatest companion in the world. To those who knew her best, we think back and laugh at the wonderful memories and love shared for Tori. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't miss her or wish she were still here with me being a pain in the rear and giving me love-on-demand whenever I requested. But I'm so glad she got one last Christmas with the family and stayed strong for me through to the very end.

Rest in peace my angel...

And just as 2013 was a year of loss, it was also a year of love...(swoon).

I celebrated the 1 year anniversary of my first date with my sweetheart, the love of my life, John. 

I was even invited to the family beach house on the Jersey shore where I tried my best to be as "salty" as I could be. (Inside thing...I'd tell ya but I was sworn to protect family secrecy...no seriously.)

We also took the plunge and moved in together! 

We love our new town home, the scenic views and all the nice amenities. We're settling in but won't soon forget our first meal eaten on the dining room floor! That's new-couple-moving-into-new home tradition, right?

I said goodbye to ol Nancy Nissan and got a new ride!

And for the biggest milestone of 2013, I started my own business. As my mentor Ali Brown says, "There's no better self development tool 

than starting your own business."

Boy was she right! In the half a year that I've been at it, I've experienced every emotion under the moon. For those that say business isn't personal, I challenge you to start a business of your own. The biggest challenge is distinguishing that "you" are not your business. Your successes or failures in your business are not a reflection of you personally. For better or for worse, your business is its own representation of something new...created by you, developed by you, curated by you...but not "you."
You are SO much more. And that gives me peace...and hope for things to come.

Also in my first six months in business, I attended some fantastic events where I had the opportunity to meet great new colleagues, learn from leading business women, and mingle with old friends.

I attended the "Today's Innovative Woman" Success Summit in Redondo Beach, CA.

I am pictured here with Melissa Lanz of The Fresh 20. 

A brilliantly DRIVEN business woman, loving mother, and amazing spirit. 

Here I am with Joy Chudacoff, of Smart Women Smart Solutions, a mentor and friend who challenges me to always be better than I think I am capable. And then push myself more...

And this is my newest friend and ally, Ms Nicole Teves McDowell from Get The Sale Now.

Not only is she the smartest sales-minded person I've met, but she is so kind and generous. 

I can't tell you how good it feels to have strong independent women 

vying for you in your corner 

and encouraging you every step of the way.

I also had the incredible chance to attend the Behind Every Leader conference in Newark, NJ hosted by Executive Assistants Organization.

Here I got to meet hundreds of success minded assistants from around the world all doing impressive, ground breaking work for the companies they work for.

Among the several people who spoke, I got to meet Google CEO Eric Schmidt's Executive Assistant, Ann Hiatt who spoke of her decade of experience working for high level CEO's and executives.

Impressive does not even begin to describe this woman's credentials or vigor as a leader in this industry. 

And to wrap an already eventful year, I also celebrated a milestone birthday as I turned the Big 3-0.

John took me to San Francisco to celebrate with a few of my favorite landmarks!

The Dahlia Garden at Golden Gate Park

The Japanese Tea Garden

Berkeley scenic picnic

Golden Gate Bridge

This picture perfectly sums up TWO THINGS:

my gratitude for a fantastic 2013 and my feelings towards a successful and bountiful 2014

or simply put...

THANK YOU and BRING IT ON.

Beauty is fun!

Last night I got super girly, stepped out of my comfort zone, and stepped in to help my girlfriend Lisa as a hair model for a class at her salon. I had NO idea what to expect, but it actually turned out to be pretty fun! We played with so many different styles through my hair and I got to see my hair in ways I never even imagined.

Check the photos we took throughout the class...

PS - And ladies, if a stylist friend ever asks you to step in and help out with a class, do it! Not only will you have fun, but you're doing a solid to the people that take care of a vital essential to your life: HAIR.
Did I mention it's fun too???

Big shoutout and courtesy credit for all the wonderful Kérastase products we used and to the Via Dolce salon. If you're in the Marina Del Rey area and in need of some beauty, the salon is beautiful and the gals there are top notch :)

BEFORE:


STRAIGHT BLOWOUT:

 

PIN CURLS to HOLLYWOOD GLAM:
 

BOHEMIAN BEACH WAVE:

 

END RESULT: 4 VERY DIFFERENT LOOKS

I had a total blast doing this and can't wait to do it again! 

Happy Wednesday!

I Choose Wisdom

I recently read an article by Deepak Chopra about The Wisdom Principle and what it means to be "wise." (Read the full article HERE)

In the article, he says:

Quote
Someone who wants to be wise has the following traits:

• The desire to be real
• The courage to step into the unknown
• A refusal to be fooled by illusions
• The need to feel fulfilled
• The ability to go beyond material satisfactions

End Quote

Athena the Goddess of Wisdom & Beauty

He also went on to talk about people's misconception of the term, and how people think this descriptive word should only be used for the gray haired and elderly, who have experienced the world ten-fold. He goes on to say that wisdom is really just "mature awareness." Knowing oneself more than anything is how we get to a level of wisdom beyond what others anticipate for us, and perhaps what we even anticipate for ourselves.

In a time when I'm not sure exactly what will happen next for myself or career, 
I am taking every leap forward into the unknown, in hopes for something bigger and better than me. 

Courage? Call it whatever you like. I am choosing it because staying in the same place is not an option. Perhaps, the "wiser" version of myself is the ultimate goal. I see the bigger picture and it is full steam ahead until I get there.

I know this to be true: we are defined by our choices. 

Our privilege to choose right from wrong and to help the lives of others, instead of hindering them, is a deliberate one. You can't half-ass it. You choose to live fully with a helpful, hopeful heart, do it, all of it, or not. In this time of cautious treading into new territories, I welcome this privilege and hope that those who support me most will hold me accountable for my goals and my choices. 

I do not aim to please the likes of my superiors any more. 
There is no one beneath me, nor above me. 
It is up to me how I choose to treat people and how I will make my company, brand, and life different from here forward.

It's a new day. I choose to be wise.

My Own Molly

Today is the day! Today, I am officially open for business. My website is LIVE and there's no turning back. I am a business owner. I am an entrepreneur. Today makes it real.

Now I know what it means when entrepreneurs tell me their stories of countless restless nights spent working on their websites, finalizing designs, and putting all the polishing touches on a project they've babied for months. 

This is my baby.

A few years ago I was only talking about the idea of starting a business. 

Those who know me best remember the conversations brainstorming about what it could be and how I could conquer the world with this business. Premature? Ha! Perhaps. 

Brilliant minds of our time were once laughed at for their ideas.

You gotta start dreaming big early on ;)

My point is this: I knew there was a need for something I could produce at a fair price. In this case, on-demand Assistant Services. And I knew that by producing this product, I could help people. I could really make a difference in their lives.

Fast forward to August of 2012 and I started giving my ideas more serious consideration.

"What if I could really do this?"

I truly believe that the people you meet in this lifetime are the ones who help mold the person you become. It is ultimately your choice as to how these people affect you for the worse or the better. But everyone is placed in your life for a reason.

For me, a key character in my path to self discovery will always and forever be Ali Brown.

     

Even before I was hired by her, I set an intention that she was exactly the person I wanted to work for at that time. I was coming out a previously very difficult and demanding position, working for an executive that had completely drained my spirit. I needed a sense of renewal. I needed to work for a strong woman doing big things in a big way. I needed to feel empowered by doing my job well. And I needed to know that I was truly valued and appreciated. None fit that description better or made those words more true than Ali.

It is greatly due to her that I begin this voyage (at the same age she started her own company years ago), in the same hopes that I have even a fraction of the same success and happiness that she has acquired in her own entrepreneurial journey.

I've dedicated everything I have to creating a beautiful website. 

The real work begins by building a brand and company I am proud to own. 

Now I am the one who can say I have put in countless hours, numerous restless nights, blood, sweat, tears, fear, anxiety, and sheer exhaustion into this business since the day I decided to dedicate my every effort to making it a success. 
And I'm just getting started!

All of this for the hope that it will be bigger and better than I can imagine...one day.

I can't wait for all that is to come. I welcome the feedback, encouragement, constructive criticism, or whatever chapter comes next.

Because I know that this is MY story. And there's nothing more beautiful than that.

Don't forget to breathe.

So a few days ago, I had a day that was what some people like to call a "rough day." 

You know those days when Murphy's Law is in full effect and testing every ounce of your patience? Yeh, it was one of those days. Makes you wonder if there's something to all that stuff about planets being in retrograde and what not. I think the planets were doing somersaults that day.

I know everyone has good days and bad days and everything in between. And the idea is to stay positive and keep on trucking. I get that. But when I got news that wasn't exactly to my liking, and caused a major delay in my afternoon, I decided that my best option was to get out of the house. Instead of letting that stress fester up inside of me, I thought, "Molly, go for a bike ride! It's gorgeous outside. You could certainly use the exercise. And it will give you the opportunity to clear your mind." So I did.

What happened next is me learning TWO of life's little lessons.


I went on that bike ride. There I was cruising the Santa Monica bike path on a gorgeous sunny day along the beautiful Pacific Coastline. After a few miles, I decided I would stop at a small bench and collect my thoughts. Reflect on the day and appreciate the fact that I have the awesome opportunity to live the life I lead. For a few sweet moments on that bench, life was everything I needed. I breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Then...I started thinking. TOO MUCH. That hamster wheel in my mind started churning and off I went. I thought maybe in this beautiful environment, I should take a look at my website with a fresh pair of eyes. Maybe I'll gain new perspective. In my attempt to do so from my phone on a palm sized screen, I did the unthinkable. I erased my website.

Or so I thought.

In that moment, my perfect stress-free state went into sheer panic mode. Blood pressure through the roof, anxiety boiling, I hopped on my bike and pedaled home faster that I knew I was capable. All the while thinking, why hadn't I backed up my information? And why had I attempted to mix business with stress-free time? TWO huge lessons learned within a matter of seconds.

Long story short, I got home, threw my cute little cruiser by the front door, bolted to my computer, to find that thankfully, I had not deleted my website. I collapsed on my bed in relief. I'm sure I'm not the first person ever to experience what it feels like to pour your heart and soul into a project for an extended length of time only to have it completely disappear in an instant. But it sure felt like I was. 
I felt like a complete idiot.

But this kind of thing was so completely avoidable. Not only had I broken my own cardinal rule of continuously backing up projects, but I'd attempted to do business during calm time. 

And the most important part of this day was learning that I of all people should know better. What I do for other people and their businesses is no different than what I should do for myself. Or how I should treat my own business.

Backup your work (consistently!) and make time for yourself to free your mind and just be. Period. 

Because at the end of the day, without your sanity in tact, nothing is possible. And we can't simply work all the time. We have to lend our minds and energy to more than that. We deserve more. 

So enjoy the quiet moments. Relax whenever possible. And breathe. Don't forget to breathe.

Quietly yours,