Tag Archives: goals

Being a Business Owner

April 23, 2015 Pamela Stephens

If there’s one thing I could talk about all day long besides goal-setting, it’s business. It doesn’t even matter what type of business really. I just love the concept. Looking back, I can see signs that I was destined to be a business owner from day one.

I’ve opened two business so far in my short lifetime. At 23, I opened Salt & Pepper Accessory Boutique with my sister. At this point in my life, I had very little experience in knowing what all was out there in the world. I did have experience in the fashion industry, and this business came from the idea of providing affordable, out-of-the-ordinary fashion accessories to the average woman. The premise was that a shopper would get the service of a boutique store at affordable prices and that absolutely everyone would be welcomed there. Our staff was rigorously trained to make every shopper feel special, important, and wanted. I loved how we were subtlety empowering our shoppers.

After opening in 2009, we added clothing, shoes, vintage furniture/home decor, and various household goods. We also expanded and moved to a newer, larger building. Looking back, my sister and I opened a business that thrived primarily on disposable income right in the middle of a recession. Realistically, that doesn’t seem like a smart business move. However, I’ve always operated on my gut feeling and something said go for it.

Four years after opening Salt & Pepper, I made the oh-so-tough decision to sell the business and move on to new ventures. To this day, I miss searching out the coolest, non-mainstream items for the store. Nonetheless, I love business number two and haven’t looked back.

I became a licensed realtor in June of 2013. At that time, I really had no idea where this career would take me. All I knew was that I’d always had a strong interest in the real estate industry. Shortly after becoming licensed, I created Pamela Petrus, LLC. On the surface, it looks like I show houses for a living. Sometimes my short answer to people when they ask the ever-popular what-do-you-do question is, “I sell real estate.” That’s just the short answer though. In fact, I run a business.

At this time, Pamela Petrus, LLC is a business that focuses primarily on aiding third parties in the sell and purchase of residential properties. I don’t show houses all day, and I’m not a salaried employee of Keller Williams Realty. lnstead, I am an independent contractor (self-employed) and Keller Williams is my broker.

In all honesty, I’m likely selling myself short by saying, “I sell houses.” In reality, I am a business owner. I am a professional marketer and negotiator. I study pages and pages of contracts daily. I manage communication between a host of parties involved in a single real estate transaction…bankers, lawyers, buyers, sellers, contractors, insurance agents…the list goes on and on. I possess a wealth of information, not known by the general public. I protect my clients’ investments and help them make the best decisions during what’s often the largest purchase of their lives. Frequently, I’m a counselor and I help manage emotions.

I don’t just show houses. I do all of the tasks done by the average business owner. I advertise. I pay payroll. I research my market. I study trends and manage finances. I pay lots and lots of taxes. Undoubtedly, my paycheck comes from commission paid on the sale of a home. That’s ultimately how I pay my bills. However, it’s so much more elaborate than selling real estate as a hobby. I didn’t get into this industry to look at pretty houses everyday. I’m a professional, not a hobbyist.

In thinking about what it really means to be a business owner, sometimes I’m taken back. Sometimes, I myself, forget to treat Pamela Petrus, LLC as a business, not a job. Sometimes I’m simply amazed/proud/humbled by the fact that I’ve opened two businesses already, and I’m not even 30 years old. Most of all, I’m thankful for this business mindset that I possess and for the opportunity to do what I do.

This post came to be after a pretty humbling realization I had. I read all of the blog posts on business. Seriously, if one of my favorite bloggers writes anything about their businesses, I’m all ears (or eyes, rather). I’m always a tad jealous of how much control they have and how unapologetic they are for crafting things to be how they want. Then, it dawned on me. I, too, am a business owner with the ability to run my business how I choose. I don’t have to work with mean people. I can manage my schedule so that it provides the best life possible for my husband and I. I get to decide what I will and won’t do and what’s next. The scary truth is, all of the decisions begin and end with me, and I get to decide how this business of mine is ran. That fact is both invigorating and immensely frightening.

What’s next? Something big. Only time will tell. I do have big plans, for sure. I have dreams of investing (rentals and remodels), coaching, and consulting. I’m not sure what each of these items will look like, yet I know they’re on the horizon. Will I open other businesses? Most likely. Will I continue to run a real estate business? Most likely. Will I constantly be looking for the next big thing for me and my family? Definitely. I truly believe that the best lives are lived by always seeking new adventures and by always looking for more. Some ventures may succeed and others may fail. However, you’ll never know which is which without making that first step.

P.S. A post on how I manage a full to-do list.
P.S.S. Click here if you’re interested in becoming a professional realtor.

Just One Goal.

April 20, 2015 Pamela Stephens

If you’ve followed along here more than two days, you know that I’m no stranger to goal-setting. It’s one of my favorite topics, and it’s often how I measure my success. I’ve written about not accomplishing goals before, and I recently had another break through that I thought I’d share.

I have a tendency to want to accomplish everything. Literally everything. This shows up in practically every area of my life. Have a day off? I want to do all of the fun things. A regular day at work? I think I have to get every single thing done. Goal setting time? I’m going to work towards every single idea I had. Did you see my idea list for #the100dayproject? My mind ran wild with ideas, and I wanted to do every single one. When we started renovations on our first house, it was sooo hard for me to not do every single project at once. I probably would have done them all if the funds would have been available!

When I was setting my goals for 2015, I had to pare them down a bit. Even after limiting myself some, I still ended up with quite a full list of goals (three separate lists actually). When I purchased these tracking sheets for monitoring my progress, I was pumped. Here’s the problem though — I was tracking too many things.

I had a sheet for exercise. A sheet for blog posts, quality time with Matthew, and 3 sheets for tracking work goals. I had 8 of the beautiful bubble sheets in a pocket folder, ready to track everything…everyday. I’m sure most of you are already seeing the problem here. I, however, did not. After all, I love marking things off and filling in bubbles! It was going to be fantastic and fun!! My thought was, I’ll keep myself motivated because I’ll enjoy getting to fill in the bubbles. Wrong.

Somewhere around the end of February, I quit using them. All of them. I wasn’t doing as well with some of my goals as I’d hoped, and I honestly couldn’t even remember what some of the sheets were for without checking them.

Isn’t this how we end up not accomplishing most of our goals? We fall off the wagon, lose momentum, and then give up all together? The sheets even say it – progress is more important than perfection. Even when you get off track, the important part is that you get back at it. It’s ok to lose sight of the goal every now and then…you just have to get back on track when it happens.

So…I filled in what I could remember on my sheets and then started tracking things again. I did well for a few weeks and then around mid-March, I quit again. Of course, I was getting discouraged. I was working towards some of my goals, not others. I had certainly lost momentum with tracking things, even though I loved these sheets so much. Then I had the all-important breakthrough that I’m sharing with you today. I was doing too much.

I’m currently taking BOLD through Maps Coaching at Keller Williams, which is a life-changing program. It teaches you how to grow your real estate business, yet more importantly, it teaches you how to become a better person. In my BOLD class last week, we talked about a daily habit tracker. (I immediately thought of my bubble sheets and simultaneously felt guilty for being behind yet again.) We talked about how it takes 66 days to form a habit. We’re 110 days into 2015, all of my daily tasks should now be habits! Why am I not rolling out of bed bright-eyed and bushy-tailed (what a weird saying!)? Why am I not exercising like it’s second nature?? My mind was racing.

As the coach continued, I finally had the realization that I so desperately needed. I could indeed conquer every goal in the world…I just needed to do them one at a time. I was stretching myself too thin, dreaming of big ideas, so I wasn’t able to focus on any one task enough to make any of them happen. I was committed to becoming a better person. I truly wanted it. Those sorts of changes don’t happen overnight, though. I might still be able to accomplish all of these things in 2015. However, I’m going to need to focus on one thing at a time to do so.

So what’s next? I’ve chosen to work on my physical fitness goal first. Rather than having a sporadic fitness plan where I work out out here and there when time allows, I am committing to making time for physical activity. It seems like the most important one to address for the time being, and it’s the one I want/need the most. I pulled my exercise bubble sheet from the portfolio and hung it on the fridge. I’ll be focused on that one goal for now. The others can wait.

I’m sharing this realization today because it was huge for me. I need to really understand this concept and remember it. Furthermore, if you struggle with trying to do too much, you could benefit from trying to pare things down a bit too. If you set a goal for the year and then quit in the first quarter like I did, understand that it’s not over. I really considered giving up since my track record for the first quarter wasn’t so impressive. Don’t do it!! We still have the majority of 2015 left to readjust and make magic happen. If you’re not sticking with your goals, simply reevaluate and make adjustments. If you’re committed and approaching things the right way, you will win. I simply can’t way to see what this adjustment does for my goal-setting process. I also can’t wait to see what it does for you!

Speaking of goal-setting, I pre-ordered the Get To Work Book from Elise, and I can’t wait to get it in my hands!!

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#the100dayproject

April 9, 2015 Pamela Stephens

(photo via The Great Discontent)

When I saw details for #the100dayproject (via EliseJoy), I knew I had to participate! I’m always the first to get behind any sort of daily challenge. (I’m also probably the first to fall behind half way through…no judging!)

The premise behind this project is that you make something daily for 100 days. Can you just imagine what all you could get done by making something every day for 100 days?? I wasn’t sure if I wanted to make something or do something…I just knew I wanted to participate somehow.

I actually had quite a bit of trouble deciding which project I wanted to tackle. I made a rather lengthy list and then deliberated for hours on what to do. By deliberated, I mean practically stressed over it and sent waaay too many text messages to Amanda for her opinion.

Nonetheless, I finally made a decision! I decided to go with 100 days of crafty things! I wanted something that had a bit of flexibility, so I left my topic a bit open ended. (I didn’t want to have to work on the same type of project every day.) As of right now, I envision my daily tasks being a variety of things. Some days I’ll paint. Some days I might finish decorating an area of my home, make something new, or learn a new, crafty skill.

Regardless of what actual task I complete each day, my focus is to actually do something fulfilling each day. Most days I am completely exhausted by the time I get home from work, and I tend to put off all of the fun projects I’d like to do. By participating in the 100 days project, I’m hoping to reserve a bit of time each day for creating/doing something fun.

What have I done so far?
Day 1: wrapped a wedding present and made a gift tag for it
Day 2: made a bracelet
Day 3: doodled a quote from Cinderella for my mirror
Day 4: I’m planning to work on some crafty Lovely Lady Letters!

Think you might like to participate? It’s not too late! Go to the site and register. The project continues until July 14, 2015. You can play catch up if you’d like, skip a few of the first days, or continue on past July 14….whatever your heart desires! If you do decide to participate, let me know! I’d love to follow along.

If you’d like to keep up with what I’ll be doing through this project, you can follow #100daysofcraftythings on IG (@pamelapetrus). Happy crafting!

5 Comments Goal Setting - Inspiration & Thoughts - Projects #mapfirsthouse - #the100dayproject - 2015 - Amanda - DIY - friends - goals - inspiration - Keller Williams - real estate

Free to Be

March 29, 2015 Pamela Stephens

It’s 3:36 am and I’m wide awake. Not that kind of awake where you realize that you have hours left to sleep, cozy back up under your warm but cool blanket, and go back to sleep for what feels like the rest of your life. Those are the best kinds of awake. It’s also not that awake where your mind races with things to do. Believe me, I’ve had that kind of awake for more times than I care to mention.

Instead, this was just awake…just simply awake. I knew instantly that I wouldn’t be able to fall back to sleep. However, my mind didn’t start racing with things I could/would/should do. Instead, I laid there in the darkness thinking about things I’d like to do. I decided that I most certainly wouldn’t fall back asleep even if I kept laying there very still and very quiet.

I could browse pinterest. I could read another chapter of Bossypants. I could get up and paint something. I could switch my winter shoes out for my spring ones. (I have a ton of shoes, remember?) I could make some headway in a few work projects I hadn’t had time to complete yet. After all, I tend to be most creative and productive during these crazy morning hours when I’m awake and the rest of the world is quiet and sleeping. I could also get a head start on my massive and rather daunting work list for this Monday.

Finally, I decided that I’d get out of bed. My tossing and turning would soon wake my husband, and I couldn’t use any of my devices without disturbing the darkness of our room. Normally in this scenario I would have already made a mental list. I would have prioritized things by importance/desire and ranked 100+ tasks by what I would tackle first, second, and so forth. This is how my brain works, you see. I make lots of impossibly long lists and usually end up disappointed because time only allows for the first few items to be completed.

Not today though. I had some ideas but no list. No goal in mind. No tasks that must be completed by sunrise to prevent my disappointment. Instead, I decided that I’d just do some things. I’d start with this or that and then move on to whatever I felt like doing next. It would be ok if I didn’t paint five new paintings, perfect a thousand work tasks, or organize the entire house before daybreak. Instead, I’d just do some things…whatever I felt compelled to do in the moment…no end result in mind.

Giving myself this freedom and release might be one of the most freeing experiences I’ve had recently. There was no guilt. No interruptions. No schedule to follow. It was just me, sitting in complete silence, doing whatever I felt like doing in that moment. I seldom know this feeling, and I seldom give myself this freedom.

First, I jotted down my work to-do list for the day. I wanted to get these things out of my head so that I could do what I wanted this morning without my mind being clogged with what I had to do. (See how I use a notebook to manage my daily tasks.) My list spilled over on to two pages, but that’s ok. There was a whole day ahead of me to conquer those items. This time was free time. Next, I ordered new sheets. After all, we’ve been needing new sheets for months. I finally made a decision and took the time to actually order them. Then, I read this. And this.

Both of these were stories about appreciating yourself. One was about letting go of the negativity and self-guilt. One was about appreciating time as it passes. Both reminded me of how I want my life to be. I don’t want to run myself ragged. I don’t want to constantly punish myself from my own unrealistic expectations.

These stories reminded me that it’s ok to make time for exercise and hobbies. They reminded me that I deserve free time. Most importantly, they reminded me of how easily daily life can take over the big picture. It’s so easy to get caught up in meetings and bill paying and appointments, and unintentionally miss out on your life. I do this often. I’m much better at controlling my story today than I was 5 years ago, but I still want to be even better.

I want to take time to read these long stories and write my own. I want to schedule time for myself to do and explore and just be me. I want to craft a story with my life that one day I’ll love to tell to everyone around me. This story began 29 years ago, and if I’m lucky I’ll add many more years to it. But when you sit and think about it, 29 years is a long time. 39 years is a long time. Even one year is a long time. With each passing day and each passing hour, we’re writing our own stories. It’s up to us, solely, whether it’ll be a story worth telling.

Today’s story will be a good one. I’ll face this Monday with enthusiasm (and coffee), and I’ll do so knowing that I gave myself some time to just be. I’ll conquer my massive to-do list, while simultaneously giving myself time to be me. I’ll stop finding a million excuses for why I’m too busy to go out of town with my husband for the weekend. Instead, I’ll work harder than ever for three days and then I’ll play even harder for a few. I’m in charge of my story, you see. And I want it to be an exciting one.

Leave a comment Inspiration & Thoughts 2015 - goals - What I've Learned

No Clutter!

March 23, 2015 Pamela Stephens

I’ve posted a lot about goals on the blog lately. Yearly goals, monthly goals and just miscellaneous goals in general. While sitting on the couch one Sunday, completely exhausted from working on our house for days like a mad woman, I realized that my biggest goal for this place is to get to a point where I don’t have to work on it.

I want to be in a position where things feel ok. I want to be in a place where Matthew and I can take spontaneous weekend trips or spend the afternoons biking or sitting on the patio. I want to go sit and chat at Starbucks or explore our neighborhood. I don’t want to always feel like I have to work on this house nonstop.

I’m sure these feelings are common for people moving in to a new home, but I remember feeling them until the day we moved from our rent house. I never finished that house. I never felt like things made sense, and I never felt like I could sit and take a breather there.

Today, I’m happy to finally put this unspoken goal into words. I’m not hoping to have a perfect home that’s always clean and wonderfully decorated. (Although, I do hope to get my head wrapped around the decor soon.) I understand that nothing will ever be perfect, and I actually hope that our home will always continue to evolve as we find new things that we love or make this place work better for us. However, I do expect to end up with a home that’s free of clutter. I want emptied boxes and closets that aren’t crammed to the brim. I want to be able to easily replace and remove items from their drawers, and I want everything to have a place to go. Basically, I don’t want any excess.

For many years, I’ve kept extra things around as a false sense of security. I found comfort in having things and I attached sentimental value to the silliest of items. When moving into this house, I decided that it was time to part ways with some of the stuff. Parting with the extra things, will make my daily life so much easier, less stressful, and more rewarding. Having a home to come to that’s a reflection of myself (extra clutter is not a reflection of who I am), will make such a huge difference in my overall well-being and feelings about myself and my home.

I’ve read lots of blogs on clutter-free living and creating spaces that work for you and your lifestyle instead of just housing your junk. Since Matthew and I have been married, I’ve done so much better at not holding on to so much stuff. Part of my problem is that I attach sentimental value to practically everything. The other part is that I hate to get rid of something that I’ve spent my hard-earned money on and that I’m afraid I might need/want later. Nonetheless, something can be said for learning to part with the extra stuff…only keeping that things you love and need.

I’m right on the brink of reaching this goal. Honestly, just the progress that I’ve made recently feels so rewarding. Knowing that I’m on the brink of feeling better about my world is such an invigorating feeling. I feel encouraged and inspired, and I know that I’ll feel even more amazing once the last item has found a home.

Now that this goal is out in the open, I have no choice but to make it happen. I’m determined to make this dream a reality. I’m determined to get to a point where our home is a place of relaxation, not of work. Need to declutter your home and let go of some extra baggage? Join me! I’d love to talk about our progress and ideas along the way. How do you feel about clutter? Do you tend to keep extra items or is it easy for you to part with things?

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5 Tips for Turning Bad Days Into Good Ones

March 18, 2015 Pamela Stephens

Let’s face it. We all have those days. The days I’m talking about are those days when your mood is just foul. You don’t want to get off the couch. You don’t want to see or talk to anyone. And most likely you’re not exactly a joy to be around.

Well, I just recently had one of those days. Usually writing for this blog can cure most of my bad days, but for some reason, this day was just unfixable. I didn’t even want to write! Gasp! I didn’t want to work on any of my fun projects or do any of the things I usually want to do. Eventually I started to snap out of it, but it made me think about what sorts of things I usually do to kick those sorts of days to the curb.

I’m not one for wallowing or whining. (Things that I say to my husband absolutely do not count in regards to that statement. I can wallow and whine to him all day long….sorry, honey!) I’m a firm believer that you control your own life, which translates into you having complete control over how every single one of your days transpire. So, when I notice that I’m having a crummy and unproductive day, I try my best to remedy it immediately.

Here are a few tips for turning those days around quickly and easily:

1. Treat yourself.

This can be a large or small treat, depending upon your budget. My treats are usually simple like Starbucks or ice cream. However, it can also be something personal like getting your nails done or a new shirt. If your budget doesn’t allow for something big, that’s fine. Take a few moments to enjoy your favorite candy bar. Giving yourself a small treat (and the time to really enjoy it) can often turn a bad day around fairly quickly.

2. Stop what you’re doing and do something you really enjoy.

Sometimes a bad day can be triggered by stress or frustration with whatever we’re dealing with at the time. I’ve found that stopping what I’m doing and coming back to it later helps turn those frustrations around and can actually give you a new perspective. If you sense a bad day coming, put that project to the side and do something that makes you happy. Usually, I take time to sit and write for this blog or go for a bike ride. It could be knitting or browsing the internet. No matter what it is, doing something that makes you happy can often salvage what’s left of that day and you can return to what you were doing with a fresh look. (I wrote more about this here.)

3. Go for a walk.

I cannot explain how beneficial being outdoors is to your health. Going for a walk when you need a boost can have a dramatic impact on your outlook. Physical activity has both mental and physical benefits. Plus, being in the sunshine is known to help fight depression. In addition to these obvious benefits, going for a walk outside will often open your eyes to things that give you a new perspective on the day.

4. Browse Pinterest.

If you need to decompress or need inspiration to turn your day around, Pinterest is often the place to go. (Be sure to set yourself a timer or you could be lost there for hours!) It’s important that you only browse new pins…not things that you’ve pinned in the past. Looking through your old boards can often remind you of things you haven’t had the time to do yet and that will only add to your frustration. Spend a few minutes browsing through your favorite Pinterest categories and you will often feel inspired to have a better day. When I need a pick-me-up I often pin new things to my Decorating Ideas board…go take a look!

5. Say three nice things about yourself or the topic that’s bringing you down.

I’ve been trying a simple technique with a few folks lately to help them see the more positive side of things. When you say something negative about a person or thing, you should follow that with three positive statements about that same thing. If your bad day is a result of being hard on yourself…say three nice things about yourself. If you’re really hating your job today…say three positive things about your job. If you’re bad day started because you’re flaming mad at your husband (Sorry, babe…it does happen sometimes.)…then say three nice things about your husband. The important part here is to actually say them out loud. Saying them to yourself in your head just doesn’t give you the same result. It also helps to look at yourself in the mirror if that’s a possibility. However you do it, forcing yourself to think positively about whatever is bringing you down, can absolutely help turn your day around.

I wish I could conclude this post by saying that one of these five tricks helps me avoid bad days/moods every single time. Unfortunately, some days just suck. However, you can control them no matter how hard it seems. And if one of these tricks helps you to make a bad day even a tiny bit better, then I’ll be stoked. After all, I love all of you and want each and every one of you to have the best life possible!

What do you do when you have a bad day? I’m up for trying new things and I’d love to hear your suggestions.

4 Comments Inspiration & Thoughts 2015 - goals - inspiration - What I've Learned

March Goals + February Review

March 2, 2015 Pamela Stephens

Believe it or not, we’re two full months into 2015! I’ll let that sink in for a bit…. If you’re like me, that blows your mind a little. Nonetheless, the show much go on. I didn’t set many goals for February, but I’m happy to report that I accomplished all three of them! *Cue the hallelujah chorus.* Here’s my happy report:

1. I attended Family Reunion and came home with several great ideas! I can’t wait to spend some time developing them and getting them into practice.

2. Matthew and I celebrated Valentine’s Day. Even though I almost backed out at the last minute, I pulled it together and made something happen. (By the way, we watched the full SNL 40th Anniversary together the next night, and I’m sort of counting that as an extension of our Valentine’s Day celebration.)

3. I hung MORE THAN three things on the walls!! I think I’m most excited about this one. We have several new things hanging here and there AND we installed a new gallery wall in our bathroom. I can’t wait to show you!!

I’m pretty pumped at how much I got done in February. I’ve even more impressed by the fact that I got so much done even though we had our fair share of wet, crummy, and cold weather. Isn’t it super easy to stay curled up under a blanket and read the internet when the weather is gross?? I’m giving myself two thumbs up for still being productive, despite the yucky weather.

What’s on the agenda for March, you ask? Quite a bit. Here are my basic goals for the month:

1. Spend lots of time with Matthew. Since he just wrapped up nursing school, I’m hoping that we finally get to spend some quality time together! We have a bit of time before he starts his new job, so I’m going to soak up as much husband/wife time as possible this month.

2. Travel to Dallas for the weekend. Matthew and I are planning a quick trip to Dallas, TX. This is mainly to get some items we need for the house, but it’s also for quality time together and to celebrate his graduation. Plus, we’re meeting some friends there…can’t wait!

3. Square away three areas of my home. Yes, this is a little vague. However, I want to leave some wiggle room. I’m not sure what all we’ll find on our trip to Texas, so I’m just hoping that whatever we come up with will complete at least three parts of our home. (To be clear, “parts” can even mean a corner or vignette…I’m being reasonable here!)

4. Paint three new paintings. Painting is my new thing. I’ve been SO excited about it lately. I’ve painted a few new pieces for the house, and I’m hoping to do three more this month! (More on this later this week!)

So there you have it! For me, March is going to be all about creative endeavors and quality time. What are you looking forward to this month? Whatever it is, do it big!

2 Comments Goal Setting - Home - Projects 2015 - DIY - goals - home decor - husband and wife - monthly goals

Family Reunion 2015!

February 19, 2015 Pamela Stephens

I spent most of last week in Orlando, FL at Family Reunion. Family Reunion is one of the largest real estate conferences in the world, if not THE largest. Keller Williams agents from around the world converge once a year to discuss results from the previous year and insight for the current year. We spend most of the days in classes, learning new strategies for growing our businesses, and this year was no exception….I learned A LOT and left with a TON of ideas!

The biggest announcement for 2015 is that Keller Williams is now the #1 real estate company in the world!! In 2014, we were pleased to announce that we were the largest company in the US, but this year’s announcement was even larger! It is honestly so humbling to sit back and think of what a magnificent company it is that I work with. The Keller Williams company was started in 1983 in Austin, TX. In just 32 short years, it has grown to #1 in the world. Such substantial and sustainable growth in such a short period of time is a large testament to the culture and vision of this company. I am very proud to get to work with such a fantastic, progressive-thinking group of people.

We also announced that we’ll be welcoming our peers to our neck of the woods next year. Family Reunion 2016 will be in New Orleans!!

Over 11,000 agents attended this annual conference. If you ever need perspective on how small your corner of the world is, sit in a room of 11,000-12,000 like-minded people who do the same exact thing you do all across the world. It’s an invigorating experience and offers an ample dose of perspective.

Now that I’m home from the 2015 conference, I’m ready to take this year by storm! It’s so easy to return home and get caught up in the daily hustle and bustle and never implement any new ideas. However, I’m committed to taking steps to implement the things I’ve learned and ideas I’ve had. I plan to set aside time for dreaming big and planning for my business. After all, these are the things that will set me apart and guarantee my success.

Whether they’re personal or professional, I hope that you’re setting big goals for this year, and I hope that you’re committed to making them a reality. Don’t forget…you and you alone are in charge of what your life looks like and where you go. Don’t let the routine of daily life cloud your focus. Here’s to a happy and successful 2015!

Want more information about becoming a realtor? Click here! You can also email me at pamelapetrus at gmail dot com!

1 Comment Business - Goal Setting - Travel 2015 - Business - Family Reunion - goals - Keller Williams - real estate - travel

Nail Holes & The Nesting Place

February 2, 2015 Pamela Stephens

This post is a bit of a combo post. First, I want to bring attention to the fact that I finished my first book in many, many years back in the fall. I honestly can’t remember when the last time was that I actually finished a book that I started. I was probably a little girl. It was probably Babysitters Club or Sweet Valley High. (Not kidding.) I’ve learned a lot about how I feel about reading lately, but we’ll talk more about that later. For now, let’s all celebrate the fact that I actually read a book from start to finish. Feel free to bring me celebratory cupcakes if you’d like.

Now, let’s talk about that book. I’ve been following along with The Nester’s blog lately, and I’ve seen her book mentioned here and there around the internet. Basically, this book is about designing a home that you love around things that you already have or can put together cheaply and easily. It’s not about going in debt to furnish a picture-perfect home and it’s not about following all of the rules.

Instead, The Nester’s motto is, “It doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful.” Honestly, this motto is what drew me to her blog and the book to begin with. We all know that I struggle with perfection. It’s not uncommon for me to just not do something if I don’t feel like I have the time to do it perfectly. This is especially true for decorating our home. I have hundreds and thousands of ideas, but I delay implementing any of them for the fear of finding a better idea or not haven’t enough time to plan it out completely. It’s quite tragic.

When I stumbled upon Myquillyn’s blog, her message struck me. I shouldn’t be waiting on perfection. Instead, I should be creating a home that works for Matthew and I, and I can do so without a perfect plan. There are many beautiful things out there that aren’t perfect. As a matter of fact, I tend to find that the imperfections are what’s most beautiful. Why, then, do I put things off in a quest for perfection when I don’t even want a perfect home?

As I read more of Myquillyn’s posts, I knew that her message was exactly what I needed to hear. I needed someone to coax me into just doing things, both at home and in my life in general. I hesitated to buy the book because I knew I had a terrible track record of not finishing books. I also didn’t want to read a design book that “showed you how to properly mix patterns” or some other surface level design strategy. Finally, I broke down and purchased the book for my iPad and then struggled to put it down again.

After reading the first few pages, I knew that I needed to really hear Myquillyn’s message. I knew that this book was far less about how do decorate and far more about why. After all, I don’t feel like I need help with how to do it. Instead, I needed someone to steer me towards actually doing things instead of waiting for the stars to align in a scenario where I have plenty of time and money and inspiration. The Nesting Place helped to me see all of the scenarios in which I was accidentally waiting for perfection. I was waiting for the perfect moment or the perfect shower curtain, and in reality, I had practically everything that I needed to at least make things beautiful for the time being. If I found a better rug/chair/ottoman/wall hanging later, then that’s fine! I could simply change it later. If you find yourself struggling with decorating your home or if you want some creative ideas for creating something beautiful on the cheap, I highly recommend reading the book.

This brings me to the second part of this post. There’s a section in The Nesting Place dedicated solely to nail holes. I almost shiver as I write this, because the thought of putting an unnecessary nail hole in my freshly painted walls, sends chills down my spine. After all, I paid a pretty penny (I suppose “pretty pennies” are worth more than ugly ones.) to have all of the holes filled and every single surface of this home painted. However, Myquillyn says, “Is there anything less risky in life than creating a one-millimeter hole in a wall that can be filled with your finger and some putty in two seconds?” She goes on to say, “Nail holes are just a part of living in a house. I’d say that a nail hole is the lowest entry-level risk-taking action you could have in life, other than getting no whip on your coffee.”

As crazy as it sounds, this section of the book was a huge turning point for me. I was putting off hanging things on my walls (something that I’ve desperately wanted to do for months) for the fear of putting a nail hole in the wrong place. How silly! That very day, I went and put a hole in the dining room wall. I hung a wreath as part of my Halloween decor…it’s wasn’t even a permanent decor item! As silly as it sounds, this was a huge step for me. I made a decision to not let such a tiny, little obstacle hinder me from having a beautiful home right now.

Each day that passes leads me closer to the day that Matthew and I will move from this home. I made a commitment that I wouldn’t put off decorating this home as I had done with our rent house. However, we’ve now lived here for 5 months and most of the house isn’t decorated as I’d like. Some of this stems from needing lots of new furniture. Some of it is from a lack of time. However, most of my hesitation to decorating has been a fear of missing the mark. It’s from a fear of hanging something in the “wrong” place or purchasing the “wrong” rug. These fears kept me from finishing our last home, and if I’m not careful, I’ll see the same thing happen in this home.

After reading Myquillyn’s book, I realized that most of my hesitation surrounds nail holes. I also realized that nail holes are really such a small issue, both literally and figuratively. The reality is, there’s a large chance that I’ll actually like where I hang something. The other reality is, if I don’t like where it’s hanging, I haven’t made some huge, life-altering mistake. I can simply move it. I can just as simply fill in the nail hole. After finishing this book, I decided to no longer let waiting on perfection be an obstacle for me in creating a home that I love.

How many areas of our life do we approach in a similar manner? I think it’s safe to say that we often let fear of the unknown be an obstacle for us in creating a life that we love. Maybe we don’t go after that promotion for a fear of being told no. Maybe we don’t tell someone how we feel, because we’re scared of how they’ll react. Maybe we don’t put nail holes in freshly painted walls, because we’re afraid that it will be the “wrong” spot. Whatever it is, these little fears can quickly and sneakily be a total road block for us in creating the lives we want. Rather than holding on to fear and the struggle for perfection, let’s tackle life, one little nail hole at a time. Sometimes the risks we need to take are tiny. Sometimes they’re large. Either way, we’ll never know the outcome without first taking the risk.

What is one thing that you can do today to take a step towards the life that you want? Whatever it is, don’t spend too much time thinking about it. Just do it! For me, that means going to out another hole in the wall. Use this link to order the book and I receive a small commission!

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January Review + February Goals

January 28, 2015 Pamela Stephens

We’re nearing the end of January, so I thought it would be a good time to reflect on how I’m doing with my 2015 goals so far. In general, I’d say that I’m doing decently well with some and not as great with others. Some might find this discouraging, but I say it’s the nature of the beast.

Here are the things I’m doing well at:

Waking up by 6:00-6:30. I’d be lying if I didn’t say this one is probably the toughest goal that I’ve set. Maybe ever. I seriously hate getting out of bed in the morning, and it’s been quite a struggle. However, there have been two instances where I’ve slept well past the 6:00-6:30 goal, and it’s had a tremendous, negative effect on my day. I’m going to keep this one up, but I’d say that we have a love/hate relationship at this time.
Blogging 2x per week. I had to make 3 posts one week to make up for missing a post the week before, but I’ve met the monthly number. In my mind, that totally counts. I only made 4 posts in January of last year, so the fact that this is my 9^th post for the month feels like a huge accomplishment…that’s more than double! I attribute a lot of the success so far to having a good deal of help from my assistants. (Thanks, girls…you’re the best!!) I can’t wait to see how this plays out as my work schedule fills up, but we’re headed in the right direction for now.
Monthly quality time days with Matthew. I marked this one off too! I can already see that the first half of the month is going to fly by, and we’ll likely be squeezing this time in at the end of each month. However, the purpose of this goal is to make the time happen, so as long as I can mark this off by the end of each month, I’ll be happy.
Host a party. I wouldn’t exactly count this as a party, but I did have some friends over for my birthday. Since the big goal here is to spend time with the people I love, I’m counting this as a party…and filling in a bubble on my goal sheet. 🙂
Replacing mediocre things. I wouldn’t say that I did anything major towards this goal. However, I did make a pretty big step for myself. Hold on to your seats…this is a big one – I replaced the hand soap in our bathroom. Riveting, I know! On a serious note though, I was forcing myself to finish this bottle before buying a new one. The bottle was old and dingy. The nozzle was nearly clogged, and I didn’t like the texture or smell of the soap. The worst part was, it always seemed to leave little specks behind in the sink, so I was constantly having to clean the sink after washing my hands…so counterproductive! Nonetheless, it was still an unfinished bottle of soap, so I figured I needed to finish it before buying a new bottle. Not true. I threw this disgusting nuisance away and replaced it with a fresh, new bottle that smells lovely and doesn’t make a huge mess. One small step for mankind, one giant step for me!

While I did made some progress towards these five things, I didn’t do so well at working out regularly, random acts of kindness, or volunteering. Some of these are more annual or quarterly goals though, so I’m not too discouraged. Regardless, I feel like this month was pretty successful, and I’m excited to keep working towards all of these goals.

As we wrap up January, I’ve been thinking about what I want to do in February. Honestly, I struggled to set goals for February. For some reason, I just couldn’t really wrap my head around what I wanted to do. Finally, I settled on a few simple goals for the month.

Leave with at least 3 big things (but no more than 5) from Family Reunion 2015. Family Reunion is the big, annual conference for Keller Williams. Agents from all over the world come together for a jam-packed week of training, networking, and planning. It’s nothing less than overwhelming. Since I tend to want to do all things at once, I hope to pick just 3-5 things from the conference that I want to implement in my business this year.
Actually celebrate Valentine’s Day. Since we’ve been married, Matthew and I have never really celebrated Valentine’s Day. Honestly, I’ve always thought it was a pretty dumb holiday. This year, though, I’d like to make a little bigger deal of it. I think Matthew and I will do something special! (Side note: I can totally count whatever we do as a QT day and mark it on my sheet!)
Hang at least 3 things on the walls. You’ve seen this pop up on several of my monthly goals lists. I have made a tiny, little bit of progress, but not near as much as I’d like. If I were being completely honest, I’d say that I struggle with just doing things. Instead, I have to plan everything out perfectly first. This is especially true for putting holes in my new walls. (Read: On Waiting for Perfection if you don’t believe me.) However, I’m growing a bit tired of bare walls. This month, I’m hanging some things. Period!

How are you doing with your goals so far this year? Don’t be discouraged if you haven’t knocked them out of the park yet. I haven’t either. We still have hundreds of days left in 2015, and there’s plenty of time to work towards whatever dreams you may have. Join me in setting a few small goals for the month, and let’s show February who’s the boss!

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