First Come Flowers

How Close Is Your Miracle?

Life Lessons From The Reservoir Part 6

This is the sixth and final part of this 6 part series on the lessons I've learned about following your dreams. Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5.

 
 The sign above is actually on a fence along the reservoir where I walk. The first time I saw it I was stunned. It took me a while to realize that it was meant to protect joggers from bumping into anything going in or out of the construction site. I thought it was there to keep me from reaching my goal.

So every time I saw it I would speed up. I was afraid if I began to slow down that I would eventually stop. Lose my enthusiasm. Put walking on my "back burner" with all the other projects I was going to get back to some day. I don't want to quit until I reach my goal.

 

"Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear."

 

That's printed on side view mirrors in every car I've ever seen.  It's probably true for those of us who give up on our dreams prematurely too. The realization of your miracle is just around the corner. How far around the corner? I don't know. It varies for each of us.

 

But I know two things for sure. If you stop, you'll never make it. And each step in the right direction puts you that much closer to your goal.

Tomorrow I will complete my 20th week of walking. That leaves only 32 more weeks to go. Until then, there will be more rain. More sticky, hot days. Days when I feel sick. Days when I feel alone. And days I'll wonder why I ever started this thing. But I won't stop.

 

 "There's bound to be a knot in a very long string."

                                African Proverb

Stuff happens. But, you get to decide how you'll respond. You gonna get up, tie your laces and continue along the path? Or you gonna give up before the miracle? You decide.

 

Ever given up on something then realized later that you blew a great opportunity? 

 

P.S.  My smarty pants sister, Susan,  asked me how my walk around the reservoir was yesterday. We had 19 inches of snow. Told her I had to go buy flowers, but that I'd make it up today. You don't have to let small inconveniences get in the way of your goal. I walked 15 minutes more today to make up for yesterday.  I'll do the same tomorrow. Just make it happen no matter what.

Any Outside Forces Nibbling At Your Confidence?

Life Lessons From The Reservoir Part 5

This is the fifth of a 6 part series on the lessons I've learned about following your dreams. Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

  

When I decided to open Fly Me To The Moon Florists, I was so excited. I used to dream about flowers night and day. I carried notebooks in every bag so I could jot down every idea. I visited 30 flower shops. I read every book I could find on floral design. I was on top of the world.

But every once in a while,  I'd be reminded that I knew nothing about fresh flowers or running a retail business. Then I'd wonder for a minute if I'd made the right decision. If I could really do this. The outside forces began to attack my confidence.  

Don't get me wrong. It's wise to know a business well before you start your own, but I knew in my gut I could do it.  I had 10 years experience decorating for special events and years and years of management under my belt.

What you know deep in side also counts.  That's all I'm sayin

 

 

When the temperature began to drop. I thought I'd have to wear tonsof clothes to stay warm when I walked. I was wrong.  Even at 16 degrees, my body heat kept me so toasty my clothes would be drenched when I got home. And I was walking, not running.

When I'd get home, I'd touch my leg and it would be as cold as ice. Didn't feel cold when I was outside though. My point? The cold could be an outside force trying to prevent me from walking. But it wasn't

 Why? Because I intend to walk 12 miles per week for 52 weeks no matter what. As long as it is humanly possible I will do it. That's my intention. I know I can and I will. No sub-freezing temperatures.  No people speeding by. No nothing. And if at some point I decide to change my mind I will. But I won't.

 You know what you're made of. If you don't, maybe it's time to find out. Commit to your dream. Hold on tight. And don't stop until you get there!

 

What outside forces make you wonder if you can achieve your goal?

 

Website: flymetothemoonflorists.com

 

How Do You Feel About Getting Dusty?

Life Lessons From The Reservoir Part 4

This is the fourth of a 6 part series on the lessons I've learned about following your dreams. Read Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.

 

 

You will get left in the dust! That's a fact! There's always going to be someone faster than you at something or another. Someone forging ahead while you're just thinking about getting started.

The question is: How will you respond? Will you get mad? Motivated? Discouraged? Your response to this question will tell you everything you need to know about whether or not you're gonna make it. 

Because if getting left in the dust immobilizes you, you are going to get no where fast.

People pass me all the time. One snowy day, a young woman passed me three times! I was tempted to feel discouraged. Then I realized that she had nothing to do with me. My goal was not her goal. And hers was not mine.

The people leaving you in the dust have nothing to do with you. You are not competing with them. You are competing with everything in you that says you can't succeed. You don't have what it takes. You're not smart enough or whatever enough to reach your dream.

Forget about them! Keep your eyes on the prize!

 

 

Sometimes when I'm in the flower district, I see floral designers buying thousands of expensive and exotic blooms. Martha Stewart buys her flowers the same place I do.

But I can't allow myself to get distracted by those who've been in the business longer than I have. Those with celebrity clients doing huge special events.  I need to be focused on delighting our customers at Fly Me To The Moon Florists.

Oh, you better believe I'm watching the "celebrity floral designers." I'm learning everything I can about what they buy and how they use it. And keeping it in my back pocket, so when the opportunity to do something spectacular arises I'll be ready.

Sometimes there are new opportunities left in the dust. Perhaps you'll pick one up and run with it!

 

What's great about being left in the dust?

 

Website:  www.flymetothemoonflorists.com

Can You Break Your Rules And Still Reach Your Goal?

Life Lessons From The Reservoir Part 3

This is the third of a 6 part series on the lessons I've learned about following your dreams. Read Part 1 and Part 2.

 

 

Sometime in November, I began to get bored out of my skull from walking around the reservoir. Not the whole reservoir. Just the second half past the college and the construction site.

It seemed like a long, drawn out path to no where. Time stood still on that side of the reservoir.  It seemed like I would never get home.

The first part of my walk took me past old architecturally interesting houses. And fascinating people going who knows where. Everything and everyone had a story, a life.

The second half of my walk seemed like a barren dessert. I'm sure I saw a tumbleweed or two over there.

After several weeks of losing my mind, I mentioned this to my husband. And he simply said, "You don't have to walk all the away around the reservoir. You can walk halfway there, turn around and walk back."

 

 

I was stunned. It seemed like blasphemy to me. After I committed to walking around the reservoir how could I then stop midstream and do something different?

Well, I asked my self that question for about 3 more days and then I tried it. It changed my world. Walking was no longer a chore. It was fun again. It takes me 30 minutes to walk 2.4 miles.  All I had to do was walk 15 minutes on my favorite side then walk back. It was the perfect solution.

I learned an important lesson that day. You have options. You always have options if you look for them. There's rarely only one right way to do something.

So start thinking outside of the box. Get yourself out of that box and dream!

 

Have you ever broken your own "rules" to reach a goal?

 

Website: www.flymetothemoonflorists.com

What Happens When The Applause Stops?

Life Lessons From The Reservoir Part 2

 This is the second of a 6 part series on the lessons I've learned about following your dreams. Read Part 1 here.

 

 

When we first opened our flower shop, Fly Me To The Moon,  our friends thought it was a wonderful idea.  They thought the shop was cute. The flowers exquisite. The name clever and the business card design out of this world. Excuse the pun.

But then things changed.  The people who were in our corner are still in your corner, but the applause stopped. When they need flowers they'll still come to us, but they no longer just stop by to see how we're doing. You begin to feel like they don't want to hear the stories, the struggles, the victories anymore. Why? Because the novelty has worn off. It always does.

 

 

When I first told people that I was going to commit to walking for 52 weeks come rain or shine. (And yes, I've walked in torrential rains.) They were very excited. They had plenty of questions.  They cheered me on. But that too came to an end. 

 You've got to be motivated by more than the possibility of applause. Even applause isn't enough to motivate you to get out of bed when the wind chill factor is 5 degrees.

You need to commit to your dream and make a decision to act with intention on your dream daily. Do something every day to further your dream.

If you want your dreams to come true, you've got to put in the time and energy to make it happen. The applause will come from reaching your dream and bringing joy to yourself and others in the process.

 

How do you cope when the applause stops?

Do You Really Want To Walk Alone?

Life Lessons from The Reservoir Part 1

This is the first of a 6 part series on the lessons I've learned about following your dreams.

 

 

I began walking 12 miles per week as a birthday gift to myself last September. Today marks the 19th week I've done this. I intend to walk for 52 weeks. If my friend Bill were here, he would remind me that I've walked 228 miles and have only 396 more miles to go.

When I first started walking the days were warm. The sunsets were breathtaking.  And there were dozens of people jogging, walking and riding around the reservoir. Most seemed happy and would either wave, say hi or nod in my direction as we passed.

Seems like the cold winds blew all the people away. 

When I walked this morning the temperature  was 19 degrees.  I was the only one walking.  No wait, one jogger did pass. But you get the point. I was walking alone.  And this was good.

 

 

Walking alone, without music playing in your ears, is an opportunity to find out who you really are. What you really want.  And what you're really made of.

Going to follow your dreams?  You'll be required to walk alone at least some of the time. Because no one else has your dream. Understands your dream or even cares about your dream as much as you do.

Decide to push past any feelings of isolation, the fears, the naysayers and any past failures.  Because to develop the perseverance you'll need to make it through the hard times, you'll need to be able to walk alone and enjoy the journey.

 

How do you feel about walking alone?  

Pink Is The New Red Rose for Valentine's Day

 

 

This Valentine's Day, why not choose pink instead of the usual red if you are buying roses this year? According to the Pantone Color Institute,  pink is one of the new hot colors for 2011. It's contemporary, sophisticated and perfect for Valentine's Day flower arrangements.

 

 
 

Unfortunately, red roses available for Valentine's Day are rarely at their best.  Most are either harvested back in November of last year for the Christmas season or picked before they could mature this year. You'll probably pay more for these inferior red roses on Valentine's Day too.

So try pink roses this year and watch what happens!

What color roses do you like best?

A Passion for Calla Lilies

 

Design: Ovando

 

"Nothing great in the world has been accomplished without passion." George Hegel

 

What are you passionate about?

 

3 Secrets For Making A Fruit Basket

 
Image: floristinaberdeen

1. Select An Unusual Basket  Pick one smaller than you think you'll need.  It takes a lot of fruit to fill a basket. It doesn't have to be new. It must be clean and in good condition though.

You can add some balled up tissue paper at the bottom. I prefer to  fill the basket with fruit.  Heavy, dense fruit like apples on the bottom. More delicate fruit like peaches on top.

2. Choose Good Quality Fruit  Select both ripe and unripened fruit.  No one wants to get a basket of fruit they can't eat until next week.

Fruit should be as beautiful as possible. No bruises. No dents. No discoloration.  Apples, bananas, grapes, oranges with some seasonal and tropical fruit would be great.

3. Arrange Fruit Attractively  This is the fun part. Give yourself some time to do this right. Don't just dump the fruit in. You want the fruit to look attractive.

The tops of the fruit should be seen. Grapes should drape over other fruit or the edge of the basket. Look at pictures of fruit baskets and arrange the items in a similar style.

Add a nice bow to the basket. You can find gift basket bags at most dollar or party stores. If you decide to use one, place the basket in the bag first to make sure it fits.

At Fly Me To The Moon Florists, we go for unique-looking vintage baskets whenever possible. We use them for both fruit and floral arrangements. Our custom fruit baskets often include cheese and crackers, cookies and sometimes chocolate .

What would you put into a fruit basket?

5 Great Reasons To Buy Yourself Flowers Today

 

Flowers: Purple peony, campanula, carnations, lisianthus, statice, and celosia.

 

5 Great Reasons To Buy Yourself Flowers Today

1. You deserve them.

2. Flowers will make you happy every time you look at them.

3. Flowers make your rooms feel elegant and special.

4. You don't have to wait for someone else to give them to you.

5. You probably didn't buy yourself any flowers yesterday.

 

What are some other good reasons to buy yourself flowers?