Inspirational People, Inspiring me! Finding a way to passion...

For Anna

2011-11-15T08:44:00.006-05:00

My 13-year-old niece is an incredibly gifted writer and recently entered a Harris Burdick writing contest. The story is a tribute to her grandfather (my dad) who died of cancer four years ago this February. The story must receive “hearts” to stay in the competition. I’m asking everyone who reads this to please click, join and heart her story. It will take you less than 5 minutes. I’ve written

Taking Chances? Julie Piepenbring is a safe bet!

2011-07-13T20:12:00.005-04:00

When my company, HipPurse LLC, launched in 2007- it was decided that we wanted to give back from day one. One of the charities we chose was The Children’s Home of Cromwell, Connecticut. Soon after, we helped to establish a women’s group in affiliation with the home – The Women Advocates for Youth (The WAY). The WAY’s goal is to help encourage young women to develop their own self-worth and reach

My Beautiful Niece - Anna

2011-03-14T14:21:00.012-04:00

The day before Anna was going to be delivered (by a scheduled C-section) her father came home and said, “I think her name should be Anna.” Everyone in the room seemed to instantly nod with approval and then I said, “Hi, my name is Anna and I’m proud to be Class Valedictorian!” And twelve years later, she is right on target for that title… So in order to understand the person behind this name,

Full Circle with Tony Hsieh – The Happiness Leader!

2011-02-13T18:31:00.033-05:00

My very first blog posts were about my sister, Sandy and Zappos CEO and Delivering Happiness Author, Tony Hsieh. They were both an inspiration behind this blog, but for two very different reasons. I mentioned in Tony’s post that I hoped to one day meet or interview him. So as you can imagine, I was excited to receive his responses.Below are a few thoughts that may go though one’s mind when they

Hello Free World, Goodbye Corporate Office!

2011-01-24T17:27:00.008-05:00

I love when people take a leap of faith and put that faith in themselves.Joe Demin, from Yellow Leaf Hammocks, did exactly just that. After many years in the corporate world, he is now the “Chief Relaxation Officer” for his own enterprise.As a business owner, I know there are so many highs and lows that come with the territory. In fact, it’s a reality for any type of passion being pursued. Many

Holiday Wishes - And a little bit more....

2010-12-23T21:59:00.010-05:00

The Reality - Day 166First, I want to wish everyone a Happy Holiday and a Very Happy, Healthy and Fruitful New Year! For 2011, I plan to commit to everything that will bring me (and others) peace and I think I’m off to a good start. In this past year, I made many commitments to myself- some kept, others not. One important goal (and reason for this blog) was to live and work towards my passion.

Help Save Walter!

2010-11-30T19:29:00.011-05:00

...And so they did!Everything I write about obviously impacts me in one way or another, but this story took my thinking to another level. I’ll explain later…As a previous dog owner of a German Shepherd, I often had a hard time differentiating him between dog and human. He was just SO smart and SO great and I still miss him today. I think many pet owners feel like I do and my guess is that when

I'm Just Walkin'

2010-11-15T09:32:00.008-05:00

So I read about this man, Matt Green that walked around 3100 miles from New York to Oregon. That’s right, walked. He wasn’t doing it for a cause or for media attention; he was just doing it for the sake of walking. I had to learn more and immediately went to his site - imjustwalkin.com – and I think I was there for…um…forever!I was drawn to how he wrote and what he wrote. He provided a short

Beads4Dreams

2010-11-03T10:17:00.008-04:00

I mentioned in a recent post that inspirational people just keep showing up- most likely because of what my focus has been on, but I love it. Recently, I walked past a booth at a local fair and it was filled with jewelry and pictures from Africa. I wasn’t sure what to make of it, so I stepped in. The booth was very welcoming and so was the woman running it; her name is Susan Cannarella.I quickly

The Big Sis

2010-10-25T17:55:00.002-04:00

I’m inspired by a lot of people, but I think overall I’m most inspired by my family, my boyfriend, and my friends – the people closest to me. I think when you truly get to know a person you find something that you admire about them, but you also see something in them that they can’t always see in themselves. For me, that’s the best part. I love to share with each of them what I admire or

The Reality – Day 96

2010-10-14T15:15:00.004-04:00

“The Power of Now”My goal was to post a reality check every 25 days, but I got excited about other stories and I just kept missing my mark. I don’t think it makes a difference either way; I was just trying to keep some consistency. Although, since I’m reading The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, I’m learning that living in the “now” is all there really is. So I’m going to post when the urge arises

A Beautiful Reunion

2010-10-01T08:08:00.004-04:00

I was going to write a reality post this week and provide an update on what’s been going on for me since my last reality post. However, after this week’s recent developments there was no way in hell my story was going to beat this. :)My brother-in-law was separated from his mother and his sister when he was a very young boy. There are so many details of this story that I do not feel comfortable

206 Million Gallons of Oil Spilled into the Gulf & One Little Girl Made a Choice to Help!

2010-09-17T10:41:00.008-04:00

I was watching this eleven year old girl on TV and she was just filled with passion and hope. I knew she was inspiring thousands of people with her mission and I had to learn more. Olivia Bouler spent many vacations with family on the Gulf Coast and when she heard about the oil spill, birds were her first thought. With a deep love and understanding of them she knew many were going to suffer

Are you having fun every day?

2010-09-07T11:35:00.002-04:00

I tend to get quite serious and deep at times, but the ironic part is that when you’re around me, you’ll notice I’m pretty immature and wacky. :) I was excited to write this piece because I knew it was going to be light and fun. The exploration was fun and it made me laugh. I like to laugh!I think it takes a lot of courage to strike-out on your own and I’m forever intrigued by business success

Not just inspiring me, inspiring the world!

2010-08-26T01:32:00.024-04:00

I can't remember where I saw this video, but I knew I would never forget it. Nick Vujicic was one of the people I thought about right away when I started this blog. I remember clicking play and instantly my mind was filled with questions. How can he have such a positive attitude? How does he have this great spirit? How does he enjoy life? How dare I complain about anything? So on and so on…After

Are We Living What We Love?

2010-08-18T16:45:00.008-04:00

It was 2005 and I went to Florida to visit one of my great friends, Patxi. He always spoke very highly of his friend Beth O’Donnell, and would tell me that I’m a younger version of her. Not in the way of looks, but in the way of our thinking. I was really looking forward to meeting her. I don’t think I’ll ever forget walking into her luxury condo in Miami overlooking Biscayne Bay. I couldn’t

"Having the body you want begins with loving the body you have"

2010-08-12T15:57:00.029-04:00

Mandy Ingber would tell you that you already have a perfect body. Would you believe her? Probably not right away - but if you continue to watch and really listen to her videos, you just might start.Mandy has a phenomenal body and a phenomenal spirit. It’s so easy to connect with her and you can actually feel her words. It’s hard to explain, but if you buy Yogalosophy (and read below); you’ll know

The Reality – Day 25

2010-08-02T22:50:00.002-04:00

“The mind is everything. What you think you become” - BuddhaIt’s Day 25 and I’m really, really enjoying this blog! It’s been so great to ask questions and learn even more about the people that inspire me. I love sharing their insights, personal thoughts, etc. and I think it makes for a powerful story when you can actually hear their words. I think about my blog often and my list of inspiration

"Control is an Illusion"

2010-07-28T12:45:00.010-04:00

Lucinda Bassett has helped thousands and thousands of people with anxiety and depression and she has certainly helped me!I always had a fear of flying but one day it just had to be done, I had to fly for work. Of course I was very nervous before take-off, but once we were up in the air I remember thinking this isn’t that bad. I was relieved and actually thought I can fly anywhere now. I think

A Name to Remember!

2010-07-21T08:39:00.006-04:00

Linda Reilly-Blue - This name isn’t a household name like Britney Spears or Madonna, but it definitely should be!Linda is a mother to every child in this picture and she has drastically changed each and every one of their lives. This story is a reminder of how wonderful the human spirit can be!Throughout the years Linda suffered multiple miscarriages and then finally gave birth to a son, Thomas.

The Reality

2010-07-12T16:04:00.005-04:00

“Always do what you are afraid to do” – Ralph Waldo EmersonSo the “coming out” went really well and I actually have subscribers. It’s most likely all friends and family, but still feels good. :)I received a lot of nice compliments on what I posted so far and it’s wonderful to have supportive people in your life. On the other hand, there are so many mixed emotions when it comes to “putting

The Beginning...

2010-07-08T16:27:00.005-04:00

Sandy Christiano and Tony Hsieh (pronounced Shay) are the two names of inspiration behind this blog and I’m excited to share the impact they’ve had on my life.Sandy is my sister and she is two years older than me. I have three older sisters but she and I are the closest in age and probably the closest in spirit. I’m actually the baby, so essentially I had four mothers growing up. I have a

The Beginning - Part 2

2010-07-08T16:21:00.008-04:00

I don’t know Tony Hsieh (pronounced Shay) but I hope to someday meet him and interview him. He is a huge inspiration behind this blog and I thought it was only fair to share the story and say Thank You!I’m having so much fun reading his book, “Delivering Happiness – A Path to Profits, Passion, AND Purpose” and at times I actually feel my adrenaline pumping. He has a very special style and it’s