Hi ,

Travel always changes me and teaches me new perspectives. I guess that's why I named my small travel agent business Travel Changes Life, ha!

Bill and I spend 9 days wandering the Everglades and the Florida Keys, and got home yesterday. Two days we spent on the back roads of the Everglades, which is such an amazing and sort of spooky place! We've never driven down dirt roads and seen signs that say "Warning, panther crossings the next 2 miles."

The people who live down in the 'Glades are different. They see live boiled down to the essentials, and they live really connected to nature and all the rawness that can bring. They don't sweat the small stuff. They are keenly aware of their surroundings and pay attention. It reminds me of Louisiana people who have for generations lived deep in the Louisiana swamps.

I came away feeling like I need to ask myself raw and bare questions.

• Why am I doing what I do every day? Does it matter, and do I still want to do it?
• How can I be more aware of my own feelings and desires from day to day, and how can I work those into my life
• What really counts to me? What really counts to the clients I so cherish and work with?
• How can I use the focus I learned scanning the waters for sea creatures in my business, be that focused, and single minded? Notice more?
• What makes me happy? Really, deeply happy?

All of these are sort of "out there" questions but not really - they are the stuff of a rich business and a rich life. While we were away one of our long term friends up in Tennessee passed away after a few months of failing health, and it just seemed to push these questions for me more sharply.

We talk about these types of deep, rich questions in my CEO Circle Community. If you are a woman business owner and you want to benefit from a small group that shares both dreams and frustrations (plus the tech stuff of business when we need to) this is the group for you. Take a look and join us in time for our first meeting in May.

I was so happy to do a road trip and be away from home for the first time since December, 2019. And I am equally happy to be back home with you.

To your sweet success,

Sue Painter