I am weird. I know it. I really do.

But it’s cool. So, I’m weird-cool? Is that a thing??

LOL, it is now, because I just coined it.

Let me count the ways I’m weird. And/or cool.

#1. I HAVE to wear some type of shoes or slippers inside my house at all times or I will injure some portion of my feet in some random way. I’ll drop something on my unsuspecting foot or toe, or I’ll for sure sideswipe a table leg or the corner of a WALL…it’s a given. I just move around too fast. Therefore, it’s non-negotiable: SHOES ON. Or my feet will go on strike. Or make me invest in steel-toed boots. (which are NOT cute BTW…)

#2. I randomly burst into song and/or do silly accents. (Sometimes I’m talking to the cats, but not always!) Not gonna lie, I know that this low-level annoys my hubby, but alas, he married this! We are clocking 30+ years together so I think he’s dealing with it somehow. Anyway, I doubt this semi-annoying habit falls under weird-cool, but, hey, it’s just me. 

Whatcha gonna do? Life’s too short.

#3. I am obsessed with “decluttering-meets-freecycling”. (You’ve probably never heard of such a thing!) And my uber-favorite is ‘freecycling-for-nonprofits”…this is next level weird-cool in my book. I’ve collected pumpkins on my porch for the pigs at Austin Farm Sanctuary. I’ve collected the heavy duty handled grocery bags for Partnerships for Children.  (I cannot possibly catalog all the things I’ve collected for nonprofits in this email or you’ll run screaming at how long it would be!) I’ve held fundraising garage sales and also “un-sales” (AKA “free stuff just please take it”). I’m an active member of my local Buy Nothing Project FB Group and it’s soooooooo satisfying participating in the giving society and getting rid of stuff I want to declutter. 

And continuing the theme, this February I’m having a freecycling Clothing Swap Soiree and Fun-raiser that will benefit the attendees (with free clothes and accessories) and Dress for Success Austin (with accessories and monetary donations!) All just because it blows my skirt up LOL!! 

Weird. But also really cool.

#4. I create really weird business models that apparently work and that people like. Back in 2010 when my kids were in elementary school, I must have been bored or maybe missed my “pre-kids” middle school teaching job because I proceeded to offer an after-school Spanish class complete with posters, vocabulary lists, games, songs, and cultural lessons mostly based around exotic food! I became familiar with this AMAZING grocery store named Fiesta. Ooooohhhhhhhh. 

My current weird business (created back in 2020) is the Find FOCUS Membership where I gather other weird-cool gals on Zoom to GET SHIT DONE. Andddd this weird-cool gal is thrilled to report we are going strong in 2023! Yay!!

You know your business is weird when your clients (AKA members) say to you and the group, “So I was trying to explain what we do here on Zoom during the FOCUS workshops, and it really sounded WEIRD…’I pay this woman monthly so we can all work in silence on our own stuff’…my friend/mom/sister/neighbor looked at me with an understandably puzzled look! So then I tell them: ‘BUT IT REALLY WORKS!’ ” 

Then we all nod and chuckle in agreement knowing we have some amazing secret sauce!!!

And, also weird, but really cool, I conduct other organizing workshops for multiple hours (3-6 hrs or even a whole weekend once or twice!) where we all work on our PAPER CLUTTER!! AND IT IS FUN!!

In short: I provide a consistent container of time on the calendar and my peeps bring what they need to get done. I hold them accountable and keep them celebrating their wins, rinse and repeat. It’s freaking glorious!

Curious? Check it out here. Don’t be shy!! Weirdos welcome. (pretty sure I’ve made that abundantly clear by now!)

A new twist on Groundhog’s Day!

In keeping with the theme, my latest weird-cool (and FREE!) workshop is coming this Groundhog’s Day, Feb 2nd, at 12p CST. It’s called “Goal-Grounding Day” and I’m so pumped! 

“What in the world is that, Ryan?”

I know you have your 2023 “this is the year I will…” goals swirling around in your head, but you haven’t yet sat your butt down in a chair to commit them to paper journal, a Vision Board, or even a digital place of choice. 

So why? Why haven’t you? 

One answer: OVERWHELMA. Yes, that bee-yatch Overwhelma showed up with her 6 overflowing suitcases packed full of distractions and head trash.

Ok, one last weird thing to share with you. I have personified and literally named that awful feeling you get when you have no idea where to start in life, in your email, in your house, at work, wherever. And her name is Overwhelma. And we hate her. She sucks! Sucks the life out of us.

But, luckily, we have a secret weapon to show her the exit: each other!! Solidarity! When we voice her attempts to keep us down, then we can all relate to that feeling and hello, that validation magically sends her away!! She cannot compete with that so it sends her packing! Buh-byeeeee, Overwhelma!

Come join the fun! Either in a free workshop or come check out my membership of amazing weird-cool people fighting off Overwhelma every time she comes back. We are better together, y’all!

As always, the replay will be available in the CALM Collaborative FB Group. Click here to register…free as always. We are having a blast so come on!!