Being authentic in CAbi

First I must apologize for that last post. It was rather boring and maybe a bit self promoting. Not really my style. Sorry to have put you through it. I wrote that post in answer to many questions about how my new job is going. Besides being a good career move for me, it apparently sucked all the humor out of my writing. I promise I will do better. I think I get kind of dry when writing about something I am successful at…it is so much more interesting to read someone’s epic fail, don’t you think? Isn’t that why we watch the news, to see that train wreck, to see that robbery, to see that person fall down while trying to get away with the money. I love Youtube and watching the videos of people’s horrible mistakes, I can get lost in that time vortex for hours! ( Tosh.O is HILARIOUS!! Granted, I can’t watch most of it because it is so completely gross, but I try. And I laugh until I my sides hurt.)

I am thinking it was the leaving out all the blunders and the failing down and the missed emails and the aggravated customers and the hurt feeling and crying at night that made that last post so boring to read. Yea, I am not quite ready to share all of that here. I would love to have someone join my team and share this great job with me, but they may not want to when they read about my kooky way of living my life. But I am just a bit kooky, that is who I am. I almost didn’t take this job because I am …let’s say, not always inside the lines. I thought that a CAbi consultant had it all together and looked so perfect and composed, pretty hair and shiny acrylic nails. That picture didn’t really look like me. But I thought I could fake it until I make it…or however that line goes. Well, I am not a good faker, I can fake something for like...a minute. After which I just burst out laughing and tell everyone I was just kidding. Then I take a huge breath because I cannot breathe when I am faking. Hence the above mentioned blunders and mishaps and crying. It is very difficult to learn a new job when you are not breathing.

The idea of selling women’s designer clothing did not attract me to this career path. That was just a huge bonus. What did draw me in was the promise of wonderful new relationships and of enriching current friendships. I love connecting with people; it is the connecting of our lives and experiences that gives my life meaning. But I found myself awake in the wee hours of the night, running over and over in my head, how I can I be this polished, put together, perfect consultant and still connect genuinely to other people?

Part of my training with CAbi is attending a conference each season. All CAbi consultants must attend The Scoop. This past July, 2,700 women came together to train with the leaders of the company, to be inspired by our wonderful president and co-founder, Kimberly Inskeep, and to celebrate the unveiling of the new Fall’11 Collection. The fashion show was spectacular. I was inspired. I was equipped with handouts and lectures. I wanted to be a WOA! (Woman Of Action!, our season theme)) And in the midst of this 3 day event, I received the most precious gift. Patricia from Charlotte spoke these words in my training class, “be yourself, be authentic “. These words just set me free! I could exhale, stop faking and breathe in all the goodness of me. She helped me to see that only by being true to myself and all that comes with my kooky self, could I be successful at this job. A most powerful experience.

But I still might get acrylic nails…they are so pretty!!

Fast forward 5 months...

When I began this journey with CAbi I had no idea I was going to fall in love with my new career path. I had a gut feeling that maybe I could be successful but there were certianly no guarantees and many risk. I had to step out on faith, make an investment of money and time, work for commissions in a retail business...durning a recession! What? I know!! But I just took one small step at a time and kept moving forward. And I kept praying. By the end of June I had closed 13 shows and I was scheduled to attend the CAbi conference(The Scoop)in Long Beach in July.

The first of August came and the Fall '11 season began. I had 7 shows on my calendar. I started averaging about 3 hours a day of focuses CAbi work time, althought my husband would say it was 24-7! I am making calls, sending email, reading information and watching training on the consultant website. I believe I have complete control over how successful this business will be for me. The more effort I invest, the better my returns will be. The returns and rewards from this work are not only monitary. In the last 5 months, I have started putting more effort into my appearance(I am wearing these amazing clothes!!), I am taking better care of myself and getting lots of excersize(I want to look my best in these amazing clothes!), and best of all, I am building relationships with some wonderful women.

At night when I say my prayers, I thank my Maker for this wonderful opportunity that has found its way into my life. I have a very grateful heart. I love my new career!