Okay, so who in Canada that blogs is NOT blogging about the Olympics right now?!  Everyone right?!  I am no exception.  This was actually the first year I really got into the Olympic games; and I did so to have some connection with my son.  The upside was that I actually enjoyed it!  I'm not a sports fan by nature and never watch hockey in its regular season, but I was glued to the TV through both the Women's and the Men's journey to victory!  What an amazing feeling!  And to see the enthusiasm of our country via satellite was heart warming.  The feeling was carried through every other event that we watched....awesome.

Isn't it incredible that we, as a nation, can escape the trials of the economy and the stresses of regular life for that 17-day period to watch in awe as atheletes worldwide put themselves out there, in a way most of us could not imagine excelling to, and make each country proud.  There were several points that will leave historical marks in both happy and sad ways for the individuals working toward their goals and the countries they represent.  Our own certainly had its historical moments:  first gold on home soil, most golds EVER, the skater showing such bravery and committment (I can't even put it into words) getting out there in front of all eyes watching right after losing her mother, everything.

Well done Canada!  Well done world!  Let's use this as a jumping point to keep our enthusiasm and do great things with Olympic spirit!  We can make change....each of us has the ability to do great things when we want it bad enough!  Our atheletes showed it in their committment and their passion....we can show it in our choices we make day to day.

Hello to everyone who visits and reads my thoughts.  I am putting out a call for your help and suggestions.

I am really anxious and excited about having my own brand of shampoo, conditioner and body wash to release.  It is completely natural, no icky stuff whatsoever!  It is earth friendly in every way right down to the label, it is health conscious and effective, smells nice without having nasty fragrance stuff in it!  Now the question, what on earth should I name it?

I really need some suggestions, because so far every name I have come up with, my strategist HATES.  I want to bring it out.  I want to make this fantastic product available for people to be able to enjoy the positive effects and know that this product does everything right for the earth and for those of us who still need it to be around for our children and their children.

Please take a moment and send me ideas.  reseller@whatsinstore.ca is the e-mail address.

I look forward to many fantastic ideas.

First, welcome to 2010!  May it be more than we could hope for and may we give much more than we take from each other and the planet.

Okay, with a title like "Ask It Five Times" you might think I'm going to write about my kids and their persistence with asking something over and over until they get the answer that they want.  Well, that is no where near what I'm thinking about tonight.

I met with a wonderful business associate who is helping me to make a difference in how I approach business.  He asked me why I want to be in business.  I of course replied with the usual starry-eyed answer...."I want to save the planet".  He asked why I want to be in business....I answered "to encourage people to choose healthier products that aren't full of chemicals".  He asked again, why I want to be in business....I felt kind of on the spot, like I was expected to give the "right" answer....but again spoke from the heart, "I want to make a difference"  He asked again, why I want to be in business..."I want to help the children who don't get to decide what products are used on them....by educating their parents and caregivers and providing better products to choose."  Finally, with all of my passion pouring out and my pulse quickening, thinking I'd missed something somewhere he pointed out to me that in order to keep doing the things that I am doing I needed to want to be in business to make money.  Then he asked me why I needed to make money....I understood immediately:  "to keep doing it."

For so long I had been ignoring that factor.  Not wanting it to be the reason for being on my noble quest...but, in all honesty, it is the thing that will enable me to do much more.  Surprisingly, I started to think about what amazing other ventures I could take on once What's In Store dot ca really blossomed!  The ways I could make changes that were truly significant!  The opportunities to teach my children and all the people around me that we can make so many differences that improve things for many if we really let our passions be led with purpose.  When you take a moment to look at your passion, take a moment to dream about where it could lead you...  It's exhilarating!  It's exciting!  It's possible!  Then I realized that there was nothing wrong with my business becoming successful financially because that would lead to being a greater part of the solution.....which, of course, is my favourite reason for wanting to be in business.

So, thank you to those who choose to actively support companies, like www.whatsinstore.ca in the effort to do more about the problems our planet faces.  Cheers to you!

Well, the title says it all!  It has been a while since I have taken a few moments to sit down and type out my thoughts.

So much is going on recently:  Our very own brand of personal care products about to launch (a wonderful experience and sign of all the hard work and dedication, research and determination to provide my customers with real alternatives that work without harm to the environment or chemicals that could potentially harm us), working with a professional to help me position What's In Store in this ever-so-competitive market, kids stuff, work stuff, new ventures, new products that I've discovered recently and we will be marketing (soapnuts, ecotractionTM, etc.) along with the array of other fantastic things I've already been showing the world through www.whatsinstore.ca.  A lot going on.

All of these thing are so exciting!  Then, tonight, I attended a celebration dinner for an environmental project that is of huge proportion that I'm really excited to be even a little involved in - the announcement tonight blew us all away....the committment behind this huge renovation/undertaking that will turn a wonderful old building into a leader in green technology!!!!  A place where the community can learn and use!  Awesome!

Then....amidst all of the excitement.....I get notified that my brother is in the hospital with swine flu.  On oxygen.  Compromised respiratory system due to excessive smoking....I will wait....please keep us in your thoughts, and if you are people of faith, please keep us in your prayers.

Well, despite the "fall back" in time....it is now 11 pm - I must head to bed.....for tomorrow, it starts all over again.

Thanks for lending me your ear.....or should I say your eyes :)

Okay, I admit, I love Twitter and Facebook!  I visit several times throughout my day.  It's great to reconnect with friends, read ideas (by minds I admire in the industry) and just generally feel connected to a broader world on some level.

I realized today that it is also a way to spread the word about things we believe in, but at the same time find myself reluctant to be fully and completely vulnerable or exposed in this format.

I RT (which means ReTweet for those who don't use Twitter - that is posting someone else's thoughts on your own note so that people who are interested in your thoughts will see that other person's too).  Anyway, I RT today about Tori Stafford's dad riding his bicycle across Canada to raise money for Child Find related organizations!  A very noble quest and probably a great way for the father of this sweet little child to do some grieving.  Then I clicked on the link....he's not wearing a helmet....first thing to enter my mind.  Not that I'm in any way less impressed by his journey, but really wishing that he'd wear one so that all the kids that see him making this trip see the importance of wearing one.  Example setting.  But I didn't say a thing about it....

Then I went on to one of my favourite people/groups to follow: Inhabitat.  They always seem to have the coolest stuff on their tweets with links to so many amazing environmental issues and progress.  They were tweeting today about how a company is making spray on solar panels!  Right away my radar went off!  But out of respect for them, I went to the site to check it out....then I came back and felt well within my power to tweet that I didn't think this one was environmentally friendly, that it contains nanoparticles - I didn't get to include my other concerns for it because you only get to tweet with 140 characters....and quite frankly I didn't want to have to write several notes.

So, why did I not mention anything to this grieving dad?  Perhaps it is just based on the personal piece here.  I'm thinking that it was a matter of recognizing his pain driving his mission while the other stuff was just another green thing that came across my screen.  Personal relationships and real people still have more impact on how we respond to things we encounter....for most of us anyway (I believe).

Well, I'm off to get the things that need to be done in my little world.  Happily, while I'm cleaning my house I will know that I am doing so with the products that are the best for me, my family and my planet.

Christine McKague

What's In Store

www.whatsinstore.ca