Bloom Where You Are Planted

Hi Reader!

Welcome to Aspen & Oliva's weekly newsletter! Some places in the world are experiencing the season of Spring, and I am in one of those places. March 20th marked the official date of Spring, and since that day, I am seeing so many beautiful flowers in bloom, spring color leaves - white, pink, yellow-, grass growing, and trees blooming. Spring, and a year behind us with the pandemic, calls for a new season in all things. Would you agree? There are times that all we need is an invitation, 'a la March 20th', to trigger a refinement or evolution in our life.

Spring inspires me to break out of my cozy winter zone. In that spirit of newness and invitation to bloom, it is time to take action. As an optimist, a creative soul, and a design thinker, this past week, my mind ran through many new ideas, possibilities, adventures, and even new "Atomic Habits" (I just started reading this book). During a morning prayer and meditation, I picked up an old journal where I had written: "Bloom where you are planted," "Strive to create moments as you bloom where you are planted," "Grow where you are planted," "Bloom.Thrive.Moments". These notes were certainly gentle reminders to thrive in the circumstances that have been presented to me. I need to bloom in the current moment before me, radiate the beauty of me, and spread the fragrance.

As high achievers, we are often looking at what is "next." Yes, we need to be planning for the future, yet we also need to take the time to bloom where we are planted. We may miss the true opportunity in front of us by looking elsewhere. I invite you to bloom together and use this invitation (a la March 20th) as a trigger towards refinement or evolution right where you are planted.

By the way, you can always hit reply to this email as we would genuinely love to hear from you - this email serves as Team A&O's email; or as per my leadership style, my personal inbox always serves as a virtual "open-door policy," maria@aspenandoliva.com.

Happy Spring!

Maria Gaviria, MA

Editor-In-Chief of Aspen & Oliva's Newsletter, Executive Chairman and Founder of Aspen & Oliva

ASPEN & OLIVA MOMENTS

• ​Iconic Personal Branding Podcast: As I reflected on this week’s podcast, “Obstacles to Overcome to Ensure your Personal Brand Thrives,” it can be looked at in light of obstacles preventing you from blooming where you are planted. Natasha Lucia shares four obstacles to personal branding: Clarity, Newness, Abundance of Opportunities, and Entrepreneurship Mindset. This podcast may shed light on how there is so much beauty and joy packed into the present moment of our lives that we simply have to be present enough to see it and allow the moment to bloom. Conquer your obstacles! Natasha Lucia includes actions to overcome them.
• As mentioned above, I just started reading ‘Atomic Habits.' Here at Aspen & Oliva, we love books! If you like to peek at some of our favorites for you to grow your personal brand, enhance your lifestyle, and better your leadership and business, come on over to our virtual bookshelf.​

FROM THE DESK

• Maria’s Desk: I have joined the “30 Days To Discover Your Iconic Elements” challenge along with many of you. Have you joined? When I worked at Procter and Gamble, every year each of our brands went through a Brand Strategy Review that led to a refinement or an evolution of the brand. This holds true to personal branding. Our personal brand needs a yearly review, and this challenge is a great start! As I reflect on some of my elements thus far, some have stayed the same, and some I am refining. I look forward to seeing if my journey will lead me to refinement or evolution. How are you feeling about your challenge? Any lights or revelations?

Have a lovely week Reader,

Team Aspen & Oliva

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