Seven Keys

I did it! I finally did it! It may not seem like much to some but this is huge for me.

I registered my own business!

I have been tossing this around for some time. Being an HSA Canada Associate means self employment which compliments my goal of having my own consulting business. Most of the work (hopefully) will be through HSA Canada as I love working with the team and sharing passion and vision with them. We are a small group but we sure are MIGHTY when we gather our passions in one room or even on the phone or computer.

So this is it. I registered. Seven Keys Consulting, life coaching, consulting and trainging in person centered practices. This name and a logo have been in my mind for some time. I was nervous about putting it out there. I thought that people may laugh at the name or the meaning behind it. The first person I shared this vision with was my husband, reluctantly, because I expected him to be the most critical of it. He loved it, so I figured I just need to stop being that timid little girl that stops me from moving forward....grab the bull by the horns, use my adult, confident, intelligent self and go for it.

Seven Keys Consulting......it's officially registered by me....Barb Swartz-Biscaro.

There are seven key areas to life: Personal Goals, Relationships, Health, Career and Education, Recreation, Financial and Contribution. These are the areas that people need to focus on when visioning or dreaming, they all compliment one another and lead to a fullfilling life.

Coincidentally there are seven key people (three couples that I consider to be one person together) who stand out that have inspired or taught me very important lessons about life.

My parents. My dad, a very deep thinker, a very analytical thinker. Generous to a fault, family comes first. He worked hard and struggled harder to provide for us and although mom was the main caregiver and person we could count on the most; dad inspired me. There were many times that I disliked things he did but as an adult I can look back and analyze it all into some sense. He was human, struggling to raise a family as a very young man. When I was going through a really tough time in my life as a teenager he told me "Nobody is better than you and you are no better than anyone else, you can achieve anything you want in this life" This statement gave me the confidence to get through that situation and still resonates today. I can do anything.....like work hard at self employment and over time build a reputation and customer base. I know I can because my daddy said so!

Mom was also generous to a fault in a sense, she gave herself to us. She always put herself last and still does. She taught me a lot about dedication to my family and so much about tolerance, patience and perseverance.

My Grandma Swartz. An amazing woman. She had 12 children and lived in a small 3 bedroom one floor farm house. She operated the farm and welcomed family with open arms all day every day. She worked hard and lived life exactly as she chose. She didn't care about others opinions of her. She focussed on family and contentedness. She built a huge legacy. She taught me that being who you are and living your life on your terms is the way it must be. She taught me that family comes first. She taught me to keep family close, money is essential but not important and finally how to make really yummy buttertarts. She was the anchor of our family, not just biologically, it was what she did and who she was that made her the most amazing family woman to me.

Gord and Angie Harry were my in laws from my first marriage. I still consider them my second parents. I met their son when I was seventeen (shortly after I was living on my own again) and stayed with him until I was 29, we gave Gord and Angie 3 grandchildren together. This family was polar opposite of my family; not that either is better or worse but I learned significantly different things from them. Gord was a politician and held a prominent job with the local Conservation Authority, Angie was a hairdresser, artist and great mom. They lived in a home they built themselves. They had a consistent, structured life. I was craving that. We sat together as a family for dinner most nights. They let me move into their home, they gave me a bedroom, we built fun traditions together. Angie taught me to cook, Gord taught me to think. They taught me the balance between work and play. They emphasized the importance of family that I learned as a child from my parents. They taught me that success means different things to different people and none of it was connected to financial wealth but wealth of relationships and hard work. Their daughter carries on their legacy. Gord has now passed on but Angie still resides with their daughter. I wish I had the chance ot thank Gord before he passed, I think I will thank Angie in the right moment.

Auntie Linda is my best friend's mom. I met her when I was about 5 years old I think. A german lady with an accent. A hard worker, intelligent and patient. She has always seen life as an experience not a burden. She is adventerous and believes in the abilities of every person. She always encouraged us to try anything. She taught me that women can achieve whatever they want. She taught me that in the face of adveristy we persevere. I didn't know how much adversity she faced until I was a mother myself and looking back I am amazed at how positive and pleasent she always was all the while dealing with not so great stuff. You would never have known she was struggling. I remember once disappointing her and feeling guiltier than I have ever felt. Her opinion of me is very important, I respect her and her family deeply. She is a woman who walks the walk. She creates what she wants in life and I admire her greatly.

Aunt Judy is my dad's sister. We all have that one aunt and uncle that we identify with the most and she is that aunt on my dad's side. I am very much like her in some ways. She also dealt with some very rough life situations and came through shining. She raised 5 girls on her own, working very hard to make ends meet and keep the family connections strong. She emphasized the importance of family and the need to have fun with your kids. All 5 of her girls are great women. Morals, values and family come long before money is what she leaves me with.

Uncle Jimmy is that uncle on my dad's side. He was young, cool and always having fun. He had stories, he visited us alot and was always there when I needed him. When I called him he came without question or judgement or lecture, he just came. He got his feelings across in other ways that made me think deeply and respect his opinion very deeply. When we made the choice to let my brother pass away, I was most concerned about what he would think of me for that. Again a person that holds the value of family very high, he taught his 4 boys well and they all grew to be great young men now with families of their own passing on that value base. He was crazy as a young guy but his realtionship with me was never affected by that. He knew the time and place for everything and he still does.

Bill and Ruth Kennedy were like grandparents to me. They owned and ran the local corner store. They never had children of their own. They had both been in the military (thats where they met). They were financially wealthy. Money never drove their decisions, love did. They lived a modest life, drove modest vehicles, own a modest winter home in Texas. They loved all four of us kids and our parents. We were family. Bill dressed as Santa and delivered toys and candy at Christmas, whenever we went in the store they would give us something sweet to walk home with. They were a great judge of character and could see through people most of the time. They were protective of eachother and those that they loved. They have both passed on but they leave me with the knowledge that no matter what I do, do it for the right reasons and make sure it brings happiness and genuine relationships.

So there you have it. Seven keys areas of life, seven major contributors to my life, confidence and future vision. Hence, Seven Keys Consulting. Consulting in all areas of life, supporting people to weed through the noise and find a focus. Supporting people to believe that they can achieve and help them find ways to do it. Working as part of an awesome team with HSA Canada and internationally. It's off to work I go! Work that does not drain my energy but energizes me, work that I can do feeling like it is another day to inspire. Work that is more flexible and feels like it is just living day to day and sharing my learning as I continue to learn. Work that was meant for me.

I can't wait to write an update a year from now and see what we have made happen!

(Props to Cindy Norman (Auntie Linda's oldest daughter) for designing my logo. Thanks cindy!)