I love cemeteries.
People often think of a cemetery as a place of sadness and loss.
But for every headstone in a cemetery there is a person who lived a life and was loved.
For every headstone in a cemetery there is at someone who cared enough to say goodbye.
For every headstone in the cemetery there are people alive today who are living and loving and people who will be living and loving long after we are gone.
It's not a place of sadness, it's a place of hope.

One group of people get very frustrated when they send an email, make an enquiry, make a request or leave a message at how LONG it takes for the receiver to respond.

One group of people get very frustrated when they get an email, receive an enquiry, get presented with a request or get left a message at how QUICKLY the sender expects you to respond.

Which group is wrong?
Which group is right?
Why is that most people in one group are also in the other?
What can we do about it?

I hope you know it's ok to say NO because you are stressed out,
Because you are tired.

I hope you know that it's ok to say NO because your family needs you,
Because it's been a really tough year.

I hope you know it's ok to say NO because you don't think it's a good idea,
Because the dog ate your homework.

YOU NEED TO KNOW
That it's ok to say NO and have no reason at all.

Out and about and parked on the road? Pop some fliers on your front windscreen.

Why do politicians all put their signs up in the same place? Because it increases the visibility of their message. 

A home based business on a busy street, this is on their garage.

This arrived in my mailbox, hand written, fab card. Yes! It got my attention and made it into the house rather than straight to the recycling bin. 

I'm on social media enough to know what happy looks like.

'this made me cry' happy
'the coolest thing you will ever see' happy
'wait til the end it will blow your mind' happy
'I have never seen anything like this' happy
'my kid/wife/dog is the greatest in the world' happy
'you are beautiful' happy

But don't forget the ordinary kind of happy, the kind that exists without the permission, gratitude or acceptance of others. 
The kind that only those in that particular happy moment get to be part of.

You know, the boring kind of happy.

It's likely they meant something else.
In fact, more often than not they won't say anything at all. 
So next time a potential client asks how much does it cost, answer the question, but also answer some of the questions they aren't asking:

I am embarrassed, can you make me feel better?
I dont know the rules, will you tell me them?
What do you do?
What does a typical session look like?
What do the other people who come here look like?
Are there people like me?
What should I wear?
Will it hurt?
Will I feel really bad while I do it?
Will it be hard?
Will the other people here be judging me?
Will you talk about me when I'm gone?
Am I the most unco person you have ever seen?
Do you like me?
Am I good?
Can I do this?
Can I come back?
Can you fix me?
Will it work?
How long will it take?
Will you remind me to come?
Will you be my friend?
What happens if I do it wrong?