Permission_to

“Sometimes on the way to your dream you get lost and find a better one. It is okay to change your mind. If you thought you always wanted to be a doctor only to discover after medical school that what you really wanted to do was open a bakery—open a bakery. Life is too short not to follow your heart.” – Lisa Hammond

Known as the Barefoot CEO, author and entrepreneur Lisa Hammond encourages all women to honor their experience, follow fulfillment, cultivate joy and pursue outrageous dreams. Founder of Femail Creations, a catalogue and website shopping extravaganza for women and by women, Lisa passes along inspirational stepping stones to passionate and purposeful life in her 48-card deck Permission to Dream (Conari Press).

Illustrated in pink and brown, these attractive cards feature a fantastic quote from Lisa or other source, with a commentary on the reverse side. Here are a few of my favorite quotes and commentaries found in the Permission to Dream deck:

“Joy is the holy fire that keeps our purpose warm and our intelligence aglow.” – Helen Keller ~~ “If you have lost your joy, start looking! It’s in there, perhaps buried deep inside, but definitely worth finding again. Pay attention to what you love and put your focus there.”

“The best thing a mother can give her child is a happy and fulfilled mom. There are many paths to happiness and fulfillment—follow your heart and choose your own way.” – Lisa Hammond ~~ “We are each unique, and what works for me won’t work for you. Do what is right for you and don’t listen to what everyone else has to say about it. Believe me, you and your children will both win.”

“Growth demands a temporary surrender of security.” – Gail Sheehy ~~ “You’ll be amazed at how inspired and rejuvenated you feel when you step out of your comfort zone! TRY IT!”

“Women are so good at so many things we often end up doing way too much…If you are trying to spin too many plates, sooner or later one of them is bound to hit you right smack in the head.” – Lisa Hammond ~~ “Leave some space in your life and on your calendar for down time. Having space for quiet and calm allows inspiration and intuition to flow into your life.”

“Well-behaved women rarely make history.” – Laurel Thatcher Ulrich ~~ “Sit down with your ‘ideas’ journal and try to imagine what your life would be like if you knew that you could not fail. Write a story or a description of the alternate life you could have. Take a look at what an exciting life you can have if you were to truly follow all of your passions!”

I’ve owned dozens of inspirational decks, and Permission to Dream exceeds them all for those who are ever-conscious about doing “something” of importance in this life or who want to pursue a life of unique excellence but are unsure how to proceed or maintain momentum. If you want to put your original stamp on the world, discover your passion, or need an inspirational boost from someone who walks confidently in her realized dreams, I highly recommend the Permission to Dream deck from Lisa Hammond. In addition, you may want to check out Lisa’s book Dream Big, also by Conari Press.

Below are 6 card images from this deck: