That’s the kind of question I get from clients.

My friend and mentor, Barbara Winter, shares this story of Inspired Livelihood in action:

Last weekend when I headed to California to visit my family, I had a short list of things I wanted to do while there. One of those items was to visit Betty Belts, a small shop in Ventura which had recently bestowed one of their tote bags on my sister Margaret in a store contest. Although I didn’t need a belt, Margaret insisted I needed to see the store.

She was absolutely right. From the moment we entered this cozy shop, I knew we were in a special place. I learned that the store is named after a pioneering woman surfer who inspired other women to master the sport.

We began our visit by admiring the beautiful silver jewelry made by the group of artisans that stock the store. Owner/Designer Donna von Hoesslin was puttering about the place. Within a few minutes, I discovered that she was passionate about jewelry, the environment, surfing and Bali, Donna has found a way to integrate all these passions into her life.

She also proudly announced that her business had recently reached its seventh anniversary. The shop is a recent addition to the successful online business that Donna’s run for most of that time.

When I admired a bracelet she was wearing she told me the story of its inception. She and several members of Team Betty had gone to Bali, Donna challenged them to each come up with a new jewelry design, give it a name and choose a cause that would receive 15% of the profits from its sales. The bracelet she was wearing was called Compassion and the designer had been so moved by the huge number of stray dogs in Bali that her cause was a pet rescue mission there.

Jewelry wasn’t all that this shop had to offer, however. There are magnificent scarves imported from Bali, large framed photographs of surfers taken by Donna’s boyfriend, and her own signature beaded belts.

I’m quite sure that Margaret and I were both smiling when we walked back to my car.
“I just love meeting people who love what they do so much,” Margaret said. Of course, I agreed. All that passion is positively contagious when it’s put to such good use.

After I got home, I paid a visit to her gorgeous Web site where I read, “Donna von Hoesslin takes her inspiration from her love of the ocean and the beach lifestyle, combined with the influence of 17 years of living in Europe.

“She believes in giving back where she can and does so by supporting many causes, among which are environmental fundraisers, at-risk youth, women’s surfing (through athlete and event sponsorship), 1% For The Planet Membership, Coop America, and support for the mostly female artisans in Bali who make the products and much more.”

This lovely field trip reminds me that  people who practice inspired livelihood just keep spreading all that goodness around.

Barbara Winter shares ideas and inspiration with other creative entrepreneurs through her blog Buon Viaggio, her long-running print newsletter “Winning Ways” and “Joyfully Jobless” News ezine. In addition, Barbara conducts seminars and retreats across the country and internationally. Since it first appeared in 1993, her book “Making a Living Without a Job” has been a handbook for thousands of people. An updated edition hit the market in Sept, 2009 and was an instant best seller.

If you know you want to find more meaning in your livelihood doing what you love and making a difference in a few lives, your community or the world, April is the time to step up and get started.

Are you having trouble figuring out how doing what you love can improve lives and earn the income you need?

I had such a tremendous response to the March Idea Generating special that I’m extending the offer through April. I’ve bundled my “Idea Generating” sessions and you can now sign up for a package of 3 Private One-to-One Phone Sessions with me for $270. My single session rate is $185 an hour but because NOW is the TIME to TAKE ACTION, I’m opening up a limited number of session hours to a select few who are ready to Spring into Action.

you can purchase a
3 Session Package for $270 ( less than half the usual hourly rate.)

Find out More about these Idea Generator Sessions

STOP beating yourself up for not accomplishing what you planned to earlier this year. Forget those New Years resolutions. Winter is hibernation season in nature for a reason. But, NOW is time to SPRING into action!