This is exactly what I wondered last night when I realized that Kaia is now old enough to go to the park down the street with her girlfriends … alone.

I had visions of her friends offering her a puff on a cigarette or a pull of a joint … or worse.

So we talked.

We talked about how to know what to do and what not to do.

We talked about feeling into your body to know if something is right. And we agreed that if what you feel is a need to hide or a feeling of shame, it’s a signal not to do the thing.

And we talked about how to say no when you don’t want to do what you are being asked or told to do.

I told her that this is hard even for adults, but that it’s the most important part of the whole thing. The part that many of us are still struggling with as adults.

Imagine if we all had learned these things as kids.

If we knew how to feel into ourselves and determine right from wrong.

If we knew how to say not to what was not right for us.

Imagine what your business and your life would be like if you had learned these things as kids.

So teach them to your kids now and practice knowing them for yourself going forward.

I really love when I can write 2-3 times a week.  But, with the money map launch (which we sold out with 100 attendees, so happy!) and finalizing LIFT (so, so, so close to launching), it just hasn’t been possible to do everything.

So, writing on the blog is what doesn’t get done.  And believe me, my kids are really happy about that because it means I didn’t choose my blog over them.

But, it truly is a conundrum for me.  I want to be a blogger.  A real blogger.  In fact, as soon as I saw ProBlogger’s list of bloggers to watch in 2010, I knew I would aim to be on that list for 2011.

And yet, I haven’t yet figured out the magical recipe of running my businesses, raising my kids AND regularly blogging on the bloggity blog.

My intent is to figure it out by the time I re-launch this blog with it’s new name and design in the next few weeks.  (Oh, and by the way, the name is changing from the Intrepid Mompreneur to Life, Business and the Pursuit of Truth – the tagline of being afraid and doing it anyway will remain the same.)

In the meantime, life is good.

Today is my ex-husband’s birthday and he let me give him a hug and now he’s letting me take him out to breakfast with the kids.  Such progress from just a couple of years ago when he wouldn’t even look at me.  Just this week, we had one of the best conversations we’ve had in the 16 years we’ve known each other.

In case you didn’t know, he lives with me and the kids in our house in Colorado.  But, he’ll be going back and forth to Los Angeles each month to take care of some business he has going on there.  And, he has agreed to be here with the kids so I can do all the travel I need to (and want to) do for my businesses.

I’m going to run now so I can take the ex to that breakfast I mentioned before he thinks I’m not giving him my attention, which is what led to our divorce in the first place.

I’ll be back with a new post about transforming from a small business owner into an inspired business leader as soon as I get a few more minutes to write.

My boyfriend lives in Atlanta, where he has two kids of his own.

Fortunately, his business is run from his laptop, which means he can come out to stay with me every other week.  But, he also has a business partner in Richmond he has to go see at least once a month.

Plus, both of us run coaching groups.  Mine are for lawyers who want to  serve their clients in a more holistic, caring way, while they make more money and work less.  His are for business owners and professionals who have something to say and want to make money with their message.

Not to mention, as of right now, I’m speaking at three events next year, attending a training to become certified in helping people discover their passions, beginning a course with Reverend Michael at my Church, hosting my own marketing event, writing my second book, attending three live events with my new mentor, and continuing to pitch (or maybe begin?) my television show.

Oh, and of course, taking care of the kids and running my businesses.  AND, perhaps most exciting of all, launching a new business for millionaire mom entrepreneurs or those who want to be.  More on that one soon.

And, of course we will be taking some vacations – on the schedule already we’ve got Mammoth in early February to ski, Chicago over the summer (I know, not the best time of the year), and of course Burning Man!

Whew, what a year!

This kind of a year doesn’t happen without some serious planning.

So, Dave and I spent the entire day yesterday plotting it all out on big fold out calendars from Franklin Covey.

The cool thing is that even with all of that happening, I can feel I’ll have plenty of time and space for myself, to deepen my spiritual practices, to do yoga and pilates, and to spend time alone.

How is that?

It’s all about choices.  I choose to fill my life with things that inspire me, excite me, and fill me with more energy.   And, I let go of all the rest.  Amazingly, the more I do that, the more I find room for more of what I love and supports my highest purpose.

This past weekend over Thanksgiving they met for the first time.

Ok, so it wasn’t quite the Brady Bunch and won’t be from this distance.  But, the kids got along great and I have fantasies of all of us living together one day in a big house by the beach.  In California.

Gina and Kaia were asked several times over the weekend if they are sisters.  They didn’t know how to answer!  Here are a few pictures:

In case you were considering bringing your kids, here‘s a great article about it.

Sure, we could take the money we are spending to get to Burning Man and blow it on a lux trip to Hawaii. We could stay at the swank Fairmont Kea Lani or the Four Seasons. (Ok, maybe the Four Seasons would cost a little bit more).

Or, I could take my kids into the desert for a week in an RV where they’ll get the chance to see oddities, absurdities, and fantastic art. 

Where they’ll get to learn about authenticity and tolerance, the environment and how to leave no trace.    They’ll get to be kids in community without the lure of TV and video games. They’ll learn about self reliance and appreciation. I suspect there may even be opportunities for them to practice forgiveness, faith, acceptance and love.

Are your summer activities an opportunity to pass on family values or just the same old same old story of life passing you by without purpose or meaning?