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As I'm building my business, and talking to people about it, I feel uncomfortable. Advocacy is something I "do" much more than I talk about. I've been having a hard time finding the right words to describe what is always a very complicated and involved process.
Today I found the words that describe what I need: Elevator Pitch. The idea is to describe your business in the time it takes to go from the first floor to the top. Here's my pitch; tell me how many floors we went!
Flickr.com Cory Doctorow
I am building my health advocacy business. I provide resources and management services to clients and their families who are experiencing complicated health and living issues; I also help prevent negative experiences with planning services. Unlike insurance and hospital advocate employees, I give 100% allegiance to my clients, who receive the best and most affordable resources, care and planning for various stages of medical and living circumstances.
Tears started flowing in the first 30 seconds of this video.
Tears I COULD. NOT. STOP. It was as if someone else was crying. It WAS someone
else crying. It was the true me; the one I hide from.
At first I was like, what’s up with these tears?! Then I was
like, I want a man like that.
Flickr.com AndYaDontStop
When I shared this on Facebook I said, “If you can’t feel
like this, if you can’t SAY this, then it isn’t love.”
I then realized, this
little voice inside me was saying, if you can’t feel this way about yourself,
if you NEED to hear this, then you can’t handle this kind of love.
Flickr.com Classic Film
I know I need to love myself. I think I do love myself. I’m
proud of myself. I love my body, well most of it. But there is this perfection
that I seek, that I cannot find, that keeps me from seeing what is truly there.
There is a part of me that has been taught
that if I am fat, if I am ugly, if I am less than (fill in the blank), then I
will not be loved; worse, I will lose whatever it is I think love is.
What touches me deeply in this video, is when he says, “I’m
not going anywhere.” That is all I want; safety, loyalty, forever.
We Heart It.com
Lovers of women who are reading this, yes we need to love
ourselves, but we need to be TOLD we are worthy of that love. We need to hear a
voice that is LOUDER than our inner demons/ego. We need to hear it often,
especially when we don’t believe it is true. Sure, we should love ourselves,
but we are women, and we are taught not to trust in a society that
historically, perhaps as far back as the first encoding of our DNA, that what
we think is not important; only what they
think about what they SEE is important. And actually, all the same is truly said
to lovers of men.
Woman or man, you need to speak the truth about
your love. Don’t take it for granted.
I am present. The Universe and God are showing me loud and
clear signs that things are happening. It truly does conspire for me. My
vision of a Health Advocacy business expands more each day. I see myself
broadening my education and filling my skills gaps. I see myself doing
internships and publishing research. I see myself teaching and contracting with
hospitals and social services departments. I see myself recruiting health and
law students at colleges. I see myself giving T. E. D. talks. I see myself opening
nationally. I see my blog giving people the answers they need on the fly. I see
myself raising funds. I see myself changing political paradigm.
Yesterday I went to the VA with my friend S. Her husband has
Alzheimer’s and I’ve been helping her negotiate the “systems” to provide care
for both of them.It was a great meeting
where roles were defined, progress was made, and possibilities were brought
into the light. I received a packet of information from the VA rep that she
only received yesterday; very helpful for those who will be considering
long-term Medi-Cal nursing care. I’m excited because it means that my friends
will be able to plan and it alleviates the fear of the unknown and loss of assets
they have worked so hard to build.
I volunteered at the Moose Lodge too. While there, my friend Francis (She dubbed me “The Resourceress”) suggested that in my business
plan I include creating a fund to grant people the ability to pay for advocacy
when they can’t afford it. What an awesome idea to help more people and get paid; I’ve done it for free for
so long. I also made sure to sign up for the jackpot which is now over $600; I
made an audible plan to spend my winnings on the first UC Berkeley class for
health advocacy (August 8 is not far away.) I’ll need a place to stay a night
in San Francisco if anyone can put me up.
I love the orchid from Mom!
It’s sprinkling this morning. Hopefully we will get enough
to water my garden and skip the hose today. I picked some large strawberries
yesterday and trimmed the mint. Wondering what I should do with all that mint I
decided to look up some recipes. I pinned a bunch to my Food board on MyPinterest page; yummy sweet and savory ideas! The last of the flowers dropped
from my orchid. My mom bought this one for me and it’s the first I’ve ever
owned. I’m hooked!
I bought some lovely beads from my friend Lea and I’m
working on two ideas for a new necklace. I imagined a waterfall of orange
flowers. On one hand I have woven a base and started fringe with the flowers;
it is feeling like a lot of work and I’m likely to run out of beads or steam
before I get the lush bouquet I want. On the other hand I have made a bunch of
clusters with the headpins I had on hand and attached them to chain; it’s
looking more promising and possible.
Courtesy Flickr.com Walkn Boston
I’m such a creative girl. Beader and Advocate. I’m thinking
of a name for my business and Creative Advocacy comes to mind. I want a name
that is lasting, clear, and conveys what people want to feel when they hire an
advocate.
ANSWER THIS: What feelings would you be looking for in a situation where you need
advocacy? What words or phrases would you suggest for a business name?
