The light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter and brighter for…
*finishing degree
*finding new team members for the personal care side of our team
*revamping and rebooting the Lead Like A Queen events (after the New Year)
As I said in the previous article about my New Season of Service in Newnan, this has been a good time for growing trust in Divine Guidance every step of the way with each area of life and business. In the past, I’ve been very impatient with my process, and it has ruined my enjoyment of my journey. So, I am enjoying the journey this time, and it’s very refreshing.
Trusting Divine Guidance helps me give myself permission to rest, and this restfulness mindset infuses a different flavor into the journey this time around. God is good to me, and it tastes so good. I am grateful that not only am I seeing the light, but I am feeling lighter, too.
One part of my process that’s different is that I have a rest coach who has been helping me to develop my restfulness mindset. As a caregiver, I have learned that neglecting myself and not getting enough rest is not just unhealthy, but deadly. Unfortunately, I have watched other caregivers literally work themselves into their early graves (this includes my own father). I made a decision to learn from their mistakes.
In the future, I hope to share more about my journey as a young spousal caregiver and to encourage other young spousal caregivers, especially those who are also still raising children. There are so many dynamics at play when you’re still raising a family while you’re caregiving. This is not the time for me to get into that, but I plan to share more in the future.
Finally, because I am in the home stretch to finish my degree, I will not be posting as much online for the rest of this year. However, I plan to come back next year stronger and with much more focus. So, for now, check out the archived blog articles, past videos and podcasts, and follow me on most social media under the alias @leadlikeaqueen and on LinkedIn under my name. To make it easy to find my social media pages, use the one page profile I created at the link in my signature below.
Looking back over the past several years, if you have been following me, you would have seen my progression:
2012 – Incorporating my company and running the Market Like A Queen digital marketing and coaching agency with a small virtual team based out of the South Fulton region of Metro Atlanta
2014 – Founded the Lead Like A Queen seminar and event series to help turn the conversation about marketing towards improving our leadership as marketers
2017 – Being accepted into Liberty University’s Business School and taking hiatus from business to focus on full-time graduate studies
2018 – Becoming a full-time caregiver to my husband while taking graduate classes and dropping to part-time graduate studies
2019 – Relocating family and business to Newnan, Coweta County, Georgia USA
2020 – Took forced hiatus from the Lead Like A Queen event series due to pandemic lockdown and unavailability of our normal local venues and sponsors
2021- Building new team as I finish my degree in 2021 (MAEL, Masters of Arts in Executive Leadership), including caregiver jobs
Honestly, I was not sure I would ever complete graduate school because it has taken twice as long as what I originally thought, but it has been a blessed journey and I am grateful. I also never imagined that I would move my family and my business to another region of metro Atlanta, even further south, to Coweta County’s capital in Newnan. I am grateful to be here in this beautiful, diverse community, and to now get to know the community (post lockdown) and how I can serve them well in the areas of career coaching and leadership development training, along with supporting small businesses and solopreneurs with marketing. I also am learning how I can find others to serve alongside me as part of my new team, starting with the focus towards professionals who would serve as personal care providers in our home.
My work is intellectually and creatively intensive (research and writing), so I minimize distractions and temptations for multi-tasking by delegating most caregiving tasks and home chores. Currently other family members fulfill some of these tasks and chores, but, after the new school year starts, their availability will be more limited. So, our goal is to hire and train two part-time caregiving professionals during the summer so that we will have consistent reliable support available in the Fall and Spring. Even though that’s our goal, current labor market trends are just not cooperating. So, basically, we are just relying on God to answer our prayers and send us the right people when we need them.
Truthfully, that’s the best way: to just depend on God, and stop trying to control everything on my own. This means that I do the work that is mine to do, and leave God’s work to Him. I have my part, and He has his part. This is all part of me staying divorced from perfectionism. I do not want even a hint of that creeping into my hiring activities. I refuse to let the work of hiring take over my life. I have hiring work to do, and I am doing it, and I am keeping it within the schedule I have set aside for it. The outcome of this work is up to the Lord, and I trust Him with that. He is faithful to answer our prayers and honor the work we’re putting in.
I am truly honored to have a season of my life to serve as my husband’s main caregiver as we enjoy living, learning, working, and serving in Newnan. I humbly admit that I am only “adequate” at this caregiving job. I look forward to him having caregivers who are excellent at it and passionate about serving. As we continue our search for professional caregivers, we have adjusted our expectations and our job listings to help make these jobs both meet our needs and attract the type of professionals we need. That’s part of my work in the hiring process, to research and learn how to hire, including how to write the job listings and how to set the pay rate scale, etc.
The original job listing was just for one full-time caregiver, but now it has been split into two positions. The first job listing has now been shifted into a weekend position for an entry-level care provider who is also available on-call/PRN for week days when the main care provider is not available. The newer job listing is a lead caregiver position for a more experienced professional who is consistently available on most week days. As a small business owner, I recognize the importance of having a well-built team and support network with experts who use their strengths to serve in areas where I am not as strong. So, I view caregiving professionals in the same way, as strong experts who are part of my team and support network. I also view both caregivers as a team that can support one another with continuing to grow in their careers and with providing full coverage of all the days to ensure my husband has enough help. The pay scale has also been adjusted to attract more experienced professional care providers with a scale of up to $16 per hour for up to 15 hours per week in the lead care giver position. The weekend PRN (on-call) entry-level position will pay up to $16 per hour for up to 10 hours per week.
My job as the hiring manager for my own company is to ensure that the recruiting process is sound and the marketing of the job listings is appropriate and targeted towards professionals who want to work in this region of Coweta County. My job is also to pray and keep God at the middle of all of my relationships, including starting new relationships with new people. Since I know that I am called to love God and to love people, I am encouraged in my journey as an employer and looking forward to being a blessing to my new teammates.
Clarification: When I say that God is in the center of all of my relationships, I mean that the unconditional love of Jesus is what motivates me to do all that I do, for the benefit of all, not just for my own benefit. I have shared about the spiritual side of my business journey in previous blog articles, videos, podcast interviews, and in my book. I pray that my authentic spirituality will be evident to everyone who meets me, and that there will not be any fear of self-righteousness nor of religious fakeness. Simply put, I live to serve like Jesus would serve if he was standing right here with me in the flesh. I truly believe He is standing right here with me in the Spirit.
So, if you’re a potential client or a potential new team member, I hope this new article sheds some more light on who I am, who I serve, and how I serve here from my business headquarters in Newnan.
As of August 2021, I am starting my last two classes and will be eligible to receive my Masters of Arts degree in December 2021 (I will walk in May 2022). Can you feel my excitement! This journey, this very spiritual journey, has been extremely fruitful. I get so much further in my life when I surrender the details to God, and just focus on what I can do moment to moment and day by day. Perfectionism sucks and is unhealthy. That’s all for now.
As of March 2021, I am 1/4 finished with my last two semesters of graduate school. I have been able to move forward in school with the help of the good Lord and my family, and have been able to maintain my promise to stay present in all of my relationships. It feels good. I am not super stressed out. I have to say no to some events, but it’s worth it. This has been giving me more practice with protecting my peace, my time, and my space so that I can maintain my focus on what I am doing and who I am with right now. How about you? Will you answer my questionnaire (scroll down)?
As I enter into a new season of my own personal and professional development (via my last two semesters of graduate school), I am making a critical spiritually-based promise to myself and my family that I wanted to share with you, my audience and clients, also.
Before I get into the details of this promise, let me also say that I included my family in this promise because, besides getting my own oxygen first (i.e., parents put on oxygen mask first on an airplane to prevent passing out before they can help their child), they are my first priority and deserve my best. My oxygen, spiritually speaking, is continuing to grow and transform in my own personal walk with God.
Ok, so, my promise follows.
I promise to gratefully and gracefully live with love and excellence in this moment right now and to do the same for each moment today and every day.
~ Donna Marie Johnson, @leadlikeaqueen
my promise via @leadlikeaqueen
My Complex Promise Explained
This is a simply stated and complex promise. What this complex promise means is that I will:
* Be content right here right now in this moment.
* Be grateful for the people, resources and money that I have right now in this moment.
* Focus all of my best positive energy full of love and grace to engage with and be a blessing to whoever I am with right now in this moment.
* Focus all of my excellence to complete all assignments that I need to work on right now in this moment (in whatever area needs to be addressed… chores, work, school, etc.).
* Trust God with guiding my steps so that I am where I need to be right now.
* Trust God with placing the people around me He has destined for me to be with right now.
Living From My Core
I believe that the core of my being is to live each day with focused positive love and grace-filled energy and gratefulness. My core’s source is Christ Jesus himself. At my core, I am in the center of God’s will. And I believe that in times when I am tempted to step outside of the core of who I am, it’s usually when I am living in a place of fear, anxiety, anger, and/or spacing/vegging out. The great news at these times is that Father God always uses Holy Spirit within my core to guide me gracefully and lovingly as I wake up and step back into being present to who I am at my core. From the moment of that new choice, I am whole again and can keep moving forward.
In these times of great uncertainty and constant change, my promise helps me to keep walking in faith despite it all. It helps me remember who I am and whose I am. It supports me in getting back on track when I stumble and/or fail. I always know I can make a new choice in this moment right now, no matter the outcome of past choices. Because of God’s grace and mercy via Jesus’ shed blood, each moment for me is new, as I continue to be mindful of my promise and live from my core.
Complex Calling
Ultimately, I am very aware that I cannot serve anyone God has called me to serve without keeping Him at the center of my heart, mind and life at all times because my calling is very complex. There is no humanly possible way I can do all of this without HIM. (All of This = schooling at home, supporting my disabled spouse, attending grad school, re-building my business, writing, and speaking… and all while taking care of my own ‘oxygen’ needs first)
complex calling via @leadlikeaqueen
Want to Share Your Story With Me?
I want to keep encouraging you by continuing to share my own journey. Would you like to share the story of your journey as an author and/or speaker with me?
Question:
How do you stay focused on your personal relationship with Christ Jesus even in the face of your own fear, anxiety or failures, especially during these uncertain times?
Donna Marie Johnson, @leadlikeaqueen
<p class="has-drop-cap" value="<amp-fit-text layout="fixed-height" min-font-size="6" max-font-size="72" height="80">UPDATE: One of the huge reasons why my promise is important is to keep me from falling back into the patterns that unhealthy perfectionism created in the past. I used to lose myself in my academics and in my work so that I didn't leave enough room for relationships because I was always worried about school/work even while I was with other people. So, it caused me to be a mile away from them even though I was physically with them. I am still working on this, but, at least I am aware and intentionally working on it.UPDATE: One of the huge reasons why my promise is important is to keep me from falling back into the patterns that unhealthy perfectionism created in the past. I used to lose myself in my academics and in my work so that I didn’t leave enough room for relationships because I was always worried about school/work even while I was with other people. So, it caused me to be a mile away from them even though I was physically with them. I am still working on this, but, at least I am aware and intentionally working on it.
<p class="has-drop-cap" value="<amp-fit-text layout="fixed-height" min-font-size="6" max-font-size="72" height="80">My goal used to be to be perfect, especially when others could see me or see what I was doing. Now my goal is to just be present and excellent in this moment, trusting that Father God is using me to be a blessing to someone right here right now. This really takes the pressure off and helps me just be me and just serve.My goal used to be to be perfect, especially when others could see me or see what I was doing. Now my goal is to just be present and excellent in this moment, trusting that Father God is using me to be a blessing to someone right here right now. This really takes the pressure off and helps me just be me and just serve.
In taking my own advice about checking on your people, especially during this pandemic era, I have had to end my graduate school journey for now so I can support a family member who needs me to be fully present for them at this time. This was a truly tough choice, but as I looked back at my promise… and at the advice I’ve shared with others, I had to remember to live what I say. I am very sad about this choice, but I trust God to help me and my family despite my feelings and to help me get past my feelings.
Thank you so much for reading my blog and for participating in my surveys and research interviews. I know it is not everyone’s cup of tea, but for those of you who are truly “feeling me” or resonating with me, I am here for you. I am here to encourage and support you, especially Christian Women who are authors and speakers. The best way for me to support you is for me to understand you, your goals and your needs better. This is why I am conducting ongoing research via surveys and interview calls.
“I believe I am a queen in God’s kingdom and a selfless servant like Jesus. A queen impacts the world as a selfless servant and part of a community of sister queens, starting with her own family first, like how Ruth loyally served and supported Naomi.”
~ Manifesto Part 1 by Donna Marie Johnson
UPDATE ABOUT BASIC RESEARCH FINDINGS SO FAR…
* I surveyed and interviewed mostly Christian Women Leaders who are authors and speakers.
* Most do not understand the metrics/numbers for their audiences.
* Most want to grow their audiences.
There are other questions that I asked during interviews where I cannot share the answers publicly. I will summarize by saying that my Sister Queens have surprised and blessed me with their diversity and with their passion to continue serving and supporting their audiences and clients. One of the most common questions they had for me were qualifiers around whether or not other types of writers besides book writers should take the survey, and I said yes. Also, most of those who do training or teaching as part of their job at work did consider themselves as speakers, although that term is also a little ambiguous or confusing, at times.
TESTIMONIALS
Check out testimonials from clients and colleagues who have worked with me in the past.
“I have had the pleasure of collaborating with Donna Marie Johnson over the past several years on several projects. Donna has offered her expertise and contributed to my education blog and podcast for business women. She is knowledgeable, patient, and thorough, and her expertise shines through every time! Donna was fun to interview and offered my audience valuable insights that prove beneficial in their business endeavors.”
~ Demetria Zinga, Web Designer, Content Marketing Strategist, Teacher
HOW I SUPPORT AUTHORS AND SPEAKERS
I look forward to continuing to more effectively listen to and learn from my Sister Queens so I can continue supporting them better over time. Here are some of the ways I support them:
I have been holding free spring/summer seminar events locally in Atlanta with co-sponsorship from Fayette Public Library and other partners since 2014 called “Lead Like A Queen”.
In spring/summer of 2020, I held these free seminar events online because all public venues were shut down.
I provide consulting services including, but not limited to:
market research (understand your audience metrics better)
leadership strengths development (foundation for connecting with audience better)
other services customized to your specific needs (i.e., we edited and published a book to Kindle for Author/Life Coach Dee Salley)
What can I do to serve you better?
If you want to chat with me briefly to share your goals and needs, send me a text to request an appointment. Since it is back to school time for me as a graduate student and for my family of 2 teens and one young adult going to college, I have to be more flexible with my scheduling. After I hear from you, I will text you back with a proposed time for a brief 10-15 minute phone chat. After you share your goals and needs, I will give you a specific recommended service and price quote based on your goals and immediate needs.
~ Donna Marie Johnson, Founder of Lead Like A Queen | Mobile Number: +1(678)861-8121
![[UPDATED Research and Results] Survey for Authors and Speakers](https://leadlikeaqueen.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/blog-space-header.png?w=1024)
Lead Like A Queen Coaching and Consulting, LLC 