The other day I was speaking to one of my role models- Audrey Joy– singer, entrepreneur, pianist and all around wonderful person who never lets an obstacle stand in her way.
As Audrey said to me: “I’m your networking poster girl” and she truly is.
I met Audrey Joy, a blind musician (from birth) at my Rotary club in New York City where she was our pianist and singer. With fingers that fly on the keyboard that create beautiful music and a voice that would rival anyone on The Voice, she lights up any room she enters. She and I became friends when I was giving away a book one day at the club and just happened to say-“Who has a birthday in February?”
Audrey “sees” so much more than so many people when it comes to taking the initiative, creating a wonderful life and doing it all with a smile and a positive attitude in spite of any challenges that she has had to endure in her life. As she told me- “Music and Networking are my lifeblood”. She truly walks the talk.
She described how she started to network at an early age, she grew up in Long Island and Monticello New York, attended public schools- so she quickly learned how to “recruit & enlist helpers for guiding, reading, describing, and later, driving.” She now carries those skills to this day as she runs 2 businesses and has a performance career which also include her writing original songs. And whenever she takes public transportation or is waiting for the train, she always strikes up a conversation with the people around her.
As she says, this is the only way she knows and I still marvel how she gets around a city like New York or anywhere for that matter and does so with ease, skill and trust– and the world has been kind back to this amazing woman.
She told me the other day- it is all about ‘new beginnings’. She and her partner, Kalvin asked God and the universe for this– and what happened. Her emails got disrupted so they changed their email addresses, obtained new ones and eliminated the people who were keeping them from being productive and able to move forward. She looked at this as an opportunity.
Just to let you know what her morning ritual is–“As part of my morning workout, I walk up ten flights of stairs. Each flight consists of 7 steps, a landing, and then another 7. While ascending the first set of 7, I use a (positively “abundance” affirmation) and then during the 2nd set say “Up!
After arriving on the 12th floor, I use the first set to come down by saying something like “debts and expenses” and say down during the second set. ”
When Audrey called me and shared this story and to let me know that she hadn’t received a Nugget because her email had changed and to touch base as she always does, I realized what a true inspiration she is and she is the Real Deal. I wanted to reflect on what Audrey has taught me and I am thrilled to be able to highlight Audrey Joy- a person we can ALL learn from.
She reminded me of one of her quotes which is a true favorite of mine:
“If you have your health, you’re a millionaire!”