Mike Loner is the Chairman of the board of directors for Stella and Dot and also one of the keynote speakers at the event. His focus was primarily on happiness, whatever you define that as. If you want to be happy – gratitude has to be a part of your life. He gave examples of leaders who seemed to have it all going for them, but then have taken the time and have gotten themselves TRULY happy – they see success in not only their personal life but in their business!

Happiness isn’t something you pursuit its something you do every day, its something that comes from living a life filled with decisions that you know make you happy, its living a life of gratitude and understanding how you get to each stepping stone, that is where the “happy” we chase after will come from.

He went on to say “I am the luckiest man in the world – because of the woman in my life”, then he named his wife and why she is just perfect for him, his 2 daughters, Jessica Herrin, Blythe and even Danielle. He said the woman in my life shape who I am – and for that I am the luckiest man in the world. He gave me chills. He brought tears to my eyes. (The air conditioning must have been getting to me, who cry’s)

He told us a story about a young woman named Ruth Lorenzo who he met in London years ago. They got to talking one day after Church and his wife invited her to dinner. Ruth was able to talk to Mike about what she loved, singing and how she wanted to try out for  “X factor” for many seasons but she was in a relationship that was very controlling and prevented her from going on her own and doing something like that.

Eventually Ruth got the courage to be the Bold and Beautiful woman she was and she tried out … this is a video of her final audition. You can just feel the passion and desire in her voice and see if vibrate through her body and to the ends of her fingers and the tips of her toes.

xo