CELEBRATING YOUR STAMPIN' UP! ACCOMPLISHMENTS FROM ...

alancingact
savoring
every moment
kristi stoughton
executive
Hudson, New Hampshire
Monthly Events: 10–12
Average Monthly Sales: $3,251
Kristi’s advice for
new demonstrators:
“Be wise about how you spend your
time,” she says. “Pacing yourself
is the key to longevity. Don’t aim
to be a shooting star, burning hot
and bright for a short period of
time—aim to be a real star, burning
steadily for years and years. Step
back for a moment and ask yourself,
‘Will this activity help me grow my
business?’ Make goals and to-do
lists that you follow faithfully. Don’t
look at the big picture and say, ‘I
can’t.’ Break it into steps and say, ‘I
can do this one thing, and then I
can do this next thing.’ Those little
actions build upon themselves.”
Maintaining a healthy balance
between business and family
allows Kristi Stoughton, an
executive from Hudson, New
Hampshire, to live life to its
fullest and enjoy every moment
she spends with her family.
That’s not to say that finding
and maintaining that balance
doesn’t take work. “Life is busy
and there are so many demands
that it’s easy to lose sight of
what’s valuable,” Kristi says.
“Sometimes I start spending
my time on whatever need
is the ‘loudest,’ not the most
important.” But finding the
right balance is worth the effort
and the discipline it takes to
maintain. “My sons were just
babies when I became a Stampin’
Up! demonstrator,” Kristi
comments, “and now my oldest
is a sophomore in high school.
The time goes so fast, and I
want to savor every moment. I
definitely don’t want to miss my
children’s growing-up years by
spending all my time working
on swaps!”
To avoid wasting valuable time,
Kristi diligently manages her
business schedule. “I evaluate
each activity to make sure it is
something that will actually
grow my business and not just
busywork,” says Kristi. Adding
that to the advice of her upline,
Family: Husband Brian; sons Cameron (15) and Colby (12)
Amy Johnson, Kristi has
employed a couple of “stampin’
angels” who cut and sort for
camps and classes, pack her
workshop folders, and make
door prizes, along with “a
million other duties.” “Having
stampin’ angels has allowed me
to focus on the businessgrowing
aspects of my business,
so I have more time to spend
with my family.”
Kristi credits her husband and
two sons for helping her
maintain a healthy balance
between work and home. “My
husband, Brian, is my biggest
cheerleader and supporter. We
talk about what direction my
business should take, and he
has the best insight on how to
balance work and family. He is
truly my partner in this
business, just as he is my
partner in everything. My sons,
Cam and Colby, help me find
balance and perspective by just
being who they are. They are so
hysterically funny, and they
keep me from taking myself too
seriously. They help me laugh
and enjoy life, which is a very
important part of balance.”
Goal setting has also played a
large role in Kristi’s success and
in her ability to find and
maintain balance in her life.
Kristi admits she has a “lovehate
relationship with goal
setting, but I can tell you one
thing—it works!” Goal setting
allows Kristi to “pace myself
instead of just working like a
crazy woman all the time. It also
gives me specific actions to take
instead of just wondering what I
need to do next. There’s real
freedom in being able to say, ‘I’ve
finished all of the goal steps on
my to-do list today. I think I’m
going to go play a game with my
kids, and then I’m going to take
a bubble bath.’”
For Kristi, a balanced life is
“putting first things first—using
my time and energy on the
most important things in life.
In my case, that means putting
God and family first. I find that
if I keep the correct priorities,
the rest falls into place.” ■
14 www.stampinup.com