Michelle Beaulieu Pillen	The Week of February 27th, 2005

Goal Sister

1. What’s in your wallet right now?

$35.25, soccer trading cards of my kids, my Driver’s License, ATM card, Safeway Club card, Costco card, Macy’s card, MasterCard, Hawaii State library card, Authors Guild card, National PTA card, Honolulu Academy of Art card, Friends of the Waikiki Aquarium card, insurance cards, coffee club cards, craft club card, bookstore cards, appointment card for my next haircut, various receipts, Aloha Airlines ticket stubs, used Shangri La Tour ticket, and a sticker from a New Orleans Spirit tours.

2. What do you wish your parents taught you about money?

My parents taught me that it was important to save and invest money. Unfortunately, I must’ve been outside playing kickball when they explained HOW to save and invest money.

3. What is your worst habit around finances?

Overspending on books and CDs for me, and going overboard on presents for family members and friends. To ease my guilt, I cook a lot of bean burrito and chili (more beans!) dinners after I pay the monthly credit card bills.

4. What makes you happy?

Waking up to birds singing and my first cup of coffee. Laughing. Holding hands with my husband. Creating art for art’s sake. Exploring new places. Supporting others to face their fears. Being in nature. Empowering others. Completing a challenging task. Stopping myself before I repeat past mistakes. Watching my children grow. Having intense conversations with close friends. Swimming in the ocean.

5. Personal philosophy around money?

My philosophy around money has evolved as I have evolved. As a kid, I learned that doing a good job on my chores equaled earning money to buy records. As a young woman, I wanted to pursue a career in art, but got the message that I wouldn’t make money making art. So, I changed majors and my strategy: make money from my day job so I can do what I love. I got married, graduated with a PhD, and joined the work force. Unexpectedly, I liked my day job and thrived. I didn’t like the people I worked for, so I started my own consulting business. While my business made money, the costs on my young family was too high. I began paying attention to the people I worked with, noticing who I liked collaborating with and who could pay me well. I was impressed with a consultant’s presentation and got his attention with my work. Six months later, Jay Bell hired me to be part of his amazing research team. I’m still employed part-time through Jay’s firm, which has afforded me many opportunities to pursue other interests (like writing a book) that don’t yet pay my bills. Using mindfulness has also helped me to keep spiritually and financially balanced.

6. Where does money come from?

I wish it came from trees because we have plenty of them in our backyard!

7. What would you do with a million dollars?

My son asks me this question at least once a week, so it’s easy to answer – I would build a retreat center/sanctuary on a beach on the island of Kauai. It would be a place where folks could come to create art or music, dance, sew, cook, garden, swim, build sand castles, play, talk story, meditate, heal, learn a new way to be, take a break from life. People would have opportunities to learn how to transfer this experience into their lives. Most of the money would go toward operating expenses, although a chunk would be set aside to start a foundation that supports efforts to build similar retreat canters/sanctuaries in other communities.

8. What is your most prized possession?

My prized possessions are my wedding ring, locks of my daughter’s hair, a blue band I wore as part of a 6th grade lesson on prejudice, audio recordings of my grandma and grandpa, my son’s “Supper Mom” comic strip, and cards and letters from loved ones.

9. Who is your role model?

My role models are my dad, for creating a way to keep our family in Hawaii while he climbed the corporate career ladder, and my mom, for showing me that it’s possible to be a mom, wife, and have a fulfilling career.

10. What is your greatest achievement?

Haven’t achieved it yet! I feel like there’s something else I’m supposed to do, something that combines my talents, experiences, and different parts of my life, something that will challenge me and others, and bring much joy and prosperity to all involved.

11. How did you become a Goal Sister?

Back in 1993, I was a happily married working mom, with 2 children under 4 years old. My job of 2 years was wearing on me: I spent many hours away from my family and my morale was at an all-time low. That’s when I began exploring the option of starting my own business. I didn’t know anyone who had taken this kind of leap, so I educated myself about the necessary steps. My husband and close friends were supportive of my explorations, but I yearned to talk with someone who knew I was crazy to want to leave such a secure well-paying job – but who would encourage me to do it anyway, someone who had nothing to gain or lose from my starting my own business. That someone was Ann Leach, a friend who worked in another department of the same agency. After sharing my goals with Ann, we started meeting weekly over lunch. She gave me helpful resources, encouraged me to think big, and nudged me to achieve my career goals. It was the beginning of our Goal Sister friendship! Since then, we’ve given each other support and kept each other accountable around all kinds of personal and professional goals. We even wrote a book about the process. Goal Sisters: Live the Life You Want With A Little Help From Your Friends was published in April 2004 by New World Library.

12. What contributions to society do you want to make?

Besides empowering women with the Goal Sister process, I’d like to raise confident, creative, caring children. Anything else I contribute to society will be icing on my life’s cake!

13. If you could buy one thing right now what would it be?

A Fernando Reyes oil painting of a giant tree. It brings me back to carefree days, looking up to the sky through the leaves and branches of towering monkey pod trees. My goal is to someday hang that painting, or another one by Fernando, in my home or at the retreat center.

14. Favorite activity that doesn’t cost a dime?

Drawing, journaling, or reading on my big comfy bed while listening to music.

15. How do you indulge yourself?

Spending a weekday morning feeding the koi, drawing, and journaling at my favorite nearby Buddhist temple.

Michelle Beaulieu Pillen is the co-author of Goal Sisters: Live the Life You Want With A Little Help From Your Friends. She and friend Ann Leach created the Goal Sister process as a way to have fun while supporting and nudging each other to achieve their goals. Michelle drew the artwork for the book’s inside cover and is most proud of developing the Goal Sisters website, www.goalsisters.com.

Michelle's day jobs over the past 18 years have included stints as a therapist, program evaluator, and researcher in mental health and HIV/AIDS. Michelle lives in her childhood home in Kailua, Oahu, with her handsome psychologist husband, their fully blossoming teenage daughter, and their ukulele playing pre-teen son.

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