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In
conversation
with
SHIRLEY W. MITCHELL
Shirley W.
Mitchell,
is a member of several Business and Professional Associations. She
attended Alabama College at Montevallo, AL; Auburn University at
Auburn, AL and Jacksonville State College at Jacksonville, AL. Her
Website System is known as "The Shirley System" - consisting of 15
Websites and 13 Blogs. She is the Author of "Fabulous
after 50® - Finding Fulfillment for Tomorrow""
and "Sensational
after 60® - Loving Life All Over Again",
and Co-Author of "101
Great Ways To Improve Your Life",
"Love Notes for Mom" and "Love Notes for Dad".
Empowered since her youth, to make lives better for those around
her, this Positive Lady laughs at the word "Retirement" ! Her
passion and knowledge of Dynamic Aging build instant rapport with
audiences. Her life shines as an example of "Positive Aging". A
Woman who is strong in her Passions, Hopes & Dreams; who enjoys
Inspiring others to Live Life with Fullness, and with an Adventure
to Grow Spiritually. She passionately embraces aging, and growing
gracefully in the passage of years.
A
Top Author, Writer & Speaker on Aging, Seniors and the Baby Boomer
Generation, she has appeared on many National and Local Radio & TV
Shows, and is the "Celebrity
Radio Talk Show Host" of the Top-Rated "Aired and Archived" "Aging
Outside the Box®" Syndicated Radio Show. She also has a Second
Branded Radio Show at "Aging
Outside the Box®-Christian Spiritual Sparks™ on WBXR-am1140 in
Huntsville-AL and
KXKS-am1190 in Albuquerque-NM, which are owned and operated by
Wilkins Communications Network, Inc. "Columnist of the "Fabulous
after Fifty™" Newspaper Column for 19 years running, and the
Syndicated Column, "Spiritual
Sparks for Baby Boomers™"; a regular Contributing
Columnist-Writer for "Senior
Lifestyle Magazine", "Senior
Evangelism Partnership" and "Passionate
for Life Magazine". She has an On-Line Newsletter at "Passionate
Sparks™".*
*Introduction
excerpts source
Pauline:
Thank you
Shirley for giving us the time & the privilege of this
interview.
Shirley:
Hi Pauline,
It’s a pleasure.
Pauline:
I just
have to tell you …yet again… that you are such an inspiration to me
and I am sure will be to our readers once they get to know you more
closely after this interview. Tell me when did this inspiring
journey start for you? When did you know you wanted to be a writer,
and the subjects you chose to write about & the other very many
things you do to make a difference?
Shirley:
Pauline- We serve an awesome
God! Nothing is impossible with HIM! I was raised on a cotton farm,
working the fields with grandmother, grandfather, uncles, aunts,
cousins, mom and dad, brother and sister.
I graduated with high
honors from high school. The first year I attend Alabama College at
Montevallo, AL, my first grade for my first freshman theme, in
Freshman English 101 was a big red F, with a note from my teacher
(this is the worse theme I have read!). I went to my dorm room, put
my head under the pillow on my bed and cried. I prayed, Lord, I’m
too dumb to attend college.
After college I
married and had children. I grew in my Christian walk attending my
local church. One morning during my quiet time, I prayed, Lord, I’m
yours, whatever you have for me to do I will do. The phone rang just
as I got off my knees. It was a National Representative of CHRISTIAN
WOMEN’S CLUB. She informed me they were beginning a new chapter in
my county. She asked me to be prayer chairman. I immediately said
yes.
My participation in
the Christian Women’s Club proved to be a huge blessing in my life.
That was in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. The CWC produced a
National Magazine called PROGRESS. I sent in an article to the
editor MY SPECIAL VOCATION, wife, mother, home maker. The publisher
accepted the article and put my picture on the cover. The response
from this article sparked my passion to write to encourage women and
spread the gospel.
Pauline:
What would
you attribute your success too?
Shirley:
I
attribute my success to a calling from Jesus Christ. The passion to
encourage women and spread the gospel proved to be the spark that
created a huge fire in my heart to write, speak, and participate in
radio and television. From that time on, I have worked hard getting
out books, researching for speeches, and traveling to events, and
writing a weekly newspaper column in my local newspaper. Being
involved has broadened my circle of life, kept me reading, learning,
and keeping up with current events. This line of work has certainly
enriched my life and given me more depth in the Bible. My
persistence plus passion equals pizzazz!
Pauline:
Adlandpro,
being an Internet Marketers Community, we are definitely interested
to know to what degree has marketing yourself online contributed to
your high level of success?
Shirley:
I’ll
have to give credit to my agent for the tremendous success created
on the internet. He saw my vision for my dreams and passions. 7
years ago, he bought space on the Internet and has skillfully used
that space to put our books, radio shows and events into
cyberspace. The social sites, websites, blogs, have given us a huge
presence. My Agent handles everything for me that concern the
Internet.
Pauline:
Who was it
that inspired you the most through your journey …how & why?
Shirley:
The feed
back from people whose lives have been enriched. The number of
individuals who came to the faith. The many friends I’ve made
across the country. And my Agent who made me aware of just how much
the World Wide Web could contribute to my "Presence".
Pauline:
With
recession came depression, what would be your advice to those hit
severely by it?
Shirley:
Stay close to the faith. Get back to basics. Dinner at home every
night with the family around the table will spark conversation and
closeness. We as a country, as we cut back on buying things, will
realize we do not need that much extra stuff. I have simplified my
life by downsizing, and having only the simple furniture and
appliances that I need to live. This is a good time to help others
who are in need. Many churches are helping their church flock to
find jobs. The church family is very important during times of
depression or illness.
Pauline:
On a more
lighter note I just have to ask you this: What is
Shirley
like on a day at home, yes that’s when you’re not working…just
relaxing & taking a break?
Shirley:
Oh, you
know, Pauline I’ll be reading 2 or 3 books. I enjoy good quality
television, like the Hallmark Channel. I will spend a small amount
of time checking up on the news. I love to lunch with friends. I
have 10 Grandchildren and 1 Great-Grandchild. When I have a leisure
day it’s fun to take my youngest, Lawrence and JoAnna, to the Pizza
Hut and then to a movie of their choice and eat pop corn. I enjoy
relaxing with a cup of specialty coffee, or hot tea. And I enjoy
viewing all the places on the Internet that I have been placed.
Pauline:
Is there
anything in particular you would like to tell our readers?
Shirley
Yes, just want to say
that
my focus is on AGING OUTSIDE THE
BOX®. As we age we should radiate the light of Jesus. During the
sunset years of our lives, we should focus on a deepening love
affair with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Time in Bible study, meditation, and prayer is time well spent. As
we age we gain wisdom, the ability to love deeper, and the
opportunity to accomplish the things on our bucket list.
Pauline:
I on behalf
of ADLANDPRO would like to thank
you SHIRLEY once again for
doing this interview for us.
Well there you are friends, I hope you enjoyed getting to know
Shirley, Next edition will feature a guest from a very different
field of entertainment…so look out !!! |
