Category: Empowerment

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E Commerce Economy – Plan B?

The Evolved Economy and Isagenix

This philosophy is what changed my lifestyle from – 60 hour commuting work weeks – reporting to people and making others tons of money and me a great living but no financial security and no down time.

My life has been transformed:

  • from purpose-less to purpose-filled – knowing my future was in my control
  • I am experiencing a new level of health and wellness from the inside out
  • to feeling 20 years younger
  • I have more sustained energy – I got rid of the highs and lows still being an energizer bunny!
  • Today I am always on high sustained energy withOUT dips or exhaustion

What if just one of these changes can happen for you? WHAT IF?

Message me if just a tinch of hope was felt in your body – THIS IS THE EVOLVED ECONOMY! MY PERSONAL GOAL IS TO EMPOWER WOMAN TO AN EXTRAORDINARY LIFE WITH HEALTH AND WEALTH!!!

You know they say there is nothing sexier than a woman with money . . . and American Express just released a survey that 500 Woman a day are started home based businesses. It is also a very well known fact that Woman create wealth and use it for very good causes . . .
And, a woman that is emotionally free, caring and giving to others whether it is her family or friends with no stress of financial monthly expenses but abundance and freedom to contribute – is who I am looking to co-create a business and a life with!!

Are you up to the challenge? Contact Me

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Want a lifetime of better brain function; science says change this one habit

better brain function

It’s a simple change. But not an easy one.

We all want brains that function at their best, today, tomorrow, and–we hope–for the rest of our lives. What can we do to make that happen? To try and answer that question, scientists at Massachusetts General Hospital studied 17 “superagers,” people over 65 who have the mental function of those in their 20s. The goal was to find out if there were any observable differences between superager brains and normal brains, and if so, whether the rest of us could use that information to give ourselves better brain function through the years.

The answers are yes and yes. Superager brains were thick in places where the control groups were thin. But they weren’t, as you might guess, the areas related to cognitive processes, the kinds of brain matter that may be aided by things like crossword puzzles and online brain games. They were areas associated with strong emotion, which researchers have discovered in recent years also perform other important brain functions, as researcher Lisa Feldman Barrett explained recently in The New York Times.

So how do we keep these emotional centers humming? You might think the answer would be to watch a really sad movie or throw the occasional temper tantrum, but it’s much simpler and much harder than that, Barrett says. It comes down to this: Stop only doing what’s easy and pleasant. If you’re in a great routine at work, break out of it by adding new responsibilities. If you’ve got an effective workout that you can do without even giving it much thought, add some new elements or up the ante by making it longer and more intense.

In short, do stuff that’s difficult. Challenge yourself, and keep challenging yourself until you encounter enormous frustration. And then push on through that frustration and try some more.

Whether you actually achieve your objective isn’t the point–the point is to push yourself just a little beyond your limits. In other words, get outside your comfort zone. Strangely, it doesn’t seem to matter whether the limits you push are mental or physical. Both strenuous physical effort, such as a challenging hike, or strenuous mental effort, such as mastering a difficult math equation, will do the trick. Barrett points to the Marine motto, “Pain is weakness leaving the body.” Superagers, she explains, are like Marines. “They excel at pushing past the temporary unpleasantness of extreme effort.”

Sounds like a good idea–but not sure how to achieve a Marine-like effort. Here are some ideas:

1. Learn to play a musical instrument.

Make it an instrument you haven’t played before, and set yourself the task of playing a complete piece or song in front of your family, friends, or co-workers. For extra pressure, plan a date when you will give this performance and invite your family and friends to hear you play.

2. Study a language you don’t know.

Or take a language you know a little to the next level. Set yourself a deadline to read (and understand) a book in that language. Or book a vacation to a country where the language is spoken and force yourself to talk to the locals in their native language even if they offer to speak English.

3. Sign up for a triathlon (or other challenging event).

If you’re not a triathlete and hate the idea of biking, swimming, and running, find something else that will push you to your limits. Sign up for CrossFit or martial arts or with your local hiking or skiing club. Make sure to commit to something that’s a little harder than whatever you normally do. Then push yourself to do it.

4. Get up onstage.

Does stretching yourself emotionally work as well as stretching yourself mentally or physically? Barrett doesn’t say, but it seems logical that it would. So book yourself to give a speech or lead a panel if you’ve never done it before. If you’re an old hand at giving speeches, try an improv, acting, or singing class. Just remember, whatever it is has to be a big challenge for you. If it isn’t difficult–if it isn’t a stretch–it won’t do you any good.

Source: inc.com ~ By: Minda Zetlin ~

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How to Have an Attitude of Gratitude

Attitude of Gratitude

It is that time of year when giving thanks is top of mind. The holiday season, and Thanksgiving in particular, causes us to think about all of the special things in our lives and express gratitude for them. This is a favorite time of year for many, in large part because we are surrounded by loved ones and visibly reminded of all that we have to be grateful for.

If you’re like me, you wish this feeling could last all year long. Just imagine feeling proud, thankful, and joyful on an ongoing basis, not only during the holiday season.

A major step in that direction is developing an “Attitude of Gratitude,” according toNew York Times best-selling author Lewis Howes. Howes writes extensively about cultivating a grateful mindset in his highly-inspirational new book, The School of Greatness. As Howes simply says, “Life is better if you develop an attitude of gratitude.”

But what exactly does that mean and how do we do it?

An attitude of gratitude means making it a habit to express thankfulness and appreciation in all parts of your life, on a regular basis, for both the big and small things alike. As Howes puts it, “If you concentrate on what you have, you’ll always have more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you’ll never have enough.”

Here is a menu of tactics (just pick a few!) he endorses to help develop this mindset:

    • Wake up every day and express to yourself what you are grateful for
    • Tell whoever you are with at the end of the day the 3 things you are most grateful for
    • Tell whoever you are with right now (significant other, friend, family member, etc.) the 3 things that you are most grateful for in this moment
    • Start a gratitude journal – Express gratitude in this journal every night by noting the things that you are grateful for, proud of, and excited about
    • Acknowledge yourself for what you have done and accomplished in the last day/week/month/year. Instead of comparing yourself to others, give yourself credit for the big and small things you have been doing!
    • Acknowledge other people and thank them for inspiring/helping/supporting you – oftentimes people wait their whole lives to be acknowledged (and yet it happens far too infrequently)!

If the gratitude process is hard to get started, begin by asking yourself, “What could I be grateful for?”, and see if the ideas start to flow. This is a mindset habit that is recommended by Tony Robbins in his book, Awaken the Giant Within.

Every day won’t be perfect, but focusing on what we are grateful for tends to wash away feelings of anger and negativity.

And in addition to improving mood, recent studies show that feeling and expressing gratitude leads to better physical health as well. Paul Mills, a Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, conducted studies that looked at the role of gratitude on heart health.

Among other things, he found that participants who kept a journal most days of the week, writing about 2-3 things they were grateful for (everything from appreciating their children to travel and good food), had reduced levels of inflammation and improved heart rhythm compared to people who did not write in a journal. And the journal-keepers also showed a decreased risk of heart disease after only 2 months of this new routine!

So try adopting some of the above tactics, even just one or two, in order to develop an overall grateful mindset. It takes a bit of work, but having an attitude of gratitude is one of the most impactful habits for a fulfilling and healthy life.

Here’s to Thanksgiving all year round!

Source: huffingtonpost.com ~ By Andrew Merle

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This 60-Second Morning Habit Can Transform the Rest of Your Day

Life as an entrepreneur is difficult, at times.

A few years ago, I found myself simultaneously going through a marital divorce, a business divorce, and major back surgery. The stakes and tensions were high, especially with three kids and 50 employees impacted by the outcomes.

The strain of keeping day-to-day operations running smoothly while juggling both weighty conflicts was not easy most of the time. And for the rest of the time, it was downright overwhelming.

After losing a lot of sleep, not having the energy to go to the gym, and gaining weight, I decided to do some research and find better techniques to more effectively manage the stress I was experiencing. I decided to reignite my meditation practice and reinforce my good routines for getting better sleep, both of which helped immensely.

However, there was one new thing I tried that made an even more remarkable difference and has had a lasting impact on my life.

Throughout my research, I stumbled on articles by Robert Emmons on gratitude. I learned that in times of deep hardship and despair, according to Emmons’s research, finding things to be thankful for helps buoy our emotional state and increases our resilience.

One of the key points Emmons makes is that you don’t need to feel grateful. He argues that you should find things in your life to be grateful for.

After a few conversations with some close friends, we made a Facebook group challenge to start our mornings by sharing five things we were grateful for each day. Our goal was to do this for 90 days and to not repeat any single gratitude during that time.

At this point, many of us have completed multiple 90-day gratitude challenges. We’ve invited friends and they’ve invited their friends. The group now has almost 2,000 people, with hundreds of postings every day.

As a result of getting into this habit, I’ve noticed several things that really impact my day-to-day frame of mind and general mood:

1. Specific gratitudes are more powerful than general ones

In the beginning, I was posting things like “sunshine” and “fresh air.” Because we couldn’t repeat, I started to get more specific: “Morning sunshine that casts a wonderful glow over the city in the morning” and “breathing in fresh air standing on my balcony as I drink my morning coffee.”

I realized that these ideas and images were much more tangible and memorable. They stuck with me longer throughout the day. And some of them I remember months and even years later.

2. Gratitude changes how you look at the world

After a few weeks of posting, I found that I was seeing the world differently. Knowing that I was going to have to post five gratitudes the next morning, I began to look for things to be grateful for during my day.

Even simple things became aha! moments for discovering new posts. As a result, daily events that would have otherwise been monotonous became moments of appreciation.

3. Gratitude changes how you look at yourself

It’s true that while looking out at the world searching for reasons to be thankful, you start to change your internal wiring.

You develop a muscle for learning from difficult situations and make change an opportunity to improve and rebuild because you are forcing yourself to see the good.

4. Gratitudes create amazing connections to other people

The Facebook group began with just a few people who all knew one another, and it grew from there. Seeing one another’s posts, and those of hundreds of other people, gave us new insight into our lives and our minds. It was enormously powerful to see the posts of other participants.

Starting a gratitude challenge is great when you find yourself needing a mental boost–and it’s just as powerful when you’re on top of the world. Your mind needs exercise and training to perform well, the same way muscles need to lift weights to get strong.

Gratitudes are the free weights for your mind, which, over time, will build fortitude and resilience.

Source: inc.com ~ By Bruce Eckfeldt Founder, Eckfeldt & Assoc. ~ Image: inc.com

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Adjusting to Life as an Entrepreneur

Life as an Entrepreneur

My palms were clammy, and my heart was pumping blood to my face so quickly that I was sure my cheeks were already beet red. It was a moment I’d been dreading — putting in my two weeks’ notice. I knew it would come as a shock, mostly because I really did love my job and the people I worked with. But deep down, the desire for freedom — to steer my own ship — won out. I knew that as long as that itch was there, I’d never be able to ignore it. I’d be living a lie.

Up until that point, the most surprising thing to me was that when I told close, trusted friends that I was going to quit my job, the response wasn’t “Are you crazy!?” like I was expecting. Instead, they said, “I wish I had the courage to do that.”

I’ll be honest. This wasn’t the first job I’ve left, but it was the best job I left.

It has always fascinated me how people resign themselves to clocking in and out every day. They waste time and energy convincing themselves that they need the job to survive, and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Expenses inflate, and all of a sudden they’re trapped in a cycle they can’t break.

Don’t let that happen to you. There are some key things you can do to make sure your transition to self-employment, when you decide to make it, is as seamless as possible. This will probably be the toughest part, but if you can overcome these first five steps, you’ll have the heavy lifting behind you.

10 Tips for Leaving Your 9-5 and Adjusting to Life as an Entrepreneur

Keep your expenses low.

Easier said than done, but this is what your self-employment success will hinge on. Lower expenses mean greater flexibility. Keep the business of YOU lean, and reduce your overhead costs as much as possible. This means having a roommate (or two), not giving in to your shopping habits, and watching every discretionary expense. For some, this might be too much, and I’m not saying you can’t have little splurges every now and then. But if you are reliant on your full paycheck to fuel your lifestyle, you will never get your freedom.

Establish a parachute fund.

Trust me, decisions are so much easier when you have a stash of cash handy. Personally, I have about 3-6 months’ worth of expenses, which is lean for some, but as a single person with no dependents and a steady stream of rental/dividend income, it’s plenty. I typically reinvest most of my rental/dividend income, but I know that if I have higher than average expenses one month, I could just re-divert those dividends for a month to knock out the unexpected expense and be okay. I’ve never had to do this though — it’s definitely for a true emergency, which happens rarely.

I left my job mainly because I had so much going on outside of work that I felt the job was getting in my way. That is the “problem” you want to have, but it’s not going to happen unless you build up other potential streams of income. I’ve invested in rental properties, built up a real estate brokerage business, doing freelance writing/social media work, run my own personal finance blog, and flipped textbooks — and I’m still getting pitched different job opportunities without me even asking.

The key to this is always hustling and being open to what comes your way. Just like with money, your hustle will have a compound effect over time. When I officially left my job, I had three more people approach me about working with them. It truly is a snowball, and every skill you add makes the snowball even bigger.

Remember that you’re not alone.

Don’t forget that everyone, at one point or another, has been where you are. Some of them wish to be where you are. You probably expect people to tell you that you’re crazy like I expected. That’s natural, but you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how many will actually look up to you. Some may even follow in your footsteps and pull the trigger as well! In the end, you have to live for yourself, but remember that you’re not alone, even when it seems like you are in certain isolated moments.

This is not forever!

I’ll admit I fall victim to black-and-white thinking all the time, too. Just because you are leaving your job doesn’t mean you will never be able to get another one! If trying the whole entrepreneur thing for a while tells you that it’s not the right fit, you can always go back to traditional employment. Being an entrepreneur is NOT for everyone, so don’t feel guilty if it just isn’t right for you.

After The Talk

So, you did it. After rehearsing what you were going to say and summoning up the courage to have that dreaded, painful conversation with your employer, you officially have turned in your two weeks. They’ll go by faster than you think, as you’ll be busy tying up loose ends.

What’s next, you ask?

Here are some tips to ensure your first week as an entrepreneur is a productive one.

Continue with a routine.

When I was working, I would wake up around 6:00 a.m. I’ve found that I would wake up tired and grumpy, regardless of what time I went to bed the previous evening. The important thing here is to pay attention to how your body feels and adjust accordingly. Now I wake up a little later, usually between 7:00 and 8:00. Some entrepreneurs are probably appalled at how late that is! But I have found that by doing just that one thing, I feel better and don’t succumb to the customary afternoon haze.

However, to make sure I was sticking to that timeline, I scheduled appointments my first week at either 8:00 or 9:00 a.m. There’s nothing like a client appointment early in the morning to light a fire under your behind. Whatever you want your routine to be, plan it out and stick to it. Everybody is going to have a different style so what works for me may not work for you.

Have a designated work area.

For me, it’s my kitchen table. I know that if I have my laptop with me at the table, it means business. I’m not doing my work in bed or on the sofa because it’s just that tempting to procrastinate and turn Netflix on.

If I find that I really need to pound some work out, I either go to a coffee shop or a local free co-working space. The energy there alone is often enough to pep me up even more and get me in the zone.

Talk to people.

This goes beyond your first week (as should all the steps, really), but set up meetings with people ahead of time. Maybe it’s an acquaintance that you’ve been meaning to catch up with but haven’t found the time to. Or perhaps it’s someone new you met at a networking event. You completely control your own schedule now — so fill it!

I can’t highlight this point enough. My network has grown exponentially because I take the time to sit down and get to know people one-on-one; in fact, I prefer it this way! You can really get to know someone, and as an entrepreneur, you can truly never know too many people.

It’s okay to reward yourself with food/coffee.

This may not apply to you (boy, do I feel sad for you if that’s the case), but I love food. I don’t drag my feet much, but if I find that I need to work on a project that I just don’t really feel all that excited about, I head to Bruegger’s Bagels. Feel free to go wherever you want. In my city, there are a few spots that are Bruegger’s and Caribou Coffee combined. I know — heaven, right!?

You have to tempt the little kid inside of you sometimes, and that’s totally okay. As soon as I’m on my way to Bruegger’s/Caribou, I find that I look forward to working on whatever it is that I need to work on. It’s like magic!

Set up a to-do list or goal checklist.

My previous employer turned me onto a nifty Google Chrome extension called Momentum, which makes opening a new tab a reminder of what your main priority is for the day, along with a pretty picture and a to-do list on the sidebar. And I know you (like me) open a lot of tabs. It allows you to check things off, prioritize, and be inspired with a little quote and a picture, all in one minimalist little dashboard.

It doesn’t matter how you do it, but having a list of what you want to accomplish for the week is super helpful. That way, if you find that you have a moment where you’re not working on anything productive, you can re-focus your mind just by referencing your to-do list. Aim to have everything checked off by the end of the week!

Your Future is Bright

Leaving your 9-5 (I’m personally not a big fan of the word “quitting”) is difficult, regardless of the individual circumstances surrounding your decision. Growing up, getting a corporate job was just what was expected. I am so glad that I’ve learned that being entrepreneurial and going my own way is not “weird” — frankly, it’s darn courageous. I hope this article helps you make the leap when you’re ready. This is where the fun really begins!

(If you liked this article, be on the lookout for a follow-up from me on how I’m building up my real estate business! Even if you’re not a broker, it should give you some business insights that are applicable to any industry.)

Source: biggerpockets.com ~ By:  ~ Image: Canva Pro

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