Why resolutions set you up for failure

Traditionally, this is the time of year lots of people reflect on the resolutions they set at the beginning of the year. Realizing many of their “this time I will do it” resolutions resulted in giving up, they are preparing for the next round of resolutions. Often,  they will set the same ones in the coming year as they did the previous year.

The most common being:

• Lose weight


• Eat healthy


• Exercise


• Quit smoking


• Get out of debt


• Drink less (or quit all together)


• Get in a relationship


• Get out of a relationship


• Quit their job


• Find a new job

According to Nielsen.com at the beginning of 2015, “Health and wellness were top priorities for U.S. consumers as January took hold, as data from a new Nielsen survey highlight how “staying fit and healthy” is our top resolution, coming in at 37%, followed closely by “lose weight” (32%). And based on the survey results, just a handful of us are throwing in the towel and not making any resolutions (16%).”

Guess what? It’s likely health and wellness are at the top for a great majority of people as we move into 2016. Yet, the likelihood of those who begin their health regime at the start of the year and sticking with their goal longer than a few weeks is minimal at best.

It’s the same with quitting smoking and drinking. Those who are using January 1st as their target date to quit are likely to pick up a cigarette or drink within a very short period of time.

And then you have those who swear they will make dramatic changes in their business starting in the new year. Whether it be to organize their office, improve on time management, or do a better job at reaching out to past clients and prospecting for new clients, their intentions are sincere, but their behaviors will likely not match their intentions.

Thus, more resolutions are finding their way into the pit of frustration and the cemetery of good intentions. The reality is this; waiting until a specific date (in this case, January 1st) to make much needed changes that can be started right here, right now, is keeping you stuck.

Those who will stick with their goals are those who are not waiting. They are willing to put their stake in the ground and do what needs to be done immediately.

In the case of health and fitness, if your health is in need of improvement, why in the world would you wait another six weeks to make the necessary changes? If your health is that important to you, start today.

If you keep saying to yourself, “I really need to quit smoking,” do you really think waiting another six weeks is going to give you the motivation you need to put cigarettes down once and for all.

Now before anyone says, “Kathleen, you don’t understand. Quitting smoking is really hard!” Yes, I do understand. I quit in April of 1994. When I lit up for the last time I had had it. I was done. I didn’t need to wait for a specific date to make that decision.

With your business, can you really afford to wait six more weeks to pick up the phone to prospect? Can you wait until January 1st to get more organized? Are a few more weeks going to give you more desire to reach out to clients you haven’t spoken to in  a while? Why not make those changes today?

Over the past week, I’ve had several conversations with quite a few entrepreneurs who say they absolutely must generate more money in their businesses. A simple solution for generating more money is to immediately get rid of any distractions that are keeping you from the very activities that will generate revenues.

It’s actually quite simple to do this. Not always easy, but definitely simple. You make a decision. Once the decision is made, you stick with it. Simple.

What is it that you want to commit to in the coming year? On a scale of 1 – 10, with ten being incredibly important, how important is this change for you?

If you’re closer to a 10 than a 1, why would you wait six weeks to make the change? Why not start today?

Are you ready to live the life you claim you want? If the answer is yes, today is the day to begin. No excuses…. just the actions to support your claim.

One way to make positive changes in your business is to have the right resources. Click here to discover one of the best resources to get you on track for a great year.

 

 

Why resolutions set you up for failure

Why it takes more than intentions for success to occur

I’m on a flight returning from a couple of days of high energy, teaching, networking, inspiration and motivation. I had the opportunity to keynote and coach at a private event for over 150 private clients of powerhouse entrepreneur, Suzanne Evans.

As is true for most conferences, participants left on a high note with a lot of information to process. Most left filled with the thought they would implement so much of what they learned. I sure know I have a lot to process and have every intention to implement the most important things I committed to.

You see, even as one of the faculty, I always learn something that is going to be instrumental in my personal and professional growth.

Although the intentions of 99% of the entrepreneurs are sincere, the reality is, many get caught up in their usual routines putting off until tomorrow what they committed to starting today.

I’ve been on both sides of the participant and trainer fence at conferences for years. In the decades I’ve been attending and speaking at conferences, I’ve watched what seemed like magic happen for some, while most fell right back into their daily habits.

The thing that amazes me are those people who will go to conference after conference, buy book after book, invest in training after training, and not do all they can to implement all they can that applies to them. They continually look for the “one thing” they need to do to make changes, yet, what they ignore is the “one thing” has been shared with them over and over and over.

What is the “one thing?” Different action for different results. Different actions will likely take effort, risk and money. Contrary to what one popular office supply store would have you believe, there is no easy button. Success takes work. Success takes effort. Success is not always convenient.

No matter how often some people hear this they continue to search for the easy button, the magic dust, the quick fix pill. Truth be told, none of these things exist.

Many people have a misguided belief that when someone who is extremely successful is having fun, being playful and having an outright incredible attitude that this means the person didn’t have to make any sacrifices for their success.

Consider this; one reason people who are incredibly successful are having so much fun is they know what they had to do to get to where they are at. Mind you, incredibly successful is relative to one’s definition of success. It’s not based solely on the externals. Actually, many of the externals people enjoy are a result of first starting with what goes on inside their head.

They learned to manage their state, focus on their big why and take action in spite of setbacks and obstacles that would stop most in their tracks.

Although most people can use a daily shot of inspiration and awareness, most appear not to do anything to get on track with a great state of mind.

I experienced this throughout my morning. From the 20 minute cab ride from the hotel to the airport I was a very captive audience to the miserable cab driver who packed years of how unfair life had been to him into a nonstop monolog, to the airline representative checking my bags telling me how unhappy and tired she is of her job, to the security team who must have all swallowed their sour pills and just about every traveler I observed, most seemed to be in a very grumpy mood. Granted, I don’t know what their personal situations are and yet, I do know that our mood isn’t dependent on outward circumstances, but rather our perception of what is going on around us.

As with taking action on an idea, consciously choosing to be happy is just that; a choice.

Every day we make choices. Most are unconscious due to our daily routines and habits. The greatest gift we can give ourselves is to become more aware of what we are doing. Be fully in our bodies moment by moment. Be aware of how we are impacting others in either a positive or negative way.

It’s amazing what this can do, not only for our well-being, but for the domino effect it has on others. We never know what the impact of being kind to the person who seems to need kindness can do. Often, something as simple as calling the security guard, clerk or ticket agent by name and sincerely thanking them for what they are doing can have an incredible impact on them.

By being fully present in the moment we tend to get more done in our day. We are more aware of the time wasters and energy suckers that are obstacles to achieving what we say we want.

Life truly is about choices. The choice to be kind… or not. The choice to be happy… or not. The choice to take action on what we committed to… or not.

What is your choice for today?

Why it takes more than intentions for success to occur

Transform your business by transforming your mind

It’s amazing how many people claim they want to grow their business yet, they are stuck in a mindset that isn’t serving them.

One of the best ways to shift your mindset is to shift what you’re doing.

Ready for a HUGE shift? Join me for Power Up for Profits Live!

 

Ready for a major business transformation? Want a money transformation? A success transformation? Then it"s time to Power Up for Profits….Live! http://powerupforprofitslive.com/special/

Posted by Kathleen Gage Power Up for Profits on Tuesday, October 13, 2015

http://www.powerupforprofitslive.com

Once you expand your awareness, there is no going back.

Transform your business by transforming your mind

Is your attention span less than a goldfish?

My emails aren’t getting opened… much less read!

This is an all too common issue for anyone trying to promote and sell via email marketing. People just aren’t responding to email marketing the way they once did.

There are many reasons for the lackluster results…

• People are on overload with the amount of information vying for their attention.


• There are many more distractions than in the past.


• People’s brains have literally been rewired due to technology.


• Email deliverability is much less reliable than in the past.

Here are a few questions to consider specific to email deliverability…

• Is the email address correct?


• Has your recipient’s email address changed?


• Is the recipient’s mailbox full or has their account has been disabled?


• Does the recipient have a SPAM blocker that prevents virtually any message sent in bulk to be blocked?


• Is your messaging engaging?

In addition to the common reasons related to email distribution there is also the issue of attention span.

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine, The Associated Press, the average attention span for adults online is 9.5 seconds. That’s literally less than goldfish.

If you’re feeling like people are not paying attention to what you are sending out, writing, saying or shooting on video, they probably aren’t.

The shocking truth is that people’s brains have literally been rewired due to technology.

On any given day we tweet, we post on our Facebook wall, we watch dozens of videos, we read dozens, even hundreds, of emails and we spend hours researching on the Internet.

All of this is impacting how our brains function. Nicholas Carr, author of The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brain, writes that our attention is seized by the Internet only to be scrambled by it.

According to an article in the Huffington Post; MRI research has shown that the brains of Internet users who have trouble controlling their craving to be constantly plugged-in exhibit changes similar to those seen in people addicted to drugs and alcohol.

When most people try to unplug for even a day, they tend to experience withdrawl symptoms similar to alcoholics and drug addicts.

This is frightening information and yet, information we can benefit from knowing. Here’s why…

If you continue to send information out as you did in the past, you are likely noticing a huge drop in open rates. Today, more than ever, you have to immediately grab people’s attention.

As you prepare your emails think through your subject line. Is it one that will spark the curiosity of the recipient? Is it engaging? Does it indicate the full message will solve a specific problem?

Once people open the message does it immediately grab the reader’s attention?

Not only have online attention spans dropped to mere seconds, the attention span during live, in-person presentations have dramatically dropped in the last couple of decades to less than ten minutes. This requires that speakers and presenters have pattern interrupts every few minutes if they want to keep their audience members fully engaged.

This would include audience participation, mini breaks, incorporating visuals into your presentation and demonstrations that require attendees use different parts of their brain. Moving from critical thinking to creative thinking can keep people’s attention.

Acknowledging the dramatic drop on how long someone pays attention to whatever we are doing is essential to addressing the issue. To pretend this issue doesn’t exists will put your messaging in the category of Dinosaurs…extinct.

Is your attention span less than a goldfish?

Are you spending or investing in your business?

It never ceases to amaze me how many newbie entrepreneurs will invest a boatload of money in a coach or consultant in order to get on the fast track of building their business. Yet, when the coach/consultant advises them on a software program, support team member or system that will save them time and help them achieve their results faster, they nickle and dime themselves saying, “I can’t afford it!”

If you’re failing to bring on the right support team, you’re trying to learn something technical when you are not a technical type person or you’re spending untold amounts of time trying to handle all the details of running your business while serving your clients, packaging your knowledge or simply enjoying the process suffers, this video is for you.

What are your thoughts? Post in the comments section.

Ready to skyrocket what you’re doing? Join me for Power Up for Profits Live! www.powerupforprofitslive.com

Are you spending or investing in your business?

Why email marketing is less effective than ever before...and what you can do about it

Ask most anyone who’s been online for any length of time if open rates on broadcast emails have gone done and the majority will give you a resounding YES!

By some accounts email marketing is in proverbial toilet. Yet, there are others who say email marketing is still one of the most effective methods they use to promote products and services.

So who’s right; the majority or the handful who swear email marketing is alive and well?

Actually, both. Here’s why.

The majority of people who use email marketing are still throwing mud on the wall and hoping something will stick.

Those who are getting incredible open rates are doing something the others are not; segmenting more than ever before.

You’ve heard how important it is to have a “sweet spot” niche market, but have you heard you need to go deeper into the process?

Case in point… The Women In the Pet Industry Conference. By far, it is one of the best conferences I’ve not only participated in, but also presented at.

As the title indicates, it is for women – and a few brave men. Additionally, the majority of those in attendance are entrepreneurs. Some are in manufacturing. Others are dog trainers. Still others are service providers such as Debra Hamilton, attorney at law, who is committed to educating pet owners on the ins and outs of making sure you and your pets are protected in case of accidents, illness, death and any unforeseen circumstance life may throw your way.

Although a woman who owns a multi-million dollar company that manufactures dog doors is in the exact same industry as someone who has a $100,000 dog training business, how you market to each is likely different; or at least it should be.

It’s the same with your niche market; there is likely an umbrella industry that has multiple segments within the industry.

Let’s say your market is the dental industry. Would you market the same to dentists as you do hygienists as you do office managers?

If you market the same to each segment there’s a great chance your email open rates are minimal at best. If you segment your marketing, there’s a great chance you’ll have a much better open rate by not throwing “marketing mud” on the wall and hoping it will stick.

According to one report by MarketingSherpa, 32% of marketers say segmenting their email database is one of their organization’s top objectives, while 52% of marketers say they have a great need to improve email database segmentation.

Not all buyers in an industry are alike. Nor do all buyers have the same buying cycle. Nor will they all buy the same thing.

In my business, I have various levels of investment my buyers make. There are those who are very seasoned, have been in business for years, make a great living and need something very different than those who are just starting out.

More seasoned entrepreneurs may choose my private consulting services over a $27 eBook. Or they may find a small group coaching program is far better for their needs than a $7 report.

What an entrepreneur who has been in business for 20 years needs is very different than the person who is just starting out, doesn’t even have a DBA and is trying to grow their business on a shoestring budget.

What the entrepreneur who has a wealth of knowledge looks for when they create multiple streams of revenue is night and day from someone who wants to create their first eBook.

So before you jump on the bandwagon of those yelling from the mountain tops that email marketing is dead, perhaps you need to look at your marketing behaviors and your overall messaging. Are you lumping all your subscribers into one group over and over? Or are you fine tuning what you’re doing in order to more fully serve your market with your messaging?

Here’s a real life example. On August 27th I’m hosting a webinar for established experts who are ready to turn your knowledge into multiple streams of revenue. This event is perfect for bona fide experts who are ready to quit trading dollars for hours.

If this describes you, join me for a content driven hour of exactly what you need to do to set yourself up for the next level of success.

http://www.powerupforprofits.com/wp/pcwebinar

So what are you doing to fine tune your marketing efforts? Are you clear on the needs of the various segments of your market? If not, isn’t it time to make the necessary changes in order to have a laser beam approach to what you do? I daresay it is.

Why email marketing is less effective than ever before...and what you can do about it

7 top reasons to attend live events

I just returned from a live event in Miami. What a great experience. Not only did I get energized by all the great information, I was one of the trainers AND I’m on fire with a renewed sense of why I’m in business.

If you’ve ever wondered if attending live events is worth it, I can assure you,  when you pick the right events there’s no better use of your time.

Far too many people have gotten comfortable with “hiding out” behind their computers to the detriment of getting out and being seen. Although what you do behind your computer is incredibly important, don’t miss opportunities to attend live events.

Some of the best reasons for attending events are…

1. Get out of your office. It’s amazing how “safe” our offices have become. Whether your office is in your home or offsite, we can fool ourselves into believing sitting behind the computer is going to get us all the results we want and need. Periodically you need to get out of your office. A change of scenery can be incredible for our creativity, energy and vision. Events are a great way to do this.

2. Reconnect with colleagues. When I was in Miami I had the opportunity to see people I love hanging out with.  There’s a lot of power in meeting face-to-face. Even though email and phone conversations are good, there’s nothing better than sharing time with those you feel really connected to.

3. Meet potential clients. Again, it’s one thing for others to get emails from you, see you on social networks and read your blog, but there’s a heck of a lot more power in potential clients seeing you in the flesh. It’s much easier for someone to make a decision to do business with you when they see you in person. Even though the decision may not be made right there and then, face-to-face encounters accomplish a lot and set the tone of what comes next.

4. Get out of your “safe bubble” and mingle. As with point #1, you have to be willing to get from behind your computer to shift your energy. Far too many people fool themselves into believing they are being productive by never getting out from behind their computer. We need human interaction to get the creative juices going.

5. Build alliances. It’s amazing how many joint venture partnerships began when we met someone face-to-face. As with the previous points, when your colleagues meet you in person, it’s a lot easier to strike up deals. There’s a high level of trust that’s built.

6. Recharge. If you’ve been feeling stuck, events are often the very thing that will recharge you. Again, when they are the right events for you. Attending an event simply to be attending an event may not be the right reason. However, if it’s an industry specific event, one with lots of networking opportunities and one where you will learn great information, there’s a great chance you will return to your office on fire with enthusiasm.

7. Learn. As an entrepreneur you should always be learning. What better way than an event specific to exactly what you need to know to build your business. The best way to learn is to go into the experience with the intention of learning. This means, be fully present, avoid distractions and give it your all. 

These are only some of the great reasons to attend live events. Myself, I regularly attend, and speak at, live events. I know how essential attending events is to my business growth. I always leave with more enthusiasm than I started with.

I am very strategic about the events I attend. They must be in alliance with my overall business goals. After all, I am investing time, money and energy with each one I participate in.

If you’re in need of an infusion of ideas, energy, passion and focus for your business, the right event can give you all this and more. I designed Power Up for Profits Live! with all of this in mind. It’s three days of learning, connecting, brainstorming and networking.

Power Up for Profits Live! is perfect for any entrepreneur who’s ready to get an infusion of energy to take your business to the next level.

Join me on October 22 – 24, 2015 in Vancouver, Washington for Power Up for Profits Live!

Click here to learn more and register.

 

7 top reasons to attend live events

Do you have the disease of more?

More money. More time. More love. More business.

I want more!

Never enough. Always more.

Seems this is a condition that plagues countless individuals. No matter what they have it will never be enough.

Not that wanting more is wrong, but if you are not happy and grateful for what you currently have, more of the “thing” still won’t bring you happiness.

It’s somewhat of a paradox. In order to have more to be grateful for you are well served to be grateful for what you already have. When you are grateful for what you already have you get more to be grateful for.

It’s about being happy with what you have AND also visioning and working for more of what you have. Hmmm. Seems such a contradiction, but those people who seem to manifest “at will” are usually the people who are incredibly happy with what they already have. They know happiness is an inside job.

Living in the space of “this is never enough” sets you up for never having enough which likely leads to being restless and discontent regardless of how good things really are.

For example, you could have a windfall of business and rather than giving thanks for the new business your response is, “It should have been more.”

I’ve seen this happen with far too many people. They sign a few new clients and then bitch about those they didn’t sign.

Energetically, whatever we profess to be true becomes a reality. When you sign the new business, give thanks. Treat those who “chose” to do business with you as valuable. When you do, you attract more.

If you begrudge the fact that “some got away” you set yourself up to lose what you already have.

Life is an ebb and flow. Outward appearances don’t tell the whole story.

As with the seeds planted in your garden, there is a lot going on under the surface that can’t be seen. You have to “act as if” the seeds will grow. Take care of the soil, fertilize, water and “know” you will get a result for your efforts.

The next time you find yourself saying, “This isn’t enough,” try expressing appreciation for what you have. Do so with a lot of sincerity. Feel the feeling of gratitude.

You also must get really honest about how much effort you are putting into your outcome. Are you doing the necessary footwork to get the outcome you desire?

For example, if you are want to get in top physical shape are you eating and exercising to support this desire.

If you say you want more business, are you reaching out to potential clients on a regular basis or are you sitting around bitching about what you don’t have and not taking any action.

Whatever you say you want more of actually has a simple formula for success.

The formula includes:

• Appreciation for what you do have.


• Vision of what you do want


• Action towards the outcome


• Letting go of the outcome in order to be fully present in the current moment

Don’t confuse simple with easy. Sometimes it’s not easy. Always simple, not always easy. The most important ingredient is gratitude.

Energetically, the more you are grateful for what you have the more you have to be grateful for.

Today, in this moment, what are you grateful for? Post your #1 reason for gratitude in the comments box below.

 

 

Do you have the disease of more?

#1 mistake experts make that blocks their visibility

Have you noticed how the more visible experts are the more opportunity they seem to have? This doesn’t happen by chance. It likely happens by design… for some experts.

For many experts, it’s a huge part of their overall marketing and sales strategy. For others, they simply show up from day to day, do what they are extremely passionate about, and it seems fame and fortune follows them wherever they go.

Imagine being able to tip the scales in your favor by incorporating strategy with simply showing up to your passion. This is a winning combination that can and WILL make you a force to be reckoned with.

Here’s the rub though… with visibility comes responsibility. Sure, not everyone would agree with this, but since I’m the one writing this post, this is the perspective I am sharing.

With the resources we have available to us today, virtually anyone can be a Rock Star in their industry, market and online community. Again, the more visible you are the more opportunity presents itself.

Yet, the #1 mistake countless experts make is doing nothing and then they wonder why opportunity seems to evade them.

Here are just a few of the many ways you can increase your visibility, thus increasing your opportunity.

• Blogging


• Guest blogging


• Radio interviews


• Podcast interviews


• Joint venture partnerships


• Speaking at industry conferences

To get the most from your efforts it pays to be consistent. With so many BSO’s (bright shiny objects) vying for our attention, it’s incredibly easy to get sidetracked and derailed from our vision.

The simplest way to avoid this is to schedule time in for your visibility efforts. Another thing that will assist you in staying on track is to focus on one thing at a time until it’s done. For example, doing this blog post. I could easily get derailed by checking email, seeing who posted on Facebook, looking at a quick video on YouTube or any number of things that “take just a minute.”

Those things that take just a minute suck us dry. According to an article on Time.com “nearly 50% of American employees say they work for only 15 minutes before becoming distracted, while 53% report wasting an hour or more a day because of disruptions. From constant noise to overflowing in-boxes to feeling fatigued or stressed, almost anything can cause people to lose focus.”

That’s huge.

So what’s the solution. As unsexy as this is, discipline and focus. Simple as that.

We can always find those things that take up our precious time and justify the distraction. Bottom line is this; if you say you want to achieve a certain level of success, then it’s up to you to not let anything get in your way. By anything, I’m referring to the piddly ass things that are always going to be there.

Obviously, if there’s a family emergency, that’s a whole different conversation, but for the run of the mill, everyday activities that are not life or death, they can usually wait.

Want to learn more? Join me for …

Create Rock Star Visibility that Generates Six Figure (and Multiple Six Figure) Revenues Webinar

Monday, July 13th at 10 a.m. Pacific.

Check this out…

Can you do what you love, love what you do and make a great living at it while impacting a global market? Absolutely. Men and women are doing this every day.

One of the most profitable ways to build your business is to be a recognized thought leader who stands apart from the crowd by turning your expert knowledge into money making products and services.

The time has come for you to make a great living doing what you love while making a difference in the lives of people around the globe.

Click here to join in. It’s FREE.

#1 mistake experts make that blocks their visibility

Your business can change in minute

Have you ever wished for something to change and yet, it seems like it never will? Actually, things can change in a moment…or so it seems.

What can seem like an instant usually takes more than a moment. It can take days, weeks, months, even years.

But why wait years to make a big change now? A change designed to improve your overall well being. And yet, it will likely not only improve your health, it will most likely improve your business, finances, relationships, intuition, and overall outlook on life.

So what is the change and what do you need to do to make it? The change is anything you decide to do to improve you health and fitness.

And all you need to do to get involved is hop over to the Facebook page Women’s Health & Fitness at https://www.facebook.com/maturewomenhealthfitness and watch the short video about the challenge.

The fact is, when you’re on track with taking care of yourself in mind, body and spirit, many amazing things occur.

The 30 Day Health and Fitness Challenge begins on Wednesday, July 1st.  Regardless of when you see this,  you can begin a 30 day challenge to improve the quality of your life.

Your business can change in minute

Professional or personally... courage is not the absence of fear

How often does someone let fear stop them from achieving their best self? Many people have the mistaken belief that if fear shows up it means they are doing something wrong.

Fear is a part of life. It can contribute to us really experiencing the “juice of life” in a big way.

Did you know that fear and excitement often show up as the same feeling in the body?

It has been said, “Courage is not the absence of fear. It is the ability to feel fear and move through it anyway.”

Mistakenly, people can look at someone who seems to have no fear and assume they just fly through life taking risk after risk with no limits to what they will accomplish.

Actually, the opposite can be true. Rather than having no fear, they feel the fear and do the “thing” anyway.

On more than one occasion I’ve had people comment how nice it must be for me to not have fear when I have accomplished something.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Many times I would be in the middle of fulfilling a dream or goal and at the most inopportune time fear reared its ugly head.

When this happened I would think, “What the “*?%*+%*” was I thinking to agree to do this?”

But rather than let the fear stop me, I would figure out how to work around it, go through it or knock it down completely.

After I would get through the fear, more times than not the outcome was incredible.

Not just in business, but in my personal endeavors too. One of the most recent personal accomplishments was the 2015 Eugene marathon. I participated as a gift to myself for my 61^st birthday.

Yet, during many training days I wondered why I had made the commitment. Not only did I make it to myself, but to dozens of people who sponsored my participation in the marathon by donating for two animal rescue organizations.

I recall one specific time fear almost took over. During the 16th mile of the marathon, when my body wanted to quit, my heart and soul thought, “I can’t quit. I won’t let all those people down and most of all, I won’t let myself down.”

I also thought of my mom throughout my first full marathon that took place on Mother’s Day 2015. I just knew she was looking down from the heavens. I could hear her voice saying, “You got this. You got this.”

I dug deep to find the strength to go on and I finished. Not a world record holder by any stretch, but I crossed the finish line.

Over the years, I have done this with many challenges, both personal and professional. Rather than give up, I had to find that place inside to dig deep.

Here’s the deal, when you push your own limits, not only do you learn more about what you are made of, but others notice what you’re doing.

Opportunities do show up when others notice what our character is. On the flip side, many opportunities are lost when we show what we are not made of.

The reality is this; people do notice how we handle fear. It’s not that they expect us to not have fear. Nope, it’s in how we handle ourselves when fear becomes our garment of the day, opportunities are either made or taken away.

Some people believe all would be perfect if opportunity presented itself in a nicely wrapped package with a beautiful bow on top. In reality, opportunity often presents itself with some of our greatest messes and challenges.

It’s definitely not what happens that matters, but how we handle it that makes all the difference.

Challenges are what create the fabric of our life. Unforeseen challenges and those we consciously choose.

To push my own limits I recently announced the 30 Day Health Challenge that begins on July 1^st. I not only to challenge myself, but invite anyone who wants to push your own limits to join in for a short 30 days to make a huge shift for yourself.

Interested? Go to https://www.facebook.com/maturewomenhealthfitness

Be sure to watch the short video at the top and to LIKE the page.

Professional or personally... courage is not the absence of fear

Improve your business with a 30 Day Health Challenge

It’s a proven fact; the healthier you are the better you perform both personally and professionally. According to an article on NBCNEWS.com, exercise makes you perform better at work.

As well, there is a direct correlation to happiness and fitness. It’s not just about how we feel about ourselves. It’s all about the endorphins we release with the right exercise and diet. I’m not referring to a diet where you quickly drop a bunch of weight only to gain it all back (and some) when you get off the diet. I’m talking about a diet of healthy eating.

So besides eating healthy, why should you care about endorphins? Here’s why; endorphins stimulate the brain and numb pain. They create feelings of elation and contentment. They lower your stress. The name comes from endogenous (meaning within) and morphine (morphine being a pain killer).

So if you really want to feel better, perform better and have an overall improved outlook in life, exercise and eat right.

“Science backs up the premise that regular exercise actually boosts your mood and makes you a more joyful person. When you workout intensely, physiological changes take place in your body that increase a feeling of happiness.” (Fitday.com)

Often, the thought of taking on one more thing, like exercise and eating healthy, seems overwhelming. Mostly because we see no end in sight. A simple solution is to make the change for specific period of time. In many circles, 30 day challenges have become very popular.

Challenges range from work related such as committing to a minimum number of sales calls per day to personal goals of increasing the amount of time someone spends with their spouse and/or kids.

Physical challenges have ranged from eating raw for 30 days, no sugar for 30 days, 30 days of 100 squats, walking 30 minutes a day for 30 days or doing 30 sit ups a day for 30 days.

Another popular health challenge has been a 30 day Green Smoothie challenge.

Whatever the challenge, the idea is to make it a stretch and yet, doable. You don’t want to commit to something that is going to be impossible to achieve or something that will injure you. For example, if someone has been a royal couch potato for a long time and commits to immediately running 10 miles a day for 30 days this is a foolish challenge.

As with any goal you set, you want to make it realistic while pushing your own limits. Something that many experts recommend before starting a 30 day physical challenge is to check with your doctor to make sure you are healthy enough to begin. This is a good idea for many people. For others, you already know what your limits are.

Disclaimer: I am not a health expert, nutritionist, or medical expert so I take no responsibility in the choice you make. I’m an entrepreneur who knows that we all deal with challenges on a daily basis. The better we feel the better we respond to the daily challenges.

When I work with my clients, I look for ways to get them to perform at their best. I focus on their focus in business as well as their level of fulfillment in what they do. Knowing that there is a very close relationship between how we feel physically, emotionally and spiritually to how well we perform in our businesses, I’ve decided to open up a 30 day health and fitness challenge beginning on July 1st.

Although my focus is on working with women, the challenge is open to anyone who cares to join in.

To learn more about the challenge, go to Women’s Health & Fitness on Facebook, LIKE the page and get ready to pull your own covers on what you need to challenge yourself with during the month of July.

Check out the 30 DAY CHALLENGE

https://www.facebook.com/maturewomenhealthfitness

See you on the other side of the 30 Day Challenge!

 

Improve your business with a 30 Day Health Challenge

9 reasons millions know and love Joel Comm

If you’ve been online for any length of time, you’ve likely heard the name, Joel Comm. Acknowledged as one of the most influential experts online, by far, Joel Comm is one of the most recognized names in the space of Internet Marketing.

Yet, some newbies (and even a few old timers) in this space may wonder why Joel seems to be “so lucky” to be seen everywhere.

Ever wonder what Joel’s secret is? Wonder no more… here’s why:

1. He’s been around for a long time. (okay Joel, it does mean you’re getting older and aren’t we all 😆 )

While most people were still wondering if they should get online, Joel was laying the foundation for an incredible virtual foot print. A Google search of Joel’s name brings up information dating back 20 plus years. He’s got a “Big Foot” imprint.

2. Joel Comm has consistently delivered great content  for decades in various ways on a number of platforms. He didn’t settle for just one thing, but rather, has his fingers in many pies. He is always willing to put new information to market.

3. He’s connected with, and joins forces with, others realizing there’s power and influence in the right partnerships. Evidence is his recent book launch of the most recent version of Twitter Power. There was a period during the launch where images of people reading his book were popping up all over the Internet. This certainly wasn’t by chance, but rather it was due to a community of influential thought leaders rallying around Joel to make people aware of this information filled book.

4. Joel Comm loves what he does. Regardless of what he’s doing, Joel always seems to be enjoying himself. He has a definite, “can do” attitude. No matter what the outward evidence, Joel has the innate ability to see beyond the physical into the unseen and unknown.

5. He pushes the envelope with many of his ideas. While lots of people might have an idea and then stop short of implementation due to fear of criticism, Joel jumps in with both feet knowing not everyone will like his ideas, but also knowing millions of people might. Therein lies the secret to his success.

Case in point – iFart Mobile. The app was launched in December 2008 by Infomedia, a technology company owned by Joel. Apple’s acceptance of iFart Mobile appeared to mark a change in the company’s policy towards humorous apps.

Once the app took off it seemed to be everywhere. Kathie Lee and Hoda demonstrated the iFart on the Today Show. How’s that for powerful messaging?

6. Not everything he’s done has been on target, but doesn’t let that stop him. I’m sure Joel would be more than happy to share some of his “not so sizzling” ideas with those who say “he’s so lucky” to prove luck is not about doing nothing and opportunity just drops in your lap. Luck is about jumping on opportunity, creating opportunity and keeping in motion.

Yet, for each idea that didn’t work, he learned something, refused to let this stop him and found a way to keep going. A rare quality indeed.

7. He rarely, if ever, rests on his laurels. When some people think they have “arrived” by publishing one book, Joel has several bestsellers to his name.

Additionally, he is always coming up with more valuable ideas and information to literally make the world a better place. Some might argue that the Fart App didn’t make the world a better place, but when you think of how healing laughter is and how many people laughed because of this one tiny app, I rest my case.

8. Joel won’t be heard saying, “Oh my gosh, this is going to take so much work. How will I ever get this done?” but rather, “This is going to take effort. Let’s put a plan together and start working that plan?” (Okay, this is my own conversation of how I imagine Joel’s self talk goes and I know I am likely spot on)

9. Regardless of whether Joel is presenting to a crowd of thousands, or a few dozen, Joel delivers his message with humor, passion, quirkiness and transparency.

While many talk about living with complete authenticity, Joel is doing it. He’s not waiting for permission nor is he trying to please everyone. Joel seems to live with the belief that life is far too short and you have to go for the gusto… today!

You don’t have to wait for the stars to align, the moon to be in the 7th house, permission from someone else, or everything to be perfect to play full out. Nope, you have to do it today.

Evidence of this is Joel’s recent talk at Mile High TedX talk. Speaking to a packed house of 2,200 people, Joel edutained the audience like few experts can. (Educated and entertained. A must do with today’s short attention span experienced by most adults)

No question about it, Joel Comm earned the right to be on this stage.

While many people fantasize about this type of opportunity, thinking that if they put it on their vision-board, meditate about it, apply Law of Attraction strategies to the outcome, Joel is out doing the footwork. That’s not to say he may not have meditated on it, visualized, and tried a few attraction strategies, but the most important thing he is doing is daily footwork.

He’s also saying YES! to various opportunities while giving 100% to each and every one regardless of how big or small.

So the next time you wonder why people like Joel Comm seem to have been born under a lucky star, realize that luck is when opportunity and preparedness meet.

Joel certainly was prepared when the powers that be from the Mile High TedX talk came a knocking for him as he will be when other opportunities show up.

Imagine being able to sit in an audience to hear the latest and greatest from Joel. Here’s the really cool thing… you don’t have to imagine. You can! Joel will be the keynote presenter at The Impact Event

In addition to Joel, you will enjoy hearing from dozens of other “rock stars” like Brian G. Johnson, Tom Beal, founder Ken McArthur, Linda Sterling, David Hancock and more including yours truly, me.

Best part of all… the early bird investment is incredibly reasonable and all speakers are very approachable and willing to spend time with everyone throughout the conference.

Would love to see you there. Click here to reserve your spot today with the Early Bird Special Pricing

Be warned! The early bird pricing will end any moment now. Don’t let this happen before you get your seat reserved. Click here!

 

 

9 reasons millions know and love Joel Comm