Money Mysteries

Let me ask you a question: do you like money?  I’m not talking like like you might like ice cream, your partner, summer or extra blankets on your bed, I’m talking like as in not hate, ignore or avoid.

See, so many people are freaked out over the world’s situation with money that there’s an even larger presence of dislike and distrust towards money.

First, let’s change our attitude.  When you see money, smile at it, say thank you, even try to feel happy about the money in your hand.  When you pay for something, don’t groan, moan, curse, complain, or get mad.  Smile and be thankful that you’re able to pay for that thing.  Why?  Because if you’ve got a good attitude towards money, you’ll have a better chance of having more money than you would if you hate it.

Once you’ve got a better attitude towards money, show money that it matters to you. Never crumble your money up.  Put it away carefully in your purse, pocket, drawer, bag, safe or wherever you keep money.  Get excited about going to the bank, cashing your paycheck (no matter how small), or even counting the money. Keep track of how much you make, how much you spend and be realistic about earning, saving and spending (I suggest using either a program like Quickbooks or Excel to keep track of your money).

Finally, do be smart with your money.  Shop on Ebay and Amazon.  Shop around for deals in your local area, check out weekly circulars and clip coupons.  Know where items that are rarely discounted are cheapest but most dependable (personal care products, fruit, vegetables etc).  You don’t have to go crazy, but taking just a little time each week to check out deals and websites will save you money.

What do you think?  What have you learned about your relationship with money that could show you why you’ve got the amount of money that you do?  What will you do to get a better relationship with money so there’s more in your pocket at the end of the day?

Fall Business Plans

How is business these days?  Could you use a little fall pick me up? Here are a couple of ideas to get your fall success happening:

-run a fall related promotion: guess the number of candy corn in the jar, do a “falling money” type box, but put numbers on leaves with a discount or money back amount, or put discounts on a turkey feather and have people pick the feathers.

-on your facebook page you can talk about fall, share fall photos and ask your fans to share their fall family photos.

-get involved in community fall activities.  This will bring you into the community, where you can share your services and, more importantly, help others.

-host a fall related gathering at your business office or rent a restaurant and celebrate life with some of your clients, friends and employees.

Sometimes it’s simple things that can really be a big help to getting you thinking differently or working with the right people to head you back in the direction of success.  What little things could you do this fall to put a little spice in your business?

Living with Dedication

We’re getting close to the end of September and to a new month and new theme.  This month’s discussion on dedication has challenged me to open my eyes and life to the possibilities and really focus my dedication on doing things right, and not necessarily in the order I think they should or could be done in.

Does being flexible mean that I’m not really dedicated?

I don’t think so.  I think that if you’re really dedicated to something, you’ll do just about whatever it takes to make that thing happen.  Let’s talk about a few examples:

-you can be dedicated to making money, but you can make money by selling things online, having a job, or owning a business.

-you can be dedicated to helping starving children in NYC, but you can donate food, do a fundraiser and donate money, or donate your time and work at a soup kitchen.

-you can be dedicated to being the best parent, but you can be married, single, re-married, divorced, work with a therapist/coach or you can send your kids to afterschool/daycare.

Take a moment to consider what you’re dedicated to.  Are you completely fixated on how you live out that dedication or are you willing to approach it a different way?  This week I encourage you to try something new.

Encouraging School Success

Parents, you’re already into the new school year, but let’s talk about how you can help your kids make this year the best-no matter what happens.

1-feed them well

2-encourage them with homework

3-help your kids study

4-encourage friendships

5-encourage creativity

6-make time for family

7-sleep should be a priority

8-communciate!  Staying in the loop of information, responsibilities, requirements and feelings will help the family and classroom run smoother.

The important thing to remember is that both parents and teachers need to follow these 8 tips too!  Take time to care physically, mentally, and emotionally for yourself, as well as doing what you can to support either the parents or the teachers.  If your kid brings in an apple for lunch, send one for the teacher too.  While your kids are doing homework, have a book or work to do at the same time.  Teachers can send home parental support tips and resources to help the parents both work with them and be better parents.

What about you?  What tips do you have for success this school year?

Why be Grateful at Work?

Why be grateful at work or in business?  Here are just a couple ideas to help you understand the value of being grateful at work (as well as in life).

-you’re more agreeable (and I’d rather buy/sell with someone who’s agreeable)

-people like to be around you more (more people = more exposure = more potential clients)

-better attitude (Scrooge may have sold movies, but I doubt he did well as a salesman)

-fans, subscribers, clients, customers like to be appreciated (Don’t people light up when you say “thank you”?)

If you’re worried that stopping long enough to be grateful for what you’ve accomplished will make you stop making progress or become stagnant, stop worrying.  Stopping to be grateful is healthy, your work will still be there in 2 minutes after you take time to be grateful.

Mother Theresa said “There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.”  Will you share some appreciation with someone today?  I’d love to hear what you do in your life and business to be grateful!  Share your thoughts below.

Whole Living: a Peaceful Perspective

This week we’ve got two important celebrations on the 21st-World Gratitude Day and the International Day of Peace.  While I don’t think that peace will be achieved in one day, that one day is a point of encouragement and inspiration to help spur on the development of peace and gratitude around the world.

So where does peace fit in your life?

If you’re laughing right now thinking that peace doesn’t fit in your life, maybe that’s because you’re working on the wrong things in life.  If your goal is for happiness, you may not get peace.  If your goal is to have the most money, you may not get peace.  But then again, happiness and money may bring you peace.

What does this have to do with peace in your life?  Well, peace can’t be achieved, it has to be.  Peace is a way of living each and every day, it can’t be reached one day and not attended to the next.  If we want a world, or even a life, of peace it will take commitment every day to make peace be a reality.

Peace isn’t a blissful state where everyone sits on clouds with harps playing the same song-it’s a world that has learned how to coexist together, live together, work together, play together and dream together each and every day.   This week I hope you’ll join the movement-do something each day that will help bring your life and the world a little closer to peace and coexistance.

Cheeseburgers!

September 18 is National Cheeseburger Day and most families around America and the world love some form of cheeseburger.  So while you’ve got your cheese in hand, here are some great burger recipes that you can put beneath the cheese.

Beef:

Carrot Beef Burgers

Pineapple Bacon Burger

Louisiana Burger

Best Burger

Best Beef Burger 2

Barcelona Burger

Tangy Meatloaf Burger

Dallas Burger

Burgers with Bacon, Cheese, and Fresh Thyme

Cheese Stuffed Burger

Turkey:

Turkey Burger

Asian Turkey Burgers

Southwestern Turkey Burgers

Tex-Mex Turkey Burgers

Vermont Burgers

More Ideas:

Lamb Burgers

Thai Pork Burger

Salmon Burger

Creole Crab Burger

Pork Burger with Peppers

Veggie Burgers

Double Portobello Burgers

I’d like to hear your favorite burger toppings!  What besides cheese do you like to add to a burger?  Share your ideas below.

What is Success?

As a new school year has started many people are talking about having a successful year in school.  This is a topic that is often discussed by businesses too.  Most likely at some point in time while you were starting your business you asked “will I succeed?”  Maybe you’re still asking “When will I be successful?” and waiting for the success to happen.

Maybe the issue is your definition of success.  This week I read a blog post by Darren Hardy of Success Magazine that addressed the definition of success well:

“We see success as more than rank, fame, fortune and material goods. A successful person, by our definition, is one who has achieved five pillars of excellence: business, well-being, relationships, wealth and contribution. We call this “whole-life success,” and one who has achieved it has attained a life of significance.”

Are you achieving any of those 5 pillars?  If you’re striving to build only one of them up, you won’t be able to achieve success.  Pillars of a building are designed to work together to support the structure.  Your success in any one area depends on the other areas.  And even if you do manage to create business success without achieving any of the other pillars, one day you’ll realize that you’re missing out and you’ll wish you had made different decisions.

Where are you on your journey to success?  I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments about what success means to you and how you’re getting there below.

Whole Living: Relationships

On September 12, the day after the 10 year anniversary of 9/11/2001, it seems appropriate to talk about relationships.   On that day many people lost their partners, friends, family or coworkers.  Many people didn’t have the opportunity to be honest with the people in their lives and tell them they truly loved them or that they had hope for where their relationship would go in the future.  Others were just waiting for the day they felt they could be honest with their family about who they really were and what they really wanted with their future.  But they didn’t get that opportunity.

Why is it so important to be honest?  Relationships that are built on authentic and honest truths are much stronger and more happy than those that are built on lies and unspoken truths.

Don’t let the fear of doing the right thing or saying the truth keep you from saying or doing it.  It will be scary the first time you tell the truth, reveal what’s inside your heart and head, but it’s the best thing you can do.  The truth will either help you construct or reconstruct that relationship or it will free both of you to be who you really are.

The truth is that people change!  Most people are very different today than they were 5 years ago even.  While you may not be able to change the other person, you have to accept that you’ve changed.  Admitting to each other that you change and agreeing to work together to adapt to the changes is the first step.  Take time this week to talk about who you are, where you are at and where you want to go.

If you’re approaching a change in your relationships and would like to talk about it, I’d love to listen.  You can contact me on my website-it’s your future, what are you waiting for?

Celebrating Grandparents

This Sunday, in addition to being the memorial of 9/11, it’s Grandparent’s Day!  Let’s talk about some of the fun things you can do with your grandparents, no matter how old or young you all are.

-crafts are fun for all ages

-cook, who doesn’t love a good home-cooked meal?

-play board games

-talk on the phone, through skype or in person

-walk with them enjoying nature

-take them on vacation

-go to church with them

-do your work with them

What do you love to do with your grandparents, or have memories of doing with your grandparents?  I’d love to hear your stories, share them below.