Your Way!

2012-01-12T17:46:00.001-05:00

Should you pay to advertise your website with an online directory? http://ping.fm/kN4T5

2012-01-03T16:41:00.001-05:00

Wondering about closing out your QuickBooks for 2011? Here's some tips http://ping.fm/DnmKt

QuickBooks Year End Tips

2012-01-03T12:23:00.000-05:00

Often times clients ask if there is anything they need to do in QuickBooks to close the year. QuickBooks is one of the few accounting programs that does not require you to close your books. The program makes some automatic adjustments at the end of the fiscal year to prepare your books for the new year. However, there are still some actions you can take that will make your life and your business more productive. Following are the five most common year end tasks that need to be performed.
1. Log all petty cash account receipts.
2. Reconcile all bank accounts and credit card accounts. This includes the Petty Cash account.
3. Log any expenses for the company that you have paid for personally.
4. Take a physical inventory and adjust quantities and/or values in QuickBooks.
5. Print financial reports (Profit & Loss and Balance Sheet) and review for any discrepancies.

In addition to these, your accountant may advise you of some entries regarding depreciation, assets, and accrual adjustments. You can also find a very helpful Year-End Guide in QuickBooks by going to Help>Year End Guide.

If you need help with any of these year end procedures please call to schedule an appointment.

2011-10-07T12:53:00.001-04:00

What are the 3 biggest reasons you go online each day?

2011-10-07T12:43:00.001-04:00

"What gets measured gets managed." --Peter Drucker

2011-10-03T19:51:00.001-04:00

Join us for the West Volusia WOAMTEC lunch meeting this Thursday Oct 6th @ Holiday Inn Express Orange City.

2011-09-29T16:36:00.001-04:00

Want to learn how to avoid the 3 Common Mistakes QuickBooks Users Make? Check out this video http://ping.fm/A30bx

2011-09-29T09:51:00.001-04:00

I have had several days without social media...guess what...it was OK!

2011-09-08T16:55:00.001-04:00

"The past is history, the future a mystery, but today's a gift, that's why it's called the PRESENT!"--unknown

2011-08-29T09:32:00.001-04:00

RIP Paul Hill. Never gone, never forgotten.

Has Google Replaced the Yellow Pages: What you must know about advertising your local business.

2011-08-24T12:41:00.000-04:00

Business advertising used to be so simple. You spoke with your local Yellow Pages ad-rep then came up with a few short lines for the ad, unless you decided to spring for a display ad, then you might have to also come up with a picture, but once you had your ad together, you simply paid a monthly fee, and then answered the phone when it rang. Oh but those simple days of ‘letting our fingers do the walking’ are gone!

A few years ago the internet came into our lives. I was in my late twenties when the internet came on. It was a fairly crude cyber world at first which was mostly uninhabited. I wouldn’t have even thought to look at the internet to find a local dry cleaner, I would have grabbed the yellow pages. But recently I threw out my yellow page books, because after stumbling across them I realized I never use them anymore. Now I go straight to Google. If my 18 year old daughter ask me where she could go to get her car detailed and I suggested she look in the yellow pages she would either say, “What’s their web address?” or all ready be typing, “Car detailer Orange City” into her smart phone. She wouldn’t even know that a book with phone numbers and yellow pages exists.

Let’s face it, it’s a Google world. Most people under 50 search Google first when they need things, even when they want to find a local business. Example, last spring I went to Savannah, Georgia, while there I wanted to visit some local fabric stores. So what did I do? I turned on my new smart phone, opened the web browser, and typed in a search for “Fabric Store Savannah”. I only found a few. Now I know it is getting harder and harder to find fabric stores as less and less people are sewing these days, but I also knew there should be more stores than what the internet search revealed so I decided to check out the yellow pages. Sure enough, there were a couple more stores listed in there. At first I thought, “Oh thank goodness for the yellow pages.” But then I realized, these businesses weren’t on the internet, the place where we look first. They are still stuck in those simple days when we placed yellow page ads, and now most people don’t look at the yellow pages, therefore most people won’t find their businesses.

Let’s face it, placing a yellow page ad is so much easier for the busy business owner. For one thing you don’t have to come up with all that content that it takes to make up a website. Or all those pictures. Or find someone that knows how to create a website. It is all just too much. So you think, “I can just place an ad with an online listing website, such as yellowpages.com, then I don’t have to come up with all that content, it will be great I will have my listing and be online.” WRONG! Here’s the problem with that; as soon as we see the listing we want to look at your website for credibility.

So here’s what you need to know: You have to have a web presence. These days that includes websites and social media. Yes, it is more work than placing a Yellow Page ad, and it may cost just as much or more, and there the whole internet marketing world can be overwhelming, but today being on the web is as important as having a phone. Remember there was a time in the world before phones too.

I think we can all agree that Google is quickly replacing the yellow pages even for local businesses. Although for now you may want to continue advertising in the Book, if you really want to drive traffic to your business make sure Google can find you too!

2011-08-22T11:28:00.001-04:00

Busy week ahead; clients, hurricane, and eye infection!

2011-08-12T10:34:00.001-04:00

HOT! West Volusia WOAMTEC Lunch Aug 18th
Debra (Rusty) Gaffney A.P., DOM, CCPA presents "Heat-Wave, Power-Surge, Hot-Flash: Learn How to STOP the Heat!" Holiday Inn Express, Orange City

2011-08-09T21:02:00.001-04:00

The stock market goes down, the stock market goes up. But do you know what the best investment is? YOUR OWN BUSINESS! Let's rebuild the USA by building our own businesses!

2011-08-05T17:19:00.001-04:00

ICBFA! (It Can't Be Friday Already!)

2011-08-04T18:45:00.001-04:00

Had a fabulous and fun West Volusia WOAMTEC meeting today. Thank you Carol Brown, American General Life Insurance for teaching us about "Life insurance you don't have to die to use!"

2011-08-03T21:28:00.001-04:00

Just finished listening to Tory Johnson's teleclass, "Are You That Girl?" It was packed with loads of useful marketing ideas!

2011-07-29T12:35:00.003-04:00

WOAMTEC Back to Business Banner Promotion. The next 30 Members or New Members who Join or Renew WOAMTEC between now and August 5th will qualify to receive a FREE banner ad normally $225 on the home page of the WOAMTEC website for 90 days. (If this is a first time bonus for you there is a $15 design fee paid to the art director directly to qualify but the ad itself is FREE and once they have the design they can use in all their marketing promotions.) In the last 30 days, we have had over 75,000 hits on our site...this will be great exposure! Join WOAMTEC today! http://www.woamtec.com/.

2011-07-28T18:38:00.001-04:00

Fantastic WOAMTEC Conference in New Smyrna Beach today!

How Important Is Spousal Support to Your Success?

2011-07-27T13:41:00.002-04:00

How important is spousal support to your success? Before I go any further, I use the term 'spousal support' to include; partner, significant other, spousal equivalent, boyfriend, girlfiriend, husband, or wife, whatever you call the person you with whom you are sharing a commited relationship, that's who I am referring to with the term 'spousal support'.

So now that we've cleared up the terminology I will ask again, how important is spousal support to your success? You may be surprise to learn how important it really is.

In fact, a study sponsored by Avon of more than thirty thousand women in thirty-three countries cited a supportive spouse or partner as the most important criterion for success in starting a business.

According to Barbara Stanny, the majority of the women she interviewed for her book "Secrets of Six-Figure Women" credited spousal support and encouragement as monumentally instrumental in their success.

You know you have spousal support if your partner is a true believer in you and your endeavors. You may hear comments such as, "You can do anything." or "I'm your biggest fan."

My husband encourages me. He reassures me. He is my biggest fan. But....often times I dismiss his opinion...after all, he is in love with me...and we've all heard love is blind. So I frequently dismiss his comments as too biased. But after learning how important it is to have a true believer in my corner and learning how valuable spousal support has been to other successful women I have come to understand how important spousal support is to my success.

If you are lucky enough to have spousal support, embrace it! Let that belief in you fuel your success!

Are Your QuickBooks Company Files Tamper-Proof?

2011-06-10T09:09:00.000-04:00

I love to show clients how to better use QuickBooks. By implementing the best methods for managing your accounting data, you can actually save time, grow your business, and improve your financial bottom line.

But all of your careful work is for naught if a malicious hacker gets into your computers, or if you experience identity theft by an employee. Social security and credit card numbers, home phone numbers and addresses, an excruciatingly detailed profile of your company – all can be lost in the time it takes to realize that it’s gone.

Are you guarding all of that precious data? To learn how to you can protect your data, continue reading this article by clicking here.

Your Website's About Page

2011-04-19T21:09:00.000-04:00

I recently received an email from Duwad Miracle that I just have to share with you. He said:

"There are many pages that make up a website. Each of those pages serves a specific role on your website. Yet one of the most important - and often most read pages of your website - is your 'About' page. This is the page is the page where you share with your website visitors about, well you. And often, I see that many website owners aren't using this page as effectively as they could. Listen for more:

Monday Mentoring, Episode 7:

http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=OfJkQ&m=IpxD.yuoWVZ6Nf&b=x20I.GXqOSMTwp0LkOsWOQ

If you look at your website traffic, you'll usually see your 'About' page as being one of the most read pages on your website. And this makes sense because people who are interested in working with you want to know about you."

I encourage you to listen this short audio on the About Page. He accurately describes the process and thoughts I have when I visit sites. After listening I revised my About Page.

For help with your email or your website just give me a call and I will share some great resources with you!

What does your business email address say about your business?

2011-04-19T21:07:00.002-04:00

Lately I have noticed several small businesses that use @aol, @yahoo, @embarq, @gmail, @cfl.rr, or some other generic address as their primary email address even though they have a website for their business. Personally when I see this I often wonder if the business is legitimate. I bet other people wonder too. If you have a website you have the ability to have email using @yoursitename. This not only identifies you as a real business, it will drive traffic to your site, which will most likely increase your sales.

What if you have a domain name and an email address, yourname@yoursitename, but you do not have your website up and running? This is almost as bad. If potential customers see this email address and want to know more about you they will go to that site expecting to learn about you and your products or services. When they discover there is no site they may dismiss you in their mind as someone to do business with. You may be thinking they will shoot you an email or pick up the phone, but most likely they won't.

Having a business email address such as @yahoo or an email address associated with a non-existent website hurts your credibility. I encourage you to take the next step and get an email address that is @yoursitename and to build a website if you have the domain name and are already using it for your email.

Target and the Candy Store

2011-02-07T13:04:00.001-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I was struck by the notion that some business models evolve and thrive while others stagnate and struggle to stay alive. I was pondering this thought after working with a downtown merchant who owns a candy store which is open 7 days a week including evening hours.

The candy store is one of the few merchants who is open on both Saturday and Sunday and in the evenings. The store owner realizes that most people want to explore quaint, downtown shops on the day trips during the weekend or in the evening while coming downtown for dinner. His business is one of the few that is open during those times and he explained if all the stores were open, more visitors would be attracted to the area, thus supporting each individual business. I couldn’t help but agree with him as I noticed yet another store had closed shop, one that did not have evening and Sunday hours.

The fact is we no longer live in the 50s where Mom goes shopping downtown through the week while the kids are at school, or on Saturday with the kids, then spends Sunday at church and with family. We are now a 24/7 society...for better or worse. My husband and I love weekend day trips. We enjoy going out to dinner and browsing through the shops. Monday through Friday we are both working.

With this subject still fresh on my mind I turned on the TV one night looking for anything intelligent to watch and came across, "The Target Story" (that may not be exactly what the show was called but it was the point of the show.) Well, I LOVE Target! So I settled right in to see how this retail giant came to be.

Turns out it goes all the way back to 1902 and even earlier. In 1902 George D. Dayton became a partner in Goodfellow's Dry Goods Company. Yes, back in the day before discount retailers and departments stores there were "Dry Goods" stores. After a decade of rapid growth they changed the name to Dayton Company which was a better name to reflect their evolving business. By the mid 50’s they realized the growth was in the suburbs so they opened the nation’s first mall, Southdale Mall, in Edina MN. The company soon realized that people wanted quality discounted merchandise so in 1962 they officially opened the first Target, a discount department store.

Throughout the next 30 years Dayton’s continued buying up other retail department stores and expanding their operations throughout the country. In 1969 they merged with Hudson's department store and became Dayton Hudson Corp. By the mid 70’s Target was their number one producing store.

Dayton-Hudson continued opening Target stores throughout the country, coming to the southeast in 1989. In 2002 they renamed Dayton-Hudson to Target Corporation.

A couple other interesting facts about Target:

The Dayton family was involved from 1902 to 1983
The company has always had a strong community involvement of giving and philanthropy.
Pronouncing Target in the French way may have evolved from their sponsorship of the International Trans-Antarctica Expedition which included a Frenchman or could have resulted from Oprah's use of the pronunciation, it is not a French company.

OK enough of Target history...here's the point...Target evolved. They continually assessed their market and changed with the times. What if they had remained a "Dry Goods" store? Would you be shopping there now? Probably not.

The question I pose here is, "Is your business evolving with the changing times or are you trying to do business in a way that is outdated?

With the invention of the internet came a whole new way to do business. Today we have virtual staffs, virtual offices, and even virtual businesses. And in this virtual world we want to "know" the person or company we are doing business with, think FaceBook. In the virtual world and the real world we like 24/7 access. Yet a few things have not changed. We still value trust, dependability, quality, and outstanding customer service.

Target has done an excellent job of evolving with the times. We can now push our carts through the wide aisles of the discount retailer or sit at home and shop on the internet. The Candy store is doing everything it can to evolve by recognizing our love of nostalgia while catering to our busy schedules which includes shopping during the evenings and weekends.

How about your business? Is it rolling with the times? Are you tapping in on what your customers want now?

I welcome your comments on this topic!

RE: http://sites.target.com/site/en/company/page.jsp?contentId=WCMP04-031697

Networking: Powerful or Petrifying?

2011-01-11T14:21:00.000-05:00

At the beginning of the year many business owners start to consider ways to increase sales. One way is to attend networking events such as the local Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, or WOAMTEC

http://woamtec.com (of which I am the local DeBary chapter director!)

But what if you are petrified of networking? How can you turn networking into a powerful, positive experience? Following is content I recently presented to our local chapter members to help

them become more effective in their networking.

1. The most important question

"What is your goal for attending the meeting?"

Really, why do you attend? What do you want? Is it to let others know about a special you are offering? Is it to meet some new people? Is it to connect with someone whose services you need? You should set a clear intention/goal for every meeting you attend.

2. Presenting your 60 second introduction

a. Act and speak naturally. If you suffer from PSF (Public Speaking Fear) then pick one person in the room you already know and imagine that is who you are speaking to.

b. Make eye contact.

c. Consider the take away---what do you want the listener to take away from what you have said?

d. Make it memorable by either, what you wear, a prop, text and tone, and/or a fantastic offer.

e. Have different versions of your introduction for different settings or for variations in meetings you attend frequently.

3. Questions to create different versions

a. What is a tip you can offer? (See example below)

b. What is a special you are offering?

c. What sets you apart from your competitor?

d. Who do you love to work with?

e. What problem do you solve?

f. What is the key benefit of your product or service?

g. What is a recent example of a positive customer experience?

h. What props could you use?

EXAMPLE

"I'm Laura Engstrom from Alternate Design Plumbing. Here's a plumbing tip for you do it yourselfers. Hard black plastic water pipe can easily be removed from its fitting and put back on if you first soften the hard plastic with a hair dryer. If you are not the do-it-yourself type then give us a call, we'll come out and do it for you!"

4. Networking relationships take time

Don't expect to walk out of a networking event with 5 new customers. Most likely that won't happen. Like all lasting relationships it takes time to build rapport and develop trust. When you show up and act naturally (not petrified) and share valuable information you will eventually reap the powerful rewards of networking!

5. Power of networking

The average person knows 250 people. If there are 15 people in a meeting that know you, then you can potentially increase your network by 3750 people.

It's not what you know, or who you know, it's who knows you!

I Can Do It -- Hay House Conference

2010-11-15T18:15:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend I attended the Hay House, "I Can Do It Conference" in Tampa, and my head is still spinning! The speakers were fabulous!

My friends and I started out on Friday night with keynote speaker, Wayne Dyer, who spoke about his new movie, "The Shift" and about his diagnosis of Leukemia. I must say he looked good and was quiet energetic. Even though after almost 3 hours in one seat, most people were restless and ready for a good stretch, we remained spell bound hanging on to every word.

Saturday morning started with Louise Hay herself, founder of Hay House and author of the famous You Can Heal Your Life! What an inspiration, especially when she announced that she recently had a birthday, turning 84! She introduced Marianne Williamson, the morning keynote speaker, who spoke about her new book, A Course in Weight Loss which sounds like a good resource for anyone who needs to lose anything, whether it is extra pounds or something else that may be 'weighing us down'. One of my friends bought her book and is excited to get started in the course.

There were break out sessions over the course of the weekend. On Saturday we chose Eldon Taylor who taught us about mind programming, and Cheryl Richardson who provided on the spot laser coaching to a few brave volunteers from the audience.

The Saturday afternoon speaker, Brian Weiss author of Many Lives Many Masters led us through a guided meditation toward our past lives. The meditation seemed to last only a few minutes, most were surprised to find out that 35 minutes had past.

We spent Saturday evening with Dr. Christiane Northrup, women's health guru. She informed and amused us with her topic, "Menopause and Beyond, New Wisdom for Women".

By Sunday morning we were information over load and decided to skip the morning keynote speaker. But we did make it to the morning break out and boy oh boy were we glad we did. Dr. Mona Lisa Schultz was the by far my favorite speaker. Through music and humor she taught us about the chakras and what they mean to both our bodies and our lives. If you ever get a chance to listen to her, DO!

In the afternoon we heard from a new speaker to the Hay House group, Alisa Vitti. She did an excellent job explaining the endocrine system and how to care for it to ensure good health.

Since we had about a 2 hour drive home we decided to skip out on the Sunday afternoon keynote. We felt our brains could not handle any more information.

This conference was like an all you can eat buffet! Which is great one day, but after three days you feel completely stuffed!

Would I go again? Yes. I would go with the knowing of how much information would be coming at me and I would know to bring a seat cushion! Let me also mention that we stayed across the street from the convention center at the Marriot. We were that it was convenient to run to the room between sessions to freshen up and drop our bags (from all our book and CD purchases.).

I look forward to discovering how much I learned as little, by little, I incorporate all the wonderful, informative, and inspiring information into my own life and share it with my clients!

Understanding the HIRE Act

2010-11-02T11:46:00.000-04:00

The HIRE Act offers employers temporary payroll tax breaks for hiring previously unemployed individuals and a business tax credit for retaining qualified individuals at least 52 weeks. The benefits can be substantial: up to $6,621 in payroll tax credits and up to $1,000 in business tax credit per eligible employee.

Reduced Social Security Taxes for Employers: Offers qualified employers a temporary payroll tax holiday from the 6.2 percent Social Security payroll tax on qualified individuals.

The credit applies to wages earned from the date of enactment through December 31, 2010 for each new qualified individual hired after February 3, 2010 and through December 31, 2010.
The maximum value of the credit would be equal to 6.2% of wages up to the FICA wage cap ($106,800) or $6,621.60 per qualified individual.
A qualified individual "certifies by signed affidavit, under penalties of perjury, that such individual has not been employed for more than 40 hours during the 60-day period ending on the date such individual begins such employment."

Business Tax Credit: Additionally, businesses are eligible for a $1,000 business tax credit for each qualified individual retained at least a year (52 consecutive weeks). The individual's wages during the last 26 weeks must be at least 80 percent of the wages paid during the first 26 weeks of employment. The tax credit would be claimed on the 2011 business income tax return.

Source for this information: http://payroll.intuit.com/federal_hire_act/index.jsp?cid=social_payroll_prpay_landing_hire?cid=social_payroll_prpay_landing_hire

Business in the United States

2010-10-29T09:07:00.000-04:00

We all know the economy in the United States is suffering. Perhaps you and your business are suffering too. What can we do? Do we look to the government to fix it? I personally don't think so. I believe we must fix it, we the small business owners, entrepreneurs, solo-preneurs, couple-preneurs, small office/home office business owners. I truly think the answer lies in small business. We need jobs. We need to create products. We need new ideas and services.

I recently consulted with three separate companies that were wondering if they should stay in business. I am always sad when I hear of businesses that are going under.

In each case my questions were the same..."What are you doing to grow your business now?" and "Where can you cut expenses?" I realize these business owners are feeling defeated. It was only a few years ago that their businesses were in 'the land of milk and honey.' Their overhead and employee costs have grown and they have debt that is now difficult to manage. It's tough and it's sad.

In the same week I worked with three new businesses. I am always amazed and impressed when I work with new business start-ups. The energy and enthusiasm is infectious. I wish I could bottle this and give it to the ailing business owners, it might just get their businesses going again!

If you currently have a small business that is struggling I encourage you to make the tough decisions. Cut where you can. Come up with some new marketing strategies. Get focused by creating a plan and monitoring your progress. Get back to basics by focusing on your customers and costs.

I have created a Business Evaluation assessment that will help you determine:

If you are moving toward peak performance
If your company is suffering from business as usual
If your business model needs an overhaul

You can take the assessment at http://rhondahsmith.com/businessassessment.html

Years ago John F. Kennedy challenged Americans to, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." I believe we can do what Americans have always done:

Be innovative
Be self-determined
Be tenacious
Work smart
And work hard!

This is still a free country and the best place on earth to start and grow a business!

Should I Use Social Media as a Business Marketing Tool?

2010-10-21T09:20:00.000-04:00

You’ve heard about FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIn and the other social media sites, you may even already have a profile set up, but are you using social media as a business marketing tool? The thought of this may have you scratching your head and asking questions like how and why. So here’s some of the questions I have been asked. You can read the answer by clicking on the question which will link you to the best answers I have found on the web.

Why should my business engage in social media?

Can you give me 20 good reasons?

I just have a local business, do I really need the world of social media?

How can social media work for my business?

Which is better FaceBook, Twitter, or LinkedIn?

How often should you post?

What should I post?

Should you I do my own posting or hire someone else?

What else should I know?

How do I get started?

What if I already know most of this and want to take it one step further?

Top Fifteen Reasons People Fail to Achieve Goals

2010-10-18T17:43:00.003-04:00

1.       Fear of success or failure
2.       Lack of understanding about the goal setting process-don’t know how
3.       Lack of commitment to the goal
4.       Lack of support—negative environment
5.       Inactivity toward the goal
6.       Analysis Paralysis--over think it
7.       Lack of real destination
8.       Failing to plan
9.       Having too many goals
10.    Feeling unworthy of the end result
11. Lack of motivation to change
12.    Giving up too soon
13.    Life gets in the way
14.    Self-imposed limitations
15.    No accountability

If you have experienced another reason please feel free to post!

What's new in QuickBooks 2011

2010-10-12T20:16:00.000-04:00

A few clients have asked me if they should upgrade to QuickBooks 2011? The answer is an absolute YES if they have 2008 or older, as those versions are no longer supported. But what if you have 2009 or 2010? Well, that depends on whether you feel some of the new features would be beneficial. Following is a list of the new features according to Intuit, the makers of QuickBooks.

New in QuickBooks Desktop

Batch invoicing lets clients create a template once and invoice many customers at once

Quickly prioritize customers with the new Customer Snapshot

Quickly locate any account, report or invoice in QuickBooks Search

Convenient access to customer or vendor's balance and transaction history

Stay on top of receivables and email collection notices with Collections Center

Send invoices and estimates right from business Yahoo!, Gmail or Hotmail account

Keep track of vendors' remittance addresses with a convenient new field

Mark which invoices have been paid with the Paid Date stamp

New in QuickBooks Mac

3-User Edition grows with your client's business

Control access to sensitive data by setting user permissions for up to eight activity areas

Communicate with others using QuickBooks and see their status on iChat

Track job-related mileage by job or by vehicle

Create customized forms for estimates, invoices, and more with the improved Layout Designer

Layout Designer templates for creating professional-looking forms

Free Little Square online magazine gives tips and advice

Mac-like interface lets clients easily customize reports

Sort account registers by date, type, number, amount, and more to find transactions faster

Export report data to Excel and Numbers

New in QuickBooks Online (You will automatically get these features)

Import customer data from Excel

Business trends for your industry*

Company Snapshot, Company Scorecard*

Create and send purchase orders**

Inventory tracking**

*Available only in Essentials and Plus

**Available only in Plus

Using QuickBooks as a Marketing Tool

2010-10-08T16:28:00.002-04:00

QuickBooks is widely used by small and home offices as a tool to keep track of income and expenses but did you know you can also use it as a marketing tool?

Let me give you some examples:

Let's say you do facials and about 6 months ago you started selling a new line of skin care products. When you first got the line of products you told all your customers, but what about the customer you haven't seen in 9 months? When this customer calls to set an appointment if you open the Customer Information Center in QuickBooks and quickly view their transactions, you will realize you have not told this customer because you haven't seen her since adding the new line.

With QuickBooks you can keep a database of addresses of your customers which may be used for sending holiday cards. One of my best clients is a result a holiday card I sent a few years ago. This client and I had worked together once earlier that year, when she received the card it prompted her to call me and we have worked together on many occasions since.

You can also determine which products or services are your best and worst performers. With this information you may decide you need to promote the product or service that is bringing in the most, or perhaps promote the poor performer to improve it's sales.

These are only three brief examples. Hopefully I have inspired you to look at your own business and determine how you can use QuickBooks for more than tracking your income and expenses, but as a marketing tool too!

I would love to hear how you have used QuickBooks beyond tracking income and expenses!

WOAMTEC Confident Women's Conference

2010-10-05T17:44:00.001-04:00

Today I attended the WOAMTEC Confident Women's Conference in Orlando at the Sonesta.

WOAMTEC officially stands for Women on a Mission to Earn Commission, however I like to think of it as Women on a Mission to Establish Connections and that what was today was about, at least for me!

I arrived at the Sonesta around 9:30. I had paid in advance for the conference so registration was a breeze, they were very organized and efficient. Just after I picked up my registration badge and lunch bracelet, a gal asked if I would like to have my make-up touched up. I asked her if I needed it! She laughed, and said no, thankfully, I decided however, to take her up on her offer. It was very cool that Lux provided this service, and they didn't even push their products, which made it especially nice. Armed with a shimmering face I was ready to "face" (no pun intended) the conference.

I headed to the first break-out session. I happened to run into a buddy, Tracy Lunquist, of Working Magic, and decided to join her in Allison D'Anna's session, "The Secret to Success and Fulfillment". Allison was an excellent speaker who spoke from her heart and shared her journey to success and fulfillment. She provided us with a hand out, "Wheel of Life". By completing it we were able to have a snapshot into our lives today, where we are fulfilled and where we may need more focus. She reminded us that what we focus on expands and to set goals in the areas that need more focus.

After the break-out session we had about an hour to network and shop with the vendors. There were vendors selling books, jewelry, cupcakes, and more. It was a nice varied collection of vendors.

Jeff Hawkins of Jeff Hawkins Photography was on hand to take our pictures. He had a very professional set-up, with lights and shades (or reflectors or whatever the correct photography term is.) Jeff was very pleasant in his style, making me feel comfortable, even amongst all his professional equipment.

Next came lunch. The meal was nice, even nicer that they offered a vegetarian selection! But the best part was the incredibly dynamic speakers!

The theme of the conference was Repeat...Reboot...Recharge.

First, there Dawn Pici – REPEAT “The Fastest, Easiest & Most Reliable System for Getting MORE Sales Than You Can Handle from Loyal, Repeat Clients” She gave us valuable information about connecting with clients and about our own style using the DISC tool. REPEAT business is a good thing.

Next, we heard from Dr. Jo – REBOOT “How to Stay Focused, Energized & More Productive” She spoke about how to "ALT, CTRL, DELETE" our own internal systems with proper sleep (more is not always better), eating patterns (carbs cause us to slow down so why do we start our day with carbs?), and thought patterns (turn short, fat, and ugly into petite, full bodied, and I don't care what others think). Sometimes we just need to REBOOT.

Last was, Pam Powell RECHARGE with “The P-Factor". Pam is a dynamic speaker, somewhat a cross between and evangelist with her preachy style and a motivational, engaging speaker in the way she had us continually clap to reinforce her message. Pam was the perfect speaker to help us RECHARGE.

After the three speakers there was no doubt that everyone in the room had raised their energy level and everyone seemed glad they attended.

The afternoon offered more break-out sessions. I attended the "Excel for Beginners" by Nicole Pickering. Even though I don't consider myself a beginner at Excel, I did learn a couple of short cuts that I did not know and Nicole offered a complimentary phone session to cover more advanced features.

I am so glad I attended this event. I was inspired to be in the presence of so many wonderful women. The event was well organized and very professional. It was nice to relax, make new connections, learn, and be inspired.

If there is such an event in a city near you I encourage you to attend. Too often we think we can't spend the time or the money, but it is a small investment with a huge return of; connections, collaboration, and confidence!

Successfully Set and Achieve Goals

2010-10-04T13:19:00.001-04:00

Do you still have goals and resolutions for 2010 that you have not met? Would you like to get a jump on planning for 2011. Join me on for a FREE teleconference on how to Successfully Set and Achieve Goals on Tuesday October 5, 2010 at 8pm EST.

On this call you will learn:

The mindset necessary to achieving goals
The resources you must have to make your goals a reality
How to create baby steps to support your bigger goal

To register for this FREE call click here! I look forward to 'seeing' you on the call!

5 Ways to Make Your Website More Effective

2010-10-01T08:36:00.001-04:00

Understand the purpose of your website.
Ensure site design supports the purpose.
Have useful content.
Make it easy to navigate.
Provide easy to find contact information.

One Decision Can Change Your Life

2010-09-29T09:47:00.003-04:00

Recently I received an email with the title, "One Decision Changed My Life". As I read through the message the author described all of the 'one decisions' that had changed her life.

I started thinking about the 'one decisions' that have changed my life. My decision to marry my first husband, our decision to have my children, my decision to move to Florida, my decision to get divorced, my decision to start my own business, my decision to get remarried, my decision to become a QuickBooks Certified ProAdvisor, my decision to become a coach. Each of these decisions was made with enthusiasm and hope of a better future, followed with challenges, work, and ultimately reward. Each decision helped me grow as a person, becoming who I am today.

The famous self-help guru, Anthony Robbins, says we will do more to avoid pain than gain pleasure. I do believe this is true. If I examine each decision I made I can see the pain point that motivated me. Some of the decisions I made felt like they were out of necessity but as I look back I realize none of them were. Each decision was truly made because of who I am and what I want for my life.

If you are in your 40's (like me) or 50's (almost me) you (and me too) may hesitate to make a decision that would change your life. It seems as we get older, and perhaps wiser, we know that one decision has the power to completely change our life. With our wisdom we seem to have lost some confidence. We are at an age where we realize time is going faster. We fear if we make a mistake there may not be time to recover. We fear that we may lose ground rather than gain. We fear there will be more pain than pleasure. Therefore we stand paralyzed in our lives on the ladder of fear.

Now you may be thinking, "No it is not fear, I am just not as naïve as I was when I was younger." Yes, that is true. We are not as naïve. And you may be thinking, "I have a lot more to lose than when I was young." Again, yes, I agree with you, that most likely, materially speaking, you may have more to lose. You may also be thinking that you don't have time to think about this right now. So with that I will get to the point.

The point is this, your whole life has been impacted by decisions you have made. When you have a few quite moments sit and think about all the 'one decisions' that you have made that have determined the path your life. Analyze the reasons you made each decision. Examine the pain that prompted you and the pleasure you gained. Realize that you still have the power to decide, and you have the wisdom of age and the confidence of experience. With this knowledge you will be prepared to decide the next time you are faced with 'one decision that could change your life.'

HELP! Need beginner's guide to SEO

2010-09-28T14:41:00.001-04:00

I have recently been exploring the world of SEO. It feels like learning a foreign language. Although there are many resources on the internet about SEO I have yet to find the one that explains it in the simplest, easy to implement terms. I want to find a users guide that starts out with Step One, then goes on to Step Two, etc. I am willing to pay for the information. I truly believe everyone deserves to be compensated with any knowledge they impart. As a QuickBooks trainer and coach how could I possibly feel otherwise?

If you know where I can get the beginner's guide to SEO or know someone who offers training please let me know!

Are You Ready for Autumn?

2010-09-23T11:23:00.002-04:00

The kids are back to school, Labor Day has past, and on September 23 autumn will officially begin.

Autumn always feels like a busy time of the year. We've played through the summer months, but now it is time to get busy, there's just so much to do!

Remember about 10 months ago...you had something called New Year's Resolutions? Well, it's not too late to accomplish those goals this year. Just think how much better you will feel when you close the year and have done what you set out to do!

Speaking of goals, this is also a good time of the year to start planning for the upcoming year. If you wait until January you will have lost 3 months of momentum. Start thinking now about what you would like to do in the upcoming year, whether it is in your business or personal life.

If you own your own business the fourth quarter is a good time to check in with your CPA to see if there is anything you should do to be in the best tax position. Don't wait to ask this question, waiting could cost you lots of $$$.

Now that the lazy days of summer have past it's time to focus, review, and plan. I invite you to join me on a FREE teleconference on Tuesday October 5, 2010 at 8pm (EST) to learn how you can Successfully Set and Achieve Goals. We will explore the mindset and resources necessary to materialize your dreams. Click here for more information.

You can create Your Business, Your Life, YOUR WAY!

Achieving Good Financial Health

2010-09-21T11:18:00.003-04:00

A few days ago I did presentation on good financial health. Following is the content of that presentation.

So what is good financial health? We all know that stress can cause dis-ease and of course money can cause stress! So it’s kind of easy to make the connection on how our financial life affects our health. We see it on the news more and more, suicides and murder-suicides due to someone losing a job or being financially overwhelmed. So, when I think of good financial health I think of not being stressed about money, understanding my relationship with money, and using money as a tool.

I believe the keys to creating good financial health are being aware of where your money goes, what you believe about money, and the different money type personalities and how to best use them.

As a Certified QuickBooks Pro Advisor and Professional Business and Life Coach I work with clients on MONEY. QuickBooks…money….Business…money. Most of the time the work starts out with the client’s desire to learn QuickBooks so they can keep track of their money, after all we’ve all been told that it’s important to watch our money…kind of like counting calories if you want to lose weight…right? So if you want more money, you “watch” where it goes. Now QuickBooks is obviously a terrific tool to track your income and expenses…it is even a good tool as a database for your customers, vendors, and employees, and offers great reports, but I’m not here to sell you on QuickBooks. I am here to discuss how to achieve good financial health.

The first step to good financial health is to know where your money goes, so of course I suggest QuickBooks, Quicken or some other financial software program. You must know how much money is coming in and where it is going out. Recently there was a story on the news of a school teacher living on $39,000 a year supporting a family of 4. They lived in a nice house and were essentially debt free. The teacher said the main thing to his financial plan was in knowing where his money went. Instead of paying $1.50 for a soda out of the machine at school, he brought his soda each day. He said he pays about 20 cents a can. So let’s do the math…$1.50 times 180 days of school equals $270 versus 20 cents times 180 days equals $36. Now for the bigger picture, if he is in a 25% tax bracket he would have to earn almost $300 to buy sodas out of the machine versus $45 to bring them from home. I often tell my clients it is the little leaks in the vessel that will sink the ship! So it is really important to know where you are spending your money. Almost all programs or systems to becoming debt free start with having the person keep a log of where they are spending their money.

But knowing where your money goes is only part of the story to good financial health. We all have a secret relationship with money. Maybe it’s a lusty relationship, or a greedy relationship, or even a needy relationship…whatever kind of relationship it is…it’s there…and it plays a huge role in your life and even in your health…whether you admit it or not. Often times people are not really conscious of their own relationship with money or how it formed. So the Second step is defining our relationship with money and our beliefs about money.

To define our relationship with money and our beliefs about money we have to go back to the beginning… what did you hear about money as you were growing up. You may have heard things like, “Money doesn’t grow on trees.” Or “Money is hard to come by.” Or “Money is the root of all evil” which was shorten from the actual verse that said, “The love of money, is the root of all evil.” How did your parents handle money? How did that make you feel? You must examine what you learned about money when you were growing up and get clear on whether you choose to continue to believe that. Once you’ve done that you need to examine what role money has played in your life as an adult. Have you been the main breadwinner or have you more typically been in a supportive role? What if the role was reversed…how would that feel? If you made more money or less money, who would have a problem with it? Do you feel if you were to make more money you would have to give up more time? If you made less money would you feel less of a person? Do you think money changes people and you don’t want to be one of “those” people? Do you think there is enough? Do you attach your self-worth or the worth of others to money? What do you say to yourself about money? “I can’t save money.” “Everything is so expensive.” “Why does everyone else have money but me?” or “I can’t let go of money.” or “If I made less money I wouldn’t be taken seriously.” “No one has any money to spend these days.” There are lots of questions you can ask yourself and thoughts about money…we could go on and on. But perhaps the biggest question is; Are you friends with money or is it the enemy? Whatever you believe about money will manifest in your life.

The third step to becoming financially aware is to understand the different money types and how you can combine these to create good financial health.

In the book “Money Magic” Deborah L. Price describes eight money types. I want to share those with you to get you to thinking about your money type: Ok here goes, there’s
• The Innocent
• The Victim
• The Warrior
• The Martyr
• The Fool
• The Creator/Artist
• The Tyrant
• The Magician

So how do we recognize these types, and identify which type we are? Well, I’m going to give you some descriptions…I am sure we've all known some of these money types.

For instance I have a friend who has no clue of what her take home pay is and how much her monthly expenses are, and let me mention she is a single woman…who solely supports herself…well she'd be The Innocent. Or I have a relative, The Victim, who continually makes bad choices with her money then blames everyone else and then gets her mother to financially bail her out. And oh boy, you know The Warrior type, she is so focused on money, she sets out to conquer the world, all in an effort to prove her own self-worth. Then there's The Martyr, poor thing, she spends all her time, energy and money on everyone else. I’ve known The Fool once or twice, they play by a different set of money rules, usually rules they try to stack in their favor, and often times actually cheating! The Creator/Artist type just finds it difficult to live in the material world and would rather not have to think about money. I think we've all known The Tyrant, another relative comes to mind, the tyrant dedicates his whole life to making money so he can use it to feel superior and control those in his life. Finally, there is The Magician, these are probably the millionaires and billionaires, because they know how to transform and manifest their own financial health!

Now most of us are probably a combination of money types. I could see small traits of all them in myself. At times I am The Innocent, because I would rather not pay attention to the money details, and sometimes I’m The Victim, who likes to blame the economic downturn, but then The Warrior in me will emerge, until The Martyr takes over and I spend too much money on my kids, then I truly feel like The Fool, and crawl into The Creator/Artist type who wonders why we need money anyway, until the Tyrant emerges reminding me that the one with the gold makes the rules.

So what would it take to get to the Magician, to have really good financial health? What is the trick? According to the author, it is actually learning to combine some of these types that will lead to good financial health. It’s calling on the Warrior and Creator/Artist as well as the Magician to create those feelings of financial well-being we all seek. The Magician is the one which knows the truth, the Warrior knows when to take action, and the Creator/Artist knows the purpose and spirit and holds the vision. Together, they are a powerful team, helping to inform the Innocent, soothe the Victim, open up the Martyr to asking and receiving, slow down the Fool, and temper the Tyrant. By focusing on the strengths of the Magician, Warrior, and Creator/Artist you will be able to overcome any weaknesses you have in the other areas.

To recap the three basic steps toward becoming financially conscious and thus creating good financial health…

1. Know where your money goes. Track your finances with QuickBooks, Quicken or whatever financial accounting software you prefer or with the help of a bookkeeper.

2. Define your relationship with money and your beliefs about money. Acknowledge thoughts, patterns, or habits that may not be creating good financial health, then work to create a plan to change the ones that may not be working in your best interest.

3. Learn to combine the best of the money types to focus on and leverage your strengths and overcome your weakness.

I believe with these three steps you will be on your way to becoming financially conscious and creating your own good financial health.

Working from Home: Does It Work?

2010-08-25T19:30:00.001-04:00

For years I have had a home office. During the times I am not directly meeting with clients I am honing my QuickBooks and coaching skills, learning about new business and marketing trends to share with my clients, writing articles, polishing up my website, and all the general administrative tasks associated with having a small business. Some days working from home can be a challenge due a lack of motivation and too many distractions. I am sure I am not the only one who has struggled with this. So, does working from home really work?

Many people succeed in working from home, while others fail miserably. Why is that? One of the biggest reasons for failure is lack of motivation due to the environment. When we are home we tend to be conscious of home related tasks versus when we are at the office we focus on work related tasks.

Following are four basic steps that will ensure you are productive and efficient when working from home.

Establish Workspace

One of the most important parts of your home office is the specific place where you actually perform work-related tasks. Whether you are using a spare bedroom or any part of the house as your home office, there must be enough space to organize work materials. This is also where you should be spending your working hours at home. For example, if you establish your office in a spare room, do your work there, do not try to complete work in the kitchen. Having an established work space at home will ensure two things: it will prevent any form of distractions while you are working at home, and you will gain more organization with all of your work needs. Regardless of your working style, most people find having an established work space lends greatly to productivity.

Have the Right Office Furniture and Equipment

You need to determine the nature of your home business and your work style to determine which furniture and equipment you need. Consider how you like to work when buying a desk, if you like to spread papers out you may like an L-shaped desk. If you work space is in a corner of a bedroom, an armoire may work best. Make sure you have good equipment such as a computer, printer and proper communication systems. Nothing is more frustrating and time consuming than equipment that does not function properly. The right furniture and the equipment will increase your efficiency.

Set Your Boundaries

Self-employed individuals who work from home become their own boss. Therefore, it is easy to assume a relaxed approach towards work and neglect your tasks. It is important to come up with ways to avoid distractions, whether it be playing around with your kids for awhile, chatting with a friend through email, or getting caught up with housework. If you are working in a room with a door, simply closing the door may be a good signal to other members of the household that you are not to be disturbed. Another way of avoiding distractions is to turn off your personal phone during your work hours, just as if you were in an office. Limiting time checking email and social media sites will also increase your productivity and efficiency. Of course, you should give yourself a short break every so often, allowing an allotted amount of time, then returning to work.

Create Work Organization and Routine

People who work from home tend to neglect the needs of organizing their home office and schedule due to lack of motivation. The best way to achieve organization is to treat your home office as you would any regular office. Then, practice basic organizational skills when it comes to filing your important documents or arranging your schedule. Being organized refers not only to the cluttered mess on your desk, but also to how you organize your schedule to ensure all your priorities are met. One of the benefits of working from home is that you may be able to organize your work schedule to fit your family needs or your biological clock (maybe you are a night owl who comes alive after midnight!)

Make it Work

Does working from home work? Once you establish your workspace, have the right furniture and equipment, set your boundaries, and create your routine then working from home should work for you! If it doesn't then of course, you could always go back to working in an office. However, if you are like me, just the thought of that motivates me to make it work!

2010-08-18T11:24:00.000-04:00

Is the fear of criticism sabotaging your success?

The fact is most of us do not like to be criticized. Many of us tend to take it as a negative experience. Criticism can make us feel angry, sad, frightened, resentful, defensive, depressed, and/or discouraged.

In the popular book, Think and Grow Rich, author Napolean Hill says a fear of criticism shows up as self-consciousness, lack of poise, an inferiority complex, extravagance (overspending), a lack of initiative, and a lack of ambition. Hill further says a fear of criticism destroys initiative and discourages creativity. Whew! No wonder the fear of criticism sabotages success.

Anyone who has been innovative, creative, or adventurous has faced criticism. An untold number of people have abandoned their dreams simply due to the fear of criticism. It is inevitable, we will all face criticism from time to time, especially if we are venturing outside the norm and moving toward our dreams. Criticism can be either constructive or destructive and often times it is our own interpretation labels it as one or the other.

While watching an interview of the famous opera singer, Renee Fleming, on a recent episode of CBS Sunday morning, I was impressed when she described her reaction to the criticism she continually endured from her instructors while attending The Julliard School. She loved it! She knew it would make her better and stronger. What an awesome perspective! Rather than view the criticism as a negative experience she viewed it as a positive, inspiring experience. That is the perspective of success!

Consider how the fear of criticism is manifesting in your life. Do you cower when criticized or does it empower you? Do you feel resentment or inspiration?

If you struggle with the fear of criticism it is silently sabotaging your success.
To begin overcoming the fear:

1. Recognize that some criticism, whether negative or constructive can actually help you.
2. Understand that others can not always see your vision.
3. Work with a coach if you are stuck in your fear of criticism.

Realize it may take a while to become comfortable with criticism but eventually you may come to view it as inspiration, then criticism will no longer inhibit your success it will inspire your success.

What Clients/Customers Really Want

2010-08-02T18:30:00.000-04:00

Recently I worked with a client who wants to grow his business. Like most solo-preneurs he feels his biggest challenge is to find employees who will represent him well and will provide the quality of workmanship he provides.

During the discussion as he got to the core of the issue he said he finds what clients/customers really want is TRUST. They want to trust that they have made the best buying decision and that they will receive a quality job, product or service.

How can we convey TRUST to our clients/customers? How can we train our employees to convey that same trust?

There is one simple answer to both questions.

Operate at the highest level of honesty and integrity in ALL that you do. If you operate on this level your clients will see it and so will your employees.

Proper employee training and systems are necessary to the growth of your business, but TRUST is vital, for both your clients/customers and your employees.

2010-07-15T18:56:00.000-04:00

Have you ever wondered what your entrepreneurial style is? Are you even aware you have one? Well, yes, every business owner has their own style and Michelle DeKinder-Smith has identified the five types of female entrepreneurs and written a book, "See Jane Succeed" which provides and accurate depiction of each style.

Once my style was identified, by taking a quiz at her site JaneOutoftheBox I read the related chapter in the book and could quickly identify with the qualities and challenges of being a Merry Jane. I felt very validated in my choices of merging my business and my life. She not only provides the description of each Jane but an action plan for each Jane to create a joyful life and prosperous business. I was also happy to find that she included a chapter on changing my type, just in case the day comes that I want to move from being a Merry Jane to a Jane Dough.

If you are looking for a book to help you reveal what it takes to win in business and life, then read this book! You can get it atAmazon.

You can see more recommended reading for business and life on my site RhondaHSmith

2010-07-12T13:29:00.002-04:00

Summer is in full swing and many of us are enjoying summer activities, vacations, and family time. We tend to get a little more relaxed and laid back in the summer. But have you ever left for a wonderful vacation only to wonder if turned off the iron and locked the doors? In your business backing up your data and securing your flash drive is the equivalent to turning off the iron and locking the doors.

If you have ever worked with me as your QuickBooks ProAdvisor then you already know I preach 'back-up' your data. In most businesses a computer crash is the equivalent to an office fire! If you've backed-up your data you can be back in business quickly. However, within QuickBooks there is a certain way to back-up, not only to give you to the option to recover your data but also to maintain the data integrity. Read, "Backing-up QuickBooks" for this important information.

Many of us use flash drives to store or back-up data. Since flash drives are inexpensive and small, we may undervalue the true value of the data we store on them. What if you lost your flash drive? What information would the person finding it have access to? Read, "Secure that Flash Drive" to learn how to protect your data.

This summer back-up your data and secure that flash drive so you can enjoy that "Summer" state of mind.

Remember, you can create Your Business and Your Life, YOUR WAY!

Secure that Flash Drive

2010-07-12T13:28:00.000-04:00

Many of us use Flash Drives to save files, move data, and/or back-up data. But how safe is your flash drive? What if you lost it? What information would the finder have access to?

Through our ProAdvisor's website I found an interesting article on just this topic. The author, Dr. Bob Spencer, offers advice on how to encrypt the flash drive to secure and protect your company data. Continue reading.

Backing Up QuickBooks

2010-07-12T10:44:00.001-04:00

If you have ever worked with me as your QuickBooks Certified ProAdvisor then you know I am always reminding you to backup your data. Even if you have a complete system back-up software such as Maxtor or Carbonite you should backup QuickBooks within the software to avoid data corruption. To illustrate the point let me share a story...

A client called me in shear panic. While working in QuickBooks an error message popped up which said something about QuickBooks encountering a problem and needing to shut down. When the client re-opened QuickBooks her bank balance was off and other data was in question. She immediately called me. The first question I asked, “When was the last time you backed-up?” She said she didn't know, the computer guy handled all that. I asked her to call him and find out. I also advised that she stop using QuickBooks until I could get there.

The next day I met with the client and her computer guy. My job was to rescue her QuickBooks and help him understand how to properly back-up QuickBooks. He had set their system to do a complete back-up but had not set QuickBooks properly; therefore the data integrity had not been analyzed and had become unstable. Fortunately, the data was rescued with a rebuild and we were able to set QuickBooks automatically back-up properly. By the time we were finished both the client and the computer guy had learned valuable lessons and were sighing in relief.

Following are the QuickBooks back-up instructions from Carbonite. These instructions should work regardless of which back-up software you use.

How to Use Quickbooks Automatic Backup
Please follow the instructions below within Quickbooks to set up automatic backups. Make sure that the location for the Quickbooks backup files is a folder selected for backup by Carbonite.
1. Select File; Save Copy or Backup. This will open the Backup Wizard.
2. Click Backup Copy; Next; Local Backup.
3. If you have not already done so, click Options to set your backup defaults (such as where you want to save your local backup) then click Next.
4. Click Only schedule future backups (to create a schedule without running a backup) and click Next.
5. Select the first checkbox and enter a number to specify how often you want your company file to be backed up. For example, to back up your data file every fifth time you close it, type 5 in the field provided. The backup will be stored in the location you specified in the Set Backup Copy: Options window. To view or change this location, click Options. In order for Carbonite to back up the Quickbooks backup files, please choose a location selected for backup by Carbonite, such as your My Documents folder.
6. Click Finish to close the wizard.

Note: These instructions are based on Quickbooks Pro 2009. If you are using a different version of Quickbooks, the instructions for setting automatic backups may vary slightly. Please consult your Quickbook documentation for details as necessary.

As always I urge you to back-up your data. When asked how often you should back-up, my standard reply is, “Depends on how much you are willing to lose.” If you call me in distress my first question will be, “When did you last back-up?”

The Social Media Craze

2010-04-20T20:18:00.000-04:00

Social media is all the rage these days and I believe it is here to stay, just like telephones, fax machines, and the internet. If you are not using social media in your business you are missing an opportunity for FREE marketing. If you are not using it in your personal life you are missing out on connecting with family, friends, old school buddies, and long lost acquaintances. But hey, I understand it is hard to keep up with all the new technology and trends.

Social Media 101

Where to post
Each social media place has a different personality. For example, FaceBook is a mix of business and personal, whereas LinkedIn is strictly business. Twitter is primarily business and limits the number or characters you can post in a single "Tweet" to 140. Plaxo is a networking/address book site. There are many more social networking sites available. FaceBook, LinkedIn, and Twitter seem to be the most popular.

What to post
Do you wonder what is appropriate to post on social media? Industry leaders recommend posting tweets and statuses of four equal types in equal parts: quotes, tips, pitches and personal. That way you're pitching 25% of the time. If you pitch all the time, no one will pay attention. Tie the topic of a quote to your business, you can get these by Googling for quote sites. Tips should be specific to your niche and be useful information. Pitches can include your latest client testimonials, special offers, questions that help clients prospects realize that they need what you do, upcoming events, etc. Always include some personal posts so clients and prospects feel like they really know you!

When to post
Some businesses/people post daily. Some even post the same status update early in the day and then later in the day to catch the attention of those who may have missed it earlier. How often you post is a matter of how much you have to say and how much time you have. There is more to social networking than just what you post. Think of social media as a conversation. In addition to your posts you also need to interact in the conversation by commenting on other member's posts. Just as in conversation you need to speak, listen, and interact.

How to post
Each social media site has an empty box to type your post. In FaceBook the box is labeled, “What’s on your mind?” In Twitter is says, “What’s Happening?” LinkedIn says, “Share an idea, article, question or update.” You can set up your social media to post a comment to one social media site and have it post to the other sites. Software is also available to set future posts. And there are virtual assistants and companies that will manage your social media for you.

How to get started
Ready to get started on social media? Here’s a free gift from Susan Payton, the Marketing Eggspert and owner of Egg Marketing & Public Relations. It’ll help you figure out social media in an hour a day. Download it now.
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Changes---Again

2010-01-04T11:00:00.003-05:00

In October I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Stage 2, invasive ductile, with minor lymph node involvement, estrogen positive. Since then I have had a biopsy and two surgeries. Radiation begins today. I have been blogging on Rhonda's Breast Cancer Blog, to keep family and friends up to date.

As a result of this life change I have not been blogging here. As life is slowly settling into this new reality I am establishing a new routine in my life and business.

Even though this was an unplanned and unwelcome change in my life, I embrace the lessons I can learn and share through this experience!

Celebrating Change: A New You is Emerging

2009-10-27T17:01:00.001-04:00

Is change something to celebrate? Often times when we think of change, fear is our first emotion. Most people do not like to think of change, because it feels like something out of our control. When you think of change what feelings come to mind; fear, doubt, anxiety, terror, dread, the unknown, unexpected, anger? Or do you look at it with feelings of; excitement, enthusiasm, anticipation, hopefulness, eagerness or even joy?

You have probably heard the saying, “Change is the only constant in life.” Since change is constantly occurring, then we must learn how to accept it, and even learn to celebrate the changes. Understanding change will be your first step to celebrating change.

Change has several faces. One face is Reactionary Change. This is the type of change that occurs suddenly, and therefore we must react. An example could be an accident, a death, a sudden loss of a job, illness or a divorce which requires us to react and realign our life.

Another face is Anticipatory Change. With this type of change we have advance warning, so we are able to anticipate the change. An example could be retirement, getting married, moving to a new city, or having a baby. We are allowed the opportunity to plan for the effects on our life.

And then there is the face of the Unknown Feeling Change. With this type we may not know exactly why we want to change; we just know we want something different. An example of this type of change maybe choosing a new place to live, trying a new route instead of the normal route, or trying something new at a favorite restaurant. This type of change allows us to explore choices and options.

The last face of change is Not Quite Right Change. With this type of change we feel that something is not quite right and that there could be something better. An example of this type of change may be deciding to redecorate the house, get a new car, or just make an improvement in your life. With this type of change we are seeking a change for the better.

As we come face to face with change we will realize the impact on our life. Regardless of our emotional state surrounding the change, there will be an effect on our lives. We may feel a fundamental change, which truly changes who we are at your core, our essence. Or we may encounter a revelatory change, an epiphany that gives us that “a-ha” or "light bulb moment" type of change. Or we may experience a habitual change, where we change a long held habit.

With all change there is a process that occurs. The process doesn’t necessarily happen in a specific order, but as we progress through the change we will typically experience each aspect. First we realize that the change is occurring, although this may take some time to recognize. Once we recognize the change is occurring, we need to factually disengage from the past. To do this we will need to see what the current state is, see there is a new way and accept that change is occurring. The most difficult process in change is emotionally disengaging from the past. We may realize there is a change but may not be accepting the change, and be yearning for ‘how it used to be.’ If we can see the anticipated end we will begin to process through the change and be on our way on the learning curve. This is where the opportunity begins. With each change there is the opportunity to learn and grow. Once we are completely through the change and on the other side we will internalize the lesson, the true blessing of change.

There is a goal oriented way of getting through the process of change which may help one move from fear of change to acceptance and celebration. The steps are:
1. Identify and define the change.
2. Communicate the results of the change.
3. Recognize what is NOT changing.
4. Remember personal greatness, strengths and qualities.
5. Identify the positive feeling the change will bring.
6. Make a new plan around the change.
7. Find a support network.

If we focus on the positive aspects change can bring, we will find the blessing in change, even a difficult change allow us the opportunity to grow spiritually, and may open new paths that we could have never anticipated. Change is a blessing, sometimes in disguise. Learning to follow the steps above will make change easier and may even enrich the process. The next time you face change CELEBRATE: a new you will be emerging!

2009-10-07T11:46:00.000-04:00

Insights of a Tourist

2009-10-05T09:42:00.000-04:00

Recently I spent 10 fabulous days in London with my husband, visiting our daughter who lives there.

The trip came up quite suddenly. While on the phone with our daughter one morning, she was telling me about her upcoming trip to Greece and how she did not have anyone to dog sit. I immediately hung up the phone with her and ask my husband if he would like to have a flat for a week in London in exchange for dog sitting. He said book the tickets! So, a week later off we went.

We arrived in London on Friday, that evening our daughter had arranged dinner at Gaucho which offered an incredible view of the Tower Bridge
and a scrumptious meal.

On Sunday, my daughter and her guy were off to Greece.

Hubby and I spent the next several days site seeing through-out London. We took a bus tour of the city, and a boat tour. We visited the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, Kensington Gardens, Trafalgar Square, National Gallery, Churchill's War Rooms. We strolled through the Portobello Market, the Flower Market, Hyde Park and Green Park. We even took a day trip out to Windsor Castle with the kids when they returned from Greece!

Somewhere in all this site-seeing, and walking, and trips on the tube it occurred to me that I was so enjoying just simply being a tourist. As a tourist, I was meant to be there only for a time, enjoying the sites, the history, and all that I could take in during my short visit.

Then the big epiphany came...aren't we all tourists here visiting this place we call Earth? How different would our lives be if each day we embraced the sites and splendor of this place? Would we live our life with more passion if we admitted that we are only here for a brief time? Would we try to make each day count? Would we determine our purpose, then live each day with that intention?

In this epiphanous state of mind my purpose became crystal clear; to make a positive contribution to each person I meet. I can do this not only in my professional capacity, but also by being loving, caring, and compassionate to my family members, friends, business associates, and others who cross my path.

Even though in our day to day lives we have bills to pay, deadlines to meet, health concerns, family situations, and many other facts of living to distract us, I encourage you to act like a tourist...look up, (tourists are always looking up!) see the sites, feel the air, embrace the splendor of this magnificent place! In doing so, you very well may ignite your passion, discover your purpose, and at the very least you will feel more alive!

As the saying goes, "The past is history, the future a mystery, and today's a gift, that's why it's called the PRESENT!"

2009-09-04T20:51:00.000-04:00

create video polls & surveys on pollsb.com

Developing Your Money Magician

2009-08-20T13:37:00.000-04:00

If you want to learn about "Unleashing Your True Potential for Prosperity and Fulfillment" then read Money Magic by Deborah L. Price! This book is chocked full of insightful, useful information.

Ms. Price starts by explaining about the energy of money and why there are winners and loser in the money game. The most interesting part of the book was Price’s description of the eight money types:
• The Innocent
• The Victim
• The Warrior
• The Martyr
• The Fool
• The Creator/Artist
• The Tyrant
• The Magician

So how do we recognize these types, and identify which type we are? I am sure we've all known people like these.

For instance my friend who has no clue of what her take home pay is and how much her monthly expenses are, she'd be The Innocent. Or my relative, The Victim, who continually makes bad choices with her money then blames everyone else and gets her mother to bail her out. And oh boy, you know The Warrior type, he is so focused on money, he sets out to conquer the world, all in an effort to prove his own self-worth. Then there's The Martyr, poor thing, she spends all her time, energy and money on everyone else. I think I dated The Fool once or twice, they play by a different set of money rules, usually rules they try to stack in their favor! The Creator/Artist type just finds it difficult to live in the material world and would rather not have to think about money. I think we've all known The Tyrant, he dedicates his whole life to making money so he can use it to feel superior and control those in his life. Finally, there is The Magician, these are probably the millionaires and billionaires, because they know how to transform and manifest their own financial reality!

Most of us are probably a combination of money types. I could see small traits of all them in myself. At times I am The Innocent, because I would rather not pay attention to the money details, and sometimes I’m The Victim, who likes to blame the economic downturn, but then The Warrior in me will emerge briefly, until The Martyr takes over and I spend too much money on my kids, then I truly feel like The Fool, and crawl into The Creator/Artist who wonders why we need money anyway, until the Tyrant emerges reminding me that the one with the gold makes the rules. Unfortunately, cycling through all these types has never lead to The Magician, who I am sure resides somewhere in my mind.

This book challenged me to define my relationship with money through a series of exercises such "Your Money Biography" and "Identifying Your Money Archetype". Although I am still a work in progress, I feel I am on my way to developing a new relationship with money and on the path to finding or developing The Magician but maybe, The Magician is just a state of mind where we feel truly abundant, prosperous and fulfilled! I can hear the tune strumming through my head, “I’m in a Magician state of mind!”

Big Business Layoffs, Small Business Opportunities

2009-08-12T10:26:00.000-04:00

Richard Branson predicts more big business layoffs and opportunity for small businesses.

In an interview for American Express, the mega business mogul (best know for his Virgin brand of over 360 companies including Virgin Airlines and Virgin Records) shared how he sees the gaps that will be created by big business layoffs that can be filled by small businesses. Regarding the current financial crisis he says it is up to all entrepreneurs to do everything possible to make our businesses stronger, that in fact small business is what will get America back on our feet.

Branson encourages business owners to talk with their existing customers to get innovative ideas for new products and services. He also reminds business owners of the value of leadership and communication with their employees in an effort to cut waste and make their business stronger.

Branson sees hope and opportunity for small businesses in spite of, and possibly because of, these tough economic times. We'd all be wise heed his words, after all this is a guy who has proven he has an eye for opportunity!

To see part of Branson’s interview click here.

The Blogging Effort

2009-08-06T17:32:00.000-04:00

It's been a very interesting day regarding blogging.

First let me say, on most days I don't think about blogging. I actually only think of it once or twice a month, either when I write my email newsletter or when I am reminding my newsletter list of my FREE monthly tele-coaching session. Today is neither of those days, so it's unusual for me to even think of blogs or blogging.

But, as I said, today has been interesting.

My first encounter with thinking about blogs and blogging began at a lunch networking meeting where one of the attendees gave her 60 second elevator speech of who she is and where she works. I don't remember any of what she said about that. But when another attendee said something like, "Tell them about your entrepreneurial work." She then said, "Oh yeah, I teach people how to monetize their blogs." Then that same attendee said, "Tell them how much you made last year on your blog." She then said, "About $35,000, working about 5 hours a week." Wow! Now that is something to think about!

My second encounter regarding blogs was a conversation I had with my daughter who has/had a high fashion blog. She was looking at a magazine and casually commented that she had not posted anything on her blog in quite sometime. We began talking about the different kinds of blog styles, her competition in the fashion blog world, and why she has somewhat lost interest. I mentioned to her about the woman from the network meeting who teaches people to monetize their blogs. She said she has a friend who knows how to do that. Of course, having today heard for the first time about the concept of 'monetizing your blog' I had to wonder why she wouldn't have already learned how to monetize her blog since she has a friend who could teach her how!

My third thought about blogs happened as I was surfing the internet to look at website designs as I am considering a website make-over. I was shocked to see how many sites had links to their blogs which hadn't had any new blog postings for months or even in over a year! As I would see that I had to wonder, "Are they still in business?" or "Have they lost interest in their business?" or "Did they just decide to quit blogging?" However, when I saw a blog with a recent posting I felt comfort in knowing this person is still passionate about their business and/or blog.

Now as I sit here this evening pondering the question of why the subject of blogs has come up for me 3 times today, I realize I have learned the following:

1. If you already have a blog it's a great idea to learn how to monetize your blog, after all a little extra income would be wonderful.

2. It is easy to loose interest in your blog. If you have lost interest, examine why and what it would take to re-gain your interest.

3. If you are not going to keep your blog current either take it down or at least leave one final message for the readers advising them that you are still in business but have decided to no longer blog.

Amp Up Those Resources

2009-07-21T23:05:00.000-04:00

In these times of economic downturn (the new catch phrase for recession or depression) many are loosing jobs, homes, and businesses.

Many of the external resources we've come to rely on may no longer be readily available such as jobs, easy to acquire credit, and investment income.

Now is the perfect time to focus on and develop our internal resources. Internal resources are attitude, awareness, creativity, confidence, courage, determination, education, knowledge, passion, and skills. We can amplify these for to our personal lives as well as our businesses.

Perhaps John F. Kennedy said it best when he said, "The human mind is our fundamental resource."

When experiencing a loss of external resources, invest in internal resources. External resources may come and go, but our internal resources with see us through!

Topic of the Month--Resourcefulness

2009-06-30T20:26:00.000-04:00

What comes to mind when you think of resourcefulness? Do you think; inventive, self-reliant, imaginative, or perhaps well-connected or wealthy. There are both inner resources and outer resources. When we develop our inner resources the outer will follow.

"Few men during their lifetime come anywhere near exhausting the resources dwelling within them. There are deep wells of strength that are never used."
- Richard Byrd

Resourcefulness

2009-06-30T19:55:00.000-04:00

How resourceful are you? Take the poll More online surveys on pollsb.com

What's Hot Now?

2009-05-21T17:00:00.000-04:00

A recent Yahoo! News headline read, "Hot in recession: Cheaper wine, chocolate, Spam". Needless to say, this caught my attention! Even though we are in an "economic downturn" -- our new phrase for depression or recession (we certainly would want to scare anyone with those words) this article revealed which products are currently experiencing a growth in sales.

Included in the list --I've added my comments:

• Chocolate --we must have something to make us happy
• Cheaper Wine --makes us happy and saves money
• Running Shoes --guess we can't pay the gym membership anymore
• Gold Coins --maybe we're loosing our faith in the US dollar
• Spam, Dinty Moore stew, Hormel chili --so much for dining out
• Seeds --better learn how to grow our own food just in case we can't afford Spam
• Stomach remedies --this makes perfect sense, our stomachs are upset over the
economy, or maybe it's the canned meat products
• Fishing Equipment --fish is better than Spam, plus it is something to do with our
time since we don't have extra money to spend
• Lipstick --well if you can't get a new outfit, perhaps new lipstick
• Guns --are we that scared?

The good news here is as the article states, "It is not all doom and gloom in the US economy." We are still spending money, just in smaller sums and for things that bring us a little happiness and a sense of security!

What is "Normal" now for your business?

2009-05-16T15:33:00.000-04:00

With many businesses feeling the effects of the economic downturn, a new "normal" is evolving, what's yours?

Could your self-esteem use a boost?

2009-04-20T11:44:00.000-04:00

Join Coach Rhonda tonight April 20th at 7pm EST for a FREE coaching workshop.

When you are self-confident you will:

* Do what you believe is right, even if others mock or criticize you.

* Be willing to take risks and go the extra mile to achieve better things.

* Admit your mistakes and vow to learn from them.

* Accept compliments graciously.

* Pursue and achieve your goals.

To register click here.

Self-Confidence: Learning to Have Faith and Trust in Yourself

2009-04-07T18:22:00.000-04:00

Do you have faith and trust in yourself? Confidence is trust or faith that a person or thing is capable. if you have faith and trust in yourself you have confidence.

I am astonished at how many women I meet who struggle with self-confidence. A lack of confidence affects your relationships, business/career, and can even affect your health. There are many factors that can lead to a lack of confidence such as gender, birth order, and parent’s attitudes.

Did you know that boys are called on to answers teacher’s questions more often than girls? Do you know why? More boys raise their hands than girls. So naturally when the teacher sees 10 boys with hands up and only 2 girls, the teacher will pick a boy. Boys raise their hands even when they don’t know the answer. Girls raise their hands only when they know the answer and sometimes not even then.

First born children are usually more confident, particularly if they are male. Parents pay lots of attention to everything a first-born does, therefore creating more confidence. If one or both of your parents were excessively critical, demanding or overprotective you may not have developed self-confidence.

So what if you are a woman, who was not the first born, with parents who were overly critical or protective? What if don’t have faith and trust in yourself? How can you build your confidence?

First recognize what self-confidence looks like. When you are self-confident you will:
Do what you believe is right, even if others mock or criticize you.
Be willing to take risks and go the extra mile to achieve better things.
Admit your mistakes and vow to learn from them.
Accept compliments graciously.

If you lack confidence you may:
Base your behavior on what other people think.
Stay in your comfort zone because you fear failure.
Cover up mistakes.
Dismiss compliments.

To build your confidence you must understand that it is like a muscle. There is no quick fix. Confidence must be warmed up, worked out, and stretched on a consistent basis to reach maximum potential and peak performance. Here are some steps to get you started:

1. Mentally prepare. Take stock of where you are, where you want to go, and commit yourself to starting and staying with it.

2. Look at what you have already achieved by writing out your 5 greatest accomplishments or finest moments. You may want to post this somewhere you can see it often.

3. Give yourself credit for everything you try. By applauding yourself for trying you will build confidence.

4. Approach new experiences as opportunities to learn regardless of the outcome.

5. Listen to self talk. Eliminate negative self-talk. If you have self-doubts, write them down and challenge them with rational solutions.

6. Build your knowledge and/or skills by taking a class or course. Go get the degree or certificate that will prove your abilities to the world and yourself.

7. Understand that you will make mistakes and you will not be perfect. Perfection is the antagonist of confidence.

8. Set small goals (as steps to your bigger goals) and when you achieve them celebrate.

9. Continue to stretch yourself by setting even bigger goals.

10. Hire a coach if you can't do it on your own.

Self-confidence is about balance. You know that negative outcomes are possible, but rather than exaggerating or minimizing it, you give it the due attention necessary (what can I do if this happens ...). Perhaps a better definition of confidence is the state of balanced perceptions and preparation.

And what will be the result of this new found confidence? Those around you will notice your confidence and you will inspire confidence in others. Perhaps Jack Welch said it best, “Confidence gives you courage and extends your reach. It lets you take greater risks and achieve far more than you ever thought possible!”

So, You Want to Be a COACH

2009-03-16T14:20:00.000-04:00

You love helping people and the idea of working from home, so of course, coaching comes to mind. But what does it really take to become and be a life coach?

Training—Coaching is both art and science. The art will come through your experiences, intuition, and personality. The science comes through training. With training you will learn to listen to text and tone. You will learn about patterns that keep people from reaching their goals and how to help your client set obtainable goals. There are many schools that offer training. An ICF approved coach training program is recommended. Once you finish the program get your certification.

Work with a Coach—Find a coach you connect with an experience coaching from the client side. Pay attention to what your coach does, the questions they ask, and how you feel during the experience. You may even ask your coach to coach you on becoming a coach.

Decide on your coaching niche —This could be relationships, time management, getting organized, life transitions, or financial matters. Whatever your passion and experience leads you to coach on, the field is open, just be specific.

Marketing—You must love marketing. There are countless ways to market your coaching practice both in person and on the web. Many coaches sell programs on how to market your practice.

Money—You probably will not make $100,000 in your first year. Even though most coaches charge between $100 and $500 an hour, it takes time to build a practice. There are many programs and products available online to help you grow your business.

By combining your unique personality and special talents with proper training and marketing you will be on your way into the rewarding world of life coaching.

Check out, So You Want to be a COACH. In this new e-book you will learn what it takes to become a coach and what it is like to be a coach. It is the truth about my journey into the world of coaching! Plus there are links to the best websites to get your coaching practice up and running!

To purchase your copy visit CoachRhonda.

WOAMTEC

2009-03-04T14:40:00.000-05:00

Just got back from lunch at the Daytona Beach chapter of WOAMTEC (Women on a Mission To Earn Commission.) What a wonderful opportunity to meet with other business women and network! Thank you, Inez Bracy, for inviting me! To learn more about WOAMTEC visit their website WOAMTEC.

The presenter at today's meeting was Lois Pollack who represents JBUG jewelry, an equisite line of custom made (in the USA!) jewelry that makes one think of David Yurman but at a fraction of the price! Check out their website at JBUG.

February Topic--Acceptance

2009-02-17T17:46:00.000-05:00

When we have acceptance, we have understanding, tolerance, and open-mindedness. When we accept we release ourselves of disbelief, liberate our energy, acknowledge what is working and what isn't, and adapt to or make necessary changes. Acceptance frees our soul to soar.

"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference." Reinhold Niebuhr

Need Help!

2009-02-13T12:56:00.000-05:00

Has anyone had any experience flying with a dog from the US to the UK?

Come to the Winter Wholistic Health Fair

2009-02-11T14:46:00.000-05:00

Saturday, February 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Sunshine Park Mall in South Daytona, Florida.

Stop by and meet Rhonda at her table, plus Rhonda will present a mini-workshop on "The Nine Biggest Mistakes Women Make" at 3 p.m.

There will be prizes and giveaways throughout the day. Parking and admission are free.

Natural Awakenings Feb 2009 issue

2009-02-05T09:53:00.000-05:00

I am so excited to have been quoted in an article in this month's local issue of Natural Awakenings magazine!

The article, "Fall in Love with Your Life" inspires us to to make small changes that will bring big rewards in our life. Changes include; developing an attitude of gratitude, honoring the body, learning to say no, starting here and now, and creating a circle of support.

You can read the full article at CoachRhonda.com

Self-Discipline

2009-01-13T18:45:00.000-05:00

I hate exercise, actually I don't know anyone who really enjoys it, do you? But the fact is it has great health benefits, we all know this. Even with this knowledge, it takes loads of self-discipline to start and continue an exercise regimen. We can all relate to the self-discipline required for exercise but how does discipline show up in other areas of our life?

Often times we base decisions in our life purely on our comfort level, lacking the discipline to continue once we start getting uncomfortable. This is true of diets, exercise, relationships, money management, careers, businesses, and in most all areas of our lives.

If you would like to boost your self-discipline try these steps:

1. Start small. This may be as simple as hanging your jacket in the closet each day instead of throwing it across the back of the sofa.

2. Get clear on your emotions regarding discipline. If you feel discipline requires conformance and you are a rebel at heart, your sub-conscious will be in direct opposition to your conscious intentions.

3. Stop procrastinating and postponing, do things you dislike first.

4. Think long term. Realize what you do today will affect your life in the future.

5. Find help. An accountability partner can cheer you own, remind you of the benefits, and motivate you when you want to give up!

Where is lack of self-discipline hindering your life? Most goals and intentions are not reached simply due to a lack of self-discipline. This year develop your discipline muscle, you'll be glad you did!

Time

2009-01-07T08:22:00.000-05:00

Time...isn't it interesting that each day we all get the same amount deposited into our lives. Some use it as an investment, while others squander it away!

Letting Go

2009-01-05T11:40:00.000-05:00

As I sit here on the first official work day of the New Year, I find myself exhaling. I am exhaling both the busyness of the holidays and the memories of the past year. I realize I must exhale in order to inhale. This makes me think of my life and how I must let go of things of the past in order to make room for things to come.

When I got divorced from my first husband I had to let go of not only him, but friendships we shared, a business we shared, and my idealistic, white-picket fence vision of love, marriage and family. It was extremely difficult to let go of 17 years of marriage and a lifetime of how I thought my life would be.

But just as the baby chick breaks out of the shell (and lets the shell go) we too must break out and let go of beliefs, things, thoughts, ideas, and sometime people.

What are you holding on to in your life that you need to let go of; old clothes that don't fit and even if they did they wouldn't be in style, your self-concept, relationships, past failures, past hurts, self-doubts, fears, limitations, expectations? The list goes on. When we hold on to things that no longer serve us, we in effect hold ourselves back. In other words, we don't hatch.

As I sit here I realize that I cannot hold the breath within, I must exhale, and then I must inhale and embrace what is, and what is to come.

Perhaps at the beginning of the year we should exhale that which holds us back as we inhale our intentions for the coming year.

Happy New Year!

2008-12-31T23:09:00.000-05:00

2009 is just a day away and 2008 will become a memory. What will you remember about 2008? What do you anticipate in 2009?

To help you remember the best of 2008 and plan for 2009:

Make a list of accomplishments. Truly acknowledge yourself and others for all achievements, from simple to extraordinary!

Make a list of your gratitudes for 2008. We have many things to be grateful for even when times are tough.

Last, make a list of your intentions for 2009. Imagine today is December 31, 2009, what do you want to write on your list of accomplishments and gratitudes? This will be your intentions for 2009!

All the best to you and your family in the coming New Year!

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-25T16:45:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving is here! Where has the year gone? I am sure you are looking forward to a feast with your loved ones!

On Thanksgiving we are reminded to express our gratitude. This year I have a new idea to share with you, introduced to me by a fellow coach, Tina Games-Evans, it is an "AlphaPoem of Gratitude".

Here's how you do it...on a piece of paper make an ABC list vertically down the page. Starting with the letter A, list what you are grateful for, such as "Aunt Peggy" then pass the list to the next guest and have them fill in B. Keep passing the list until you have finished the alphabet! This is a fun way for everyone to express their gratitude!

I would like to leave you with a closing thought on gratitude, "Gratitudes are expressions of gratefulness for things outside of yourself: people, place, situation and things that are external. Always be specific as possible in your gratitudes. Gratitudes are very powerful; they can literally change your perspective of the world. You see opportunities where there were none before. You are open to possibilities that, in the past, would have felt impossible. You become more positive. You see people differently. You begin to notice little things. Stress dissolves. Your smile returns. Life seems doable." Rhonda Britten, Founder of Fearless Living

I look forward to making my "AlphaPoem of Gratitude" I know already for C, it is Clients and for R, the Readers of my newsletter and blog!

I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving full of good food, good company, and Gratitude!

Showing Up

2008-11-19T17:54:00.000-05:00

How often do you NOT show up in your life?

This recently happened to me with a group of coaches. We just recently met and are working together in a mastermind group. Our group is involved in a competition with other groups. (I hate competitions, give me collaboration instead!)

Each week we come together on a call to brainstorm (mastermind) some new ideas. If we come up with some great ideas then we stand a chance of winning a great prize. Sunday night just before our weekly call I had an epiphany...

I realized that if it were a reality TV show like Survivor, that on this night's call, I would most likely get kicked off! Aftr all, I was coming to the call with nothing to offer. I had been on two previous calls and felt I had offered nothing then either. I, of course, was dreading this call. Then it came to me, "I am not showing up!" Sure, I had been on the previous calls, but I didn't show up. The person that showed up was someone who was fearful of being judged, not fitting in, and/or not being good enough.

So, Sunday night, minutes before the call, I decided I would show up! All of me, honest, fearful, funny, and someone who does have something to contribute (even if I wasn't sure what!)

When it came my turn to share with the group I told them I had nothing! I said I was glad it wasn't a reality TV show because I would be getting kicked off! Guess what? They all had felt that way about themselves too! We all had NOT shown up!

At this moment, all of us showed up. We had our best call ever and came up with some great ideas!

Where are you not showing up in your life? I invite you to examine this over the next few weeks. Really focus and become aware of when fear is keeping you from showing up.

When we don't show up, we can't feel the passion, we don't find our purpose. Remember, passion comes with risk, power, and fun!

I would love to hear your story of How You Show Up or DON'T Show UP in Your Life. Post your comments here, maybe I can help you start "Showing Up"!

Making a List

2008-11-06T09:34:00.000-05:00

Since my return from the Coaching Super Summit my mind has been overwhelmed with possibilities. There were so many great ideas I seem to just want to use them all!

How often does that happen to us in our businesses and in our lives? So many good ideas, so much to do, and never enough time?

For myself I have come up with a solution and perhaps this will work for you too.

I am making a list. A list of all the good ideas and things I want to do. Once I have made my list, I plan to rate it by what is most important, the amount of time it will take, whether there is a deadline or perceived deadline, how it will impact my business or life, whether I have the necessary means (tools, skills, etc.), and how much joy I will get from doing the particular task.

I like working with a list. I love crossing things off the list, it gives me such a sense of accomplishment.

I encourage you to take time today to make a list, after all we are approaching that time of year, as the jingle says, "He's making his list, he's checking it twice, gonna find out...whose productive or not!" (OK I changed the lyrics a bit!)

My trip to the Coaching Super Summit

2008-10-27T17:08:00.000-04:00

It was indeed a SUPER coaching summit!!! Thank you Milana for providing this unique and informational opportunity. I met so many wonderful fellow coaches. Coaches are the warmest, most accepting, non-judgmental people in the world!

We learned so much. I am still digesting and processing all the information and can't wait to implement some of the ideas and watch my business transform! And that comment leads me to one of the most simple and impressive things I learned and want to share.

Information + implementation = TRANSFORMATION

Information - implementation = FRUSTRATION

How many times do we hear life changing information with all the intentions of implementing it into our lives then fail to act? Of course we end up frustrated! Well, I do not intend to have frustration, I intend to have a transformation!

Then and Now

2008-10-14T15:19:00.000-04:00

Recently I was pondering the economic downturn and began to wonder how our time now would compare with the Great Depression. I decided to do some research and found some interesting information. Although, I have never been a history buff as I get older I realize we can learn from it.

As we know, the Great Depression was the result of Black Tuesday, October 29, 1929 when the stock market crashed. But what I didn't realize, is that the Dust Bowl also factored into that time. The Dust Bowl was the result of an abnormally severe drought combined with over plowing of the land. Many of the people left the Dust Bowl area and went to California seeking jobs, but California had a terrible frost which killed many of their crops. So, the Great Depression was a combination of both Wall Street and weather.

What I really wanted to know though, was, whether any businesses or industries grew during that time. I found an interesting article about Successful Companies and Industries During the Great Depression. You can read it at http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=178334. At the end of this article there are some more great links about the Great Depression.

Basically, this is what I learned. Some industries like home appliances actually grew during that time. In other industries, companies that weren't highly leveraged were able beat out their competition with increased advertising. Case in point, Chevrolet started out selling Ford because they had more money for advertising. Also, because money was so tight consumers looked for better deals and companies offering better products and better deals came out stronger and with continued customer loyalty.

Then as now, change happens. Changes bring opportunity. Opportunity to grow, learn, discard, re-think, re-organize, and even re-energize.

The question I pose is, "What can we learn from THEN and how can we apply it NOW?" I welcome your comments, insights, and inspirations!

Still Time to Make it Great in 2008

2008-09-15T20:04:00.000-04:00

Last week we had our monthly coaching club call. The topic was "Achieving 2008 Goals." As I surveyed those present on the call most had the same goals for 2008 that they had in 2007, 2006, and even 2005. Such goals as clean out closets, loose weight, and go back to school. When asked why they thought they had never accomplished the goals answers were; feeling overwhelmed, too tired after working all day, secret resentments, and just being lazy.

I believe we all have goals we want to achieve. I also believe if you have had the same goals for several years and are not accomplishing them that you are not being honest with yourself. Questions I asked the group were; How important is this goal? How will your life change if you reach your goal? How will achieving this goal make you happier? Is this your goal or someone else's? Are you worthy of the outcome of this goal?

If we want to increase our odds of achieving our goals then we have answer those questions honestly. It is interesting how many excuses I hear of why people do not reach their stated goals. Here's the truth...a goal without a plan and action is merely a wish and not likely to happen. Goals have an action plan. When we make a plan and take action we set the for stage success.

There is still over 3 months left in this year. Dust off your New Year's Resolutions list, make an action plan, and get busy! You can still "Make it Great in 2008!"

If you are having difficulty getting started or staying on track with your goal(s), talk to a coach! We are trained to inspire and motivate you to reach your true desires!

Vote

2008-09-08T17:16:00.000-04:00

My daughter recently moved to England. She plans to stay for about 2 years. Before she left we were talking about the upcoming presidential election. As she was sharing her political views she told me who she plans to vote for to be our new president. I said, "But you will be in England, you won't be here to vote." She quickly advised me that she had already taken the necessary steps to be able to vote even though she will not be in the country. I have to say, I was impressed!

Are you planning to vote?

Perhaps you are undecided. Sometimes it is hard to make decisions, particularly if you feel pressure to make the right decision. But realize, not making a decision, is a decision. It just leaves you in a powerless position, which can become a habit in your life.

Perhaps you don't like either of the candidates. If you are only listening to the advertisements, especially the ones that slam the opposing candidate, then it is no wonder you don't like either candidate. Take some time to read up on where they stand on the issues that are important to your life. You will find one appeals to you more than the other.

Perhaps you feel your vote doesn't really count since we have delegates. There is a lot of talk around this subject. I am not so well versed on our process that I can offer a good explanation of this. However, I will say, we live in a nation where we do not have to risk our life in order to vote. It really is an opportunity and a privilege.

History will be made in this election. For the first time ever we will have either an African American President or a woman Vice President. These are exciting times! Be a part of the decision! VOTE!

Going to the Coaching Super Summit!

2008-09-02T09:32:00.000-04:00

I am so excited, I have just signed up for the Coaching Super Summit being held in Baltimore in October! I really searched my soul before signing up. There were considerations about how much it would cost and could I afford that, whether I would feel uncomfortable there, how my family would get along with out me for a few days, and whether or not I was really committed to building my business.

So, how did I make my decision? I coached myself, just like I would coach my clients. I listened to the "committee in my head" and one by one addressed each issue that was holding me back.

How much would it cost and could I afford it? I had to make a decision, the price was going up soon, the discount for early registration was about to end. I asked myself, "What is the business American Express card for anyway, isn't it for business building opportunities?" This is a business building opportunity, right? Plus, if all goes well, I will increase my business enough to cover the cost. OK, this issue is resolved. Next...

Will I feel uncomfortable there? What kind of question is this? Already, I am putting a negative spin on the experience. Is it about acceptance? Worthiness? Confidence? Yes, that's what it is, confidence. I continually struggle with a lack of confidence. (People who know me are always surprised when I say this, but it is true.) Long ago I acknowledged confidence as one of my mental blocks and decided to not to let it keep me stuck. But here it is showing up again. Acknowledge it, release it. Next...

How would my family feel? Well, I thought, "I won't know until I ask." So, I sat down and explained to my husband how important I felt going to the summit would be for the growth of my business, discussed the traveling dates, and gained his support. I even boosted my own self support in the process. Another stumbling block removed! Next....

The last mental block in my way was the question of, "Am I really committed to building my business?" At first this question may seem like a no-brainer, of course I want to build my business. Right? Well, not so fast. I, like most people understand that I don't want to fail, but how would success change my life? Am I willing to embrace the changes that success may bring? I am convinced that we (me included) often stay in our comfort zones. As I pondered the question at hand, I realized that I have enjoyed the slower pace of building my coaching practice, but it is time to embrace new challenges and new frontiers!

So why am I sharing this story with you?

First to let you know that we all struggle sometimes in making decisions which will bring change to our lives. Confusion and fear keep us stuck. In my process I had to tune-in to my thoughts and get clear on all the mental blocks, then I had to address them one by one.

Second, I want to share the self-coaching approach with you. Next time you are struggling with a decision, take a few quite moments and really tune-in to your thoughts. Write down all the questions and/or thoughts that are swirling in your head regarding the issue. Examine them one by one and try to come up with a counter point to your own thought. If you are able to do this then you will have the clarity to make a good decision. If you can't do this on your own then talk with someone you trust such as your partner, parent, or friend. Otherwise consider working with a coach. We are trained to help you tune-in and dissect your thoughts and we encourage you to move past fear and follow your dreams!

Good luck with your decisions and following your dreams! I will soon be off to the Summit. I will let you know how it goes!

It's Summer--Time to Play Call Review

2008-06-24T20:19:00.000-04:00

Thank you to those of you who joined this month's coaching club call, "It's Summer--Time to Play."

In this call we explored childlike behaviors such as, playful, imaginative, trusting, inquisitive, spontaneous, open, creative, silly, and loving. Callers shared memories of their childhood doing things such as watching ants, crawling through snow caves, swinging, playing with animals, rolling down hills, and eating pancakes at grandparent's house.

As adults, most of us get so stressed with the daily pressures of adult life that we forget the light hearted energy that childlike behaviors can bring. Callers expressed they would like to laugh out loud more, be more inquisitive, and be more spontaneous. They were encouraged to spend time each week doing an activity that would help them activate the light energy of playfulness. Suggestions were go to a water park, watch funny movies, people watch at the flea market, and go to a playground and watch children play.

At the end of the call we were reminded of "All I Need to Know I learned in Kindergarten" by Robert Fulgrum--
All I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sand pile at school. These are the things I learned:

Share everything.

Play fair.

Don't hit people.

Put things back where you found them.

Clean up your own mess.

Don't take things that aren't yours.

Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.

Wash your hands before you eat.

Flush.

Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.

Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.

Take a nap every afternoon.

When you go out in the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together.

Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: the roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.

Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup - they all die. So do we.

And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned - the biggest word of all - LOOK.

Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation. Ecology and politics and equality and sane living.

I encourage you to think back to when you were a child and your happiest times. Remember the way you felt. Think of a way today to incorporate some of that energy into your life!

Spring Into Marketing Savings Call

2008-04-14T20:30:00.000-04:00

Susan Payton of Egg Marketing & Public Relations was the featured expert of this month's coaching call. She shared some updated strategies for marketing our businesses that won't cost a fortune!

Some of her tips included:

Susan says now is a good time to plant seeds (marketing seeds, of course!) Although your business may not be experiencing a slow down, all the economic forecasts are warning us of a recession. So now is the time to plant the seeds, that you will harvest in the months to come. Just like a farmer.
Identify your target market.
Analyze your marketing efforts by keeping track of how customers find you on a spread sheet. When you get a new contact you will need to ask them how they found you in order to track this. Once you have a few months information, keep what's working and re-evaluate what's not. Keep in mind if your marketing source fits your target market and you are not getting results you may need to re-evaluate your ad.
Write and submit press releases. She has written an e-book on the subject which you can find at her website eggmarketingpr.com
Susan enlightened us as to what a Web 2.0 world means. It is the new means of marketing we have on the Internet now that go far beyond billboards, print ads, brochures, and business cards. Not to take away from any of those means, but to have another avenue of exposure. To exist in the Web 2.0 world you need the following:

HAVE A WEBSITE! In this day and age most people look for products or services on the Internet. Websites are also great as a resource for potential customers or clients you spoken to who want more information about your business.

Use keywords. Try to come up with at least 4 keywords per page of your website, specifically targeting words you think others would use if they were looking for your product or service.

Start a blog. A blog is a series of articles on your area of expertise. It helps to also have links to other websites on your blog.

Susan also told us about an e-book that she wrote called "Eating Cereal With a Fork." In this book she talks about how to get the very most for your marketing budget.

Thank you Susan for a great call. We appreciate you sharing your expertise with us!

Spring Make-Over

2008-03-26T11:15:00.000-04:00

Spring is a great time for a make-over. Here are some ideas for different areas of your life:

Home

Get your home in the spring mood by bringing in sheer fabrics, florals, and/or garden elements
Plant a garden
Update your landscaping
Get organized

Style

Update your wardrobe with light colored or floral fabrics
Get a new hairstyle by updating your cut or color
Start a daily walking routine or exercise program

Personality

Stop complaining
Start a new hobby
Learn something new

Business

Make-over your marketing or advertising
Update a product, service or your website

There are many ideas for make-overs. If you have an idea for a make-over please share it!

Hiring Employees and Team Building

2008-03-03T20:44:00.000-05:00

Thank you, Bobbi Palmer for joining the call tonight and teaching us about Hiring Employees and Team building.

I learned the following from the call:

Hiring Employees--

The value of hiring based on "characteristics and values" first and "skill set" second.
Having a culture statement to express the business values.
Having a clear written job description.
Finding out what motivates the potential employee and whether that fits with your environment.
That it is acceptable and important to test people before hiring.
That we can go to your website www.bobbipalmer.com to get more info about questions to ask ourself before interviewing and questions we can't ask in an interview.

Team Building--

The importance of defining the team.
That people want to feel that they are treated fairly, have an opportunity to achieve, and that they feel part of the team.
That they are recognized for their contributions.
That money isn't the only motivator.
The importance of communication.

I invite everyone to share their comments here.

Also, visit www.bobbipalmer.com for more information.

Once again, thanks Bobbi!

Thank you Mark and everyone on the call!

2008-02-04T20:51:00.000-05:00

We had a great call tonight with Mark Semple of Successful Together Coaching. If you have questions or comments post them here and Mark or I will get back with you.

For more information you can also visit Mark's website at www.SuccessfulTogetherCoaching.com. There you can look around and also sign up for his newsletter.

Mark is offering a discount to the participants of the call on his Powerful Partnerships CD set. Go to www.successfultogethercoaching.com/rhonda.html

This 2-CD set that provides insights on how to gain support from partner & family and how they can support you.

Mark thank you so much for sharing your expertise with us on this call!!!

If you would like to listen to a playback of this call you can do so by dialing 614-715-3418, access code 771846#.

My Confession

2008-01-10T21:10:00.000-05:00

Do you ever have a great idea that you get started with then somehow loose track of? If you said, "Yes" then good, it's not just me. This blog was/is my good idea that I lost track of. I confess, I have been neglecting to submit new posts or reply to the comments that have been posted.

To those of you who did post your comments, I apologize that I did not answer or acknowledge you. I want to take that opportunity now.

Brenda Hager, I am so impressed that you found this blog and responded to my post about your writing. I loved your description on "Strong Women" and wanted to share it with every woman in the world. You so eloquently and accurately depicted strong women. Thank you!!!

Joyce, I would be happy to share more of my story about becoming a life coach. Please email me at Rhonda@RhondaHSmith.com and I will tell you the whole story and be happy to answer any of your questions.

Debbie, I am glad you enjoyed the post on Self-Confidence and hope you are continuing to give yourself credit for trying and celebrating your successes.

Loyce, thank you for reading my blog and posting your comment!

It's a new year and time to refocus! Time to let go of what did not work, revisit what could have worked, and come up with new ideas. I hope in the coming year you will turn to this blog for practical, logical and useful information!

Make it Great in 2008

2008-01-10T20:39:00.000-05:00

Are you ready for the New Year? Have you thought about what you want to accomplish this year? If not, then sit back, relax and read on. By the time you finish this article you will be ready to “Make it great in 2008!” Combining the ingredients of the Law of Attraction, Gratitude, Visualization, and Goal Planning you will live the year by intention. This time next year you will look back and say, “Wow, 2008 was a fantastic year!”

The Law of Attraction is a universal law regarding your thoughts. As noted in the movie The Secret; what you think about is what you attract, what you focus on expands, what you ask for and believe you are deserving of, you will receive. We all understand gravity and know that if we fell off a five story building the law of gravity would be the same for every person, every time. The same is true for the Law of Attraction. In The Power of Positive Thinking, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale wrote: “Learn to expect, not to doubt. In doing so you bring everything into the realm of possibility…It is amazing how a sustained expectation of the best sets the forces in motion which can cause the best to materialize.”

Gratitude fits perfectly in with the Law of Attraction because--what you focus on expands. If you constantly complain you will get more to complain about. If you are thankful and appreciative you will have more to be thankful and appreciative about. As accurately stated by Dennis Waitley, “First we make our attitudes, then our attitudes make us.”

Visualization is a powerful way to stay motivated. Imagine that you have just had the most magical, unbelievable year of your life. When you visualize you activate the energy and feelings that will encourage and motivate you to manifest your desires.

Goal planning is the final ingredient. What is your goal? How would your life be different if you achieved the goal? Why do you want to achieve the goal? Once you have clearly stated your goal determine the five to ten most important steps you must take to make the goal a reality, giving each step a deadline. In order to achieve your goal and the interim steps toward it you will need a variety of resources including; time, energy and motivation, money, people, and possibly more. Be committed to identifying the resources, where they will come from, and where to get them if you don’t already currently have them. Remember, a goal, not in writing, is simply a wish.

These steps can be summarized with four A’s; Attraction, Attitude, Apparition and Action! Put the Law of Attraction to work in your life. Improve your attitude with gratitude. Visualize the apparition of your desires. Take action with a solid goal plan. You can, Make it Great in 2008!

What Haunts You?

2007-10-30T17:17:00.000-04:00

Halloween is upon us. Pumpkins, ghosts and goblins are everywhere. I usually tend to look at this holiday as a pretend holiday, mainly for the kids to dress up and collect candy. But this year the thought occurred to me that this would be a good time to ask, "What haunts you?"

We all have fears inside, fears that hold us back, fears that keep us stuck. You may have the fear of failure or fear of success. Maybe it is fear of letting go or fear of staying stuck. Or perhaps it is fear of your true feelings being exposed or the fear that you will never be able to express your true feelings. These fears haunt us and keep our true nature cowering inside. They can be paralyzing!

What haunts you? Be honest with yourself. What haunts you (read paralyses you, keeps you stuck?) What is your biggest fear? What is the worst case scenario? What will your life look like five years from now if you hold onto this fear? What would happen if you overcame the fear?

There are two basic human emotions, Love and Fear? Which one leads your life?

This year take the opportunity on Halloween to release your fear. Start by acknowledging what really haunts you deep down inside. Envision how your life would be different if you did not have this fear. Make a plan to release the fear.

If you are stuck in your fear working with a coach can help expose the roots of your fears and provide tools to move beyond them. The result is a happier and more fulfilled life, without fear!

Finding Excuses or Finding A Way

2007-09-26T22:22:00.000-04:00

I recently read this quote , "If you really want to do something your will find a way. If you don't, you will find an excuse." Since I stumbled across this quote I have been amazed by how often it has applied to myself, my children, my friends, and my clients. In assessing this phenomenon I have discovered that people don't even realize when they are making excuses. For example, the salesman who says, "My sales are down because the market is down." He is finding an excuse rather than looking for a way to increase his sales, thus his sales will probably stay down until he feels the market is back up or realizes he is making an excuse. What is unfortunate is that he probably doesn't even realize that he is finding an excuse rather than finding a way.

What do you find yourself saying or doing? If a new idea is presented to you do you think, "How can we make this happen?" Or do you say, "We can't do that because ___ ."

I remember watching the movie Apollo 13 and being struck with the tenacity of the NASA crew in finding a way to get their crippled spacecraft home. If they had been stuck in making excuses rather than finding a way, those astronauts would have lost their lives and impacted the space industry for years to come. In many ways, everyday, people lose their lives to the excuses they make for not pursuing their dreams, not making their plans, not living up to their potential, and not waking up to life.

Start paying attention to your thought pattern today. The next time you are presented with an idea or a plan notice your immediate reaction. Do you start making excuses or thinking about how to make it happen? If you find yourself making excuses, quickly shift your thinking to finding a way. Continue practicing this new way of thinking and soon it will become your habit. Who knows what may open up in your life once you stop finding excuses and start finding a way! Repeat 3 times, "If you really want to do something your will find a way. If you don't, you will find an excuse."

NOTE: Finding an excuse is not the same as being stuck. Often times people want to do things and want to find a way, but simply feel stuck. That's where coaching comes in. Coaching is finding a way. Coaching can help by digging deep to discover where your energy is blocked or tangled, what your true motivation is, how to leverage what is working, offer you new insights, and help you to create an action plan to move you forward toward your dreams!

STRONG WOMEN

2007-08-10T08:55:00.000-04:00

Are You a Strong Woman?

Many times through the years I have thought of myself as weak, even though others would comment on how strong I am. Recently I read how one woman described what it means to be a stong woman, I found her writing to be enlightening and inspiring. This is what it means to be a STRONG WOMAN

Strong Women

Strong women are those who know the road ahead will be strewn with obstacles, but they still choose to walk it because it's the right one for them.

Strong women are those who make mistakes, who admit to them, learn from those failures, and then use that knowledge.

Strong women are easily hurt, but they still extend their hearts and hands, knowing the risk and accepting the pain when it come.

Strong women are afraid. They face fear and move ahead to the future, as uncertain as it can be.

Strong women are not those who succeed the first time. They're the ones who fail time and again, but still keep trying until they succeed.

Strong women face the daily trials of life, sometimes with a tear, but always with their head held high as the new day dawns.
---Brenda Hager

Self Confidence--Learning to Have Faith & Trust in Yourself

2007-04-02T21:12:00.000-04:00

Do you have faith and trust in yourself? Confidence is trust or faith that a person or thing is capable. Self-confidence is having confidence in oneself. Therefore if you have faith and trust in yourself you have confidence. I am astonished at how many women I meet who struggle with self-confidence. There are many factors that can lead to a lack of confidence such as gender, birth order, and parent’s attitudes.

Did you know that boys are called on to answers teacher’s questions more often than girls? Do you know why? More boys raise their hands than girls. So naturally when the teacher sees 10 boys with hands up and only 2 girls, the teacher will pick a boy. Boys raise their hands even when they don’t know the answer. Girls raise their hands only when they know the answer and sometimes not even then.

First born children are usually more confident, particularly if they are male. Parents pay lots of attention to everything a first-born does, therefore creating more confidence.
If one or both of your parents were excessively critical, demanding or overprotective you may not have developed self-confidence.

So what if you are a woman, who was not the first born, with parents who were overly critical or protective? What if don’t have faith and trust in yourself? How can you build your confidence?

First recognize what self-confidence looks like. When you are self-confident you will:
Do what you believe is right, even if others mock or criticize you.
Be willing to take risks and go the extra mile to achieve better things.
Admit your mistakes and vow to learn from them.
Accept compliments graciously.

If you lack confidence you may:
Base your behavior on what other people think.
Stay in your comfort zone because you fear failure.
Cover up mistakes.
Dismiss compliments.

To build your confidence you must understand that it is like a muscle. There is no quick fix. Confidence must be warmed up, worked out, and stretched on a consistent basis to reach maximum potential and peak performance. Here are some steps to get you started:

1. Mentally prepare. Take stock of where you are, where you want to go, and commit yourself to starting and staying with it.
2. Look at what you have already achieved by writing out your 5 greatest accomplishments or finest moments. You may want to post this somewhere you can see it often.
3. Give yourself credit for everything you try. By applauding yourself for trying you will build confidence.
4. Approach new experiences as opportunities to learn regardless of the outcome.
5. Listen to self talk. Eliminate negative self-talk. If you have self-doubts, write them down and challenge them with rational solutions.
6. Build your knowledge and/or skills by taking a class or course. Go get the degree or certificate that will prove your abilities to the world and yourself.
7. Understand that you will make mistakes and you will not be perfect. Perfection is the antagonist of confidence.
8. Set small goals (as steps to your bigger goals) and when you achieve them celebrate.
9. Continue to stretch yourself by setting even bigger goals.
10. Hire a coach if you can't do it on your own.

Self-confidence is about balance. You know that negative outcomes are possible, but rather than exaggerating or minimizing it, you give it the due attention necessary (what can I do if this happens ...). Perhaps a better definition of confidence is the state of balanced perceptions and preparation.

And what will be the result of this new found confidence? Those around you will notice your confidence and you will inspire confidence in others. Perhaps Jack Welch said it best, “Confidence gives you courage and extends your reach. It lets you take greater risks and achieve far more than you ever thought possible!”