Thursday, February 16, 2012
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Lessons of 2009
2009 was a difficult year for me. I learned a lot of lessons - many of them the hard way! Things like: husbands need to feel useful even when their health makes it necessary for them to slow down and that even though you are excited about the prospect of expanding your business to make up for his loss of income, he doesn't necessarily share your excitement. Things like most people don't understand your need to stay home and create your own sources of income instead of going out and getting a "real" job - especially when your husband is seriously ill. And most importantly, things like you just have to do what's right for you and your family - regardless of what anyone else thinks.
I think that was the toughest thing for me to face this year. Someone would ask me what I was going to do now that Dearl had to retire and I would say look for ways to expand my business and increase my income. And most of them would inevitably look at me like I was crazy and then ask if I wasn't going to get a "real" job. "Real" job! Like getting up everyday and coaching clients, helping my network marketing team grow their businesses, writing articles, and developing the "It Should Be a Dog's World" line of products isn't really working. These people were my friends and family and I guess I expected them to be more supportive. It hurt when they weren't. Worse, I began to doubt myself the more I listened to them. Was I doing the right thing? Would we be able to survive without Dearl's full income?
It took me a while to remember that I am not here to please everyone. As long as my husband is supportive and I am doing what I feel is right for me, the rest of them don't matter. When you are chasing your dreams, many people just don't understand. They expect you to fit into the same narrow niche they exist in and get upset when you dare to step out.
After going through so much the past few months and finally realizing that I don't care about what everyone else thinks, I decided it was the perfect lesson to share with you for my first post after being absent for so long. Why? Because if I am dealing with this issue I'll bet that many others are too.
You can't please everybody. Trite but true. All you can do is tune out the naysayers. Ignore or avoid those that fill you with negativity. Find the path that's right for you and don't let anyone steer you from it. Surround yourself with like-minded, positive people that will support.
When I first got involved in network marketing, most of my friends laughed at me and I almost let them convince me I was wrong. When I told them I was building a business around my dog, they thought I was crazy and again, caused me to doubt myself. And when I told them I was going to start teaching others to do the same things I do, they laughed and asked me who would pay for that? I'm glad to say that I didn't listen to them and in the end followed my own instincts. The years since have been amazing in so many ways. Tough at times, challenging always, exciting, fulfilling, and profitable.
Let's make 2010 awesome! Are you ready? Take the first steps today. Kick the whiners and naysayers out of your life. Find a better group of people to surround yourself with - ones that are working to build their dreams and want to help you reach yours. Decide what it is you really want from life and create your plan to get there. Need help? Contact me via email (boomerbizcoach@live.com) or phone (479-790-9953) and we'll work together to find the course that is right for you and build your plan to reach it.
I think that was the toughest thing for me to face this year. Someone would ask me what I was going to do now that Dearl had to retire and I would say look for ways to expand my business and increase my income. And most of them would inevitably look at me like I was crazy and then ask if I wasn't going to get a "real" job. "Real" job! Like getting up everyday and coaching clients, helping my network marketing team grow their businesses, writing articles, and developing the "It Should Be a Dog's World" line of products isn't really working. These people were my friends and family and I guess I expected them to be more supportive. It hurt when they weren't. Worse, I began to doubt myself the more I listened to them. Was I doing the right thing? Would we be able to survive without Dearl's full income?
It took me a while to remember that I am not here to please everyone. As long as my husband is supportive and I am doing what I feel is right for me, the rest of them don't matter. When you are chasing your dreams, many people just don't understand. They expect you to fit into the same narrow niche they exist in and get upset when you dare to step out.
After going through so much the past few months and finally realizing that I don't care about what everyone else thinks, I decided it was the perfect lesson to share with you for my first post after being absent for so long. Why? Because if I am dealing with this issue I'll bet that many others are too.
You can't please everybody. Trite but true. All you can do is tune out the naysayers. Ignore or avoid those that fill you with negativity. Find the path that's right for you and don't let anyone steer you from it. Surround yourself with like-minded, positive people that will support.
When I first got involved in network marketing, most of my friends laughed at me and I almost let them convince me I was wrong. When I told them I was building a business around my dog, they thought I was crazy and again, caused me to doubt myself. And when I told them I was going to start teaching others to do the same things I do, they laughed and asked me who would pay for that? I'm glad to say that I didn't listen to them and in the end followed my own instincts. The years since have been amazing in so many ways. Tough at times, challenging always, exciting, fulfilling, and profitable.
Let's make 2010 awesome! Are you ready? Take the first steps today. Kick the whiners and naysayers out of your life. Find a better group of people to surround yourself with - ones that are working to build their dreams and want to help you reach yours. Decide what it is you really want from life and create your plan to get there. Need help? Contact me via email (boomerbizcoach@live.com) or phone (479-790-9953) and we'll work together to find the course that is right for you and build your plan to reach it.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Live your passion, sell your dream
"I don't understand it! I was sure this time it would work. Everyone said this was the next big thing. And yet I'm just not having any results. In fact, I feel stupid everytime I try to share what I'm doing. What am I doing wrong."
What are you doing wrong? It sounds like you might be trying to live someone else's dream.
You were born for a purpose! Really! A purpose no one else can fulfill. What? You don't believe me? Why not? Is it so difficult to believe that you are a special person, born for a special purpose?
Could it be you just haven't yet discovered what your purpose is? What are your passionate about? What types of things do you look forward to doing each day? What is it that you can't wait to share with others? What skills do you have that can benefit others?
"I don't have any special skills." "I don't have a passion for anything. I just try to make it through the day." "No one would be interested in the things that interest me." I've heard all of these negatives repeatedly, from almost everyone of my clients while they worked to discover their calling. But by focusing on the positive and ignoring the naysayers surrounding them, they were able to overcome the self-doubt and indecision they were feeling. They set goals that truly meant something to them and then started working towards them.
So, let's get moving! Don't be afraid. Don't let procrastination and indecision run your life. Look around at all the successful people you know. What do they have in common? They share their passions, interests, and skills. And whenever self-doubt reared its head, they gave their fear a good, swift kick and sent it packing. You have passions, interests, and skill too. You know something or can do something that could help hundreds, thousands, maybe even millions of people. And while you are serving others, you can serve yourself. Because following your passion and interests, and using the skills and talents you were given is a great way to earn a living. When you are doing what you love, what you are good at, using your skills, your enthusiasm shows. And enthusiasm is contagious. If you are excited about what you do, you will excite others around you. If you are good at what you do, people will recognize you as an expert in your field. Now wouldn't you prefer to work with an expert who is excited about his work? So would most people.
For many years I listened to others around me - my friends ("You go in business for yourself? You're kidding, right?"), my parents ("The only way to get ahead is to have a job that pays you a steady paycheck."), even my husband ("Are you sure this will work?"). Then circumstances changed and suddenly I had no choice. I had to do something different. And yet I still listened to those voices around me. The ones that told me to try the many different things I worked at because they worked for everyone else. But I'm not everyone else and they didn't work for me. It wasn't until I met some very special people who told me that to be successful, I had to do what I loved to do and was good at.
What's your passion? What do you enjoy doing? Where are your strengths, skills, and talents? What are you good at that you love to do? Don't worry about what everyone else is doing. Figure out who you are and what you do and what is it that makes you different from everyone else? Then share it. And watch how quickly you become a success.
What are you doing wrong? It sounds like you might be trying to live someone else's dream.
You were born for a purpose! Really! A purpose no one else can fulfill. What? You don't believe me? Why not? Is it so difficult to believe that you are a special person, born for a special purpose?
Could it be you just haven't yet discovered what your purpose is? What are your passionate about? What types of things do you look forward to doing each day? What is it that you can't wait to share with others? What skills do you have that can benefit others?
"I don't have any special skills." "I don't have a passion for anything. I just try to make it through the day." "No one would be interested in the things that interest me." I've heard all of these negatives repeatedly, from almost everyone of my clients while they worked to discover their calling. But by focusing on the positive and ignoring the naysayers surrounding them, they were able to overcome the self-doubt and indecision they were feeling. They set goals that truly meant something to them and then started working towards them.
So, let's get moving! Don't be afraid. Don't let procrastination and indecision run your life. Look around at all the successful people you know. What do they have in common? They share their passions, interests, and skills. And whenever self-doubt reared its head, they gave their fear a good, swift kick and sent it packing. You have passions, interests, and skill too. You know something or can do something that could help hundreds, thousands, maybe even millions of people. And while you are serving others, you can serve yourself. Because following your passion and interests, and using the skills and talents you were given is a great way to earn a living. When you are doing what you love, what you are good at, using your skills, your enthusiasm shows. And enthusiasm is contagious. If you are excited about what you do, you will excite others around you. If you are good at what you do, people will recognize you as an expert in your field. Now wouldn't you prefer to work with an expert who is excited about his work? So would most people.
For many years I listened to others around me - my friends ("You go in business for yourself? You're kidding, right?"), my parents ("The only way to get ahead is to have a job that pays you a steady paycheck."), even my husband ("Are you sure this will work?"). Then circumstances changed and suddenly I had no choice. I had to do something different. And yet I still listened to those voices around me. The ones that told me to try the many different things I worked at because they worked for everyone else. But I'm not everyone else and they didn't work for me. It wasn't until I met some very special people who told me that to be successful, I had to do what I loved to do and was good at.
What's your passion? What do you enjoy doing? Where are your strengths, skills, and talents? What are you good at that you love to do? Don't worry about what everyone else is doing. Figure out who you are and what you do and what is it that makes you different from everyone else? Then share it. And watch how quickly you become a success.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Tomorrow is the First Day of Your New Reality!
Fact: Almost anyone can become a millionaire.
Fact: Almost anyone can become a successful entrepreneur.
Fact: It is possible to wake up excited about life every day.
Fact: You can turn your passion into your work - and make the first three facts part of your reality!
What if you start tomorrow believing that these facts are true for you? What if you make them part of your reality. It has been proven many times that when you change your perception of reality, you change your behavior accordingly.
Most people go through life thinking this is all there is. I was as guilty of this as anyone. I knew I'd never be rich. I came from a poor family. We couldn't afford the "fancy" degree from the "right" college. And then later, when I was making a decent living, perhaps I could have gone back to school. But I was on active duty, a young mom with two small daughters and an active duty husband as well. I didn't have the time to go to back to school. And while I had ideas for businesses of my own - well, I had children and financial responsibilities. What if my ideas didn't work? How would I take care of my family?
Fast forward 20 years. My life today is so different. I'm not rich - yet - but I'm on the way to being totally financially independent. I make a good living doing something I love. I am a successful entrepreneur. What happened to make it all possible? Granted, I am no longer on active duty. But I still worked a job for a very long time. The jobs I had demanded long hours and lots of travel so I still had no time for school. I still had two daughters - only now I also had a step-daughter. And I took on the care of my father who suffered from Alzheimers. I still had financial responsibilities and obligations. If you think three children are expensive, try spoiling seven grandchildren! So what changed? My perception. I had a dad who needed full time care and no money for a decent nursing home. I had daughters with children of their own that couldn't find decent, affordable childcare. I NEEDED to be able to stay home. I also NEEDED to be able to earn a living.
Then I was given a book as a gift. And in that book was a quote by George Bernarnd Shaw. "The reasonable man adapts himself to the world, The unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man." That's when I realized that instead of trying to adapt myself to the reality of my present life, I had to adapt reality to the life I needed. And when you change your perception of reality, you change your behavior accordingly.
Let's do a little exercise. Answer these questions. Do you believe you can be financially independent? Do you believe you can find a life's work that you are passionate about and that excites you every day? Not everyone wants the responsibility of their own business, but do you believe that you can earn a living doing something you love? If you answered truthfully - from your heart - yes! then you are ready to move forward. But if there was even the slightest hesitation or doubt before you said yes - then you are ready to move forward. It might just take a little longer to get there!
Open your mind to the possibilities of what could be if you accept it. Put away the "buts" and "what ifs" and "maybes" and just believe that you can have everything you need. Dream of your perfect life. What do you do? Where do you live? Write it down so you can look at it everyday as you learn the skills and techniques necessary to help you enjoy the life you dream of. Look at your 'fantasy' life regularly and begin to accept the idea that it isn't a fantasy at all but your new reality.
Fact: Almost anyone can become a successful entrepreneur.
Fact: It is possible to wake up excited about life every day.
Fact: You can turn your passion into your work - and make the first three facts part of your reality!
What if you start tomorrow believing that these facts are true for you? What if you make them part of your reality. It has been proven many times that when you change your perception of reality, you change your behavior accordingly.
Most people go through life thinking this is all there is. I was as guilty of this as anyone. I knew I'd never be rich. I came from a poor family. We couldn't afford the "fancy" degree from the "right" college. And then later, when I was making a decent living, perhaps I could have gone back to school. But I was on active duty, a young mom with two small daughters and an active duty husband as well. I didn't have the time to go to back to school. And while I had ideas for businesses of my own - well, I had children and financial responsibilities. What if my ideas didn't work? How would I take care of my family?
Fast forward 20 years. My life today is so different. I'm not rich - yet - but I'm on the way to being totally financially independent. I make a good living doing something I love. I am a successful entrepreneur. What happened to make it all possible? Granted, I am no longer on active duty. But I still worked a job for a very long time. The jobs I had demanded long hours and lots of travel so I still had no time for school. I still had two daughters - only now I also had a step-daughter. And I took on the care of my father who suffered from Alzheimers. I still had financial responsibilities and obligations. If you think three children are expensive, try spoiling seven grandchildren! So what changed? My perception. I had a dad who needed full time care and no money for a decent nursing home. I had daughters with children of their own that couldn't find decent, affordable childcare. I NEEDED to be able to stay home. I also NEEDED to be able to earn a living.
Then I was given a book as a gift. And in that book was a quote by George Bernarnd Shaw. "The reasonable man adapts himself to the world, The unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man." That's when I realized that instead of trying to adapt myself to the reality of my present life, I had to adapt reality to the life I needed. And when you change your perception of reality, you change your behavior accordingly.
Let's do a little exercise. Answer these questions. Do you believe you can be financially independent? Do you believe you can find a life's work that you are passionate about and that excites you every day? Not everyone wants the responsibility of their own business, but do you believe that you can earn a living doing something you love? If you answered truthfully - from your heart - yes! then you are ready to move forward. But if there was even the slightest hesitation or doubt before you said yes - then you are ready to move forward. It might just take a little longer to get there!
Open your mind to the possibilities of what could be if you accept it. Put away the "buts" and "what ifs" and "maybes" and just believe that you can have everything you need. Dream of your perfect life. What do you do? Where do you live? Write it down so you can look at it everyday as you learn the skills and techniques necessary to help you enjoy the life you dream of. Look at your 'fantasy' life regularly and begin to accept the idea that it isn't a fantasy at all but your new reality.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
A September to Remember!
It's the start of a new month. How about making this month your best yet!
Take more action! Set your goals and start working on them! How?
Plan your work, outline your major goals, and the major tasks you want to accomplish.
Remember, as Mike Litman says, "You don't have to get it right, you just have to get it going."
Decide now to make this month unique and memorable - the best yet!
Get out a pen and paper and identify what needs to be done in the next 30 days. What will you do? Let's share our goals with each other - we can help each other be accountable. It's been proven that sharing a goal with someone else actually helps make them more "real" and therefore more achievable.
Go the extra mile in everything you do. This month is going to be incredible for all of us. Are you with me?
Take more action! Set your goals and start working on them! How?
Plan your work, outline your major goals, and the major tasks you want to accomplish.
Remember, as Mike Litman says, "You don't have to get it right, you just have to get it going."
Decide now to make this month unique and memorable - the best yet!
Get out a pen and paper and identify what needs to be done in the next 30 days. What will you do? Let's share our goals with each other - we can help each other be accountable. It's been proven that sharing a goal with someone else actually helps make them more "real" and therefore more achievable.
Go the extra mile in everything you do. This month is going to be incredible for all of us. Are you with me?
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
The Many Faces of Kathie Thomas
Successful businesswoman. Award winning author. Dynamic speaker. Photographer. Wife, mother, and Baby Boomer Diva. These are just a few of the hats worn by BoomerBizCoach member, Kathie Thomas. And now Kathie has another achievement to add to her list - a nomination for the 2009 Australian of the Year Award. How does she do it all? Read more about Kathie in her recent interview with FaithWriters' Lynda Schab. Click on the link below for the full interview and prepare to be impressed!
http://www.kathiethomas.com/featured-author.htm
http://www.kathiethomas.com/featured-author.htm
Monday, July 27, 2009
Feisty Side of Fifty is On the Air!
Have you checked out what the ladies from the Boomer Biz Coach Community have been up to lately?
One of them has been quietly making a name for herself with her new radio show - Feisty Side of Fifty Radio! Elaine Williams writes a great blog - The Feisty Side of Fifty - which is always full of insightful discussions on topics and trends of interest not only to boomer-generation women, but women of all ages. But it seems that's not enough to keep her busy. She's embarked on a brand new outlet for her ideas with her radio show.
She's had some extremely interesting guests lately including Mary Higgens Clark (queen of suspense), Suzanne Braun Levine (Founding editor of Ms. Magazine and great friends with Gloria and the gang), Dr. Pepper Schwartz (relationship expert who has appeared on all the national talk shows) and Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor (neuroscientist who had a stroke--she was > Oprah's featured guest, along with Eckard Tolle, on her "Soul Series").
She is so excited about the show's success - and since she is a member of inaugural group of the Boomer Biz Coach community, we are just as excited. After listening to a few broadcasts, we just had to share it with everyone. Since it's an Internet radio show (blog talk), you don't have to worry if you can't tune in live because you can download any program you'd like. You can see the line up of Feisty Side of Fifty Radio and click on the link to the show(s) you would like to listen to.
Once you have listened to a few of her interviews and read some of her blog posts, I know you will become an ardent fan like I have. And you will want to share her outlook on "maturing" so check out Feisty Boomer Boutique to pick up some suitable attire to proudly proclaim your boomer spirit.
Elaine Williams - fifty(ish), feisty, on the move, on the air - and a member of the Boomer Biz Coach Community.
One of them has been quietly making a name for herself with her new radio show - Feisty Side of Fifty Radio! Elaine Williams writes a great blog - The Feisty Side of Fifty - which is always full of insightful discussions on topics and trends of interest not only to boomer-generation women, but women of all ages. But it seems that's not enough to keep her busy. She's embarked on a brand new outlet for her ideas with her radio show.
She's had some extremely interesting guests lately including Mary Higgens Clark (queen of suspense), Suzanne Braun Levine (Founding editor of Ms. Magazine and great friends with Gloria and the gang), Dr. Pepper Schwartz (relationship expert who has appeared on all the national talk shows) and Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor (neuroscientist who had a stroke--she was > Oprah's featured guest, along with Eckard Tolle, on her "Soul Series").
She is so excited about the show's success - and since she is a member of inaugural group of the Boomer Biz Coach community, we are just as excited. After listening to a few broadcasts, we just had to share it with everyone. Since it's an Internet radio show (blog talk), you don't have to worry if you can't tune in live because you can download any program you'd like. You can see the line up of Feisty Side of Fifty Radio and click on the link to the show(s) you would like to listen to.
Once you have listened to a few of her interviews and read some of her blog posts, I know you will become an ardent fan like I have. And you will want to share her outlook on "maturing" so check out Feisty Boomer Boutique to pick up some suitable attire to proudly proclaim your boomer spirit.
Elaine Williams - fifty(ish), feisty, on the move, on the air - and a member of the Boomer Biz Coach Community.
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