10 Reasons To Work From Home

1.  Have that extra coffee in the morning.  Enjoy working from home and relax.  You shouldn’t feel stressed and pushed into doing anything you don’t want to do.  The reason you chose to work from home is to be your own boss.  Being your own boss means that you create your own rules for working from home.  There still might be some rules you need to follow in life so the police don’t come knocking though.  LOL But seriously, relax and enjoy that extra cup of coffee in the morning.
2. Save on clothing by wearing what you want to wear.  Now this can be taken a few different ways.  Some people feel comfortable wearing their pj’s all day, some wear sweat pants, and others might get dressed in more business like clothing. Wear what makes you feel comfortable, but also gives off a good feel for potential customers.  You know what they would expect.  Don’t dress like a slob, make sure you shave and shower.  Be presentable and you will feel more business minded.
3.  Have more time for family and friends.  Take that time to go to different events at your child’s school, sports activities, when they come home from school be there to chat with them.  Call friends up and treat them to a coffee or long chat on the phone. You chose to work from home so you have more freedom to spend with family and friends. Make sure you don’t get caught up in being on-line too much and forget about family and friends.  Take that time to do something fun, laugh and re-connect.
4. Your office can be anywhere, this means take your computer and go outside.  Get some fresh air and set up your back yard in the summer as an office.  You will notice that you will feel happier and more alive.  Take advantage of going to the beach, sit under a tree, go to a park.  Use your technology as it should be used, grab a tablet or cellphone and leave the house.  The idea of having an office anywhere is to change your scenery.  Make things more fun and creative.
5. Set your own business hours.  Do set a schedule, this can be flexible, so that you can get done as much as you want to during the day.  Make sure that you set time for yourself, your family and friends.  Never feel like you need to pull all-night work, do what you feel is right for you.  Never let someone pressure you into doing what you don’t want to do.  If you only want to work 6 hours or 2 hours a day that is up to you.
6. You have the potential to make more money working from home.  There are many people becoming very wealthy by working from home.  Some people do this rather quickly and others take longer.  One thing you need to remember is to always keep trying and never quit.  Do your research and connect with people who have the same goals as you and work with them.
7. Once you have a home business you can start using more tax breaks than you could before.  This is something you should speak to your tax specialist about in your area.  Being prepared is important so that you can save receipts for everything your tax specialist says you can write off.  Every area is different.
8. Travel can be something you can do more of when you are working from home.  Especially if you are working on-line as your work is portable as long as you have internet access.  Remember this can also be used as a tax rebate perhaps.  So take advantage of seeing different parts of your area and take more day trips.  Expand outwards to get to see and do more.  Take photographs and share your experiences and fun!
9. Debt can be paid off so much faster.  As your home business grows and you get those big company bonuses you can be applying that to student loans, vehicle, or mortgage.  All debt can be paid off so much faster!  There are not many people who work a normal job that get huge $20,000+ bonuses from the company for doing a great job.  So working from home can get you out of debt that much faster.
10. Freedom!  This is the most important one of all 🙂  Having your own home based business gives you so much more freedom.  You have the time to spend with family and friends.  Freedom is something that gives you so much happiness in your life that you are healthier.  Stress is gone.

Have a wonderful day!

If you like this article make sure you share it with your friends.

Thanks 🙂

Gina Morris

http://www.ginamorris.ca

 

Wolf or Sheep

When my sisters and I were little, our Mom would read to us all these wonderful stories.  All the old nursery rhymes, some time later as mothers ourselves we have read these stories to our children.  Did you ever wonder, as an adult, about these stories?  What the context means and does it affect our lives having read these stories as a young child. Children’s brains are like sponges and absorb everything they hear, see, smell, taste, touch. This is what makes us all the individual people we are today.  Over the years scientists have suggested that by playing music, talking, reading to our babies in the womb, that we can ‘create’ smarter kids.  Toys were made to stimulate the brain, by using colour, sound and texture.  As adults, we have evolved to where we are today, in a modern, technical world.  Some of us work normal 9-5 jobs and are satisfied with life being that way.  Others are constantly fighting to get to the top.  Then there are those that work on educating themselves to create a lifestyle of the rich and famous.  Personal development comes into our lives and we work from home.  So what is the root of these changes in some people?  Does it all begin from being a baby and what we were surrounded with? Or is are we pre-disposed to become wolves or sheep?

Robert Kiyosaki says, “When you are young, work to learn, not to earn.”  He also talks about educating ourselves and children about money.  Money is not taught in schools, yet it is an important part of our lives as we get older.  Robert was taught at a young age by his biological father and an ‘adopted’ father.  Robert is a very successful motivational speaker, author and entrepreneur.  He has thousands of followers on social media, thousands of people who have bought his books and attended his live seminars.  So would you put Robert in the category of a wolf and yourself as a sheep because you follow him?  In this article we will define both.  Wolf is the leader of the pack and sheep are the people who follow the wolf.  In today’s society being a wolf might mean that you are a red, a dominant person.  Yellow would definitely mean follower, blue have some initiative and green you’d be closer to red but not as in people’s faces.  The following chart will help guide you in where you may fit.

Many years ago I was told that I am a bit complicated as I fit into two categories.  Yellow and Blue.  I was not impressed as I thought that by fitting into those two categories would mean that success would not come to me.  However, I have done even more personal development over the years and learned that you don’t need to put yourself into a specific category.  Wolf, sheep, red, blue, yellow or green.  A yellow can be a leader just as well as a red and a sheep can lead people just as well as a wolf.

So now you are asking yourself but how can this be, it doesn’t conform to what society does.  Are you ready for this?  Okay, think about the people in your life that you envy, people that you would love to be your mentor.  What qualities attract you to them?  Now take a look at your life and do a quick comparison. What is stopping you from being a leader?  Do you think you are a sheep and not a wolf?

In Network Marketing and MLM, you will see many wolves and sheep.  The wolves have a huge following of sheep, we call them sheeple.  These wolves join a company and bring their sheeple with them, and they grow this following fast for the present business.  They will do webinars, tons of videos, send out messages on social media, email marketing and create a lot of excitement.  This excitement brings in new sheep and along the way a few wolves are added to the pack.  The sheep are put all together and taught what to do, they follow the pecking order and obey the leader.  Meanwhile, the wolf picks out a few select sheep/wolves and become best buddies.  The training for these people is much different as they are being groomed to branch off the main leader to create a new following.  The big wolf in most cases will create about a dozen leaders and each leader will have a following of about 2000 followers.  This is a well thought out process to create a strong team.  All these leaders bring their immediate followers with them, immediate meaning the ones who worked harder than the rest.  Immediate followers are groomed, they are looked after and well protected by the leader.  They are hand picked to help the leader(s) reach the top of the company VERY fast. Once this is done, the leaders meet in private to discuss their new business venture.  Once they have selected a new business to join they will discuss this with a few of the sheep.  Now this is where it turns, if the sheep decide to follow, they now will become a part of the pack.  They could even possibly be groomed to become a wolf/leader if they can show they have a good number of followers.

Where am I going with all this?

I don’t like doing business like that.  I treat everyone equally.  I strongly believe that everyone deserves a chance at being successful.  The above scenario truly does happen and much too often people are used for the gains of others.  What a rotten way to treat people! I suppose that is why I decided that it was time to write this as it really bothered me seeing people treated with such disrespect.   Quite often these leaders actually are directed by corporate people to do business like that.  Shameful tactics to bring quick money to the corporation. Well, I am here to let you know that does not have to play out like that. You just need to be aware of the poor business practices of a large percentage of the companies out there.  If you are wanting to be part of an honest business that everyone works together, then you need to make sure you do your homework.  Don’t just jump into something because it is cheap.  Make sure you understand and know the person you are speaking to and how they can help you.

Some important questions you may want to consider:

Wolf or Sheep?

Doesn’t really matter, except for your own personal satisfaction.

Do you want to be successful and be respected?

Or do you want to take people down and rip them apart?

How about becoming a sheepdog and looking after people by guiding them and being respectful.

Just a thought 🙂

To be able to smile at the end of the day is a good day 🙂

Have a wonderful day everyone, if you liked this article, make sure you share it with your friends.

Thank you for your time today 🙂

Gina

 

Coffee or Tea

The first thing many people do in the morning when they wake up is to make a pot/cup of coffee.  For some this routine is slightly different and they put a kettle on and bring out the tea pot.  I love coffee and tea!  First thing I do in the morning is to grind the coffee beans, get the machine ready and make that first cup of coffee.  Mmmm I can almost smell it now.  Later on in the day, especially during the colder months I make up a pot of tea.  It tends to be a nightly ritual I go through.  Most of the time it is tea leaves, green tea, or some other herbal tea.  When I buy my tea, it tends to be by smell and the name catches my eye also.  Is the tea for relaxing, healing or energizing does make a difference also, especially for night as I don’t want all the caffeine.

“Caffeine, not that it is bad for you, but it can keep you from sleeping at night.  Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant of the methylxanthine class. It is the world’s most widely consumed psychoactive drug, but — unlike many other psychoactive substances — it is legal and unregulated in nearly all parts of the world.”

So then what do you do to make sure you don’t have caffeine late at night?

Or have you removed caffeine from your diet?

Caffeine is a bitter substance found in coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate, kola nuts, and certain medicines. It has many effects on the body’s metabolism, including stimulating the central nervous system. This can make you more alert and give you a boost of energy.

For most people, the amount of caffeine in two to four cups of coffee a day is not harmful. However, too much caffeine can cause problems. It can

• Make you jittery and shaky
• Make it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep
• Cause headaches or dizziness
• Make your heart beat faster or cause abnormal heart rhythms
• Cause dehydration
• Make you dependent on it so you need to take more of it. If you stop using caffeine, you could get withdrawal symptoms.

Some people are more sensitive to the effects of caffeine than others. They should limit their use of caffeine. So should pregnant and nursing women. Certain drugs and supplements may interact with caffeine. If you have questions about whether caffeine is safe for you, talk with your health care provider.

Now that you know this, what is your drink of choice, coffee or tea?

First thing to start the day for me, I need my two cups of coffee, some days it will be three.  Lately I have been drinking Mountain Cabin coffee, it is 100% Arabica coffee and organic.  Now, as a coffee lover, I must say that I have never had such a good cup of coffee.  There is no bitterness, it tastes like I have made it with fresh spring water and just freshly picked the coffee beans myself that morning. I am a little picky about my coffee also, something that I haven’t really told many people.  Have you ever noticed that your tummy gets upset after drinking some coffee?  Or that the smell makes your stomach churn?   How about when you make that cup of coffee and it looks like tar?  I always thought the blackest coffee was always the best! That is not always the case!  I love very strong coffee, but not with the tar flavouring in it.  So every morning I drink my coffee I feel so blessed. Funniest part is I got mine free this month by watching a few videos!

Let me know what your favourite morning drink is, message me and if you are interested in finding out how you can get back to drinking coffee again that doesn’t upset your tummy ask to come see a presentation with us. Sign in here.

Cheers 🙂

Stay blessed and enjoy your coffee 🙂

#ThisYearIWill

 

Honesty and Integrity

Honesty and Integrity, is it dying in society?

What the definition is of both words?

Honesty: 

1.  the quality or fact of being honest; uprightness and fairness.
2.  truthfulness, sincerity, or frankness.
3.  freedom from deceit or fraud.

Integrity:

1. adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.
2. the state of being whole, entire, or undiminished.

There are the definitions of two important words we as a society need to remember what they mean.  Times might be tough for some people with the economy being the way it is, but does that mean that, as a society, we need to lose our honesty and integrity?  I think not!  In my opinion this is when honesty and integrity need to be valued more now than ever.  Yet out of desperation people do desperate things, and I get that, yet what I don’t get is why people think that by not having integrity or being honest that it will change things in a good way.  ‘Do Unto Others as You Would Have Others Do Unto You’ is a powerful statement.  If you want to be treated with respect, then respect others in return.  By lying and deceiving to people you are lying and deceiving to yourself.  People will catch on to your lies and deceit also, it may take some time, but eventually Karma will come back to bite you.  If you cannot look in the mirror and feel good about what you are doing or saying to others, then stop doing it.  ‘An Eye for an Eye’ or ‘What is good for the goose is good for the gander’ types or mentality will not get you to where you really want to get to in life.  Lies always come back to haunt you eventually and it can sometimes take years, but it will eventually come back to you ten fold.

So you want to build a business online and even have a mentor you follow.  Are you going to be honest and have integrity? Make sure you know about the business, and have good leadership that you can trust. Some things to look for in a business are:

1.   Can you call the company and talk to a real person? (Is there someone in business development you can talk to)

2.   Will you have good support and be able to all work as a team/family? ((Will you have your questions dealt with)

3.   What is the background of the company? (Do some research on the company)

4.   If product based have they been tested and proven? (ingredients and results that last)

5.   If product based how long do orders take to be delivered? (customers don’t want to wait weeks)

6.   Complaints or concerns can be dealt directly by you with the company. (meaning you can call the company)

7.   The company and representatives use full disclosure. (nothing is hidden from anyone, including potential customers)

8.   Before signing up can you see compensation disclosure, policies and procedures. (This should be available)

9.   Have you gotten to know the person you are signing up under? (Make sure you speak to this person on the phone)

10. How long has the business been around for? (The first 3-5 years is when new businesses tank)

What are you posting on social media?

Are you using ‘pick up lines’?

Pick up Lines as a means to find new customers or business partners can be deceiving.  Some of the things to watch out for are:

1.  First of the month pictures of stacks of money. (most likely this is their rent income not a paycheck from their business)

2.  You can earn $1000’s of dollars fast. (if it sounds too good to be true then question it)

3.  Free to start.  (if it says free then ask how you make the money. Remember it takes money to make money)

4.  Posting pictures of fancy cars and fancy houses. (Do you believe everything you read or see?)

Please be honest and have integrity folks.  There are so many scams people are falling for and losing a lot of money.  Do your homework and follow some of the advice I have laid out in this article.  Keep your honesty and integrity in tact, what you say and do is noticed. Don’t fall for those schemes that sound too good to be true, make sure you don’t fall into the trap of posting dishonest content.  Most of all be you, ask questions and remember we are here to help people.  We are not here to hinder and cause financial stresses.

‘If it doesn’t feel right then why do it.  Gina Morris’

Thank you for reading the article, I’d love to hear your feedback on this subject of honesty and integrity.

Please comment below.

Have a blessed day.

Gina

Making Time For Change

So many times throughout the years I heard from people that they just don’t have time to do anything to make a change in their lives.  They work full time, have kids and a husband.  There are other excuses also that people will use, I don’t have a job because I don’t have the money to put insurance on my car.  How about the excuse that there is no work out there.  I think that in my opinion that if you don’t have a job, getting one at MacDonald’s is better than nothing.  Not having a vehicle is not a good excuse either because in most places there is public transportation, unless you live out in the country, then that excuse is legitimate.  I don’t fall for the excuse that someone is working full time and they have kids.  Why I don’t is because of my story of what I did and here it is.  It is probably long overdue to talk about all this and it wasn’t out of laziness that I didn’t.  It was due to that it is very personal and I also didn’t want to sound big headed or bragging.

My story is long and might even be boring for some, but it is my story and I will tell it as best as I can.  Hopefully by sharing my story it will help others understand me better but most of all I hope it helps someone, even just one single person to be able to find some success in life.  I will start off my story right from the beginning, I was raised by two wonderful parents and have three sisters.  We grew up in a small town, living a slow paced lifestyle.  My Mom was a stay at home Mom, so we were lucky to be able to go home for lunch and have grilled cheese and soup.  For vacations, we would take off every summer and go somewhere fun, a lake or even the ocean to go fishing and camping.  We had a wood stove to heat the house and in the Fall after school we would go get firewood to heat the house for the winter.  One year we even went and got the cedar, cut the shakes and helped my Dad and Mom nail them onto the roof.  We also had a huge garden, that over the years has gotten smaller, but is still quite large.  I remember as a kid having to weed the garden, help planting and harvesting.  Then canning and freezing of these beautiful vegetables would happen throughout the season.  We were brought up with a solid work ethic, one that quite a few of the younger generation has seemed to have lost.

So when I finally graduated, got married and had my own kids, I worked very hard to provide for my family.  Many times I would find myself working 6 days a week and some days more than the 8 hours a day.  I also had a huge vegetable garden, yard work, housework and the two kids to look after.  Thankfully I had learned from my parents a good work ethic, how to plant a garden, and preserve the vegetables.  I went through a divorce and now became a single parent.  During the next eleven years I worked hard, still working more than full time hours, dealing with a garden, canning, yard work, housework and two small kids.  Then I had another baby, this was unexpected and during a time in my life that I had registered for University. So being pregnant I decided that nothing was going to stop me from going to school.  I can remember these years like yesterday.  I started school on September 10th and my youngest daughter was born on the 23rd, I actually stayed in school the whole day I was having contractions and that night went to the hospital to give birth.  This was on a Wednesday and taking 4 courses in University, I decided on the Monday that I better get back.  It felt like I had been gone for two weeks!  There was so much to catch up on, assignments, research for those, and so much reading. I was beyond tired!  Times were not easy with a baby, two other kids, schooling and a failing relationship. Talk about a very stressful time in our lives! Come second semester I decided that I better get back to work, so I was fortunate enough to find something that would work around my schooling.  I would go out the door to school in the early morning, finish school by 3:00-3:30, then be right off to work.  At this time my work was a security company and we walked knocking on doors selling security systems, but we also dealt with all special events held at the arena, concerts and hockey games.  So some days I didn’t get home until midnight and the odd time was 2:00 am.  Getting home tired I would go straight to my office and do my homework for that day, sometimes not finishing that until 4:00 am and then be back out the door by 8:00 am.  Was I every tired!  I felt like throwing in the towel so many times….ashamed to admit, but even had break downs, tantrums and cried. It was hard, probably one of the hardest times of my life.

I graduated on the dean’s list, got very good grades, made it through that tough year! So why am I telling you all this? I think that sometimes by sharing our experiences we can help others.  The moral of this story is that I did not quit, I felt like it many times, but I stuck with it and worked very hard.  Nothing in life worthwhile will come easy, it will take sacrifices, tears, anger, frustrations and always hard work. If you were to think about your past life would you be where you are today if you had quit? My reason for working so hard and not quitting was that at the end I knew that I would get a good job that had benefits and good pay. I worked hard to get that job and worked many years working with kids in the schools. I also would work after school hours doing respite, often working seven days a week. It was a fantastic job and I loved it. We had good food, a roof over our heads and I could provide very nicely for my three kids.

Now I will jump to five years ago when I got hurt at work and am now unable to work.  Did my education and working hard prepare me for this financial change to happen in my life? It certainly helped but didn’t really make much of a difference.  It gave me the knowledge that I needed to do something to bring in an income from home, something that I could do around my own capabilities. So yes my education did help, but it didn’t prepare me for financial issues of suddenly losing thousands of dollars a month. What has gotten me through is my work ethic and determination to become successful. I walked into working from home with no knowledge of what the words network marketing and MLM meant.  Five years ago I hadn’t even heard those words. Now five years later I have grown to have thousands of people following me on social media, millions of views on articles and posts. This did not come easy, I read and listened to every book or video I could get my hands on. I did make many many mistakes, at one time I was the spam queen! Not a proud moment in my life. What happened though was I learned what to do and even today am still learning.

Will you find success?  That is up to you and if you make the time to make some changes in your life. Only you can find that inside you, nobody can make you successful, it has to come from YOU.  I promise you one thing, if you try, learn and never quit you will find success.  Will it be easy! Heck no! It will take sacrifice, hard work, determination, and a lot of learning. I really highly recommend having a Plan B in life because you never know what is going to happen tomorrow. Life is full of surprises and sometimes they are not nice ones. I have been raising my youngest daughter up with the knowledge of this. Not to rely on going to school, get a good education, get a good job with benefits and work hard. She knows that in life things don’t always go as planned, she also understands that you need to make your money work for you. Educating yourself is important, but it is even more important to teach your kids at the same time. Follow Robert Kiyosaki, read his books and then read them again because the second time around they really sink in those words that will change your life.

Make time for change in your life, so that you can be protected from surprises in life.  Teach your kids what you know and they will have a much easier time transitioning into a new world of entrepreneurs.

I hope I didn’t bore you to sleep with my story and I pray that I have helped at least one person.

Remember make time for change!

YOU CAN DO IT!

You can also follow my personal fan page.

I wish for you much success!

Happy Easter 🙂

Asbestos Awareness Week: Asbestos, The Greatest Industrial Hazard’s in the World.

For many years I have watched a lot of HGTV, read newsletters and TV news about asbestos.  Many years ago, they used to use asbestos for making flooring tile, used it for insulation in homes around pipes, in the walls and even in the air vents.  My concerns have always been in if I were to purchase an older home would there be asbestos hidden somewhere in the walls.  Unseen by any inspection, the only way this could potentially be found is by tearing down a wall or two in the house.  Would I recognize this dangerous, silent killer?  Would you be aware of what to be watching for and what to do if you did find something in your walls?

Asbestos can cause cancer by breathing in the small particles that are released into the air when you disturb it.  By disturbing I mean by ripping up flooring tile, tearing down a wall, replacing the vents or plumbing in your home. Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous material that was a popular building material from the 1950’s to 1990’s. So buying a home that was built after this time frame probably would be safe, but anything from the 1900’s and back could possibly have asbestos in it. It was used extensively because it is an insulator, has good fire protection properties, has tensile strength, and is resistant to chemical erosion

.  There are so many places in a house/building that you can find asbestos.  Some of the places might not be so obvious.

To remove asbestos it really should be done by experts, they would close off the house properly and dispose of the contaminants.

For the avid car buff who love to restore cars, did you know that the old English cars were made of asbestos?  This was news to me, but then I haven’t done any car restorations.  It is something to be aware of when working on the older vehicles and perhaps do some research.  It is always better to wear masks when doing anything like this, however you also need to be aware of the environment.  These particles are so small and float through the air so easily that you can be exposing other people and endangering their lives.

Asbestos Cancer

Image courtesy of the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance.

Asbestos Cancer

Asbestos cancer is more commonly known as mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma, the type of cancer most commonly associated with asbestos exposure, is a malignancy that occurs in the lining of the lungs, abdomen, and heart. A mesothelioma diagnosis is generally classified as one of the following three types: pleural mesothelioma which occurs in the lining of the lungs (the pleura); peritoneal mesothelioma which occurs in the lining of the abdominal cavity (the peritoneum); and pericardial mesothelioma which occurs in the lining of the heart (the pericardium). (Asbestos Can Cause Cancer)

Diagnosis of mesothelioma: there are three types and for further research you can read up about it here.

Educate yourself and others about this deadly silent killer.

I remember being in high school and doing a pottery class, it was in the basement of the school.  In this basement, unknown to us students was a lot of asbestos.  Many years later (I graduated in 1984) they rebuilt a new high school on the same land, what they did with the existing building shocked the community.  The building (the old school) was torn down and the basement filled in.  The community was concerned about environmental damage, the airborne particles and the potential harm to the communities health.  The demolition crew that was hired by the school district was a professional company for dealing with the removal of asbestos.  The school was built in 1951-1952 and demolished in 2009-2010.

In having personally experienced attending a school that had asbestos in it, I first became aware of the cancer causing asbestos.  It makes me wonder about the students that have in recent years passes away from cancer.  Did this bring on the cancer that caused their death?  I won’t know the answer to that question, but I do know that the more people that become aware of all the toxins in our environment the better our world will be.

We must all take note of what is in our environment, both inside and outside of our homes and work places.  There are many documented, scientific studies done to prove that toxins are in every day products and in our homes.  Children are showing a higher cancer rate, adults are full of toxins and our gardens are polluted.

Start reading labels and paying attention to your surroundings:

Personal products such as: shampoo, conditioner, bath soap, sunscreen

Cleaning products: such as bleach, toilet cleaners, furniture polish, paint remover

Asbestos hiding places:  in homes, cars, schools, and buildings.

Do your research, change to green products, have your house inspected if you suspect asbestos, confront a landlord, business you may work for.  Really what is more important to you?  Your health and the health of your family should take top priority.  Speak up against companies that create these products that contain cancer causing particles/ingredients. Take a stand for yourself, your family and your environment!

Please check out this website:

Asbestos can cause cancer for support and further knowledge with mesothelioma cancer.

If you are interested in using green products and switching stores, get in touch with me:

www.ginamorris.ca

Also you can check out:

http://products.ginamorris.ca

Please make sure to share this with others so you can help bring an awareness to many more people of our concerns with asbestos and toxins.

Be blessed and safe 🙂

Read more: Asbestos Can Cause Cancer

It’s All Mind Set!

It may look and even feel like a jungle out there, but is it just the way you are viewing the world?

I am sure you have heard that in order to get anywhere in life you need to work hard. Your parents, Aunt, Uncle and even a teacher would have said something at some time in your life.  You need to study harder, longer to be able to pass that test. You need to clean your room, work harder and faster so you can go outside to play. Then when you became an adult you would hear from your boss, work harder and you will get that promotion, or that job you want. Think about what motivated you, when you were a kid it was being able to go outside and play with all your friends. As an adult it is advancing in your place of work, creating a bigger income for you and getting recognition for your hard work.

So how is that different to the ‘Jungle’ you are dealing with online?

There really is not much of a difference to working online or locally.  You still need to work hard to advance in your company to create that income stream that you are wanting to achieve.  Every free waking moment you will need to learn how to juggle work, family and online.  It won’t be easy, in fact it will be difficult and there will be days you will want to quit. However, if you have the right mind set you can succeed. Make sure that you have a big enough WHY, this I would post by your working space, you will need tools (learning, personal development and support).  There are literally millions of people online every day, worldwide!  Some people are online to connect with friends and family, some to play games, others to do business.  You already have connections online so you already have thousands of people seeing your content daily or weekly.  So be careful with what you post, even if you only have 50 people as friends on Facebook for example, those 50 people have friends also and their friends have friends and so on.  For example: Joe has 50 friends, he sends me a friend request and I have 4800 friends, so now Joe is connected with my 4800 friends because they can see him commenting on my wall and now see who he is.  So by adding one friend you have expanded your social network circle by thousands. See not only can Joe now see my wall and the 4800 friends I have but they can see him and their friends can see him also.  It is like a domino effect.

Are you in the ‘selling’ mind set or ‘you will love this’ mind set?

If you are in the selling mind set for your business/products/services, you are doomed to fail or take much longer to reach the top of the ladder.  People don’t like being approached by a ‘sales’ person, they already have their guard up when you approach them.  Think about it this way, put yourself in their shoes for a moment. You walk into a computer store to browse and perhaps pick up a new mouse, a sales person walks up to you (they earn commission on all sales) this person now tries selling you a whole new computer system with a bunch of programs.  They don’t listen to you saying all you need is a mouse, not a whole new computer.  How does that make you feel not being listened to and someone trying to sell you something you don’t need?  Another problem with this ‘sales’ mind set is that you begin to expect objections and resistance. Once you start thinking like this your whole posture changes, the tone in your voice and a whole other bunch of ways people pick up on. So when you approach someone you are being pushed away and shut down immediately by your so called prospect.

If you change your mind set to the you are going to love this and will buy this, then you will find people will come to you and not run from you. By knowing your products/services very well you don’t need to ‘sell’ you will be so excited and passionate about it, people will feel this and want to know more.  So to be successful and not a sales person, change your mind set to someone that is a friend and you want to help.  Find out what someone needs in life and if your products or services can help this person then you can create a conversation with that person showing them what you have to offer, how it will help them improve their life.  Be able to answer questions and if you don’t know the answer know who to go to for those answers. If you are doing cold calls at random, make sure you build up the relationship first, by just sending them your business proposition right away you will be spending more time finding qualified people.  The same goes for online work, that is very similar to cold calling, do you want to build a business with people you know and like, or with people that don’t you don’t like.  Make sure you understand that you don’t need to like everyone but you do need to be able to work with them together as a team. Communication is key and if that does not happen then it will be like a one man show.

So keep building those relationships, be careful with what you put out in the universe with your mind set and don’t be a sales person. Learn how to communicate, know your company and products. Be a product of the product and just learn to relax and have fun.  Yes it takes work, but having fun at it is important, so keep your WHY close by all the time, get away from behind this screen and go outside, talk to people.

Build Relationships!

Could you survive if you lost your job?

If you were to lose your job what would you do to survive? If you couldn’t find a replacement quick enough or you were injured and could not work any more, have you thought about what would happen?  Five years ago this happened to me and I was not prepared.  I didn’t lose my job, I was hurt at work, many people would think that there would be enough help with insurance companies (otherwise known as Worker’s Compensation Board), and other Government income providers.

I think now the time has come for me to tell my story and in doing so I pray I can help other people to be prepared, or at least find some support.  It has not been an easy road to travel for my daughter and myself.  In fact it has been the most difficult time for us, that most people would not understand unless they have walked down this road also.  Do you realize that now is the time for anyone that is able to work, for you to plan ahead and do something that will protect yourself and your family?  I will tell you why and how with telling our story.

I am sure you have heard of chain of actions creates a domino effect.  One thing happens to create another thing to happen.  Well our story starts before I was injured at work.  It starts with losing my job of many years, due to government cutbacks at work, I was forced into doing another job.  I didn’t have the funds to be out of work for a long period of time, Education was not an option either (even though I am educated to work with kids, I didn’t have a trade).  Going back to school would have been expensive and I’d have had to lived off a student loan, definitely not enough to cover raising a kid, living expenses, car payment, and education costs.  So I did what any responsible parent would do, take the best job that was available, that would provide for my daughter and myself.  The only problem with this job is that is was not union, did not have benefits and was also much less income.  So when I got hurt at work I didn’t have the union backing me up, I had myself and WCB to totally rely on.  Well what a learning experience this has been!  I am sure you have heard of government red tape, having to jump through all their hoops and fighting for your rights.  Do you know that they rely on their decision making through their own doctors and dis-regard what specialists will say?  It is true.  Do you know that in Canada there is not any lawyer to help on contingency?  You need to have money and lots of it to hire a lawyer.  Roughly $2500 down and that won’t last long, and the cases are obviously complicated and will therefore take a long time to resolve.  Are you aware that some people will fight for their rights and help for many years.  That most people give up this fight because they can’t take it any more and they give up.  Many people that end up in the situation I did will have to file for bankruptcy, will lose their house, vehicles and 100% of their savings for retirement.  You lose everything you have worked your whole life for because of an injury.

So what would YOU do if this happened to you?  Are you prepared to lose everything and fight years for your rights?  Or will you be willing to do something today that could help for tomorrow?  I wish that I had been told all this many years ago, but I was brought up with being told, go to school, get a job, work and save.  That did not prepare me for what if’s in life.  It did not prepare me for being forced out of the work force well before retirement years.  See I am a fighter, a single mom and always supported my kids.  So when I ended up off work I searched for something that would help replace my income.

I learned about internet marketing, network marketing, MLM, whatever you want to call it. Has it been easy? No! Of course not!  I had to do a lot of learning, making many mistakes along the way, and I also had to re-program my brain.  I didn’t know anything about this type of work 5 years ago.  In my opinion, I think they should be teaching this in schools, right from first grade. So what is this type of work?  What do you need to do in order to be able to earn an income to provide for your family?  You need to read, listen to videos on personal development, and most importantly you need to talk to people.  Without building relationships with people you won’t learn, you won’t build up a following, and you won’t get the respect from people.  This all takes dedication and a fight for winning.  You can’t just join a business and expect for it to start paying you without working for that success.  You have to make mistakes, get those No’s, keep learning and talking.  If you are searching for that silver platter, it will only cost you time and money.

I have lost a lot of money, but most importantly I have learned, and never quit!  I have learned a lot from some of the top leaders in the industry, I am not afraid to get on the phone and talk with them. I feel very fortunate to have been able to be asked to join the company I am in, working with the leaders that are in the top 1% earning bracket in the company.  I may not yet be at the financial goal I want to be at, but I am working towards that.  It is just a matter of time before that happens, and I know it will this year.  See when I joined this company I wanted something that would always be around, something people would need and to work for a company that actually works with you towards your success.  Have you ever worked one on one with top leaders?  Have you ever gotten weekly phones calls from head office?  Is the company you are working for or thinking of joining have credibility?  Will they be around for years because the products are scientifically proven to be the best on the market?

We have the proof that our company will be around, that our products are the best.  I invite you to have a look at the study and ask me questions.  Also, I invite you to have a look at the products and do a comparison to your products that you use every day.  If you are interested in learning more about my company I invite you to check out my website, but you will need a password for the video, so you will need to contact me.

If you want to be able to survive if you lost your job, let’s connect, chat and discuss your options. If anything we will both have a new friend 🙂

19 Ways To Keep Your Pets Safe This Summer!

Safety tips for cats and dogs at home
1. Let your dog swim in the backyard pool, if he wants to. This is a good way for him to cool off, but remember to hose him down afterward because chlorine may irritate his skin. Never leave a pet unattended around a pool. Small dogs and cats are at a higher risk for drowning than medium to large dogs.

2. Use sunscreen, especially if your dog or cat has white hair, light skin or has a short coat. Protect the areas around the nose and ears, but use as little as possible. Since there are no commercially available animal sunscreens, check with your vet about using a baby sunscreen with a zinc-oxide base.

3. If your dog has thick or long hair, trim his coat before the hot weather hits so that it is two to three centimeters long. The heat will be more bearable.

4. Provide plenty of fresh water inside your home and out. Be sure to change the water two to three times a day to keep the water clean because bacteria grows rapidly in warm weather.

5. Avoid long, intense walks when it is too hot or humid. How well he handles the heat depends on your pet’s age and breed. Asphalt can become extremely hot and burn his paws; walking on grass is more comfortable. If a heat or smog warning has been issued, skip the walk.

6. Keep pets away from bee hives. A facial sting may cause eyelids to swell shut. Talk to your vet about using an antihistamine in case of emergency.

7. Protect your pet from black fly and mosquito bites by making a homemade repellent. Slice two lemons, add 1 cup (250 milliliters) of hot water and a couple sprigs of rosemary; soak overnight. Pour it into a spritz bottle and spray directly on your pet’s coat. Be sure to avoid the eyes.

8. If your cat goes outside, don’t plant lilies in your garden because they are toxic if eaten. Even a small amount can lead to kidney failure and death.

9. Avoid using toxic chemicals, such as pesticides and herbicides, in any area where your pet might wander. Your garden center will help you with natural-based pest and weed control.

Pet safety: On the road
10. Try test drives if your pet suffers from motion sickness. Your vet may prescribe medication if your pet suffers from ill effects during travel.

11. Feed him about four hours before you leave to avoid an upset stomach.

12. Keep your cat in a carrier when in the car. If you don’t, he can quickly escape when the car door is opened.

13. Take along a first-aid kit, water and your pet’s own food to help avoid digestive problems. Offer small amounts of food and water regularly if in the car for more than four hours. Jot down the number of the closest vet to your destination and along your route.

14. Use a life jacket designed for your dog in a boat or canoe. Just like humans, dogs are at risk for drowning if the canoe tips and they become exhausted.

Car alert: When the temperature is 25ºC, a car interior can reach 36ºC in 10 minutes and 42ºC in 20 minutes. Never leave your pet in a car. Even opening the windows will not cool down the inside enough.

Caged pets
15. Never leave caged pets, such as rats, rabbits, ferrets and hamsters, outside for more than a few hours because they are particularly sensitive to the heat. If you want your bunny to enjoy the summer weather, keep her under some deep shade.

16. Provide your pet with something cool to lean on, such as a piece of marble, will relieve her from the heat.

17. Your birds should never be kept directly in the sun, even though most birds can handle, and even enjoy, the heat. Keep their water cool and fresh. Fill a spray bottle with lukewarm water and cool your bird down with a refreshing mist.

18. Even though reptiles are desert creatures, it is not recommended to keep them in direct sunlight because they can get a sunburn. Mark Koenig, owner of Exotic Wings & Pet Things in St. Clements, Ont., says that if you’d like your iguana to get some fresh air, do so before 11 a.m. and after 4 p.m.

19. Fish need protection, too. The water in a fish tank should be between 68ºC and 74ºC. Direct sunlight will heat the water up quickly, so keep your fish indoors. If the water does get warm, a great way to cool it down without having to change the tank is to place a small handful of ice cubes in a sealed plastic bag in the tank.

Increase blog traffic & engagement: Six commenting best practices

 

It’s shocking to me how many companies create great blog content, yet ignore the community of people engaging with that content after it’s been published. Driving, facilitating and engaging in the community around your content is a critical component of a great content strategy.

I’ve seen reports from other bloggers that getting 3-4 comments on a blog post can increase short-term traffic by 30-40 percent. Plus, the more engaged and responsive your readers are, the more likely they are to engage with your calls to action as well.

It doesn’t have to take much to quickly accelerate activity & engagement around your content. Here are six particular best practices we’ve found can make a significant difference.

1. Be the most active contributor to your own blog comments section
This doesn’t mean writing “thank you” after every comment, but it does mean responding with a thoughtful addition if a reader takes the time to engage directly. This shows that reader that you’re paying attention, plus encourages other readers to engage knowing that you’ll likely respond in kind as well. Great way to drive more interactivity and two-way communication.

2. When in doubt, leave it up
Too many companies moderate their blog comments too heavily. They get concerned about allowing contrary opinions to linger. If you see clear spam or offensive language, by all means take it down. But if there’s any doubt about whether the comment should stand, leave it up. A good back-and-forth, a spirited debate on a particular topic is the hallmark not only of great content but also brands that drive real conversations, engagement & conversion.

3. Use a real platform like Disqus
There are a handful of advanced commenting platforms worth a look, but I’m particular to Disqus. It’s simple to use & install, it’s free, and it enables greater pass-along and social sharing of your core content & reader comments.

4. Moderate post-publication 
Give your commenters instant gratification that their response is live on your site. Create settings in Disqus or whatever your commenting system so that you’re alerted to new comments in case you want to respond or edit/censor, but giving the commenter instant gratification encourages them to immediately share the post with their own network (since their response is also already included).

5. Actively invite responses for each blog post
Part of your content development process should be more than just creating the content, but thinking in advance about the people you particularly want to engage and respond to that content. Who in the community do you believe will be most interested in your perspective? Who do you want to specifically invite to comment & respond? This is a great way to get more people engaged with your content and drive that 30-40 percent lift in short-term traffic.

6. Engage in responses on other social channels as well
Don’t forget to watch for and respond to comments outside of your blog but related to your content in the various social channels – particularly LinkedIn & Twitter. Thank new readers for retweeting or favoriting your content, ask for their response or opinion if they haven’t directly offered it, and generally demonstrate to these readers and others that you’re actively engaged with your community. It will drive further engagement from those directly, plus drive future participation from a wider audience of readers & social followers moving forward.

Would love to hear any other comment management strategies & best practices that you have employed as well.

http://www.heinzmarketing.com/2014/05/increase-blog-traffic-engagement-six-commenting-best-practices/?elq=aeb88a02dbd84a4ca230801ebaae8212&elqCampaignId=126

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