Robin Hardy Business Building Expert

Christianity and the Passover meal

2010-03-29T18:26:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful celebration so intertwined with symbolism pointing back at the Messiah, Jesus Christ. We are privileged in the Los Angeles area if you can attend a Passover meal that has been put on by some Messianic Jews. Why the Messianic Jews you may be asking? The Messianic Jews believe that Jesus Christ is the Messiah and He has come to earth, walked as man, was crucified dead, buried and rose from the grave.

What is so amazing about this meal is all the symbolism that points back to the life of Christ. The Passover plate consists of the following elements:

• Marov: Bitter herbs (generally horseradish) to remember how bitter slavery was in Egypt

• Beitzah: A hardboiled egg to represent life and the hope of the rebuilding of the temple

• Karpas: Greens that represent spring and new life, which are dipped into salt water that represents the tears shed during slavery

• Zeroa: A shank bone that represents the sacrifice

• Haroseth: A fruit and nut mixture to remember the mortars used by the slaves in building Pharaoh’s temple/pyramids

• Matsah: Unleavened bread, because they needed something that would not sour during the journey in the wilderness. This is also known as the bread of affliction, the stripes symbolize the beating Jesus took for our sins from a cat of nine tails. The bread is broken during the meal (representing the crucifixion of Jesus) and a piece hidden (representing the burial of Jesus) for a child to discover (representing the resurrection).

• Arbakosot: The four cups of wine which symbolize the four verbs of redemption (Exodus 6:6-7)

This is an amazing meal to experience I know we are doing one this Tuesday at Generations Church in Sun City, California.

The other part of the celebration is the original Passover had to do with the plague from God on Pharaoh and his land for refusing to soften his heart to God’s demand to free his people. The plague was to take the life of the first born male except for the houses where the blood of a lamb was painted over the doorways, which today represents the blood of Jesus shed on the cross for you and me.

Enjoy the celebrations of this Holy week as we reflect on our Lord and Savior.

Meg Whitman and the entrepreneur

2010-03-01T22:37:00.000-08:00

What an exciting year we are sitting on the cusp of a new Governor of California, and there is sure a buzz in the air about a certain woman candidate. California for the first time will have the opportunity to vote for a woman Governor, Meg Whitman CEO of eBay.

So for us here in Los Angeles what does this all mean? I know many are cringing at a woman for Governor, and yet our current Governor at a women’s conference in 2008 said we need more women in leadership roles. I look at Meg Whitman and see an amazing woman that built a drove one of the largest most profitable companies here in California. She maintained eBay in it’s location in California, she did not uproot it and run to another location when things got tough here, she stayed and fought with you and I. I see a woman with a business sense about her that surpasses any politician, a woman that is not afraid to make decisions. I see a woman that will not be afraid to stand up and say enough to those with agendas based on greed and destruction or those willing to give in to lobbyists lining their pockets.

I see this change as amazing for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Why? If Meg can run California like a business, which government is a business, we could see a huge turn around in our economy. I see Meg as someone that supports the entrepreneurial spirit at all levels. She is very much tuned into the needs and demands of our state, and is willing to go head to head with the “Politicians” to stand for what is right.

Now is the time as an entrepreneur to begin planning for the growth and positive change California will experience if she is to take office. It is time to begin putting a game plan together for expansion and growth in your business. Then plug into what Meg is doing, be a part of the conversations, speak up for your needs as an entrepreneur and be ready to take action. We are at a time in our society where we must begin that Plan B for our future, no more sitting on the side line with 100 excuses as to why you can’t move forward and begin taking action.

Let’s put it this way if Meg runs the government like she did eBay and we see the growth and life return to California will you be on the boat celebrating your success or on the side lines saying I wish I would have taken action. 2010 is the year of action for the entrepreneur, are you ready to engage?

Creating a business experience

2010-02-22T19:52:00.000-08:00

The one thing I hear all the time here in Los Angeles is the various experiences people have had at restaurants, hotels and amusement parks. My friend Chris Bogan (chrisbogan.com) made a comment the other day about our clients having an experience with our businesses. Typically we all talk about customer service when it comes to business and perhaps creating an experience can be more powerful than plain ordinary customer service.

What if we began hearing our clients/customers talk about the experience they had doing business with us, perhaps this could be your golden key as a start up business to attract the attention. So how can you create an experience for your client? What does it mean to experience a business?

If a client was to experience your business they will walk away with the feeling of importance, they felt taken care of, they were not just a number. Imagine if you would walking into a day spa, the music is playing, candles lit, lighting just right and then a pleasant smile from your massage therapists. That is an experience. Now imagine walking into the same day spa with bright lights, the smell of moldy towels, hard rock music playing and the therapist says “have a seat I’ll get to you when I can”. These are both experiences, so which one would you prefer?

Now how can you create an experience for your clients? If your business is on-line the website should be attractive, professional and easy to navigate. Don’t make it all about getting their information or treating them like they have a dollar sign on their forehead. I suggest you apply E.I.I. to what you do; Educate, Inform and Invite. Give them a reason to keep doing business with you, what sets you apart.

If your business is a brick and mortar then be sure when they walk into your front door they are greeted pleasantly and sincerely. Create a pleasant experience with music, lighting, aromas and a clean shop that is well organized.

To close the experience be sure to thank your client by sending a personal note. I suggest a handwritten one you mail out, it sure is nice to get something other than a bill in the mail and the handwritten note today is a rarity, so time for you to shine and be remembered. One thing I know here in Los Angeles the fast pace often leads to lack of follow through, no experience and no connection with people. Be different, stand out from the crowd and create an experience they soon will not forget.

Hollywood and Christianity

2010-02-12T14:52:00.000-08:00

All I can say is wow! To the headlines today in the entertainment sector, not to my surprise Lindsay Lohan is trying to represent herself as a Christ-like person or image of Christ on the cross. What is Hollywood coming to where they find it okay to mock or blaspheme God?

Why is society today willing to accept this as the norm and not speak out? Are we becoming so desensitized by what we see that when something totally tasteless as her portrayal we say nothing and many run out to see or buy the item of controversy?

We sat here the other day talking about how Christianity seems to be the easy target to mock. We don’t see people mocking other religions or faiths, when was the last time someone mocked a Mormon or a Muslim? Why is this, is it because most Christians keep quiet just as Jesus did as he was mocked by the Pharisee’s?

Why is it when in a conversation a Christian mentions the name of Jesus they are laughed at and shut down? If they use the word God it is acceptable because everyone worships some kind of god. And yet a “movie star” can seductively portray Jesus in a crucifixion pose just before the Holy celebrations related to Easter (the resurrection of Christ) and it is a hot topic of conversation, something is wrong here. I guess Lindsey could deny the representation, as she does most of her antics, however the crown of thorns on her head, sorry Lindsey you knew exactly what you were trying to portray.

As Christians we need to stand up and say enough, God tells us in the Bible if we are luke warm he will vomit you out of his mouth, time to get off the fence and speak up for things that are not glorifying to God instead of tolerating them and accepting them as the norm. You know one day Christ will return for His people and He will ask each of us either Why not or say Well done, what will you hear on judgment day.

God’s unconditional love

2010-02-10T12:45:00.000-08:00

I was watching the news for the Los Angeles area the other day and was really struck by the stories and their negative spin. I know there are positive things happening in Los Angeles however all we see are the horrible things people are doing to each other from killing family members to destroying marriages. I had to shut off the news and turn on some positive worships music.

As I sat and thought about the difference in the lives of those individuals and the lives of those that are placing God in the drivers seat, one thing popped into my mind, God’s love is unconditional while man’s love generally has strings attached and if you cut or unravel a string all hell breaks loose.

The word unconditional means the love is there no matter what you do, what you say or what you think. God offers Agape love to His children. In Exodus 34:6 God says; "I am the LORD, I am the LORD, the merciful and gracious God. I am slow to anger and rich in unfailing love and faithfulness.”

What if God’s Agape love was embraced and shared by the world? What if we started caring about others more than ourselves? Would it change the violence, anger, hate and destruction this world has put into play by denying the existence and power of God in this country, in this state, in this city? Would the children have a better chance today?

Our country was founded on the foundation of God, life was simpler and hate was less abundant. You know they say if we forget our history we are bound to repeat it, we are repeating life like those in Sodom and Gomorrah. If you look at the book of Genesis Chapter 14 you can see the direction society went. We see so much of the same activity today in our modern day society. If we were to put God back into the center of everything perhaps the news and life around us would not be so negative.

Many people deny that God exists, many think they are a good person so they can go to heaven and yet others believe there are many paths to heaven we all just call them something different. If this is true why does God say in John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

So bottom line I guess is making the choice what we believe and if we believe the Bible to be truth then perhaps we need to look into our hearts and ask the question: Do I show unconditional, Agape love to those around me? Do I reflect Jesus in my life, my words and my attitude? Pray today for the Lord to work in your heart, we all know it starts in our own hearts then radiates out to others.

Giving it to God verses giving it to the universe

2010-01-22T17:19:00.000-08:00

Recently when scheduling a guest for my radio show I had a comment regarding God. I told the guest that I was excited to see that she brings the book of Titus to her business; it is the inspiration for her. Her response to me was I never know what to say to folks in Los Angeles with all the liberal Christians and new age thinkers, they usually do not focus on what God’s word says, as it is with no modifications.

This brought to mind an interesting question what is the difference between giving it to God and giving it to the universe? As there are many “Christians” claiming they give it to the universe not to God. After doing some research and asking some experts what they mean by giving it to the universe I have found that there is a huge difference between God and the universe.

The universe is considered a supreme being whatever you may call it, according to several experts. Sometimes you may call it God, Buddha, mother earth, etc.; it is just a name because all these paths lead to heaven. We also found local churches in the Los Angeles areas that on their website the pastor was asked do you teach from the bible and the response back was “It is used only as a reference However, the version that is used is a metaphysical, Gnostic-inspired edition translated and interpreted from the original Aramaic, rather than the Greek translation used in traditional Christian churches such as the King James version, or the Saint Gregory version used by the Catholic church. Services and classes we refer to the world’s scriptures and sacred texts, as well as the writings of ancient and contemporary mystics, teachers, sages, philosophers, pundits, scientists, and even the enlightened person next door!”

So to address the issue of many paths all leading to heaven; this writer has to say false!
According to God’s Word, the Bible:

• John 14:6 Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

• John 17:3 And this is the way to have eternal life--to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.

Now to give it to God, by giving it to God we are surrendering our worries, cares and troubles to the creator of the heavens and the earth.

• Isaiah 40:28 “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.”)

By giving it to the one who created each of us and loves each one of us unconditionally we get to receive comfort and rest.

• Matthew 11:28 says Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

We have been given a free will by God to choose for ourselves what we will believe, we need to seek the truth and determine what we will live by. Giving it to God means you are giving your “it” to a living God not an inanimate object or someone dead that we have been told is the answer to all our burdens and desires. We have come to a time in this world where we need to stand up in boldness without fear for the truth the Bible brings forth.

• Mark 13:22 “For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform miraculous signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God's chosen ones.”

Creating a successful RoadMap for 2010!

2010-01-09T12:45:00.000-08:00

Launching into a new year is always exciting as we plan our resolutions and move forward with excitement. However, only 8% of those that make resolutions actually keep them, ouch! So how can you as a start-up business owner/entrepreneur plan for 2010 and stick to it or keep focused? It is really simple create your own RoadMap to success!

A RoadMap directs and guides you as you begin a journey, and it can be modified as the journey launches. Just like on a vacation you may map out one direction then stumble upon something amazing and make a detour. The same is for your business, you map out the direction you desire to head then modify it as new ideas or opportunities come in your path. Be sure however, the opportunities and ideas are in you plan of vision. Too many times we branch out all over the place because it sounded good in the moment.

Part of the RoadMap creation is to identify your niche or target market, which is your ideal client base. In 2010 the second step to this part is to micro-niche your target. Micro-niching is taking it one level deeper, for example, your target market/niche is coaching, and in 2010 you would get deeper and perhaps market to new entrepreneurs or medical professionals. Coaching is a great one to use for an example to go deeper with, how many Life Coaches are out there now? They are a dime a dozen, so how do you set your practice apart from the other Life Coaches? Micro-Niche! Select a specific group you want to specialize in and market to them. The biggest fear in doing this is you will loose business, not true you will actually increase your business because you are seeking out a specific type of client.

Another key to a successful RoadMap is to do it in your own handwriting; yes that means pen/pencil and paper. The reason for this is to take ownership in what you have written, to many times when we put it all on the computer it becomes very cold and impersonal. I find that many will even deny some of their goals because it is not in their handwriting so you can’t prove it (yes this really happens). Take ownership in your dreams and take control of your RoadMap and you will be amazed at what can happen to your business!

Christians and business is there a connection?

2010-01-09T12:08:00.000-08:00

Recently on FaceBook there was a question posted regarding Christians and their postings. The writer asked if it was inappropriate for a Christian business owner to post scripture or even offer prayer on FaceBook, wasn’t that taking it too far? My response to her was “If we are willing to accept profanities and sexual content then why can’t we accept positive postings reflecting one’s faith?”

You see the problem today is that there are many Christian’s conducting business however, not many Christian businesses. What is the difference? A Christian that conducts business keeps it reveled that they are a Christian unless directly asked and in many cases it is not even evident that the business owner is a Christian based on the way the business is ran and their attitude/words/actions. A Christian business puts Christ first in all their activities.

According to Matthew 6:33, …”But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Basically if we put God first in all we do He will bless and provide for us. So the question that can be asked at this point is, do you put God first in your business?

Sometimes I think we may be afraid to say we are a Christian in fear of chasing away potential business. However, I know for a fact that your clients/customers are looking for something more than all the hype and look/feel good stuff that was out there in 2009. They want honesty and integrity, which in most cases can be found in a Christian business. Keep in mind if they reject you because you are a Christian they are not rejecting you they are rejecting Christ.
Here is my challenge for each of us in 2010 as we step forward creating our RoadMaps and business plans may we each embrace Matthew 13:31-32; Here is another illustration Jesus used: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants and grows into a tree where birds can come and find shelter in its branches." We never know whom we might touch by acting and living like a Christian in every aspect of our lives. Will you hear “Why not” or “Well done” when you stand before God?

Christmas and 1 Corinthians 13

2009-12-23T21:00:00.000-08:00

As we all know 1 Corinthians 13 is the chapter in the Bible all about love, unconditional love. A friend of mine gave me this Christmas reflection yesterday and I thought it would be great to share this with you with only a few days left before we embrace all the celebrations that Christmas Day will hold for us. The author is unknown.

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows,

Strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls,

But do not show love to my family,

I’m just a decorator.

I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies,

Preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully

Adorned table at mealtime,

But do not show love to my family,

I’m just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, sing carols in the nursing home

And then give all that I have to charity,

But do not show love to my family,

It profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes,

Attend a myriad of holiday parties,

And sing in the choir’s,

But do not focus on Christ,

I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.

Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.

Love is kind, though harried and tired.

Love doesn’t yell at the kids to get out of the way,

But is thankful they are there to be in the way.

Love doesn’t give only to those who are able to give in return

But rejoices in giving to those who can’t.

Love bears all things,

Believes all things,

Hopes all things,

Love never fails.

Video games will break,

Pearl necklaces will be lost,

Golf clubs will rust,

But giving the gift of love will endure.

Sometimes we all get lost in the hustle and bustle of life and Christmas, I pray that this year we may all take a little time to reflect on the greatest gift we were ever given. The gift of the Son, Jesus Christ which is so priceless and we sometimes regard it as spare change. Here is to a Christmas filled with Christ and His unconditional agape love for us! Merry Christmas!

A reason to celebrate.

2009-12-21T17:02:00.000-08:00

With only a few days left till Christmas morning springs itself upon us with all the giggles, excitement and love; many may be trying to figure out how to get the enormous lists of toys the children are wanting. Isn’t it funny how when I was a kid we asked for one toy maybe two, for me usually a Barbie Doll and that was all. Today however the lists have almost become novels, like a recent Christmas movie that portrayed a child on Santa’s lap going on and on about what he wanted, even Santa was like are you done yet!

A friend of mine was sharing her heart at one of our women’s fellowships. Her family was a military family for many years so at Christmas they were always blessed with gifts for the kids, about 5 or 6 different toys and games each. Today her husband is no longer an active military service man so they are not getting the support they had when moving from base to base. However the children’s Christmas list is even longer today and the toys are now much more expensive with electronic gadgets and all. She was concerned about making the children happy like any mom would want for her kids, however they do not have the money to provide the same kind of Christmas the children had grown accustomed to in the past.

You see so many of us today are caught in the same situation as my friend, not enough money to fill the want list from our kids and families. The answer is really simple if we are willing to step back and celebrate Christmas for what it is meant to be, a celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

What if we changed our perspective and focused on the true meaning of this holiday? Nothing wrong with giving gifts, God gave us Jesus! The problem comes when we loose our focus on the true meaning of Christmas and turn it into primarily an overspending shopping spree to make people happy, for the moment. Then we try to figure out how to pay off all we have charged, causing stress and depression. What if we scaled back the worldly side of Christmas and enlarged our faith filled side?

During the challenges today in our economy with all the job and home losses we can still celebrate and rejoice this week. We can celebrate the amazing gift that our Father in heaven has given us, the gift of eternal life through His Son Jesus Christ. He knows where you are today and He knows your needs, maybe it is time to surrender ALL to Him to find room in your hearts to celebrate the gift God has given us.

We all have a reason to celebrate this amazing Christmas season, the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

2009-12-15T11:38:00.001-08:00

Can you believe it we are rapidly approaching 2010? Are you a new entrepreneur or a seasoned one? Perhaps you are one of the thousands of Accidental Entrepreneurs of 2009. No matter the case it is time to seriously look at the approach you will have for the New Year. I know many are saying I am too busy to look at it now with Christmas and all. Let me tell you if you do not start planning it now you will not begin the process because something will always be a priority.

A friend of mine, perhaps you know him Chris Bogan (http://chrisbogan.com/), mentioned in his blog this week that his forecast is that we will see small businesses merging together. Taking what you are lacking in skill & resources and merge with an appropriate counterpart. So the question lies in your hands do you want to merge or stand out as the expert and go to source on your own? Something to think about, as many will flee to what they consider the safety net of a JOB, however let me remind you what happen this year that so called safety net yielded 600,000 average job losses per month…safety net?

Nothing happens overnight a business takes planning, structuring and sometime re-inventing to fit with the economy today and your passions. If you do not start that thought process now how can you launch anything except perhaps a football as you watch the games on New Years? It is crucial for you to take the time to sit down and plan for 2010, at least for the first 3 months of the year. Below are some great questions to ask yourself that my friend Adam Urbanski from The Marketing Mentors (http://themarketingmentors.com/) asked himself as he launched a very successful business:

1. WHAT do I want to accomplish?
2. WHY do I want to achieve it?
3. What BARRIERS stopped me from already achieving this goal?
4. What new SOLUTIONS and SKILLS do I need to acquire?
5. What specific ACTION STEPS do I need to take to achieve this goal?
6. What SUPPORT will I need?

I challenge you today to answer each of these questions in complete honesty so you can discover you next steps for 2010. Once you have your hearts desire then connect with an expert to help you stay on track, a Business Coach. Even those of us that are Business Coaches hire a coach to keep us on track. Invest in yourself and you will succeed!

Choosing the right business…Part 2

2009-09-11T12:46:00.000-07:00

Choosing the right business…
Part 2 “Start your own business from scratch.”

Where do you begin when starting a business by scratch or your own ideas? The process may seem overwhelming however, once laid out it is a simple process.

There are a few questions to ask yourself when launching a business from scratch:

1. What am I passionate about? When we speak of passion it

means what to you absolutely love to do, think about during

the day and even dream about at night.
2. What have you been told you are really good at?
3. What are the needs in the community?
4. What would I call my business?
5. Do I provide a service or product?
6. What expenses are related to launching the business?
7. Do you need a place to store products?
8. What is the anticipated rate of return? (initial output of money compared to the income)
9. Do you have a support system?
10. Do you need licensing or permits?
11. Home office set-up or rent an office space?
12. What is my plan? (Your RoadMap, Goals, Business Plan)
13. How will I market my business?
14. Do I have enough reserves to survive until the business is profitable?

These are just a few solid questions you need to know the answer to in order to be successful. Most of the time you can launch your business from your home with the use of the internet therefore, start-up costs could be relatively small. Understand that starting a business does not mean you will instantly make thousands of dollars; businesses take time to grow and become profitable. Most businesses take up to 2 years to see a profit, so you must be prepared to cover the expenses until the business can sustain itself.

It is really crucial as you build your business you establish a presence on the internet. Research has shown that 73.9% of us utilize the internet to seek out products and services. It is not necessary to invest thousands of dollars into a website, the main things you want to be sure happen with the website are:

· You own it
· You can modify it
· You are ranking on Google or Yahoo searches (SEO)
· Cost can be $500 to $2,000 depending on the size

So what is holding you back now? You have the questions you need to know in order to launch the most amazing journey of your life; you just have to put it into play.

Choosing the right business…

2009-09-11T11:34:00.000-07:00

Choosing the right business…
Part 1 “Choosing a direct sales business”

You are ready to launch into the journey of entrepreneurialism whether it is as an intentional or accidental entrepreneur, now what? How do you choose which business to start? There are so many options available for every person from cosmetics to insurance and beyond. The key is to research what is the best fit for you, what are you passionate about.

My suggestion to you is to create a pro and con list for each idea you have, explore both sides openly. There are businesses you can pay a couple of hundred dollars to start and have a full business plan ready for you or you can build one from your own ideas. Let’s explore some of the options available to you as a buy in business or direct sales business.

A direct sales business is easy to start and yet may be more challenging to generate an income that can sustain you and your family. The great part of a direct sales business is the structure is already established so you basically pay your start up fees and start running. Here are a few questions to ask yourself when considering a direct sales opportunity:

1) How much is the start up costs and what do I get for the money?
2) What kind of training and support do they offer you?
3) Were they pushy to get you to sing up, promising you will make thousands of dollars (if so
run away)?
4) Do you believe in the product you would be selling?
5) How many other representatives are in your marketing area?
6) What lifestyle (car, clothes, etc) does your recruiter have, most are not really making the

money they claim you can make?
7) Are you willing to recruit team members for residual income?
8) Is the product in demand today, does it meet a need?
9) Do you have a passion for the products and do you use them?
10)Do you have months of reserve money in the bank to sustain you while you build your

client lists?

These are a few good questions to ask before you jump into a direct sales business. There are some people that are really good at this type of business and others that are not a good fit to be a direct sales business owner. There are other sales businesses like real estate and insurance you may want to consider as well. These types of businesses require state licensing and in some cases the parent company will look at your credit and determine if you are a good candidate. For example, recently we found that Farmer’s Insurance will pull your credit and if you have any negative you will not be considered. We asked them why someone’s credit, especially today, would be such a factor. The response from an Inland Empire office was, “if you have poor credit you are not good enough to get the application approved.” My suggestion to you, do your homework and do not take anything personal!

Part 2 Start your own business from scratch.

It’s Your Life!

2009-09-04T11:49:00.000-07:00

It’s Your Life!

25 Tips for the Entrepreneur that will keep you on the right path…

1) Take 30 minutes a day to move! Smile while you move it is the best natural anti-

depressant available (endurance, health, focus).
2) Take 10 minutes a day sit in silence; no phones, no computer (refreshes the mind).
3) Every morning before you step out of bed complete the following statement:
“My purpose today is ________________.”
4) Eat more foods that grow on plants and less foods made from the inside of commercial
plants.
5) Drink plenty of water, drink green tea, and eat fruit grown in local trees, wild Alaskan

salmon, spinach, carrots and almonds.
6) Try to make at least 3 people smile each day. Smiles are contagious so just smile at them

and they will smile back.
7) Don’t waste your energy on gossip, issues of the past, negative thoughts, things you can not

control. Focus on what you “DO” want, dream big!
8) Eat breakfast, lunch in peace and dinner with a friend or loved one in a chair leisurely.
9) Life is not fair, BUT it is still good.
10) Life is too short to be angry, stingy and/or greedy.
11) Try not to judge yourself! Find yourself to be your best ally not your worst enemy.
12) Make peace with your past, so it won’t spoil the present. It is over, next is ahead!
13) Don’t compare your life to that of others, you have no idea what their journey is about or

been.
14) You don’t have to win every argument, it is ok to disagree.
15) No one is in charge of your happiness except for you! Close your eyes and say I am the boss.
16) Frame any “disaster” with these words, “Five years from now will it matter?” Better yet

“One year from now will it matter”.
17) Forgive everyone for everything, unforgiveness only hurts you.
18) What other people think of you is none of your business, what you think of you is vital!
19) God helps, it is His plan. We just need to trust His bigger picture, know we are loved and

keep moving forward.
20) However good or bad a situation is; it will change. The one thing we can bet on is change will

happen, move with it!
21) Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick, your friends & family will. Keep in touch

and be social.
22) Envy is a waste of time. You already have everything you need.
23) Each night before you go to bed, complete the following statements: “I am thankful for

_____________.” “Today I accomplished _____________.” Stay in a mindset of

gratitude.
24) Remember, you are too blessed to be stressed.
25) Share this with everyone.

Enjoy Life!

Business 101: Should I blog as a business owner?

2009-08-19T13:50:00.000-07:00

The word blog is a conflation of two words: Web and log. It contains in its four letters a concise and accurate self-description: it is a log of thoughts and writing posted publicly on the World Wide Web. Often times we are hearing the question of, Should I be blogging as a business owner? Why do I need to blog?

Yes, as a business owner you need to be blogging on a regular basis. The blogs do not have to be long; they may only be a couple of paragraphs long but loaded with great content. Then we hear how often do I have to blog? My suggestion to you is at least once a week and I will explain why in a minute. If you can set aside 15-20 minutes a day I would write something once a day, put the time allotment on your calendar as an appointment.

Now on to the why should I blog? Here are several reasons to blog:
*Sharing news and information
*Expressing yourself
*Being found on search engines
*Open dialogue with potential clients
*Become the expert in your niche
*Move your business forward
*Develop a following
*Get published
*Market
*Public Relations (free PR)
*Blogs are interactive
*Branding
*Customer Evangelists (clients that proclaim you as the expert)

We are always searching for new ways to get our name out there to the world and in the case of a start-up business you are looking for cost effective ways to get it done. Blogging is a free resource (in general, there are some paid sites if you must) and it takes a small portion of time to write something that would educate your potential client. The key to a successful blog that requests interaction is to end your blog with a question, challenge or call to action. This will prompt potential and loyal clients to respond and engage with you.

To start your blog go to a recognized site by Google or Yahoo such as http://blogger.com/ this way it is free, easy and recognized in major search engines. There are several themed or specialty sites you can go register on that will direct you to a specific target market. Mashable has a great article listing over 40 free blog host sites http://mashable.com/2007/08/06/free-blog-hosts/.

The challenge today is go register yourself a blog site, and write a paragraph a day. You will find it gets easier and it is a lot of fun to share your knowledge. Are you ready to launch this marketing tool into your business plan today?

Business 101: What is Social Media Marketing & Why do I need it?

2009-08-17T16:43:00.000-07:00

SMM (Social Media Marketing) is a huge arena of amazing tools that seem to grow and expand every moment. SMM is the hottest new way to market yourself and gain the much desired exposure to potential new clients. The amazing part of using SMM is the cost factor, SMM is virtually free to utilize, and it takes you world wide in a matter of minutes. Who would not want that kind of exposure?

SMM appears in a variety of forms from social networking sites to viral marketing sites.

Some of the common social networking sites include:
FaceBook (http://www.facebook.com/)
Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/)
LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/)
NING sites (http://www.ning.com/)

While the viral marketing sites are:
YouTube
Flickr
Google Video
JibJab
Kewego
Metacafe
Veoh

Then you have your Blog sites:
Blogger.com
WordPress
TypePad

The fourth area in the SMM platform is Internet Radio/Podcasts:
BlogTalkRadio
PodBean
Voice America Radio
iTunes
Podcast Alley

The final area we will touch on is Social Bookmarking or tagging:
http://www.digg.com/
http://www.delicious.com/
http://www.stumbleupon.com/
http://www.reddit.com/

Keep in mind I am only listing the top sites, there are many others that can be more specific to your niche market. The key is to begin to connect into each of these platforms offering advice, tips, quotes then the sale. Do not march into these social platforms with a hard sale, guaranteed they will “un-friend” or stop following you.

You want to utilize all of the various platforms for optimum exposure, do not find yourself sticking to one only or combining all together on one site. The key is exposure and linking on several sites, then you can upload/link your radio show & blog to your main website to drive more traffic to your home site, that is a whole different topic for later. To find out more and explore your options visit http://www.robinhardy.net/ or email at Robin@RobinHardy.net.

Business 101: What do I need to start my own?

2009-08-17T16:33:00.000-07:00

Starting your own business today is much easier than it was say 10 years ago. It used to be all about physical location, in some case today it is still location. However, most of us can start a business right from the comfort of our living rooms. With the invention of the World Wide Web we can launch a business in our living room that reaches world wide!

So let’s jump into the basic essentials for creating your own business today:

1.) A great idea, something that will meet a need for the community. Something that you can

do better than others providing the same product or service.
2.) You have to really want to journey this direction, owning your own business is not a cake

walk or a get rich quick adventure. However, if you are ready this will be one of the most

amazing journey’s of your life.
3.) You have to create a RoadMap to keep you on the right path. This is like using your GPS to

take a vacation; it is much easier to get from point A to point B if you have directions. This

will allow you to enjoy the fruits of your labor quicker than a random direction with no

planning.
4.) You have to create a Business Plan with specific targets, keep in mind this plan can & most

likely will be modified as you move through the launch and growth of your business.
5.) You need a strong support system behind you. This support system can come in a variety

of packaging; hire a Business Building Coach, join a Master Mind Group, find a Mentor…

Keep in mind each one plays a specific role in your journey. The Business Coach is trained

and experienced in getting you where you want to go, while the Master Mind Group may

be more generic or what worked for them. Unfortunately, what works for one may not

always work for the next person.
6.) You must have a strong passion for the business you want to start. Don’t just jump at

everything or the first sales pitch you get, dig deep and see if you are passionate about the

business. If you are not passionate you will give up if you do not see instant income and

success. Those that pursue their passions make it work and stick to it in good & bad times.
7.) You need to count the cost, starting a business does not mean instant income. You have to

be prepared to survive for about 2 years while you are building. If you have a job do not

quit unless you can survive without that income.

It is so simple today to launch a business and the rewards are far beyond anything a job can provide, are you ready? Are you willing to commit?

Business 101: Is it really a good time to start a business?

2009-08-11T15:45:00.000-07:00

I stand here to say it is a phenomenal time to start a business! Let’s take a look at history and the companies that said yes and launched a business during tough economic times. Did you know that 16 of the 30 companies that make up the Dow industrial average were started during a recession or depression? These include Procter & Gamble, Disney, Alcoa, McDonald's, General Electric, FedEx, Trader Joe’s and Johnson & Johnson.

Let's journey through history to 1973-1975; the United States had an unpopular president, in the middle of the Watergate scandal and at the tail end of an extremely costly war that had divided the country. We watched gas prices jump by nearly 50% in two years leaving consumer confidence at an all-time low. You would think it was a terrible time to begin a business, right?

Let’s take a look at a few of the companies started during this economic crisis of the 1970's: Supercuts, Chili’s, Cablevision, Industrial Light & Magic, Famous Amos Cookies, Oakley and a small company called Microsoft.

What makes it a good time to launch the next Intuit, Whole Foods, J. Crew, Costco, or Applebee's (all launched during recessions)? Here's what happens in bad economic times, disruption. Disruption means things change often quickly and dramatically. When change happens opportunities are created and entrepreneurs seize that opportunity that’s what makes them entrepreneurs.

So what sets them apart from the rest of the people? There are a few key points that lead to success during economic crisis, like today:

· Mind-Set
· Desire for Change
· Passion for Opportunity
· Strong Support System
· Defined RoadMap
· Great Idea

What has changed in the way business is done today?

· Weakened competitors. It's likely that many of your competitors are facing tough times,

tightening their belts, perhaps retiring or selling out. Many of the companies that have

been around for what seems forever are shutting their doors.
· Customers seek cost effective options. When times are good, customers are likely to stick

with the suppliers they're used to, even if they're a more expensive. Today, however,

customers are looking around for cost effective options to get the products and services

they need.
· Large Corporations cut back. Reducing their services, especially to the small business

owners, who might be great customers for you.
· Loyalties loosen. As competitors reduce services to customers, and as customers look

around for cost effective options, it means they're less likely to be loyal even to longtime

suppliers.

What is your role in this opportunity?

· Be the cost effective option. Target customers who use more expensive products &

services now.
· Market aggressively. As loyalties loosen, your competitors' customers are more willing to

look at other options. They will be looking for those that stand out as the solution to their

needs/problems.
· Think out of the Box. Come up with new ideas/solutions, especially more cost effective

ones, for customers' problems; they'll be in a more receptive mood.
· Present yourself as a consultant for large companies. You'll be more cost effective than the

in-house staff they're laying off and will bring new innovative ideas to increase their

profitability.

"A lot of businesses get started at bad times," said S. Andrew Starbird, the Acting Dean of the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University. "What they have in common is that they were innovative and served a particular need at the right time, the right place with the right product at the right price."

Why people will not build a business today, Reason #8 Self-Sabotage

2009-08-10T06:21:00.000-07:00

Sabotage; as defined in the dictionary is any undermining of a cause...

"You can't do that!" "That's way too difficult!" "If you try, you'll probably just fail anyway." These statements sound as if they're coming from someone with a cruel mission to destroy self-confidence. Unfortunately, we can be the “someone” and our target can be our self.
Negative self-talk or sometimes called Monkey Chatter is something we have all probably engaged in at some time. When it rears its ugly head on a regular basis it, it can lead to self-sabotage, and can stop us and in some cases paralyze a person from achieving their goals and dreams. The worse part is we usually don't recognize what we are doing to ourselves. Instead, we attribute our lack of success to inadequacy or being unlucky. This mind-set will strengthen the negative messages we tell ourselves, and we get caught in a self-sabotaging cycle that can be very difficult to break.
A simple way to tell if you are sabotaging your self is when you grind to a halt while you're trying to achieve your goals, for no rational reason. When you feel like you are stuck in quick sand and the only way is down, or you tell yourself to quit you are not capable of success. The skill, ability and desire are there just seems as something is stopping you from moving forward. When you begin to feel that you can't do something you should be able to do, or have done before self-sabotage is at work.
Self-sabotage behavior can leave you feeling frustrated, discouraged, and trapped in a situation you desperately want to change. Self-sabotage behaviors are irrational and illogical, and they will destroy your self-esteem and self-confidence!
Everyone sabotages themselves from time to time. Unfortunately, sometimes we sabotage ourselves to the point of not being able to live the successful, happy life we really want to live.
Here are a few questions you can ask yourself (honestly) to determine if you might be self-sabotaging yourself:
· Is procrastination a regular part of your day?
· Do you have a difficult time getting motivated to do the things you really want to do?
· Did you tell yourself that this would be your year to succeed, but despite this promise to
yourself, you are still not living the life you truly want to live?
· Do your love relationships seem destined to fall apart?
· Do people often misunderstand your intentions?
· Do you feel as if people in your life are constantly criticizing you?
· Do you ever experience depression, anxiety or panic attacks, even when there is no logical
reason for them?
· Do you ever feel resentment or anger over not having more control over the events in your
life?
Self-sabotage behavior damages your self-esteem and causes you to lose confidence in yourself, which is reflected to those around you by your attitude, comments and non-verbal communications. Self-sabotage can create feelings of frustration, discouragement, resentment, anger and panic. Most significantly, it stops you from doing and having the things you really want to have in your life.
So, let’s explore some ways you can overcome self sabotage. You have to let go, trust in the flow of life and begin to trust yourself. Do not allow other peoples opinions of you dictate what you believe and never do something to make someone approve of you if it’s not the way you would normally act, it is impossible to please everyone all the time.
In life we have to choose our battles we will fight and sometimes the best way to handle a situation if someone let you down either forgive them and understand that’s just the way they are or move on from them. Our actions will either lead to outcomes or consequences, you control your own life and no one else is responsible for the situations you find yourself in. You can not blame everyone else for what happens to you, if you do you are only sabotaging yourself.
Don’t be so hard on yourself, life is about learning and growing not instantly having the answer for everything. Self-sabotage needs to be recognized and addressed if you plan on moving forward as a successful business owner, because sometimes it is just you & the little mouse in your pocket that is moving in the same direction. Cut yourself some slack and talk kindly to yourself like you would talk to a loving friend, you will be surprised at the results you will experience. You may find you really like yourself!

Why People Do Not Start a Business Today, Reason #7 Laziness!

2009-08-08T16:04:00.000-07:00

We have exposed 6 of the most common reasons we have heard recently on why people will not start a business today, reason #7 is a very blunt one, laziness! The case of the why bothers, why should I do anything or who cares. Some people have tried to use every excuse under the moon to not do anything to change their position.

This mind-set is a very dangerous one, however in today’s economy a very common one. If we focus on the entire crisis around us we will become paralyzed and complacent. Lingering in this mind-set for too long can create a position of laziness, if you have sat around too long you will loose your desire to move forward. The other issue is those that are genuinely lazy and just do not want to do anything to better themselves or their families. The strange thing about this person is they are the ones always complaining that life is hard, life is bad, I never get a chance/break and on and on.

If we really want change in our life we must get out of the mind-set of laziness and move into action. Consider this transition just like working out at the gym; take little steps to big rewards. If you try to change instantaneously you will most likely give up as you become overwhelmed. If you are in a position of really wanting to make the change in your life and launch out of “The Lazy Mind-Set” here are a few steps you can take to begin the process of change in your life:

· Place notes to yourself on mirrors, wallet, drawers that say “I can do anything I set my

mind to do”, these are called affirmations and they do work!
· Hire a Life or Business Coach to help you set some goals and keep you on the right path.

They will also help you through this tough transition from laziness to proactive &

productive.
· Find a Master-Mind Group in your area that meets once a week
· Read books that will empower you like; Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki or Think &

Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill or Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson
· Journal your progress daily, including emotions & feelings
· Just start today, do not wait until tomorrow, for tomorrow never comes it is always today!

Congratulations on your decision to be proactive and remember you can do anything you set your mind to do!

Why People Do Not Start a Business Today, Reason #6 Lack of Information

2009-08-06T13:54:00.000-07:00

Lack of information is another top reason people don’t start a business today. Many may not be sure where to start while others may have had a business failure in the past and do not want to go there again. The other option is a family member may have lost a business as well do to lack of information, which scares the new potential entrepreneur.

The key to overcoming this reason is really simple with the invention of the internet; you have access to anything you want to know at the tips of your fingers. Any good entrepreneur will tell you it takes planning and goals to become successful. Becoming an entrepreneur requires the individual to think out the plan and direction they desire to head. This may mean taking classes at local colleges, attending tele-classes and hiring a Business Coach to keep you on track.

Ask around and you will see that most entrepreneurs do not do it alone; they may be a solo-entrepreneur however they have a support system in place. Let’s explore a couple of the ways to gather information and plan for this amazing journey.

1.) Hire a Business Coach: This is the simplest way to begin the process as they are knowledgeable about the process and details so that you are successful. Their number one objective when you come on board as a client is to determine your desires, then assist you in reaching your goals. They are your personal cheerleader! The program will be designed to personally fit you and your needs. The return on investment from anyone that has hired a Business Coach, even CEO’s of major firms, is currently exceeding 147% ROI. Not a bad return for your money!

2.) Register & Attend Tele-Classes/On-Line Classes: These are classes you can take from experts via your telephone. You can find classes that are a one day/one hour event to classes that run in a series. The free classes are usually set up to sell you the next program, so keep in mind you may get a few nuggets and not the whole content. They usually give you a workbook to follow along with and the information is generic so that everyone can gather some information.
3.) Register for local Community College classes: Usually Community College classes run from $29.00 to $149.00 and can offer great information. For these classes you must register on-line or early, if the college sees no one registered they will cancel the class. These classes are usually taught by experts in their field who are currently active with their specialty, they do not teach you text book theory you should receive practical real life application.

These are three of the many ways to gain knowledge about the business you desire to start before you launch the actual business. Start today discovering ways you can become knowledgeable about your business so you can launch yourself into success.

Getting Caught in the Web: The Start-up Business & The Internet Part 2

2009-08-03T06:34:00.000-07:00

Getting linked on other websites to move your Google/Search Engine ranking is really simple. This is probably the best tool for all start-up businesses today, because it costs you nothing except a little time. I know it is hard to believe that you can gain exposure at no dollar cost to you! This is the beauty of staring a business today; years ago you had to have the brick & mortar to begin and a good sized chunk of money in the bank.

So let’s explore the options to getting your website linked on other sites. The most obvious connections need to happen in the Social Media arena (we will explore Social Media Marketing in a future article) like FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIN are the 3 main places. If you have videos then exposure on YouTube is a great resource for exposure on the internet. These have been previously used for primarily personal use, today they are the hottest marketing tools for businesses. Even big companies like Starbucks, Pringles, Pizza Hut and more are using FaceBook for exposure. The key is how to use them for business; here are a couple of tips to follow to keep it professional:

1. Photo, be sure it is of YOU and it is not suggestive; no suits a suit makes you unapproachable
2. Keep photos off your profiles that reflect partying (you and your friends at a bar drinking is not a good photo choice)
3. Be sure to post appropriately on your listing; offer tips, advice or quotes
4. Do FaceBook suggested friend connections
5. Be sure your website is on your profile as a link (a link looks like http://www.RobinHardy.net) this way when they click on it they will be taken to your website while leaving your profile page in a different window
6. You can get a “vanity” URL on FaceBook now, FaceBook used to give you a link like FaceBook.com/11766d9487h865847m0000 which makes it hard to remember, now you can do one like FaceBook.com/RobinHardy which is much better for you from a marketing viewpoint. 7. Always try for your name, firstlast with no punctuation first.
8. As a business you can also create a Fan Page which gives you more exposure

The biggest word of advice on this type of marketing, limit the amount of time you spend, set a timer for say 30 minutes. It is really easy to get caught up in this type of networking.

Getting Caught in the Web: The Start-up Business & The Internet Part 1

2009-08-03T06:31:00.000-07:00

A question was asked the other day regarding the value of a presence on the internet, “Is it really worth building a website for a small business with all the competition?” YES!!! The numbers as of late are 90% of the world (perhaps more today) search the internet for what they need as a first step. Can they find you?

The internet & Google searches can be overwhelming to some
start-up businesses, however take a deep breath here are some simple rules to follow when creating your empire on-line.

Get a website!
Content rich
Opt-in box on the website
Own the website!
Be able to modify/update the website
Get it ranked on Google (not by doing Pay-Per-Click)
Any links on your site need to open a new window, leaving your website up in front of potential client
Get your website linked on other websites like:
Article writing
Joint Ventures
Blog
Internet Radio Show and more…

Understand it is really possible to move your website to the first page of a search and well worth your efforts. I took my own site from page 15 to page 1 in 3 weeks, I am competing against 2 other Robin Hardy’s, one is an author and the other the producer of The Wicker Man. So I have a little competition, however if I did it so can you.

Why People Do Not Start a Business Today, Reason #5 Too much Competition!

2009-07-30T15:36:00.000-07:00

Reason #5…Too much Competition!

Have you ever used this as a reason not to build a business of your own…There’s too much competition for what I do? Interesting reason for not moving forward, this one really borders on an excuse if you ask me.

If you have used this as your reason not to start your own business let me ask you a few questions:

*Do you have a passion for what you wanted to do?
*Have you checked out what “The Competition” is doing today?
*Do you still have any competition?
*What can you offer that is a little different, better than the competition?
*Is there a different target market/niche for you?
*Can you build a better mouse trap?

The amazing part of this particular reason is that in most cases 70% to 95% of your competition no longer exists. This is why I ask have you checked the competition out recently. I believe that this reason has a strong link to fear, if we are afraid to step out it is easier to blame the competition than give it a try.

Your competition may not have taken into consideration the new economy, the new needs or shifts in the target market which may have them missing the bulk of the business. The key to this is to:

*Establish your target market
*Know there needs (current)
*Define what makes you different/unique
*Be aware of what the competition is doing
*Discover how the competition reaches their market
*Understand the “New Marketing”

If the competition begins to be more competitive; stay on top of your plan, know the needs and be willing to redesign your mouse trap if needed to remain on top of your game. The competition only beats you if you roll over and play dead, play hard & fair with integrity and you will have the better mouse trap!

Why People Do Not Start a Business Today, Reason #4 I Don’t Have Any Support!

2009-07-30T15:35:00.000-07:00

Reason #4…I Don’t Have Any Support!

You have come up with a fantastic new business idea and you are ready to launch forward onto an amazing new journey, then all of a sudden you hit the breaks and come to a complete stand still. What happened you say to yourself as you look around and see nothing but the dust cloud you created by hitting your breaks so hard?

You were so excited about your new adventure; you shared it with your family at the weekend BBQ and at the top of his lungs Uncle Ed shouts out, “Are you nuts, you will never be successful doing that just get a new job!” The BBQ becomes deathly quiet as everyone looks to you for a response, as you slither away never to mention your dream again. Have you been there?

So many people give up just before they are truly successful, most cases they quit the day before it all was to happen. The key to overcoming this particular reason for not starting your own business is to surround yourself with a coach or mastermind group that will encourage you and keep you focused on the right track.

There is an old saying, Beware with whom you share your dreams with as some are there to only steal your dreams. The dream stealers are those like Uncle Ed in the story above; perhaps they really care and don’t want to see you get hurt. In most situations like this it is usually because they are jealous or envious of your ambition, they wish they could do what you are doing. The easiest way to make yourself feel better is to make someone else hurt or discouraged. I do not believe this is usually an intentional behavior, never the less it is a real reaction to someone stepping out of what is considered to be the norm.

Understand this; you can do anything you set your mind to do, if you have a passion for it. Develop a working group/support group that you meet with weekly on the phone or for coffee, allow this to be your place to share. As you grow and become stronger & more focused you may be able to cut the meetings back to bi-weekly or monthly. This is another reason to hire a Business Coach, as they will assist you in staying focused, reaching your goals & objectives, and being your personal cheerleader as you move through your journey.

Do not feel bad that you do not share your dreams with everyone, there will be a time & place to share with them when you are stronger and more focused on your road map to success. If you have found this to be your reason not to start your dream business time to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and move forward. Remember if you want it bad enough nothing will be able to stop you.

Why People Do Not Start a Business Today, Reason #3 Security

2009-07-30T15:34:00.000-07:00

Reason #3…Security

Continuing to explore the challenges holding people back from launching their own business takes us to the topic of security. We want to know it will be okay, we will be safe and taken care of so we cling onto the JOB (J=Just, O=Over, B=Broke) hoping it will provide our security needs.

However, today this may be a false sense of security with companies that have been around forever shutting their doors, relocating to a new state or cutting back staff. We are offered no guarantees in today’s job market and in many instances we do not know if tomorrow holds the promise of a paycheck. I have spoken to numerous people that are living the “what if”, the unknown of their security and waiting to see what happens.

As Robert Kiyosaki stated in his book “Rich Dad, Poor Dad”, by continuing to work for corporate America all we do is provide wealth for the corporations, we are given no guarantee that our retirement is secure. Basically if we rely on corporate America to continue to be our source of income for our families all we will do is make them richer.

Let’s look further back in our history at the founding of America, were we founded by large corporations & foreign companies, NO! America was founded by entrepreneurs like you and I. According to Gerald Gunderson’s study entitled The Founding Entrepreneurs: America’s Prosperity, “While it is not difficult to understand that entrepreneurs have created many improvements in the course of American history, it can be surprising to learn that they actually "founded" the U.S. economy”. Perhaps America is going back to the day when the entrepreneur and small business generated the growth and profitability in our Nation.

As an entrepreneur you have the freedom and capability to make the changes necessary for growth eliminating the bureaucratic red tape encountered in the corporate setting. Your success or failure depends on you not a supervisor or company that is only looking out for themselves. You create your security because you will never fire or lay yourself off, you will fire yourself up and find new innovative ways to grow your dreams.

So if we look at the reality of today, there is no security in a job. A job gives one a false sense of security for the moment, when that moment is gone then what. Be proactive and start planning today for your security and future.

Why People Do Not Start a Business...Reason #2…But….Money??

2009-07-30T14:30:00.000-07:00

You’ve been sitting at your desk worrying if your job is secure. You’ve been sitting at your desk dreaming about starting a business. You wake up wondering what it would be like to work in my PJ’s. So what is stopping you from exploring this what if?

I can’t start a business I don’t have any money to do that! This is one of the top 5 reasons individuals never pursue their dreams & passions of starting a business. So today we are going to expose some of the myths to the financial side of starting a business.

The concept of starting a business used to mean months of reserves in the bank, strong credit, a physical building and a lot of money out of your pocket. Today the opportunity is much simpler to obtain, less costly and much more fun. With the invention of the internet small businesses & corporations have been able to generate thousands of dollars without leaving their home or place of business. The most challenging part of launching a business today is determining what kind of service or product you will provide.

There are SBA (Small Business Association) Loans available to you if you qualify, however keep in mind those have to be paid back and can not be written off if something was to go wrong. It is harder today to qualify for a SBA loan than in previous years and in some cases the interest rate may not be worth the convenience. My suggestion identify places where you may be spending excess and apply those monies to your new business, for example; spending $200.00 on a new purse or shoes or adding $200.00 to your new business, your call.

The cost to start a business today can run as little as a couple of month’s worth of Starbucks & lunches! Yes you read it right if you spend $4.00 a day on a cup of coffee (x 31) and $8.50 a day on lunch (x 31) you could launch a business! This is basically the cost of a website to get you out in the web. Additional things you might want to consider:

Hiring a Business Building Expert Coach to help you move forward effectively & rapidly:

a. Cost around $1200.00 for 8 sessions

b. Banner or logo design for marketing

c. Product (E-Books & CD’s cost of production $50.00 per hour) or products such as consumables would vary depending on supplier.

d. Business Cards (Vista Print will give you 250 for free, you only pay shipping) or print them at home for the cost of toner & business card stock. Many printing companies will print simple one sided B&W cards for as little as $29.00

e. Be sure with your website you own it and can modify it
Email address: DO NOT USE A YAHOO OR GMAIL OR HOTMAIL email, you need to be professional. Most hosting sites for your website offer a free email package so your email will match your website.

You want to be sure you are presenting yourself in a professional manner even if it is just you working on your bed with a laptop! If you do it right up front you will not have to try and mend things later, build a strong reputation from the beginning and you will be amazed what can happen. Now you are ready to begin the amazing journey to being an entrepreneur! Even if you did everything listed above (which is strongly suggested) you would have only spent about $2,000.00 to start your own business (minus product), so where can you add this to your current budget and eliminate Reason #2 for not starting your own business.

Why People Do Not Start a Business...Reason #1…But…I am afraid!!

2009-07-30T14:28:00.000-07:00

The top, number one reason individuals do not start a business is fear. As humans we are afraid of the unknown, we are afraid of failing, we are in some cases afraid of success. Fear is a very powerful emotion/feeling that can leave a person paralyzed, unable to move forward and at the same time fear can be an amazing catalyst to move you forward.
It is all about your perspective on fear, so how do you see fear played out in your life?

Let’s take a look at the common explanation of fear:

F= False
E= Evidence
A= Appearing
R= Real

I know we have all heard this before however; it is worth restating as we explore the reasons people do not step out and start their own business. 97% of the time these fears have been created in our own mind, 3% may be valid. Our minds have a way of stopping us from success if we allow it to happen. In our minds we create, especially as women, the worst case scenario filled with “what if’s” and “why bothers”. The key to overcoming fear is to move through it and change our perspective of the outcomes.

Outcomes; we tend to find ourselves creating “our expected outcome” instead of allowing the outcome to happen as a result of our efforts. The amazing part is if we allow the outcomes to happen they are generally more spectacular than anything we could have created or expected.

Attitude; this is the next area related to fear that we can change, if we are willing. If we look at the difference between where we stand today and where we want to be it is all a matter of time & attitude. Why are some people successful and others seem to struggle? Attitude! Let’s take a look at the word attitude, a little number exercise take the word attitude and write the number of the alphabet it is then add them up, what do you get?

A=1 T=20 T=20 I=9 T=20 U=21 D=4 E=5

100%

Let’s just say your attitude will affect your outcome 100%, what is your attitude like?

The number one objective today is to move through your fears, set aside the fear of the unknown and take a chance. The only things you will ever totally fail at are those things you never attempt to accomplish, leaving only the feeling of wish I would have tried. You can do anything you set your mind to do, if you are willing to step out and stay focused!

The New 4 Letter Word…

2009-07-30T14:26:00.000-07:00

A new word has emerged that we will coin as “The New 4 Letter Word”! This 4 letter word can belittle someone; while at the same time give the user of the word an imaginary since of power. We have found that generally when this word is used it is meant to make the user feel better about themselves, somehow in their mind putting them above the other person.

What does this have to do with a Start-Up Business, everything! This is another great reason to launch into your own business eliminating some of the unnecessary behavior we allow ourselves to be subjected to on a day to day basis because we feel there are no other options. It also will help those of you launching you own business to develop a level of respect for others you encounter, especially in the service fields.

So many today have been subjected to being talked down to or about, it is a tough time in our economy so some are taking advantage of that to make themselves feel better. Have you ever been told you were “just a secretary”, “just a waitress”, “just a janitor”, or “just a temp”? We have been seeing too much of the use of the four letter word “just” to categorize a person’s position or status in life. Why are we seeing such an emergence of this mentality that definitely leaves a person feeling less than? I really believe it is because people are in fear of loosing what they have and have forgotten they were not always where they are today. The word “just” oozes out like the slime in a sewer and they instantly feel better, not looking back to see the damage done to the other person.

A client of mine recently experienced this, she chose to say yes to a temp agency for a position she was told would be long time temp or temp to perm. On the first day with the company they were already scheduling other interviews, so she contacted the agency to ask what was going on, “don’t I even get a chance to prove myself?” The agency promptly responded “just sit there and do the job you are “just a temp””. Imagine having that said to you when you walk into a new job focused on doing your best to prove yourself. It did not stop there the office where she was placed in also kept referring to her as “just a temp”; you are only here till the full-time person is hired. So my client took the agency’s advise and did exactly what they said, she sat there and filled the seat in the office since they would not give her any work or train her on what to do because she was “just a temp”. My client decided this is not worth it and is now launching a very successful VA (Virtual Assistant) business where she has complete control on her working environment.

This is a phenomenal reason to consider launching your own business so you can control the environment to position your self into and at the same time create a pleasant/positive atmosphere for all whom you encounter. What are you a master at, what do you love doing? Perhaps it is time to stop and consider launching your own business, creating a healthy/positive atmosphere you can thrive in daily. Remember it does not require a brick and mortar any more to build a business; all you need is an idea and some passion to fuel it forward.

Part 2 of Exploring some Start-Up Business options…

2009-07-30T14:20:00.000-07:00

Now that we have explored the why & what of these top 10 top buys…Hot Products…Must Have Products that consumers are buying even during a recession, let’s take a look at ways you can generate income from each one:

1) Chocolate
a. Sign up for a MLM/Direct Sales that carries chocolate.
b. Create a home based chocolate business (getting molds & chocolate from a local cake
store). Easy to start, market to small boutique stores first, the internet and grow
from there.

2) Lipstick
a. Sign up for a MLM/Direct Sales cosmetic company
b. Become the expert on make-up, write an E-Book, do demo DVD’s, offer live make-
over’s for people searching for jobs
c. Internet Radio Show

3) Wine
a. Sign up for a wine Direct Sales company
b. Become the expert on make-up, write an E-Book, do demo DVD’s, do wine tasting

events for local winery
c. Internet Radio Show

4) Romance
a. Create events/getaways be a coordinator
b. Write a book or E-Book
c. Internet Radio Show

5) Comfort Foods
a. Create a cookbook
b. Become a home chef, cook for people in their homes
c. Cooking classes
d. Internet Radio Show

6) Pepto Bismal
a. teach alternative ways to release stress
b. write an E-Book on foods to eat to help with stomach problems
c. teach meditation live, CD or DVD
d. Internet Radio Show

7) Eating In (instead of eating out)
a. Create a cookbook
b. Become a home chef, cook for people in their homes
c. Cooking classes
d. Internet Radio Show

8) Home Grown Produce (instead of store bought)
a. Create an E-Book on how to grow and what to grow based on your location
b. DVD demo on planting a garden & its care
c. Internet Radio Show

9) Running Shoes (instead of gym membership)
a. Home workout DVD
b. Walking CD
c. Internet Radio Show
d. Fitness E-Book

10) Home Safe (instead of the local bank deposits)
a. E-Book on how to store valuables in a home
b. Internet Radio Show on safety

The objective behind each of these Top 10 items is to:

· Identify if any of the Top 10 items are in your niche
· Explore ways to become the expert
· Market to the appropriate target audience
· Start dreaming about other ways to turn your item into a cash flow

This does not mean these are the only directions to consider when creating your Plan B, these are just the top 10 according to a local list. The key to success in building your Plan B is to determine what you love to do, is there a need for it in my community or in the world and am I willing to commit to do what it takes to make it happen. The next step…what will you choose to pursue as a business?

Part 1: Exploring some Start-Up Business options…

2009-07-30T14:01:00.000-07:00

You are ready to start your Plan B, what might be good directions to begin searching for the right start-up for you? Today we will explore the top 10, top buys…Hot Products…Must Have Products that consumers are buying even during a recession. The hottest products according to a recent article from The Dolan’s (Money Experts) are:

1) Chocolate
2) Lipstick
3) Wine
4) Romance
5) Comfort Foods
6) Pepto Bismal
7) Eating In (instead of eating out)
8) Home Grown Produce (instead of store bought)
9) Running Shoes (instead of gym membership)
10) Home Safe (instead of the local bank deposits)

Interesting list! There are some great opportunities for the creation of your own business in some of these listed above. Consider how many of the listed items are consumables, they need to be replaced which will generate repeat clients. Some of the listed items would be great to create informational products like CD’s, DVD’s, E-Books and even Tele-Gatherings all of which cost you very little to generate and in turn will yield a generous cash flow (if marketed to the target audience).

Let’s explore a the top 10 a little further to see why they may be in the top 10 and what opportunities you could create successfully:

1. Chocolate
a. comforting
b. relieves cravings
c. has some health benefits
d. a quick fix for a tough day
e. the number one grab to satisfy a sweet tooth by women
f. it is a consumable item, repeat clients

2. Lipstick
a. A must have for any wardrobe
b. Created great wealth during the Great Depression for companies like Max Factor,
because a woman may give up getting her nails done however, she will not give up her
lipstick
c. It is a consumable item, repeat clients

3. Wine
a. Makes an ordinary meal extraordinary, so if someone is crunching their budget this
may be a treat
b. People will always want to entertain, many serve wine
c. It is a consumable item, repeat clients

4. Romance
a. With the increased number of staycations people want to know how to make it
memorable
b. Perhaps a newly wed couple can not afford a honeymoon
c. Couples looking for solutions to strengthening their marriage during challenging times

5. Comfort Foods
a. Many times people just want something that makes them feel good during stressful
times
b. Makes people feel like they are at home, safe & comfortable

6. Pepto Bismal
a. Stress levels are high what are some alternatives to Pepto Bismal

7. Eating In
a. Cutting expenses may mean cooking more at home
b. Many do not know how to cook or what to cook so they eat frozen foods

8. Homegrown Produce
a. Again cutting expenses may also mean trying to grow your own produce, if a pound of
tomatoes are $3.99 and tomato seeds are $1.75, plus you can yield more produce this
way, healthier

9. Running Shoes
a. another area for cutting expenses is gym memberships, especially if they are not used
on a regular basis

10. Home Safe
a. With the failures of so many banks and many more forecasted to be closing people are
keeping their hard earned money with them to eliminate risk
b. They are also keeping it in safes for fear of a creditor cleaning out their account behind

their backs

Part 2 of Exploring some Start-Up Business options, we will discover some ways to

turn the top 10 into your own empire.

Beware of the Opportunist!

2009-07-22T13:19:00.000-07:00

What an interesting time we are all living in today, with so much happening around us we find the “opportunist” also popping their head into our lives. As you consider the amazing journey to becoming an entrepreneur you also must be aware of the opportunists that will emerge with the next best thing.

I received a phone call today from one of those “opportunists” selling me on her next greatest opportunity in a new MLM (Multi-Level Marketing) company. The amazing part of these individuals is they will say anything to get you to sign up under them, why is that? The key to a MLM is building a huge team underneath you, which you make money on as they sign up, then you also make money off everything they sell or everyone they sign up on their team. Don’t misunderstand me here there are some people that do well with a MLM or Direct Sales opportunity, however it is not for everyone.

As she began to try to “sell” me on her new found opportunity that she invested $495.00 to begin, she became very demanding and pushy. Each time I said no thank you, not interested in another MLM she became more instant that I hear her out for this totally “amazing, life-changing opportunity that will create financial freedom for women around the world, this is nothing like you have ever seen before.” What is more amazing is she wanted me to consider handing her $495.00 without knowing who the MLM company is, not something I am in the habit of doing.

There are two ways to make money in an MLM if this is the direction you are considering for your start-up business:
1) Recruit, recruit & recruit some more!
2) Be selling in the MLM/Direct Sales group for a long period of time

One of the sales pitches all Direct Sales/MLM groups will make is you can make your annual salary in months verses a year, there is no truth to that especially here in Southern California with so many saturations of these types of businesses in each community. If you look at their magazine published monthly the top sales are located in either rural/small towns in the mid-west or from those in the business for 10+ years.

The key to success as you consider launching your own business is doing your homework before investing in anything. Here are a couple of questions you can ask yourself before writing them a check or giving them your credit card number:
1) How much is it to start this MLM/Direct Sales?
2) Check the company’s integrity through the BBB or Google search the company
3) Determine if there is a demand for the product or is it a luxury

It is time for us all to start our Plan B, you just have to determine what direction you want to go in, how much time you are willing to invest and do you love what you are planning to launch. Tip for today: Don’t say yes right away to an “opportunist” if it is a valid opportunity it will still be there tomorrow, do your homework!

Do you have a Plan B?

2009-07-11T19:29:00.000-07:00

What is a Plan B? A Plan B is the answer when your life is not heading in the direction you wanted to head, Plan B is when you have been searching for a job for over a year and nothing has happened. So have you considered your Plan B?

So many have been struggling to find a job since they were laid-off or the company they worked for shut their doors. The numbers have been staggering each month with numbers hitting over 600,000. The numbers of available jobs are limited and many employers are playing games with potential new hires. What do I mean by games? The stories we have been hearing from job seekers is really disheartening, one person went on an interview for a job that paid $22.00 per hour however, upon completing the interview the potential employer dropped the pay to $12.00 per hour because of supply and demand. Supply and demand means more job seekers than jobs so I do not have to pay you what you are worth and you still have to perform at your best.

Time to stop the madness and get your Plan B into action. They have stated that today is the age of the “Accidental Entrepreneur”, a day where people are forced into being an entrepreneur due to lack of choice. However, they also said it is the best time ever to be in this position! So let’s look at creating your Plan B, below are a few things to begin thinking about as you consider your Plan B:

*What am I passionate about?
*What am I skilled at doing?
*How much can I invest into a business?
*Do I want to do a MLM/Direct Sales Business or start my own?
*How much time am I willing to commit to make it happen?
*Who is my target market?
*Will I provide a skill, product or service?
*Who do I need in my spear of influence?

These are just a few questions to ask yourself as you journey into your Plan B. Also keep in mind it takes time to bring in the cash flow when starting a business and if you choose to do a MLM/Direct Sales Business it may take longer. You do not make thousands of dollars in these types of businesses overnight it takes time. Many making good money in these types of businesses have been in the business for 10-20 years, don’t be sold a bag of goods so quick, do your homework!

Social Media Marketing & the Start-up Business

2009-07-06T17:29:00.000-07:00

The start-up business needs to get the word out on what they do as quickly as possible so in today’s market we have to explore tools that will expedite our efforts and reduce our cost. We are finding today that the traditional style of marketing in print media is rapidly fading into the sunset. With its high cost for printing and postage services the start-up business has had to consider new and creative ways to get their name out to their potential target market.

Technology has presented a new and powerful medium for the start-up business owner, the internet. With the invention of the internet Social Media has become the new effective & efficient tool in marketing efforts. The key to the success of this tool is understanding how to utilize it in a professional manner. Most people today have used Social Media as a personal tool to connect with people, however today sites like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are launching into a new area as a business generating tool. Social Media Marketing still requires developing a relationship with people not just selling, selling, and selling. If we understand the concept that people buy from people we will be able to embrace the how to utilize this media.

“Look at Social Media like a BBQ; with LinkedIN is a business casual BBQ geared for Business to Business, FaceBook is your local BBQ hanging out and connecting to the public and Twitter is a big beach party.” This is from an interview today with one of the Founders of Self-Growth.com David Riklan. You have to know who you are connecting with in order to communicate effectively. Start out with determining who your target audience is to be then start connecting on that site.

Another forum for Social Media is sites like SelfGrowth.com where you can connect as an expert or connect as someone looking for advice, information or growth. The key to success with Social Media Marketing is to create a profile, upload your photo (keep it professional, not stuffy) and start connecting with the general chit chat, offering tips or advice then start talking about your business. DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS FIRST BEFORE ASKING FOR THE SALE! Yes it is all in caps for the reason this is really important, the fastest way to loose connections is being all about the sale.

Once you have begun your game plan for social media, you need to begin looking at video marketing, which we will cover next time. The key is getting started today, it is all free to participate in and great business deals have began on Social Media sites.

Declare Your Independence

2009-07-02T19:21:00.000-07:00

Have you ever considered starting your own business as a way to declare your independence from the bondage of relying on another person to create your income? I love the fact as a new business owner you are declaring your independence! So in the spirit of celebrating Independence Day, the 4th of July this article will explore the top 10 reasons to declare your independence today!

Reason #1
You have the FREEDOM to create your own income!
You determine how much you want to make and go after the ways/means to make the money, no one tells you that you will make only $12.00 an hour and yet give me $25.00 an hour worth of work.

Reason #2
You have the FREEDOM to determine how many days, hours you will work each week. You do not have to ask to go to lunch, take the day off or call in sick.

Reason #3
You have the Liberty to make changes as needed.
If things are not working out and there is a better way to go, change it without the red tape.

Reason #4
You get to do something you love or are passionate about.
Imagine waking up and wanting to work, not feeling forced to.

Reason #5
Eliminate the long commutes.
Many have to look for jobs outside their community and face long drives on congested freeways. Eliminate the commute by starting a business from home.

Reason #6
You have the FREEDOM to choose who you work with.
You pick your clients, your staff, etc. If it is not a good fit you choose to replace the staff or not work with the client.

Reason #7
FREEDOM from stress.
Eliminate the stress of finding a job or the possibility getting a pink slip by being proactive and plan now for your independence.

Reason #8
FREEDOM to choose when you get up & when you get out of your PJ’s
In some cases you can work from home in your PJ’s and bunny slippers.

Reason #9
The cost to start a business today is minimal.
What used to cost thousands and require a brick & mortar, now costs in many cases under $1,000.00 to get up and running.

Reason #10
The Tax Benefits
As an entrepreneur there are many advantages for you in the tax return arena. If you keep accurate records the benefits may surprise you. Check with a CTEC or CPA for full benefits.

These are just 10 of the numerous reasons to Declare Your Independence this July and start your own business. So what is holding you back today? There are so many options in launching a business whether it is as an entrepreneur or as part of a MLM or direct sales group, explore your options!

What a perfect time to launch this journey in your life as our country celebrates its 233rd year of Independence this weekend.

Why should I build a business?

2009-06-14T23:36:00.000-07:00

A question asked so many times is, why should I build a business? Isn't it safer to work for someone else at least I always get a paycheck? What about benefits? All of these are good questions, however if you stay in the question mode constantly analyzing the decision you will never move forward.

I will tell you today is the best time to explore & launch a business of your own. Let's tackle the questions above first. Why should you build a business? Building a business gives you something that is yours, you can create your income and you do not have to bust your butt for a chance it will be appreciated. The value of busting your butt for something that is yours is beyond value. Let's address the "at least I get a paycheck". Do you now, is that a guarantee? Not today, if companies that have been around forever are closing their doors where is the promise there? The benefits...buy your own!

You can begin the launch/creation of your business while employed and gradually move into being an entrepreneur. Start dreaming today about what you love to do and how you can make money doing it, then contact me to begin the launch! Today you can start a business with almost no money; you do not need a building or a staff!

The next question that comes up is what types of people start their own business? To this question I simply reply, YOU! The key requirement to starting your own business is the desire to do it. The amazing part is you do not need to know how to start one, just want to start one. There are so many resources to find out the how once you have the desire to step out and make it happen.

So what is stopping you from launching your dream business?

During the next few issues we will explore the process of creating your dream business from conception to an amazing launch!

Re-Invention 2009

2009-05-20T12:55:00.000-07:00

The new buzz word in town lately has been Re-Invention. I've been teaching that concept to entrepreneurs for the past two years. So the question from many is what is Re-Invention? Re-Invention is taking what was and redefining it into a new appearance, vision, direction, etc. let's just say it is a chance to revive what you are doing to thrive in today's market.

How does one re-Invent? The first question you have to ask yourself are you willing to make changes. The answer to this must be yes in order to move forward. Step number two is to take inventory of what you are currently doing and write it down. Step number three is to evaluate if you are still meeting the needs or your clients, if not time to re-invent what you are doing. Look at creative ways to change what you are doing.

This is a simple rundown on how to begin the process, obviously it is much more detailed than this and you may need assistance to move through the process. If you are looking to make changes to increase profitability and growth, you may want to check out our Business Builder Pick 8 Program, you can email me for details at robin@robinhardy.net.

The key to your success today is the willingness to do what it takes to move forward with integrity and clarity. Are you willing to re-invent?

If you have re-invented recently or considering re-invention please share your ideas with us...

To unsubscribe or not…

2009-04-28T11:42:00.000-07:00

This past week I have asked the question, should I unsubscribe? You know you dropped your business card in for a free drawing to win something you think you want, and then you get their newsletter instead the next week. We have all been on both sides of this table and to me that is fine; you never know where a powerful nugget may come from.

So when you start receiving their newsletter you add them to your list for your newsletter, why not they used your card from the drawing. I don’t see an issue with this, as we can build alliances, collaborations and even get fantastic ideas on marketing from others.

These past few weeks however I have witnessed some newsletter senders removing themselves off others lists, no big deal or is it? I think it is really rude to add someone to your list then because you are too big or you got what you needed remove yourself from their list and then they continue sending their newsletters and sales pages to you…mmmm

My opinion is if you have someone on your list and they have you on theirs leave it alone. We do not have to read everything we receive, so why not show courtesy to others in the entrepreneur world. I receive several newsletters and I do not read them all every time, however when I do glance or read them there is always a nugget or a spark of a new idea for myself.

So what is your take on this, subscribe or unsubscribe and why?

A Cure For Worry; Faith

2009-04-07T18:25:00.001-07:00

Such a time as today when around every corner appears fear and worry, what can someone do? The question coming through loudly is; how can I overcome this issue of fear and worry? Then you hear the self-blame of what did I do wrong? In a country so rich in resources it is shocking to see where we stand today, the feeling of being totally lost and abandoned as we watch the “Big Guys” get all the help they can yell or whine for. I am sharing today ways to approach these very real feelings and emotions so that you can live a healthy life.

These feelings and emotions are very real and sometimes can even paralyze it’s victim. The incredible news is we can move through all this and step into an empowered place in our own life, if we so choose to do so. It is time we step up and grasp a hold of truth and move forward. The first step to moving forward is to realize you do not own the crisis, you did not create this crisis and this crisis will not control you unless you allow it to. I know these are pretty bold statements to make today, however I ask you one valid question; Can YOU change what is happening in the economy? The answer is NO! So therefore it is time to stand up, dust off the dirt and move forward. This is not an easy task to achieve as many of you have lost homes, jobs, family and more.

The second step to moving forward is to monitor what you are taking into your mind. What do you watch every day? What do you read every day? If all you do is read the news, watch the news then all you have is the news. As we all know the news can not find anything good to report on, which is amazing because I know there are great things happening in our communities as people step up to help each other out. What type of music do you listen to…what are the lyrics? What movies do you watch…what is their content? What are you reading? I challenge you today to write all this down and evaluate how this is affecting what happens in your mind and your feelings/emotions. Is it a positive energy or is the life being sucked out of you? Get real with yourself and explore how you might change what is being created in your environment.

The third and most important step to moving forward is finding peace and spirituality for yourself. Let me define what I mean by spirituality since there are many meanings it seems today. By spirituality I am speaking of a relationship with God the Father, the God of the Bible. Many ask why some of us Christians are so calm as so much happens to us, around us how can you be at peace? Let me tell you once you experience the peace of God you can go through anything that He allows to build your character and help others because of your experience and compassion. The scripture I would love to leave you today is from the gospel of Matthew, a promise of God’s provision for His children.

"So I tell you, don't worry about everyday life--whether you have enough food, drink, and clothes. Doesn't life consist of more than food and clothing? Look at the birds. They don't need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are. Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not.
And why worry about your clothes? Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won't he more surely care for you? You have so little faith! "So don't worry about having enough food or drink or clothing. Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”
Matthew 6:25-34 NLT

Let me leave this thought with you today, we have a God that loves us more than we can imagine who sent His only Son to take our place so that we may have eternal life with Him. A God that proclaims He will provide for us and all He asks is that we believe and have faith in Him, believe His words and accept Him in our hearts. We do not have to work to have the relationship and there are not many roads to God. Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” John 14:6. He may not answer when we expect it however; I am here to say He answers in His perfect time which is amazing. I am a living proof of this today!

Miracles Do Happen Today...

2009-03-30T17:10:00.001-07:00

I was tossing around a topic to write on today, some great ideas came to mind, and then I received an email that redirected my focus. The featured article in her newsletter is entitled “Forget About Miracles” with an opening line of “Whatever the case may be, you can stop praying for a miracle. They just don't happen. Some of you think you've heard of miraculous events or people recovering from treacherous circumstances but it's an illusion.”

What a disheartening comment to make, to tell people that God does not do miracles today. Sounds to me like someone may be lacking in the faith arena, the Bible tells us that there are miracles to those that believe. So how can one explain the healing in my body 15 years ago of cervical cancer? Was this just an illusion? What about Amanda who was a high risk pregnancy, delivered twins and slipped into a comma, suffered from heart failure and after family & friends began praying Amanda came home to raise her children. Is this not a miracle? Is this just an illusion?

In a time as we are in today it is important if not crucial to have faith and believe that God in heaven can perform miracles in lives. Have you ever worried about how the next bill would be paid and somehow the money is there? Have you ever entered into a situation that you should not have survived? Have you ever seen someone healed or been healed yourself when a doctor told you there was no chance or cure? The Bible tells us we as believers have the power to perform miracles, so is the author of the article mentioned above saying that God’s word the Bible is wrong? Such a foolish and deceptive statement to be said by someone in such a time as this. Are you being sold out to “other” thinking or as we call it stinkin thinkin?

In a time such as we are living in today it is crucial to cling onto the truth that is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow…God’s word…AKA The Bible. The Bible warns us about false teachings in many verses for example in 1 John 4:1 “Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.” NLT

We are also told that by faith we can do anything; Matthew 17:20 “So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you”. So what does your faith tell you? I challenge the thinking that miracles do not happen today, because if I believe in God, believe the Bible to be God’s words then I can not buy into the stinkin thinkin that our self-talk, bodywork or even magic is to be credited for the miracles happening everyday in lives around the world. Believe in things that are proven, believe in truth and release the false teachings and beliefs running through our lives like a flash flood of debris and trash. Stand on the foundation of only truth…God’s Word, AKA The Bible and begin to believe in and experience miracles in your life today.

I Can Only Imagine...

2009-03-10T21:21:00.000-07:00

I sat here today looking at the amazing beauty out my back door, the trees, the birds and so much more wondering how we got here. How did we get to a place where each day is filled with so much stress, fear and doubt of the unknown? Did we unconsciously choose our destination; did we knowingly choose where we are? Then one must ask do I want to stay in this place of stress, fear and doubt?

Then I came inside and picked up a popular woman’s magazine to flip through it relaxing and letting my mind go, when all I saw was ad after as telling me I am not enough. They told the reader I am not thin enough, pretty enough and on and on. Is this just adding to my stress, fear and doubt issues already clouding my mind?

Okay I figured I’d turn on a family oriented satellite channel to watch a popular family series showing real life families and their issues they deal with each of the 5 children. That was all fine until the commercials came on and they began to yell at me, since we know they turn up the volume on commercials to get your attention, again about how I am not enough.

I can only imagine a day when we turn on the television, watch a movie, read a magazine and so on we are find our selves being encouraged, built-up, edified and made to feel special. Why do we subject ourselves to this madness? Why do we allow this into our life? Are we searching for something of value in our life so desperately that we will turn anywhere to find it?

We need to stop the madness and find the things that will build us up verses tear us down. I believe we need to consciously choose what is good and right for each of us to grow and stop settling for what we are told we are to be. The amazing part of our journey called life is that we are equipped with everything we need to do what we desire to do. Just like the acorn that has everything in it to become an oak tree with the proper care, watering, nourishment and time. We must choose what we desire to focus on and nurture our mind and body, feed and allow yourself time to grow and become that mighty oak.

I can only imagine a day when none of this here on earth matters, a time when there will be peace instead of fear, joy instead of stress and doubt no longer is an issue in our minds. This day is coming and I can only imagine and wait with anticipation; however, while I must address what is real here and now I am standing up to say no more madness! Will you join me in this amazing stand to empower your life?

Change your Mind-Set…

2009-02-25T13:18:00.000-08:00

What an amazing journey we can choose to be on and yet so many are choosing to give up, end the journey. Why? Why would you give up just before you make it to your goal? What will you choose today?

As you stop and explore the thoughts running through your mind right now what comes up? Are you consumed with the goings on in the state or Federal government crisis? Are you so pinpoint focused on the enormous job losses in the recent weeks? Are you freaking out about the what if you get the much dreaded pink slip?

Stop it!!! As humans we tend to focus and dwell too often in the negative that we can not control or change, resulting in illness, depression and often giving up. It is time that you pick yourself up, dust off your knees and move forward.

I am not saying ignore what is reality, I am saying do not focus on things that you can not fix, change or modify. It is time we all got up, refocused and changed our Mind-Set to something positive and empowering for you. Let’s just say enough whine and cheese!

Instead of waiting for the pink slip, empower yourself to build something amazing today, so if it comes you are not devastated you are empowered and already refocused on an amazing journey that is powerful and life changing. Stand today with me and say no more excuses I am going to move forward in a positive & empowered state of mind!

Are you willing to change your Mind-Set?

Creating Positive Focus

2009-01-19T14:52:00.000-08:00

Just what does Creating Positive Focus mean? Does that mean I am always happy and nothing negative ever happens? No. Creating Positive Focus is a skill you can learn to move through the events in our life. In order to create positive focus we must choose to act and not re-act to life. Sounds like a huge order to chunk off considering everything that you have gone through, depends on how you chew it! I once heard the question asked, how do you eat an elephant? The response was well one bite at a time, so why can’t we apply this to our life as we move through it.

I am sure by now you have heard about The Secret and The Law of Attraction, they are real from the stand point what you focus on is what you get more of. The people you attract to yourself reflect how you act and think. So the million dollar question here today is what are you focused on and how do you behave, what is your attitude?

The success key to this journey we call life is what we focus on, if we focus on the negative aspects of our life we will draw more negative. This occurs because when all you focus on is negative, you actually miss all the beautiful moments and opportunities that are in front of you each day. However, if we choose to move through the “negative” moments in our life and focus on or seek out the positive we will draw more of the positive into our space, because we are looking for it. The same scenario follows for people in our life, who do you choose to surround yourself with? Are you seeking out people that are negative and you can compete for the best sob story or are you seeking out people of power and passion? If we act in power and passion the same type of people will naturally be drawn to us. When I mention power it is defined as knowing the direction you want to head into and creating the roadmap to get there. People of power do not usually sit and wait for life to happen to them they go out and begin creating life. So I ask you who do you want to attract?

We each have choices we must make in our life, so is your choice the wounded victim or the victorious warrior as you step into the new? Which choice gives you more power and energy? It is time each of us choose to step into the victorious warrior and begin to act like it; life will be more interesting, you will feel better both physically & mentally and you will see yourself more successful.
What is your choice today?

Inspired Movement…

2009-01-14T11:23:00.000-08:00

Inspired Movement…

Wow, almost 2 weeks into 2009 are you moving forward? I just finished speaking at the Crystal Cathedral this past weekend and what a rush of joy as I presented Victorious Warrior or Wounded Victim. A message that has moved people into inspired movement forward. We each have a choice to make as we move into the next week of 2009, how do you want to embrace it? I see it as if we have to be present in that moment let’s make it inspired and positive moving forward with empowered action. Of course, there are those that say phooey let’s just sit and wallow in our past, we were hurt, attacked, and lost so much…

Which response brings you more power? It is time to make the choice to embrace inspired movement and do something with our life. We went to see Yes Man last night and what a true statement the movie made. So many of us sit by and allow life to fly past us happening around us and yet we do nothing. Jim Carey realized after a crazy “rah, rah” meeting that he needed to say yes to life, of course it had its twists however in the end saying yes to life was a powerfully positive decision he made. This is some of the same topics in my new program, finally available on CD as a set, the 6 Keys to an Empowered Journey where you explore your life journey and make inspired movement and empowered decisions to move forward.

Are you ready to say Yes?

Are you a victorious warrior or the wounded victim?

2009-01-07T21:41:00.000-08:00

2008 was a challenging year for most from businesses to homeowners, it seems like the sting of 2008 did not discriminate. Here we stand launching into 2009, are you a victorious warrior or the wounded victim? This is a choice each of us must make for ourselves.

The word of God calls us to action using words like immediately, go and many more.

We have to believe
We have to ask for forgiveness
All action we must take

So now we each must choose for ourselves the part we will play out in this amazing journey called life.The 6 Keys to an Empowered Journey are tools you can optimize to take action and move into a position of embracing the victorious warrior you already are inside.

My words for 2009:
Inspired Action
Powerful Choices
Creative Movement

And your choice is?

2009-01-05T14:14:00.001-08:00

Learn how to use Webinars to monetize your unique talents and areas of expertise http://ping.fm/v4uDQ

2009-01-01T09:37:00.001-08:00

Happy New Years!
Wow! That came fast! Time for me to get on the ball working with Marsh Engle for the Inagural Event of 2009, The Year of The Amazing Woman to be held in Los Angeles on Feb 28th
Looking for vendors that want to be exposed to say 400-600 amazing women, know anyone?

Stuck in the mud or moving forward?

2008-12-31T15:38:00.000-08:00

Stuck in the mud or moving forward?

The question as we close out 2008 is, are you stuck in the mud or moving forward? Did you know it is a choice? Sometimes we are deceived to believe that our only choice is to give up, this is not truth!

I sat down this week for breakfast with a dear friend with intentions to set some goals for 2009. As I handed them the papers listing goals and blank lines they turned it over, ordered breakfast and ate. I asked if they wanted to set goals or did they even know where they wanted to head. The response was brief and basically not interested. So much had happened this past year why bother was the mind-set.

I am here to challenge you today, the last day of 2008 to pull your head out of the sand, quit playing ostrich and let’s move forward together. 2008 is just that 2008, we have so much ahead of us in 2009 we must move forward. Time to take a stand, no more buying into the negative mind-set of it’s over just quit, time to take your power back and say NO to the garbage and YES to your power!

So are you ready to step into 2009 with me?

2008-12-30T10:21:00.001-08:00

Join me today as Anna Banks interviews me on Strictly Business Radio, topic Making and keeping Powerful New Years Resolutions http://ping.fm/p1vfg

2008-12-29T13:51:00.001-08:00

Preparing for next weeks Business Booster Sessions with companies looking to increase productivity & profitability while improving employee moral...interested?

The anticipation is building…

2008-12-26T18:18:00.000-08:00

The anticipation is building…

We are almost there, 2009!
I just finished watching the Today’s Show top stories and happenings for 2009. At the end of the show I was exhausted 2008 has been a busy year!

Can you hear the buzz building momentum for 2009? It is in the air, in the universe, and the talk of the town. 2009 is going to be a year of Power for those that choose to embrace it and take action. I challenge you to be one of action over these last few days of 2008 brainstorming and creating a treasure map of success for 2009, I know I am!

Are you ready to take the challenge?

Robin Hardy
Business Consultant, Sales Trainer & Motivational Expert
www.RobinHardy.net

Only 7 Days Left...

2008-12-24T18:30:00.000-08:00

Resolutions, resolutions and more resolutions are set then broken or forgotten. What are you planning for 2009? What resolutions are you writing down? Did you put an action plan to the resolution?

Look at your resolutions as a goal or objective for 2009, stay focused and write out your game plan. Look at the winning football teams they all have written plays to make it to #1, they did not just wing it and quit when then plan did not work. If the plan did not work then re-work the plan, sometimes we need to shift in order to succeed. Be willing to take a chance, step in faith and take action.

What are your resolutions or plans for 2009?

Robin

www.RobinHardy.net

2008-12-24T18:22:00.001-08:00

Getting ready to sit down to a pot roast then off to Christmas Eve service at 9 PM, Merry Christmas to all of you & an amazingly successful 2009!

The Countdown Begins

2008-12-14T14:07:00.000-08:00

Wow! I sat here this morning in amazement we are only 17 days away from 2009! How did we get here, did we do everything we wanted to accomplish in 2008? The biggest question I have for you is are you where you want to be as we close out 2008?

There is so much in the media and surrounding that is telling us why bother it is all negative, however I choose to say no to their mindset. Just like HP and Max Factor said no to the mindset in the 1930's. Are you willing to join me in this stand? It is time today to make a stand and set the intention for the direction you are choosing for 2009. I know 2009 will be a year of power for those willing to put on the armor and play hard and finish the game. Sometimes we need a "cheerleader" on our side to make this happen, someone that will encourage and direct us into that next level of success (you chose the definition of success).

Are you ready to count down these next 17 days with your armor on and ready to play hard? Then I can be your "cheerleader", taking you to the next level in your life!
What do you want out of 2009?

Robin
Empowered Options Coach
www.RobinHardy.net

2008-12-13T12:17:00.001-08:00

Interviewing Marsh Engle for Mondays show on Empowering You Radio, an Empowered Journey

Finding Joy Today...

2008-12-10T18:31:00.000-08:00

Finding Joy Today…

It was amazing last night we went to a meeting for one of the colleges I teach at and as we drove through some of the local neighborhoods it was amazing to see so many dark homes. So many that have bought into the medias mind-set sending them into a depression. What is amazing is if we ignore the negative garbage in the media and begin to be thankful for where we are today. Many have lost homes, jobs and more and yet there is still Joy and Hope in their life. How is this? This is about a choice to move on, so what if you can’t put hundreds of dollars of gifts under a Christmas tree and give the kids everything they say I want to because the TV commercials have said you have to have this to be cool. What if this year it is a day of celebrating family, those in our lives and the blessings we have today. There is always something to be grateful for…no matter how small.

Our Christmas this year will have no gifts, only a meal with family and friends and great conversations. We have hung our lights, decorated the tree and have chosen to celebrate where we are at…So the question is where do you find your Joy today?

Are you willing to join me in celebrating where you are at?

2008-12-01T16:35:00.001-08:00

just finished interviewing Karen James for Empowered Journey Radio beautiful story airing Wednesday http://ping.fm/5zyGU

Happy Thanksgiving...

2008-11-27T10:39:00.001-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving…

Can you believe it Thanksgiving is here already? It is amazing that once we pass the 4th of July time increases. Hold on before we know it we will be saying Happy New Years!

This is what was out our window in the RV this morning and it is cold…burrrr!
There is a dusting of snow and lots of clouds, we are hoping for more snow.

As we reflect on today, a day of focused gratitude what are you thankful for? I am thankful for:
My wonderful husband & best friend
My 4 beautiful dogs, my kids
The opportunities available each day should I chose to embrace them
My friends dear to me
Those of you that I have been able to touch your life for the better

I leave you with three questions today as you enjoy the turkey and gravy:

1. What are you thankful for?
2. What are you going to do to make 2009 a phenomenal year?
3. How may I help you achieve your dreams?

A Refreshing Rain...

2008-11-25T13:16:00.000-08:00

A Refreshing Rain…

Yes we are waiting with great excitement the coming storm, hoping for snow. We had a little rain this morning and as I walked outside and took a deep breath and it is so clean and fresh right now. The chill in the air and leaves dropping really bring home the feeling of fall, finally!

As we rapidly approach Thanksgiving and the end of 2008, we each could benefit from taking a deep breath, taking in the beauty and begin the process of preparing for an exciting 2009 that is only 37 days away. I want to leave you with a few questions to ponder over the next few weeks:

· What have I learned in 2008?
· What would I change?
· Where do I want to go in 2009?

Calm During Panic...

2008-11-24T11:17:00.000-08:00

Calm during panic…

What a beautiful day it is today, better than yesterday. I was here in the RV while my husband drove down the hill to the store. I was enjoying live here in Oak Glen watching the dogs run and play in our spot when all of a sudden things changed. Fire! Yes a fire started here in the camp ground. For those who have never been to Oak Glen, it is a rural mountain area, a lot of brush and trees. First thought panic! Fire! Now what? Tried to call my husband on the cell and of course no service…now what? I took a deep breath put the dogs in the RV and watched. If the fire got closer then pack up the RV and try to drive it out. Thank God it did not get to that point, the fire crew up here is amazing, they put it out and cleared the area in what seemed minutes. An hour later park was back to normal, my husband was back and the park was a buzz with stories. One lady panicked and drove their RV out, her husband came back to the RV gone…imagine that panic. They finally reconnected and all is fine.

So how do you respond to panic, turmoil and trials? Do you act or react? I encourage you as we approach Thanksgiving to stay calm and relax, don’t be the lady who drives off, be the lady who took a deep breath and kept functioning.

How do you handle panic, trouble, trials?
www.RobinHardy.net

2008-11-23T12:54:00.001-08:00

enjoying Oak Glen, writing blogs and articles, great inspiration! Plus it is beautiful, quiet and crisp air

A New Attitude...

2008-11-23T12:38:00.000-08:00

A New Attitude…

Woke up this morning in beautiful Oak Glen and as I looked around at God’s wonder my eyes were opened. I look at the apple trees loosing their leaves, the oaks & maples turning colors and a crisp 40 degrees in the air. What an amazing site and feeling to breathe in and relax, to really breathe in, deep breaths of clean air.

This is the way we should start each day, especially with the holiday’s rapidly approaching us…starting this week with Thanksgiving. What if you woke up and took a deep breath and started the day with a positive attitude. Placed your feet on the floor asking the question, what amazing opportunity will come my way today?

What amazing opportunity are you seeking or willing to enter your life today?

2008-11-19T14:06:00.001-08:00

Just finished interviewing Shann Vander Leek for my show Empowering You Radio to air Dec 15

Robin Hardy-Keeping Joy in Troubling Times

2008-10-29T18:30:00.000-07:00

Keeping Joy in Troubling Times Knowing your peace and hope comes from Jesus. What an exciting time we are in today! Many would say that statement is crazy talk however, perhaps their hope is in their home, job or bank account. If there is one thing I have learned in the past few months is those things are not always there, they are not constant and they offer no hope or peace but for a moment. So where are we to find that hope and peace in today? We know the Word tells us that God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow so my hope and peace really should be in Him that is constant and unchanging. The other lesson I have learned is how do I act or react to the trials of 2008? Beautiful Diva's what I do know is the world is watching us and saying where is this God you believe in, look at you miserable and depressed, what God? When that became a reality in my mind, you know that light bulb moment I realized what I know in my heart had better be played out in my actions. My joy, peace and hope is not in my home, bank account or job it is truly 100% in my precious Father in heaven. Sometimes life throws us lemons and all seems bitter, however if we stir in a little Jesus into the juice it becomes a sweet refreshing beverage that nourishes our souls and calms our hearts. This is a time dear sisters that we need to cling to our Heavenly Father with all our strength, lean on Him and share the joy of the knowledge we will be alright under the wings of the Father in heaven. Will you join me today in the refreashing of our minds, renewing of our hearts and rejoice in the hope we have? If you do not know about this hope please let us know I would love to share my Jesus with anyone desiring a true hope and peace in todays kaos. Be blessed in your decisions to move forward and be a light in a dark world so that others will want what you have! Robin HardyCertified Empowered Options Coach & Inspirational SpeakerTo book Robin to speak at your church or event contact her at:www.RobinHardy.net Robin@RobinHardy.net

Taking Our Power Back!

2008-10-14T09:04:00.000-07:00

I sat back this morning reflecting on many dear friends who have this week decided to take their power back from things holding them in bondage. They are experiencing a couple of different emotions as they emerge victorious in taking their life back. Some are feeling strong and confident, while others are scared and weak. Feeling are important to embrace and recognize what impact they are having on you. If you avoid the feeling/emotion side of life you will miss out on so much growth and opportunity.

Those feeling strong and confident are moving into their next place, next level with anticipation of great things happening. Keep in mind this was their choice to move this direction, many had already been in the scared and weak place in their life. My encouragement to all who are experiencing taking your power back with fear and weakness to take a deep breath and move forward anyway. The power you have in moving despite your emotions is life changing. Here are a few ways that will help you move through this new fantastic step you have chosen to make:

Journal: write down what is going on, experience your emotions, embrace the change
Breathe: take deep breaths and calm your mind, slow the breathing down and relax
Music: listen to some positive music, full of life and energy
Connect: connect with a coach, mentor that will listen as you move through your new journey.

These are all simple ways to begin to embrace this exciting new place you stand in, enjoy it and love the journey you are on...

What have you taken your power back on? (financial, business, relationships, etc.)

Empowered Choices in Challenging Times

2008-09-25T21:03:00.000-07:00

Today I had to close my eyes and take a break from all the turmoil in our economy as of late. What we are all hearing in the news can be troubling and even cause fear. However, we always have a choice as to how we deal with challenging times. Many panic, get depressed and even give up however, some like you and I choose to find options and re-invent ourselves.

My new word for this last part of 2008 is Re-Invent, the process of embracing change or challenges and choose to Re-Invent or Re-Create what we do. This is a very powerful step to take in your life. Do you know the Walmart was not created overnight, Sam Walton failed at 10 businesses before Walmart became a household name. So take a deep breath and ask yourself one question...

What do I choose today? To Re-Invent myself and become an Empowered Unstoppable Individual or give up?

Join me on www.RobinHardy.net to learn more about the 6 Pillars of The Empowered Unstoppable Individual, it will change your life.

So what will you choose today, I'd like to hear from you...

Robin Hardy Appears on the Marsh Engle Show!

2008-09-15T17:46:00.001-07:00

Wow! What an incredible day!
I just finished being interviewed by Marsh Engle on Voice America Women Radio!
What an exciting interview as I shared about the 6 Pillars to an Empowered Unstoppable individual. These are the 6 key elements each Empowered Unstoppable individual possesses. This was an incrediable hour interview on the top syndicated Internet Radio Show!!!
You can hear me on TheMarshEngleShow.com

Interested in learning more about the 6 Pillars? Are you ready to step into your next level?
We need to Chat!

Robin Hardy Appears on The Wright Place Television Show

2008-09-15T17:35:00.000-07:00

What a fantastic Sunday I had!!! I spent the afternoon in Manhattan Beach being interviewed on The Wright Place Television at the Bridging Hearts & Marketing Conference in Los Angeles! Dr. Leticia Wright interviewed me on her show before a room of small business owners. Dr. Wright interviewed me on being an Empowered Options Coach and what it was. What a fantastic opportunity to get media exposure with the show.

What a receptive group as they learned how hiring me, Robin Hardy, as their Empowered Options Coach they could launch their business to the next level effortlessly and naturally. Are you ready like they were to step into your next, remove the walls and dance with opportunity? If you have said yes, we need to chat!

Give careful thought to your ways...

2008-09-03T09:24:00.000-07:00

This morning as I was doing my devotions I was reading in Haggai 1:1-7. Twice in this was said "Give careful thought to your ways..." As I thought about this it became clear why sometimes we work so hard at something with no results and once we reconsider or reinvent ourselves things change.

In our economy today we have to evaluate where we are and in some cases reinvent ourselves. This is the exciting part of life's journey when we get to reinvent our self! So today as you ponder the journey you are on and give careful thought to your ways, what you are doing, the direction you are moving in...do you need to reinvent yourself?

How would you reinvent yourself today?

Are you a log or a growing tree?

2008-09-02T16:45:00.000-07:00

Today as I began the to do list and reviewed recent circumstances which I now choose to call new opportunities I realized I have two choices, I can be a log or a growing tree?

As I pondered the two and their impact on the world I realized I choose to be the growing tree however I have log moments. As a log we sit and do nothing except give a place for mold, fungus and bugs to grow and thrive. A log day is an opportunity day, as opportunities happen around me I must choose to stretch my roots and dig into the rich soil for nourishment, searching for water and receiving all I can absorb. The key to this is choosing to take the opportunity and seek out the positive aspect to it, no matter how small it may be, find it, embrace it and nurture it.

I see it now coming to life, my growing tree is full of beautiful leaves in shades of green providing shade to passers by and homes for the Robin's nests. What a glorious picture!

I choose today to be a Growing Tree! What do you choose?

It is all about our choices...

2008-08-22T12:17:00.000-07:00

I spent an interesting day yesterday with about 350 Foster kids ready to move out of foster care because of their age. We were there to share options so they could thrive and not end up in trouble, on the street or in jail. I was amazed in the class I taught, out of 55 16-18 year olds only 3 really cared about the future and right choices. The rest were there as one youth put it "to hang out with his homies". What happened here?

You know even as adults we have to make choices, to which each either has a reward or a consequence. Sometimes we make our choices on emotions, peer pressure or fear. The key is to understand that we need to be aware of our choices, and not bend to outside influences. One thing most people do not realize is the consequenses to our choices is paid by you the decision maker not the peers that pushed you in that direction.

What choices have you made without the pressure of others? What were your results?

Creating an Unstoppable YOU...

2008-08-19T11:40:00.000-07:00

What do you consider to be Unstoppable? A Steam Engine, a plane, the news, the spinning world. perhaps life...

Do you consider yourself to be Unstoppable? You can become Unstoppable if you want to, or we can choose to continue to be distracted by things that hold no real meaning or matter to us when you step back and observe the entire picture. How do you see yourself? Are you moving forward and focused on the goal/prize? Think about the Olympic athletes, in order to win the gold they practice for months ahead seeing, visualizing the victory. The day they compete it comes much easier because they can see themselves already a winner.

So what are you focusing on today? How do you see yourself today?
Are you ready for change?

How do you play with your Beach Balls?

2008-08-12T19:57:00.000-07:00

I just finished my women's network meeting this afternoon and our guest speaker was BarBara Whorley, great presentation by the way. As I packed up my belongings and headed home to some air conditioning one thing BarBara said kept coming back to my mind...Playing with beach balls.

Okay by now you are saying huh! Beach balls symbolize your inner critic, limiting beliefs and negative self-talk. I am a very visual person so as I heard are you holding those beach balls under the water I began to visualize holding down some of the garbage that has been buried in my head. You wanna know what I have discovered? No wonder I am so exhausted at the end of a hectic day, it takes a lot of energy spent to hold beach balls under the water.

As BarBara described how today she tosses those beach balls in play, what a great visual if we would only let go of the stuff we are wasting our precious energy on that does us no good imagine the energy you can create; a positive, creative, and natural flow can now begin to engulf your life...my life. Today I choose to start playing and tossing those great big beach balls in the air effortlessly and freely allowing my natural joy to explode...

How do you play with your beach balls?

It's all about Your Mind-set...

2008-08-06T12:28:00.000-07:00

As I woke up this morning I was in a bit of a panic, it was 9:00 AM!!! How did I sleep so long? As I began to attack myself for getting much needed rest I realized, I went to sleep at 1:30 in the morning...Next!

It is amazing when you stop in the midst and think about it, we have the power to modify our outcomes. It all starts in our minds, if we choose to have a negative (glass is half empty) mentality when we rise in the morning (or evening for swing shift) then we will feed only more of that into our day in everything we do. However, if we choose to be more positive (see the glass half full) we will find the universe will send us more positive. I don't know about you however, I am choosing today to receive more positive flow each and every day, all day long.

I decided this past Monday that I would start my days with ME time, what that means to me is devotional & quiet time, before I open emails, feed the dogs, etc., etc!!! Why do this you may ask? This sets my mind in the right direction as women we almost always finding ourselves trying to multi-task during our busy days. With our minds being the strongest part of our bodies why not have it control your body in a positive way.

The key is positive self-talk or notes and stop beating yourself up each day. We are strong and empowered beings that need to step into that natural power.

What do you do to create a positive mind-set each day?

Create Your P.M.S.

2008-07-22T14:15:00.000-07:00

It is cruicial that you create your own P.M.S. in order to give yourself direction and focus! Okay you are looking at this wondering what the heck, create PMS??? I just had to toss that out your direction, we just finished a workshop for the Federal Government Women Employees and we used P.M.S. instead of writing out Personal Mission Statement and it was a hit!

"A Personal Mission Statement (PMS) is a declaration of ones passions, dreams and visions for their future both personally and professionally. A Personal Mission Statement will reveal direction and focus." Do you have a Personal Mission Statement? If you do not it is time to create one. You will identify if you are currently pursuing what you were meant to do with your life. The key to a strong PMS is to identify what changes needed to be made to put yourself on the right path to your dreams and passions. Are you willing to make the changes needed?

I will leave you with 5 key steps to applying your PMS to your life:

1. Identify the areas that need changing
2. Be willing to change, embrace change
3. Own your mission, make it yours
4. Be accountable
5. Create a positive circle of influence

The key is to do it now! How has your Personal Mission Statement changed or empowered your life?