Are You Taking Risks?

Risk is defined “as exposing (someone or something valued) to danger, harm, or loss.”  Honestly, how many of us actually take risks?  The truth is we take some risk every day – we drive a car with only a yellow line separating us from the other car, we fly in planes, and I am sure the list could go on.  Most of us don’t think of these things as risks, right?

Often, my fear of failing stops me from stepping out into uncharted territory. Although I believe that you learn from your mistakes, I am often hesitant to walk on a path that is less traveled. Taking a risk can sometimes mean just stepping out of your comfort zone.

I talk a lot about stepping out of your comfort zone . I believe that many of us don’t and as a result, we are kept from reaching our full potential and our goals in life and in business.  So whether you are jumping into a new job, a new relationship, a new business or anything else that takes you out of your comfort zone, here are some tips to determine if you should take a risk or not:

• Trust yourself. When you take a risk, you need to trust that you have the skills to reach your ultimate goal. If you lack self-confidence, the first step is identifying your weakness.  Then seek out others who can help you through the struggles.
• Think creatively.  Being unique is wonderful.  Standing out or above the crowd allows us to shine.  Remember that when you step outside of the box, you don’t want to loose sight of your vision/goal.  You can be creative while still  using some of the tried and true ideas that have helped others be successful.
• Know your field and product/service.  Love what you do and the rest is easy.  I have taken risks many times when it came to new jobs.  The secret to all of them was that I loved what I did.  I learned everything I could so that I could be an expert in that particular area.  If you are joining a direct sales company,  LOVE their products. Learn from those who have gone before you.  Take classes. Read books.  Network with others in your field and out of your field.

• Implement a support system and seek expert advice. When I stepped out of my comfort zone to join a direct sales company, I found an AMAZING support system in my upline and other Thirty One sisters. Find a network of professionals who you trust that can guide you in those areas where you are weak. Here are a few that have helped me:  Entrepreneurial Think Tank for Women, The Desiree Wolfe, Eryka Peskin, JulieAnn Jones, Britt Bolnick and the list goes on personally and professionally.

• Show courage. Sometimes it just comes down to – Do I have the courage to step out of my comfort zone and take a RISK. “By showing courage, you are also showing good leadership skills” – I never really thought about that.
  Never give up. Stepped out and it didn’t work out?  Maybe you didn’t get the response you were looking for?  Maybe you it didn’t turn out like you planned? Okay – build a bridge and get over it.  Learn from this and move on.
• Don’t listen to negatives.  Ignore Negative Nellie.  Stop talking to her since those negative thoughts will undermine your self-confidence. If she has taken up residence in your head – close the door on her and find some positive affirmations to keep the door locked. This is sometimes our biggest hurdle.

Risk means there is a potential for loss. It means that we are stepping out of our comfort zone and walking in FAITH. If the risk is God-centered, then he will lead us through it. Even if it is not a success or is a flat out FAIL, there is a lesson that can be learned. Step out of your comfort zone, take a risk and see where it leads.  What will you do today to step out of YOUR comfort zone?

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Is Your Desk Ready for Success

Whether you run your own business or run your household, we all want to be successful, right?  Did you know that making your space more functional and clutter-free can open you up to all sorts of opportunities?  And you thought getting clutter-free was just about tossing things!

Today we are going to Feng Shui your desk.  Many years ago, I read a lot about Feng Shui and actually used it in our home.  My goal then was for peace and love to fill our home.  It wasn’t long before hubby came into our lives “out of no where”.  Coincidence, maybe?  God’s timing? Definitely.  But I was also open to the possibilities.

Feng Shui is a practical science for our living space.  I believe that when we apply the principals of Feng Shui to our space, it also changes our mind set.  The whole Law of Attraction starts to work.  The idea is that you energize your business and your life by cleaning out and moving things around a bit.

Here are some tips from Jenn Aubert of LearnSavvy

It all starts with a Feng Shui map called the bagua.  You overlay it in any area in your home to help promote supportive and beneficial energy.  Here is the basic bagua:

Sit down at your desk and place this right in front of you… where the career is nearest your lap.

WEALTH & PROSPERITY:

To invite more abundance and wealth into your life, place a healthy plant or a symbol of wealth in this corner. Plants symbolize growth. Find a plant with lovely rounded edges or even a money tree (yes, there is such a thing). You can also place objects or images that represent wealth to you or something that you hope to afford once you’re abundant. Have some fun with it   Location: Upper left

FAME & REPUTATION

Boost your reputation by focusing your accomplishments here. Add a name plate, awards, credentials or a recent positive review. This is also the perfect place for a lamp or candle! Location: Upper middle

PARTNERSHIP

Place a picture of your business partner or a photo of your honey in this corner to help promote those relationships.  It’s the ideal location for a lovely vase of fresh pink/red flowers.  Location: Upper right

FAMILY & NEW BEGINNINGS

Keep pictures of your family here to boost your familial ties. It’s also a wonderful place to promote new projects you may be working on or want to work on. Add something made of wood or the color green to enhance and promote new beginnings.  Location: Center left

HEALTH

This is not only for the health of your business but also personal health. Keep it clutter free and tidy! It’s easy to have piles of stuff in the middle of your desk but it needs to be as clean as possible! You can add earth elements to enhance including rocks, stones or earthen items.  Location: Center middle

CREATIVITY

Boost your creativity by placing items here that inspire you. Keep your notebook or journal here to capture those aha moments. Boost the area with items made from metal such as gold, silver or copper.  Location: Center right

KNOWLEDGE & SELF-CULTIVATION

Are you ready to learn a new strategy or simply increase your knowledge? Are you looking to improve your mindset and boost your self-confidence. Keep your favorite books here that you refer to often. Location: Bottom left

CAREER & LIFE’S JOURNEY

Front and center! This is the perfect place for your computer. To further enhance your career have an image of water as your screensaver to boost abundance of opportunities.  Location: Bottom center  YEAH!  I got one out of 9!

HELPFUL PEOPLE

Keep your appointment book, calendar, client files, phone and list of people you want to connect with here. Location: Bottom right  YEAH!!! #2 out of 9!!!

You are thinking – I thought my desk would be clutter-free!  These items don’t have to be large. Believe it or not they are probably already on your desk.  Just moving them to  a different place can boost the energy of your business.  I challenge you to try this for 30 days and then let me know what happens.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

A Rich Life Without Lots of $

“Ordinary riches can be stolen; real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you.” ~Oscar Wilde

This week’s focus has been on money – we need to CELEBRATE it so that it can grow in abundance.  We all want to be rich (in some way), right?

STOP racing for riches that make you feel unfulfilled!

STOP chasing for more that leaves you stressed!

STOP feeling like you will never fit in with your richer friends.

I will admit that I spent much of my career trying to make more money BUT when I achieved it – it didn’t buy me happiness! In fact, the more I made the more I spent. The additional money left me poorer in happiness, health, and relationships. I didn’t know how to relax and I found I was missing out on those special moments.

The truth was I often failed to recognize the riches I did have.  I was measuring my inner wealth by my external wealth.  I always said that I would never be materialistic yet the credit card debt kept accumulating.  It was not long ago that I started a journey to find my inner wealth and it has been AMAZING!

Here are the things that I learned on my journey:

1. Authenticity – Stay true to yourself and be at peace with who you are.  It is the greatest richness in life.
2. Acceptance –  Our natural desire is to control the uncontrollable. I have been there.  Replace that struggle with acceptance and peace. When you find yourself in a situation say “It’s okay. I accept this just as it is.”
3. Curiosity  – Childish wonder is within us. Set a goal everyday of learning something new, no matter how tiny, then share it.  It will help to reignite your spark and excitement for life – you’ll be amazed!
4. Creativity – Create something from nothing – a meal, a picture whatever sparks your interest.  It will give you the feeling of accomplishment amid everyday life.
5. Forgiveness – The act of forgiveness is a true testament to your inner strength. I wrote this for each person: “I forgive you, [name].” Don’t worry if you don’t feel forgiveness the first time; it will come in due time.”  It was so freeing!
6. Gentleness – Confucius listed gentleness as one of the greatest virtues. The ability to be strong without being abrupt or harsh is a rare and valuable quality.  Next time you want to snap, smile, AND speak softly.
7. Patience – This is an ongoing process for me.  With patience, you can achieve things over time that may seem impossible. When you start beating yourself up over a missed goal, write a realistic time line, and remember to be as patient with yourself as you are with others.
8. Gratitude – It takes dedication to notice what you have and be thankful for it. Acknowledging all the good things in each day will make you rich in happiness.  Be sure to note one thing each day that you might have taken for granted, and begin to build a treasury of blessings.
9. Generosity – Give when you think you don’t have anything to give – it is the true generosity of heart.  When you do this, you realize that you always have enough to share.  Did you know that in this hectic world, your full attention is one of the most generous things you can give.
10. Kindness – Being kind brings its own rich rewards—inner peace, happiness, and knowing that you are making a difference in the world, one that people will remember.
11. Compassion – To understand and feel another’s pain is a truly selfless act. This simple acts of kindness will help you to appreciate the areas of ease and plenty in your own life.
12. Love – Make an emotional connection with others, no matter who it is will bring an abundance into your life that money can never hope to match.
13. Vulnerability – Letting down your defenses allows others to see the full you. Being vulnerable builds trust in relationships. This is tough for me, but I work at it every day.
14. Contentment – Realizing you are already blessed with abundance brings serenity and contentment. Acknowledge all the wealth you already have because, as the proverb says, “enough is a feast.”

What are your best tips for living a life full of abundance?  Share them with us.  Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

 

 

 

Momma with Fur Babies

 

I can hear the groans as you realize that it is Monday and the start of another 5 days at your JOB!  I have to be honest, I LOVE having my own business.  As a result, I don’t dread Mondays!

The weather is changing so there are some great opportunities to host different types of parties.  Think outside of the box…..

Today’s is all about customers and hostesses with fur babies….

Animal Play Date

Have a get together where pets and their owners can enjoy each other’s time together. This is the perfect opportunity to share the products you have that will make them the envy of every pet owner.

  

Pet Parade

Have your guests create a costume for their pets and host a parade for them somewhere. Then give your winners samples of your products. This creates an atmosphere of friendly fun while at the same time getting your products in your guest’s hands.

Pet Owner Creativity Contest

Ask your friends how they can benefit from using your products as a pet owner.  This way they can help you find new ways to market your products. Then host a voting event on one of your social media outlets. The person who wins gets a package of your products.

Coordinate an event or party with a pet rescue group.  Help raise awareness and funds while getting your products in the hands of new potential customers.  Know someone who just got a new pet?  Give them a mini basket with your product front and center.

We often think of parties or activities with kids BUT to many their fur babies are their children.  These activities are a sure fire way to create lasting memories of you and your products. They also make your friends and their pets feel special. The added icing on the cake is all the lasting memories you’ll gain.

What other events can you think of that would be fun to host with your pet as the main star?

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!