Success Strategies
Motivate, Inspire and Help Individuals in Transition
My Favorite Getaway Space…
The sun, sand and sea is my favorite place to be.
I was asked to write about my favorite space to share with a visiting friend. I must confess that my love of nature transcends everything. It provides inspiration and a peace that boosts my writing prowess. That said, as my friend Chrissie comes to for a 5-Day-visit, I will steal away to the island that captivates. None other than Captiva Island in Sunny Florida. It is a place I getaway to whenever I need to relax and unwind. When you get to Captiva Island, it feels like you are away from all the worries and cares of the world. Indeed the perfect distraction. The rooms overlook the bay or garden, your choice dependent on your budget.
Once I hosted a group business session at the end of the year to this ideal place. The goal was to reflect about plans for the new year with entrepreneurs and career changers. Suffice it to say, the two-day retreat and planning session went well … with participants so relaxed that it provided the right spot to add a bit of future gazing.
Back to my friend. Chrissie is an entrepreneur. So I figured that would be the ideal getaway place for her. Not only is she guaranteed to relax all week, there is no doubt the time would go by in a flash through this envious plan.
5-Day Getaway Plan
Day 1:
Road trip to Captiva
Lunch at Wicked Wings, a low-keyed hole in the wall pub that satisfies starving travelers before hitting the road to their final destination
Day 2:
Relax in the Sun, Sand, Sea engulfed in a delightful adventure riding the waves
Day 3:
Spa Day – Body massage, Facial, Mani and Pedi, a sure rejuvenation for the exhausted
Day 4
Shopping and Late dinner at the Harbor Side Bar and Grill
Day 5
Early morning beach wet. Late breakfast followed by reluctant afternoon ride back to the fast life.
Where’s your favorite getaway space? Do share. We would love to hear!
Cheers!
The Biggest Challenge Writers Face….
There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.
― Maya Angelou
A public writers forum asked the question “what is the single biggest challenge you as a writer face?” Here I share responses as writers chimed in:
- Writing everyday
- Marketing
- Not enough erasers
- Find an agent
- A full-time job that isn’t
- Learning all the required skills – writing, editing, cover art, publishing, marketing, salesmanship, accounting …
- Identifying my audience
- Details
- Time
- Reviews
- Getting books sold
- Selling myself
- Lethargy
- Butt in chair
- Discipline
- Marketing costs. Dispite what some may say, it is expensive to self-publish. Editor, copy editor, cover design, copyright, ISBN numbers, authors copies, advertising, website, domain name, contests, give-aways, and on and on it goes
- Self-Doubt
- Stay Motivated
- Writers block
The list goes on. Are you a new or published author? Is anything missing? Do share. We would love to hear.
Need help? Let’s
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Writers 5-Star Books That Inspire…
In a social media forum Readers and writers responded to books they rated as 5-star. Here I share gleanings from their responses.
5-Star Books
- The Help
- Power of Habit
- Wonder
- Pride and Prejudice
- The alchemist
- Inferno
- Man’s Search for Meaning
- Outlander
- The Goldfinch
- GreenLight
- Good To Great
- All The Light We Cannot See
- The Book Thief
- The Fault in our Stars
- Orphan Train
- Gone Girl
- Sycamore Row
- To Kill a Mocking Bird
Others have shared. How about you? Any 5-star books missing from the listing that you can recommend? Do share. We would love to hear.
Cheers!
My Writing Journey…
My writing journey began when I was 10 years old doing an important entrance exam to enter high school. I wrote a fiction story and was so engulfed that I did not realize I was doing an exam. Suffice it to say, I excelled. I went on to writing policies and procedures in the Pharmaceutical and healthcare industries in my International Human Resource Leadership Career.
Finding Meaning
My journey found meaning during my dissertation writing process as I pondered what to do for a 3-year writing project to meet the requirements for my doctoral studies. I wanted to do something that would make a difference to society. After deciding on researching the topics of Leadership and Success, my dissertation received outstanding recognition.
Challenges Along The Way
I was thrilled to have achieved my personal goal and Published my first book from my dissertation title Success Strategies of Leaders. The process was longer than anticipated and challenging as it involved translating the research from academic writing to storybook form in anticipation of public readership.
As many inquired about how to achieve success, I wrote Success Strategies Workbook to show them how. I was then recognized by the University for writing books based on my research as an example to other doctoral students. I was later invited to advise Doctoral students on the process I followed.
Community Leadership Initiatives
Along the way, I got involved with the Institute of Caribbean Studies in Washington DC doing work within our community, and was appointed as Chief Judge for the 30 Under-30 Millennial Change-makers. It was an initiative held at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) annually.
Same Goal–Different Paths
I subsequently published Books on Motivation to encourage New Entrepreneurs and individuals along their Career Success Journey. A few years later, I went on a slightly different path and published GreenLight, a book which contains stories of encouragement, inspiration, and exhortation. In response to reader request, I obliged and converted GreenLight into my first Audiobook. A different path but the process was enlightening and boosted my creativity.
Book Coach
As my writing journey progressed, aspiring new and longtime authors reached out asking for help. It transformed by role as coach for organizational Managers, employees, and Career Changers into my most enthusiastic role as Book Writing Coach as I responded to private and public calls for help. I also became a member of the writers community of South Florida for Authors of Color.
Satisfaction From New Authors
It brings me great joy and satisfaction as new writers experience novel personal growth when their first book has been released. My greatest pride is having worked closely with Reggae Music Matriarch Patricia Chin as she wrote to leave her legacy of a lifetime contribution, initially working close to Music Icons like Bob Marley while nurturing the careers of artists, Maxi Priest, Shaggy, Beenie Man, Sean Paul and more.
With more books on the horizon, my Writing and Book Coaching Journey continues. Thanks for allowing me to share my journey with you. Do share yours.
Cheers!
Living Your Life As A Mask…
We have all been placed on this earth to discover our own paths and we will never be happy if we live someone else’s idea of life.
A new writer shared her Instagram name. It was nowhere close to her real names . I beckoned to her… smile in tow…”you do make it hard, don’t you? In haste she retorted “it’s so my employer can’t find me”.
I smiled.
Our Lives In Compartments
How many of us are like that? We live our lives in compartments trying to separate our true selves from what those around us see publicly.
To Hide To Be
It’s a hard choice but sometimes you have to hide in order “to be“. I pray one day that you will be able to just be. To reveal your true identity and just be the you that you want to be.
Cheers!
Wanna Getaway? 5 Workation Hotel Stays You’ll Love…
Workation is the concept of a place to getaway for business and pleasure.
Forbes Travel Guide which gave 26 Ideas of Workations to take right now. It’s not really a new concept as I have always traveled for business. However, in my workaholic haste to return home, I regret not taking the time to chill and relax after my meetings and/or conferences….essentially, to smell the coffee.
Enter the advent of the worldwide COVID Pandemic. Hotels suffered grave hit as travel took an unfortunate plunge. As creativity stepped in, hotels have had to come up with innovative ways to stay afloat as individuals stay indoors to do the traditional yet now expanded survival work-from-home strategy. Unfortunately, as this tactic has becomes more common, misery stepped in at the end of the day. So this is a cute idea to take a deliberate action to getaway, work, relax and play after. Who can beat that 3-in-1 deal? I’d only suggest you ensure there’s WiFi! To give you a push start, here are 5 hotels that I have worked from which drove my own writing passion.
1. Disney’s Contemporary Resort
2. Sundial Beach Resort and Spa
3. Sonesta
4. GalleryOne DoubleTree Suites By The Hilton
5. Hutchinson Island
Hope these selections have opened your appetite to change things up a bit. But be very careful and disciplined with your selections. Your productivity may be compromised.
Happy Workation and keep Safe!
To Read Or Not To Read The AudioBook Way? 5 Benefits…
The book club. It was the first. The apologies came in droves. Oh I started but couldn’t finish. It was the kids, the husband, household chores and so much more. Who has time to read anyway?
My secret and I remained silent. I had ordered the required paperback to be read by the time the group met. But delivery time would be a few days before the meeting. For sure I would have barely started much less finished reading.
Audiobook Rescue
Then the idea came to me. Why not order the audiobook version online and start listening immediately? Then by the time the paperback arrived I could finish my reading with the hard copy. And that I did.
So as the group complained they finally asked and I told them what I did. The envy on their faces grew like a fiery furnace.
I shared that experience to acknowledge that audiobooks work. As an author of several books on Success, leadership, and career development, my last book was different. It was more inspirational. The book GreenLight is filled with anecdotes, uplifting short stories, prayers and exhortations. Readers share it’s encouraging benefits. Many inquired of its audio format. So I complied.
Audiobook Benefits
Not an audiobook reader? Here I share 5 advantages:
1. Better Time Management
2. Enjoy the convenience of multitasking. You can listen while working, commuting or running.
3. More than one one person can read simultaneously. Road trip anyone?
4. Greater reach for authors as consumers are given wider choices of eBook, paperback or audio. Whatever their reading style, there’s an option.
5. Ability to read more books in a shorter time.
So while some are skeptical, audiobooks is the fastest growing channel these days and offer great benefits to those still on the fence.
What kind of reader are you? Audio, paperback, eBook? Do share, we would love to hear!
Happy Reading!
Books: Readers Share Their Top Getaway Reads…
Readers Read. Books are the plane, and the train, and the road. They are the destination, and the journey. They are home.
Anna Quindlen
Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. ~Ursula K. Le Guin
We have all had our favorite books that we have read from a young age. Some have left an impact on our lives. On a B&N public forum, a reader asked “What Book has stayed with you long after you’ve read it?” Fellow readers poured in with responses. Here I share a few that may prove worthwhile for your vacation, getaway, or a mid-summer night’s read.
- Man’s Search for Meaning
- Pecan Man
- The Power
- We Were the Lucky Ones
- The Book Thief
- Before I Fall
- The Lovely Bones
- It Ends with Us
- The Sparrow
- The Lovely Bones
- One Hundred Years f solitude
- The Alchemist
- Harry Potter
- We Were Yours
- East of Eden
- The Chrysalids
- The Bible
- The Savage Song
- To Kill A Mockingbird
- The Notebook
- The Outsiders
- A History of Loneliness
- Tell Me Your Dreams
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11 Tips To Help You Start Your Writing Journey…
What do I need to write my first book? That is the question I am often asked. After researching the topics of leadership and Success, I published over 6 non-fiction books, people figure that I am doing something right. Here I share 11 tips for beginners interested in starting their own Writing Journey
Aspiring Authors Writing Tips
- Write. Keep writing.
- Read a lot so you understand how others do what they do
- Be yourself. Tell the story
- It takes a lot of sacrifice so keep going.
- Start writing. Just keep writing. Stand at a bus stop, look at a fence and …write. Sit in a cafe, get yourself a drink and write about the next person who walks through the door – not his description… but his life story, his family, his job. Just write
- Read the classics and discover why they are rated so highly
- If you don’t know what to write or have writers block, use writing prompts to get those creative juices flowing.
- Don’t shy away from criticism. Being critiqued doesn’t always feel amazing, but it always makes you a better writer. Every time someone tells you what they think of your manuscript, you get closer to an objective understand of your work, which is invaluable
- Don’t worry about perfection when you are writing your first draft. Good writing is re-writing
- Believe in yourself.
- Never give up.
Good luck as you start your journey.
Cheers!
Goals. The Path. When You Can’t See Clearly, Slow Down…
Goals. The Path. When You Can’t See Clearly, Slow Down or even Stop. ~ Dr. Shelly Cameron
The news reported sisters returning from a trip to Disneyland. The driver a mom in her early 20s, could hardly see due to immense fog and rain. She accelerated to get past the fog. Sadly, she drove head-on into another car that caused two fatalities. One family member said they couldn’t see clearly and that’s what caused the accident.
Innovation and Industry Disappearance
A friend shared with me a compilation of research that discussed the demise of Kodak whose name years ago was synonymous with photos. Gone. Disappeared. Artificial intelligence has taken over business. Before the pandemic, if we consider the likes of Uber, where a driver shows up at the click of a button to take you wherever you want to go. Airbnb vacation rentals has created disruption in the hotel industry. Social…
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