On A Budget? 9 Gifts That Cost Nothing But Is Invaluable….

Dr. Shelly's avatarSuccess Strategies

For it is in Giving that we receive

My personal joy is to give! I treasure any opportunity to give! The act of giving has always brought me even more satisfaction than the recipients of my gifts.  These days being on a strict budget has brought with it the stance to be even more creative than I was in the past when giving high-priced gifts. I ran a search for gift ideas to still meet my giving needs to others. I pounced upon LiZ Evans Huffington Post’s article 20 Gifts That Cost Nothing To Make But Might Be Priceless. From the list my top 9 Favs are:

Birthdays, Christmas, Graduation…Gifts That Cost Nothing

1.When Skies are Gray.  Give this to anyone in your life who may be going through a tough time. Give them a stack of cards or books with inspirational quotes that will help them ride the…

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8 Tips For Financial Wellness During The Holidays…

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I slept and I dreamed that life is all joy. I woke and I saw that life is all service. I served and I saw that service is joy.”
― Khalil Gibran

It’s the season of giving! If you’re like me I just love to give! Thoughtful gifts not only makes the receiver happy, but it also warms my heart.

A colleague from the No Stress Workplace shared a simple list of things to do to be financially aware during the most stressful time of the year … the holidays! Here I share the 8 tips:

1.Make a List and Check it Twice

Have a family planning meeting on what gifts to give where you can cut back and create a budget together

2.It’s the Thought that counts

Be creative and give meaningful gifts such as baked goods, a framed photo or make a gift card for a night of baby or dog sitting.

3.No Gift Rule

Instead of giving gifts save the money towards a family vacation

4.Stick to your list, without exception

Don’t get lured into store super sales

5.Leave Your credit cards at home

Use only cash

6.Stay on Track

Use a notebook or free app like mint.com to keep track of your spending

7.Cut Expenses

Stop dining out until after the holidays or bring your own coffee rather than stopping at Starbucks.

8.It’s the Little Things

Find ways to save, clip coupons, compare prices, utilize free shipping and plan ahead.

 

As we reflect on these 8 gift ideas, I’ll also encourage you to give the gift that lasts a lifetime. Books on Success, personal development and coaching  last beyond the holidays. Consider such meaning when you go on the hunt.

So does any of the ideas listed stand out that you could adopt? Any you can add? Do share! We would love to hear!

Cheers!

What Does It Take To Be A Good Writer?

Dr. Shelly's avatarSuccess Strategies

Don’t Waste Time Trying to Please People. -Stephen King.

Wanting to do their best work, new writers are naturally anxious. They ask questions. They probe. They Gorge. They sweat. It’s hoped they sweat while writing and not about how to start. Stephen King in his memoir titled “On Writing” stressed don’t waste time trying to please people. Indeed this is applicable in many situations as individuals attempt to develop their own Identity.

In a public authors forum, the question was asked “What does it take to be a good writer?” Writers chimed in. Here I share a few of their responses.

Writers…On Writing

  • Read a lot. Write, write a lot
  • Patience and Perseverance
  • Finding the connection between your soul and your writing hand. It will require a number of disciplines like grammar, voice, tense and genre. But the key is opening your spirit to the process…

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Success. Your 7 Determinants…

All you need to know is that it’s possible.

Success. We all strive for it. In talking to a group of new college grads as they contemplate the next steps in life, their dreams and goals differed. Common was the the ideal job, home ownership, beautiful car, marriage, and family to name a few.

But though Success means different things to different people, here are 7 determinants involved in the pursuit of success:

    Dreaming
    Planning
    Hard-work
    Dedication
    Determination
    Commitment
    Resilience

Of the 7, how many do you possess? Which are you best at? Which do you need to improve? Do share. We would love to hear.

Cheers!

New Entrepreneurs. The Goals And Dreams Carried…

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For the months I carried you, growing inside of me...

For the months I carried you growing inside of me… Entrepreneurs  know the travails of starting and growing a business. The challenges associated with carrying a business from incubation to reality. It’s no easy task.

Career transitions, college students, and goal seekers all know how difficult it is to carry the burden of studies to get to the finish line. It’s no easy task.

Parents know how difficult it is to bear the burden of the change in lifestyle as a newborn is expected. It’s no easy task.

Let’s not forget authors whose stories became known from a dream, to a thought, to a page, to a book. Published! It’s no easy task.

So it is with whatever we put our minds to. Whatever we decide to do from idea, thought, dream, goal… it is not going to be easy until it becomes a reality. Success involves dreaming; it involves planning; it involves hard work; it involves dedication, determination, commitment, and most of all resilience. Many are the athletes whose stories have been told of the journey that they had to embark on and overcome. Not only days, months but for many years, athletes stood the test of time to achieve their goal. They were able to achieve because they stuck to their dream.

Today whatever your dream is … don’t give up. Strive, put in the hard work; put in the dedication, put in what needs to be done, and your success is inevitable… however you define it.

Need help? Lets connect.

Cheers!

101+ Empowering Quotes For New Entrepreneurs..,

Books and Books, MIA

The dream became a reality.

Such a joy to receive the first copy of my new book 101+ Empowering Quotes For New Entrepreneurs. So fitting to have it by my fav HGTV’s Fixer Upper Author Joanna Gaines.

Be among the first to Get yours

Cheers to your success!

The Comforts Of The Zone…

Life is hard for two reasons: Because you’re leaving your comfort zone; or because you’re staying in it. Lori Harder

To Wither. To Flourish. The Choice…

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We are the creative force of our life, and through our own decisions rather than our conditions, if we carefully learn to do certain things, we can accomplish those goals. ~Steven Covey.

I was chatting with a colleague recently about a celebrity who showed the withering signs of drug abuse. A successful actor he was, then began his downward steps to deprivation. One taste, one touch, one excuse rationalizing …doing it only once. His curiosity sparked, then began his trek.

To Wither means to lose force or vitality; to become diminished; wane. On the other hand, to Flourish means to grow well; to be healthy, to be successful, to hold up and show something in an excited or proud way. Which do you choose?

In life we can’t always play it safe. But we must be wise. We must know which goals to pursue; which friends to keep, which decisions to make. Once done, we must take responsibility for our action.

To be successful, one has to take risks. So be wise. Then step out into the unknown. Who knows, anything can happen. Dream. Believe. Achieve. Flourish.

Cheers!

Someday I Will…

Never give up; for even rivers someday wash dams away. ~Arthur Golden

Someday I will do this. Someday I will do that.

How many of us often sit or live at the ‘wishing well’ that someday I’ll do this, or that. Someday I’ll get that perfect body. I’ll have that perfect house, job, spouse, marriage with the perfect kids; go on that dream vacation, and much more! Oh if wishes were horses so many would ride.

Someday is Today

Why not let someday be today? I reflect on the movie Hidden Figures where each of the three women at NASA — Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn into space.

The inaugural team at NASA decided to step out and do something that was never done before. From the astronaut, NASA’s president, the judge, and naturally the women. They all stepped out and did something different. And guess what? It worked! Their efforts changed the world (well outer space– orbit)!

Start Here. Start Now

Why not let your someday be today? Start here, start now. Step out. Go do that thing that you’ve always dreamed of. Become an entrepreneur! Write that book! Enrol in that course! Start that blog! Take that vacation! Leave that stressful job! You are capable. You never know what’s out there unless you try.

May your someday be today.

Cheers!

Books. The Gift Of Motivation…

So many books. So little time.

 

Steal away for a few and join us at the local BookSigning. Plan to get stocking stuffers for the readers in your life at work, school and more. Not in the area and Can’t make it? Get your copies here.

Travel. It Makes A Difference…

Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life—and travel—leaves marks on you.” – Anthony Bourdain

If You’ve Always Done It That Way…

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If you have always done it that way, you’re probably wrong.

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