Live Juiced!

Untitled

2010-07-29T12:48:00.001-07:00

There are so many lessons that I have learned from Grandma Bobbie.

Here are some of them…

It’s easy to have faith when there is nothing to test it.
It is easy to hate those who do you or others wrong,
It is easy to be strong when there is nothing to weaken you.
It is easy to be pretty on the outside and not so pretty on the inside.
It is easy to be angry, and bitter and blame others…It takes tremendous character not to

She has shown by her example that strength doesn’t come from controlling others, or being better than anyone else.
That beauty has nothing to do w/how many wrinkles you have, or pounds you weigh, and faith has nothing to do with going to church, or how many verses you can quote.
She has shown that being forgiving doesn’t make you a doormat. It requires extraordinary strength!

She has shown that patience is more than a virtue. It is a test of character that most never even attempt to pass.
She has shown that love is about more than flowers, or words.

Love is about being there when it is inconvenient.

Love is about putting another human being before your own wants and needs.

Love is about not staying home “because it’s ‘too hard to see her this way”

She has shown that human will can overcome even that which is deemed ‘impossible’.

She has shown that pure grit and determination can bring you through, no matter what the doctor’s say.

She has shown us that we have far more power than we realize to heal ourselves.

She has taught us that faith, love and commitment mean hanging in long after exhaustion sets in, long after everyone else gives up, and long after everyone says you should.

She has shown that you either have faith, or you don’t. You don’t ‘have faith, but…” You don’t say you have faith, but then plan and prepare for the worst. You can’t say “I have faith, but I am being realistic”. You either have it, or you don’t.

I am sure that there are many many more that I haven’t mentioned here, I hope that you will give these some thought, and that you can take away some pearl from the list.

Please feel free to share yours!

Posted via email from Grandma Bobbie's Hospital Journey...

I hope you'll dance

2010-07-26T11:32:00.001-07:00

Download now or watch on posterous

VIDEO0016.3gp (11071 KB)

via Pixelpipe

Posted via email from Heather O'Posterous

what are you setting yourself up for?

2010-07-14T13:18:00.001-07:00

Download now or watch on posterous

VIDEO0010.3gp (16696 KB)

via Pixelpipe

Posted via email from Heather O'Posterous

Untitled

2010-07-11T23:17:00.001-07:00

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from Grandma Bobbie's Hospital Journey...

Compassion

2010-07-10T06:37:00.001-07:00

Download now or listen on posterous

Voice0006.amr (755 KB)

Posted via email from Heather O'Posterous

Patient satisfaction

2010-07-10T06:26:00.001-07:00

Download now or listen on posterous

Voice0005.amr (738 KB)

Posted via email from Heather O'Posterous

Eliminating confusion

2010-07-10T06:05:00.001-07:00

Download now or listen on posterous

Voice0003.amr (799 KB)

Posted via email from Heather O'Posterous

Fill your bucket

2010-07-10T05:56:00.001-07:00

Download now or listen on posterous

Voice0002.amr (1176 KB)

Posted via email from Heather O'Posterous

Facebook 101

2010-07-09T07:03:00.001-07:00

Download now or preview on posterous

Facebook 101.pdf (1747 KB)

Basic Facebook "how-to's" in PDF format.

Posted via email from Facebook and Beyond

How to see MORE of what you want and LESS of what you don't on Facebook

2010-07-08T12:21:00.001-07:00

Download now or watch on posterous

See_More_of_What_You_Want_on_FB.mp4 (13425 KB)

Posted via email from Facebook and Beyond

How to Post Updates that only SOME of your friends see

2010-07-08T12:17:00.001-07:00

(download)

Posted via email from Facebook and Beyond

Untitled

2010-07-07T14:58:00.001-07:00

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from Grandma Bobbie's Hospital Journey...

Will Facebook Make Friends Happier With New Privacy Controls?

2010-05-26T14:23:00.001-07:00

Facebook and it's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg haven't made 'friends' very happy lately with recent changes that dramatically changed privacy in the social network.

Facebook has now announced new and improved privacy settings as well as a more user friendly way to monitor and control your information.
Or as it explained in the email that I received from facebook today:

"Starting today, Facebook will:
* Provide an easy-to-use "master" control that enables users to set who can see the content they share through Facebook. This enables users to choose, with just one click, the overall privacy level they're comfortable with for the content they share on Facebook. Of course, users can still use all of the granular controls we've always offered, if they wish.
* Significantly reduce the amount of information that must be visible to everyone on Facebook. Facebook will no longer require that users' friends and connections are visible to everyone. Only Name, Profile Picture, Networks and Gender must be publicly available. Users can opt to make all other connections private.
* Make it simple to control whether other applications and websites access any user information. While a majority of our users love Facebook apps and Facebook-enhanced websites, some may prefer not to share their information outside of Facebook. Users can now opt out with just one click. "

Check out the new settings here:

http://www.facebook.com/privacy/explanation.php

Read CEO Mark Zuckerberg's Blog post on this here:

http://blog.facebook.com/blog.php?post=391922327130

Read more about facebook privacy, and MY thoughts on the topic here:

http://heathero.com/2010/05/new-facebook-privacy-changes/

Posted via email from Facebook and Beyond

Video: Why Using Facebook for Business is Good for You and Your Friends

2010-05-26T04:46:00.001-07:00

</object>

Posted via email from Facebook and Beyond

Facebook Fan Page Tips!

2010-05-25T13:30:00.001-07:00

</object>

Posted via email from Facebook and Beyond

It's Not Just About Facebook or Twitter or Blogs...It's a Revolution

2010-05-25T13:13:00.001-07:00

There’s a lot of talk about social media these days. Lots of people jump in, others are still ‘deciding whether they have time’. Most see it as ‘another new thing’, and many see it as ‘one more thing they have to do or learn’.

There are lots of people out there teaching ‘how to’s’ and selling the latest greatest apps and tools to leverage social media without having to ‘do anything’ differently. People talk about ‘Personal Branding’ and all sorts of buzz words, but it’s really about YOU!

One of the first things that I do with clients is talk to them about their ‘story’. Who they are, why they do what they do, what their true purpose is, and passions are.

To learn facebook?

Yes, to learn facebook! You see it’s about more than facebook, or business fan pages, or twitter, or blogs, or logos or any of that. It’s about you…It’s about your voice, and what you are saying.

Social media is an incredibly powerful way to reach others so that we can serve them. It has truly leveled the playing field. But, it’s not just the latest greatest marketing channel, or fad. It’s not advertising, or business as usual in a new place. There is a lot more going on here. There is a lot more to it than websites and networks. The ‘place’ hasn’t just changed, the context has changed, the culture has changed, the message has changed, the audience has changed, the voice has changed…

(this is where I veer radically off course with all of those other social media folks, techy types, marketing people, and anything you might have learned in Business 101…buckle your seatbelt!)

We are living in a revolution…

First we had the industrial revolution. We had mass production, with it’s assembly lines of ‘don’t talk just do your job’, and then the Corporate world of, “Repeat after me: I will not have any ideas or voice of my own. I will wear a blue suit….”

So long to meeting the vendors on the street, and talking about their goods and services. So long to conversation.

We had mass media, and mass marketing. We had a few TV channels, and newspapers, etc. Entertainment was limited and if we wanted it, we had to endure the advertising. Since advertising was expensive, and only came in so many ‘channels’ it had to be very broad and vanilla and appeal to everybody. And if wanted to watch or listen, we had to hear it.

“So the customers who once looked you in the eye while hefting your wares in the market were transformed into consumers. In the words of industry analyst Jerry Michalski, ‘ a consumer was no more than a gullet whose only purpose in life is to gulp products and crap cash.’ The power swung so decisively to the supply side that ‘market’ became a verb: something you do to customers.”

Advertising and marketing aren’t a bad thing! We needed to know what was available. We wanted to know what our choices were. We weren’t very well connected. If we had a ‘friend in the business’ we would choose them, but we simply didn’t know ‘one of everybody’ so for everything else, we relied on advertising and salespeople and hoped for the best.

The true definition of marketing is ‘what happens between the creation of the product and the sale.” The problem was ‘what was happening between the product and the sale’. Unfortunately, a lot of people abused us along the way. They lied, they interrupted, they spammed, cold called, screamed, etc. We got on the do not call list, celebrated the growing list of ‘spam filters’, got TIVO and so on.

At the same time we were getting sick of being lied to there, the internet was growing. Slowly and quietly at first. Limited to techy types, and then slowly reaching out into the homes of everyone everywhere. Then came easier ways to use it. Free blog sites, and social networks and so on. Now anyone could have a voice! That grew slowly but surely and still does, every single day. Now, anyone who wants to can share their message with the world, and whoever wants to listen, can.

Adding to our frustration with the mass ‘everything’ mentality, and the corporate clones and robotic speak, along came the Enron’s and the Big Banks, and the big bailouts, etc. Now the word “Corporate’ became synonymous with crook (whether it should or not).

We don’t like having marketing shoved down our throats, we don’t like the big voice-less Corporate Wall, and guess what? We don’t have to take it…

Blogs, Facebook, twitter, and other social mediums erupt…

We have a voice. All of us! As customers, clients, consumers, as entrepreneurs and business owners.

We can choose what to listen to.
We can choose from hundreds of TV channels and radio stations, etc.
We can also choose from millions of blogs, and people having two way conversations about anything we could possibly want to talk about.

Now, because the quarantine on ‘voice’ has been lifted, we kind of like it! Now not only do we have many choices and no longer have to just pick “beaded or non-beaded jewelry'”, but we also get to hear the voice behind it. Kind of like the old days where you knew about the jewelry maker, or the shop owner. They had a personality! We like that. We are humans after-all, not robots.

As business owners, this is great news! You don’t have to do a press release and pray that the media gods find you worthy. You don’t have to be able to afford crazy advertising prices, or buy lists of people to spam! You don’t have to ‘fake it til you make it!’

We truly can create not only a business that we love, but that customers will love, just by listening to the conversations, and choosing to let our personality show through. By putting YOU in your business, allowing those who like you, find you.

Whether online or off, it’s kind of like a street fair…

A couple of years ago, we had a street fair here. It wasn’t organized by ‘committee’ and so without regulation, two different businesses gave two different hot dog vendors permission to park on their property during the event. They happened to be directly across the street from each other.

One was a guy from New York with a typical cart. He was cordial, but not what I’d call friendly (not here in the south anyway!). He sold a name brand hot dog with the usual condiments.

The other was a woman who although only barely 5ft tall, had a personality bigger than a sumo wrestler! She was fun loving and flamboyant. Her cart had a hot pink umbrella, hot pink drink coolers, and homemade condiments. Her hot dogs were the same brand, and a few cents more in price.

What a great example of ‘pull vs. push’! No one chasing anyone down the street with flyers, or brochures, no screaming through bull horns. Everybody simply chose whichever one they wanted. The ‘personality’ that resonated with them! As people walked by, she cheerfully spoke, acknowledged the kids, laughed, etc. He sat on his stool and served hot dogs.

People did go to both. Some may have chosen his because they didn’t want to wait in line at hers, or maybe because they didn’t like hot pink and personality. Who knows! It didn’t take an accountant however to see what the market preferred! I don’t know how much of it was her personality, or how much was just having a personality, but not having one clearly wasn’t the winner!

So what’s the moral of the story?

Create a business that you are passionate about (it’s more fun AND it will show!)
Let it show! You will attract the customers that you are meant to serve.
Let us hear your ‘voice’, and listen to ours. We like that.

What do you think? Do you agree or disagree? I would love to hear your thoughts!

Posted via email from Facebook and Beyond

How to see more of what (&who) you want and less of what you don't on Facebook

2010-05-25T13:07:00.001-07:00

Download now or watch on posterous

See_More_of_What_You_Want_on_FB.mp4 (13425 KB)

Using block, hide, and creating lists to see more of what you want, and less of what you don't on facebook!

Posted via email from Facebook and Beyond

Facebook Redesign

2010-05-25T13:06:00.001-07:00

Download now or watch on posterous

Facebook_Redesign_2-10_By_HeatherO.mp4 (11527 KB)

Navigating the new facebook layout!

Posted via email from Facebook and Beyond

How to Create a Useless Fan Page

2010-05-25T12:52:00.001-07:00

Facebook is all the rage. Like many, I can attest to the power of it. It truly is a powerful place! (*currently 96% of my business comes through facebook*)

First let's talk about reasons for having one. Although many consultants don't want or need a fan page, I had very specific reasons for creating one.

1. I wanted to be able to post frequent content relevant to what I do, which wouldn't necessarily be relevant for all of my 'friends'. I wanted people to be able to 'optin' for posts rather than getting them just because we were friends.

2. I wanted people to be able to connect with me without having to 'do the friend thing'. For many, the idea of accepting friends on facebook is still considered literally, and many are uncomfortable sending a request to someone that they don't know.

3. To create a community of people with like-minded interests, and to be able to communicate with them in a 'space' uncluttered by farmville, friends and family.

Unfortunately, many people start fan pages for the wrong reasons. The do so simply because they think that because they have a business, they are 'supposed to', or they do it to have another place to advertise.

In a poll by Exact Target, 70% of facebook users say that they do not want to be advertised to by businesses that they are fans of.

This confuses many businesses. They don't understand "why are they fans then?" The answer is, because they are! They became a fan of your page because they like you. They simply 'raised their hand' to say " I am a fan of..." That's it. They didn't say 'hi, I'm a fan, please post your ads on my wall!"

In many cases, they only became a fan because they are your friend! This article is about creating and keeping true fans!

In some cases they may become a fan because they want to know about upcoming events, MAYBE even sales, or specials (that is more common with larger brands, and they are only interested as long as they are in the market for that specific type of product). More often than not, that does not mean that they want you to advertise them the way that you are used to.

Like email, the biggest mistake that businesses make is assuming that because the customer gave them their email address, or connected via facebook or elsewhere, that they can send whatever they want to. They really only want what 'they want', not what you want them to want!

The world has changed. In the old days, you could run commercials and people 'had to watch them', or at least they did. They only had so many channels to choose from, and not a lot of other home entertainment choices, and so they did. Those who could afford TV advertising won. But then there was cable..and Tivo...and...

I often hear people say "but it works!" with regard to email spamming, and advertising in social media. "Everybody is doing it, so it must work!" I simply say "ok, then why did people rush to get on the do not call list? why do people have spam filters? why do people use Tivo and other tools to avoid commercials?" Because they don't want to hear it! Because they don't trust you anymore!

The good news is, when they connect in social networks, they do so because they like you. As long as you allow them to, and don't abuse them, they will trust you too.

So, first let's talk about how to create a useless fan page:

1. Create a page and never come back! Or post randomly when you feel like it.

2. Create a page and have some assistant somewhere or a robot do all of the posting.

3. Only talk about you and your product and what YOU want to sell!

4. Don't allow fans to post, so it's all about YOU and what YOU have to say!

5. Use it as a billboard, and don't engage in conversation.

6. Delete criticisms/complaints rather than respectfully addressing them.

How to create an effective fan page should be somewhat obvious at this point, but let me clarify and add a few, to be sure!

How to create a GREAT Facebook Fan Page that is useful and effective!

1. Be there at least twice a day. Once to post, and again to respond to any comments.

2. Post content of value to your fans - RELEVANT to THEM and their interests. (this may be articles about the upcoming trends, your vendors, suppliers, or strategic partners, or simply stuff that you know that they care about. It doesn't have to just be about you)

3. Remember it's not all about you!

4. Engage in conversation! Ask questions, say thank you, and respond to comments.

5. Ask them what they want!

6. Think about who you are talking to! Do you know who they are? what they like?

7. Think of ways to add value offline, and tell them about it online. Some ideas:

Have a fan appreciation party at your office or store

Cold & nasty outside? Tell them you understand and you've made fresh hot cider for them if they want to stop by and warm up!

Ask them what they are looking for or need right now & find ways to offer it to them!

Reward them!!! Give them deals, information and 'perks' for being your fan! Remember, they publicly raised their hand and said "I like you"! That matters! Let them know that you appreciate them.

8. Be human! Let YOU shine through. The days of corporate identity, and hiding behind logo's is a thing of the past. We like and trust people, not logos. Brand your logo, use your logo, but put a face behind it. If it can't be you, give it to someone in your company that can and will be your face. (You have to let them be real and authentic, and clear about who they are though. They can't be posing as you!).

9. Be bold! So many businesses are so worried about their image that they don't even have one! When you try to please everyone, you please no one. The world is noisy, you've got to stand out. You don't have to be overtly outrageous. Just be you! You are unique already (but nobody will know it if you don't let it show!)

10. Remember, if you want to build your fan base, give them a reason to be there! You wanting a certain number isn't enough. Let's face it, they don't care how many fans you want. Give them value, be remarkable and be relevant!

When you do, they will bring you more fans.

Posted via email from Facebook and Beyond

Just call me hobo heather waiting for mom to pick me up to go see grandma. Chris had to leave

2010-03-19T13:19:00.001-07:00

Posted via email from Heather O'Posterous

FT.com / Technology - Facebook becomes bigger hit than Google

2010-03-17T09:37:00.001-07:00

via ft.com

My my! Facebook eeks out a lead over Google! Wow!

Posted via web from Heather O'Posterous

What the World Needs Now is...Hope

2009-01-26T04:51:00.001-08:00

Zig Ziglar said "Failure is merely an event...it adds to your experience...it is an attitude". It seems like everywhere I turn these days I am coming across people who are having extremely hard times. We too are feeling VERY challenged right now.
Notice I said we are "feeling challenged"? You see, I refuse to state that anything in our lives is a "fact" or a "statement". Why? Because how I see it, feel about it, and affirm it determines how it WILL be. You see, time moves along. So how things are in this moment does not determine how it will be an hour from now, or tomorrow, or the next day. MY attitude however, absolutely will!

Many people need lots of things right now, but I dare say that the fundamental need in our world right now is hope.

Faith is the only anecdote for failure!

We all get to choose whether we are going to think about how bad things are, or affirm that "they are getting better". I know, "just saying it won't change anything." Actually, if you believe it, it will. If you really believe it, you will begin to look for ways to make it better! To paraphrase the great Zig Ziglar, "Do you believe that there is something that you could do today that would make your life worse? Then there MUST be something that you can do to make it better!"
But you won't even try, if you don't believe it is possible!

Think of the difficult times you have had in your life, that we as a country have had in our history. They have ALWAYS been temporary! They have always gotten better. These times will be no different.

Do you find it hard to have hope? Look for reasons to! You will always find what you are looking for! If you are looking for evidence that times are tough, you will always find it. If you look for reasons to hope, you will find those too!

Where to start?
1. Gratitude...
Not "I know, I know, I have a lot to be thankful for, but..."
Get a small notebook and write down 10 things that you have to be thankful for at least 3 times a day. Yes, at least 3 times a day, and yes, you have to write them down. Don't believe it will work? Try it! The more that you are thankful for, the more you will be given to be thankful for!

2. Journal...about the times in your life that you had no hope and how amazing they turned out. Write about the wonderful things and people in your life that you never even imagined you would have.
If you are currently journaling about how tough things are, leave space at the end for the "rest of the story". Leave "room" to come back and write about what a blessing it turned out to be. Then, take it one step further...imagine how amazing the "ending" could be. Go ahead and "make up the ending".

3. Look for ways to help others. No matter how much you are struggling. or how little you have, there is ALWAYS something that you can give to someone else. Even if it is just a word of encouragement. This is truly powerful. Don't disregard it! You will create an immediate shift in your thoughts, emotions and potential when you stop looking at yourself and start looking for ways to help others. Tell that pregnant girl who looks down how beautiful she is, ask that grumpy clerk "what's wrong" and tell her that you believe that her day is going to get better. Tell that child that just made a huge mess "building something" what an "amazing imagination" they have and how "cool" that is!

4. Turn off the news! Stop feeding yourself "food" that makes you sick! Look for healthier choices! Find music, videos, and stories that will "feed your soul". They are everywhere! I have a 9 yr old who is very sensitive and gets easily upset when someone says something ugly to him. We have secretly decided that "we have an invisible shield". So when we are confronted (as we all inevitably are)with negative people, stories, etc., we imagine a clear shield coming over us (kind of like Buzz lightyears helmet). You CAN be standing in front of someone and not "really hear" what they are saying. You can! Just smile and go through your "thankful fors" in your head!

5. You can't just eliminate negative thoughts. "The universe abhors a vacuum". Make the conscious choice to affirm the way you want to be. If you tell yourself daily that you are "always late...totally stressed out...completely unorganized,etc", you will be! Instead affirm to yourself that "I am getting better and better every day! I am getting more organized, more punctual, more successful" or whatever it is that you want to be. Imagine things the way that you want them to be! Visualize what that will "look like". Visualization is far more powerful that I can cover here.

Just do it!

Imagine what you could do if you didn't believe that you couldn't! Do you believe that you "can't" because of a lack of money, or college education? Watch this...

Advice from Others

2009-01-01T07:07:00.000-08:00

I was fortunate to have attended a mastermind group "last year" (hard to believe last month = last year!:)facilitated by Leslie Flowers, who is a life success coach. When discussing all of those "voices out there" (you know the ones. The well meaning-or not, friends, relatives and neighbors that tell you what you should and shouldn't do, can and can't,etc), she says that many of them "are simply not aware". Meaning that they have a lesser level of awareness, and cannot really be "faulted" for that per se.

I have been challenged recently by others who seem compelled to tell me what I should and shouldn't be doing, what I need to do, etc. I imagine that many are in this place as the current economy has left many facing a different path that the one that they were on last year. Many have been laid off, or worse (no severance or unemployment), have had their business simply vanish. Many "well meaning" people have and will continue to ask "what are you going to do?". This is a reasonable question, but a frustrating one for the many who aren't quite sure yet! Others simply state the obvious, "You need to come up with a way to make money". That one is my favorite! I have to repeatedly fight the urge to respond "Really! Thanks for telling me! I had no idea!", especially when the statement is being made for the umpteenth time by the same person! I keep "hearing" Leslie say "they are simply unaware", but it is no less frustrating, as it just turns the pressure up. And, if there is one thing that I've discovered, it's that inspired thoughts, ideas, and creative solutions are not born inside of a pressure cooker!

Yesterday, it all came to me however. I am very visual, and this really drove home the whole "awareness" concept for me.
I was driving to my in-laws and as I turned onto a newly finished "bypass" highway, the "GPS lady" started telling me to turn around. She actually began to sound upset, or rather annoyed that I wasn't "listening". The picture on the screen showed a little car in the middle of nowhere, with no roads in site, as she "yelled at me" to find a road immediately! I couldn't help but laugh! Here I was, on a brand new perfectly paved highway, absolutely certain of where I was going, and that the highway would take me there. But she just "couldn't see it. She was simply unaware!" Therefore, she was convinced that I was going the wrong way, or was lost, or worse, not even on a road to anywhere!

Well "there you go", I thought. Isn't that where many of us are right now! We know where we need to go, and what path we need to be on. We may not know exactly how we will get there, but we know that we are going in the right direction. Yet, there are those others, like "GPS lady", who simply are unaware. Who simply cannot see what we see, or know what we know. If things aren't completely clear, keep one ear open, but don't let that voice drown out your own vision. If your path is just as visible as the highway in front of you, just do what I did...turn her off and keep going!:)

Focus: On Being $ Productive?

2009-01-01T04:54:00.000-08:00

During this time, much of our focus is on the economy. For many, it is on "lack" vs. Abundance. I talked with someone the other day who was laid off in '08. He is currently doing IT related contract work, and mentioned that he has more work that he can do. He seemed very stressed about money, and "not knowing" how long the work will last. He stated that when he was first laid off, he was doing lot of work "to help others" (for free). He said that it felt great, but that he quickly realized that he wasn't "getting anything for it", and became fearful of his "money running out", so he shifted his focus to "income generating work". He also told me that he had been going to school for his MBA and had received a loan for more than he needed for tuition, which helped with other bills. He is to receive another this month, but is considering quitting the MBA program because he needs to be working, and finding a job, and is concerned that the MBA will just make him "overqualified" for most jobs anyway.
As someone who has spent the last 15 years in real estate, and who (along with thousands of other Realtors, developers, builders, and lenders) had their "industry" essentially disappear with no severance, and no "unemployment benefits", I was fascinated by this perspective.

Here is someone with so many options, and opportunities and blessings! Most people would LOVE to be in this position! But what struck me the most was the comment about "not getting anything for" the work that he was doing to "help others". I pondered this, and finally asked "How can you be sure that work was for nothing? You said that you have more work than you can do right now, right?" He confirmed that he did, and I responded, "A lot of people don't have that right now. Could it be that the reason that you have been given so much, is actually because of your giving-because of that work that you did for others for free?" I for one, believe that it is!

Too many times (esp. now!) we expect to receive compensation when we simply haven't yet earned it! I believe in the Law of Compensation that says "You must first give value", and that you will be compensated in direct proportion to the value that you give. You can't go to the bank and say "Give me my interest, and then I'll make a deposit!"

I have heard many conversations recently about focusing on making money right now. "This is not the time to pursue your dream" or "This is not the time for self improvement", "I can't be working for free right now", etc. Maybe this is the perfect time! Maybe the gift in all of this is that when you are at "the bottom" or "unemployed" or whatever, you have less to lose! So, why not now? Maybe the gift in all of this is the abundance of TIME! Many are not terribly busy right now! Most people would typically say that they don't have time to dream, or exercise, or learn, or better themselves, or change careers. Now you do!

Wouldn't becoming better, enable you to create more value? When you give to others, even when it's "for free", doesn't that add to your net value? To others, to your self ,and to mankind?

Sure, we all need to make a living, and you should absolutely "be in action", but maybe in this New Year instead of burying ourselves in "the grindstone" mentality, or working & stressing ourselves to death because we are so "lack" focused, and fearful, maybe we should tithe ourselves. Give 10% of our time to others, 10% to our family & friends, and 10% to ourselves. We are usually awake for at least 15hrs per day (ie. 6am-9pm), making 30%=5hrs. That still leaves us a whopping 10 hours to "work"! So cut out the wasted hours and give to yourself and others. You never know how that will be rewarded. Just know that the Law of Compensation states that it will!

I'm Thankful for Gratitude and Hope...

2008-11-29T14:38:00.000-08:00

This time of year we all reflect on what we are thankful for. Even though many are facing challenging times, the luckiest of us have the capacity to be thankful. Few however, know how incredibly powerful gratitude can be. Gratitude is nature's greatest equalizer. No matter who you are, how much you have, where you came from, you can conquer sadness, depression and stress (among other things) by choosing to be thankful. Greater than any antidepressant, gratitude is the ultimate cure because sadness and gratitude cannot coexist in the same space at the same time. In other words, sadness cannot exist in a grateful heart.
Gratitude also puts us on a path to attract abundance unlike anything else.

Hope is sometimes more challenging for us. We are often bombarded by the "news" and it's "predictions" of extended recessions, increasing layoffs, disappointing shopping seasons, and the like. It's easy to not only lose sight of what we have to be thankful for, but to find hope of greater things to come.

I think Andy Andrews says it best (from AndyAndrews.com)

In addition, I have discovered proof of hope that has consistently lifted my heart, mind, and spirit to a point of forward motion. Very simply, it is this:

* Even in the worst of times, I must remember that I am still breathing.
* If I am still breathing, that means that I am still here.
* If I am still here, that means that I have not completed what I was put here to do.
* If I have not completed what I was put here to do, that means that my very purpose has not been fulfilled.
* If my very purpose has not been fulfilled, that means that the most important part of my life has yet to be lived.
* If the most important part of my life has yet to be lived, then it doesn't really matter how old I am or how broke I am, how long I've tried or how depressed I might be ... Here, at last, is proof that the best part of my life is ahead of me! Without a doubt, there is more laughter to come, more success in my future, more children to teach, more friends to influence. There is more.

There is more ... and the promise is proven by the simple fact that I am still breathing. I am still here.

for this perspective, for this hope, and for the generosity of Andy Andrews for posting it, and my ability to receive it, I am thankful.

How Many Times Did You "Should all over yourself" Today?

2008-11-17T18:41:00.000-08:00

The concept that we often "beat ourselves up" is hardly a new one. But, over the past few days I've noticed how much people who are very much into "self improvement" do this. It's ironic to me that in the quest for "enlightenment" and reaching a "better and healthier self", we tend to beat ourselves up even more! Which stresses us out, and makes us feel bad, and uh...how self defeating is that?

In the current "economy", it is certainly easy to do! Whether you have been laid off, are worried about being laid off, or are a business owner trying to figure out how to make it all work, it's enough to stress out even the most zen among us!
I recently was on a group coaching call and the lady that I listened to ran through an entire litany of not only how she wasn't doing what she should be doing to improve her business, but also all of the things that she should have done during the "boom years".
I spoke with someone else today who was recently laid off, and figuring out what to do next. As if that isn't enough to think about, he was commenting on how he was eating and drinking things that he shouldn't.

We all do it without even realizing it! For the last two weeks I've been all about how much more "productive I should've been".

Here's another irony- I just did a video on "stepping in poop" and here I am blogging about how we "should" all over ourselves! HA! I see a pattern here...

Should this, should that...all day long, day after day! We aren't just stepping in it! We are picking it up and carrying it around with us every where we go. And it's garbage... Okay, I'll say it (pun intended!), it's crap! It doesn't serve us, and most of what we "should about" is someone else's idea of what we "should do" anyway! It's all a story we made up based on someone else's "issues"!

"They" say this and "they" say that. "They" say that we shouldn't eat certain foods, "They" say that we should be stay at home moms, or have a career. "They" say that we should have this, or accomplish that. Most of it's not even real! Most of it is just someone else's crap!
It reminds me of something that I wrote earlier this year. It kind of "sums it all up" (see below).
Read it, then make your own list of all the "shoulds" in your head. After you laugh at the absurdity of it all, mark out all of the ones that you refuse to buy into, and keep only the ones that truly reflect what matters to you! Then work on those, remind yourself that you are human, and therefore imperfect, but that you are getting better and better every day! And vow to never "should on yourself again!"

Changing the Story
Our lives are filled with stories.
Some we read, some we hear.
Most, we make up.
As little girls we read about princesses with knights in shining armor.
As women we read magazines full of “perfect women”.
They seem so real that they become ”our” reality
We try to escape our own “reality” by watching stories on TV about like survivor and Desperate Housewives.
We eagerly watch people on the news fighting against crime, and hunger, and war
We try to fill our souls with these stories about other people doing great things and making a difference.
We do this because our stories are not as exciting.
Because the story that we tell ourselves is:
“I’m not enough”
“I’m not amazing, or beautiful or glamorous or brilliant”
“I can’t handle this!”
“I’m completely stressed out”
“I’m just a mom”
“I am SO unorganized”
“I am broke”
“I have stretch marks, cellulite & fat thighs…”
“I don’t do everything that I am should to do…”
Well, let’s see…if we did everything that we “should”, what would that look like?
We would have to eat healthy foods, grown organically on a free range (whatever that is), not cooked in plastic or aluminum. Preferably vegetarian (or do plants have feelings too?).
We would have to know whether our body’s need for calcium is greater than the perils of consuming dairy.
We would have to do the dishes while conserving water, while saving the landfills by not using paper plates.
We would have to go to the gym without spending too much money, neglecting our husbands, or our work, or our kids and still have time to cook, clean, do laundry and take a shower.
We would have to drive ourselves and everyone else to work, school, the grocery store, and soccer without perpetuating global warming.
We would have to follow a 20 step skin care regime to avoid wrinkles which would cost hundreds of dollars without increasing our debt or using money that should have gone to charity, our retirement, the church, the whales, the hungry, or the homeless.
All of which we would have to do by working at a job that serves a higher good in a business that is environmentally friendly, doesn’t get tax breaks, and employs no one overseas.
We to have a job so that we wouldn’t have to rely on men or welfare & Somehow we would have to do this while being a stay at home mom!
We would have to be beautiful without being vain or using products that are tested on animals or that would harm the environment.
We would have to be erotic and desirable (but only when our husbands wanted us to be).
We would have to avoid skin, breast, ovarian &cervical cancer, a heart attack & stroke by doing a whole litany of things (even though we aren’t really sure what they all are, just that they include consuming flax seeds, green tea, and foods we hate, reducing cholesterol, transfats & oh yeah, stress!)
We would have to clean house every day and keep it spotless using only organic products that don’t work as well, but won’t kill our children or the rain forests.
We would have to be amazing chefs and enjoy fine wine and gourmet meals without becoming fat or alcoholic!
No wonder we feed our souls by watching other people’s stories!
Who could do all of that? You would need a magic wand, a halo, flying broom, wings, a cape and a crown! Just thinking about it makes me so exhausted! All I really want is a nap!

I don’t want to fight anything. I don’t want to survive anything!
I want to learn and grow from all of the glorious blessings this life offers!
I want to inspire peace, love and respect (& if I can only do it in an 8 year old, so be it!)
It’s time to stop watching the story, reading the story or hearing the story…
It’s time to change the story…It’s time to BE the story!
It’s time to be and to inspire women to be thankful and proud that their” fat, flat, or wide ass” can get them out of bed in the morning, carry them through the day and sit them down to that wine and gourmet meal without any guilt!
It’s time for women whose stories aren’t about how they simply survived, but about how they victoriously overcame!
It’s time for more women to have stories like my grandma. Women who will stand up and say, “I don’t care if everybody likes me! No matter what I do, EVERYONE won’t anyway! In someone else’s mind I will always be too fat or too thin, to stern or too nice. That is THEIR story. By making a difference, doing what’s right, standing up for what I believe in, and standing up tall, with my head held high, they will at least respect me”…
That will be MY story, and that will be enough.

HeatherO’
February 23, 2008

Taking Action

2008-11-07T08:17:00.001-08:00

It is my opinion that all too often, people choose to do nothing. I even spent a couple of weeks recently thinking about "what to do". I was faced with making some very significant changes in my life, and although we all think having "unlimited possibilities" would be a great thing. It can also be paralyzing! For many of us making a decision is difficult. We think about all of the possible worst case scenarios, second guess our own abilities, blah, blah, blah...So what do we do? NOTHING!

I've often said that "sometimes to be successful, you have to be too dumb to know better!"
I believe that's true. If we would just "pull the trigger" sometimes, without "thinking it all through" and "doing all of the research", we would be better off! But, we've been taught "think it through", "don't make rash decisions", "don't jump the gun". That would be fine if we also didn't have those voices that say "what if I fail?" "What if I make a fool of myself?" "I'm not that smart" "I'm not good enough". We carry all of those thoughts around every day, and when the opportunity to do something arises, there they are! Ready to jump up and stop us!

A few months ago I had been listening to this Andy Andrews CD (it's my all time favorite, and I've almost worn it out!). It's about "taking action", and so when I came across a Craigslist post that said "puppies die tomorrow" complete with a photo of 7 tiny lab pups and the explanation that they were to be "put down" at a shelter at 4pm the following day, I was haunted by it all night. I thought "I have to do something! How am I going to feel at 4:05 if I do nothing?". I knew that I had very little money at the time, but didn't give it much thought. I just decided! I told my husband, we grabbed a big box, picked the boys up from school, and drove to the shelter an hour away. I also didn't think about the fact that I had a horrible middle ear infection and couldn't stand to be in moving car without incredible motion sickness!
Anyway, while my husband was driving, I got on my laptop and emailed a few friends about the puppies asking if they knew of anyone who could take one. My emails were forwarded to more people than I could even imagine! Including an amazing rescue group (Marleys Cat Tales). Suddenly, I was getting emails and phone calls from all over! People I didn't even know were either offering help, or just saying "thanks" for what we were doing. When we got home we had people showing up at our house with supplies, and offering to foster some of them. It was truly surreal!

At the end of the day, we had not only saved 7 precious little puppies, but taught our children that ANYONE and EVERYONE can do SOMETHING to make a difference. And sometimes, it's just a matter of taking a leap of faith! I KNEW that there were enough people in this area and that there had to be some who would want a puppy. I had NO IDEA how it would all work out.

I've heard soooo many times to "just figure out the what, and the how will come". But so many times I still find myself wanting to see the entire plan!

When you find yourself in this "place", watch this video! And remember these words by Andy Andrews, "God did not put in you the ability to always make the right decision. But he did put in you the ability to make a decision, and to make it right!"

Andy Andrews - Joshua Chamberlain

What Do You Do When You Have a Bad Day?

2008-11-06T07:47:00.001-08:00

Do You Create Your Reality?

2008-10-27T13:55:00.000-07:00

Day in and day out we live our lives...Often excited about the things that happen along the way, sometimes, not so much. We complain about the things that happen to us, the things that we do not want to do. We never really question whether it's made up or whether it is true.
Of course it's true, we were there! But how much of our reality is true reality?
Everything we experience...see, hear, think, believe is filtered by our own made up story. All of the facts, and fiction and that we have "deposited" into our mental bank. We believe that things are good or bad because somewhere along the way, we learned that they were. We decided whether we agreed or disagreed, and poof, that was deposited for future recall.
Sounds crazy? Think about how many times you have thought or said that you didn't like something. A color, a style, a car, whatever. Next thing you know, it is the "latest thing". You start to see it everywhere, over and over again. You're friends start wearing it, people on TV are wearing it. Next thing you know, you catch yourself at Stein Mart looking for it! Whether it's a yellow dress, or the latest blue and brown comforter, you now have changed your opinion. You didn't really decide to...or did you?
Without realizing it, our subconscious is constantly at work. It "hears" everything we say, and stores it away for us. Kind of like a computer. As long as it's there, whenever we think about something, it goes into that RAM and pulls out whatever research or evidence is there to support us.
If we think "I'm so unorganized", poof, there it is saying "yep, you are right! Remember the last time you..."
If we think "I hate my job" , it will promptly pull up all of the past evidence to support that. AND just like when you get a new red pickup and you suddenly see them everywhere you go, it will scan for you, to find further support.
So what does all of this mean?
It means that we often create our own reality! If we decide that everyone that is thin is beautiful, or that everyone else has more than we do, or that our boss is out to get us, we will find evidence everywhere to support our belief!
So, if you hate your house, or your job, or your spouse, can you change your thinking and therefore that "reality" too?
Of course!
Try it! Write down 10 things that you love about your life, job, spouse, or whatever it is that you are unhappy with. Go to bed tonight thinking I am so grateful for...(these 10 things). While you are getting ready in the morning, review the list again. Do this for 5 days. It works! Really!
Not convinced? Try something that you are less attached to. "Decide" that you are going to redecorate a room in your house a color that you don't particularly care for, and then go to decorating stores or websites and see what happens!

Do We Want Too Much? Or Do We Just Not Know What We Want?

2008-10-15T05:27:00.000-07:00

I recently read an email from a friend of mine who was returning from a third world country. Something that she "said" struck me. She mentioned that she had lost her cell phone and felt that she was "once again" having to learn a lesson about "attachment".

It kept coming back to me and I couldn't help but wonder, "is that the lesson, or is it something else? Is attachment a bad thing?"
Maybe the lesson is about gratitude. Maybe we "lose" things because we need to be reminded to be thankful for what we have.

Think about it...all we hear about these days is "we need change", which implies that what we have is bad, or wrong, or broken. In many cases that may be true. But, it also takes away our focus on what is good, on what we do have, and distracts us from all that we have to be thankful for.

Take the "economic crisis" for example. This certainly represents an area that needs to be changed. But part of that change starts with us. One thing that is clear is that we apparently live in a world that cannot function without "credit". My boys and I were in Target the other day an my younger son asked if I would buy him something and let him "earn it" later. I said "I can't do that. I can't tell the cashier I want to buy it now and pay for it later. Hmmm...actually...we do it all of the time! Do we all want to have it now and earn it later? Some would say we simply want too much...and that is a bad thing. right?
I thought that was the answer, but then I talked to someone yesterday, and she asked me what "I want in life". Now, I am rarely at a loss for words, and would normally believe that I am very clear in my goals, etc. However, I found myself stammering as I answered this question. She said that "it's ok to want". I realized that this seemed to counter to this line of thinking. "Wanting is bad, right?" I felt a little confused.

Maybe we are all confused. Perhaps it is ok to want what we want in life. Instead of focusing on what we "need to change" or what we "don't have", we should be clear in the kind of life we want to live, what our dreams are, what our purpose is, and what makes us happy and fulfilled. Maybe if we were all clear in what we really want, gave ourselves permission to, and gave ourselves credit for our progress we've made and were grateful for the abundance that we do have, we wouldn't want as much "stuff".