Published November 12th, 2008
I love blog tags! This one was from my friend Paula. The rules are that when you get tagged you are supposed to list 7 things that most people don’t know about you. You can either leave them in a comment below, or add your answers to YOUR blog! I would love to know YOUR 7 things! Here are mine:
1. I have never been outside of the continental U.S.
2. I only knew Dave for 4 months before we were engaged (January-April).
3. We spent the entire summer apart before getting married in August, since I already had tickets to go home to GA!
4. I don’t like wearing make-up. (I know… that’s kinda weird since I am a professional beauty consultant. ;o) I just figured back when I became a consultant, that if I AM going to wear it, I darn sure want to know how! Seven years later my favorite days are still those that I don’t wear anything but the basics!
5. I played Timpani on the stage of Carnegie Hall when I was only 17.
6. I marched & played cymbals in the Rose Bowl Parade in 1993. Did you see me? ;o)
7. I love this house I live in more than any other place I have ever lived.
Category: Uncategorized | Tags: | 2 Comments »
Published August 28th, 2008
Thank you Ann, for another incredible article!!! HAD to share this one, too!
What Olympic Athletes Know About a Successful [Direct Sales] Business
August 26th, 2008 by Ann Vertel
The Olympics seemed to come and go in a flash. I must confess I only caught the closing ceremonies but continue to be impressed with the athletes that show up for a chance to compete.
And, of course, that got me thinking about business.
Not one of those athletes “ended up” at the Olympics. They didn’t accidentally get good enough to compete. They didn’t just wish and hope and dream and visualize themselves being there.
And they didn’t listen to their critics. Like the gymnast whose father told her she was too awkward to do gymnastics. Or the hockey player whose older brother said he’d always be a loser. Or the volleyball champion whose well-meaning friends smiled to her face but always talked behind her back about how she wasted so much time on her “hobby.”
What they did do was train as hard as they could…every day.
They didn’t just decide that they wanted to go to the Olympics, they committed themselves to it. What’s the difference? Deciding is mental; committing is backed up by measureable action - something you can see, count, replicate, and repeat.
I’ve done a lot of research on what makes women successful - specifically in four distinct areas. Their individual characteristics, traits, and beliefs are always a telling sign but that’s really about their potential for success.
The deciding factor is their behavior. What exactly do they do with all that potential?
The winners act. They step out. They take risks. They do things that are uncomfortable. They challenge themselves…every day. They choose what’s hard over what’s convenient.
Are there other athletes in this country who had the potential to go to the Olympics? Absolutely.
Are there women in [a direct selling business] with the potential to go to the top? Almost every single one of them. Maybe we’re talking about you.
The deciding factor, however, isn’t how bad you want it or how much belief you have or whether you are task oriented or a people person or whether you live in the right neighborhood or whether you’re single, thin, young, beautiful, smart, willing, deserving, or educated.
The single deciding factor in whether or not you “win the gold” in your business is what you actually do in your business today…and tomorrow…and the next day…and the day after that.
Believe you can do it. Don’t listen to your critics (they haven’t done it either!) and take the biggest, boldest, most outrageous action step you can think of today. Then
repeat
repeat
repeat!!!
Now go have a POWERFUL day!
- Ann Vertel, UnitCoach
Category: Inspirational | Tags: | 1 Comment »
Published August 25th, 2008
Another really good article I read today that I thought I would share…
Less Than Perfectly Organized
by Liz Canavan
close friend doesn’t understand why, on a beautiful Saturday, I would rather clean my garage than play in the mountains. Nor does she understand why I’ve turned down social invitations because I was sorting papers or rearranging a closet. What she can’t understand is how much creating order delights me.
Am I this way all the time? No way. The last-minute John Mayer ticket, the weekend getaway, and the urgent trip departing at 4 a.m. are all excellent reasons to say “I’m there” and leave the dishes in the sink. The question is when to let it go and when to tidy it up. How can we be organized enough to find what we need when we need it, but also remember that organizing isn’t about making everything perfect?
In Greek mythology, Chaos is the name of the goddess of emptiness and confusion, a shapeless void who gave birth to the universe. Yet chaos also provides the opportunity for growth and change and creativity. And chaos—both the goddess and the state of being—is fertile and alive, unlike order, which is sterile and inanimate. If we always choose to stay home and get organized, our lives will be dull. Life isn’t intended to be boxed, labeled and put on a shelf.
For some of us, however, organizing is a pleasure. Before I start my work, I need to clear my desk to feel the literal and figurative space to create. Without that peace of mind, my energy is drained by thinking about what still needs to be done.
As with all things in life (and my friend constantly reminds me of this), the answer is in finding a balance between chaos and order. A house without sticky fingerprints is missing a child’s laughter. A kitchen without dirty dishes lacks homemade meals. In all life there is evidence of living. Sometimes that evidence looks like clutter; sometimes it looks like the reason to be grateful for the abundance in your home. So before you start attacking every mess, grouching at your kids or partner and forgetting to actually see out of the window you’re so intent on cleaning, look around and consider: Is all that surrounds you clutter—or abundance?
Liz Canavan
Liz Canavan is a professional organizer in Boulder, Colo. Visit her website at www.alchemyoforder.com
Category: Consider This... | Tags: | 1 Comment »
Published August 22nd, 2008
I loved this article I received yesterday in my inbox. Thought I would share! :o)
“5 Keys to a Gold Medal Performance According to Michael Phelps”
By Sarah Robinson, Innovation Expert and Founder, DirectSellingLeaders.com
© 2008 Sarah Robinson Co.
Well, I’ve spent every night in front of the television watching the Olympics. You have to understand that we NEVER watch television at night, so this is quite a departure from my usual habits. And I would not trade seeing the once-in-a-lifetime moments with my son for anything in the whole world. (My son thinks it would be a groovy idea for Michael Phelps to marry Nastia Luken so he could train with both of them at the same time - I love his strategic thinking!) I have to say that watching Michael Phelps, aka Superman, in his quest for 8 Olympic Gold medals has been nothing short of mind-blowing. Of course he is physically amazing, but that is not what fascinates me about him. Below are lessons I’ve gleaned just by watching how he conducts himself on the world stage in the middle of a media feeding frenzy.
5 Keys to Performing Like a Gold Medal Champion
1) Never Lose Your Focus or Your Cool.
From all accounts, Michael had an exhausting daily schedule in Bejing. Heck just eating his breakfast would exhaust me. But no one ever saw him lose his cool or his focus. He knew what he had come to do. He knew that medal stands, press conferences, cool down swims, warm up swims, drug testing, etc. were all part of what he had to do everyday to reach his final destination. Losing his cool or his focus would have wasted the precious energy he needed for gold medal swims.
2) You Are Only As Good As Your Team
There is no doubt that Michael Phelps wanted to earn more gold medals than any athlete in history - that was HIS goal. But he simply could not do it alone. He had to win gold in the team relays which meant he had to be a team player. For the team to win those relay races, it had to be the TEAM’s goal. Each swimmer had to be invested and committed to winning - not for Michael, not because it was Michael’s goal - but for themselves. I loved watching Michael cheer each swimmer on. And during his interviews, he always gave credit to his team members - always.
3) Never Forget Where You Came From
Debbie Phelps was a constant presence poolside in Bejing. Michael credits her with being a rock in his life. After each record-breaking, gold medal race, he looked for her in the stands. He is a devoted member of his close-knit family and he acknowledges their importance in his life at every opportunity. Compare this to the volleyball team made up of brothers who don’t even speak to each other because one has such a nasty temper. Needless to say, his team did not make it to the medal rounds.
4) The Race Isn’t Over Until It Is Over
Everyone, including his mom and the sports announcer calling the race was certain that Michael had won Silver the 100 meter butterfly. The swimmer ahead of him had quit taking strokes and was gliding into the side. Michael just kept on swimming - took an extra stroke and won a gold medal by 1/100th of a second. The replay of that finish will be played for years to come to remind swimmers not to quit til the race is over.
5) A Little Humility Goes A Long Way
I just loved watching Michael on the medal stand. Each time he stood there - 8 times he stood on the Gold Medal Podium! - he acted as if it were the one and only time and that it was the most moving experience of his life. He never trash talked another swimmer or another team - and he always showed good sportsmanship. And in the interviews after each win, he gave credit to someone else for helping him be where he is today.
So there you have it: Five of the Gold Medal Keys I learned watching Michael Phelps last week. It isn’t often that I get to watch someone with a champion’s mind, a champion’s heart and a champion’s spirit. I am posting these keys over my desk so I can look at them everyday for inspiration. What about you? I invite you to read over these keys and choose some very specific way you can incorporate them into your life and your business. Before you know it, you’ll be creating your own Gold Medal Performance:)
Want To Reprint this article? You may as long as you leave it intact and include this author information: Sarah Robinson publishes The Leader’s Edge, a bi-weekly ezine exclusively for leaders in the direct sell.ing, net.work marketing and mu.lti-level marketing industries. If you are ready for cutting edge business strategies that will make you more money, give you more free time and put more fun in your direct sell.ing business, get your FREE subscription now at www.directsellingleaders.com.
Category: Inspirational | Tags: | 2 Comments »
Published July 24th, 2008
Thanks to my cousin Ashley for this cute “Memory Tag” idea! One memory I have of her that I commented about on her blog (www.thehenryheart.blogspot.com) was of playing Barbies together when we were really little. (Of course now I STILL have Barbie’s everywhere… but they are still in the boxes in my Barbie collection. :o)
1. As a comment on my blog, leave a memory that you and I had together. It doesn’t matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember, good or bad but be nice please! ;o)
2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog. If you don’t want to play on your blog, or if you don’t have a blog, I’ll leave my memory of you in my comments.
Category: Just for Fun | Tags: | 4 Comments »
Published June 23rd, 2008
“If you really believe you can do something, obstacles can never make you give up. But if you believe you cannot do it, you will give up at the first sign of trouble. Dare to believe that you can achieve God’s best and highest in your life!”
This quote also reminded me of a phrase from the movie Martian Child that Dave & I watched last night… “Never, never, never, never, never, ever give up!” (Kinda like the quote from Winston Churchill).
Here’s another good one I remember from one of my college religion courses: “When you are on the Lord’s errand, you are entitled to his help!”
So in summary, believe in yourself, never give up, and trust in the Lord’s inspiration and you will reach those dreams & goals in your life! Live today as if it is your last! You have never lived this day before… make it a great one. :o)
Category: Inspirational | Tags: | 1 Comment »
Published May 1st, 2008
This was SO cute I just had to share… Natalie and I were having a wonderful “Tea Party” yesterday afternoon while Cooper was napping. As part of our conversation, I told her how wonderful the “Lemon Tea” tasted (it was really just water in a plastic Disney cup ;o) and I asked her what the recipe was. Here is what she explained:
”You will need 2 lemons, and 1 cup of water. You’ll need to mix it with a spoon. Then let it dry for 2 hours. Then it’s done!”
Is that not the cutest??? So a little bit later in the afternoon she brought me another recipe that she created from scratch on a sheet of notebook paper. See if you can decipher 6 year old writing:
- 2 caps showgr
- 1 cap of flaowr
- 1 cap wadr
- mix
- powt it in the uvin
Not sure if she really knows what that would really create… and she was pretty disappointed when I told her we probably wouldn’t have time to make it last night; I didn’t know what else to say? Should I let her give it a try even though I know how it would (or wouldn’t in this case) turn out?? She sure is a cutie. I think I should dust off some of those kids recipe books that we haven’t used for a while and plan a mom & daughter cooking night. OR maybe a REAL tea party with friends! I’ll let you know what we decide.
Category: Just for Fun, Recipes | Tags: | 2 Comments »
Published April 29th, 2008
But it DOES give you “more choices, more freedom, and more opportunities to help other people.” I loved the article I got in my inbox this afternoon from Ann Vertel. I don’t know why many people have misconceptions about money, but I know I have had some of these same misguided thoughts before. Let me know in your comment whether or not you agree with Ann! This article explains in a very simple way…
“Why You Should Be Wealthy”
You are supposed to be wealthy. If you believe that you are somehow more worthy and pure if you are poor, you may have bought into the misguided notion that wealthy people are bad and poor people are good. This is not true, it is merely an idea that was planted in your brain sometime while you were growing up.
If you remain poor or in a state of financial balance that permits you to “just get by,” you can do very little good for other people. Your focus will likely be upon your own situation. You can’t help poor people out of theirs when you are wrapped up in your own.
Maybe somewhere along the way you decided that being wealthy will change you. The fact is that becoming wealthy will only change your lifestyle. You will still have problems but they will be different problems. You will deal with different financial issues. And you will have more choices, more freedom, and more opportunities to help other people. But all that is lifestyle. You yourself will not change.
If you are stingy with your money now, you will still be stingy with your money when you have a whole lot of it. If you are a warm, generous, giving person now, you will still be a warm, generous, giving person when you are wealthy but just on a larger scale. And anyone that tells you that acquiring riches will somehow make you snooty, stuck up, uncaring, callous, shallow, immoral, mean, unprincipled, crooked, selfish, or out of touch with your kids is someone who is broke. Oh, you could be all that when you’re wealthy, but only if you’re already that way now.
So, why should you be wealthy? Because the world needs more rich people. You should become wealthy so that you can do more good in the world.
You see, money is not good and it is not bad. You’re not selfish to want more of it, if you want it for the right reasons. If you’re in this game just to have more toys, I’m afraid you’ll never be satisfied. But if you choose to become wealthy in a way that creates good in the world as you go, well then you’ve tapped into a spirit of abundance that cannot be stopped.
Oh, and if you think that you being rich means someone else has to be poor, you are seriously misguided. There isn’t a set amount of wealth that is doled out among the chosen few. You do not hurt poor people by becoming wealthy. In fact, you put yourself in a far better position to help them become wealthy too.
Now go have a POWERFUL day!
Warm regards,
Ann Vertel
http://www.UnitCoach.com
“Taking You to the Top!”
You may copy this article if full credit and an active link is given to http://www.UnitCoach.com
Category: Consider This... | Tags: | Be the First to Comment »
Published April 4th, 2008
The women in my neighborhood have started a “Cooking Group” that meets every other month. We take turns teaching about different types of dishes and cooking techniques. Whatever we learn about in one class, we will try out at home and bring a dish to share for the next class. YUM… I love potlucks!
One of my favorite classes that we went to was when a friend taught us about Chinese cooking. It was incredible how simple she made it look… and sure enough… I had success creating the recipes at home, as well! The trick with chinese cooking is to prepare all of the ingredients in advance, so that when you are ready to throw them in the wok, you can just toss it in. Here are the tips that she gave us that night:
- Use a good non-stick stir fry pan or wok.
- A good way to test oil heat is to put the tip of a bamboo chopstick in the oil. If bubbles form at the base of the chopstick, the oil is hot.
- Read the entire recipe before beginning. In a lot of Chinese food recipes, there are additional ingredients in the instructions.
- Cut everything up BEFORE you start cooking. Chinese food cooks really fast and you can burn it or make is mushy if you are not watching it closely.
- Do not stir-fry with olive oil or sesame seed oil. They have a really strong flavor and will make your meat and veggies taste funny. Canola oil is best.
- A bamboo steamer is great for making Chinese dumplings and bread, but is also a great way to steam vegetables. I use it for fish. The steamer collects the condsensation and so your house doesn’t smell like fish after cooking.
- Use a good, sharp knife. When diagonal cutting vegetables or shredding meat, a dull knife will make your end result look mushy.
- Use fresh vegetables, especially gingerroot and garlic. Frozen or bottled vegetables will work, but fresh look and taste better.
- Chinese dessert is usually fresh fruit or fruit juice.
- Do not be discouraged by all the ingredients and instructions in Chinese cooking. Once you read it through, it is very simple. After everything is mixed and chopped, it’s just dump in the pan and cook it up.
Here is the printable version of the handouts she gave us that night:
Chinese Cooking Tips & Techniques- WPD
These were the 2 dishes that she made that night, and the ones I will continue to make for years to come!
Cashew Chicken- PDF
Sweet & Sour Shrimp- PDF
Thanks for sharing one of your talents with us, Erin!
Category: Recipes | Tags: | 3 Comments »
