Hey, I lost my job: update
Filed under: network marketing, overcoming fear, overcoming obstacles, positive attitude, solving problems
You may have read my posts from a few weeks ago (Hey, I’ve been fired! Day 2, Day 3, Week 1, Week 2), about the aftermath of being fired from my job. There have been so many ups and downs along the way, but all in all? Things have been going really, really well.
One of the biggest changes was that my husband and I moved out of our townhouse and into the studio space that I was using as an office, body-work treatment room, meeting room, and art studio. I also canceled some of the financial commitments that have been a significant part of our overhead each month. Our overhead is still about twice my husband’s salary, but the gap gets covered by my network marketing income, and little surprises from the universe that wander into our lives just at the right time.
The extra time each day has been an unbelievable blessing. I know so much about twitter and facebook, blogging, videos for youtube, and next on my list, myspace. Being able to plug into all of these social networks, to learn the ins and outs, and have fun along the way, has brought me to the point where I really get it now. All of the mysterious (what??? why?!?) nuances have cleared away, and everything makes sense now. I would never have tackled all of that while holding down a J.O.B.
I’ve learned a lot about me, too. I’ve gotten pretty good at keeping my spirits up, watching my attitude, moving the energy so as not to get bogged down in a pity party. There have been only a couple of occasions where my husband has had to pat my shoulder, giving me the space to whimper “poor me, poor me”, but even those have been pretty entertaining.
The biggest experiential lesson has been that simpler is better. We fit nicely into this studio space. We have lots of windows. We have everything we need even though we got rid of tons of stuff. We don’t do much cooking, so the teeny kitchen is just the right size. Our cat likes it, because now he doesn’t have to wander back and forth between our former townhouse and my former office/studio. We’re always here in this spot, and he can sleep soundly, guarding his humans and his pint-sized yard. His job has become manageable, too. Life is good.
I’ve learned that if you take away the big financial burden, life can feel safe again. You can start to uncurl, grow, blossom. Peace of mind is a huge reward for keeping a positive attitude, so the lesson is much easier than it used to be.
Taking away the big financial burden also took away the imperative of making this business work! This week! Now!!! Instead, I can nourish its growth at a pace that is truer to who I am and how I interact with people. I have more time to meet people for tea, networking in a way that’s fun rather than scary. I have more time to read all of the training stuff floating around out there. I had enough time to meander down to Anaheim for our quarterly corporate training weekend. It was a glorious week, and I’m looking forward to the next one enthusiastically.
So, if you find yourself in a tight spot, let go of the complexities of life that have become burdensome, and let yourself breathe again. Move somewhere cheaper, and if that means smaller, then hold each object in your hands, close your eyes, and feel whether the object fills you with guilt, pulling you down over things left undone, or lifts your spirits and fills you with delight because you love using this silly thing every day. Get rid of the downers and pack up the uppers. Your new space will be freeing and invigorating. You’ll be able to accomplish miraculous things, in joy and harmony, with a calm heart and a free mind.
Gifts abound.
Women are the Power
Filed under: dreams into reality, network marketing, women entrepreneurs
At the Rising Star Academy in Anaheim on November 6th and 7th, Marci Shimoff (http://www.happyfornoreason.com) spoke to a standing-room-only crowd of about 400 women, with a sprinkling of men. She shared many facts that were news to me. Here’s a sampling.
The actual spending power in the average American household lies in women’s hands. Eighty percent, 80%! of all purchase decisions are made by women. If you are creating a business that revolves around products or service, you want to be talking with the women. It stands to reason that it would be wise to know how to talk to the women.
Research has shown that women have much greater brand loyalty than men. Once a woman falls in love with a product, it is very hard to get her to abandon it. If your product or service is new on the market, you want to be talking to the women. Gain their loyalty, and they will stay with you for a long time. Again, it stands to reason that it would be wise to know how to talk to the women.
If you’re looking for business partners, you should know that women start more businesses than men; in fact, 50 times more! And you’ve probably already heard or perhaps noticed that 70% of all network marketing professionals are women. So, if you are creating your own amazing business in network marketing, you want to be talking to the women. And you know what? It stands to reason that it would be wise to know how to talk to the women.
Women process information and make decisions differently than men. Women are more innerpreneurial than men. For women, it’s not just about the money and climbing the ladder. There’s more to success, in a woman’s world, than money and recognition. Women care about the impact they have on society. We are cultural creatures. We are inspired to share our mission of bringing health, wealth, consciousness, authenticity into our everyday business relationships. We are cultural creatives, interested in personal development, making the world a better place, a greener place, a more highly spiritual place.
When you are talking to the women, show them how they can combine their desire to make a difference, with their desire for financial freedom. It’s there, hidden in your prosperity plan, your products, your business culture. Bring it out, sculpt it into a blossoming possibility, show them how they can turn it into a reality. Show them how they can make a difference in their family’s lives, in their friends lives, and the steps they need to take to transform those desires into reality.
Genuine inner freedom is the unspoken goal of our every action and thought. When women are safe to blossom into the nurturing, generous, loving souls that they habitually keep tucked away in their hearts, they CAN change the world. They WILL change the world.
The Dalai Lama said, “The world will be saved by the Western woman.” There is NO force equal to the strength of a woman determined to rise.
Top 10 Characteristics of Success, Part 3
In Wednesday’s post and Thursday’s post, we talked about the first 7 characteristics of success that Ken Dunn presented at the MasterMind Event #5 (MM5). Here are the final three for your consideration.
8. Find the core meaning of your life. What are you being called to do? What is being asked of you, in your inner self, in your heart? What gives your life meaning? What is the best way to support your mission and move toward your goal?
9. Continuously improve yourself. Pay attention to the results of your actions. Are you being stopped everywhere you turn? Are doors opening for you? Check in with your inner guide; are you still headed in the right direction? What could you do better? Where do you need to take some time and learn what’s needed? What would help you help others?
10. Take action. Do what needs to be done. Do today whatever you can to move toward your goal. Make tomorrow easier by getting one more thing done today. Avoid spending tomorrow’s time by putting things off. Do it now.
You can’t help the network marketing revolution until you’ve helped revolutionize yourself. Success is determined by the steps you take when nobody’s looking. Don’t wait until it hurts enough. Do something NOW.
If not this, then what?
If not now, then when?
If not you, then who?
One man with determination in his eyes can awaken all others.
Top 10 Characteristics of Success, Part 2
In yesterday’s post, we talked about the first 3 characteristics of success that Ken Dunn presented at the MasterMind Event #5 (MM5). Here are more for your consideration.
4. Attention to detail. Avoid flitting from thing to thing. Do something completely; finish it. Think of what else you could add. Break it down into smaller parts and make sure each part is the best possible. Think it through. Think it through from someone else’s perspective. What won’t make sense to them? What needs clarification? What’s missing? What’s overdone? Pay attention to what’s going on around you and improve on things.
5. Gravitational pull; magnetism. Keep your energy up, not by drinking more coffee or power drinks, but by focusing on the person talking to you. Draw them out. Make them the center of your attention. Connect. Be totally present in the conversation. Try not to interrupt them. The higher, clearer, calmer your energy, the greater your magnetism.
6. Serving other people. Think of what you can do to help others. Think of helping on an individual basis and on a group basis. If you help someone else succeed, then you’ve succeed as well. Be there for them, without being codependent. Keep your word. Follow through.
7. Live in the present. Avoid mulling over what happened before. You can’t change it anyway. Avoid worrying about what might happen. You’re not there yet. Pay attention to what you’re doing now. Put everything you have into what’s in front of you. Prepare for what’s coming up, but by focusing on what you need to do now in order to be ready for what’s coming. Keep your attention on your preparations, rather than whatever you’re preparing for.
Top 10 Characteristics of Success
Filed under: building your business, entrepereneurs, learning network marketing, network marketing
At MM5, the MasterMind Event #5 in Houston, Ken Dunn (www.kendunn.com) spoke of how he researched successful people whom he greatly admired. He included Mother Theresa, Gandhi, Warren Buffet, Steve Jobs, John F. Kennedy, Bill Gates, and many others. He concluded that these successful people all shared 10 identical characteristics. He reasoned that if you apply those 10 characteristics to yourself, then you could be successful at network marketing.
- Rely heavily on mentorship. Find someone who has achieved success in your profession. Read everything you can about that person. Establish the relationship. Listen to her advice. Emulate him. Look at the world through the same lens. Be open to having several mentors. Choose mentors that have the same core beliefs as you.
- Incredible communicator. Learn how to get your point across. Practice talking to people. Know when to hit your off switch. Practice listening to people. Practice writing to people. Articulate the nuances of your point. Be clear. Don’t ramble. Listen. Focus. Inject humor.
- Solid self-confidence. Exude confidence. Confidence stems from belief. When prospecting, walk the person through the 5 levels of belief. What’s the #1 belief? Belief in YOU; belief in you as a sponsor. Next, shift to belief in the product, then belief in the profession, then belief in themselves.
More later!
Tell me 5 things
Filed under: network marketing, solving problems, talking with friends
There are two main secrets to obtaining success in network marketing: work on yourself and keep talking to people. If you haven’t a clue on what you need to work on to improve yourself, a powerful tactic is to ask 10 of your friends to tell you 5 things that you need to work on to make yourself a better person.
You could do this with an email. That approach let’s them take some time to think it through. It also gives both of you a little distance, which helps minimize any awkwardness, for them and for you.
“Tell me 5 things about me that I need to change.” It’s a very simple request, and most people will be honest and won’t mind helping you out. People like to help their friends. People like to see their friends improve themselves, whether it’s financially, socially, or personally. It makes you a better friend, so there’s something in it for them, too.
Now it might be that you read the same things from each friend, repeated 10 times, again and again. It might be that you read 97 different things, because they all see different things, and they didn’t want to stop when they got to #5. Regardless, you’re going to find out where you should start and, with introspection, you’ll have a good idea HOW to start.
AND, by working on yourself, you’ll start to feel more comfortable about talking with other people, new acquaintances as well as old friends, so you’ll be feeding two birds with the same seed. It has the element of leverage, doesn’t it? Leverage helps you get to that successful spot more quickly. So this tactic helps you move forward on several fronts.
See how it all comes together?
Every day is a new day
Every day is a new day. What a breath of fresh air. Maybe you had a lousy day yesterday. Maybe you had a lousy day 5 minutes ago, but whoever you’re talking to right now, especially someone that you’re talking to for the first time, doesn’t know all about the mess you’ve just gone through.
This is especially important when you’re starting out, because when we’re new at network marketing, we make a lot of messes. It’s the only career that I can think of where you can mess up again and again, and as long as you’re willing to pick yourself up off the ground and try again, you will succeed. There’s no one to fire you. There’s no one to give you a negative review. There’s no one to yell at you and tell you you’re a failure. No one that is, except yourself, of course.
And that’s the crux of the matter. The only thing you really have to pay attention to is your attitude. As long as you can keep your attitude positive and upbeat, you have nothing to worry about; nothing.
I’m not talking about a thin, false veneer here. That would be working from the outside in. I’m talking about a genuinely upbeat, positive attitude. If you just slap on a veneer, then you’ll eat yourself up on the inside. Those negative tendencies will just roil around on the inside and splurt out when you’re not keeping a tight clamp on them.
Instead, work from the inside out. Work on your inner attitude. Find a genuine way to view things that is positive and upbeat.
For instance, I ended up having a quesadilla for lunch today. Not long ago, my dairy allergy would have put me into a tailspin. But I’ve been able to beat my dairy allergy using an Ayurvedic herbal drink (which also works from the inside out, now that I think of it). I love cheese; always have. But I’ve had to avoid it like the plague for about 8 years and I miss it sorely.
Now that I can have dairy, I’ve been relishing the flavors and richness of this great protein source, so important for us vegetarians. It’s been a rediscovered treat.
Last week, traveling to Houston for a few days, my vegetarian diet limited me to grilled veggie sandwiches, and the only protein option available was cheese melted inside the sandwiches, while all around me, people were glorying in heaps of meat. Texas is not a vegetarian culture. But melted cheese on my sandwich? Heaven!
Until Day 4, after 2 meals a day, each the same as the last, when I finally had had my fill of cheese. Enough!
Now, here I am, 2 days later, faced with yet another melted cheese concoction. No longer heavenly.
So, there are a couple of attitudes I could adopt here. OMG I can’t believe I’m stuck with cheese again! Or. OMG I can’t believe I can eat dairy again!
Both are completely true, and while the first may jump to the forefront of my thoughts, I’m not going to cooperate with the negativity of that response. I’m CHOOSING to focus on the fact that I am, once again, after a looooonnngggg absence, able to enjoy cheese, especially melted, with wondrous flavors blending and enhancing, enriching my palette. I am one lucky lady.
So, when things get tough, when you’ve screwed up, or when things haven’t gone the way you’ve expected or hoped, find the positive angle that is true, although perhaps not dominant in your mind. Focus on that true, positive angle, and give it depth and texture, meaning and joy. Slowly, slowly, you will start changing. From the inside out.
MasterMind Event #5
This weekend in Houston, the MasterMind Event #5 was teaming with professional network marketers from all over the world, looking for inspiration, insight, connections. Want to know who was here, sharing their vast wisdom? Art Jonak, Randy Gage, Orrin Woodward, Ken Dunn, Jordan Adler, Hilde and Orjan Saele, Donna Johnson, Richard Brooke, Tom “Big Al” Schreiter, Michael Clouse. They each spoke for over an hour, at least once, usually twice, and each time they took the platform, they offered wisdom, humor, insights, practicalities. I am now so well equipped to go out and conquer the world, that nothing, nothing can stop me.
My favorite speaker was Art Jonak. Art planned, orchestrated, and MCd the entire event. He spoke of the network marketing profession, not as an industry, but as a profession with heart, soul, integrity, and potential, that each one of us has embraced with enthusiasm and vitality.
Actually, my favorite speaker was Randy Gage. Randy described how for every person seeking greatness, there are dozens charged with safeguarding mediocrity.
Well, actually, my favorite speaker was Orrin Woodward. Orrin talked about how leadership starts with hunger. Once you lose your hunger, you stop being a leader because you lose the drive to do better.
Now that I think about it, my favorite speaker was Kenn Dunn . Kenn used to investigate pyramid schemes as a police officer in Ottowa. Now he is a top earner, because the more he investigated, the more convinced he became that network marketing is the perfect solution for people hoping to regain control over their financial, social, and personal lives.
But actually, my favorite speaker was Jordan Adler. Jordan noted that people are attracted to a happy dog. Be a happy dog! People are held hostage by their incomes, driven to do what they’re supposed to do, rather than what they know is the right thing to do. Help them discover the solution to becoming the person they were meant to be, rather than live the life of a person that they’re forced to be.
When Orjan and Hilde Saele took the platform, I realized that they were my favorite speakers. They emphasized that your focus will always determine your outcome. Whatever you magnify will catch fire. We are our compounded habits. Change your habits; change yourself.
But THEN, I realized that my favorite speaker was Donna Johnson. Donna gave the women a voice and noted that network marketing provides a level playing field. Everyone makes the same money, men and women. The opportunity that we offer other people is our BEST product, forget about the drink, the antioxidants, the skin care, the energy whatever. It’s the opportunity that can change people’s health, wealth, relationships, life focus.
So, actually, my favorite speaker was Richard Brooke. Richard gave us an overview of the regulatory aspects of network marketing, and then concentrated on how we can close the gap between corporate and field, listing ideal corporate goals and field goals.
And THEN, Tom “Big Al” Schreiter laughed us silly, and I realized that he was my favorite speaker. Big Al told us that the skill we need to develop is how to view the other person’s viewpoint. Give them a choice. Capture their attention.
Had they saved the best for last? Michael Clouse was absolutely my favorite speaker. Michael said that the most important factor that will determine how my business, my life, turns out is how I think. Change my thoughts; change my life.
Then they started all over, taking another turn on stage, and I had to keep readjusting my favorite-speaker status. But regardless of who was on the platform, each speaker gave me gems of wisdom, humor, and practicality that I can take home with me and get started NOW to make my business the best thing ever, and to help each of my teammates do the same. I can’t wait to get started. I know just how to do it.
How was your weekend?
Moving On Up… On TO Own Domain & Ready to Continue Forward
Filed under: MLM, make money online, overcoming obstacles, solving problems
I know that in the pass few weeks I have been making a lot of changes, but each is a step in a plan to make my blog, my business and my online presents better and more able to reach people that I know I can help.
I have switched my blogging platform and moved to my own domain. My new site URL is http://createyourownamazingbusiness.com and my template (which was upgraded a few weeks ago) will stay the same but with better plug-in and therefore more capabilities. I am committed to helping people , sharing what I have found works for me, and can work for you as well. I have many big and exciting plans for this blog, many ideas I can not wait to share and information on an opportunity that I know has the possibility to change your life (it is mine).
The one thing that was not able to intergrate like I had wanted was the Google Friend Connect in the right upper conner, so I must kindly ask you to go ahead a refollow if you were already following and if not, the go ahead and follow now.
I want to say that I appreciate my readers patience during this switch over and that I will be back on a regular blogging schedule towards the end of this week. I am also working on integrating an e-mail RSS subscription where you can get my post e-mailed to you, which I know some, like myself, find easier. In the meantime please, subcribed to my RSS where you can choose your READER of preference to get my blog in to save you time.
I have also added an ABOUT page (top navigation bar) where I gave some more information that I had scaled way down on the last blog due to not having an ABOUT page, so be sure to check it out.
Remember that you are each very important to me and that I welcome, in fact I love, your comments…so keep them coming. I am also always willing to set up one on one time to talk with you about the opportunity that I have found that I believe in that I know can change lives. Besides that things will remind the same, I will continue to write articles and post that I hope you find helpful, inspirtaion, uplifting for even just entertaining.
Most of I would like to take this time to just stop and say Thank You!
Joy TO You
Marilyn Holm
createyourownamzingbusiness@gmail.com
Hey, I’ve been fired, Week 2
Filed under: building your business, dreams into reality, entrepereneurs, overcoming fear, positive attitude, time management, try try again
Surprisingly, now that I’ve been fired, Monday mornings are the worst day of the week. Usually, on Monday mornings, we ramp ourselves up for our work week. We drag ourselves out of bed and step into our workday routine. A lot of times, we hate Monday mornings. We feel like we’re heading back to confinement, after a weekend of freedom and doing exactly what we want to do.
So you would think that Monday mornings would be great, if you didn’t have to go into work. Freedom! That would probably be true, if there wasn’t a fear clamped firmly in my gut, settling wetly on my heart, a constant undertone of worry about the future, worry about how things are going to turn out, how does this movie end. . .
The loss of morning routines can be disconcerting and can aggravate worry and fear. So it follows that establishing an alternative morning routine can provide a sense of order and purpose to the day. Since I’m calling the shots now, I’ve decided to include things that I enjoy into my morning routine. But it’s also important to include things that maintain my self-discipline and increase my certainty of success.
On my list of enjoyable things: meditation, yoga postures, writing, hot bath, gazing into my cat’s adoring eyes, talking with my husband, watercolor, taking action. On my list of disciplined things: balanced breakfast, walking, catching up on emails, paying bills, waiting.
Taking action and waiting are a balancing act. I’ve signed up another 4 people in my business in the last few days, sent out a newsletter, written follow-up emails to everyone on the list, sent out samples and literature, gotten my downline pointed in the direction that’s best for each person. . . Taking action is the easy part for me. But it has to be balanced with waiting to be truly effective. I have to consciously make myself wait, wait for others to sift through the information in their brains in order to move forward; wait for the emails to be opened and read, absorbed; wait for the postal service to deliver the samples and literature; wait for the soup to simmer and be ready for lunch.
A friend told me: take care not to drive faster than your angels can fly. Last week, a couple of times, I drove too fast and splatted against the wall at the dead end because I missed the side street where the answer was patiently waiting for me. I put in motion a couple of projects that didn’t need doing. I left voice messages that were outdated after I opened my email and found the answers waiting for me there.
Progress is directional. If you have trouble taking action, then progress for you is convincing yourself to take action. If you’re doing too many things and spinning your wheels, then progress for you is slowing down and balancing your life. And when your life changes drastically, your directional progress may require a fresh look and evaluation of what’s really going on and what would be the best direction for your energy and focus.
So this Monday morning, I’m establishing a new routine, balanced yet active, thoughtful yet reaching out, generating a positive attitude, nurturing hope that turns into faith that turns into belief that turns into reality. I’m waiting yet taking action, balancing the two opposites perfectly in my heart, letting the joy blossom and grow, enveloping my day, guiding me toward the right thing to do.
How is your Monday?
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