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Self-Care Articles |
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As a creative person I can tell you sometimes a complete disconnect is the only way to stoke those innovative fires. A nap can be the best thing you do to increase your creativity and productivity. Sounds crazy, I know. So how do you incorporate naps into your workday?
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I look at doctors and heads of industries and people who are making a huge impact on the world and it feels huge to me and often like a position I'll never reach. I think about the kind of work I ultimately want to do. Then I remember it's not too big or out of my ability or reserved for the uber special few - it's just that I haven't gotten there yet.
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Despite what many people say or believe I don't think that marketing yourself has to suck. Sure there are a ton of marketing tactics or strategies that feel like absolute torture to me but I don't get my panties all in a bunch about them. I just don't do them. And I don't think YOU have to do what feels like torture either.
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How many times have you had a really creative idea but you talked yourself out of doing it because you worried what others might think? How many times have you thought there is a very creative person inside of you but you just aren’t sure how to access her? Or, maybe you’ve simply thought the creativity gene was not one of the tools you got in your life belt?
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No matter who we are or on what path we walk, everything we think, feel, do, say or believe requires some of this energy. It is to the extent that we maximize this breath, this Prana, that we will find success, peace and fulfillment in this life.
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I was feeling very frazzled today. Overly attached to my work, my clients' results, my computer and the idea that if I walked away from it all for a while I will lose my business. So, I started thinking about myself and stumbled on the question, where am I not being totally honest in my own life? Is my business a show? Is the mask I'm wearing just that, a mask, or are my soul and persona really in line?
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The Beginner's Mind is the mind that is innocent of preconceptions. A mind that does not judge or think it's too full but rather one that is endlessly curious and open to answers and ideas. Learn more.
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I was watching Katie Couric interview Andre Agassi on 60 Minutes on Sunday and I was struck by this idea of scars and how there are many things that happen to us in our lives and things that are said to us that leave a mark.
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Designing your life doesn’t just mean designing what you do or how you spend your days, it means designing all of the areas within your life as well. So here are a few things you can do to spruce up your space.
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When was the last time a client called your cell phone after hours or sent you an email at 8pm and expected an answer by 9pm or didn't pay you per your agreement? Or a vendor or coach took a week to answer an email?
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Time management tips can help you shape your quality of life. Ultimately, you determine how to use each moment of your life to promote your balance, your satisfaction, and your productivity. Perhaps you are so busy now that it's hard to assess just how well your time choices are working for you! Maybe you are tired, rundown, frantic, or simply out of sync with yourself. Now is the time to create a personal sanctuary with solitude.
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I worked with a client along time ago when I was a counselor who loved to hang out in whatever drama she could create. Sometimes it was drama about her mom, sometimes her house, sometimes it was her "illness", and sometimes it was just the fact that her cable guy was late. No matter what was going on, she chose to hang in what I call "the muck of life".
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"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure." - Marianne Williamson. There are several stages a person will likely pass through before they become truly fabulous. The following are warning signs that your fabulousness may be just around the corner.
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We are surrounded by seekers. All around us there are people "on the path", on their way, seeking something, enlightenment, anything. They see a movie, read a passage in the Bible, hear someone speak, visit a slaughterhouse, read a profound text or experience an "a ha" moment and the road to enlightenment begins.
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There are 2 kinds of stories we carry around. The first story has to do with others and the role they have played in our lives. The second involves the stories about ourselves, primarily those where we have placed blame on ourselves for certain actions, thoughts, and choices we've made.
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I read a fascinating article the other day in the March 2008 edition of HR Magazine called "Your Brain at Work" by Adrienne Fox. I began studying the brain about 20 years ago when I took my first psych class in college and I never stopped. Why we do what we do is one of the most interesting subjects I speak about and understanding it informs nearly every personal and business relationship I have.
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I have been practicing yoga for nearly 13 years but it wasn't until about 9 years ago that I discovered how much I loved Ashtanga. When I first began taking yoga classes I experimented with a variety of styles: Iyengar, Anusara, and Bikram, what I now affectionately refer to as "hot stretch". And, though I blend lessons from each into my daily practice, it is Ashtanga that sets my heart, body and mind on fire.
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Did you know that social pain and physical pain light up the same regions of the brain on an MRI and that as far as the brain goes, social pain is just as harmful as physical pain?
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All day long I talk to people who act as though they are on sale - and I don't mean FOR sale, but ON sale. I can spot it anywhere because I used to be on sale. I was on sale in every area of my life - career, relationships, financially, emotionally - you name it and I was there at a deep discount.
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When you’re a solopreneur the ‘to do list’ can seem endless, especially at the end of the day. At times it seems easier to put tasks off till the next day or simply get overwhelmed and give up. The problem is the tasks keep piling up.
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For many working moms, the biggest challenge is achieving work/life balance. We feel pressure from unseen forces to be at the top of our field professionally and to make ourselves worthy of Mother of the Year. Why are we constantly chasing unrealistic expectations, both at home and at work?
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Are you greeting each new day with optimism and energy or are you feeling a bit lackluster? Are you dragging in the morning, slogging through mental, physical, and emotional quicksand throughout your work day, when school lets out, or any of those other times you want - and need - to be bright, cheery, energetic?
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Did you know that you can create an amazing amount of joy in your life? With extraordinary joy, you will experience a deep level of satisfaction and delight which comes when we tap into those activities that provide restoration, energy, and that allow us to really like who we are.
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Despite our best intentions, time with family and friends often gets pre-empted by deadlines, meetings, business trips, and other obligations. But spending quality time with the people you care about not only nurtures those relationships, but it can also nurture your business because it relieves stress and reminds you of your priorities.
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Keeping up with business and social engagements sometimes means sacrificing our personal hobbies and relaxation time. But making time for ourselves, even on a busy day, can and will help us feel better and function better. Although it's admirable to spend time taking care of work, friends, family, and pets, it's even more important to spend time taking care of ourselves.
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Let's face it: most of us are afraid of trying something new for fear of failing. We don't want to look silly or incompetent in front of our colleagues, friends, spouses, or children, so we make excuses.
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One of the many things I discovered is that I sometimes have a tendency to bend in situations where I shouldn’t. Not actually bend-over backwards, but enough that I end up not feeling good about the situation. I’ve actually strengthened this boundary quite a bit in recent years, but as always, I’ve been tested on that a few times lately, so I wanted to share some of the ways I’ve strengthened this boundary within the way I run my business so you can do the same.
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If you're like me, you're almost always on the go. Whether you're juggling projects at work, balancing your personal and professional lives, or being there for the people you love, your available time may constantly be stretched to the limits. When was the last time you really took some time just for yourself?
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These days all you have to do is open your email to read someone's opinion of what you MUST do to succeed in these economically challenging and chaotic times. Many of these letters are really well-written and will convince you that this expert has all the answers to your problems. But then someone else has another answer and insists that is the correct one. Who are you to believe?
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When is the last time that you took some time out for yourself? I don't mean the kind of time where you pretend you're taking it but your mind is still heavily focused on work, the stress over what your clients will be thinking or saying in your absence and the overwhelm you are already feeling at the sort of work overload you'll return to. I mean pure, enjoyable time to yourself. Here are a few things that you can do to infuse some balance into your life.
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What do you need to let go of? Whatever it is that you need to let go of, the first step is to recognize the need to move on. We sometimes get so stuck in pursuing that we don’t stop to ask ourselves if we really should be pursuing. Ask yourself...
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Most of us think that time management can help us control our hectic lives, but it can do more than that. Stress, as we now know, can kill, and lack of financial planning can mean an impoverished life later on. Although we rarely think of these three topics – time, finances, and stress – as interlinked, they are. In fact, when you take control of your time, you will be able to eliminate much of the stress in your life and enjoy more affluence as well
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One of the definitions of drain is to exhaust physically or emotionally. Does this sound like what you are feeling? Do you lack the energy, drive, or ambition that you would like to have in one or more areas of your life? If so, it's time to recognize where your drains are so they can be properly exorcised.
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What does your heart tell you when it speaks to you? What about your "gut?" Do you actually listen to it? Thoughts, feelings, health clues, etc. are ignored daily; often to the detriment of the person being oblivious, or simply unsure of which course to take. It's time to tune out the extraneous interference and concentrate on the inner melody.
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It's easy to become overwhelmed by overcomiting yourself. When you think through your agreements BEFORE you make them, it becomes much easier to stay on target, follow through and achieve success.
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What does creating space for the new mean? And how can it help you and your business?
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Are we talking about drugs? Well not the traditional form, but a type of drug--the inability to make the best of a situation and accept something that is not perfect but is completely acceptable.
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Right now, the mood of the world is focused more on giving and abundance than ever before. No matter what your personal situation is, there's much to feel gratitude for.
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We all have unique needs that are important to us and that need to be met.
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What does extreme self-care mean and how do we accomplish it?
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Are you in balance? Find out with the wheel of balance and learn how to change it.
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What does the expression "unlimited potential” mean to you? What image does it bring to mind? Is it of someone holding a globe over their head, or of someone relaxed and at ease?
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Are you too busy? Are you always in a hurry, juggling work and family tasks like balls in the air? Are you ready to snap?
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Here it is, a morning ritual to get your creative juices flowing ...Creative Bagel Time!
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Three "mantras" to assist Solo Entrepreneurs to get back in balance when feeling stressed, overwhelmed or just plain tired!
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Learn how snorkling can help your business!
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It's so important to be sure that you are bringing your distinctive fingerprint – your unique value proposition into the brand you are creating out in the world in a way that is authentic and right for you. So, how do you present yourself in the marketplace?
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Believe it or not, stress is something you create yourself based on the way you think. Like anything else it’s a choice made on an unconscious level. I know there may be people who will say, “I just get stressed, I can’t choose to not feel stressed.” Yes, you can.
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Being masterful in business is what gives you the competitive edge in today's business environment. Knowing that you must continually be looking for ways to change and expand your product and give exceptional service to potential clients will make you a master of business.
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At any given time in our life, we can feel like a zombie. A zombie is someone who is just going through the motions - uninspired and unmotivated. When we change our attitude or approach to life, everything changes. So what can we do to create a different outcome for ourselves?
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Do you want less stress and more joy in your life? Here are tips that can help you achieve those results. The sooner you apply them, the sooner the quality of your life will improve.
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Learn 3 terrific ways to 'chunk down' the load so you can get it done - with less stress!
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Strange but true: When trying to make life changes, most people violate the most fundamental law in all of psychology. Learn more.
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As a Solo Entrepreneur, you are the CEO of your own business and you will be confronted with many problems. In fact, business owners go into business to solve problems that are presented in the market place. Your ability for you to think accurately and solve the problems you are confronted with will determine your business success and your business failure. So how do you solve a problem if you don't know what the problem actually is? Learn more.
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Heroes surround all of us. All of us have walked a hero's journey. What's yours?
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As the busy holiday season approaches, our to-do list increases and our healthy habits often decrease. This year, make a commitment to stay on track so when the New Year comes, you will not be starting from square one. Here are 10 simple tips that you can add to any day and still get all your extra demands met. These will allow you to stay focused on your health and may lessen the stress associated with the busiest time of the year.
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"My boss is a bitch, complained a solo business owner. I easily understood. I'm my own boss too, and, although I'm my own master (mistress), I'm also my own slave. If you own your own business, you, too, may be very tough on yourself, driven by your own hopes, aspirations, and fears.
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If you are or intend to become a business owner, you will need to steer a course between extremes in order to have a business and have a life. This is Part 1 of 3 Emotional Intelligence In Action articles.
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Learn some tricks from solo entrepreneur, Amy Hogg, to make your small home-based business work with children.
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As a solo entrepreneur what can you do if thoughts keep you up at night.
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Marnie has been a Solo-Entrepreneur for over 15 years. She is self-taught, she is raising six wonderful children, and she takes time to enjoy life (either reading, writing, or walking in her fields). She takes time for family regularly through up-building spiritual study, and movie nights, her numerous websites which she designed and updates herself . She is a novelist having written and published nearly 10 books and collections of business and inspirational articles, and get this=manages to have "date nights" with her husband every Friday night! So, if you are like me and beg the question - how does she do that? Read on!
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Describes the 3 paradigms (i.e., mind models) required for success in self-employment.
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Learn the Twelve Qualities of Happiness based on the book by the same title.
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"I can't seem to get motivated or focused. I feel stuck, I feel tired, distracted - like I should be doing more and I just don't feel like doing very much." Sound familiar? Learn the difference between procrastination and when it's time to re-energize YOU!
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Habits are essential to our very existence; however, sometimes behaviors form into habits that are no longer necessary. With awareness and a strong reason or motivation to change the habit we can initiate and sustain change and rid ourselves of habits that no longer serve a purpose.
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Solo Entrepreneurs have unique needs as they build their small businesses. Here are three key ways that Solo-E's motivate themselves to success: by maintaining a focused marketing approach, finding the support they need in alliances that fuel their creativity and personal vision, and honing in on their assets to create personal expertise.
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If you lament the shortage of time spent doing the very thing that drew you to your solo business, or you continually get to the end of the day with a sense of under-achievement, it may be time to stop tolerating and start liberating. Your business or, perhaps more importantly, your creative soul deserve better treatment.
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A framework is a way of thinking, a point-of-view, a perspective on something. Here are the 15 frameworks of the successfully self-employed professional. You'll find some of these to be radical and foreign. Don't let that stop you! Try them on; see what you learn from them.
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SUCCESSFUL Solo-Entrepreneurs approach life and business from a perspective that is new, fresh, and rather unorthodox. The differences are subtle, yet significant. These distinctions are more than just fads or interesting tips; they are direct, measurable SHIFTS in how you will approach your business, your personal life, your relationships, etc. - for the rest of your life! They are direct from the experience of hundreds of successful solo-entrepreneurs!
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