Resource Articles, Uncategorized
Remember what we were like before we became parents?
Barely, but yes.
When my husband and I decided to create a family, for some stupid reason we thought our children would just easily fit into our busy lives like a new puppy. We had no idea the culture shock…the physical, mental and emotional transformation that would come about once our children became the centerpiece in our lives.
No matter how much we had prepared, how many books we read, how much research we did – everything took a detour once baby made 3.
For many of us, the desire to become our own boss didn’t fully transpire until we became parents. Our careers may have suited us just fine before we took on the parenthood project. We didn’t necessarily leave our careers because we didn’t have time for them anymore. All of a sudden we had a new love, something that filled our hearts and gave us more purpose than before. The dilemma came when we realized we still had more to give.
Now more than ever, there should never be a question how necessary it is that we claim our success and stand up for our smart and savvy selves. No one can travel down your path, hold your actions accountable, or celebrate your story as well as you. All this requires is a little creative discipline, and you really can fit it all into one life. This may not have been the path that you started out on, but if your look closely, you’ll see that this one is better….for awhile.
Nothing stays the same.
Don’t mean to freak you out, but your kids will be grown and more self sufficient before you know it. I used to DREAM of a time that they could walk themselves to school and entertain themselves without interrupting my work day. I couldn’t wait to have time to myself to accomplish MORE.
Well, here we are.
We’ve accomplished a lot and now it’s time to venture back into the career (and the salary) we deserve.
If you are already there, and ready to bring all of your entrepreneur skills and experience back into the corporate workforce, you may be facing an uphill battle. Thousands of highly qualified women with prodigious value to offer are being ghosted and denied employment. We get it, and we are here for you. Our nonprofit services were created with you in mind. Visit us at OurMilkMoney.org to learn more.
Ally Loprete, Community, Family, Resource Articles
Definition of a “crazy” person: Someone who does the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. Definition of a crazy parent: someone who does the same thing over and over again with their children, but doesn’t understand why there are NO results.
My definition of crazy “entertainment” is a TV show like Supernanny, which engages viewers by showing frustrated parents dealing with out of control children. But all ends well after Nanny Jo Frost swoops in, and by the time the credits roll, she has transformed the desperate parents’ bad habits that led the family to be “crazy” enough to even qualify for reality show casting.
But not everyone has access to a Reality Show superstar.
You just need the craziness to stop… because you may very well be close to losing your mind.
Enter Amy McCready
My friend Amy McCready is the founder of Positive Parenting Solutions, Inc., and has been invited onto the Today show, Rachael Ray, MSNBC, CNN, etc., to share her tips on empowering both parents and children to change their bad behavior into positive behavior.
I’d been eagerly awaiting the publication of Amy’s book If I Have to Tell You One More Time… and now that I’ve read it, I can tell you that it’s everything it promised to be: a step-by-step guide on how to parent “without nagging, reminding or yelling”, (yep, I’m guilty of all three.) Amy’s book is an easy-to-read, easy-to-use “toolbox,” filled with ideas on how to avoid repeating the same mistakes that can turn you into a “crazy” parent.
Everything is covered here, from misunderstandings to meltdowns, and she not only presents new ideas but also offers new insights into methods that simply don’t work anymore. Amy makes a good case that the “Time-Out” for example, which has become hugely popular, isn’t as effective as we all think it is.
Amy’s approach is to avoid the “self-defense” mechanism that gets triggered in kids, which leads to defiance, arguments and the inevitable “power struggle” (which leads nowhere at all.)
Amy’s latest book focuses on the central idea that every human being has a basic need to feel powerful-with children being no exception to the rule. And when this need isn’t met in positive ways, kids will resort to negative methods, which often result in some of the most frustrating behavior they exhibit. If I Have to Tell You One More Time…provides the knowledge and tools parents need to address the deeper issues that inspire their children to misbehave.
Amy doesn’t just offer up the theory behind the method; she provides practical information, including:
- 23 proven tools with step-by-step instructions on how to use them, when to use them, and even the words to say.
- Real-life examples of common misbehaviors, and how to address them
- Quizzes to help parents discover their parenting style and unconscious habits
- Answers to frequently asked questions from parents
Simple and concise, this revolutionary program will help you navigate the inevitable challenges that all parents encounter. Whether you’re dealing with a willful two-year-old or a power-seeking twelve-year-old, If I Have to Tell You One More Time… provides the tools that parents need in order to raise respectful, well-behaved, and well-adjusted children.
Read this book and rediscover the joy of parenting!
Resource Articles, Uncategorized
If you are like so many small business owners you may feel too emotionally close to your product to adequately sell it yourself. Selling ice to an eskimo is easy, but selling something you have created on your own may cause a hive break out- and here is why: Objections on your own products will feel more like a personal rejection than ever before… but it doesn’t have to.
Be a Solution Seller
If you want complete and total freedom, learning to sell graciously is the best skill you could ever posses. Solution Selling is about helping someone who knows less than you do come to a decision that they are not able to make on their own. It is also about receiving money, and money is a good thing because it helps you to give back to yourself, your business and your prospective clients.
But not everyone is going to be a candidate for your product.
This is KEY.
Gone are the days that you do an actual sales pitch. No more ALWAYS BE CLOSING. It’s more like… ALWAYS BE PRE-QUALIFYING. In fact, you should be spending MOST of your time asking questions to a lead, and finding out what their needs are, or even if they have any at all. This is the process that will help you determine if you should spend some more time on this candidate, or if your time is better utilized elsewhere.
Practice is all it takes, and the more you do it the more you will discover your natural ability to help others learn what makes you an expert about your products and services.
Family, Resource Articles, Uncategorized
Have you ever experienced something that has truly altered your core beliefs and became the one thing that lead you into your greatest self? There is really no telling which event is going to have the largest impact on who we are or how it affects the way we choose to lead our lives… It’s inevitable that at some point in our existence there will be a life changing event for all of us.
Perhaps it will be a near death experience or even the loss of a loved one. These events force us to confront our current behaviors, re-examine the consequences of our perpetual lifestyles and re-map our life’s purpose, or perhaps its just that these moments are the ones that define us and give us the purpose we’ve been searching for.
Depending on the nature of these moments and how you perceive them, even the most tragic events will later transpire as blessings in disguise and precious life lessons.
How you weather the storms in your life are the keys to being able to recognize the miracles that emerge out of these moments – giving you clues to getting exactly what it is you want.
What does this have to do with getting what you want?
First, it is discussions like these that help us to realize what we are truly capable of and what is required for us to achieve all that we have ever wanted. This is when we discover that we are more willing to trek through the tempest if we knew the reward at the end of it would be abundant and plentiful.
Second, when we know what we DON’T want, we get closer to the things we DO want. Pay attention. Keep a journal of these feelings so that you can map it out later on.
Finally— FLOW. This is the best advice I can give to anyone. The universe is filled with energies flowing, moving forward, growing, expanding and changing. It’s not hard to see. There is more than enough evidence in nature to see that the world has never stopped turning.
Rivers have currents…. THAT is energy flowing. Even if a large boulder falls into the center of the river, the current moves around it to keep flowing.
You can CHOOSE to be a part of this flow, and you will always be taken care of. Drop your oars and let the current take you. Relax, trust, and surrender. It works.
Family, Resource Articles, Uncategorized
We all know how important that first hour is when we wake up in the morning, and how it sets the tone for the rest of our day, but how often are we utilizing that first 60 minutes to our advantage, Here are some sure fire tips to controlling your day before it controls you:
1. Claim your space! Before you ever power up the computer, write on a paper notebook what you would like to accomplish for the day.
2. Power it up with Pages! An effective way to fully wipe the sleep from your eyes and clean out the cobwebs are to pick up a pen and write for 5 continuous minutes whatever comes to your mind. Just spill it out without thinking and simply writing. About anything and nothing. This is what I like to call a brain dump. It gets out all the feels that I don’t need to be having to push forward. If something is bothering you, and festering deep within, these pages will find the culprit and squash it.
3. Voice your Value! Give yourself a pep talk each and every morning to dominate your domain. Keep it simple and easy to remember. “Today I will create magic!”
4. Create a ritual! One that is YOURS and belongs to you. Some people find that having their morning cup of Joe on the porch with a newspaper is a wonderful morning ritual. Others do Yoga. I put on make-up. Yep, don’t laugh. It’s MY time with MYSELF looking in the mirror and being artistic with my face. In fact, I put on make-up every day — even during the pandemic. It helped me stay grounded when the world felt so displaced.
As stay-at-home parents and business owners its very easy to get sidetracked with everyone else’s needs, or the unexpected chaos of the world. But as the CEO of your home and business, you do have SOME control over the direction you want to move in. As women, we are built to grow things. Creation of anything is nourishing and fuels us.
Morning rituals are a perfect way of starting the day holding your ground and keep jurisdiction over anything unexpected that may come your way.
Resource Articles, Uncategorized
As parents and entrepreneurs we are dedicated to our family first and our business second. Once we have set aside time that belongs to our business, we often spend a great deal of time demystifying marketing and sales.
No matter how often we hear speakers and advertisers tell us that there is a “secret to success” no such secret actually exists, at least none that can be taught once you hand over your credit card. So I will tell it to you for free. The secret to success is
HUSTLE.
We know that this is true because we see successful people all around us, doing exactly what we are capable of doing ourselves. If you look closely you will see that success leaves a trail that can be followed by anyone. Therefore, there isn’t just one little secret that will turn your business into an overnight success.
If only good intentions were enough to bring us more sales, more income and more
opportunities, we’d all be rolling in it. ACTION is the only way to produce results. No matter what you are facing right now, I urge you to ask yourself, “What action can I take -right now- by me that will set something productive in motion?”
Sometimes it’s just going for a walk, journaling or meditating to get into the right headspace.
Or it could be crafting a new email, Posting something contemplative on social media (don’t get sucked in to scrolling!!) or updating your business plan. Whatever it is… keep moving. Hustle and flow, baby.
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