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With the advent of the London 2012 Olympics and the illuminating flame-lighting ceremony on Friday July 27,  2012, I thought this title would be fitting. Today one of my fellow industry divas,  Nicole S. Cooper Facebook-ed,"I believe that we all have greatness on the inside of us, but I don't believe in allowing excuses to be the deterrent for why we never allowed our lights to shine!"

She wrote this in response to a client who thanked her for pushing them to move forward in their business. Her response was so key. EVERYONE has the ability to accomplish their goals and essentially create a better quality of life for themselves. But lets face it, ultimately the only reason why you are not where you want to be is because of excuses (especially in business)... just isn't the right time, I don't have the time, not enough money to get started, don't know anything about the industry, I don't like or know how to sell, my teeth hurt today, blah blah blah. ALL excuses.

BUT just as Nicole said, stop allowing excuses to keep you from letting your light shine! Stop allowing excuses to keep you from fulfilling your dreams. Stop allowing excuses keep you from recognizing someone special in your life. Stop allowing excuses to rule your life! At some point you have to take control of your life and begin to fulfill the dreams and goals you have for yourself.

I lost a very dear friend last week, he was only 34 and it got me thinking. We NEVER know when our last day on earth will be. When the last time to speak to a loved one will be. When the last time to do something you've ALWAYS wanted to do will be. So you cannot continue to allow life to pass you by with all of these excuses. You have to find "your light" and start letting it shine. Start working towards the goals you have for yourself. Unfortunately, some of your goals may require more income. And there are so many opportunities available to give you the financial independence to achieve the things you want to. One of my favorite sayings is, "If you will DO for a season, what most won't, you'll be able to live the rest of your life the way most CAN'T. It's not a matter of whether you can or can't its a matter of whether you WILL or WONT." Find a business opportunity that  you are comfortable with, find someone you are comfortable working with and start accomplishing your goals. Start to Let your Light Shine!

Tamara Garrison-Thomas

P.S. If you are still looking for a way to Be Famous Online Too with blogging, get access to this video. You'll see actual stories of real people (previously struggling to be famous online) who are well.... let's just say.... famous now!  (before you click this link, make sure to grab a piece of paper to take notes after you have access)

http://www.BeFamousOnline2.info

During the summer months, you can always count on the media to do some type of weather-related stories. This could also be your opportunity to promote yourself and/or your business.

Developing ideas that can help you promote your business in summer doesn't have to take a great deal of time or a large financial investment in order to see positive results. The key to getting the media's attention is to come up with a creative (and fun) campaign that will help them generate a news or weather-related story.

Here are some examples:

Offer cool down treats: Arrange a day with a local ice cream store to have a free ice cream giveaway for anyone who walks in with your business card. You would certainly need a budget for that--especially if you've circulated A LOT of business cards. But you could also limit it to the first 25 or 50 customers and let the media know you're doing this as a Summer Appreciation Event.

Another similar idea is to simply pack some ice cold drinks and take to employees who have to work outside for a living. It's a nice gesture and may not only give you some media exposure but also some additional business.

Host a Pool Party for kids: Contact the local weatherman and invite him to come over and offer some tips on how to stay cool this summer. Certainly, his or her own station will cover the event.

Product giveaways: When I was promoting my book, Whatever! A Baby Boomer's Journey Into Middle Age, I offered a fan as a part of the promotion. If you purchased a copy of the book, you also got a free "hot flash" fan. Find something creative you can give away that would be directly tied into summer.

Sponsor an activity or event in your community: Check with your local Chamber of Commerce, City Hall or your local church for community events and find out how you can get your name or business connected. It would be worth sitting out in the hot sun for a couple of hours if a TV or newspaper crew stopped by to interview you, wouldn't it?

Check the websites of your local stations: Find out what they're up to and see how you can get involved--if only as a volunteer. You can network your way from there.

If all else fails, create your OWN media event and post it on YouTube, Vimeo, UStream, etc. You may find yourself getting even GREATER expsoure.

All of the events should be planned well in advance to give you time to promote and alert the media, which requires press releases and other announcements to be sent at least two weeks in advance.