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Motivation: it’s something we all desire, though few of us can get motivated and, most importantly, stay motivated, especially when life throws us some setbacks. This is why we have put together the best techniques for getting and staying motivated, so you can reach your dreams and goals faster than ever.

How to Get Motivated

How do you get motivated, especially after encountering a snag in your plan? It’s easier to attain than you may think. These motivation tips, though simplistic, work like a charm as long as they are carried through:

• Recall the initial thoughts and purpose for what you are trying to achieve.

• Create a plan that helps you get to where you want to go. The more interested you are in your purpose, the more likely you will succeed.

• Keep a physical reminder of your goal nearby. Whether in your workspace or at home, make sure you have a constant visual reminder of the happiness you will, in fact, attain.

How to Motivate Others

How do you inspire and motivate others to achieve greater goals? There are a few simple techniques that successful team leaders and managers can use that just as easily apply to your friends, and family:

• Give positive reinforcement. Encourage others by pointing out the positive. For example, comment on a past success or appreciate the good work they’ve been able to accomplish so far.

• Ask how you can help. Whether you are a boss or a friend, you can boost the motivation of others by taking an interest in their needs and offering your help.

• Be constructive, not critical. Even if you think others are having a tough time coping, instead of chastising them, show them what to do differently next time and how they can improve.

Motivate Yourself Towards Happiness

Surely, being motivated and being happy are inextricably intertwined, but how can you foster happiness within yourself before attaining your goal?

• Remember that everything you do has meaning. It may seem difficult to see the big picture sometimes, but every experience and every task is part of the puzzle.

• Do not dwell on mistakes or criticisms. Dwelling on the past won’t fix anything. You can’t change the past, you can only live and act in the present. Comfort yourself with the fact that you’re capable of doing things differently next time.

• Breathe deeply and let go of negative thoughts. Whenever a worry or concern comes your way, take 10 deep breaths. Taking that moment to push the negativity out will give you a fresh perspective whether this worry is really that important.

Motivate Yourself Towards Health

It is true that the healthier we feel, the more motivated and productive we will be, but sometimes it’s just so hard to get started. How do you stick to a healthy diet and exercise lifestyle? The remedy is never drastic; it just requires a few modifications to boost health and energy:

• Start small and devise a realistic diet and fitness plan that works for you.

• Make sure to get enough sleep per night: 7-8 hours should be a standard.

• Modify your diet to include more veggies and fruits, and less sugars and white starches.

• Exercise at least 3 times a week at 25 minutes or more. A brisk walk will do! Also, remember that you don’t have to do all the exercise at once. 10 minutes here and there is still good exercise!

• De-stress with your favorite activity or hobby when you find yourself overcome with worry. It may be reading a good book, playing some music, or going out for a night with friends.

Motivate Yourself Towards Productivity

How can you motivate yourself towards greater productivity? Achieving greater productivity is totally possible. Here are a few tips to boost your motivation and productivity:

• Remind yourself of the feeling you get after you complete a task. It feels good, doesn’t it? Hold onto that positive feeling!

• Remember the rewards at the finish line. It may be more time, money, recognition, or simply the satisfaction of knowing that you’re capable of completing any challenge.

• Focus on your loved ones. The purpose of becoming more productive is to provide for your family and spend more quality time with them. Let this serve as a reminder as you work. After all, you’re not alone!

As you know, motivation is necessary to getting things done in your life. By implementing these quick motivation techniques into your life, your success is within reach!

P.S. Are you suffering from goal recycling? Click the link below for the “cure”.

Cure for goal recycling

Successful Southern Sistas is pleased to present our May Feature Friday interview. This month we’re featuring Kimberly S. George, Owner of Lab-Ratz Technical Solutions in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas. This under 30 tech savvy Diva is not taking no for an answer as she builds her successful Information Technology services company. Recently, we had a moment to speak to Kimberly and to learn more about how she’s blazing a trail for other women in the information technology field.

Please tell us about your background? I’m Kimberly George the owner of Lab-Ratz Technical Solutions.
I am a Louisiana native but relocated to Dallas Texas in 2007 after finishing grad school at Southern University A&M College to pursue a career in technology. In 2009, I started Lab-Ratz Technical Solutions – an IT services company that provides computer and network support to small businesses in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex.


Wow, there aren’t that many women in the I.T. field, How are you blazing a trail?
I think that I’m blazing a trail for women in IT honestly by having the courage to start a business in an industry that is male dominated. By starting Lab-Ratz, I’m showing the world that I/women are just as knowledgeable in IT and capable of helping small businesses owners with computer problems as my male counterparts.


What is the best business advice you’ve received?
The best business advice I’ve received was to remain resilient in my endeavors as a small business owner and to never give up on anything that you truly love and are passionate about doing. I’ve also been told to surround yourself with people who are going to lift you higher. For me, surrounding yourself with people who have your best interest at heart is very important. As a small business owner, there are times that you will get discouraged, and want to quit. Surrounding yourself with positive people who continuously motivate you to pursue your dreams no matter what– can make all of the difference in the world.

Read the Full Interview

When something doesn’t go your way, what’s the first thought that pops into your head? Do you chastise yourself? Or do you reassure yourself that you are growing stronger and wiser with each challenge you face?

In reality, it’s not the successes that make you a stronger, more successful person; it’s the failures.

This may sound odd, but each failure you have is actually a success. Why, you ask? Because it gives you the opportunity to improve, learn, and try again. Let’s take a look at a couple of the world’s greatest failures that lead to the some of the most ubiquitous inventions of our time.

• Did you know that 3M’s greatest failure was inventing glue that won’t stick? That glue became the basis for the sticky backing on the “Post-It Note.”

• The scientists at Pfizer were trying to create a medication that treated high blood pressure in men. It failed to affect blood pressure, but it had one unexpected side effect. We now know this drug as Viagra and it’s considered one of the most successful failures ever.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that each failure you encounter will land you with an immediatesuccess. But it’s always a stepping-stone along the way.

You Can Only Appreciate Success After You’ve Failed

Thomas Edison had an incredibly positive attitude about failure. When he was questioned as to why so many of his experiments were failures, he responded by saying that he never had a failure in any of his experiments, rather, each experiment helped him discover another way that something would not work. In reality, sometimes the only way to know whether you’ve succeeded is to fail.

Learning How to Deal With Disappointment

Dealing with the disappointment of failure can be tough for adults as well as for children. But everyone experiences failure at some point in their lives and teaching our children how to deal with the disappointment is a critical life lesson.

Can you imagine a young adult, either a teen or college student, dealing with their first failures in the workplace? A tantrum at any age is not appealing, never mind from an adult who should know better.

Consider the very wise words of Winston Churchill who said, “Success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.” What did he mean exactly? Well here are three reasons why failing is a good thing:

1. Inspiration – Before you laugh, think about your childhood when you didn’t get something right the first time. What did you do? Tried again and again! Each time the thought in your head was, “I am going to get it right this time!” What better motivation do you need?
2. Humility – No one is perfect, sometimes we need to be reminded of that very fact! Can you imagine a world where no one ever failed and we all walked around thinking we were God’s gift to the world?
3. Learning – Success makes you feel good, but failing teaches you a lesson. Think back to the first time you swung a bat, learned to walk, or tried to eat with a fork. Did you do it right the first time? Of course not. Did you figure out with each failure what you were doing wrong? Well if you can swing a bat today, walk and eat with a fork then I guess you did!

Failure brings positive change and success to those who are resilient. Are you?

Do you feel like something is missing in your life? Learning to focus on you, instead of others, may be the key you’ve been seeking!

If you find that you’re comparing yourself to others and coming up short, it’s time to stop that destructive habit.Comparisons get you nowhere. Rather than leading to positive improvements, they only cause you pain and discontent.

A better choice is to focus on your own personal needs and wants. You’re a unique individual who requires a personal approach! This helps you boost your self-image because you’re focused on improving yourself and not trying to beat someone else in some uncharted race.

Learning to focus on you rather than everyone else around you can be a difficult task. Too often, we’re so used to focusing on our families and friends that we don’t even know how to begin the process of focusing on our own choices and decisions that determine our lives.

Follow these five tips to help you focus on fully enjoying your life:

1. Devote one hour a day to “me time.” During this time, focus completely on yourself and the things you need or desire to feel strong, lovable and important. Reflect on what’s important to you. Dream big dreams and figure out small steps you can take to achieve them.

• Your  “me-time” can be anything you like it to be: take a relaxing bubble bath, go for a walk, take a nap, get a manicure, read a novel, or do something else. Anything that brings you pleasure simply for the sake of pleasure qualifies as me-time.

1. Take care of your own physical, spiritual and health needs. Relying on someone else to meet your needs only leads to dependence and resentment. Don’t wait for someone else to do these things for you.

• You have the power within you to meet your own needs and the only way you can be truly whole is to do just that.

1. Feed you mind and body good healthy fuels. You cannot expect your mind and body to function at their best if you don’t provide them with the fuels they need to work at full capacity. 

• Feed your body good foods: fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Drink plenty of water to keep your body fully hydrated. 

• Feed your mind by reading informative, well-written books, newspapers, and magazines. Choose recreational reading that builds your mind and spirit. Limit your TV watching and spend your time pursuing things that stimulate your thinking instead.
• Play board games rather than video games. Listen to music designed to stimulate your brain waves with binary beats.

1. Spend time each day doing something you love. No matter what your hobby is, it’s healthy to indulge in a creative pastime.

• Gardening, painting, woodcarving and pottery are all hobbies that encourage your creativity while you use your hands to create something beautiful.

1. Start a gratitude journal. Begin and end each day by listing five unique things you’re grateful for in your life. Before long, you’ll find that you spend more of your time dwelling on all the good things you have in the world rather than negative obstacles you might face.

Focusing on you helps you take the best possible care of yourself. It allows you to replenish your batteries and regain your strength so you can be fully present and engaged in the rest of your day. Use these tips to start changing your focus today, and have many happy tomorrows!

P.S. Are you ready to jump start success in your life? If so click the link below !

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More people are getting downsized, terminated or just plain fired all the time. And because of the state of the economy, finding another job can be difficult. Creating a job of your own by starting a business looks attractive when you can't find a job - or just can't stand the job you have.

But "How do I start a business?" is not the first question you should be asking if you're in this situation; the first question you should be asking is "Should I start a business?" Before you start thinking about the different types of businesses you might start, you have to do some thinking about you.

Starting a business is not for everyone. Being self-employed is very different than being an employee. And some people find it impossible to adjust to the differences. Let's see if you have the necessary entrepreneurial mindset to become self-employed. These are the six traits that I think encapsulate the ways you have to think and behave if you want to make a successful transition from being employed in some one else's business to starting a business of your own.

1) You have to be flexible to be self-employed.
If you start a business, you no longer have "one" job with clearly defined duties and responsibilities. You'll suddenly have multiple jobs, which will be often interrupted by unforeseen crises (particularly in the startup phase). Many employees are used to having days filled with predictable activities; many self-employed people don't.

And once you start a business, there's nowhere to pass the buck. As an employee, you may be used to passing problems up along the food chain or not be very involved in decision making. As a self-employed business owner, you're the one who will have to deal with whatever the crisis is and solve the problem. You're the one who will have to make the decisions.

2) You have to be a self-motivated initiator.

When you're an employee, other people tell you what to do, either directly or indirectly. You get used to having your actions directed by others. But you have to direct your own actions as a small business owner. You can't just sit there and hope that maybe some clients stroll in or that someone will drop by out of the blue with inventory for your retail store. No one's going to drop work on your desk or point out what needs to be done. For many people who try to become self-employed and start businesses after having a long-term full-time job, this is the hardest adjustment to make.

3) You have to be able to recognize opportunities and go after them.

Most employees do what they're assigned to do. There's someone else who's "assigned" to look out for opportunities, either a boss in a small business, or perhaps a sales department or a managerial team in a large corporation. If you start a business, you need to be the one constantly watching for opportunities - and be able to recognize them when you see them. It might be a small opportunity, such as the chance to pick up a new client, or a large one, such as getting your product on the shelves in a large retail chain, but as a small business owner, you have to keep scanning the horizon yourself and positioning yourself to benefit from the opportunities that you find. As an employee, you may be used to operating in a "head-down" position; if you're going to start a business and become successfully self-employed, you need to start operating in the "head-up" position.

Being self-employed is very different than being an employee and can be a difficult transition. Here are three more traits you must have if you're going to move from being an employee to being successfully self-employed.

4) When you're self-employed, you have to be able to plan ahead.

Your last job may have involved no planning at all, as that was someone else's job. Or perhaps your job involved planning on a localized level, such as planning a particular project. If you want to start a business, you need to develop expertise in both short-term and long-range planning; it's about to become a big part of your life.

When you start a business, one of your first tasks will be to work through a business plan. As your business becomes operational, you'll find that this plan (however detailed) needs to be revised and that other plans need to be created, as you work towards the long-range goals that you've set for your business. From following someone else's plan as an employee, you have to learn how to create the plans yourself - and adapt the plans to changing circumstances.

5) You need to be prepared to put in a constant and consistent effort.

We've all seen employees who are just going through the motions, or who were just "putting in the time" until retirement. You don't need to be a co-worker to know who these people are. As a customer or client you can tell, too. Bluntly, starting a business takes energy, and you need to be able to give it 100 percent. You can't afford to just coast along, or go through the motions, if you're running a business. Your customer and/or clients need to know that you are devoting 100 percent of your talent or skill or attention to them - and will go elsewhere if they don't feel this is the case.

Worse, you need to deliver this constant and consistent effort without the employee safety net. Many employees are used to being able to "call in sick" and have someone else cover their job, for instance. As a self-employed business owner, you'll have to go in and give it your best effort no matter how you feel or close up shop if you don't have employees who can fill in. You can also say goodbye to the holidays that many employees enjoy, both the annual x number of weeks and the statutory holidays, at least until your business is established to the point that you can manage your own time.

6) You have to be able to deal with uncertainty.
As a self-employed entrepreneur, there's no guarantee that the products or services you offer will be in demand six months from now. There's no guarantee that your customers will pay their bills on time or even pay them at all. There's no guarantee that your current big client, who seems to be perfectly happy with your work, won't drop you next week. There's actually no guarantee that you will make any income this month or the month after. For many ex-employees who are used to having a pay cheque arrive regularly every two weeks, the uncertainty of being self-employed is very difficult to deal with.

Are you still asking, "How do I start a business?" Good! Because the point of this article is not to scare you off, but to make you aware of how you have to readjust your thinking to make the transition from employee to self-employed business owner. Hopefully as you read through this list of traits you need to become successfully self-employed, you were saying to yourself, "I can do this". Because every one of the traits I've listed here is an attitude or behavior that can be learned, and when it comes to being self-employed, awareness is more than half the battle.

Now that you know that you're the kind of person who can start a business and run it successfully, where do you go from here?

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Let me start with a disclaimer. Tacky photos are my pet peeve, so I'm going to be really blunt about this subject. So here it is in a nutshell, if you want to be taken seriously then present yourself seriously!  Honestly, if you don't care enough to invest in professional photos, then don't expect potential clients to invest in your product/ service.

Types of Photos

1. Glamour Head Shots:  Ideal for presenting a professional presence.  Great for bios, personal appearances and media photos.
2. Lifestyle/ Portrait Shots:  Perfect to communicate your personal brand. These images are not staged (unlike Glamor and Editorial), and they should reflect you in your natural habitat doing what comes naturally.
3. Editorial Photos:  Usually reserved for appearances in media where you are a feature story.  Should have a personal touch with a professional flare.

If you have a website, blog, ezine, or newsletter, I'm sure you consider your content valuable to your readers and potential customers. So, why not get paid for it in the meantime? If you're new to this idea, then this article will help you. There are several ways to go about monetizing your website or blog:

Google Adsense

This is one of the most popular and best ways to monetize your website or blog. Google Adsense will put advertisements on your site that has to do with your content. So, how do you get paid? You get paid when someone clicks on the advertisement. Here are some resource sites that will help you better understand Google Adsense and help you sign up.

Google Adsense Sign Up

More information on Google Adsense

Clickbank

This is a program that offers several different types of products you can promote on your website and get as much as 75% commission on them. You can choose any product and as many products as you would like to promote or advertise. This is another lucrative way to make money from your website or blog.

Clickbank.com

Text Link Ads

Text-link-ads.com brings targeted traffic to your website or blog. Similar to Clickbank.com, you make money from potential clients clicking on text-based ads inserted on your site. You receive 50% commissions on everything and they also have an affiliate program which gives you $25 for every person you refer to their company. Read more here:

Text-link-ads.com

Here are some additional sources for making money on your website or blog:

JuiceBoxJungle.com

Blog Traffic Cash

Keep in mind that just because you create a website, doesn't mean people want to see it or work with you. Give them a reason to , by enriching your website or blog. Make some extra money!

How do you make money on your website or blog? Share ideas with us.

Tamara Garrison-Thomas

www.garrisonprosperitysolutions.com

follow me on twitter: www.twitter.com/tamarargarrison

follow me on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/People-Who-Prosper/125968110792129

I know, I know. Sounds like something illegal, but I'm not talking about anything like that. Whether you have a 9 to 5 job, own a business, or are a domestic diva, I believe everyone should have a source of additional income or as I like to say -side hustle-. Below, I have listed a few -side hustle- ideas that have made people a good amount of extra income. Hope you find something you like:

Affiliate Marketing

This is probably one of the best ways to make extra money online. Affiliate Marketing allows you to sell certain products from your website on commission usually via advertisement or referral. It's an excellent way to make extra money, even in your sleep! Some great affiliate programs are right in from of you, you just have to look. Here are some of my suggestions:

BBWO: Black Business Women Online

TheCEOMamma Marketing Blog

Magnetic Sponsoring

HostGator

Vistaprint.com

Read Emails

Now, you won't make thousands of dollars doing this, but it is a good option to make an extra few hundred dollars a month. Here is a company you can sign up with:

Read emails

Social Networks

Yes! You can get paid to socialize with people. I know we have facebook, twitter, and myspace but these social networks actually pay you for visiting the site, getting friends, and even clicking on advertisements. Of course you want to choose the best one. From my research here are two that I thought were the best:

Crazygood.com

Swom.com

These are all great ways to create additional income for yourself. If you need help deciding which one would be the best, or need more information, contact me. BUT you should do something. If you would like to work with me and my team as your -side hustle- contact us today! garrisonprosperitysolutions@gmail.com .

If you already have a -side hustle-, please comment to this post and share it with us! You never know who could be interested.

Tamara Garrison-Thomas

Updated 6/4/11

http://www.garrisonprosperitysolutions.com/

garrisonprosperitysolutions@gmail.com 

follow me on twitter: www.twitter.com/tamarargarrison

follow us on facebook:http://www.facebook.com/pages/People-Who-Prosper/125968110792129

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www.fromawriterspovmagazine.com

Most of us think of celebs in terms of entertainers.  But the category is far more vast.  A celeb is anyone who has notoriety with the general public or a select group of people.  So the range of celebrity talent goes from famous actors, dancers and writers to hair stylists, inventors or maybe even an industry expert. What determines brandability can be summed up with two questions. WHO would be interested? WHY would they care?

My determination process may seem a bit crass, but it cuts to the chase and saves loads of time.  Once we determine theWHO, the WHY is almost as important.  Its the WHY that dictates longevity and level of success.  A fly-by-night sensation will lose its shine once the 15 minutes of fame or over, that is unless we keep giving them more WHYs.

EXAMPLE: Last year we were all singing the "Pants On the Ground" song courtesy of General Larry Platt.  The General appeared on the season 9 auditions of American Idol.  Platt then embarked on a whirlwind media tour that included appearances on The View and Ellen and even spawned his own You Tube Channel (click here to visit).  There were posters and t-shirts and even an attempt at a iTunes single.  Let's face it, General Platt became an epidemic.

Now fast forward one year.  We could care less about the "Pants" (on the ground or otherwise).  So what made the excitement fizzle?  No rocket science required here, the reason WHY the General WAS famous, but ceased to be current or interesting.  Of course there are other factors that contribute to brandability, I made a quick list below.

Here are the key factors to be BRANDABLE:

1. Be Clear -  clearly determine your fan base
2. Be Interesting -  can you keep the fans interested long term
3. Be Personable -  can you connect to your audience on a personal and emotional level
4. Be Authentic -  fans don't care if you are an angel or an ass, they just want it real

Remember Branding is all about 'promise of value'.  Determine your value, and you determine your brand.

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We all know that Social Media is the hottest thing today.  If you're not making money using Twitter, you're loosing out.    Imagine all the Twitter users and your followers and making money from them.

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