Holistic Business

The Virtual Assistant association I belong to, the VACOC, is hosting yet another fantastic teleseminar… this month the focus is on “Earning Your Worth” for women business owners with Mikelann Valterra, founder of the Women’s Earning Institute, and you’re invited!

The Five Strategies for Earning Your Worth

Date: Thursday, September 20, 2007

Time: 5pm PST / 6pm MST / 7pm CST / 8pm EST

Duration: 60 minutes

Cost: FREE!

To Register:

http://www.virtualassistantnetworking.com/teleclass-registration.htm

Women business owners often find themselves struggling against an “internal income ceiling.” In this powerful teleseminar, Valterra explores the psychology of why even successful women undersell themselves, and what to do about it.

From having lower pay expectations than other people, to difficulty in asking for what they truly want, women who “underearn” deal with complex emotional issues around making money. Participants will elarn five crucial skills to earning what they are really worth:

• How women can make it easier to ask for what they want;
• How and why women underprice themselves and what to do about it;
• How to conquer the “Good Girl Syndrome;”
• How women can get in touch with “resentment” to make more money;

This promises to be a great teleseminar, I’ve been following Mikelann and she is so dead-on with her insight and viewpoints.

Be sure to register, our seminars fill up fast!

Namaste ~ ~ ~

Technorati Tags: Virtual Assistant, VACOC, Earning Your Worth, Mikelann Valterra, Women’s Earning Institute

Well, I embarked on a pre-vacation ritual this morning (garbage day) - cleaning out the fridge.

It’s not something I’m good about keeping up with, but when hubby called me into the kitchen this morning and was standing there with a garbage bag in front of the open fridge, I knew it had to be. There were things in there that should have been discarded last week, but there is something about knowing I’ll be away (and having someone else in my house to take care of the dog) that makes me pick up all dirty laundry and clean out the fridge - know what I mean?

I think part of it is guilt. “Why did I never use these beets? This head of cabbage? This was a really good dinner - why did we never eat the leftovers?”

I despise waste and don’t like to do face-to-face admissions of my partaking of it. Yup, the old stick my head in the sand routine.

Anyway, this got me thinking . . .

Wouldn’t it be really cool if we could clean out or brains in much the same manner? “Oops, should have let this nasty little thing go awhile ago - OUT TO THE CURB WITH NEGATIVITY!!!!”

I think I’m pretty good about recognizing those things that hold me back and owning them and dealing with them. But I also realize there is a lot about me that I would like to change - that comes from things that happened years and years ago.

Like my need to caretake. Ah, that’s a biggie. I actually have two clients that are helping me with that - LOL!

I set up rules and boundaries in both my business and personal life, and constantly break them (allow others to break them). I know these processes and procedures I’ve set up will only help me be a better professional/wife/step-mother.

So, why the need to “cave-in”? Do I get an extreme amount of pressure from clients or family? No, I really don’t. Each and every time I have reminded someone that that’s not how I do things - this is - I’ve been met with nothing but understanding and support. So - why do I continue to set rules and break them so easily?

It’s all those moldy leftovers. Being the child and ex-wife of someone with an addictive personality, child of a manic depressive, youngest child - yada, yada, yada. I don’t use these things as crutches or excuses, but I know it’s there, inside me, and even though I feel as though I’ve dealt with all this, I still allow it to get in my way.

So, - NO MORE! I am making a concerted effort and taking this vacation time to “re-discover” myself and be as firm in my emotional convictions as I am in other areas. JV (my SO) and I have had this discussion before. We sometimes feel that if you aren’t a bee-atch or a bass-turd that you get walked all over. I really, really, can’t commit to that. I won’t. I never want to be the type of person that goes through life getting their own way by stomping on everyone else. That’s not my intention at all. My intention is to have some rules (knowing they are in everyone’s best interest) and sticking to them. Not that there will never be those shades of gray, but I need less of them.

So - I’m envisioning a big bag of old moldy stuff out at the curb as the garbage men make their way down the street.

Kind of deep thinking from just cleaning out the fridge, but it’s put me on a good path!

Wish me luck!

The ultimate guide to producitivity meme was started by Ben Yoskovitz and I first read about it on Dawud Miracle’s blog.

Now I’ve been tagged by Jenn Givler.

The question is:

So what’s your secret to being productive?

Well, I have to say, at the time I read Dawud’s post, I was stuggling myself with productivity and staying focused. After having it rattle around in my brain for the last few weeks, just this week (and it’s only Wednesday morning as I’m writing this), I began to try out Dawud’s tip - and I’m lovin it!

I work in 50 minute increments. Then for 10 minutes - I leave my office. I spend 10 minutes doing something else. Not laundry, not dishes, not picking up the various things that get left all over the house. I go outside and look at my flowers, I pet and play with the dog, I sit on the porch and work on a crossword puzzle - but I do something I find relaxing.

After those 10 minutes - it’s right back to the office.

I always took short breaks before throughout the day, but having a schedule for them really seems to help. No more looking up and realizing 3 hours have gone by and my eyes feel like onions. I return after those 10 minutes anxious to pick back up where I left off.

At first I thought that was too often and was going to cause me to lose concentration. Now, it’s only been 2 days that I’ve done this, but so far it seems to have added time to my day.

Thanks Dawud - I’ll have to head over to your blog and thank you too!

One of my own tips is to always have a pad of paper and pencil nearby. I get struck with ideas when I’m involved in a relaxing activity and don’t seem to remember things as well as I used to. This time of year I like to garden. I find it very soothing to get my hands in the dirt. As I relax, I tend to get inspired. And I don’t remember things as well as I used to (did I say that already?). It drives me nuts to be doing something and have an idea that has me all excited and then an hour later be pacing back and forth in my office asking “Now - what in the world was it that I wanted to do/email/research?”

OK - my turn to do some tagging. Vickie Turley, Danielle Keister, and Shann Vander Leek - you’ve been tagged!

I’m doing the same thing I did the last time I was tagged. I’ve tagged two people I know quite well, and one who does not know me. Shann and I have never had a conversation, written or otherwise, but I do enjoy her blog and figured this would be a good opportunity to let her know and to say thank you for the Inspiration Widget! For those of you on a Mac, you know what a widget is. Well, Shann had a True Balance Life Coaching widget designed with inspirational quotes. I love it - thanks Shann! You can read about it and get the link for download here.

Well, here are the “rules” of this project from Ben’s Instigator Blog:

1. Write a post on your best productivity tips. Challenge yourself by picking your single best productivity tip (although this isn’t a requirement; you can give us more if you want!)
2. Include links to other people that have written posts, or include their tips in your post with proper attribution.
   

   Note: I’m not asking that you link to everyone in the group writing project meme; pick the ones you want to connect with. You certainly can link to everyone, but it’s not a requirement. I like leaving more decision making power in your hands so this isn’t just a link grab, but you’re thinking about what your audience & community wants to read about.

   A link back to this post is appreciated though, to help spread the word!

3. If you use Technorati Tags then tag your post “ultimate guide to productivity”.
4. Tag others in your post to spread the meme. Tag as many people as you like!
5. If you link back to Instigator Blog and email me I’ll make sure to include at least 2 links back to you. But this isn’t a requirement, it just helps me keep track of what’s going on.

Technorati Tags: ultimate guide to producitivity, Ben Yoskovitz, Dawud Miracle, Jenn Givler, Vickie Turley, Danielle Keister, Shann Vander Leek, True Balance Life Coaching

This free teleseminar is being sponsored by the Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce.

As usual, it’s going to be great, enlightening, and more than definitely worth your cost of time.

Our guest expert this month is Jim Logan, Marketing Consultant.

Several things we’ll discuss:

• The three things your prospective clients consciously or subconsciously think about when deciding whether or not to purchase your services;
• The most important thing to highlight when describing your service;
• Why the least valuable thing you have to offer your customer is your time;
• How to increase your hourly rate without billing by the hour;
• How to differentiate your service from your competition and attract your ideal client

This seminar is being sponsored by the VACOC, but is not only open to Virtual Assistants - it’s for any independent service provider.

For more information or to register: http://www.virtualassistantnetworking.com/teleclass-registration.htm

So, sign up and give your holistic business a shot in the arm - hope to “see” you there!

Namaste ~ ~ ~

Technorati Tags: Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce, Jim Logan, Virtual Assistants, holistic business

Celebrate Spring and make a difference!

What a wonderful time of year to celebrate Mother Earth. I love Spring. It’s a time for naturally happening new beginnings and a great opportunity to make some changes for yourself.

To find out what local events you may be able to participate in go here. You may just want to plug in your state, if you put in your zip code, it won’t bring up local events outside of your immediate town.

One of the tips and the big push this year to contribute to not only more conscious living, but more money in your pocket is to switch out your light bulbs. We did this at home (which also includes my office) years ago and it makes such a huge difference. We change bulbs much less frequently and enjoy a savings on our utility bill.

Also, on the Earth Day Network Web site (just click on the Earth Day logo above) you can download various tips for what you can do at home and work and with your children to make the world a better place.

Make a change, every little bit counts!

~ ~ ~

Just a little side note: if you are a Holistic Business owner interested in networking - check out Holistic Business Networking. Network with like-minded professionals - make friends and grow your business!

Namaste ~ ~ ~

Technorati Tags: Mother Earth, Earth Day, Holistic Business, Holistic Business Networking