Holistic Business

OK, might seems pretty obvious connecting this picture to the title of this post - the whole “make tons of money so you can do this everyday” - but it’s not (that’s not my style). It’s kind of a long convuluted circle I’ll try to navigate quickly. And, no, that’s not me!

Anyway, my family just spent a week at the Jersey shore sharing a house with some other family members. We all had a great time, the kids loved it, the whole nine yards. I didn’t do anything too much more strenuous than the woman in this picture all week.

So, the day comes when we have to leave, but there are other family members coming down and sharing the house the following week. They all said, “Oh, don’t be in a hurry to leave, stay awhile and have some drinks.” We got our cars all loaded up and my husband asked if I would drive (it’s only about an hour to home) so he could drink. I said, yea, fine, but this one whole side of my body is killing me. From a point on my back around my rib cage and towards my stomach. (To cut to the chase it really only seems like a pulled muscle, but I have been in unbelievable pain for the last 3 days - getting better slowly). But, anyway, he held off and although I started the drive, within 20 minutes I was in so much pain I almost agreed to let him drive me to the hospital. Fortunately, we were prepared, and he was in shape to drive, otherwise it would have been quite a pickle.

Now, since we’ve been home I’ve been watching the tornadoes. It did look like we, as a country, and our (ahem) leaders took some initiative this time and began with some preparedness. I really wish the best for everyone out there that gets slammed by these storms. We’ve had them a couple of times in my memory in NJ, but nothing that severe where I lived.

OK, now onto where I ended up in my head with all this. You should (or maybe you don’t) know that I am a Virtual Assistant. There is a huge, huge disparity in how “Virtual Assistants” model their businesses. Some are really tele-commuters, some are work-at-home secretaries, blah-blah-blah. It ticks me off as a VA to see this, but if you are a business owner reading this that is considering working with a VA, please read on. The old saying “if it looks like a duck and walks like a duck then it must be a duck” - does not apply here. You, the business owner need to be less focused on what the professional is calling themselves and zero in on WHAT THEY ARE OFFERING.
You NEED TO BE PREPARED. What looks like a good deal at the time (you can afford it, aren’t really sure how it’s going to work out anyway) - you are being extremely shortsighted.

I’ve had consults with clients who walked away when they heard my rate and how I work. They’ve told me that “for the time being” they are not looking to spend that much money, but hopefully the first VA they hire (at $15/hour or so) will help them grow their business to a degree where they could hire me - because they would really love to work with me and know I would do a good job.

Huh? What?

This is YOUR business. Play this through your head. A “VA” that charges low rates will not have the skills and business sense of one charging a higher rate because they have NOT INVESTED ANYTHING THEMSELVES IN THEIR OWN COMPANY. Is this really the person you want to hand your administrative work off to? Do you want to spend a miserable 6 months of trying to plunder along with them and after they’ve totally mucked everything up to the point that we have to start from scratch (and maybe you’ve lost people from your list in the meantime, too) and expect me to offer you the same package I did when we first spoke?

BE PREPARED. It’s your business, be prepared and manifest your growth by realizing that it will only happen with the right administrative partner and thank the Universe for having found them.

Isn’t Holistic Business all about seeing the parts in the whole???

Namaste ~ ~ ~

Technorati Tags: Virtual Assistant, manifest your growth, Holistic Business

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!

OK, I should have an excuse or a reason for not blogging. Sorry, don’t have it, won’t expend the energy to make something up.

So - what’s the deal? I’m really not sure. It certainly is not a lack of something to say, I’ve always got tons to say. I guess it boils down to not following my own advice. My clients and I talk about blogging - about how they ought to be doing it. I rave about all the things it will do for them: help their potential clients get to know them in a personal way, drive up their ranking, expose themselves to a larger audience, etc. One thing I do warn them about though is that once you start - you need to keep up with it. Nothing worse than getting people to look forward to what you have to say and then having the same old post up there for weeks on end.

Hmmmmm. Seeing my picture in that frame.

I’ve been hanging my head in shame over at the Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce, where there is a blogroll post. I’ve avoided it like I’ve avoided my blog.

TODAY IS A NEW DAY!

I’m going on vacation next week and have vowed to myself that I will come back more organized in my own business and take the 20-30 minutes it takes to post here and keep with it. I have the time.

Time - what a hot topic. My belief has always been that you have the time for what is important. It’s just a matter of knowing that and accepting that whatever you find you don’t have the time for is something you really don’t like doing. Maybe you just plain old don’t like it, maybe you don’t feel as though you excel at it. But we all need to “own” those feelings and deal with them.

So - do I not like blogging? No, I really do. Do I not excel at it? No, I generally like what I’ve written, it comes from my gut and is shot right off the top of my head. That’s my personality and I’m cool with it. I’m not blogging for a six-figure income, more for fun and conversation.

So - why have I been such a bad blogger?

Habit. I think that’s what it boils down to. I need to get into a routine where I do this every day. Or almost everyday. AND STICK WITH IT.

OK, feeling better now. I can go over to the VACOC and put my blog link up on the blogroll and pick my head up a little higher - LOL!

Namaste ~ ~ ~

I tried my best to stay away from the news and keep myself from searching out the story on Michael Vick of the NFL and the allegations of running a dog fighting operation.

This morning, I received this link from a client that was passed on to her that gives the phone number to call and leave your thoughts with the NFL as to what should happen. Suspension is what is being pushed, I won’t get into what I think should happen to him outside of the NFL.

This is Maggie.

Look at that face. How can it not sicken each and every person reading this?

She is part pit bull. She found us close to 10 years ago on the streets of Trenton, NJ. She had open wounds indicative of dog fighting. There was evidence that she had recently given birth to a litter of pups. She had heartworm and was near starvation. The first vet we took her to recommended we just put her down. Fortunately, we found someone that saw what we did in her eyes and her heart.

I’ll be giving her some extra-extra love today.

I can’t really write any more because I’m just so disgusted about this whole thing.

Please, do whatever you can. This recent story is getting headlines because of who he is. He’s certainly not the only one - this abuse happens every day.

Technorati Tags: Michael Vick, dog fighting, pit bull

Frankly, I don’t care. Come look at mine - you’ll see what I mean.

I was walking to the post office the other day and was, once again, angered by the pesticide warning flag on my next door neighbor’s lawn.

Hey, buddy - see the big grate in the street in front of my house? It’s called a storm drain. Water runs off your yard, flows into it, then goes into local streams, creeks, the river, and eventually the Atlantic Ocean.

Oh, you fish? DO YOU EAT THE FISH? How does it feel to know you are eating pesticides?

What’s the problem with clover and dandelions? Why this obsession with having the greenlest lawn?

I admit, most of our neighbors probably talk about us (What is with those people? Their yard looks like one big field of weeds!) Weeds to one person are wildflowers to another.

It’s not even the matter of how it looks - let’s put that aside.

Just think about it. How many homeowners are there in the US? What percentage of them get their lawn sprayed to protect against bugs and weeds? Just imagine how much poison ends up in our streams and rivers. It’s disgusting. For a real eye-opener, read this. Scroll down to the case studies (if you can stomach it).

If what they are putting on your lawn is so bad they have to put warning flags on it - do you really think all trace of that goes away? Do you let your children, grandchildren, pets, and other loved ones walk, sit, eat (in the case of little ones and pets) the grass?

OK, enough ranting, now for a little help.

We have throughout our town, brick walks in front of the houses. If you’ve ever lived with a brick walk, you know how weeds can find the tiniest spot to set root and just *don’t* want to be pulled out. Sometimes (again, I’m sure people talk) I end up having to mow our walk.

But, here is a great earth friendly weed killer recipe:

• one gallon white vinegar (smaller mixture, use 4 cups)

• 1 cup regular table salt (smaller mixture use 1/4 cup)

• couple squirts of liquid soap (dish or hand soap) - this is just to help the mixture cling to the weeds

You’ll want to heat up some of the vinegar to totally disolve the salt or your sprayer will get clogged. Also - don’t pour hot liquid into your sprayer, let it cool down. I just use one of those sprayers you can pick up at the garden center or grocery store.

In the morning, on a sunny day when there is little chance of rain - spray this mixture on the weeds. It works like a charm and does not injure any widlife (human or otherwise).

Try it and let me know what you think. I’ve got to do this myself this weekend.

I hope you’ll feel better about yourself and your contribution to a greener earth by using an environmentally friendly weed killer.

Namaste ~ ~ ~

Technorati Tags: pesticide warning flag, earth friendly, weed killer, environmentally friendly weed killer