Exceptional Living

2012-06-17T10:45:00.000-04:00

Happy Father's Day to all the daddies out there. May you have a wonderful day with your family.

13 Tips for FB Fan Page Owners

2012-06-14T18:12:00.001-04:00

Hi everyone,
This post is for anyone who has a FB Fan Page or anyone who is thinking of starting one. I am warning you that it’s going to be lengthy but well worth your time if you decide to read it. The last time I wrote something this lengthy was for a term paper back in high school, so by all means, grab yourself something to drink, a snack and here it goes…

First of all I’d like to start off by telling you, ‘Thank you for being a part of Exceptional Living. Thank you for ‘liking’ my page. Thank you for hitting like to the posts that resonate with you. Thank you for commenting. And thank you for posting on my wall.” I really, really appreciate you and the positive vibes that you give off.

1. Choosing the right name for your Page
For starters, if you don’t have a FB Page but are thinking of creating one, the name you choose is very important. The shorter the name, the better. Why? Cause people remember shorter names as oppose to longer ones. That applies to both, people who creates Pages where they don’t make any money out of it (Exceptional Living is an example of this). Or people who create a Fan Page in order to draw in more traffic for their business.

If you already have a Page, and your Page name is really long, then there’s not much you can do about it because FB won’t allow you to change the name/URL of your page. But of course, you can still make your page work. Exceptional Living is a short name and it works. But I also have 2 other pages that have a lot of Fans and both of those pages have long names. Knowing all this you may be asking yourself, ‘Why didn’t I just choose a shorter name?’ I’ll tell you… Because as much as I thought it over and over, those were the names that I liked most and I had no choice but to make them work.

The name of my second page is: DL’s Decorating Lifestyle (by the way, I have a total of 3 FB Pages and they’re all different from each other).
Since my name is Dennisse Lisseth, I wanted to use my initials and I thought it would be cute to find 2 words that started with my initials. A huge hobby of mine is decorating and I am always looking at décor stuff on Pinterest and online, so I created a page where I would share pics that I love so that at the same time it would give others ideas and inspirations of their own when decorating their homes.

The name of my third page is: Green, Healthy and Fit.
Health and Fitness are passions of mine. I have struggled with weight; have several food intolerances, and have gotten injured countless times while exercising and due to that I have read countless books and articles on nutrition. I am currently going through a personal trainer certification course and I’m also enrolled in the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. So I just explained the Healthy and Nutrition part of the name, the Green part is due to my love of green juices and green smoothies. Not a single day goes by where I don’t drink one of them. I am a huge advocate on drinking those cause they do wonders for your health, body, mind, cells, skin, etc. So that explains the name of that page.

2. Tagging
On the settings part of your Page, allow others to be able to tag themselves and their friends to your pics. This one is REALLY important. In fact I had Exceptional Living for several months before I realized this. And as soon as I allowed others to tag themselves to my pics, the page grew soooo much.

When someone tags your pics, it’s posting that pic onto their wall and into the newsfeed of their FB friends. If someone liked the post so much that they tagged themselves to it, that means that their FB friends will probably also like the post. On their friends’ newsfeed, your post will appear along with the name of your Page. Many people end up clicking on the pic in order to read the whole post and when they do that, they’re able to see the name of the Fan Page where the post originated. Many people end up ‘Liking’ your page because they like what you post. So thanks to their friends, you now have new Fans.

3. Creating Photo Albums
I discovered this one through Chris (a FB friend of mine). Chris is an artist (who loves to focus on drawing and sketching comics) and started a brand new page. I went to his page, ‘Liked’ it and browsed through his pictures. The first thing I noticed was that he created photo albums and placed each drawing in the corresponding album category. And I thought, boy this is a genius idea. I will do this as well.

So I created albums on the topics that I love to post about and on topics that I know my friends and fans will benefit from. For example, the names of some of my albums are: Funnies, Modern Wisdom, Love N’ Relationships, Friends Rock, Motherhood, Brave Girls Club Posts, Business, etc. (you get the point). Since my page is on motivation and helping others feel better about themselves (through laughter, uplifting, insightful and/or personal growth posts) these are some of my subjects. So in your case, label albums on topics that relate to your page/business. If you have any doubts about this tip or if you want to see what my albums on Exceptional Living (the Fan Page) look like, here is the link to my albums.

Why albums?
Because when your fans see one of your posts, it will help them if you have other posts on the same subject all in one place. You have a higher chance of them sharing your posts that way and they’ll tell their friends how great your page is. For example, in my case maybe a new fan was drawn in due to a relationship post I posted about and they clicked unto that album and started reading so many previous posts on that subject. So they share a post or 2 of mine. But maybe a different fan was attracted on Motherhood posts, or the Funny posts I tend to post. Everyone has different tastes and this way you’re catering to several people.

There is a trick to albums though. You CANNOT post 2 posts back to back from the same album. Cause if you do, no one will see the second post on their newsfeed. This is a glitch that hasn’t been fixed. So in my case, I cannot post 2 ‘funnies’ from that same album back to back. I can post 1 funny from my ‘Funnies’ album, then later post a pic on my ‘Modern Wisdom’ album and later on that same day I could post another funny from my ‘Funnies’ album. My fans will see all 3 posts cause I broke up the 2 ‘Funnies’ with the ‘Modern Wisdom’ post. If you don’t break it up, no one will see the later post. So please remember this.

4. Content
It’s extremely important for you to focus on your content and not how many fans you have. If you don’t have good content, you won’t get as many fans. If you have amazing content, the number of people on your page will start to multiply. I often see people only concerned with the number of fans they have instead of focusing on their content. And sadly, that’s probably a huge reason as to why their page doesn’t grow. They’re seeing people as numbers instead of seeing them as people. When you care about people, you want to post good content in which they can relate to.

What sets some Fan Pages from others is the content. In fact, the content can make or break your page. If you don’t monetize from your page, look at your page not through your eyes but through the eyes of a fan. And ask yourself, Can they relate to this post? Is this post written clearly? Does it make sense? Is this the type of post that they’ll want to share with their friends? Remember that what grows a page BIG time is when they share and tag your posts. If you use your Page for the product or service that you offer, then you have to ask yourself those same questions but take a good look at your page through the eyes of your CUSTOMER. Content is so important that you have to put any ego that you may have aside. Many people will always think that their writing is awesome because to them it is. But is it that awesome to everyone else as well? Perhaps, could your content use some improving? It’s important to be honest with yourself.

Since I started Exceptional Living through a depression I was going through, I wasn’t in a ‘good place’ to be writing my own content. So I didn’t write my own content, instead I posted quotes, posts and articles from others because I thought they were great. I benefitted from reading that and so I knew that others would benefit as well. Good content is soooooo important. Whether you write it yourself or share what others have written. Also, it helps to be original. Instead of sharing a quote that always floats around, why not share a quote that you haven’t heard of? People always love reading new things. They’ll also be more inclined to share something new as oppose to something that almost everyone by now has read.

I don’t make any money from Exceptional Living but I know that many of you have set up a Fan Page for your business. So under the topic of ‘Content’ there’s another point that I need to bring up. Spamming and how to sell your product/service on your page. I learned about this from a few close friends of mine that have successful pages and they sell a product or service.

In a nutshell, people buy your products and/or services because they can relate and like YOU. YOU are more important to them than the product you’re selling. They buy it because of YOU. They trust YOU. Just like you don’t like to see spam on your newsfeed, then don’t spam your fans either. There is a formula that works when you have a business and a Fan Page. The formula is 10 to 1. For every 10 posts you post in which you are NOT selling anything, you then post 1 post in which you mention your products or services and provide them a link in how they can contact you.

On those 10 posts in which you are not selling anything, you are giving your fans a chance to get to know YOU. What you post is a reflection of you and your personality. Give people the chance to indirectly get to know you. Get a feel for what your customers like and don’t like. At the very least, this will help you with your business. People will click ‘like,’ comment and share your posts when you’re not selling them anything (which in turn will grow your page). And when you put out a post about your products, they will be more open minded to trying your products/services because they already like you and feel a connection with you. If every post or every other post of yours is a sales pitch, trust me on this… they will NOT share your posts, will see you and your page as spam and some people will end up ‘unliking’ your page or hiding your posts on their newsfeed.

5. Pictures
People tend to be VERY visual. This has been a trial and error of mine. I learned that people are more inclined to read, like, comment and share my posts when I pair it up with a pretty picture. I have seen TONS of Fan Pages with amazing content but it’s all words and no pic attached to it. I tested that theory. I copy/pasted their content (giving them credit of course) unto my page and posted a pretty picture to go with it. And it was shared over 1,000 times, tons of comments and likes as well. Same content but the pic made all the difference in the world. So this is something for you to consider.

6. Links/Articles
This was another trial and error for me. Exceptional Living started out as a blog, not a Fan Page. So in the beginning, I would post the link to my blog with the article of the day to my Fan Page. It hardly ever got any likes, comments and usually no shares. So I put myself in the shoes of a Fan. And then it clicked… When I’m on FB and on my newsfeed, I don’t like to click on articles cause I want to stay on FB, I want to continue to read the posts on my newsfeed. So as much as I wanted people to read my blogpost, I decided to put my ego aside and instead I focused on how great it would be if people read my article/message. So I continued to blog daily but I would copy/paste the content along with a pretty pic and put it on my Fan Page. This works if you don’t make money from your Fan Page.

If you DO make money from your Page cause it happens to be your business…
Then I have another suggestion for you. Write your blogpost how you normally would. And then copy/paste the beginning part of it on your Fan Page and then tell your fans that they’ll have to click on the link in order to continue to read the rest of it. The point of this is because you want that beginning to be so good that they’ll WANT to click on the link and finish reading. The main difference using this technique is because once they’re on your blog/website, they’ll finish reading the post but they’ll also see that you’ve written an ebook, they’ll look at your products, services you offer, etc. They may not buy anything that time but in time, they may. And your chances of getting people to click unto your site is higher this way as oppose to just posting ‘New Blogpost’ and leaving it at that.

7. Logo/Pic of you
I am not into graphics and I don’t personally know anyone that can create a logo to my liking so I decided to go with a picture of me as the profile pic of Exceptional Living. I did notice that this ended up working out in my favor because it helped people feel connected to me. They felt connected through my posts. And my picture on their newsfeed along with the post told them that I was real. That I’m a real human being who is not perfect. Who is going through a lot of hardships (just like them) And because of that they connected and related to me and my posts.

If you have a brand new page or are thinking of starting one and you don’t have a logo, please consider using your pic as the profile pic. And by all means, don’t hold off on starting a page until you have a logo designed. If that would have been the case, Exceptional Living would have never been created. And to this day it wouldn’t be here cause I still don’t have a logo. I have yet to find someone that ‘gets me’ and my unique way of being that can create a logo that fits my unconventional personality. I am currently looking for someone that can create a few graphics for me. But until that time comes, my pic will continue to be there.

If you use a logo for your page, that is wonderful and it works out just as well. My suggestion would be to mention a little bit about yourself on the ‘About’ section of your Page so that people feel a connection with you. People will relate more to a human being than to a company/logo in which they know nothing about that person. But of course there are some exceptions to this. I personally know of a page that has over a million fans and chose to never reveal their identity. Remember, there will always be exceptions to every rule/suggestion.

8. Choose to view FB as your Fan Page
This is a new feature that has been around for a few months now. One way that helps your page grow is to add other people’s pages to your page as a ‘favorite.’ That way when you choose to view FB as your Fan page, on your newsfeed you’ll see only the posts of other people’s pages cause you won’t be seeing your friends posts since you’re not viewing it under your personal account. My advice is to comment on other people’s pages using your page. That way others will hear of your page and they’ll be more inclined to click unto and your page and see what you’re all about. So it’s wise to spend some time everyday and comment on other people’s pages using your page.

9. Posting on other Fan Pages
Another way to get noticed by other Fan Pages and their fans is by posting on other Fan Page’s (using your Fan Page of course, not your personal account). There is a difference between posting and spamming. People love and appreciate posts but they don’t like it when you spam their wall.

Here’s the difference…
When you post, choose to post a quote, saying, article, pic, etc. that adds value to others. They’ll know that it came from you because you’re posting using your Fan Page. You may also write AFTER that post, that if they liked that post, you have similar posts that are just as good on your page. And that will encourage some Page owners and fans to check out your page.

Do not spam. Spam is when you don’t post any content and only write, “Please like my page.” Spam is also when you go to a page, and only post a link to your page. This doesn’t work well and many Page owners actually delete those posts. But they don’t delete the posts that add value. So please consider posting something with a great quote, pic, article when you go to other people’s Fan Pages.

10. Share your Fan Page on your Personal Page
The first thing I did when I opened up each of my Fan Pages was to post the link of my page on my personal page so that all of my FB friends could see it on their newsfeed. I also encouraged them to check out my page and if they liked what they read, to please share my page with their FB friends. I also asked them to share one of my posts with their FB friends letting them know that my page has even more awesome posts. Word of mouth is sooooo effective and your friends can really help you. You just have to ask for the help.

It’s also VERY effective when other Fan Pages share your page. I share Pages often because I believe in spreading the positivity. I don’t do ‘share for share.’ Why not? Because my reputation is on the line. For me to share a page, it means that I believe, relate and love their posts. I will never share a page if I don’t believe or relate with their posts. As much as you may be inclined to take people’s offers on a ‘share for share.’ Don’t do it. Do it ONLY if you believe in what they post. Cause if you recommend a page and your fans check out the page you’re promoting and they don’t like the posts or take offense to several of them, they won’t believe you anymore. And the next time you recommend a Page, they probably won’t check it out.

11. Consistency
This is a BIG one!!!!!!!!
Trust me on this. If you have a Fan Page, you need to treat it like a job/career/hobby/passion. One in which you absolutely LOVE. You need some sort of consistency. You can’t expect to have a Fan Page with a lot of fans and then only post once in a while. Having a lot of fans usually doesn’t happen over a night. It takes time. And every time you post, you will usually get a few new fans. Why is that? Cause your current fans are sharing your posts and their FB friends who are not fans of yours are reading it on their friend’s timeline. So if you only post once a week, your page will grow pretty slowly. But then if you post every 10 minutes, many people don’t like that because they feel you’re bombarding their newsfeed (and will probably unlike your page or hide your posts). So find a consistency that works for you.

I recommend posting daily. No matter how busy you are, you have time to post at least once a day. Ideally, in order to grow your page, I recommend posting anywhere between 3 to 5 times a day. And scatter the posts. Post in the morning when you wake up, at some point in mid day, afternoon, night time and then right before going to bed. Why? Because in order to reach more people, you need to scatter your posts cause not everyone is on FB at the same time. Some people are on in the morning, others at night, etc. This way, it will give your page and posts more visibility.

12. Be YOU
As cliché as it may sound, you have to be yourself through your posts. Cause if not, people will eventually pick up on it and they won’t like you or your page that much anymore.

13. Take advice from people’s pages that have done well for themselves
I usually see people selling stuff online on how to get more fans, more subscribers, etc. Yet when I take a look at their page, they don’t have that many people. And here they are wanting to sell you that info. I don’t know about you, but I personally wouldn’t buy an ebook on how to attract more people to my page if the person who wrote it doesn’t have that many people. Learn and ask questions from people who have been where you’re currently at and have grown their page.

I hope these 13 suggestions help you in helping you build your page audience. I have done all of these things and I'm sure they all contributed to my page growing so much in the past 1.5 years. Feel free to use only what you think will work for YOU. Feel free to modify any of these tips to better suit you, your Page and your business. If you have any questions, please visit me on Exceptional Living, leave a comment under this post and I will do my best to read through the comments and reply back. If this article helped you and you found it useful, please share it with others so that their page can also grow.

Originally I wasn’t going to post this as a blogpost because I haven’t posted to this blog of mine in such a long time. This is by the way, how Exceptional Living originated. It originated as a blog. The Fan Page came several months after the blog. And eventually I started posting less and less on the blog cause I put all my energy on the Fan Page. And soon after that I started to not post anymore on the blog and I only posted on my Fan Page. And this article ended up being way longer than I thought. In fact, it’s over 4,000 words so that is why I had to post it here. I think it may be too long to post to FB.

One of my current projects is to start a Wordpress site/blog. I have all these ideas of the great things I want to do and post. So I was thinking of deleting this blog but after talking to several people I decided to keep it (even if I choose to never add content to it again) cause it’s part of ‘my’ history. This blog saved my life. These posts are what got me out of my depression and that fact alone makes it valuable and priceless to me.

If you have a chance, take a look at this blog. Notice that it is not fancy; in fact it looks and feels extremely simple and outdated. That’s because when I chose to start it, I had no idea as to how to design a website/blog. I used blogger cause it was free and simple to use. In fact, I never purchased a URL for it cause I didn’t even know how that stuff worked. So I want you to know that I am living proof that having a belief and being consistent works. I didn’t have a logo, I didn’t have a fancy site, I knew nothing about technology stuff, etc. But people followed my blog and my fan page because of the content. The content added value to their life.

I am wishing you all the very best to you and your FB Fan Page.

Much Love,
Dennisse Lisseth

P.S.- If you’re into health and fitness please check out my new page, Green, Healthy and Fit. That is my true passion and I am going to turn that page into the most exceptional project that I have ever worked on. On that page, I focus on posting about fitness and nutrition related motivation, healthy recipes, beauty secrets, exercises you can do, amazingly educational charts, etc. You will LOVE that page. I guarantee it! And I will LOVE to have you there.

Why Do We Shout In Anger?

2012-01-10T09:36:00.000-05:00

A master asked his disciples:
‘Why do we shout in anger? Why do people shout at each other when they are upset?’

The disciples thought for a while, and one of them said
‘Because we lose our calm, we shout for that.’
‘But, why to shout when the other person is just next to you? ‘Isn’t it possible to speak to him or her with a soft voice? Why do you shout at a person when you’re angry?’
The disciples gave him some other answers but none satisfied the master.

Finally he explained:
‘When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance a lot. To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other. The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other through that great distance.’

Then the master asked:
‘What happens when two people fall in love? They don’t shout at each other but talk softly, why? Because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is very small…’

And he concluded:
‘When they love each other even more, what happens?
‘They do not speak, only whisper and they get even closer to each other in their love.

‘Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each other and that’s all. That is how close two people are when they love each other.’

Written by Paulo Coelho

Modern Wisdom

2012-01-10T09:15:00.000-05:00

Listen To Your Heart

2012-01-09T00:48:00.001-05:00

Listen to your heart

it will give you peace of mind.

Listen to your heart

leave all your cares behind.

Listen to your heart

for your mind sees just one way.

Listen to your heart

for it has alot to say.

Listen to your heart

the answer is so clear.

Listen to your heart

it holds all that is dear.

Listen to your heart

joy and love it does hold.

Listen to your heart

the answer will be told.

~ Author Unknown

Exceptionally Eye Candy Wisdom

2012-01-09T00:30:00.000-05:00

A Dose of Humor

2012-01-09T00:00:00.000-05:00

Life Is Always Speaking To You. Are You Listening?

2012-01-06T01:00:00.000-05:00

Before I traveled to Italy in May 2010, if anyone would have told me that I would be remarried to Thomas, our family back together and I would have a new, loving perspective about myself, I would have told them that they were crazy. Not that it hasn’t been the most wonderful thing, but it wasn’t in my plans. It was part of the Universe’s plan and we are back together because I finally payed attention to life’s messages and messengers. The messages had been there for years, but I chose not to listen to them.

On the trip, not only did I meet the little spiritual woman who told me I was a daisy in a field of roses and to not compare myself, but forgive and love myself, I was also encouraged by a yogi to read Paulo Coehlo’s, The Alchemist, which reminds you that all of your heart’s desires reside within you. And, check out the room that I stayed in at the Tuscan Farmhouse. It is called the Mystic Rose room. It’s the seventh room photo down the page. It is filled with roses. I was a daisy surrounded by roses and I didn’t even realize it until I started writing my book last year and did research on the farmhouse. And, the spiritual woman had no idea what room I was staying to call me a daisy in a field of roses. When I realized all of the messages coming together, it freaked me out too. Isn’t it crazy when life is better than fiction?

Some may call all of these messages coincidence or serendipity, but I have noticed that as I acknowledge them as Life’s Whispers and follow them, my life gets better. When I have ignored Life’s Whispers, life has taken a turn for the worse until life is screaming at me. “I warned you, Claire! Now, I’m going to have to humble you!” I never want to ignore the messages or messengers again. Some say it’s your subconscious or intuition. Wherever the messages originate, pay attention to what life is telling you. It is speaking to you often. You’ve probably encountered times in your life where you felt like you didn’t even know what you wanted – to stay in a relationship or not. To pursue a passion or not. Or, in my case, to finally heal, love and forgive myself. Life will tell you if you chose to listen.

Life sends you warnings and blessings. Both kinds of messages and messengers. Pay attention to all of them. Ignore none. Have you ever ended a bad relationship and people have asked, “Where there signs?” Of course there were signs. Don’t kid yourself. You just chose to ignore them. Have you ever read something, perhaps in an email or on Facebook, and thought, “I needed that?” The Universe knew you did. It’s always conspiring to give you what you need. Have you ever had a friend call you just as you needed them? Is that the third time someone has mentioned a certain book or movie they thought you needed? Has a friend’s question kept you pondering? What keeps you up at night? I no longer take any experiences or messages for granted. I absorb all of them. I don’t rapidly act on everything, but I bring it into my heart and mind. Listen to the whispers before they become screams The more you acknowledge them as miracles, the more you notice them appearing often in your life.

Try this: for the next few days, become more aware of your environment – the things you read, the people you speak to and what lies in front of you. Take deeper breaths because it forces you to stay present and have to slow your racing mind. You can also listen better by taking at least five minutes upon rising from sleep or before going to bed to meditate. The subconscious and the conscious are closest at those times. Your subconscious has many messages it is trying to tell you. Mine was telling me to forgive myself and love myself. It took a little spiritual woman in Italy to bring that out, but you can do that in the comfort of your own home. Pay attention to life in a way that you usually don’t especially if you find yourself at a crossroads and you don’t know which way to go – whether or not to pursue a new relationship or fix an old one, leave a job, try a new passion, life is giving you messages and messengers. Just open your eyes and ears to what the Universe is conspiring for you and follow the path.

Written by Claire Denise Johnson from the fabulous blog, Daisy Among Roses.

Modern Wisdom

2012-01-06T00:45:00.000-05:00

Fitness Motivation

2012-01-06T00:30:00.000-05:00

Be Yourself

2011-11-21T01:00:00.001-05:00

Why would you want to be someone else

When you could be better by being yourself

Why pretend to be someone you are not

When you have something they haven't got

Cheating yourself of the life you have to live

Deprives others of that only which you can give

You have much more to offer by being just you

Than walking around in someone else's shoes

Trying to live the life of another is a mistake

It is a masquerade; nothing more than a fake

Be yourself and let your qualities show through

Others will love you more for being just you.

Written by Ellen Bailey

Monday's Tidbit of Advice

2011-11-21T00:45:00.000-05:00

"Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it."

~ Groucho Marx

Picture credit here

Modern Wisdom

2011-11-21T00:30:00.000-05:00

Daily Dose of Humor

2011-11-21T00:00:00.000-05:00

I Can Relate...

Ask Yourself: 'Is there another way to make this happen?'

2011-11-18T01:00:00.000-05:00

For Amanda Hocking, hundreds of rejection slips initially crushed her hopes of being an author. "Then I realized, if you have a dream, you can't let people tell you no," she says. "I decided to do whatever it took for my books to get out there." So she self-published her novel electronically on amazon.com. The first day, she sold five books; the next day, five more. Hocking kept writing—and publishing. Pricing her books low (some at 99 cents) and releasing frequent new titles helped fuel her fan base. Today she has grossed $2 million and become a best-selling e-author on Amazon. She's poised for stardom in the print world, too: St. Martin's Press offered her a four-book, $2 million deal and bought the rights to her series, The Trylle Trilogy. The first one will be printed in January.

Exceptionally Eye Candy Wisdom

2011-11-18T00:30:00.000-05:00

Friday's Fun Fashion Quote

2011-11-18T00:15:00.000-05:00

"The most beautiful makeup on a woman is passion, but cosmetics are easier to buy."

~ Yves Saint Laurent

Picture: Yves Saint Laurent

I Can Relate...

2011-11-18T00:00:00.000-05:00

You Gotta LOVE

2011-11-07T09:47:00.002-05:00

If you've been hurt in a relationship really badly, you may want to build some walls around you so that it will never happen again.

You will then block 99% of the chance for broken trust, deception, lies, or anything else awful from ever happening to you.

But, if those walls are up, you will also block out 99% of the chance for trust, openness, truth, and love from ever happening to you.

Realize instead, that the pain was caused by THAT person, not every person. By keeping the walls up, you're choosing to punish yourself and every person who tries to love you.

Don't punish the innocent.

Improve your odds for love. Break down the walls.

Written by Doe Zantamata, founder of Happiness in Your Life

Picture credit here

Monday's Tidbit of Advice

2011-11-07T09:00:00.001-05:00

‎"One should not enter into another relationship before healing. Sometimes we end up punishing others for what exes did, then regret doing so, and subject ourselves to even more pain of regret of treating the new person poorly. We should be more patient with ourselves and allow enough time to heal before seeking a new love."

~ Doe Zantamata

Picture credit here

Exceptionally Eye Candy Wisdom

2011-11-07T08:30:00.001-05:00

Daily Dose of Humor

2011-11-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

Putting a STOP to Bullying

2011-11-03T00:30:00.000-04:00

A teacher in Newfoundland was teaching her class about bullying and gave them the following exercise to perform. She had the children take out a piece of paper and told them to crumple it up, stomp on it and really mess it up but do not rip it. Then she had them unfold the paper, smooth it out and look at how scarred and dirty is was. She then told them to tell it they’re sorry. Now, even though they said they were sorry and tried to fix the paper, she pointed out all the scars they left behind. And that those scars will never go away no matter how hard they tried to fix it. That is what happens when a child bully’s another child, they may say they’re sorry, but the scars are there forever. The looks on the faces of the children in the classroom told her the message hit home.

So true. Even once, one harsh word can hurt even the most strong of souls. Be kind with your words.

Exceptionally Eye Candy Wisdom

2011-11-03T00:15:00.000-04:00

Daily Dose of Humor

2011-11-03T00:00:00.000-04:00