Janeane's World

Out of Work - Get Optimistic and Improve Family Relationships

2013-06-19T14:46:00.001-04:00

It is wonderful to have an attitude of optimism while out of work and use that optimism to improve family relationships. It is important for us to work on a regular basis in order to earn income. In most cases, our family members understand that we must step away from family obligations in order to earn money. Sometimes, we must spend long hours at work and sacrifice time with family in order to keep our jobs. Occasionally, this sacrifice leads to bad feelings or even resentment in families. Most people have heard children complain about parents who are at work all the time and have no time to for them. This is a sad and unfortunate reality.

: photo credit: h.koppdelaney via photopin cc

If the time you have spent at work has caused a rift or problem in your family relationships, things can get better. This is the time to adopt a spirit of optimism and set about improving things. While you are out of work you have time to do nice things for family members. While you are out of work you can attend events you used to miss. While you are out of work you can take steps and make serious efforts toward improving things. No matter how bad things are, you can start taking steps toward improving relationships with family members. Use the time, make the effort and work diligently toward the relationship you want with your family members.

There are all kinds of ways to make things better with family members:

apologize for the bad state of things
accept your responsibility for the problems without excuse
ask the people you have wronged, what you can do to make them feel important and valued
make special meals or treats for hurt family members
write letters or little notes expressing kind feelings for the family members you have hurt

When you are out of work involuntarily, it can be scary. But, the time away from work can be seen as an opportunity for improvement and new beginnings. Use the time out of work to make improvements. Work with the injured family members to come up with a plan that will enable improvements in the relationships to continue even after you start working again.

In conclusion, it is wonderful to adopt an attitude of optimism and use it to improve family relationships while out of work. So, the question for you this wonderful day is how can you use optimism to improve relationships in your family?

After the Tragedy Comes the Next

2013-06-18T13:01:00.001-04:00

It is terrific to know that no matter how bad things are now, there is a next on the way. Right now, all over the news, radio, and social media people are discussing the tragedy that occurred at the Boston Marathon. Those discussions are good and important because when a tragedy occurs, those of us left behind want to understand what happened, why it happened and how we can keep the tragedy from repeating itself. We mourn the victims and pray for the survivors and the families of those involved. Everyone around the nation and around the world wants to know what happened and why. Parents are searching for as many answers as possible so they can explain things to their children. First we want to know what happened, then we want to know why. Then comes the next.

A basic fact of life is that no matter how bad the tragedy, no matter how many tears we shed, there is always a next. The next is where hope abides. The next is what we figure out when we tell our kids that a bad thing has happened but we will go on, there will still be Elmo and SpongeBob. The next is what happens when we tell our employees to take the rest of the day off to be with their families and come back to work tomorrow morning. The next is when we have dinner ready when our husbands come home and convince them, that things will be ok at home while they are away. When tragedies happen, we all come together, families, friends and even strangers huddle together for protection, comfort and understanding. We cling to hope and pray for understanding. Then comes the next.

: photo credit: QueenNeveen via photopin cc

As we sit and try to figure out what happened in Boston, as we seek to understand the who, what, when, where, why and the how, it is important for us to hold on to the knowledge that the next is coming. We cannot change the bad thing that happened. In truth, we may not be able to prevent similar tragedies from taking place in the future. What we can do is be assured that next is coming. The next is important because in the next we have power, we have control, we have hope and we have possibilities. In the next, we can reach out and do kind things for the families of those who died in the tragedy. In the next, we can look for ways to be of service to the survivors. In the next we can look for ways to comfort those around us who were not directly affected or involved but are hurting. The tragedy has happened, now comes, the next.

The next thing, the next step, the next action to take varies from person to person. There is no definitive thing to do next. Undoubtedly, we will all be doing something next. Some will ignore the events and pretend they never happened. Some will look for ways to be of service to the survivors. Some will try to figure out the whys and the hows. One thing we will all do is whatever is next. Because like it or not, deny it or not, want it or not, the next is coming. In conclusion, it is terrific to know that we do not stay in tragedy forever, the next arrives. Just like the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, the next is coming. So, the question for you this terrific day is, now that we have experienced this tragedy, what is your next?

Get Emotionally Set Each Morning

2013-06-17T18:11:00.001-04:00

It is magnificent to take time first thing in the morning to get your emotional house in order. Most often, when people talk about health, they speak of physical health. They talk about losing weight, getting into shape and eating the right foods. People rarely refer to their emotional health when they talk about getting healthy. That is a shame because emotional health is important in its own right and it often has an impact on physical health. Emotional health is commonly defined as the degree to which one feels emotionally secure and at ease in everyday life. An emotionally healthy person has a good amount of self-esteem, reacts without panic and is able to appropriately react to life's happenings. Good emotional health is just as important as good physical health. Additionally, a person can have good emotional health even when physical health is poor.

: photo credit: RyanHaran via photopin cc

I am an advocate for getting dressed before one gets out of bed in the morning. By this I mean that before one gets out of bed in the morning, she should spend time, thinking, planning and getting herself ready to face the world and the challenges to come that day. The morning is a good time to take stock of one's emotional health. Before you get out of bed, take time and do some personal inventory:

are there ongoing issues which cause you stress and aggravation
is there a person who is making you feel ill at ease and upset in some way
do you feel apprehensive and do not know why
are you dreading the start of the day

If you have concerns like these or similar ones, take time and pay attention to your emotional health. Do not ignore these fears and concerns. Your emotional health is important and should be given the same serious attention you give your physical health. There are professionals who help with emotional health. If you notice your emotional health is not what is should be, seek out professional help. If your friends and family members tell you on a regular basis that you have problems in the area of emotional health, don't treat it as a joke, check in with a professional. People think nothing of seeking out professional help if they think they may have diabetes, high blood pressure or a sprained ankle. It will be a wonderful day when we treat our emotional health with the same seriousness and regular concern.

I have a routine that works for me and helps me start off the morning well and keeps me emotionally healthier during the day:

pray
read the bible
speak positive affirmations to myself
- I am a child of God
- I am Janeane Michelle James Davis and I love me
- Today will be magnificent
- I control my life
- My outcome is determined by the choices I make and the reactions I display

: Photo Credit: Janeane Davis, Get Emotionally Set in the Morning

This is the routine that starts me off on good footing and helps me leave the bed with a smile. I encourage you to get your own happy, healthy morning routine. In conclusion, it is magnificent to get your emotional health in order first thing in the morning. So, the question for you this magnificent day is how do you get your emotional health in order each morning?

Read a Book While Waiting in Line

2013-06-17T18:00:00.003-04:00

It is sensational to find a fun thing to do while standing in line. For me the fun thing to do while standing in line is read a book. Everyone stands in line for something at one time or another. We go to the market, bank, car wash, clothing store all kinds of places. I have seen people do all kinds of things while standing in line:

paint fingernails
argue with kids
comb hair
pay bills
talk on the cell phone

All of those things have their place in life. I understand why people would do them while standing in line. After all, if you are in a stationary place for an extended period of time. Most people can't just stand and do nothing, the boredom would drive them insane, so, they look for something to do. For me, that something is reading a book.In the old days of my youth, I always carried a paperback with me. I read hardback books of course, but they are heavy to carry. Just like there is always room for jello, in my mind, there is always room for a book. Today, I don't carry physical books anymore. I carry my Kindle e-reader. I like having 3,000 books in my purse with the ability to instantly get more.

So, when I am in line at the market, I pull out my e-reader and pick up where I left off. I read all kinds of things waiting in line:

the Bible
novels with no redeeming value
books on HTML code
professional development books
self-help books
foreign language learning series
classic literature
mysteries

In other words, if you walk up to me while I am line at the market waiting to pay for my groceries, there is no telling what you will find me reading. But, one thing for sure, you will find me reading. It is sensational to read a good book while standing in line. So, the question for you this sensational day is, what book are you going to read the next time you are standing in line?

Kick it Up a Notch When Balancing Home and Work

2013-06-14T20:45:00.001-04:00

It is fantastic to kick it up a notch when you are balancing your obligations at home and work. Increasingly in my travels, I come across women like me, women who have chosen to work at home rather than a traditional office and have a family at home. When we meet each other at a school event or at a networking or business meeting, the talk always comes around to the struggle to balance home and work obligations. At the same time, when I speak with women who work at traditional office places talk about the difficulties they face in balancing home and work obligations. Even the stay at home moms I talk to about trying to balance the things they do for their families at home and trying to find time for themselves. In other words, no matter what kind of work women do, they are all looking for ways to balance home and work obligations.

: photo credit: Flavio~ via photopin cc

Today I am suggesting we kick up our balancing acts. We all have plans for balance. I have a calendar that strictly delineates time for work, home, school and all other activities in my life. I planned everything out carefully and the times I put in the calendar are adequate for each task. When I follow the calendar, things run smoothly, everything gets done and I feel satisfied at the end of the day. However, when I just go with the flow and don't follow the plan, I fail. In other words, I don't get everything done, I miss deadlines and I feel dissatisfied at the end of the day. So, I need to kick things up a notch.

I often remind myself of the "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail" line that is common in today's world. At the same time, I have to start reminding myself that "if you don't work the plan, the plan won't work." In other words, creating a plan that balances home and work is a great first step. It is a crucial and important part of the plan. However, creating the plan is not the end of the matter. Once you set up a plan that works for you, and it may take several weeks to work out the timing, start working the plan. Kick things up a notch!

Work during work hours. It doesn't matter if where the work takes place:

If you are working at a traditional workplace, during work time, stay away from personal activities, do your job
If you work at home, set up a dedicated work space, even if it just a corner of the dining room table and work during your work time, do not do any household chores
If you are a stay at home mom, when you are supposed to be doing household work for your family do it, do your personal things after your work is done
When it is personal time, put away your work, do not answer work calls, do not read work emails and do not do work activities
When it is personal time, dedicate your time, attention and efforts to yourself and your family

: Photo Credit: Janeane Davis, Kick it Up a Notch When Balancing Home and Work

We all work in one form or another. It is crucially important to find a way to balance the obligations to work and home. If you are not satisfied with the balance between the two in your life, stop complaining and do something. Kick things up a notch. For me, I am going to start sticking to my schedule like wet on water!

It is fantastic to find a way to kick it up a notch when it comes to balancing home and work. So, the question for you this fantastic day is how can you kick your balancing act up a notch?

Learn to Juggle When Dealing with Employees

2013-06-13T14:28:00.000-04:00

It is thrilling to be able to run a healthy business by learning to juggle when dealing with employees. Most entrepreneurs know they have all kinds of responsibilities to their employees. Some of these responsibilities are:

Provide pay on time
Provide a safe work environment
Provide consistent and predictable policies and procedures
Provide support to employees in need
Provide a policy for the airing and resolution of grievances

This list is a basic bare minimum of things a good employer should be providing to employees each day. The more employees that are involved in an enterprise, the harder it becomes to provide all these things.

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In many ways an entrepreneur can be thought of as a juggler trying to balance the needs of employees, the desires of customers, the demands of governmental and regulatory agencies and the need to operate profitably. It is not an easy task to handle the demands and desires of each of these stakeholders individually. Trying to keep all the balls in the air and handle the demands of each of these groups at the same time takes discipline, strength, perseverance and most of all, a plan.

One of the most important things you need to do as an entrepreneur is keep a list of all your various roles, obligations and desires. Along with that list, write down the way you would like to handle each of these things and keep the information readily available. The following are situations that come up often in the life of an entrepreneur in dealing with employees:

A disagreement as to how to handle a customer
Dispute between hours' work and hours for which pay is given
Insubordination
Intimate relationships between employees
Employee confessing a substance abuse problem
Time for promotion and more than one viable candidate

Some entrepreneurs will keep the information in hard copy format in a loose-leaf book on a shelf or a desk drawer. Other entrepreneurs keep the information in electronic form on a computer, tablet or even a smart phone to be reviewed when needed. It doesn't matter what form the information is stored in, the important part is to have the information written so it can be immediately accessed when needed.

A reality of life in business is that often problems come up in the middle of other problems. At my business, employees do not wait in line patiently for me to resolve one problem or put out one fire before bringing another to my attention. Instead, I am often in the middle of putting out one fire when I am told about two others happening at the same time. As a result, I am forced to juggle several hats, several roles and several responsibilities so I can handle everything that needs to be handled. I find it is very helpful to have my policies and procedures written down so that when I am in the heat of battle, I can stay calm and follow the rules and regulations I have created.

: Photo Credit: Janeane Davis, Juggling with Employees

Juggling responsibilities to employees and managing their various needs and demands is not something extra. It is an everyday task entrepreneurs must carry out. Prepare for this role by planning in advance how you will handle problems as they arise. You do not have to share these plans with the employees. The plan is yours as the business owner. Keep in mind the old saying, "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail" and act accordingly.

It is thrilling to make your business healthy by learning to juggle all the responsibilities to your employees. So, the question for you this thrilling day is how do you juggle all the responsibilities you have to your employees?

When Out of Work Get on the Internet

2013-06-11T16:07:00.001-04:00

It is wonderful to take time to get your life in order while you are out of work. So often when people are out of work they see only the problems. There is good reason for that after all. If a person remains unemployed and without income for a significant period of time, there may be unemployment, homelessness and hunger! However, if using the look for the silver lining approach, one would see there is a good thing in being unemployed for a period of time. If you should find yourself unexpectedly unemployed, get out your favorite device and get on the internet. There are several things you can do while on the internet in order to make life better:

: photo credit: larskflem via photopin cc

Job Search - employers are increasingly posting and accepting resumes exclusively via the internet
Hone or Develop Skills - the internet is a treasure trove of resources one can use to improve one's work skills
Get Educated - there are numerous websites one can use in order improve one's education via the internet
Self Improvement - if there is an area of you life that could stand improvement hit the internet to find a useful video or book

When you are out of work you have more of a precious resource - time. Use that time to make improvements in your life. If you have been trying to get in shape, get on the internet get some advice, check out some videos and join some support groups. If you lost your job because you have a bad attitude, get on the internet and learn how to get a better one. If you do not have the skills you need to do the job you want, get on the internet and get some new skills. Instead of looking at your time away from the work place as a curse, take the silver lining approach. Look at your time away from work as an opportunity to get on the internet and do those things you have been planning to do . Instead of just talking about it, take action now and do it!
In conclusion, it is wonderful to use your time away from the workforce to get your life in order. So, the question for you this wonderful day is, how would you use your time away from work to organize your life?

Use Your Technology to Get Healthy

2013-06-07T15:22:00.001-04:00

It is thrilling to use the technology in our hands to help us live healthier and more physically fit lives. The word healthy is commonly defined as being in good health, of being free of disease. Increasingly technology,which interestingly is our friend has helped us to be stationary and as a result increasingly out of shape. Recently, women in a bloggers group to which I belong complained about "blogger butt," a condition that results from sitting at the computer and writing for extended periods. In sum, blogger butt is the increase in weight that happens when you stop being active and start using your technology for long periods. This phenomenon seemed to be common with women across race, class and age. In other words, it happens to everyone. Even with this new and increasingly common affliction, I think technology is still our friend and can be used for good health.

Increasingly applications for our tablets and smart phones are things that can make our lives better. It is common for people to solve problems in their lives by asking, "Is there an app for that?" More and more, the answer to that question is a resounding yes! Check out these apps that are on my Kindle tablet for example:

Daily Ab Workout
Daily Arm Workout
Daily Butt Workout
Daily Cardio Workout
Daily Leg Workout
Evening Yoga for Women
Fitbit Activity Tracker
Virtua Gym Fitness Home Workout
Yoga-Pedia

These are a few of the workout and exercise apps on my Kindle. One of the great things about these apps in particular is that they were all free. More importantly, they provide a kick butt workout. It may be difficult to follow these apps on some smart phone screens. However with tablets, these are all easy to see and easy to follow. These are my weapons to battle at first and then win the war against blogger butt.

I like that I can take the tablet to any room in the house and work out. Like many moms, I have started working out in the living room only to be pushed out by Elmo and laughing children. I have been in the bedroom trying to get my workout on when a tired husband comes in and really needs to rest. On those occasions, I have taken my tablet and hid in the bathroom so that I can do the workout. A tablet's flat nature and small footprint make it easy to put on a counter or floor easily in the line of sight in order to workout.

Increasingly our obligations at home and work have made it harder to find the time to take proper care of ourselves and to get to the gym to work out. That is why the large number of exercise and fitness apps on our tablets and smart phones is a wonderful thing. While lying in bed, riding the train to the office, or watching your kids at the playground search the applications store for your smart phone or tablet provider to find workout and fitness apps that work for you.

It is thrilling to use your technology to help you stay fit and healthy. So, the question for you this terrific day is how do you use technology to stay healthy?

Take Steps to Get Good Mental Health

2013-06-06T22:30:00.000-04:00

It is magnificent to take the steps necessary to be sure you have good mental health. There are certain times of the year that have a rush of people taking steps to get healthy. Normally these times are the new year, springtime, the start of summer and the start of a new school year. At these times sales of gym memberships, workout clothes, sneakers and the like rise exponentially. For most people getting healthy includes only physical health. Not a lot of attention is paid to an important part of the health picture, mental health.

Once upon a time, it was unheard of to acknowledge or get treatment for mental health related issues. Today, people are increasingly recognizing the mental health needs care and maintenance just like cardiac health or diabetic management. The popular site, WebMd.com defines mental illness as any disease or condition that influences the way a person thinks, feels, behaves, and/or relates to others and to his or her surroundings. If you are concerned that you may have a mental illness due to feelings of your own or responses you get from others, stop and go look for treatment as soon as possible. Think of it this way, if you thought you were having a heart attack or stroke, you would not wait for things to get better before getting help would you?

Make today a good day by taking stock of your mental health. So, the question for you this magnificent day is what steps are you taking to care for your mental health?

Fun - Reading a Good Book Can Be Fun

2013-06-03T13:32:00.000-04:00

It is sensational to learn that reading a good book can be fun! When you ask people what they do for fun you will get a variety of answers:

biking
knitting
playing an instrument
travel
kickboxing
skydiving
playing ports
reading

Those of you who are not bibliophiles aka book lovers may see reading on that list and say "Huh? How could you possibly think reading is fun?"

Reading can be fun. There are lots of people who would like to be readers, who would like to become book lovers but they just cannot do it. I think the problem with those people is that they are picking the wrong things to read. I am a reader. I like to read fiction and non-fiction, mysteries, humorous stories, sad stories, stories about war, stories about peace, good books, bad books, business books, religious books and self-improvement books. I like almost every type of book. I am different from most people. Many people who do not consider themselves to be readers have a favorite type of book, a type that they pick up and cannot put down. For example, a teenage girl who loves romance novels and secretly reads them each day will never consider herself a reader if she is forced to read Stephen Hawkings dissertations on theories of the universe.

: Photo Credit: Janeane Davis, Reading a Good Book is Fun

If you want to start reading and to find the fun in it pick a book about a subject you like. If you are an X-box addict, read books about the X-box, games and game players. These things will interest you and keep you turning the pages. While we all have to read things we don't want on occasion for work and for school. But if you are trying to become a reader and to find the fun in reading, start reading only about subjects that interest you. Once you are able to read a few pages at a time, on a subject you like, keep reading on a regular basis. As time passes, you will soon be able to read chapters in a sitting. Eventually you will see the fun in reading and actually enjoy it.

It is sensational to learn that reading can be fun! So, the question for you this sensational day is what topic do you think it would be fun to read about?

Balance Work and Home to Avoid Excess

2013-06-03T13:03:00.001-04:00

It is fantastic to balance obligations at home and work by avoiding concentrating on either area to excess. Excess is commonly defined as an amount that is more than necessary, permitted, or desirable. It is not ideal to live in excess. Balancing our obligations to home and to work is a balancing act. When I think of it I always think of a seesaw with the things I need to do for home on one side and the things I need to do for work on the other side. A reality is that many women work at home and outside the home. Increasingly women are working for others, but working from home. In either case, if you are like me a woman who has obligations at home and in the workplace, it is sometimes hard to find the time to manage to get both done and to lead a balanced life.

: Photo Credit: Janeane Davis, Balance Work and Home No Excess

I am a woman who works at home, and know it is very easy to slip into working during all my waking hours. I like to work and enjoy the mental challenges of the work I do. At the same time, I have a wonderful husband and four terrific children, all of whom who want my time and attention. This means that in order to keep my family happy and in order to continue getting paychecks, I must find a way to balance all I am obligated to do. In order to make it all work my favorite organizational and behavioral tool has become my calendar. I have scheduled my personal and professional obligations on a calendar that I am able to access via my computer, the internet, my telephone and my tablet.

I have my family, my consulting business, a job with a social media advertising company, a new position helping someone with her social media outreach, partner with a business promoting a community of writers, and write this blog. There are a few balls I am keeping in the air. For this reason, I schedule everything according to how it fits into my schedule. I schedule everything from laundry, to school work, to time on Facebook. I have created a separate calendar or each area of life and work and have color coded each area. This means when I look at my calendar I immediately see not only everything that is due, but in which area of life things are due.

By scheduling my life and adhering to the schedule, I am less likely to concentrate too much attention in an area in excess to the detriment of another area. I personally use Google calendar. I like it because it syncs easily with all my electronic products with ease. I use PCs and Android technology and am very happy with all the options and flexibility available to me. You should keep in mind that there are many calendar products that work in a similar manner and you should find one that works for you in your life. I am not advocating a particular product. I am suggesting that you start living according to a calendar. Live in balance instead of excessive attention in one area at the expense of another area.

It really is fantastic to balance obligations at home and at work. So, the question for you this fantastic day is what is your trick for balancing obligations at home and at work?

Debt - Get A Healthy Attitude Toward It

2013-05-16T12:26:00.001-04:00

It is thrilling to help your business by taking a healthy look at debt. Often entrepreneurs are afraid of debt. This fear of debt can prevent entrepreneurs from growing their businesses as they should. However, once an entrepreneur has a healthy understanding of debt and its place in business, there is opportunity for growth. It is important to understand that every business has debt. Business debt includes all of the following items:

rent
employee,payroll and employee related taxes
supply costs
taxes
association and membership fees
website associated costs

: photo credit: The Eggplant via photopin cc

A quick look at this list will show that almost every business has debt. Debt is commonly defined as a state of owing money. Most businesses have short-term debt. Like the items included in the list above. These are debts that are due to be paid off in a period of less than one year. Businesses may also have long-term debt which includes things such as loan payments, credit card payments and mortgage payments. Since the reality is that almost every business has debt, it is imperative that entrepreneurs get a healthy attitude toward debt rather than an adversarial one.

Debt need not be the enemy of business operations and entrepreneurs. In fact certain debt can be thought of as a good thing. For example, every day that an employee works, that employee is owed a debt by the business, a paycheck. It is good to have employees, to provide jobs and be part of helping the American economy to grow. Employee payroll associated debt can be thought of as good debt. This is not the type of debt that normally scares entrepreneurs. The debt that normally scares entrepreneurs is loans. However, a loan is sometimes needed in order to finance items needed for business operations.

Before becoming indebted for any thing, large or small, it is important for an entrepreneur to look at several factors to make sure the business will be able to manage the debt. For example, a business that wants a loan to purchase new computer equipment should look at the following factors:

income
current expenses
cash flow
profit and loss statement
accounts payable
accounts receivable
purpose of the loan
Projected return to be had on loan funds

If after the analysis is done it is determined that the company has the ability to repay the loan and the loan will benefit the company in a real and significant way, then the debt to purchase the computers can be considered good debt and probably should be taken. If however, the analysis shows that the company cannot afford to make the proposed loan payments or that the benefit to the company would be insignificant or non-existent, then the debt may be considered bad debt and probably should be avoided. What this brief analysis shows is that debt itself, simply by the nature of being debt is not a good or bad thing. It is simply a fact of operating business. Instead of being afraid of debt, start to realize that it is a part of business and on its own is neither good nor bad.

: Photo Credit: Janeane Davis Healthy Look at Debt

In conclusion, in order for a business to be healthy, an entrepreneur must get a healthy attitude and understanding of debt. An entrepreneur must learn to manage debt adequately, correctly and without fear. So, the question for you this thrilling day is, how to you control debt in your business?

Correct Attitude While Out of Work

2013-05-01T13:13:00.001-04:00

It is wonderful to have the correct and right mental attitude while you are out of work. If the condition of the economy in America has taught us anything over the course of the past few years, it has taught us that jobs can disappear with no notice at all. As a result, you may find yourself unexpectedly out of work. One of the most important things you can do for yourself if you find yourself involuntarily out of work is get a correct mental attitude, the right mental attitude. It is important to have the correct aka right mental attitude because a bad mental attitude can lead to disastrous results. Let's examine some products of a bad mental attitude:

Sadness
Anger
Depression
Fear

: photo credit: Enokson via photopin cc

Being unexpectedly without work and income is not a pleasant thing. After all, our jobs and the income they provide make it possible to pay the mortgage, utilities, food and all the other expenses that make life better. No matter how bad things are, you must get the correct attitude, the right mental attitude. The reason you must get and keep the correct and right mental attitude because it determines the outcome you will experience. If you analyze the results that a bad attitude brings, you will find a bad attitude produces:

Bad company
Misery
Sadness
Lack of opportunity

When you are a sad, depressed, angry or fearful person, you are bad company to be around. Those characteristics make you a miserable person. It is important that you get the correct or right mental attitude while you are out of work. The correct or right mental attitude will help you to get a job and to be happier while you are out of work. When a person has a correct or right mental attitude, she is:

Resolute
Hopeful
Adventurous
Determined

These characteristics are what give you the strength to keep going through the work needed to handle life while you look for work. When out of work it is important to behave as though you will find a job before things are totally ruined for your family. Have a sense of adventure because sometimes good things are things outside our comfort zones. Additionally, determination helps us to hang on when things are bad and to believe things will get better. These characteristics will get us good results and help us move from joblessness to full and satisfying employment.

The reason we need to develop characteristics that create a correct or right mental attitude while out of work is because when we sow a correct or right mental attitude we reap:

A good reputation
People who want to help
Positive results
Less stress

There is an idea commonly circulated now called The Law of Attraction. The idea is that the attitude you give the world is the attitude the world will give back to you. There may be some truth in this idea. After all, while misery loves company, no one wants to be that company!

: Photo Credit: Janeane Davis, Correct and Right Mental Attitude

In conclusion, it is wonderful to keep the correct mental attitude while you are out of work because it will make life smoother and happier for you. So, the question for you this wonderful day is, how do you keep a good mental attitude when things are not going well in your life?

Use Technology to Keep Healthy

2013-04-29T12:39:00.001-04:00

It is terrific to use technology to get back to basics and stay healthy. Modern technology has taken a lot of the drudgery out of getting into and staying healthy. When I was a very young teenager, I bought Jane Fonda's step aerobics workout book. I worked my way through the book page after page and used another book to hold the pages while I did the exercises. When I was a child, personal computers were out of the price range of most people and the idea of using the computer to research issues of health was not done. Over the course of my lifetime, things have changed in incredible ways. Today there is an enormous variety of ways most people can access information on health and fitness. For example:

DVDs and CDs for the television or computer
Internet websites and YouTube videos
Video games and programs
Applications for the laptop, tablet and cellular phone
E-books
Fitness devices like the Fitbit and Garmin devices
Athletic shoes with built-in computers that connect to cell phones and smart devices

All of these items are eons beyond my old Jane Fonda step aerobics workout book. DVDs are available in almost every exercise discipline known to man. It is exciting to be able to change workout style each day if one chose. This means that while working out with DVDs at home, a person never need be bored. Additionally the easy availability of the internet makes it easy to get information about health, illness and a variety of healing methods. With a few key strokes of a keyboard or a few swipes on a smartphone, one literally has the information of the entire world at one's fingertips. This means that at a very basic level, one has all the information one needs to find out what not only what good health is, but also how to achieve good health.

Almost everything we do in life is better is we have our health in order. Good health is the basic foundation we need to make everything else we do in life. With the technology available today, it is easy to find out new ideas for getting healthy. Whenever one hears about a new health study on a news report, one can immediately do an internet search and instantly get more information on the topic.

: Photo Credit: Janeane Davis, Basics - Use Technology to be Healthy

In conclusion, it is terrific to use technology to learn about good health, to get healthy and stay healthy. Technology can make what used to be hard boring work easier and fun! So, the question for you this terrific day is, how do you use technology to get healthy or stay healthy?

Celebrating National Poetry Month with Langston Hughes

2013-04-23T01:38:00.001-04:00

April is National Poetry Month so I am celebrating it by sharing a little about my favorite poet of all times, Langston Hughes. Hughes is one of the most famous and prolific poets and writers of the Harlem Rennaissance period in America. That period was the birthplace of a great number of incredible poetry that has influenced my life. One of my favorite gifts of all time a book, The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes My husband bought me this paperback volume about ten years as a birthday gift and I have read it so much it is getting a little worn and crumpled. I have been a Langston Hughes fan since I was a young child. I like his books as well as his poems. He is my all time favorite. If anyone wants to get me in a good mood, pull out some Langston Hughes verses and I will melt in your hands. My husband just has to mention some of my favorite Langston lines and turn to putty in his hands.

The following poem is my favorite poem of all times, I see it as a metaphor for my life as a woman, a wife and a mother. My life has not been a crystal stair, but I am still climbing, still moving and still succeeding.

Mother to Son

Well, son, I'll tell you:

Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.

It's had tacks in it,

And splinters,

And boards torn up,

And places with no carpet on the floor—

Bare.

But all the time

I'se been a-climbin' on,

And reachin' landin's,

And turnin' corners,

And sometimes goin' in the dark

Where there ain't been no light.

So, boy, don't you turn back.

Don't you set down on the steps.

'Cause you finds it's kinder hard.

Don't you fall now—

For I'se still goin', honey,

I'se still climbin',

And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.

I do not have the space to share all the rest of my favorite poems, so I will just share a few lines from a few of my favorite poems. Sit back, relax and enjoy these beautiful words. Once you have read each, take a moment to sit back and just enjoy the rythym and flow of the words.

Dream Variations

To fling my arms wide

In some place of the sun,

To whirl and to dance

Till the white day is done.

Then rest at cool evening

Beneath a tall tree

While night comes on gently,

Dark like me-

That is my dream!

I like this one because of the freedom and imagery of flinging arms, dancing with wild abandon and then being enveloped by my friend, the night.

The following poem I liked as a child because I pictured myself walking along these great and glorious rivers instead of along the Schykill River in Philadelphia.

Negro Speaks of Rivers

. . .

I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young

I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep.

I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it.

I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln

went down to New Orleans, and I've seen its muddy

bosom turn all golden in the sunset

. . .

My soul has grown deep like the rivers.

I like the following poem because it paints such a beautiful picture in my mind. It reminds me of patriotism and the promise of America.

I, Too

I, too, sing America.

I am the darker brother.

They send me to eat in the kitchen

When company comes,

But I laugh,

And eat well,

And grow strong.

I liked this one because I grew up in the days before a black president was a reality and I dreamed of the day it would come to pass.

I have shared several great poems by a fantastic poet with you. I have bared a little of the real me by sharing my celebration of National Poetry Month with you. So, the question for you this magnificent day is, how are you celebrating the National Poetry Month?

What a Thing to Say - I Had Nothing Better to Do

2013-04-22T12:23:00.001-04:00

You can find serenity in building a love that stands the tests of time, in-laws and children. When you find that serenity, you will also find peace, comfort and strength.
Over the years, my husband has said some incredible things to me:

I love you
Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife
I do
Women don't become beautiful until they get past thirty
I will love you when you are 90 and your butt sags to your knees
I had nothing better to do that day

: photo credit: Millzero Photography via photopin cc

The last statement was something he said once during an argument when I asked him why he married me. At first I was upset with his response. What did he mean he had nothing better to do? I got a major attitude. He tried to calm me down and get me to listen to his explanation. But, I was not having it. Then, all of a sudden, I got it. I realized he had given me a wonderful compliment. What Darren was trying to explain to me was, that of all the things in the world that he could have been doing, there was no option better than choosing to share his life with me.
When we got married all those years ago, Darren was the perfect tall dark and handsome figure. He had a decent job, was a college student and had the whole world before him. In other words this was a man with many options before him. He did not have to get married, he chose to get married. In addition, since he was a major hottie, there were plenty of women who would have loved to marry him. This I know, because I had more than one tell me. However, even with all the choices available to him, there was nothing he could think of on March 31, 1990 that was better than marrying me. In my mind that is good stuff!

Twenty-three years have come and gone since our wedding day. A lifetime of things have taken place. We have lost parents and grandparents. We have gained and lost children. We have had the for richer, for poorer, in sickness and on health and the for better or for worse talked about in our wedding vows. We have lived in apartments and houses and in the city and in the suburbs. We have been so busy we saw each other only a few minutes per day and we have been around each other twenty-four hours per day for years at a time.

Some things have over the years. Instead of our home being a cozy apartment for two, it is a crowded house of six with two pets. We no longer get up at 3 am just to drive to New York for hamburgers. Hugs and kisses get interrupted by little voices saying, "Ewwwww, that is nasty." Spending plans now include school supplies, children's toys and lots of bandages. Television programs now get switched quickly with the approach of little feet in the night. Instead of fighting each other for sheets and blankets, we now must join forces against the attack of twin fingers and stinky feet.

When I think about love, romance and companionship that starts when people are young and lasts way past them being old, I think of Darren's kind of love. Over the years, the two of us have grown and developed. The people we were at nineteen and twenty-four are different from the people we were when we married at twenty-three and twenty-eight. Now at forty-six and fifty-one we are different from the young kids who got married all those years ago. However, some things have remained and grown stronger:

Mutual respect
Deep friendship
Physical attraction
Blind trust
Support: mental, emotional, and physical

: Photo Credit: Janeane Davis, Serene Sunday, What a Thing to Say

The things Darren did twenty-three years ago that got on my nerves, still get on my nerves. I still do not like it when I ask him if it is raining and have to listen to the history of precipitation before getting my answer. I still don't like it when he gets bossy. The sweet things he did back then to make me smile, still make me smile. He still knows I will forgive almost any offense if the apology is accompanied by a ball of yarn or a book. I like that he still doesn't like to see me cry and is always my hero. The way he has always adopted my dreams as his own and believed in every venture I undertake still fills me with indescribable joy.

In conclusion, I am thrilled by the fact that after all these years, I have a husband who had nothing better to do than marry me and spend his life with me. So, the question for you this serene day is what is your recipe for building a love that lasts?

Click here to check out a story about the line Darren used to hook me forever the day we first met.

After Tragedy Comes The Next

2013-04-16T00:25:00.003-04:00

: photo credit: QueenNeveen via photopin cc

Spring Into Business Improvement with A Customer Referral Plan

2013-04-12T12:52:00.001-04:00

It is thrilling to do some spring cleaning in your business and improve your customer referral policy. Spring cleaning is often thought of as the deep and thorough cleaning that takes place after the long winter has ended. While spring cleaning is usually thought of in connection with a home, spring cleaning should also be done in your business. Entrepreneurs should take time on a regular basis to evaluate the condition of the business, to find ways to improve the business and its operations. An important place to concentrate cleaning and improvement efforts is the area of customer referral.

: photo credit: nffcnnr via photopin cc

Every entrepreneur knows that customers make the business go around. After all no matter how wonderful the product or service, how well-trained the employees or how innovative the business model, no business can succeed without customers. An entrepreneur should always have in mind ways to satisfy customers and how to get more customers. Satisfied customers advertise your business with the stories they tell others about you and your business. It is critically important to your success that those stories be good ones. Therefore, the first step in creating a good and sustainable customer referral program is to satisfy your current customers.

Look at your business operations with a critical and objective eye. Ask the following questions about your customer service policy:

do you have a written customer service policy that is understood and followed by all employees
do customers know your hours, locations and refund policies
how do you handle customer complaints
what is your return policy
what is your customer loyalty program

Once you are satisfying your current customers, the next step is to get your current customers to refer others to your business. There are several ways to do this:

ask customers to write referral letters immediately after the satisfactory experience
ask customers if they are willing to accept phone calls from potential customers
have customers fill out customer experience cards to be shared with potential customers
create a blog for your business where you share stories from and about satisfied customers
create a customer forum section on your website that allows customers to talk about their experiences with your business and its products and services

There are several things to ask for when getting referral letters or stories to share from current customers. These things include:

the name of a particularly good employee
a problem that your product or service helped solve
how a dissatisfied customer became a satisfied customer
the customer's favorite thing about working with your business
happy stories about results achieved from using your business' products or services

: Photo Credit: Janeane Davis, Thrilling Thursday Spring Cleaning-Customer Service

An interesting fact is that there are as many ways to create a good customer referral plan as there are businesses. In order to be as successful as possible as an entrepreneur, it is important that you create a customer referral plan that works for your business. Also keep in mind that customer service is an ever-changing area of business operations. Things that satisfy customers today and make them refer customers to your business may no longer work tomorrow. Customer service is an area that needs continuous work and attention, do not rest on past successes.

In conclusion, it is thrilling to have a policy that gets your satisfied customers to refer more customers to your business. So, the question for you this thrilling day is , are your satisfied customers referring you more business?

Spring Into Action in the Face of Fear

2013-04-11T11:57:00.001-04:00

It is magnificent to spring into action in the face of fear! There are many situations in life that require a person to take action, and to take that action, now even in the face of fear. Fear is commonly defined as the state of being afraid or apprehensive. Taking action now means that you move and do what needs doing, now. Fear, if left unchecked, unchallenged and free to roam, makes it difficult to take action now. The next time you have something to do that causes you to feel fear, find your courage and take action anyway. Courage is not the absence of fear, instead it is taking action in the face of fear. You must find the courage to spring into taking action now in the face of fear. In other words, when it comes to taking action now, you must put on your big girl panties and your fake it until you make it dress and get to doing what needs doing!

: photo credit: Lynn Friedman via photopin cc

In order for things to get done, action must take place. Fear is not sufficient justification to put off taking action. Bad things happen when fear stops a person from taking action now. Some of the things a person can expect when she allows fear to stop her from taking action now are:

embarrassment
failure
disappointment
missed opportunity
loss of income

None of these are things that a person wants to experience. However, what is exciting about having the courage to act and take action in the face of fear is that if you do it once, you can do it again. In other words, if you find the courage just once to take action in the face of fear, that action will give you strength to take action again in the face of fear. You cannot wait for pretty words, perfect situations, and just the right moments. When it is time to take action, take it!

There are several wonderful things that happen when you find the courage to look past fear and take action now. A few of these things are:

achievement of the desired results
success
satisfaction

It feels good to take action when you should and move towards getting the results you want. There is something good and wonderful about working towards a goal and achieving your desired results. Success is habit-forming. Once a person has success in one area, the feeling of satisfaction that is obtained is so pleasant that one wants to feel it again and again. Therefore, it is good to find courage in the face of fear and take action now. The problem is that some people do not know how to find the courage to take action in the face of fear.

There are a two tricks that I have found helpful when I am scared to take necessary action:

the five second rule from Lost
be like Nike

In the first episode of the television show Lost one of the characters told another that he found the strength to battle his fear by allowing panic and fear to run wild for five seconds, five seconds only and then he went into action doing what needed to be done. I have used that tactic on several occasions with success. The first time I used it was before the television show aired. But once it did air, I always used that story as an example of a way to handle fear. For example, when I defended a client charged with murder for the first time, when the jury walked in to start the day I was scared to death. As I sat in my chair I acknowledged that I was scared, nervous and afraid. I admitted it to myself and thought about it for five to ten seconds. Then I shook my head, pushed the fear aside and got down to business. I was later able to enjoy the success and satisfaction of my client being found not guilty by a jury of his peers.

: Photo Credit: Janeane Davis, Spring into Action in the Face of Fear

I have also used the Nike, "just do it" attitude to take action when I was afraid to act. When I was 8 1/2 months pregnant with my twins and my husband was rushed to the hospital I was terrified. However, I had to get my two children out of the house and around the corner with me to the hospital. At that point I could either do what I wanted to do which was sit and cry or I could hide my fear and get to the hospital and handle the business that needed handling. So, I sucked it up put the kids in the car and went around the corner to the hospital. There was no pausing, no hesitation. There was only just doing it.These are not pretty stories. It is not pretty to be afraid. It is not cute to find the courage to take action in the face of fear. But, it is a thing that needs doing.

In conclusion, it is magnificent to find the courage to spring into action and act now in spite of fear. So, the question for you this magnificent day is, what do you do to get things done when you feel afraid?

Spring into Family Improvements with Compliment Day

2013-04-10T07:29:00.001-04:00

You can find serenity in having compliment day with your family. Sometimes, when there is more than one child in a family, sibling rivalry occurs and the children will bicker and argue with each other. Often when that bickering and arguing occurs, it tends to drive a mother off the ledge into insanity. Or perhaps that is just at my house. I am the mother of four children ranging in age from 17 to 5. As much as it shames me to admit it, on occasion, my children bicker and argue as if they do not realize they are supposed to love one another.

: photo credit: Soulfull via photopin cc

After one afternoon of breaking up one too many fights, I created compliment day at the Davis house. One day per week everyone in the family is showered with compliments by the other members of the family. We worked out the following schedule:

Sunday - Dad's day
Monday - Little Twin's day
Tuesday - day off used for emergencies or if someone needs extra
Wednesday - Big Twin's day
Thursday - My Son, my son my golden one's day
Friday - Teenie Bopper's day
Saturday - Mom's day

By dividing up the week in this manner, everyone gets a day to be treated to compliments and no one has to wait more than a week to be a recipient of the good stuff. The original plan was for the compliments to be given out spontaneously by everyone in the family. What things evolved to was compliments only being given out when mom says so, at meals and when the recipient of the day asks. The person who is receiving compliments has the right to request compliments whenever desired and whoever is asked does not have the power to refuse.

This system has been working out remarkably well for our family. It is easy to apply and can be followed by any family. Human beings are social creatures who need to be loved, cared for and appreciated for who they are. When a person is the recipient of kind words, true words, genuine compliments, that person cannot help but feel good. I know many people who go days, weeks, months and in some cases years without ever receiving a true and kind compliments from another person. My children are blessed and fortunate because they will grow up knowing that they are loved and worthy of good and kind words.

Think about it for a moment. How would you feel if you knew that one day per week you were guaranteed to receive kindness and praise from those around you? Would this make you feel better? While sitting and receiving the compliments, would you chest rise, your shoulders pull back and your head raise a little? It is a good application of the Golden Rule. The children learned that if they give good compliments, the others will give them good compliments. At the same time, if they give out stinky compliments, they get some pretty stinky compliments in return. The following are a few of the stinky compliments:

you eat your dinner every day
you are smart for a boy
you have three pretty shirts

Here are a few of the good compliments:

you are the rainbow
you are the best sister
you are my big brother hero
you always make me smile
I knew when I was born and I first met you that you would love me forever

: Photo Credit: Janeane Davis,serene Sunday, compliment day

I have come to enjoy my compliment day. As a mom, there are so many times when my children take me for granted and think my contributions to the family are small and not worthy of note. However, on Saturday when it is my compliment day I feel really good. I am often amazed at the quality of compliments I receive. The last one in the good list above came from my Little Twin. I must admit, my little one has GAME, big time.

In conclusion, you can find serenity in having your family members compliment each other. So, the question for you this serene day is, when was the last time your family members spent time complimenting one another?

Better Blogging and Better Business

2013-04-09T13:25:00.000-04:00

In this article I am going to give you some great articles on blogging and business that I have found interesting during the past week. Be sure to check both sets of articles, there is often relevant overlap!

For Bloggers

1. Many bloggers write purely for the sheer joy of getting words and ideas from their brains onto blog sites. There are other bloggers who write for money, to earn a living. For these bloggers, this article from the people at Hongkiat.com will give you ideas on where to go to get paid for writing blog posts and articles. http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/sites-to-get-paid-blogging/

2. Bloggers like most people use Facebook for a variety of reasons. This article from Blogging Basics 101 talks about how the various Facebook rule changes may impact how a blogger runs contests on a blog site. http://www.bloggingbasics101.com/2013/03/5-reasons-not-to-ask-for-facebook-likes-comments-and-shares-for-your-giveaways/

3. RSS feed services are heavily relied upon by bloggers for a variety of purposes. Now that Google has announced Google Reader will be done away with in the near future. This article by a writer with competitor Feedblitz talks about the demise of Google Reader and why RSS feeds are here to stay. http://www.feedblitz.com/rip-google-reader-first-thoughts/

4. Bloggers are often concerned with Google rules about syndicating articles and duplicate content. This article from Google explains how they view syndicated articles and how they view duplicate content on a site. http://support.google.com/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=66359

5. Changing fonts in Wordpress is a task that has driven more than one bloggger to consider throwing her computer through a window. This article from Lexilyn Studio may help keep some computers safe. http://support.google.com/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=66359

For Entrepreneurs

1. Entrepreneurs are increasingly finding that LinkedIn is a good tool for making connections and developing relationships. This article from Virtual Social Media discusses how to use LinkedIn groups for business purposes. http://www.virtualsocialmedia.com/how-to-use-linkedin-groups-effectively-for-business/

2. Entrepreneurs are increasingly learning the power of blogs and bloggers. This article from Smart Boy Design tells entrepreneurs how to write a corporate blog. http://smartboydesigns.com/2013/03/18/write-corporate-blog/

3. For entrepreneurs, it is always time to think about taxes. This article from the people at Daily Worth discusses the rules for deducting home offices on a tax return. http://posts.dailyworth.com/posts/1729-home-office-check-deduct-it-hmmmm#.UU2mYxyG2So

4. While entrepreneurs are increasingly learning the importance of social media, often they are making mistakes with application. This article from Stream Feed explains why social media efforts may not be working. http://www.steamfeed.com/social-media-not-working-for-you-heres-why/

5. One thing that is certain to drive entrepreneurs insane is email. This article from The Self Employed gives five ways to get a handle on email. http://theselfemployed.com/technology/5-no-fail-ways-to-take-control-of-your-email/

If you come across an interesting article for bloggers or business people you would like me to highlight here, please email it to me at: janeanedavis@janeane's world.com. It is sensational to get better at what you do. So, the question for you this sensational day is what steps are you taking to make your blog and business better?

Spring Into Action in the Face of Fear

2013-04-05T11:40:00.002-04:00

: photo credit: Lynn Friedman via photopin cc

embarrassment
failure
disappointment
missed opportunity
loss of income

There are several wonderful things that happen when you find the courage to look past fear and take action now. A few of these things are:

achievement of the desired results
success
satisfaction

There are a two tricks that I have found helpful when I am scared to take necessary action:

the five second rule from Lost
be like Nike

: Photo Credit: Janeane Davis, Spring into Action in the Face of Fear

Spring into Family Improvements with Compliment Day

2013-04-04T07:25:00.001-04:00

: photo credit: Soulfull via photopin cc

Sunday - Dad's day
Monday - Little Twin's day
Tuesday - day off used for emergencies or if someone needs extra
Wednesday - Big Twin's day
Thursday - My Son, my son my golden one's day
Friday - Teenie Bopper's day
Saturday - Mom's day

you eat your dinner every day
you are smart for a boy
you have three pretty shirts

Here are a few of the good compliments:

you are the rainbow
you are the best sister
you are my big brother hero
you always make me smile
I knew when I was born and I first met you that you would love me forever

: Photo Credit: Janeane Davis,serene Sunday, compliment day

Spring Into a Classic With Sun Tzu and The Art of War

2013-04-03T10:58:00.001-04:00

It is sensational to look at an old classic book and find a modern use for it. There are thousands of books that make the list of classic treasures that students are forced to read throughout their educational careers. Some of those books stand the test of time and others do not. Some classics make me smile when I think of them, like The Communist Manifesto. Other classic books make me scream in disgust and wonder why educators choose to torture students; like the book Moby Dick. Sun Tzu's The Art of War is a classic book that has lessons to teach modern women.

: photo credit: Beni Ishaque Luthor via photopin cc

The Art of War is a thirteen volume book written, by Sun Tzu. The book discussed the proper way to wage war and how leaders should conduct themselves on the battlefield. At the beginning of almost every translation of The Art of War, is the story of Sun Tzu and his methods convincing Ho Lu, King of Wu that his methods for conduct on the battlefield were good and would work on any group of soldiers in actual battle conditions. The king had read Sun Tzu’s writings and asked if Sun Tzu’s methods could be tested on 180 women living in the palace. These young women were put under Sun Tzu’s training methods and the results were so satisfying that Sun Tzu was put in charge of the king’s army and waged war on the king’s behalf.

Interestingly, many of the principles found in The Art of War are applicable to the modern woman at home and in the work place. It is not unusual for the modern woman to wage war on the local school board when advocating on behalf of her children. It is not unusual for a woman to attend a parent teacher conference, a business project meeting, a church planning committee meeting and go to the supermarket all on the same day. It is important to note that each situation requires a different type of behavior. In order to be successful in each of these arenas the modern woman must identify the field upon which she finds herself and behave in a manner appropriate to the situation in order to achieve her desired outcome.

In the Art of War leaders are cautioned to:

plan
check out the situation being faced
maneuver with care
attack with proper preparation

These are all strategies that will help the modern woman handle her responsibilities with care, precision and appropriate tact. In order to juggle work and responsibilities at home, a woman must have a plan. She must be able to quickly and efficiently examine the situation in which she finds herself. When moving from one responsibility group to another a woman must be able to maneuver in and out of the various areas with grace and purposeful movement. Finally when a woman must go on the attack, no matter if in a meeting at work or to protect the interests of her children at school, she must do so with proper preparation so that her efforts will be successful.

One thing that was particularly interesting to me about The Art of War was the amount of preparation, study and self-development that needed to be undertaken by leaders. It would do the modern woman well to be continually vigilant and to continually seek out useful information about those with whom she comes in contact. It is a well established principle that one should prepare for war in the time of peace. Additionally a steady diet of self-improvement is healthy for every woman.

In conclusion, it is sensational to look at an old classic book and see that it still has lessons for the modern world. So, the question for you this sensational day is what old classic has taught you something recently?

Take Action Now and Find the Next Step

2013-04-02T11:20:00.001-04:00

It is magnificent to spring into action and take action now by figuring out what should be the next step. In order to be successful you need to both take action now and be on the look out for what your next steps should be. By doing this, you will be able to see both the big picture and all the small important details that are so crucial to eventual success.

: photo credit: WDAsso via photopin cc

I encourage people who read this blog to Take Action Now. I stress how important it is to move forward on plans now rather than waiting for a mysterious "someday" to take action. A step that goes along with taking action now is being careful to consider what should happen next. What comes next is an important part of taking action because the action you take today has an impact on the actions you will be able to take tomorrow. At the same time, if you know what steps you will take tomorrow, you can make better and more informed steps today. When taking action now, it is important to know what is coming next so that you are always able to take action and are never stuck wondering what to do next. By paying attention to what is going on around you, being careful and considerate in the action you are taking now and figuring out what you should do next, you are able to move continuously and with confidence.

It is important to always have a plan of action. The old saying, "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail," got to be an old saying for a simple reason. That reason is because it is true. While we need to take action now, it is crucial that you act with a plan. If you are moving from A to B, you should act purposely and with your path in mind. Part of that planning is the recognition that after you get from A to B there is still a C and D and some unknown next place that you must visit. It is important to recognize in your planning that you cannot plan for everything at the same time. Some plans cannot be made until after other plans are completed. That means that while you take action now, you must be on the look out to see what is the next step in your journey, what will be needed for the journey to continue. This is why when you take action now, you must be looking out for what your next step should be.

When you take action now, you start working toward achieving the goals you have set for yourself, you move in a coordinated and specific way towards completion. One way to ensure that you are always in a position to take action now, to keep moving is to always be on the lookout for the next step you need to take. For example, when you get up in the morning you have a routine:

wake up
get out of bed
take care of all bathroom and hygiene needs
get dressed
eat breakfast
go to work
work
come home

That list, while long and encompassing many subcategories, is not the end of your life or even the end of your day. You must still move on, there are steps that still need to be taken such as dinner, family time and preparation for the next day. In all you do, you must continue. As long as you live, if you want to control your destiny, you must always be moving onward.

Sales people are told that they should ABC, Always Be Closing. All people who want to be successful, who want to reach their goals should ABC as well. In that case, ABC means, Always Be Continuing. Progress is made with forward movement. This means in your taking action now, it is important that you know what is coming down the road so that you can keep going, that momentum is not interrupted while you stop to figure out what to do next. In physics, one learns the principle of inertia, which means an object at rest tends to stay at rest and an object in motion tends to stay in motion. By taking action now and being on the look out for what needs to be done next, you can continue to move, you can use the principle of inertia to keep moving towards your goals.

: Photo Credit: Janeane Davis, Magnificent Monday, take action now, next step

In conclusion, it is magnificent to take action now and keep moving forward by figuring out what the next step should be on your journey. Take action now towards accomplishing your goals. While working towards your goals, follow the plan you have set for yourself and always be on the look out for what you should do next. So, the question for you this magnificent day is, what is your next step?