To be an Olympic athlete is a tremendous feat in and of itself. The hard work, sacrifice and commitment are second to none. So how does one find greatness in a moment of grief? That is a question Joannie Rochette can answer.

Many time figure skating medalist, Joannie Rochette, lost her mother two days before a flawless performance on February 23 at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Most people can’t imagine what it would be like to make it to the Olympics. Being on a stage for the whole world to see, many would crack under the pressure. Imagine it’s in your home town and you are representing your country and tragedy strikes. 

Joannie’s mother died of a massive heart attack on Sunday, February 21.  Joannie is set to skate her short program just two days later, and pulled it off flawlessly. This young woman is an example for the world to follow.  She made a choice to go out onto the ice, do her best and make her mother proud. This is a moment we could all learn from.

We all have pressures; we all have things on our mind. However, most of us don’t have to perform on a stage that will be seen by millions of people across the globe. Joannie Rochette found the strength and determination to give the performance of a lifetime.  She is currently in third place, but  is in first in our hearts.

May we all take this young athletes triumph as an example to demonstrate that we can all find our greatness, even in the most difficult moments.

For more information please visit, www.sharspeaks.com, www.wowandthehow.com  www.average2awesomelife.com or you can email us at shar@sharspeaks.com

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For more information, visit:  www.wowandthehow.com

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This guest article was written by Adrienne Carlson, who regularly writes on the topic of accelerated online degree . 

You don’t realize how difficult it is to beat an addiction unless you’ve actually been in the situation yourself – you know you have to quit because you are slowly destroying yourself, but you’re unable to do so because of forces beyond your control that tug and claw at you until you give in. And you end up feeling guilty and hating yourself because you think you are not strong enough. Getting rid of an addiction is a significant achievement because it proves that you can accomplish the greatest victory there is – that over yourself. You know you have battled your personal demons and vanquished them all with your courage and determination. It’s not an easy task, but if you put your mind to it, here’s how you can get rid of an addiction:

·         Desire to quit: To beat an addiction, you must want to get rid of it. You must hate the habit more than you enjoy the pleasure it gives you. Only then is it possible to get rid of it for good. Some people give up addictions because they are forced to by friends and family members or because of their circumstances. But in such cases, you’ll find that they often suffer a relapse and are soon back to their destructive habit. So to quit an addiction, you must first want to do so.  

·         Remove yourself from temptation: Some people find that the best way to quit is cold turkey – get rid of the habit suddenly and immediately. It’s like pulling a Band-Aid from your skin – it hurts initially, but the pain subsides over time. Others find that they do better when they withdraw slowly and steadily. It’s up to you to decide which method stands a better chance of success and implement it accordingly, but for either to succeed, you must remove yourself from temptation – if you’re addicted to cigarettes, alcohol or drugs, ensure that you don’t keep the stuff stocked at home; if you’re addicted to the Internet or to a relationship, sever connections that tend to tie you down.

·         Think of the consequences and the rewards: Any addiction has adverse consequences, so if you’re tempted to go back, think of all that you stand to lose if you give in. Simultaneously, focus on all the rewards that are in the offing if you quit successfully and use the thought of these to spur you on to success.

·         Seek help from loved ones: When you’re battling the demons of addiction, your efforts are aided with support and help from loved ones, so tell your friends and family of your endeavor and ask them to do all they can to help you out. If you’re tempted to give in to your desires, they may be able to talk you out of it or distract you until the urge disappears.

·         Give in under controlled circumstances: Some people find that allowing themselves a little guilty pleasure once in a while under controlled circumstances prevents them from giving in to their cravings and going on binges. This is an option that must be exercised with extreme caution however, because it has the potential to become the first step to a relapse.

Adrienne welcomes your comments and questions at her email address: adrienne.carlson1@gmail.com .

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Have you ever had such a great experience with customer service that you wanted to share it with everyone you know?  I recently had that experience, and I want to share it with you.

The week of January 10, 2010 I was traveling for business to Westerly, Rhode Island. I was going to be staying at a bed and breakfast called The Villa. I heard a lot of good things about The Villa and its owner’s Barbara and Michael. From the moment I walked in the door I felt like I was family.  The Villa has a wonderfully warm and cozy feeling to it.  Then I walked into my room.  I felt like Princess Jasmine! There was a four-poster bed with a silk canopy, a Jacuzzi bathtub deep enough to almost drown in, and warm fluffy bathrobes that make you want to curl up in front of the fire with a cup of hot chocolate!

After checking in, getting settled, and heading out to meetings, I returned a few hours later.  I received a call shortly thereafter from Michael, the owner, wanting to know if I made it back safely and see if there was anything I needed.  So far, this place had already far exceeded my expectations.

The next morning I had breakfast made to order. I’m a pretty healthy eater, so I was having home made by Michael granola. It was delicious. The next day I had the same thing. Only this time when my bowl was placed in front of me, Michael said, “organic granola with no raisins.”  I asked how he knew I didn’t like raisins. He said he saw I didn’t eat any of them from the day before so he took them out for me today.

 Are these people for real? Who notices something like that and then actually does something about it?  Michael and Barbara at the Villa, that’s who.  But wait! There’s more. The next day I returned around 7pm and Barbara and Michael asked what I would like for dinner.  Dinner at a Bed and Breakfast… Who would have thought?  I said a sandwich was fine but they said “Oh no. You have to have a better dinner than that.” Ultimately, we decided on pasta with meatballs.  I went to my room and just a moment or two after arriving, the phone rang.  It was Michael giving me another option for dinner. He said I could borrow their car and go to a restaurant if I’d like. Have you ever heard of such a thing?  What hotel on the planet would offer their car so you could go to dinner?  The Villa, that’s who.

A short bit later my spaghetti with meatballs arrived. Let me tell you these were the best meatballs I have ever had.  After my dinner was brought to my room, they called to make sure all was well and to see if I wanted another glass of wine.  Obviously, the service at this place is over the top. Believe it or not, there’s still more!

The day I checked out I had to get to the train station fairly early.  When I got to the front desk Michael and Barbara had packed me a breakfast to go. Just when I thought there was nothing more they could do, they did something more!  

You must be thinking, “She left, what else can there be?”  I didn’t think there was anything else either. However, there was yet one more thing. I was sitting at the train station in Kingston waiting for my train to arrive when I heard my name over the loudspeaker. I went to the counter where an attendant handed me the phone. It was Barbara from The Villa. I had forgotten my credit card. She was going to drive 30 minutes out of her way to meet me at the next station to give me my credit card.  Unbelievable!

 If you or someone you know is going to Rhode Island, The Villa is the only place to stay.  When you are there tell Barbara and Michael that I said hello.  I promise no one will take better of you than they will.

To find out more visit www.thevillaatwesterly.com

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Would you like 2010 to be everything you ever dreamed of and more!

I bring this up because this year has the potential to be your best year yet. Imagine meeting the right people, at the right time, earning more money, working less hours, feeling less stress, and having some life balance.

I believe these things help us to be happy and I believe we can have greater happiness together than we can have on our own.  The sum of the whole is greater than its parts, and that is called synergy.

I was talking to a couple of friends today and they come up with some of the most interesting questions.  One, is Mark Boersma of Synergy Solutions. The other is Joyce Jackson of the JVC Group. I think you may find their questions as interesting as I did.

Answering these 3 simple questions will help you accomplish and realize your goals in 2010!

Mark Boersma, wrote a really good book on the Science of Success. I’ve read it and highly recommend it. Mark has generously offered to give it to my friends, who answer the following three questions, a complimentary copy of it.

Click the link below to answer the questions and obtain the complimentary ebook:

http://jvusuccess.com/sharspeaks

1. What are the two biggest challenges you are facing in any area of your life, business, or career?

2. If someone could help you in any area of your life, business, or career, what would you love help on?

3. Which of these four shapes appeals to you the most? Then 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th? 
Cube, Pyramid, Wavy Line, or a Ball.

I’m looking forward to a great 2010 together!

All the best

Sharmen Lane

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Are you looking to drop a few pounds this year? Well I know a great gal with a great idea! Her name is Kelly Jean Fitzsimmons. I think this is a great idea so if you are looking to lose some weight and do some good at the same time then please read what Kelly Jean has to say! 

***

2010 Asses

This January, I am working to find 10 people who have a goal and work
towards it using the same method that I did in BareAss 2008 on my
blog.   When starting White Girl With a Fat Ass (www.jellykean.wordpress.com)

I was inspired by a talk I heard from Sharmen Lane
(http://www.sharspeaks.com/) on the 3 C’s to Success.

1. Commit
2. Communication
3. Create

I committed to raising money for hunger relief while getting healthy,
I communicated it to people on my blog and through my charity badge
thus giving me accountability for my goals, and thus I created White
Girl With a Fat Ass and have raised over $3000 for
hunger relief.

Do you have a goal you would like to communicate and work towards in
2010? Would you like to be one of my 2010 Asses?  You can raise money
for whatever charity you like.  I can show you how to set up a charity
badge through Network for Good, or you can take pledges and donate
directly to your charity of choice. Or you can even collect donations
for my charity badge:

http://www.networkforgood.org/pca/Badge.aspx?BadgeId=107977

I’m hoping to do features on each person and their goal.  Track the
progress on the blog, or link to whatever blog or site you might
already appear in or you could even start your own blog to communicate
your progress.

Sky’s the limit.

Please contact me if you are interested.

kjfitzsimmons@gmail.com

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Hello World and Happy New Year!

No matter how you rang in the new year, there is no better time than the first day of the year to get started on making this an unforgettable, unstoppable year.

Most people set New Years Resolutions on New Years Eve, unfortunately they are quick to be forgotten by the end of the month… if it takes that long. What can you do to make this year different?  Here are a few tools and tips to give you the edge and make what you want happen.

1. Write your goal down. Don’t just say "I’m going to do blank."  Say, "I’m DOING blank."

2. Tell everyone you know.  Make a list starting right now of all the people you can share your goal with. Then call, email, text, twitter or whatever else you want but tell anyone and everyone you know about what you are DOING!

3. Create a vision board.  I do this every New Year’s Eve and now have vision board parties on New’s Year’s.  Cut out pictures of what you want and post them where you can see them often.  If you want to be an author, cut out a book cover and put your name and face on it.  If you want a lean, 10% body fat, size 8 body, or 34 inch waist, cut out a picture and put your face on it.  Make it real and see it so you can be it!

There you go, three simple steps to making what you want, real.  Remember, you have to make a plan and take action and these first three steps will start your journey.

Have an extraordinary year! Now get to it!

For more information visit ww.sharspeaks.com or email shar@sharspeaks.com. Also keep an eye out for my latest book, Giving You the WOW and the HOW, due out in early 2010!

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1. Mobile Web:   Internet access anywhere anytime. Most mobile phone service providers offer a plan which includes internet service.   With mobile web you can read and send email, sign up for mobile banking services where you can pay bills and transfer funds, and you can check the weather or bet directions.

2. Speed it up. Mobile web is inarguable a highly valuable asset for business and domestic purposes.  But the speed of the web pages you access through your cell phone are often poor quality compared to what is available on your desktop or laptop.  The InfoGin company offers a solution.  The company offers a service which improves the quality of the content from the web pages you receive and the speed at which you receive it.  Though you may need to perform an extra step or two to if you want to route your service through InfoGin, the extra time and actions will be well worth the effort.  You may need to load the portal and enter your web addresses through the InfoGin portal.  But if time and quality are important to you, it may not be too much of an issue.

3. Unlock your phone.  Many service providers lock your phone so that you cannot obtain service on that particular cell phone through any other provider.  For those who do not know how to tell if their phone is locked, just put a sim card from another provider into your phone and turn it on.  If you get any type of message stating the phone cannot access service, your phone is locked.  What benefit is there to unlocking your phone?  If your phone is locked, you cannot access service with any other provider. This can be especially frustrating if you are traveling and trying to avoid roaming charges or if you have a good cell phone you still want to use and want to switch your service to a different provider.

4. Get the service provider code. To unlock your phone, you must have a code from the service provider or the phone manufacturer.  You can contact your service provider and ask their customer service representative to provide you with the unlock code, but they may be less than cooperative.  Your other option is to check out one of the sites which offer unlock codes or remote unlock services for a relatively cheap price.  You just enter the code into your phone and voila.  You can then use your phone to get service from any provider you choose without having to purchase a new phone and a new phone number.  You can purchase a sim card to be used when traveling out of your country of residence and avoid the insanely expensive phone bills.

5. Debranding your phone will remove the logos, images, themes, profiles and other predefined memory hogging items placed on your cell phone by the manufacturer and/or service provider.  When you debrand your phone, you can increase your available memory and rid your phone of locks which prevent you from being able to obtain free ringtones and images from other providers.

6. Firmware upgrades. When you purchase your cell phone you do so with the understanding that a newer, more advanced software version will be introduced afterwards.  Though you know this will inevitably occur, it doesn’t prevent the frustration you feel when you see all of the features and additional benefits offered on the newer version.  Firmware upgrades will allow you to access and load the newer version of the software onto your older cell phone version.  This can be done through a remote server comparable to those which offer the unlocking service.

7. Flashing your cell phone will clear unwanted manufacturer trial games and predetermined themes from your cell phone.  This will provide you with additional memory and save you from having to look at these unwanted items in your menu every time you scan through it.  You can also eliminate cell phone software problems you may be experiencing like a blinking, blue or white screen.  Flashing can be done by remote software and also with hardware.

8. Jailbreaking your iPhone allows you to eliminate the restrictions imposed on tailoring your cell phone to your specifications by your software. It is important that this be done properly and carefully so that no damage is done to the software causing the phone to malfunction.  Though this is a possible risk it is not a common one.  What this process achieves is liberation of sorts.  You can add customized options such as ring tones and wallpapers which are generally restricted on the phones.  Considering the cost of the cell phone itself, you should be able to personalize the phone the way you want.   If you are interested and want to learn to do this, check out this link.

9. Hash codes are mathematical functions which convert a large amount of information into a small index.  In the case of cell phones, hash codes unlock hidden features of your phone.  You can reset your phone to factory settings or turn on voice privacy feature or even check your signal strength.  Hash codes can be specific to a particular phone model or could work on several models but exclude others.  The advantage to using hash codes is that you are able to correct or diagnose certain problems you may be having with your phone due to changes you made or downloads.  Instead of having to send your phone in for repair or buy a new one, you can try one of the hash codes to restore your phone.

10. Free international calls.  In the past, if you want to talk to someone across an ocean you should be prepared to pay.  That is until Rebtel and Talkster developed an ad-supported free service to make these once outrageously expensive calls completely free.  The service works by creating local phone numbers for both parties.  One party would call a local number generated for them and the other party would have to hang up the phone and call back to their local number. The call is routed through a VoIP server and is at no cost to either party if completed correctly.

Above information was provided by cellphones.org/blog: For more information and additional tips visit http://cellphones.org/blog/tips/85-cell-phone-tips-tricks-and-hacks-for-a-more-streamlined-life
 

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 While at GM, Mike created a valuable top 10 list of good business practices that can be used to excel in both business and in life.  As basic as they may seem, some of the best things in life are those that are simple but rarely used. Perhaps you have heard the phrase, common knowledge doesn’t mean common practice. Well, this top 10 list fits that phrase perfectly as many of us have heard these things before but many don’t necessarily practice them. Hopefully these basic concepts will remind you of what you already know to help you in business and in life. 

1. Think and act as if you are the CEO
2. Be proud of who you are
3. Never compromise your personal value
4. Know and understand your role
5. Give 110% every day
6. Keep the company of good people
7. Develop a talent for winning
8. Give back to your community
9. Engage a personal coach or mentor
10. Have fun, take time to enjoy yourself

Put these 10 tips into regular practice and you are sure to be successful in business and in life. 

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If you are someone who cares about the environment and going green you should not fly United.  Recently I was traveling from New York City to Chicago. As I was stepping onto the plane I was handed a postcard like item by the captain. The note card had a description of the 757 aircraft. It mentioned the wingspan, the size, the weight, maximum speed etc. Quite frankly, a bunch of useless facts that I highly doubt anyone cares about. Toward the end of the flight, someone announced over the PA system that we should all look at the card we received when we boarded to see if we were the lucky person to have the card with the captain’s signature on it.  If you were two of the lucky winners then ring your call button so the flight attendant could give you a bottle of wine. 

Now, my first problem with this is that there were these note cards were all over the plane.  They were on the floor, on seats, in the trash, so clearly no one cared about the facts of the plane on which we were flying.  What a waste, and I mean that literally.  What a waste of paper that is going to pollute the earth and add to the already overflowing landfills and global warming.

My second problem is with the thousands of dollars United Airlines had to have spent to produce these cards and then give away a bottle of wine.  Is that what the $15 bag check fee is for?  I personally don’t like that I have to pay $300 for a plane ticket and then pay another $15 each way to check my bag so that United can print useless cards and help to destroy our planet.

My last problem was with the flight attendant.  I rang my call button to ask if these cards were being passed out on every United flight.  She said the cards were given to the captain, and they could pass them out if they chose to.  I replied that I wanted her to know that I found it to be environmentally irresponsible for a company to pass out cards that are clearly going to go to waste and continue to pollute the Earth.  She answered me with “Well ma’am, some people just don’t care about that.”  Well I have to take from that comment that she meant that United doesn’t care about that because United is who chose to create this waste.  If they wanted to give away a bottle of wine why didn’t they just hand a random person a bottle of wine? They didn’t need to print up God knows how many hundreds of thousands of note cards that will be thrown away and add to our already environmentally troubled planet.

The point here is, being unaware or uncaring of the environment can cost you a customer.  If enough customers take that stand you adventually won’t have a business.  So be wise when running your business and be aware of the world around you (literally).

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