Category: Compelling Content

26
Sep

5 Ways to Stay on Track During 20 Days of Mercury Retrograde

Mercury will be in Retrograde … again! Knowing this can assist you to understand how the energies of this shift might affect you—and prepare for it. This is one of those cycles where energy may feel confusing and ungrounded. During Mercury Retrograde, it’s common to feel emotional, dramatic, and reactive. As we approach another Mercury Retrograde cycle, it is important to understand the potential effects on our energy and communication. As the messenger of the zodiac, Mercury governs aspects such as thinking, speech, correspondence, technology, and transportation.

When Earth goes retrograde it appears to be moving backward. While it’s not actually moving backward, our PERCEPTION makes it seem so. This skewed perception disrupts the smooth flow of communication. During this retrograde period, the appearance of Earth moving backwards may disrupt the flow of communication and cause confusion. It is important to take proactive steps to prepare for this shift and navigate the potential challenges it may bring.

Anything that you can put a “re” in front of is a good way to keep your energy grounded during this time. So go with the flow in the following ways:

RE-VIEW

During Mercury Retrograde, it’s important to take a step back and re-evaluate things that may have been left unfinished or neglected. This is a good time to review projects that you haven’t finished or take another look at something that you’ve been putting off doing. It’s about reassessing, redoing, rearranging, realigning, revamping … This is a great time to review your plans, projects, and goals and see if they are still aligned with your current needs and aspirations. It’s also a good time to reassess your relationships, redo things that you may have done wrong in the past, rearrange your priorities, realign your values, and revamp your approach to things. By taking the time to re-view and re-evaluate, you’ll be able to navigate the confusing energies of Mercury Retrograde with more clarity and purpose.

REVISIT

When a planet goes retrograde it indicates that something from the past is to be revisited. Often, a person from the past will emerge. It’s a time to reflect on past relationships and see if there are unresolved issues that need to be addressed. This can be a powerful time for personal growth and self-discovery. Remember, the past is a part of who you are, and it’s important to understand it in order to fully embrace your present and future. The past is history—the past lives too. It’s a good opportunity to revisit old ideas and see if they can be improved upon or if they should be abandoned altogether. Embrace this opportunity to delve into your past, and use it as a tool for healing and moving forward in a more positive direction.

REFLECT

Pause, reflect, and take a mental break. Your soul will thank you for it. When Mercury is retrograde, the energy shifts so you may miss information, like the fine print. Reflect on your actions and decisions during this time, and avoid making hasty choices. Instead, take a step back and evaluate the situation from a different perspective. This can help you avoid potential mistakes and make more informed decisions. Whenever you’re feeling confused and overwhelmed, it’s good to just stop. Allow yourself a break! Shift into idle. Take time to journal your thoughts and feelings to gain clarity and understand what’s going on inside you. Remember, during this time it’s important to take care of yourself and give yourself the space and time you need to think things through.

RETREAT

Go within. Retreat and focus on self-care during this period. Mercury retrograde is often a time of heightened intuition. Remember, this is a time for introspection, so take a step back from the chaos and focus on your inner self. Engage in activities that bring you peace and tranquility such as yoga, journaling, or nature walks. This will help you to clear your mind and gain a better understanding of yourself and your needs. Use meditation or quiet time and reconnect with your higher self. Remember that the answers lie within you. By taking the time to retreat and reconnect with yourself, you’ll be better equipped to handle any challenges that may arise during the retrograde. The outcome: get a revived perspective so when Mercury goes direct you’ll be ready to take on the world with renewed self-awareness.

REWIND

Rewind your actions, words, and thoughts during this time. Take a step back and think about how you’ve been communicating, using technology, and traveling. Are there any areas where you could have handled things differently? This is a great opportunity to learn from your past mistakes and make any necessary adjustments for the future.

Mercury Retrograde can be a challenging time for communication and decision making, but it also presents an opportunity for reflection and self-improvement. By embracing the “re” words – review, revisit, reflect, retreat, and rewind – you can navigate this period with ease and come out on the other side with renewed self-awareness and a clearer understanding of yourself and your surroundings. Remember to be patient and compassionate with yourself and others during this time as well, as we are all affected by this energy shift in some way.

31
Jan

Show and Tell to Sell: Building Trust in the Online World

In today’s digital age, more and more businesses are conducting transactions online. However, building trust with potential customers can be a challenge, especially when they are unable to meet you in person. To overcome this obstacle, it’s important to let visitors to your website know who you are and what you stand for.

“The first step in building trust is to let people know who you are.” – Brian Tracy, Author and Speaker

Start by telling your visitors about your company. Share why you started your business, when it was founded, where you are located, and who the key players are in your company. Highlight some of your customers and explain what your company does. This information helps visitors understand your background and credibility.

“Transparency is the best policy when it comes to building trust.” – Stephen Covey, Author and Speaker

Next, show your visitors what your company is all about. Give them a virtual tour of your office, show them photos from events you have attended, and highlight your products and services. Showcase key personnel and customers to give visitors a glimpse of the people behind the brand.

“People do business with people they know, like, and trust.” – John Jantsch, Author and Marketing Coach

Visual aids are especially important in the online world, as visitors can’t physically see your office or credentials on the wall. Show them virtually by including photos, videos, and other multimedia elements on your website. Give online visitors a perspective as if they were walking into your office for the first time. What is in your lobby or in your office? Do you have photos on your desk? Do you have credentials on the wall? Show them.

“Building trust is like building a bridge. It takes time, effort, and a solid foundation.” – Simon Sinek, Author and Speaker

Here is a list of things to tell about your company:

TELL:
a. what you do
b. why you do what you do
c. where you are located
d. who the principals and core management team is
e. who some of your customers are
f. when founded – how long have you been doing it?

And, here is a list of things to show them about your company:

SHOW:
a. behind the scenes at your office
b. events you attend (trade shows, symposiums, seminars)
c. your products and services
d. key personnel and customers
e. activities with clients and staff members

By showing and telling your visitors about your company, you build trust and credibility with potential customers. Remember that the more transparent and personal you are, the more likely people are to do business with you in the online world. When they know that you are a real person,  that will clear a hurdle in getting business in the online world.

7
Nov

#ScriptYourShift for Sweet Dreams

As a business owner who helps other companies create business plans, personal plans, and strategic plans, it can feel like I don’t even have enough hours in the day to get everything done. Lately, in fact, I have been low on sleep, trying to cram in that one last thing before I go to bed every night. With the seasons changing, my body and emotions have been shifting, and I have been out of touch with my body telling me to practice self-care always.

Part of running a business for businesses is sharing your vulnerabilities because there will always be something that resonates with the reader. I encourage you to reach out to me and let me know what resonates with you, to see if we can take this journey toward our thriving futures together.

Everything is a learning experience, and at one point this past week, I had crammed so much in that I was overbooking, and found myself overwhelmed with the sheer amount I had to do and the little time I had to do it. Like others who take pride in how hard they work, I had considered my work haul and long hours to be a testament to my strength – but this week it got the best of me, and I knew I needed to make a change.

For this reason, I made a decision to cancel or reschedule any appointments and tasks which were over-booked, and I made a point of ending work each day at a set time and letting myself sleep early. Lately, I had forgotten a little how valuable it is to take care of yourself, and it felt so relieving and calming to have sufficient sleep again.

I chose to go through one task at a time at work, from start to finish, because so often being overwhelmed comes not from how much effort and time is required, but rather how many results we are trying to achieve at once. Learning to not demand of yourself the ability to grossly multi-task, and learning to get through one thing from start to finish before starting the next, is invaluable to a business owner.

It is crucial to always remember that we are only human, and, more importantly, that that is okay, and that it is not okay to expect our superpowers to always be on display. For me, letting people know that they are superhuman only sometimes and must accept that they will not be superhuman all the time is part of the #ShiftYourScript strategy. If working with me sounds like a fit for you, reach out today to learn more about how I can help your company prosper.

Business planning does not simply involve a layout of all the details for operating the business – as a strategic planner, I also work closely with the entrepreneurs and business owners to effectively run their companies by keeping their own personal lives and their emotions and well-being accounted for. As they say, if your room is a mess, you are a mess….and if you are a mess, then your business will be a mess, and your life will be a mess.

If what I say resonates with you, then reach out to me today, and we will get started putting your script in order, one step at a time, breaking through all the barriers holding you back from a thriving company. Planning a business takes time and diligence – and I am here to guide you every step of the way.

 

20
Sep

Be Playful! 20 Questions for Joy

Here is a tip from #ScriptYourShift to play with possibilities. Being playful requires that you don’t take your Self so seriously. Set an intention for joy in your life. Joy comes from your heart. Happiness is fleeting — it is of the moment and in the experience. Joy remains and sustains. It is a vibration, a resonance.

To Be Or Not To Be Is Not The Question, To Be is All! — Wei Chen, Ancient Chinese Poet

See the humor in your life. Give your Self permission to laugh. Feel your experience of your own laughter. Get to the heart of the matter of what matters to the heart. When you are living from your heart, you have a resonance that attracts your desires. Love your self unconditionally. Enjoy your self. Then see the world around you share your joy.

Start in your heart.

Quench your thirst for joy to the bone. Embrace your funny “bone” … the body remembers everything. Unresolved emotional issues cause chaos in your body. Emotional trauma gets stuck in the body and manifests as discomfort or disease. Get to the core of when the event happened leading to the diagnosis. Stop recreating the past. Go back, observe the event objectively — recall it without re-experiencing the pain — and choose to let go of the belief system erroneously embraced. Give it new meaning. Reframe it.

Ask supportive questions.

Consider your questions carefully. Ask with your heart and in a way that reveals productive answers. Seek and ye shall find.

  1. “What feels joyful in this experience?”
  2. “What is my biggest dream?”
  3. “When did I last laugh out loud?”
  4. “What am I grateful for?”
  5. “ Which are my most memorable moments?
  6. “What fills me with joy?”
  7. “Where is the joy in this moment?”
  8. “How can I choreograph a life of joy?
  9. “What inspires me here, now?”
  10. “Am I smiling?”
  11. “Why am I so lucky?”
  12. “How did I create these awesome opportunities?”
  13. “What limiting beliefs can I let go?”
  14. “What supportive habits shall I cultivate?”
  15. “How will I make my life more meaningful, today?”
  16. “How shall I change someone’s life for the better today?”
  17. “Who shall I spend time with today?”
  18. “What is one thing I’ll do differently today?”
  19. “What is life calling of me?”
  20. “When all is said and done, will I have done more than I’ve said?”

Get out of your head and into your heart. Ask clear questions. Your mind will seek answers to anything you ask. Be wise in your query. Only ask what you desire having answered (instead of “how did I mess up so badly” ask “how did I make this work out well?”).

Question everything without judgment. Question your Self. Continue to question. Everything…

The answers are there, inside of you. Listen with your joy-filled heart!

Created for Eternally Eve, originally published here.

30
Aug

3 Things I Learned from My Recent Failure

Every failure feels like a crushing defeat that makes me question my self-worth and purpose. While I desired to wear multiple hats, meet every request, and bring a success, my toolset is incomplete and my skill across all disciplines is far from mastery. I can be chef and sous chef and wait tables, but that dilutes my genius. Attempting to focus on my strengths, I was asked to “stretch” and I agreed. In this effort, I could not reach far enough fast enough—though I gave my all in every attempt.

The course-corrections taken did not lead to smooth sailing. Resources were slim to none and new demands came on so strong, it was like drinking from a fire hose. I kept trying … and I will continue to seek the most productive outcome in every endeavor… still, I have not met with the delight of complete satisfaction.

Sometimes when you try to be and do everything, you become nothing, or a lot less than all.

However, when asked to step up to the plate, you gotta give it all ya got! Especially with a startup gig. The rush to get on base often requires concurrent planning and execution. Stutter steps happen along the way as the path becomes clarified and players come in and out of the game.

My “lane” is the strategic development. I create the brand plan—and the client team implements it. Areas for possible trip-ups include that there isn’t complete buy-in and there aren’t resources for implementation. Both of these bumps were present on this path, along with other challenges.

Still, when working for the vision, it is tough to realize disappointment. The victories drive action while defeat deflates momentum. I can only own my role — the few ways I could make a stronger player.

There were moments of victory. The joy of accomplishment fed my spirit till the next shoe fell behind in the race to forge ahead. When the brand plan was embraced and approved, things looked promising. And then there were the “squirrels” and distractions. Clients often desire to refresh the look before it takes hold. They want variety for the sake of amusement—not for the efficacy of impression. And, in the end, the client is always right. I can only create the plan, get approval, and remind them to stay on plan. When it is insisted to veer, I can only attempt to redirect traffic. And, often, I did.

I dared and I fell short of desired results. It would be tempting to come up with a single reason that things didn’t work out. But it isn’t that simple. And I must wrestle with, scrutinize, and learn from every misstep—as well as the few successes along the way. Perhaps I shall awaken to a new calling—all I know is that I’m trying to find my way. Here are the key takeaways from this unanswered prayer.

FIRST, make sure there is a PLAN.

If there is no plan, then there are only two choices. One is to create a plan and two is to walk away. I accepted an invitation to assist with marketing and branding projects for a startup in transition. There was a website, there was a business structure that was being revised for multiple entities — The Icon, The NonProfit Organization, The ForProfit Organization.

There was no plan. No vision. No mission. No strategy. At least, nothing in writing. Nothing shared. Here I offered to craft a short-term solution but the priority was set otherwise. I should have insisted on that being created or established in writing before proceeding. Instead, I took the carrot and ran with the project and its evolving particulars.

Thus, when I agreed to create a brand strategy for The Icon, it was an effort that stood alone and actually would be expected to lead all other actions. However, I was not in a position to be a leader in the developing organization structure, and there was no staff on board in the organization(s) to lead.

This leads to, SECOND, make sure there is staff or PERSONNEL to assist with execution. 

After attempting to bring in colleagues to flesh out the talent pool, and realizing personality conflicts with the client, I made the mistake of attempting to fly solo and find resources along the way. I was in charge of developing the overall strategy for The Icon brand, however, it became clear that there was no implementation team. While there was an intention to assemble and hire a team, there was not a network in place.  

Wanting to bring my “superpowers” and to realize success for the project, I took on the tasks of implementation across platforms that, strategically, required being revised, updated, or created. I spread myself too thin and I employed my adequate but not masterful skills of design, webmaster, leader, and etc to attempt translating the brand strategy across marketing efforts. I called for help and called out the gaps. Some were filled. Others remained gaping.

It was a disaster at best. The issues were many-fold. Time ticked away at its unforgiving pace and I was losing efficiency bouncing from one last-minute priority to another as deadlines flew in my face like pixels in a video game. People came in the fold for a while — for instance, a woman stepped up to take charge of social media — and the relief of assistance was further taxed by the need to train and align them. 

For this, I created a plan — the Social Media Strategy was developed to assist brand presentation across Facebook and YouTube. From distinguishing a Profile from a Page and then concurrently creating a Celebrity Page on top of the existing NonProfit Organization Page plus planning for an eCommerce Page for exquisite items in the warehouse, this effort quickly scaled beyond reach. And, then the social media manager left the building.

With my hands full, I failed to pick up the threads and weave them into place, and I realized there was no clear path for reconciling all the loose ends. There was nowhere to turn.

So my last major key lesson is, THIRD, make sure there is a PROCESS—or that there are many processes—in place to support success. 

Key processes include Defining, Supporting, and Reporting. The reporting structure needs clear definition so that attention can be brought to the weaknesses and shortfalls in order to thwart disaster. In the changing business structures, the Board of Directors members revolved in and out of the organization, and then disappeared. The one consistent Director traveled for work and was not a businessman so had little efficacy in leading the pack, though he took responsibility for funding all.

Expectations were often unclear and the scope of work changed during each project. I created and executed a series of Social Media posts that were determined to be off-brand after the fact — so I deleted all of them. Getting aligned was difficult and getting approvals was even more difficult. All input and feedback came from The Icon, who really should not have been bothered with such detail, and yet there was nowhere else to turn.

A process for defining the details including deadlines and every duty would assist progress to the plan. And a system of support is critical. Weekly meetings would veer off agenda so effective review didn’t happen and next steps were not certainly determined. I failed to create a place to give shared visibility to all so that changing dates and demands would be communicated undeniably and in a timely fashion. 

I failed to uphold “no” when demands grew beyond my ability to stretch. I failed to “stop” and regroup to ensure alignment and support. I failed to find a way to voice requirements for success in a way that would capture attention and yield success that was better than haphazard. “Step up!” it was commanded. Get ‘er done! Then, even the victories got lost in the fog of let down.

I couldn’t dissuade the escalation of activity so disappointment was the way. This won’t be my experience next time, not at the next opportunity.

And a bonus key comes to mind; FOURTH, make sure you are a fit, PERSONALLY.

Camaraderie and cohesion aid accomplishment. While I met weekly with The Icon, I rarely felt heard. While I respect and revere the position of The Icon, I worked to remain objective. I did not find a way to drink the kool-aid and still serve in my hired role. Keeping out of the grey area meant keeping out of the cultural current. I attended a couple events to get to know the energy of The Icon’s work, as direct experience assists understanding and the ability to message it. Still, I felt it important to serve in my role rather than be served by The Icon. I stayed on the sidelines, in my lane of hired hand.

So again, perhaps I am not a fit in this as I see the newly hired full-time staff immerse themselves in the flow while taking on challenges full force. Or perhaps this is the plight of a contractor vs an employee — always on the outside looking in.

While I am drawn to The Icon and the work, I have a perspective of an observer and I keep my personal boundaries with great care. It is, perhaps, not the best alignment for this particular client. With full-time staff on board, there is a new direction emerging. So be it. I will hang on to the glimpses of achievement in the sea of simultaneous engineering this startup went through. Growing pains. Awkward like adolescence. Now taking off to experience the next stage of expansion.

My goal is to learn from this adventure in failure. To hone my strengths and shore up my weaknesses. And, one day, the people who doubt me will be the ones who talk about the one day when they met me. I might even be one of them.

I should have declined projects when we discussed that I was the wrong person for the detail work. It was out of alignment with my skill set. When asked to step up, I did. I should have said no. Still, some things went well. Overall it was disappointing. In trying to be everything, I was reduced to nothing.

4
Jul

Happy 4th of July Birthday, U.S.A.

“Today Is Your Birthday” — The Beatles

You say it’s your birthday
It’s my birthday too, yeah
They say it’s your birthday
We’re gonna have a good time
I’m glad it’s your birthday
Happy birthday to you

Yes we’re going to a party, party
Yes we’re going to a party, party
Yes we’re going to a party, party

I would like you to dance (birthday)
Take a cha-cha-cha-chance (birthday)
I would like you to dance (birthday)
Ooo, dance, yeah

I would like you to dance (birthday)
Take a cha-cha-cha-chance (birthday)
I would like you to dance (birthday)
Ooo, dance

You say it’s your birthday
It’s my birthday too, yeah
They say it’s your birthday
We’re gonna have a good time
I’m glad it’s your birthday
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you

Songwriters: John Lennon,Paul McCartney
© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
For non-commercial use only.
Data From: LyricFind

 

8
Mar

Pearls of Wisdom

It was an honor, a privilege, and a joy to step out on stage and present “Script Your Shift” to the Pearls of Wisdom tribe. What a perfect place to cut a groove in this new chapter of my life. In case you missed it, here is the video. For a Pitch Perfect session, eMail me at Tamara@TamaraParisio.com. Let me assist you to create the script for your starring role in your success!

SCRIPT YOUR SHIFT. Write down your goals. Business Plan, Personal Manifesto, or Strategic Map, put pen to paper to improve performance. Dr. Gail Matthews, a psychology professor at Dominican University in California, did a study on goal-setting with 267 participants (it only takes 30 to be statistically significant). She found that you are 42 percent more likely to achieve your goals just by writing them down. A modality employed to make the process entertaining rather than daunting is to approach your plan as a script for your success. And, you are cast in the starring role as the lead character. Here are three examples of clients who stepped into the celebrity of their success.

Anita Miranda the Official Lipstick Reader

CHARACTER

From psychic fairs to celebrity parties and luxury events, Anita Miranda stepped up into high heels to expand in stardom as The Official Lipstick Reader.  

CAST

After establishing her starring character, Sherry Anshara attracted the supporting cast, including influencer Vishen Lakiani of mindvalley.

SCENE

To set the scene, Donna Sparaco shows up in full character, Daily Dose A Donna, to motivate and inspire with her proprietary program, Set Your Dial to Joy.

Download a pdf of the Script Your Shift handout.

1
Dec

Manifest Destiny in 8 Key Areas

Take Action in 1 Area at a Time with These 6 Steps

There are eight key areas to self-actualization: Visibility and Voice, Relationships and Love, Purpose and Destiny, Career and Prosperity, Health and Vitality, Spirituality and Connection, Impact and Influence, Creativity and Manifestation.

Select one area and focus your intention to create a change. The other areas are affected. Success in one area leads to improvement in another.

“In order to carry a positive action we must develop here a positive vision.”— Dalai Lama

  1. Set a Bold Intention. Break through a pattern of being stuck with focus and intention. Focus your energy from your heart. Select a specific outcome in a key area. Then, allow your mind to open and create the strategy.
  2. Remove Inner Barriers. Identify and release your limiting beliefs. Connect with your deeper truth so you can show up authentically and realize the experience you desire.
  3. Create from Inside Out. Cultivate your intuitive mind. Ask yourself, “If all of life organizes around my success, what do I desire to create?” Connect with your self. Allow yourself to access an inner source of knowingness. Be curious and receptive.
  4. Generate Support. Surround yourself with people who encourage you. Create partnership. Enlist assistance.
  5. Create Accountability. Design a project where you are accountable to something bigger than your self. Show up. Grow into every step.
  6. Make a Commitment. Do what it takes every day. Get organized. Get training. Get going. And, as advised by Wallace D Wattles, “Do, every day, all that can be done that day, taking care to do each act in a successful manner.” 

Spend time every day with your Playbook. Review your vision, contemplate your dream, feel your purpose, and list your actions. Share this process with those who support you. Let me know which area you are working in and how that work changes everything.

15
May

5 Point Outline for How to Write A Blog Post

— A Basic Outline With Insightful David Ogilvy Quotes

Content is an important marketing tool for all businesses. It takes your message from advertising to advertorial — making the customer the star of your story. There are so many ways to show and sell with storytelling. So, get started. Here is an outline to guide you.

Topic & Working Title or Headline

Start with intention. Build a working headline to focus your efforts, and perhaps, provide a theme. Ultimately you will revise this to make sure it grabs attention and get readers interest.

On the average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy; when you have written your headline, you have spent eighty cents out of your dollar. — David Ogilvy

Introduction

What’s the big idea? Summarize the net takeaway(s) to be addressed in your article. Write the key idea(s) you want readers to get out of reading it. Consider posing a question to engage your audience. Or make a compelling statement to pique curiosity. This is where you set the stage for your tale.

It takes a big idea to attract the attention of consumers and get them to buy your product. — David Ogilvy

Key Insights

Brainstorm all the things you want to deliver in the post and list them. Organize them, then group them into main idea(s). Break up your insights into sections so that thoughts are lumped together by theme. As a benchmark, create three to four sections. Expand on these. Beef up sections with some or all of the following:

  • examples
  • quotes
  • how-to or directions
  • easy-to-implement advice
  • benefits
  • personal experience
  • what worked, what didn’t work
  • supporting or helpful information or statistics

Then read it. Revise it. Reorganize information until it makes sense and tells the whole story in the most captivating way.

The more informative your advertising, the more persuasive it will be. — David Ogilvy

Wrap up

In the end, summarize the post with an actionable takeaway, promise, or benefit of the lesson or experience. Leave the reader with results they could expect. And include a call to action: do this … now.

What you say in advertising is more important than how you say it. — David Ogilvy

Extras

Include hyperlinks that would lead to more information expanding on ideas, people, or features mentioned in the blog. And, always include an image when you can. A picture is worth a thousand words.

I do not regard advertising as entertainment or an art form, but as a medium of information. — David Ogilvy

Enjoy the journey as you write your way to success. Share your self, your style, your vision in a way that attracts your tribe, one reader at a time. Create the spin to win.

18
Apr

Script Your Shift 4x4x4

Live on purpose. Select your scenes! Don’t leave your life to chance. You don’t have to be caught up in trauma and drama. And you don’t have to allow your self to be pulled along by every character that pops on to the scene of your life! Write your story—your Life Script!

Realize that you are the Star of your life story. You are the Producer. You are the Director. You are the Screenwriter. Write the script (thoughts, beliefs, actions) in a way that serves your stardom (or get assistance to do just that!).

Give your word and live your word (the Life Script). Write your way in and out of the experiences you desire, require, and deserve to enjoy—professionally, personally, and potentially! Be the Star Performer of your world, the center of your universe, and play your part for an award-winning experience!

4 Steps You Can Take To Star In Your Own Life Story

  1. Listen. Tune in to your inner voice, notice what you are saying to your self.  Consider what your thoughts say about what you believe. How do your thoughts affect your actions? Awareness is a key step in change. Become and observer of your self. Then, continue doing what serves you and adjust otherwise.
  2. Align. Get in accord with your self. Pay attention to your thoughts, words, and deeds. Do they support and nurture how you desire to live your life? If not, change your internal message. Again, continue doing what serves you and adjust otherwise.
  3. Prepare. Make a plan, a guide, and let it be the script to your live. By considering potentialities and the outcomes desired, you set up your self to act in accord with your desires. You will be in a position to recognize and act on opportunities that serve you.
  4. Act. Live intentionally, on purpose by creating habits that align with your desires. If your goal is to be fit, make it a habit to exercise daily. Create a habit of eating to fuel your health. Be the Star Performer in the experiences you create for you. To build your business, hone your message and consistently uphold it.

Starring in your story takes focus and intention. It starts with writing down your goals. Most people don’t bother to write down their goals. They wind up drifting aimlessly through life. Is this you? Are you wondering why your life lacks purpose and significance? Are you willing to give your self an aim? Committing your goals to writing is the beginning of creating the life of your dreams. The key to accomplishing what matters to you is committing your desires in writing. This is important for at least four reasons.

  1. It forces you to clarify your desires and set your destination. Writing down your goals and milestones compels you to select something, to get specific… to choose the outcome you desire for your life.
  2. It motivates you to take aligned action. Write down your goals, articulate your intention, and execute in alignment with them. Writing down goals and reviewing them regularly keeps you mindful of the destination and prompts you to take action. It provides a filter for opportunities that could otherwise become distractions. The more successful you become, the more you will be presented with opportunities. Maintain a list of written goals by which to evaluate opportunity, take appropriate action, and stay on course with your goals.
  3. It fortifies you to face challenges and overcome resistance. Every meaningful goal encounters resistance. When you focus on the resistance, it will only get stronger. Overcome it is with focus on the goal. Write it down and review it often.
  4. It enables you to recognize and celebrate progress. Life  is particularly difficult when you don’t see progress. You feel like you are going nowhere. Your written goals act as mile-markers. Review them to see how far you have come. Outline steps for where you require to go. And take the opportunity to celebrate when you attain a milestone.

If you are overwhelmed … or if you are focusing on your star performance and desire for assistance with the other stuff, get in touch with me to script your shift so you can shine! And if you are looking for a place to start, consider these tips.

4 Tips for Writing Your Life Script

  1. Focus on your desired result in each area of your life (fitness, health, career, finances, intellect, relationships, and spiritual).
  2. Write your story in the present tense—as if you are living it now.
  3. Engage all of your senses and make it active—walk through your home and surroundings, note the things do, what you see, sounds you hear, scents, what you touch, and how you feel.
  4. Be the main character in the visualization—dream big and make it as realistic as possible to convince your self and to believe it is a potentiality for you.

The process of writing your Life Script brings opportunities to you just by changing your focus to what you desire. This benefit from shifting your focus from what isn’t working to your dream experience takes place during the creation of your Life Script.

Many are challenged with describing what it is we desire to create. We have an easier time describing what we do not want, which isn’t a bad place to start; but don’t leave your focus there. Instead of wishing to be less fat, focus on how good it will be to feel more fit.

Create and star in your dreamyiest life … get in touch with me to script your shift so you can shine!

 

15
Feb

Set Up Social Media Success in 6 Simple Steps

Social media doesn’t have to be daunting. In fact, it can be your best sales associate and your favorite marketing tactic. The key is to focus so you don’t get overwhelmed. It all begins with your message. Here are five steps to go from strategy to scheduled for social media success.

#1 Create Your Social Media Strategy.

For your Brand, you have a strategy. Now, align that with Social Media. Determine your niche—your target audience. Consider pain points and interests; and your solution for them. People seek solutions and benefits!

Brand strategy is a long-term plan for development to achieve specific goals. It is your playbook. Goals, strategies and tactics are outlined to give you a game plan.

Your brand is not your product, your logo, your website, or your name. It is much more than that. It is tangible and intagible, purpose driven, mission focused attributes that are your reason for being. It’s a feeling that separates powerful versus mediocre brands.

Your brand strategy considers:

1. Your industry & design trends
2. Your ideal client’s desires
3. Your brand personality

Distinguish your brand — how do you differentiate yourself and speak to your audience in a way that attracts them? There are many ways to give your brand a personality. From your logo and colors to tone of voice, messaging must align with your audience while remaining consistent in delivery style. Imagine your brand talking with one customer. And then, replicate that conversation consistently in the marketplace. This is where the social media strategy comes in.

Now, create a plan for social media that addresses your target audience where they are. Design a communication and messaging strategy to deliver information that is helpful to them and of interest. Relate to other topics that they are engaging with across platforms.

Check out this article of interest — Perfecting the four P’s.

HOMEWORK:

  1. Know what makes you different from your competition.
  2. Define your target audience and the solution you provide.
  3. Translate this to your Social Media strategy.

#2 Choose Your Social Media Platform(s).

You aren’t required to be on every Social Media platform to be successful. Pick one, possibly two to start. Avoid overwhelm!

In the beginning, fewer and BETTER is the focus. Facebook is the logical first choice for most brands. Twitter, LinkedIn, and/or YouTube are strong second choices, depending on your niche.

With Facebook, create your personal Profile then set up your Business Page. From quotes to images to video, you can dominate presence in your niche. Facebook Live amplifies the possibilites. You can benefit from low cost, highly targeted Facebook Ads to generate leads and build your list.

Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest along with LinkedIn and YouTube are great online real estate for your message. Your strategy will assit you in selecting the one or two places to start so that you speak to your tribe and align with your message.

To get a feel for the social media channels, check out this article of interest — Social Media at a Glance.

HOMEWORK:

  1. Set your goals — what you aim to accomplish.
  2. Select the Platforms you will use to START.
  3. Set up your social media sites.

#3 Curate and Create Your Content.

Develop an Editorial Plan to guide your content with purpose. And then you can repurpose the information across your social media channels. This reinforces your presence.

Create a calendar — three, six, nine, or 12 months out. For each month, brainstorm themes and then topics within that theme that would be of interest to your audience. Look at information that will establish you as the “Go To” person in your arena.

Choose themes and topics so you can weave information from one post to another. Look at the map of content so you know what you are sharing each and every day. Content can easily be “re-purposed” and used in a variety of ways, and across multiple platforms.

For more insights, check out this article — Repurpose Key Twitter Posts.

HOMEWORK:

  1. Brainstorm content theme ideas.
  2. Outline topics of interest to your niche.
  3. Create a 30 day content editorial calendar.

#4 Create a Series of Messages.

Now comes all the write stuff. Tailor the words to fit the channel. A blog post can be pulled apart for fodder you can upload to Twitter or Facebook. Specific messages can be developed for each channel and your audience there. If you desire assistance with this, let me know.

Now, get going. Check out this article of interest — Pretty Perfect.

HOMEWORK:

  1. Write your message(s).
  2. Develop content tailored to each channel.
  3. Consider quotes that align with your message.

#5 Select Message Visuals.

There are a number of ways to deliver information—your brand strategy will assist you in selecting the style(s) best suited to your message.

Photos; Infographics; Videos (Live and Native); Blog Posts and Original Articles by you; White Papers; Blogs and Useful Articles by other thought leaders in your niche who do not compete. Make Video a priority as it gets the MOST engagement!

Once you determine the style of information delivery, create your content. Outline it. Find photos and images to add impact. Consider using Piktochart or Canva to create images and infographs. Look at Notegraphy for creating impact with your words. And, find free photos and images at Pixabay.

Check out this article of interest — A Picture Worth 1000 Words.

HOMEWORK:

  1. Consider your brand image and align visuals with that.
  2. Create your message visuals.
  3. Develop content across visual media.

#6 Schedule It.

Effective Social Media Marketing can be done in 30 minutes a day when you have a plan and you WORK that plan.

You can use tools such as Hootsuite or Buffer to schedule your posts in advance. This puts your social media presence on autopilot.

Check out this article of interest — Storytelling and the 3 T’s.

HOMEWORK:

  1. Schedule posts for 30 days—consider Hootsuite or Buffer.
  2. Check in every day for 30 minutes to boost activity and interact with your tribe.
  3. Share posts from others who attract your niche.

Define your brand strategy and your message. Choose which delivery method will be best for your message. Make a list of themes and topics of interest. Create your content. And schedule it.

Congratulations! You now have the steps required to command Social Media and dominate your niche for business awareness, lead generation, client contact, and nutured relationships that lead to SALES! For assistance in creating your content, get in touch with me.

13
Mar

Come to the party! Social Media at a glance.

social-media-microphones

So many venues. So little time. Marshall McLuhan once put forth that the form of a medium embeds itself in the message, creating a symbiotic relationship by which the medium influences how the message is perceived. So, the brand of the channel has a halo affect on your message. Lets take a quick peek at some of the main social media haunts, and some possible associations.

LinkedIn: This is your resume and c.v. channel. Here, it’s like saying: “I’m on an interview and this is what I wish to project of myself professionally and personally.” Post an article to showcase your experience and expertise. Share an article of interest — and add a comment to give it your perspective. And, you could share these to Twitter, too.

LinkedIn Company Page: This is like offering up the annual report. Or, perhaps a billboard along with content that leads back to our website, or to a site of interest.

Twitter: It’s like a work-related party where you’re feeling rather chatty… “I’m in a conference room at the office with colleagues and clients, and this is what I wish to share because it is of interest, informative, or appropriately entertaining.”
There are many Twitter post options that you can share.

  • Text: These are the most basic — simply a 140-character or less message.
  • Link: Add a link to your own or other website that users can click through to visit.
  • Image: Include an image with your messages — you know, it’s worth a thousand words that help to expand on your 140 characters.
  • Video Posts: Upload a video or a GIF with your post — here is where you can include your talents via VINE (see more below)
  • Replies: start your message with the @HANDLE of customer or fan or other who posted or reached out to you on Twitter to further the engagement.

Snapchat: You had to be there! (or Wish You Were Here) and this is a glimpse of what is so special. Like an inside joke, you can do a variety of things to personalize the moment, including video slo-mo or speeded up for effect! While the snap won’t last, the impression(s) likely will. So make them add up to an image you wish to uphold. And, you could share an appropriate saved snap on Twitter or Instagram…

Instagram: Sharing interesting moments thematically for business or personal memories. There is a great opportunity to portray an image … or bounce all around like life does. These could be featured on Twitter if for business, or on Facebook if personal.

Facebook: Connecting to family and friends … can be like the high school hallway or a kind of reunion. Here is everything from breakfast to politics and a few happy birthday shout-outs.

Facebook Page: Like ‘bring-your-family-to-work’ day, show off all that’s cool about what you do. These could be repurposed on Twitter (but not vise-verse because Twitter posts are more frequent and could be spam-like on your Facebook Page).

Vine: Here we go loop de loop. Vine is intended to create short videos that repeat themselves. Over. And over. In six seconds.

Periscope: Use Twitter’s live video streaming app in the moment to keep Twitter connections up-to-date … experiential opportunity to share a presentation or a walk in the park — in real time. Make sure to turn on Twitter sharing so your broadcast is shared in a tweet that follows the formula: LIVE on #Periscope: [Video Title] [Link to Video]. Like with Snapchat, the broadcast expires after 24 hours.

YouTube: Everything that’s fit to film … and then some. Here is where you can share your story or webcast or data visualization. Storytelling with sight and sound that you can create and upload with ease. Or embed on your website. Create a landing page for each video. Tweet ’em. Show them on LinkedIn and Facebook. Lots of mileage from the footage.

Google +: Articles and posts relative to all the search terms you want associated with your brand. And, running around in circles.

Medium: So, you want to be a writer. This is a great place to blog and tell your stories — or repeat them.

Tumblr: Tumblr is useful in many ways—inspiration, scrapbooking, communication, portfolio… an overall blogging platform, create original content or curate (re-blog) posts—great venue for bloggers, brands, trendsetters, and tastemakers.

Ello: Share art and inspiration, connect with creators around the world, all ad-free. This one is still in nascent stages for me. Here I post things in black & white.

And so, again, like Marshall McLuhan says, “The medium is the message.” The medium affects the society in which it plays a role not only by the content delivered over the medium, but also by the characteristics of the medium itself. Well, sometimes those characteristics demand traits of the content. Hmmm. In any case, whether you create something specifically for one venue or the other, there are many ways to share. Edit. Share. Edit. Share. Etc. Have fun. Be interesting.

originally posted via LinkedIn, here