Category — Videos

mo·jo/ˈmōˌjō/

Whether you are a parent or not, there will be times in your life when your mojo is off.  One of the best ways to get back in touch with what really gets you excited is to have a list of the things that you have loved experiencing throughout your life.

In this episode of Mommy to Mommy TV, Kimberley Clayton Blaine shares what she does to get her mojo back while I talk about how I believe that women (especially women entrepreneurs) need to connect with other women in order to truly feel on top of the world.  Of course it is important to network with men as well, but there is a different connection that women have with one another that I believe empowers us.

Every day, we have the chance to start fresh with new ideas, new inspirations and new experiences.  Every week, we have the potential to do something important with our time, to do something that moves us forward toward our ultimate goals in life.  When our mojo is feeling off, our dreams can seem out of touch, so it is essential to know at least a few things that get us back in touch with our passions.

Where do you get your magic power?

I get in touch with my mojo from things like: the ocean, painting, writing, being with my family and friends, fashion (especially shoes), exploring uncharted territory and from being with people who are following their dreams and passions. I also find that as hard as it is to get myself to the gym, I feel incredibly inspired after a hard work out.

To make sure that my mojo is never too far from reach, I have hired a trainer twice a week to ensure that I get at least two good work outs in.  I get to look at the ocean every day because our home overlooks the Pacific.  I write this blog and engage in social media (and I have a book in the works) that allow me to write regularly.  My family and friends are always at the top of my priority list.  I have partnered with inspiring women in Social Media Girlfriends and in other networking groups to make sure I am surrounded by people who are taking action and living the life they dream of.

And despite all of this, still there are days when my mojo is off. 

So, having a list of things that inspire me and committing to grow this list every day is how I keep my  mojo in check.  How about you?  Do you find inspiration in moving your body?  In creating art?  In being with children?  While being in nature?

Where is your mojo?

What is it that gives you such a charge that you feel like you could finally…  write that book, run those laps, speak to that audience, pick up the phone and make that call, or do whatever it is that you know you need to do to live the life you want to live?

Have you made your list yet?  Please leave your thoughts and ideas in the comments and have an inspired day, FULL of mojo!

“Happy are those who dream dreams and are willing to pay the price to make them come true.” 

Every year around this time, I start thinking about the goals that I set for my personal, family and professional life and how close I came to reaching them.  I also create a plan for goals for the upcoming year.

“Your dreams come true when you act to turn them into realities.”

In this video, you will see four steps to get you thinking about your goals and how to achieve them in 2012.  And if you are looking for a place to find support in this endeavor, of course I am happy to help.

Step 1:  Clear the clutter in your physical, emotional and professional worlds.

Step 2: Get clear on what you want to achieve and why it is important to you and the world around you.

Step 3: Build a network of people online and off who support your vision (and whose vision you support).

Step 4: Take massive action (start by listing out what your goals are what you will do every month and week to move toward your vision).

Writing your goals and dreams down is the first step to making them a reality.  So, I invite you to write down one of your goals for 2012 and one action step that you will take toward your goal in the comments.  Thank you for believing in the beauty of your dreams!

Birthdays are for giving, right? 

Well, in this video… there are 3 wishes or gifts that I have for you.

I don’t often get too personal on my blog, but today I want to share some things with you because that is how we build our relationship.  I am 38 years old today and I am very grateful for the life that I have.  My husband and my daughters are my most favorite people on the planet (although my mom, dad and sister- and her family are right up there too!) and I get to laugh with and hug them every day.

Although my mom was diagnosed with cancer over a year ago and we have had our ups and downs, we have been able to celebrate her life and she knows without a doubt that she is loved.  We are all blessed to know her and every day is a gift to be in her presence.

We all have our challenges in life, but the goal is to keep a smile on and embrace those challenges as opportunities.

Every morning, I get to look out at the ocean from my bedroom, kitchen and living room windows each morning and appreciate the beauty of the ocean and the sun.  It never gets old. Life is good.

I am so very grateful for the many friends who have come into my life.  Some have stayed, some come in and out of my life and others have gone their own way.  I love you all.

So, thank you for stopping by and celebrating life with me.  Thank you for your messages on social media, I appreciate every one of them!  And I wish you an amazing day. If you haven’t already watched it, please enjoy the video I made for you.

Thanks again for being here and for making the world a better place.

Social media truly has changed the way that small business and big business is done.  In this snippet of our panel discussion, we tackle mutiple perspectives on exactly how things have changed.  From the corporate perspective to the small business owner’s point of view, social media is making is easier to connect with your audience so you can build your platform and grow your audience.

In today’s business world, big and small business play together in the same sandbox.

In this video, listen as the fabulous Liz Dennery Sanders guides the panel discussion between Gail Becker of Edelman, Susan Fleishman of Warner Brothers, Lorrie Thomas of Web Marketing Therapy and me.  We had a lot of fun sharing our experiences and thoughts while giving some actionable social media and business growth take-aways to the members of Smarty People and Step Up Women’s Network at UCLA Anderson School of Management.

What are your thoughts about how business has changed with social media?  Are there advantages or disadvantages?  Please share your thoughts in the comments.  Thanks!

Uncertainty.

I am so excited to share this book with you because the message is SO cool and so often NOT talked about.  Now, we have an entire book that exposes this fear of the unknown that so many people have and that holds you back from exploring life, taking risks and getting you ultimately where you want to go.

We all have uncertainty about what we are doing, but the trailblazers don’t let that fear stop them.  Instead, they use it as a tool or an asset to ask questions and seek answers that are not preconceived.  Learning to be okay with not having all of the answers can be a struggle for many of us, but once you decide to get comfortable with uncertainty and trust your intuition, you will feel an incredible sense of power.

In this video, I share with you what I believe to be tools that will help with getting comfortable with uncertainty.  Of course this book is a great starting point, but there’s more.  I believe that when you know who you are, what you want out of life and the value that you bring to the world, it is much easier to sit with uncertainty because you are grounded in knowing (for certain) who you are. 

As you evolve, who you are will change, so this process of getting to know yourself is a lifelong practice.

What are your thoughts on uncertainty?  Are you the type of person who feels like you have to know all of the answers to every possible scenario before you begin a venture?  How is that working (or not working) for you?  Have you discovered any tools to help you get through the fear of the unknown?  Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Please join Jonathan Fields, author of Uncertainty on the next episode of the Work Smart Lifestyle Show where we will delve deeper into this topic and give you even more tools and insights.  And if you haven’ already grabbed your copy of Uncertainty, do so now!  It’s a great read and super inspiring!

In this very honest and real episode of the Work Smart Lifestyle Show, Gabby Bernstein shares the story of her evolutionary, entrepreneurial journey that has taken her from the clubs of Manhattan into bookstores across the country and maybe soon to be the television in your living room.

You may have seen her videos about miracles or meditation.

You may have heard her speak at a networking event or on a teleseminar.

She is a thought leader, a motivational speaker, a fashion lover and a believer in miracles.

She is also a former Sex In the City lifestyle girl who has transformed into a Spirit Junkie.

Gabby Bernstein is soon to be a household name as she spreads her message of love, hope and happiness throughout the world.

In her new book, Spirit Junkie (bound to be a New York Times bestseller), Gabby Bernstein tells the story of how she got from the drug couch to the meditation pillow and how you can too.  Her new book goes on sale on September 13, 2011, but you can get a sneak peak of her brilliance in this recording.  Enjoy!

Over the past few months, there have been some developments on social media and in my own businesses that have revealed a loop hole on Twitter where entrepreneurs can literally jeopardize their reputation, their clients, their revenue and their friendships within days if a former team member turns into a predator.

This is a problem that has yet to be touched by the media and that Twitter has yet to correct, despite the fact that the FBI has been involved and multiple businesses have been affected (and will continue to be affected until they address this issue).  So, we need to protect ourselves and be proactive with our business safety.

Don’t assume that as a business owner, if you hire an independent contractor and things don’t work out, you will just be able to fire him/her and be done with it.  When you hire someone to run your social media or interact with clients on any level, they have access to your reputation, which means they have the potential to destroy the business that you have worked so hard to build.

The perpetrator in this case has a bio on his site that talks about family and love and all things positive.  He says all of the right things, which can be extremely misleading.  We need to remember to read between the lines when it comes to protecting our reputation and our work.  Aside from having a professional looking bio, this social media “expert” also interacts on social media with people in a very pleasant and friendly manner, which makes people think they can trust him.

Where the problem arises is that online, people can hide behind a facade of who they want you to believe they are and if you aren’t looking for the signs of a criminal, you will miss them.  If no one bothered to check this guy out, they would think he was a great person to work with (until they decided to fire him for unprofessional behavior – at which point the positive energy would shift into predator mode).

When entrepreneurs don’t take the time to protect businesses with agreements and systems, and take the time to dig deeper into who their team members really are, they put their business at risk.  However, if you make this task a priority, you could find a criminal record that would make you run far and fast from guys like this. 

So, watch this video and learn 3 tips to build a team that you can trust.  Once you find the right team member and you complete the 3 steps in this video, make sure to have signed agreements that lay out tasks to be completed, compensation, rules of engagement, what happens if the relationship doesn’t work out and legal ramifications if certain boundaries are crossed.

In other words, cover your booty from the very beginning!

Do you have thoughts, comments or resources to share on this topic?  Please leave them in the comments.

Whether you consider yourself to be a lucky person or not, there will come a time (maybe more than once) when you are presented with an opportunity that may look like a failure but that truly can alter your destiny for the better.  The difference between winning and defeat has everything to do with how you see life…

It is with hindsight that we can see clearly that everything happens for a reason.  It is with intuition that we can choose the right path.  It is with trust and self-awareness that we can make decisions that will move us forward.  And it is with focus on our values, strengths, passions and goals that we can live with purpose.

In this video, I share with you a story of how I was presented with an opportunity that ended up completely shutting down what I thought were my dreams… but in truth, what happened was magical.  At the time, I saw this opportunity as failure.  Now, I see it as a gift that I don’t take for granted.

HINT: Measure the validity of an opportunity by your top 5 goals. If it falls short… it is not an opportunity.

Have you ever experienced anything like this?  Were you able to shift your focus and turn inward to find the right answers?  I’d love to hear your stories or just your thoughts in the comments.

Up until about a year ago, I firmly believed that lifestyle business owners didn’t need an exit strategy.  Then, my mom was diagnosed with lung cancer, my father-in-law had a series of strokes and several people we knew passed away leaving their families to sort through businesses that would have to be shut down or sold.  It really got me thinking about businesses and how to set your business up so that if it needed to be sold or if something happened where you weren’t able to run your business… it wouldn’t be a loser of a situation.

In this video, you will learn why being organized, using systems and having a a great team are essential not just for your sanity but for your profitability.  In business, everything is an asset.  You determine whether or not it is a performing one!

WHY do so many of us avoid spending the time to do the inner work that will give us the foundation to enjoy our daily lives to the fullest?  Because we have better things to do?  Certainly not!  I think it’s because we are afraid of stepping up and being the best we can be – of being excellent.  We are afraid of failure.  We are afraid of being who we really are.  We are afraid… to set ourselves free?

In this video, you will hear my thoughts on how your passions, strengths and experiences exist to guide you toward your life purpose.  And how Lady Gaga (such a brilliant marketing machine) is role modeling all of this for us.

Do you want confidence when it comes to your daily pursuits?  Do you want clarity about how everything fits into the big picture of life?  Do you want to finally be exactly who you are and understand WHY you are that way?  Then, watch this video.

And when the video is over, make sure to share your thoughts in the comments and on social media because I can almost guarantee you will have some!  And maybe you will even be inspired to… take action!