Mommy Mojo: Winning the Inner Game of Entrepreneurship – Top 10 Motivation and Mindset Tips of 2011
The inner game of entrepreneurship is a complex blend of dealing with guilt, maintaining motivation and staying in a positive mindset! In 2011, our experts covered them all – and more!
Top 10 Motivation and Mindset Tips of 2011
Protect Yourself from Toxic People! Dabney Porte on how Mean People Suck Your Energy: “Step Back – As with any toxic chemical, you must first limit your exposure to this person to prevent toxic side effects. Use this time to gain clarity and release yourself from any guilt or fear you may have of hurting the person’s feelings. Engaging with a toxic person adds stress to your life and damages your self-esteem. You must stop giving of your time and self to a person who brings no value to you. It is time to put you first.”
Let Go of the Guilt! Lisa Garber with tips on Getting Rid of Mom Guilt: “Get used to uncomfortable feelings. We all have to live with discomfort. Fear is a great example. Sometimes we just have to act even in the face of fear. Guilt is the same. When you make a decision to really take care of your own needs, you will feel guilty. However, the more you keep taking action, and the world is still spinning on its axis, the easier it is to take action the next time. One day, you might even lose the guilty feelings altogether. That is true freedom.”
Recognize Judgmental People! Aly Pain with advice on dealing with Mrs. Judgey-Judgerson from Judgementville: “Ultimately, there are a million ways to do any one thing and we will all have our own preferred methods without any one being ‘right’. Be confident in your methods with an open mind to what else is out there and you may learn and benefit from others when you choose to.”
Get Comfortable Asking for What You are Worth! Carolyn McCray on Owning Your Ambition: “Whatever You Do, Do NOT Apologize – Through each and every step of the way, do not be SHY. Do not hesitate to discuss pricing. Do not undercut yourself by apologizing or mumbling or looking away when you talk about your product or service.”
Recognize the Importance of Language! Aly Pain talks about The Most Dangerous Words “I’m JUST a Mom”: “It’s important to understand the role language plays in constructing our mental lives, and thus the results those beliefs manifest around us. The more you diminish what you do, the more smallness, disrespect and low-level people you attract. That plays out in the clients you connect with and the employees you bring into your business.”
Let Go of Perfection! Renee Walker on Ignoring the Negative Thoughts: “Whenever you start to feel “not good enough” recognize the stress you are feeling and look for ways to release it. Go for a walk, take a few long, slow deep breaths or put on the music and have everyone dance.
Stick to Your Goals! Sarah Robinson recommends Making Them Irresistible: “There’s a ton of information out there on setting and achieving goals. Make them SMART, break them down into small doable steps, create a vision board, etc. But here’s the thing about goals, if they are not utterly irresistible to me, I don’t care how SMART they are or how pretty my vision board is, I’m not going to do them.”
Ignore Your Inner Critic! Carolyn Ellis shares tips on Quieting Your Inner Critic: “Flip It: request your internal critic to give you its feedback in the form of questions instead of damning statements. Strong declarative statements like “You are never going to succeed!” just don’t take you anywhere productive. However, flipping that into a question like “How are you going to succeed in this?” can be very helpful. Why? The brain loves to answers questions! When asked a question, your mind will immediately start working on coming up with all of the things you would need to have in place in order to be successful.
Stay Out of Overwhelm! Yulit Price on dealing with Being Overworked, Overtired and Overwhelmed: “Stick to Self-care – As soon as we go into overwhelming times, we tend to drop our support lines. The ‘I can do it alone’ mindset often brings out the mother-as-martyr archetype, leaving you feeling bitter, resentful, and sacrificial. If you are engaged in a support group, therapy, coaching or counseling, do not drop out or let it go. Stick with it to help you navigate overwhelming times.”
Set Clear Boundaries! Aly Pain on Training People How to Treat You: “Just as the untrained puppy pees on the carpet completely unaware of any wrong-doing, the untrained client continues to make last-minute requests seemingly unconcerned that his little request forced you to cancel weekend plans to make the unreasonable deadline. Training people is most effective using clear and simple requests, similar to the blunt commands used to train puppies.”
Business 101: Sales, Savvy Smarts and Social Media – Top Business Boosting Tips of 2011
The single thread that all our top tips have in common is doing more with less. Whether that’s by leveraging the power of social media or by creating smart systems to support your business, the key to success in business is definitely working smarter, not harder!
Top Business Boosting and Buzz Building Tips of 2011
Find the Pain Point! The key to Writing Copy that Connects is knowing your target audience. “Not just the basic stuff, but the deep dark secrets that they barely admit to themselves. That’s where you find the motivation that will get them to take action and that’s where your copy needs to connect. Remember, people are more likely motivated by the fear of loss than they are the promise of gain..”
Get S.A.D. to Get More Done in Less Time! If you want to make More Money in Less Hours, Nika Stewart says you need to “Systemize, Automate, Delegate. Create systems for all your business tasks to assure higher productivity and greater income. Use technology to automate tasks that take a lot of your time, and suddenly you have many more hours each week to build your business. ‘Clone’ yourself by delegating lower-level tasks, and twice the work can be done in the same amount of time.”
Decide WHAT You are Advertising – Facebook expert Andrea Vahl on How to Advertise Your Business Using Facebook: “I recommend advertising your Facebook Page. Do not send people to your website unless you have a very clear call to action on your website (like your newsletter sign-up). If they go to your website and don’t see what they are looking for, then you won’t see them again. If you can get them to Like your Facebook Page, you get the opportunity to connect with them over and over.”
Be Media Friendly! When Building an Online Media Room, Tara Geissinger recommends taking your media kit “one step further – including latest news, story ideas, downloadable images, audio recordings of interviews, video interviews and presentations, and other key information that can sell an interviewer on why you’re the right expert to contact. The goal is to arm journalists with all the information they need when writing a story or searching online for a source.”
Share One Single Message! The key to Telling a Compelling Business Story in 30 Seconds is to “Focus on getting across one core message. Chances are your company or product does many interesting and wonderful things. Sharing every detail is not the purpose of the Elevator Speech. Too much information overloads the audience and creates confusion.”
Follow-Up “Forever” says Sales Diva Kim Duke in How to Get Over Your Fear of Selling: “Everyone asks me when they should quit following-up. Hmmm. It depends. Make sure you’re following up with the customers who are the best fit for you. Everyone else – release. Be creative with your follow-up: social media, of course, use a monthly e-zine, blog, direct mail, Fed Ex – think of 5 different ways you can stay in touch and keep bringing ADDED VALUE to your customer.”
Cash Flow Problems are a Warning Sign You Should Never Ignore according to Britt Michaelian: “Running into a cash flow crunch is every business owner’s worst nightmare because in some ways it means that you have failed. If you want your business to be cash flow positive, don’t spend more money than you are making. Operate on a lean budget and keep things tight. It’s that simple.”
Include a “Reveal Tab” with a Freebie to Generate a Buzz on Facebook: “Give something away on your Facebook Page for people who like your Page. You will need to use an iFrames application to create a reveal tab.”
Plan Marketing Campaigns Way in Advance to get Ready, Set, Prep! “Considering doing a postcard campaign or finally trying your luck with Facebook advertising? Create a detailed calendar of campaigns and related marketing activities (like designing said postcard or Facebook ad) so you don’t miss any key deadlines when things pick up in September.”
Create Your Key Message! When trying to Find Your Message, Brandy Mychals says, “Ideally you want this message to represent YOU, flow through your Core Message AND speak to your Ideal Clients. This means knowing what your audience needs: their dreams, fears, strengths and challenges. If you aren’t certain, start interviewing past or potential clients.”
Leverage SEO! When Choosing SEO Keywords, Tara Geissinger says, “It’s a common mistake for business owners to choose keywords that bring in an enormous number of visitors. There are two problems with this: phrases that attract a lot of attention also attract a lot of competition, and then this attention may not convert at all.”
Respond IMMEDIATELY to Media Requests! The key to getting Free Publicity according to SourceBottle founder Rebecca Derrington is “If you’re the expert source or case study they’re looking for, respond immediately. Journalists and bloggers will often use the first source they come across who ‘fits the bill’. After all, they don’t know that you – the perfect source for their story – are out there just waiting for an opportune time to respond.”
Keep Your Tweets Short! On How to Get More Retweets, Nika Steward reminds us to follow the golden rule: “You can post up to 140 characters, but for someone to retweet you, there are extra characters added (RT @yourname:). Make it easy for people to retweet you without having to edit and shorten. People also love to add comments to the retweet, making it more personal and compelling, so leave even more room for that!”
Run a Contest to Get People to Like You on Facebook: “Give something away on Facebook. Make it something good and make Liking your Page a requirement for entering the contest. Use the Wildfire, Woobox, or North Social application to set your contest up. These applications all cost money but will help you run the contest or sweepstakes according to Facebook’s rules and they aren’t too expensive.”
Tech Talk: Gadgets, Gizmos and Super Cool Tricks – Top Gadgets and Tech Tips of 2011
Got gadgets?
It’s almost impossible to do anything these days without finding a specially designed gadget or tech gizmo to make it that much easier to do. It makes you wonder how we ever survived, remembered to buy milk or found our cars in a busy parking lot without them.
Let us review the top gadgets, gizmos and super cool tech tricks shared by our experts in 2011!
Top Tech Tips (and Gizmos) of 2011
Protection for Your Touch Screen: Worried about scratching your touch screen? Because Accidents Do Happen, you will want to check out this must-have gadget: “Invisible Shield by Zagg – The ‘Superman’ of protective screen covers, the Invisible Shield by Zagg has screen covers for almost every SmartPhone, tablet, e-Reader and digital camera. If it has a screen, Zagg has you (err…it) covered.”
Handy Parenting Gizmo: Fear traveling with kids no longer thanks to this list for Battling Backseat Boredom! Top pick: “Story Cubes – It’s a tiny box containing 9 picture cubes with the idea that you roll the cubes and make up a story (on your own or as a group) based on the images that are face up. Think of it as a storytelling icebreaker for kids.”
Cord Control Gadget: For getting Control of the Cord Chaos, Professional Organizer Sylvia Daoust recommends, “Cable Drop Cord Clips – These little clips come in packages of 6 and are self-adhesive that secure cords anywhere on your desktop or work area. The best part – when you unplug your laptop, the cord won’t slip off behind the desk!”
Tech Tip for Getting Your Share of the Social Sharing: To make your web site Social Media Friendly, Tracy Matthewman suggests, “in today’s busy world if you want someone to do something, make it SUPER SIMPLE and easy to do with as few clicks as possible.One way to do this for your readers is to add a Facebook Share button and a Tweet button to your pages and posts.”
Tip for Finding Inspiration: Wondering what to write about for your blog? When you are Stuck for Topic Ideas, Tracy Matthewman recommends, “Google Popular Search – It’s pretty cool and “stupidly” simple. Use this method with any number of search terms. Tip: you may get additional ideas just by switching your keyword phrase around. For example, switching “organic gardening” as your seed word to be “gardening organic” and go through the alphabet again.”
SmartPhone Payment Tool: Turn your Android into a Business Productivity tool with this handy app shared by Michelle Mangen: “Square allows any SmartPhone user to accept credit card payments (both swiped and entered).”
Gadgets for Charging Your Gizmos: Get a little help Staying Organized On-the-Go with this handy-dandy tech tool shared by Sylvia Daoust: “Travel Cord Organizer & Charging Case – If you have kids, you have electronics and a mess of cords, chargers, and adapters! Check out Kangaroom’s sensible and neat, all in one travel case to make your expedition easier!”
Tech Tool for Taking Stuff: Want to access your photos, videos and documents from anywhere? This Top 10 Best Android App gets the top pick for its convenience and ease-of-use! “DropBox – Take photos, videos and documents with you anywhere! Anything you save to your Dropbox will automatically save to all your computers AND your Android! Built-in lock codes mean if you lose your phone, your files are safe!”
Home Office Gadgets: Maintain your Home Office Health with this top pick from Ergonomist Diane Stinson: “Gliding Palm Rest – Palm rests are popular choices for mousing, but standard models put pressure on the sensitive carpal tunnel. A Gliding Palm Rest doesn’t add extra pressure and moves with your hand, meaning it takes less effort to mouse preventing overreaching. Recommended brand: Fellows ES 9180701.”
Interactive Marketing Gadget: Need to Add Glitz to Your Pitch? Try this tech tool: “SlideShare – Think PowerPoint meets the Internet! Embed SlideShare presentations on your site, share publicly or privately, add audio or download to your computer for interactive sales presentations.”
Tech Time Tracker: Give your Productivity a Boost with this handy tool for staying on top of your time: “Time Tracker – Wonder exactly where your time goes every day? Handy-dandy apps like Klok or RescueTime let you create a journal of your daily activities to either client billing purposes or just finding those time leaks.”
Smart Start-Up Tips: Top 10 Business Building Tips of 2011
We spent a lot of time thinking about ways that companies could get a smart start in business and shared a lot of tips over the last year. So many, in fact, that we just couldn’t narrow it down to our top 10.
Our Top (a Smidge More than) 10 Business Building Tips of 2011
Tip #1: On Social Media Basics, Andrea Vahl recommended, “Social Media is not something you jump into quickly and start signing up for everything. Listen first, create a strategy, decide what you want out of it and start small. Do one or two things well and then add more.”
Tip #2: Top tip on Staying Top of Mind with Prospects until they buy: “Find unique and interesting ways to let them know that you are still there and keen on helping them! Chances are you are on their to-do list, but as the to-do list grows, the ones on the bottom fall off their radar.”
Tip #3: What entrepreneurs forget to do (from the Checklist of Stupidly Obvious Things): “Give clear instructions on how to buy – Does your sales page pass the Grandma test? Meaning if you sent your 87-year-old (non-technical) Grannie to complete a transaction, would she succeed or get confused and give up? So often entrepreneurs forget to give simple, direct instructions on how to buy what they’re trying to sell. Do they click a big yellow button? Find a local dealer? Call a toll free number to place an order?”
Tip #4: On the Outsourcing Catch 22, Alycia Edgar reminds us to “Be realistic. Track your time to ensure your own productivity is up to scratch before you start outsourcing. Because if you are outsourcing on the premise of freeing up more time to work on revenue generating tasks and you are not productive yourself, don’t expect some miracle to occur just because you have more time.”
Tip #5: If you need a Random List to Inspire Innovation, remember to “Ask Questions (a LOT of Questions) – What you know what they say about assumptions? They make an ASS out of U and ME! Don’t assume anything. Ask questions about everything and anything to do with your business BEFORE a false assumption bites you in the ass!”
Tip #6: Thinking about expanding your reach? Engage People Who Are Already Where You Want to Be: “‘Gatekeepers’ are the people and companies who are already actively engaged with the people you want to reach. For example, the gatekeepers for my copywriting business are web design companies. By connecting with gatekeepers, you are opening the door to many opportunities. You only need to develop and maintain a relationship with that one gatekeeper instead of engaging with many individual clients.”
Tip #7: What is one Essential Entrepreneurial Skill They Don’t Teach in Business School? “Mindreading – Call it what you will, but essentially all marketing is a form of mindreading. Business school only covers the technical aspects of it, but what you really need to understand is how your customers think and what buttons will get a response. From there, all that fancy-shmancy tracking and testing works wonders.”
Tip #8: Nika Stewart reminds us in Sales Start with Simply Staying in Touch that newsletters must always “Be relevant! The main part of your newsletter – your article or tip – needs to be useful information for the reader. You should certainly put in some promotion about your company, but keep this to about 20 to 25 percent of the entire newsletter. Any more than that will turn off readers and cause deletes and ‘unsubscribes’.”
Tip #9: If you want to Write Headlines that Create Curiosity and Get Clicks, remember to: “Create Curiosity – Imagine you are whispering your headline to a co-conspirator. What would you say to perk their interest? “Psst…you will never guess what I just found out!” Write a headline that tells your target audience how you are giving them the keys to the kingdom or letting them in on a must-know secret or behind the scenes strategy. People love to know what they don’t know or don’t normally have access to.”
Tip #10: The golden rule of business and Something We Wish We Knew Before Starting in Business: “People who want to “Pick your brain” will never buy – Don’t waste your time with people who want to pick your brain because it is always for free and never leads to you getting paid for your time or your expertise.”
Tip #11: Top tip on Addressing Objections: “Don’t Assume It’s about Money – Don’t always assume your potential customers are too cheap to buy your product at full price. Rarely is price the main buying objection. Dig deeper and uncover the REAL reasons they are hesitating.”
Dream BIG, Do BIG: Proof that Solving Real Problems is the Secret to a Booming Business
Want to know the secret to success? It’s not all the glamour and glitz of coming up with the latest sexy new idea or even the luck of the draw in discovering the latest craze. It’s solving real problems.
Just ask husband and wife entrepreneurs, Peter and Emma Fuerbringer, who proved that by simply listening to what the marketplace wants and delivering exactly that, you can take an ordinary business and turn it into an extraordinary success.
The Business: VonKids
The BIG Dream: Combine childcare with preschool education
The ‘BIG Dream’ didn’t start as a big dream at all. Instead Emma created the very first VonKids program to help out friends who were in dire need of reliable childcare.
Like all good entrepreneurial stories, one thing lead to another and before they knew it VonKids was operating 27 dayhomes in Calgary with additional 4 programs falling under their endorsed program.
The BIG Doing: Investing in curriculum development
Both former teachers themselves, Peter and Emma quickly realized the success of the VonKids program relied on developing an early education curriculum for their dayhome directors to follow.
VonKids enlisted the help of Margaret Smith and Michelle Beardsley, both leaders in the early education field, to create the VonKids curriculum from the ground up. Both were key in influencing their full day preschool approach for their older child programs.
The BIG Success: $1.5 million in revenue and an overflowing waitlist
Success in a ‘vanilla’ industry like childcare isn’t easy when around every corner there’s a new daycare or dayhome opening up. The key is not in the business model itself, but rather the delivery of an innovative program that fits exactly what people want.
VonKids listened to what parents wanted in terms of childcare: quality childcare in a warm home environment with an emphasis on learning and growth. The result was the VonKids program that takes the best of the daycare and early childhood education and combines them.
The BIG Advice: “Don’t try to cheat and take shortcuts”
“The reality of success is it’s messy and painful. You have to be willing to push forward with your idea when it becoming challenging and boring,” says Fuerbringer who admits poopy diapers and runny noses isn’t the sexiest industry. “You have to be willing to do the work. So often people try to take shortcuts.”
“Often people think big success needs to be something entirely new and innovative, but people are far too busy to figure out new stuff. Instead of trying to come up with something new, we took what was already being done and tweaked it.”
Got a Dream BIG, Do BIG success story you’d like to share with our readers? Join Entrepreneurial Moms and submit your story to your local chapter leader!
#MOMeoChat: Back to School Resolutions – Starting Fresh for a New School Year
Q1: How do you use the fresh start of a new school year to make changes?
@CarlaYoung Q1: The new school year seems like a better time than New Years…it follows a long break from habits and the opp for fresh start
@CarlaYoung Q1: Ditch all the old habits and consider what new ones you’d like to start!
@HappyFamMvmt We get back on a routine! Summer is chaos around here. Back to school means consistent bedtimes and more organization!
@OrganizerBoards Q1 – it’s easy to form new routines around a set school schedule
@HappyFamMvmt: We get back on a routine! Summer is chaos. Back to school means consistent bedtimes and more organization!
@CarlaYoung Q1: I go to the gym, I spring clean the house I make food for a month and finally get back on track with work
@OrganizerBoards Q1 – school starting also allows me to mentally focus on work and not multitask when kids are home
@alyciaedgar Q1. Getting back into routine. I also like to add a new “you’re a bigger kid now” responsibility for my kids
Q2: What are your Back to School resolutions for your business?
@HappyFamMvmt I will make a meal plan… I will make a meal plan… I will make a meal plan (and then I will follow it)
@OrganizerBoards Q2 – Work smarter – and more effectively during work time – focus – and stop work when work should stop!
@HappyFamMvmt Get caught up. And get to cracking on all these awesome ideas we’ve had in the works all summer long.
@CarlaYoung Q2: Be more focused and productive and really REALLY protect my time!
@JeannieSpiro I up my education in the fall, just like the kids
@alyciaedgar Q2. Focus, focus, focus on existing projects and mapping out of all implementable ideas generated during time off
@OrganizerBoards Q2 – Also – plan for new work projects more – don’t start too many that I can’t finish
@BalanceMyLife q2: work smarter work less enjoy life more – the ultimate balance
Q3: What are your Back to School resolutions for personal life?
@CarlaYoung: Q3: Get fit and get over my back injury (I hate not being able to do things)
@HappyFamMvmt Q3: Meal plan. More play time with the kids. Get everything in the house organized (can you tell I like to organize?!)
@YourDoulaBag Q3: book babysitters for date nights with husband
@HappyFamMvmt Q3: more exercise, more sleep… oh there are SO many things on this list!
@BalanceMyLife @CarlaYoung q2: work smarter work less enjoy life more – the ultimate balance which I am still trying to find myself
@HartGalla Q3:#goodcleanliving. Have a meal plan for the next 3 months, fitness plan, date night plan and quality time focus
@BalanceMyLife #momeochat Q3: back to the gym Full blast I love it
Q4: What are your Back to School resolutions for your family?
@CarlaYoung Q4: Teaching both husband and daughter about routines — packing school bag, lunch, etc. the night before
@HappyFamMvmt Q4: get the kids used to routines and schedules, enough sleep for the kids.
@HappyFamMvmt Q4: (this is a constant resolution in our house) creating memorable family experiences. Seeing how back to school fits in to that
@OrganizerBoards Q4 – have fun together!
@YourDoulaBag Q4: school nights try to eat together & bedtime by 8pm.Weekends do fun things we don’t usually do. #
@JeannieSpiro We purged & organized before school started, so staying that way
@CarlaYoung Q4: Husband and I are spending a lot of time thinking about lifestyle choices…really awesome dialogue to start
@HappyFamMvmt Q4: be THERE for our kids… breakfast together, lunch on Fridays with our 1st grader, bike rides to school
@YourDoulaBag Back to Q4: want to spend more one on one time with each child. They love it so much.
Q5: What new habits would you like to establish for Back to School?
@HappyFamMvmt Q5 make a meal plan, grocery shop for the meal plan, and actually follow through with it
@OrganizerBoards Q5 Getting up early so getting ready for school isn’t a mad dash! So far so good!
@CarlaYoung Q5: Getting everyone involved in family organization and protecting my office time…oh and boundaries
@HelpWeveGotKids Early wake up!
@YourDoulaBag Q5: big kids make own lunches & are responsible for practicing instruments daily.clothes out night before too.
@HappyFamMvmt Q5: Dedicated work hours for hubby & I. Then maybe we could take a night off instead of working 7 nights a week!
@kmohara A: An early bedtime. And calm morning
@BalanceMyLife @HappyFamMvmt so hard to leave work behind when it is in your face – my resolution is to turn the light off at 3:30
@HartGalla Running every morning. Working with the kids on clean up responsibility. Practicing reading & writing nightly
Q6: What bad habits would you like to ditch for Back to School?
@YourDoulaBag Q6: allowing myself to work past midnight.
@OrganizerBoards Q6 – Skipping breakfast! I need to eat with the kids! bad mommy habit!
@kmohara A6: Keep the tv off when we get home. We have a narrow window as it is – should spend it together
@CarlaYoung Q6: Booking too many meetings and calls!
@BalanceMyLife Q6: drinking wine – eating too much
@HappyFamMvmt Q6 – Cereal for dinner
@HartGalla A6: Being glued to my phone when my kids are around or working at dinner. Step back. Be present
Q7: How important is it to include your family in your resolutions?
@CarlaYoung Q7: I love the idea of creating a family vision to get them onside and teach about goal setting and priorities
@HartGalla HUGE! For everything. How do they change if they don’t know the New World Order?
@OrganizerBoards Q7 – very important! They need be on board to make it happen
@BalanceMyLife @MOMeo Q7: monkey see monkey do! If they see you do it they will do it too!
@CarlaYoung Q7: Making a decision in a vacuum never works. No one sticks with it and you lose energy for it
@kitandcaboodle Less computer?
@CarlaYoung One personal resolution I made was to get more massages…that’s easy to stick to!
@YourDoulaBag Main resolution is to get out there & live! Whether that means having fun w/ kids or pushing the limits w/my biz. Go 4it.
Q8: How do you start making changes to your daily habits?
@CarlaYoung Q8: Force the habit until it becomes second nature. It takes time to change behaviour
@OrganizerBoards Q8 – I just jump in and try to keep them going … if you fall off the wagon just get back on the next day
@HeatherSBroad Q8 – make a conscious decision to stick with it and keep the end goal in mind!
@HappyFamMvmt Q8 – just doing it till it sticks. And putting it in plain sight helps too. We’ve got boards all over the kitchen with lists!
@CarlaYoung @HappyFamMvmt Love that idea of visual reminders
@OrganizerBoards Q8 – if you are constantly missing resolutions though it is time to reevaluate them
@Tara_Nelson Q8 words & thoughts become actions. Tell people your goals. And write and post them everywhere!
@CakeMechanic stop trying to live by other people’s rules.what works for Me works..don’t feel need to live up to a “criteria” happy me = happyu
@BalanceMyLife Q8: I make a list, if it is on paper I have to do it, makes me accountable!
@HappyFamMvmt we have a dry erase board on the fridge and write today’s to do list on it. new resolutions (i.e. workout) are there every day
@HartGalla Keep trying. If u have a relapse to bad habits, start again the next day. Don’t lapse, relapse, then collapse
@HappyFamMvmt Q8: the more you do it, the more it becomes second nature. Plus I HATE not crossing things off the list!
@kmohara A8: You make change by taking action. Start with manageable goals until you reach your habit goals.
Q9: How do you hold yourself accountable and make your resolutions stick?
@Tara_Nelson Q9 again, make sure to share your plans and goals. Your support system will help you stay accountable.
@CarlaYoung Q9: Don’t turn a little setback into failure. Get back on the wagon!
@HappyFamMvmt Q9: get your spouse on board. Hubby & I push each other to stay on our goals.
@OrganizerBoards Q9 – always thing about the results – the benefits of making the resolutions happen
@CakeMechanic allowing things to go has made it easier but having a strict timetable dinner6pm,bedtime7pm surprisingly simpler for us all.
@HappyFamMvmt Q9 – get the kids on board too – one day I didn’t want to workout, but told the kids we couldn’t go swimming unless I did
@OrganizerBoards Q9 – Also – celebrating successes without going back to bad habits
@BalanceMyLife Q9: make lists and tell my friends and family what My resolutions are – I don’t like to disappoint.
@HappyFamMvmt Q9 – I love lists and checking stuff off.
Q10: What do you do when you find yourself slipping back into old habits?
@CarlaYoung Q10: Being aware is key…then you need to get back on track or reevaluate if you are truly committed to the goal
@OrganizerBoards Q10 – have a list of why you are making the changes to start with – and refer to that list
@HappyFamMvmt Q10 – You have to remind yourself how much better it is to keep up with your resolutions. And force yourself to stick with them
@CakeMechanic #momeochat I had to set alarms so I don’t forget pick up from school
@BalanceMyLife @CarlaYoung @momeo Q10: i am hard on myself for a bit (i know very bad) and then I get back on the wagon very quickly
@HappyFamMvmt Google calendar is fabulous for helping us keep up with everything we have going on.
@GoSystemsGirl I have alarms to tell me 10mins til out the door and important alerts for day before
@GoSystemsGirl alerts and alarms on my iphone save me
Charity Begins at Home: Every Little Bit Helps – Join the Ask 5 for 5 Campaign for Africa
Stand with me to Ask 5 for 5 for Africa, meaning ask 5 friends to donate $5 to end the hunger in Africa.
After deciding I could no longer avoid the news about the famine in the horn of Africa, I had that gut feeling that I couldn’t sit this one out. I HAD to do something because I could. Something bigger than I could do alone. That’s when #Ask5for5 was born.
Two of my children, Ashen and Bereket, were adopted and are from the region affected by the drought in Ethiopia. They would be two of the statistics if they still lived there. I see my son’s and daughter’s faces in the photos of those suffering in the refugee camps. It could have been him. It could have been her. The thought haunts me.
And moms just like us are watching their children go hungry day after day. I can’t imagine what it’s like, but I have to – I have to be there to help them, because it could have been my children. These families have lost their livestock, their crops, food prices are inflated at the market if there any food there, and don’t have any more lifelines to tap into. Many are traveling hundreds of miles through parched land in hope of finding help. Many are dying along the way. It is estimated that 29,000 children have died in the last 90 days in the famine in Somalia alone.
But I KNOW we can do something about it. Instead of feeling overwhelmed and paralyzed, we can rally ourselves and our friends to respond! I set up a fundraiser through See Your Impact. 100% of your gift will go to the relief and development organization; World Vision, where it will be combined with government grants to multiply up to 5 times in impact!
You’ll receive updates on just how your funding is being used to help save lives affected by famine in East Africa. I’m amazed at how much we’ve raised already — over $7,000 in just four days! We blew through our first 3 goals in just 3 days and are well on our way to $10,000 and beyond!
I need you to help me save lives. It’s so so simple; here’s what you need to do:
- Donate $5 or more via SeeYourImpact.org
- Send an email to your friends and ask them to join us.
- Share on Facebook and Twitter, and join our page to stay updated too!
Thanks! Please donate and email your friends right now — don’t wait for a calmer moment, because if you’re like me, other demands inevitably crop up and you won’t get to it. A child’s life hangs in the balance, but you can help save her!
Gadget Guide: Self-Propelled Fun – Top 10 No Batteries Required, Kid-Powered Toys
Does the thought of bringing yet another battery-powered, life-force sucking object into your child’s playroom make you cringe? The statistics don’t lie – kids today aren’t getting enough “Get up and go” time largely due to battery powered toys.
Top 10 No-Batteries-Required, Kid-Powered Toys
#1: Plasma Car – Let’s just say if they made an adult version of this wiggle your bum mode of transportation, less work would get done at the home offices of MOMeo Magazine! Designed for toddlers, the Plasma Car works by turning the steering wheel to get the vehicle going!
#2: Teddy Bear Bouncer – It’s like a cute and cuddly teddy and a fit ball rolled into one for kids! Perfect for pint-sized play, these bouncers are perfect for preschoolers who aren’t yet big enough for Hop Balls.
Available at toy retailers and fitness stores
#3: Little Tikes Alligator Classic Teeter Totter – There’s something universally appealing about piling onto either end of a teeter totter and seeing how fast you can get it rocking. What we love about the Little Tykes version is it works for either indoor or outdoor play!
#4: Monster Frisbee – For the bigger kids (or the big kid in all of us), a giant Frisbee! No, it doesn’t always fly straight and it’s not necessarily easy to catch, but it’s big and fun so who really cares if it’s flight path is a little less than perfect?
#5: Hop Balls – Scaled down versions of your favorite fit ball with a handle for ease-of-use and general, all-purpose fun. Hop Balls still require kids to engage all the core stabilizers of their grown-up counterparts without the need for a boring yoga routine!
Available at fitness retailers.
#6: Big Wheels – Remember coveting your cool neighbor’s fat-wheeled tricycle? Ahh yes, retro toys are the newest thing and Big Wheels are back in all their primary-colored plastic glory!
#7: Instep Pedal Cars – Beep, beep (without the annoying noise of a battery-powered motor grinding away at your nerves)! Instep makes Hot Rod, Fire Truck, and Police Car versions of their foot-powered cars.
#8: Twister Hopscotch – What do you get when you combine Twister and hopscotch? You get a game where the spin determines your route through the Twister rings! Retro fun at its best!
#9: Strider Run Bike – The best way to teach kids how to balance on a bicycle without resorting to using those pesky training wheels. Strider Run Bikes are exactly as they sound: bikes that you operate by running. No pedals, brakes or gears to worry about – just two feet on the ground.
#10: John Deere Pedal Power Mini Loader – Imagine the thrill of a kid-sized digger and that pretty much describes the Mini Loader. It’s a fully functional digger that let’s kids scoop and haul dirt. Gardens beware!
Gadget Guide: Are We There Yet? Top 10 Gadgets for Battling Backseat Boredom
Why is it that less than 7 minutes into any road trip you hear those dreaded words, “Mommy, I’m bored!”? Before you plug in a movie (or lose your mind), try these gadgets to battle backseat boredom!
Top 10 Gadgets for Battling Backseat Boredom
#1: Lap Desk – Think of it as a gadget to support other gadgets because whether it’s a puzzle or good old fashioned pen and paper, it’s a lot easier to use with a horizontal surface. Check out the MyDesk or Smart-E-Lapdesk from LapGear.com.
#2: A Journal – Perfect for sketching, writing down interesting places you visited or simply tracking how many red trucks passed when counting cars to earn ice cream at the next rest stop.
#3: Skip Hop Bento Bag – Okay, technically it’s a diaper bag, but it has the ultimate tool for battling backseat boredom: snacks! Cleverly built into the bottom of the bag, the Bento bag has a handy cooler bag complete with its own made-to-fit reusable ice pack and 3 pint-sized containers.
#4: Story Cubes – It’s a tiny box containing 9 picture cubes with the idea that you roll the cubes and make up a story (on your own or as a group) based on the images that are face up. Think of it as a storytelling icebreaker for kids.
#5: Magnetic Design Kits – No crayons or paper required for creative fun. All you need is the magnet case with the interchangeable backgrounds and the magnets. The kits range from space explorer to ballerina dress-up and EVERYTHING in between.
#6: Shape-by-Shape by ThinkFun – It’s not as easy as it looks to match the oddly shaped tiles to the picture card, but it does keep kids quiet as they try to figure out the puzzle. We love that the picture cards store in the bottom of the tile tray so no parts go missing enroute!
#7: Audio Books – iTunes and Audible carry tons of books for kids of all ages – from The Magic School Bus to Lord of the Rings. It’s the perfect substitute for the now standard mode of travel – plug in a movie and drive (plus it’s nice to listen as a family).
#8: Tablet or iPad – It’s amazing how much entertainment you can pack into these portable devices – from Monopoly to Mary Poppins to Matching Games. It makes you wonder how you ever traveled without one (for the kids, that is).
#9: Lug Nap Sac Travel Pillow/Blanket – How many times did your mother tell you, “If you go to sleep, we will be there faster!” It’s true that travel time goes much quicker (for everyone) if the kids are sleeping and this all-in-one travel blanket pillow is just what you need!
#10: Your Imagination – Gadgets are great, but sometimes what a road trip really needs is a rousing game of “Hey Cow!” or “I Imagine”. See our list of favorite road trip games for more creative travel games for kids!
Gadget Guide: Bling for Your Bicycle – Top 10 Gizmos to Glam Up Your Bike
Want to add a little bling to your bicycle? These are just a few of our favorite gizmos to glam up your bike. Warning: do not attempt to use all of them at once!
Top 10 Gizmos to Glam Up Your Bike
#1: The Bouncy Seat – You simply cannot appreciate a leisurely bike ride without what we affectionately call a “bouncy” seat. A fresh take on the spring seats of days gone by, bouncy seats are wide, squishy and of course, just a wee bit bouncy! Our favorite is the Electra Spring Seat because when it comes to leisure riding, they know what they’re talking about!
#2: Hand-Painted Bells – Arguably the gemstone of your bicycle, your bell deserves a little extra bling. That’s why we adore dringdring! The original, hand-painted bells range from cupcakes to “This bike is my car” designs – all brightly colored and beautifully painted.
#3: Sparkle and Shine – What is a blinged-out bicycle without stickers? From flowers to kitty cats to the traditional lightning bolt, Fun Reflector stickers are both fun and functional, adding to your visibility with their reflective design.
#4: Handlebar Basket – We love the Electra Quick Release baskets because they offer traditional looks with the modern convenience of a quick release for ease of use. Plus the sturdy mounting systems means you won’t damage your shiny new paint job in the name of carrying extra doo-dads around with you.
#5: Faux Fur Leopard Grips – What is not to love about faux fur leopard grips? Okay, so furry leopard print may not be your thing. Thankfully Electra has a range of styles and designs to suit everyone!
#6: Charming Spokes – So if you want to turn your wheels into spinning rainbows (and you know you do), what you need is bicycle spoke charms. A word of caution: if you find extra noise annoying, this isn’t the bicycle bling for you!
#7: Handlebar Streamers – How can 7-year-old girls be wrong? Sparkly, rainbow-colored streamers are fun, especially when they feature twirly flowers that spin when you go fast.
#8: Flower Flair – For the same reason we find the little flower in the new Beetle adorable, we love the Electra handlebar flowers! Choices include sunflowers, daisies, roses, and our favorite, the chrysanthemums!
#9: Custom Frame Bag – Tired of boring black frame bags? Us too! That’s why we got really excited when we discovered Revelate Designs – a company that makes custom frame bags in any size, any shape, but most importantly, any color!
#10: Hot Wheels – What’s a custom bicycle without custom wheels? Try customizing your hub, spoke, and rim colors for extra bling! We’re partial to the silver because it’s so shiny!
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- I love that @AlyPain tells it like it is --> STOP Blaming Your Children - Why YOUR Failure Isn't THEIR Fault - http://t.co/LPo51mgI
- Pretend that every single person you meet has a sign around his or her neck that says, "Make me feel important." ~Mary Kay Ash
