Are you tapping into your higher power?

I have always felt that there was a guiding force actively working in my life that was constantly aligning my thoughts and actions towards accomplishing my personal and professional goals. I will acknowledge that guiding force as God. I believe that all of my life’s experiences and everyone that I have ever connected with has left some impression on me. It could have been a good experience or a bad one; either way I learned something from it. When I was growing up the concept was referred to as the Power of Positive Thinking coined by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale. My pastor, Lee Stokes, also refers to this power and often shares his insights. I remember Pastor Lee comparing the creation story to how we should create visions of success in our lives. He said that in the beginning God said, it was {or came into being}, then God saw it and said it was good.

As we define those things in our lives that are important to us and are aligned with the Word of God, we need to follow the same principles in our lives as we are created by God in His own image and are heirs to the throne. We should speak things into our lives that are purposed to bring us greatness and success as well as inspire others. Our faith should be strong enough to step back and let the universe bring our desires to pass. And then we will see, and it will be good.

Before I close, I feel like I need to say that you can’t control another person’s life or their actions. You’re only responsible for you. So don’t create situations that will manipulate others into doing what you think they should do. Focus on yourself and your life and you may be surprised to find that those who are supposed to be with you will stay while those who have served their purpose will fade away.

Add a comment December 30, 2009

Goal setting tips to ensure your success in 2010

Setting financial goals is one of the most important tasks I ask of all my financial planning clients. And believe me financial goals are more than just, “I want to make  A LOT OF MONEY off my investments”. Goals are important in that they help you establish a place from where to begin and a place where  you’d like to end. The  very act of writing your goals in clear to understand language with detailed objectives is the best way to get started. I also find that writing goals for your personal life is just as important. I’ve even taken the time to write down those qualities that I desire as I search for my Mr. Right. Yes, setting goals for potential relationships is a necessity. It sure makes it much easier for me to bypass the riff-raff with a polite but direct I’m not interested as I keep the path clear for the gentlemen that possess the qualities that I have  taken the time to explore and write down as being important. Remember, if you don’t stand for something you’ll fall for anything.

PERSONAL GOAL SETTING FOR WOMEN

Two of the benefits you will receive as a result of defining and aligning your major goals in life are peace of mind and focus. Let us take a look at a few of the other benefits of personal goal-setting:

o        Know, be, do and have more.

o        Use your mind and talents fully.

o        Have more purpose and direction in life.

o        Make better decisions.

o        Be more organized and effective.

o        Do more for yourself and others.

o        Have greater confidence and self-worth.

o        Feel more fulfilled.

o        Be more enthusiastic and motivated.

o        Accomplish uncommon projects.

Remember, you will not pay a price for setting goals. You will pay a price for not setting them. We can choose to get caught up in the everyday activity of our lives without feeling any real sense of purpose or we can choose to accomplish something meaningful with our lives that gives us a sense of direction and self-motivation.

Ninety-seven per cent of the population does not set goals for two major reasons: (1) FEAR (False Evidence Appearing Real) is preventing them from doing so and (2) There is a risk that the goal may not be reached.

One question a lot of women ask is how to know if a goal is good or bad. In other words, how do you discriminate between the really important goals and the nice-to-have but not really important ones?  You will know whether or not a goal you have chosen is important by answering these five questions.

o        Is it really my goal?

o        Is it morally right and fair?

o        Are my short-range goals consistent with my long-term goals?

o        Can I commit myself emotionally to completing the project?

o        Can I visualize myself reaching this goal?

If you have answered ‘no’ to even one of these questions, you may want to reconsider this goal. In the short-term it may appear to work for you, but in the long run, you may exposing yourself to a lot of unnecessary conflict and frustration. Be sure to set big goals as well as multiple goals. Big goals force you to reach in and use the potential that is inside of you. Long-range goals help you to overcome short-range failures.

They can also help you to change your direction without going back on your decision.  Whether or not they ever reach the goals they have set, people who set big, long-range goals have been found to have higher self-confidence, higher self-esteem, and greater personal motivation.

The bottom line is that more than half the rewards and benefits achieved from goal-setting come from actually taking your first step in that direction, regardless of the consequences.

There is a very simple process in seven steps that you can go through to set any goal whether personal or professional. To be effective, the goal you choose must include all seven of the following steps:

1. Identify your goal by writing it down
2. Set a deadline for the achievement. Put a date on it.
3. List the obstacles to overcome in accomplishing your goal.
4. Identify the people and groups you need to work with to reach your goal.
5. List the skills and knowledge required to reach your goal. (What do you need to know?)
6. Develop a plan of action to reach your goal.
7. Write down the benefits of achieving your goal. (What is in it for me?)

On a periodic basis, it is important to re-evaluate your goals to make certain that they are in alignment with what you truly value and want out of life. Remember, goal-setting is a life-long process. Once you have completed one goal, be sure to replace it with something else. This way you will always reap the benefits that goal-setting provides.

Credit: This article on personal goal setting for women appeared in Women in New Development, Bemidji, MN, 4/97.

Add a comment December 28, 2009

Yes, I would marry for money!

I promise, this will be the first and only article I write about Tiger Woods and his “mistress” drama. But Tiger’s situation is a perfect opportunity to discuss whether women (and men) really marry for love or money. I have my own ideas about love and money which may explain why I’m single. But I’d be willing to bet that if more women were honest with themselves and embraced their narcissistic side, they’d be single too.

According to varying news reports, Elin Woods (Tiger’s wife) initial prenup stated that she would collect $20 million after 10 years of marriage. However, since Tiger admitted to “transgressions” Elin may receive $5 million now with the promise of an additional $55 million if she agrees to stay and work on the marriage. Now it’s being reported that Elin Woods has been seen around town sans her wedding ring. Interesting! Here’s a question for you: if you were Elin would you stay for love or take the money and run? 

I’m always a little skeptical when it comes to celebrity marriages. Especially marriages where one half of the couple is  “billionaire” status and the other half of the couple is “moderately wealthy”. In my personal opinion, any man with deep pockets is an ideal catch. Who cares if he sleeps around? As a wife, I’d be happy to pass off the responsibility of sharing my bed since I am more attracted to the money, not his personal appearance or sexual acumen. I’d be willing to bet that the “other woman or man” is gold-digging as well, so who can point fingers? Also, I get to do EVERYTHING I want to do. I live in a mega-mansion, am chauffeured in a luxury sedan and have a personal staff and Black Card available for my every whim and desire. You are probably saying a marriage like that wouldn’t last long. You’re absolutely right. But if I play my cards right, I’ll  have a little stash set up for myself so if asked to leave I  can do so without the threat of poverty hanging overhead. If my theory holds true, I’ll leave in a much better financial situation than when I arrived.

Why do women/men choose to stay once confronted with the reality that their husband/wife has been cheating? I’d suppose that they are afraid of giving up the lifestyle. They enjoy designer clothes, fancy restaurants and Bling! And nine times out of ten, the cheating spouse won’t leave because s/he feels guilty so they don’t mind showering with “apologies”.  

How many friends do you have that are in unhappy marriages because they have no desire to give up the material luxuries their current spouse provides? How many of you have been personally propositioned by someone who is married because they’re not getting the love they feel they deserve at home? I’d be interested in hearing your responses.

Add a comment December 16, 2009

How Much Money You’d Save By Skipping Christmas

As written by Katie Adams  

Tim Allen was crowned the ultimate Scrooge in the 2004 film Christmas with the Kranks when he proposed to skip Christmas altogether. His co-star Jamie Lee Curtis initially balked, but when he began adding up how much they could save–and spend on a tropical vacation instead–she began listening. So how much money could you save by skipping Christmas this year? And what could you do with it instead? Let’s take a look.

 Gifts
The single biggest category of Christmas spending is gifts. This year the National Retail Federation projects that spending on gifts will drop only slightly, after a dramatic decrease of over 30% during the 2008 holiday season. Last year the average American spent the following:

 Gift Recipients
Family members: $431
Themselves: $119.82
Friends: $94.52
Miscellaneous: $43.50
Co-workers: $26.70
Total: $750.68

 According to the annual Gallup poll on holiday spending, last year’s spending on gifts was down from a high of $862 in 2005. So if you choose to forgo all the gift-giving, you’ll pocket, on average, approximately $750.68.

 Christmas Tree
Entrepreneurs began selling the ubiquitous Christmas tree commercially in the U.S. in 1850. Today, whether you choose to venture into one of the nation’s 12,000 cut-your-own Christmas tree farms or pick up a pre-cut one at your local hardware store, a real tree will set you back approximately $41.50.

 Cards and Postage
Despite the advent of eCards, sending handwritten cards by snail mail is a long-standing tradition that is not going to die quickly. The average American family spent $32.43 on cards and postage to mail Christmas notes in 2008.

 Flowers
While spending on Christmas flowers doesn’t come close to Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day, families still spend an average of $22.61 on holiday floral arrangements, poinsettias, etc.

 Food and Candy
Christmas is a celebration, and celebrating in America requires food. However, the National Retail Federation found that Americans only cited spending $95.04 specifically on holiday food and candy in 2008. If that number sounds low to you, maybe the Information Resource Inc. holiday poll results reflect your spending–they reported that 94% of survey respondents plan on limiting their holiday food budget to $500 and 90% are planning on spending no more than $200 on holiday beer, wine and spirits.

 Decorations
Decking the halls isn’t free. On top of your Christmas tree cost, if you’re like the average American, you’re looking at spending in the neighborhood of $51.43 on tinsel, lights and ornaments.

 Travel
Traveling to be with family and friends over the holidays can easily become the largest budget item for a family’s holiday spending. According to a 2008 Maritz poll surveying Americans about their holiday travel plans and spending, respondents earning between $35,000–250,000 who chose to travel spent an average of $960.50.

 Adding It Up
Choosing to pass on Christmas could save your family a pretty penny–just about $1,000 (if you weren’t planning to travel) and nearly $2,000 if you normally travel but choose to stay at home this year.

 Now that you’ve saved nearly $1,000, it’s time to put that money to work. Here are some ideas for what you can do with your new savings:

 –Open a high-yield checking account. Royal Bank of Missouri is offering new account holders a high-yield checking account paying an attractive 4.30% APY. Invest your $993.69 and if you meet their terms, including 10 point of sale debit transactions and at least one monthly automatic payment, you could wind up with $1,036.42–if you keep at least that initial amount invested.

 –Invest in a CD. If you invested that money in a 12-month CD paying 2.10% APY through ING Direct (that provides FDIC insurance), you would earn $21 for a total of $1,014.56 toward creating an emergency savings fund or accumulating some cash for next year’s holiday expenses.

 –Start a high-yield savings account. By depositing that money in a savings account offering 2.25% APY with SFGI Direct, the online division of Summit Community Bank, you would have $1,016.05 this time next year.

 –Pay down high-interest rate credit card debt. If you’re not paying off your credit card balance in full each month using that $993.69 (or $1954.19) to at least pay it down–or preferably pay it off completely–will save you money on interest and be viewed favorably by your credit card company.

Add a comment December 14, 2009

Men are wearing the “pink slips” as women surpass men in the workforce

Men Are Wearing “The Pink Slips” Forcing Loss Of Breadwinner Status As Women Surpass Men In Workforce. Cali Pearl Financial Steers Career Women During Dramatic Historical Shift

Greensboro, NC -2009 – President Obama declared it himself, manufacturing jobs that are male-dominated will not be a huge part of the economic recovery; and women will be the bread winners for some time. From jobs to video games to social networking there’s an evolution seen in gender roles like never before. With a shrinking job force women are becoming the bread winners as they are quickly surpassing men on the nation’s payroll for the first time in US history while taking traditionally male dominated jobs. Sherri Brown, founder and president of Greensboro based Cali Pearl, a registered investment advisory firm- no affiliation with banks or other brokerage companies- sees a custom niche in helping career-minded women sort out their fiscal responsibilities. Women who are “too busy” or unsure about their financial options can now have a “financial concierge.” With Cali Pearl’s unique structure to offer cooperative dialogue with client’s existing CPA firm, attorney, or financial planner, it is one of the first Triad wealth advisors to serve as a personal agent to help synchronize the pieces of clients’ financial puzzles. “A woman’s financial situation is often unique, and an individual approach as personal agent or “financial concierge” to financial planning is essential in today’s marketplace,” says Brown. Women can now have a connection with a company that speaks their language.

Emerging Statistics
• Over 60% of the nations wealth is now controlled by women.
• Sixty-eight million women are working full-time
• Women account for almost 47% of the labor force

As a career-minded business woman, Brown comes from a place of understanding. She identifies with the trend in a shifting economy and mentality, as well as what it means for working women to reshape how they view income and wealth accumulation. Brown provides knowledge, support and resources to professional women who are serious about their money and their future.

Add a comment December 10, 2009

Financial Freedom in 2010? 5 steps to get you started.

Being a single woman who also happens to own her own business, I am often asked how I am able to manage the day-to-day finances of my company as well as deal with personal financial matters associated with my household. I suppose that some people may perceive my financial independence as a big accomplishment. After all, on top of the distinctions I just spoke about, I am also a single parent.

I must admit, all of it comes with challenges, but personally, I happen to love that aspect. However, while I feel confident in my ability to “do it all,” it must be noted that there are some fabulous tips that I have developed and learned along the way. It is my honor to share them with you, in the hope that what I have learned can make your journey easier.

1. Educate yourself about your money and the investments that you are curious about or already a part of. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and never feel uncomfortable about asking. Get actively involved in making household financial decisions, as well as investment decisions.
2. Devise a plan and make sure you also have a backup plan. You might think that you have the financial plan to end all financial plans, but what happens when something falls short or falls through? What happens then? When it comes to spending money, your financial plan may be your budget. Take the time to actually look at your income and compare it to your expenses. Not having a plan spurs bad decisions and bad habits. It can also lead to a lack of choices if there is an emergency. Don’t wing it!
3. Invest in yourself and pay yourself first. Consciously make a decision to put a certain amount of money aside each pay period. Also, keep in mind that your rainy day fund and retirement account are separate investments and should each be handled with different principles!
4. Plan for the long-term. Insurance is not a dirty word. We have it for our homes and other personal property but rarely do we carry appropriate levels of insurance to take care of us and our families in case of personal injury or death. Consider purchasing disability insurance and life insurance. Insurance proceeds can prevent you and your family from becoming financially destitute if life throws you a curve ball.
5. Trust your instincts. If you are ever meeting with an investment or financial professional and you get a bad feeling about what they are saying or recommending, don’t walk, run from their office. Respectfully thank them for their time and leave. Don’t feel obligated to invest with anyone who either makes you feel uncomfortable or can’t easily answer your questions. This is your financial future; don’t pander to someone who doesn’t have a stake in it.

These are just a few ideas to get you started on your way to financial independence and freedom. My personal rule of thumb is that you should never stop learning about ways to be financially secure and you should never trust someone else to take care of you in the future. Take responsibility for your finances, your future, and your life and you will find that it is entirely possible to have it all!

1 comment December 9, 2009

Are single people over 40 happier than their married counterparts? Find out. http://tinyurl.com/dec0709post

Add a comment December 7, 2009

“Never Marrieds” Score High on Happiness Scale

I thought this was an interesting article that I wanted to share with all of my single friends. I agree that being single made me more self-reliant.  If you can identify with this article in some way, let me know.

HealthDay article by Kathleen Doheny

SATURDAY, Dec. 5 (HealthDay News) — Pity the poor single people who pass their 40th birthday without ever tying the knot, since research has shown that never-married adults have more health woes than married folks. And, um, isn’t there something wrong with those who go it alone anyway?

 Not so fast.

 A new study looking at psychological measures shows that never-married people aged 40 and up can be just as resourceful, psychologically speaking, as their married counterparts.

 Wait, there’s more.

 ”If you look at never marrieds who are high on mastery — they feel like they are in the driver’s seat and in control of their lives — and high on self-sufficiency — they know how to take care of themselves — they actually have better emotional well-being than married people,” said study author Jamila Bookwala, an associate professor of psychology at Lafayette College in Easton, Pa. Her report is published in the Nov. 30 issue of the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.

 For the study, Bookwala drew on data from the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States, looking at responses from more than 1,500 Americans aged 40 to 74. They identified themselves as married or never married. Most, 1,486, were married, while 105 had never married.

 ”What’s new here is the never-married individual is getting attention,” she said. Sometimes in research, she explained, they are combined with separated, divorced and widowed people as singles, but in her research she looked at never-married individuals only and compared them with married people.

 Among her findings are that never-married adults, overall, do report lower levels of overall emotional well-being than their married counterparts in the same age group. But they are comparable when it comes to psychological resources, the stuff that helps humans deal with life challenges.

 Bookwala looked at three measures of psychological resources, including personal mastery (the degree people think they have control over things in life, which is important to avoid depression), agency (the tendency to focus on oneself, which is good for mental health) and self-sufficiency (a sense of autonomy, which is also linked with better mental health).

 The never-married participants do tend to have fewer social resources, she said. “In general they tend to report less [perceived] support from families than marrieds.”

 But the higher the never-married individuals scored on those psychological resources, the better their emotional well-being, she found. Better, even, than the married folks, if they scored high on those measures.

 ”In that sense, we find our study debunks that myth of something being wrong with the never-married individual,” Bookwala said.

 In fact, high levels of self-sufficiency may work against people in a marriage, she noted. “For a marriage to work well, you need a certain amount of interdependence,” Bookwala said. It could, in fact, explain why some never-married people decided not to wed.

 Or, she said, they may have developed self-sufficiency the longer they stayed single.

 The study suggests that marriage — often touted as the best lifetime relationship goal — may not be best for everyone, said Patrick Markey, an associate professor of psychology at Villanova University in Villanova, Pa.

 For most people, marriage might be a desirable goal, he said. “But there might be a subset of people, the ultra-independent individual, for whom this may not be the best life course.”

 He’s referring to those people who Bookwala found high in self-sufficiency. “They might actually be happier because they didn’t get married,” Markey said.

But, he pointed out, the sample size of never-married participants in the study, a little over 100, is low. So, it’s possible that a larger study with never-married people might produce different results.

Add a comment December 7, 2009

TGIF! Have a wonderful weekend fam!

Add a comment December 4, 2009

Women helping women on Twitter

Forbes Woman has published an article that highlights successful women in business who help other women in business by using Twitter. If you’ve ever worked with any of these wonderful women, please comment about your experience. Let’s focus on the positive. Thanks.

From Forbeswoman.com

These business-savvy tweeters are all excited about helping you grow your company, create buzz for your brand and stay inspired.

Twitter has been an incredible tool for connecting with like-minded people from around the world. I am always on the lookout for women entrepreneurs and women in business to follow, connect with and learn from. The following 30 women entrepreneurs have excellent Twitter feeds to follow:

@alevit: Alexandra Levit is a best-selling business author and WSJ columnist who tweets valuable articles and advice. 4,346 followers.

@Bernadeen: Bernadeen McLeod is a business coach who tweets small business tips, articles and resources. 3,116 followers.

@BrandYou: Cindy Ratzlaff is a marketing strategist who tweets about how to create buzz for your brand. 9,419 followers.

@ClareLancaster: Clare is an Internet marketer who shares online strategies and resources for women in business. 2,127 followers.

@Bernadeen: Bernadeen McLeod is a business coach who tweets small business tips, articles and resources. 3,116 followers.

@BrandYou: Cindy Ratzlaff is a marketing strategist who tweets about how to create buzz for your brand. 9,419 followers.

@ClareLancaster: Clare is an Internet marketer who shares online strategies and resources for women in business. 2,127 followers.

@JackieBiz: Jackie Burgoa is a business owner and blogger who tweets about business resources, inspiration and opinions. 7,336 followers.

@JillFoster: Jill tweets about the power of communities, social media and other business resources. 3,382 followers.

@KairaRouda: Kaira is an award winning author who tweets about how to build a unique and genuine brand. 4,510 followers.

@leawoodward: Lea runs her business from places the world and tweets about how you can make your business location independent too. 5,560 followers.

@LeilaSamoodi: Leila is an accountant who will help you better understand the financial side of your business. 9,416 followers.

@LenaWest: Lena is a social media strategist and writer who tweets about the impact of social media and other business tips. 761 followers.

@LindaCSmith: Linda has an excellent feed for entrepreneurs because she constantly tweets quality resources, tutorials, tips and articles. 1,424 followers.

@ManishaThakor: Manisha is a personal finance expert and author on women and money. Her tweets are geared toward helping you meet financial goals. 755 followers.

@MarketLikeAChik: Coree Silvera is a marketer who shares tips and resources in social media, branding and positive marketing mindset. 21,434 followers.

@mombizcoach: Lara Galloway helps mom entrepreneurs grow their businesses and tweets about small business tips and resources. 9,167 followers.

@NancyFClark: Nancy is an advocate for women in business who tweets business and career resources as well as facts about women in the workplace. 2,584 followers.

@NicoleSimon: Nicole is a sought after social media consultant in Europe who tweets about the latest social media happenings. 10,827 followers.

@NikkiPilkington: Nikki owns an Internet marketing company and tweets about search engine optimization. 8,884 followers.

@NinaKaufman: Nina is an award-winning business lawyer who tweets legal tips and other resources for entrepreneurs. 219 followers.

@sheconomy: Stephanie Holland tweets about advertising, social media, branding and marketing to women. 5.988 followers.

@ShellyKramer: Shelly owns a marketing agency and shares branding and marketing strategies that work as well as those that don’t work. 22,466 followers.

@ShoestringGal: Jessica Swanson is a marketer who tweets about promoting your business on a shoestring budget. 18,446 followers.

@simplicityinc: A. Michelle Blakeley helps solo entrepreneurs develop micro business plans and tweets useful business advice. 2,082 followers.

@smallbiztrends: Anita Campbell is an expert on small business trends and her tweets will help you be more successful as a business owner. 30,869 followers.

@SmartWoman: Vicki Flaugher is an entrepreneur who tweets about women, business and events for women entrepreneurs. 11,084 followers.

@startupprincess: Kelly King Anderson’s goal is to empower women entrepreneurs and she tweets about various small business topics. 14,825 followers.

@TamiMcCarthy: Tami is CEO of TMG Brand Communications and tweets interesting articles and comments on advertising and branding. 665 followers.

@TheBizWoman: Patricia Sutton is a U.K. entrepreneur and writer who tweets tips and tidbits for women business owners. 4,953 followers.

@TiffanieTillman: Tiffanie is an entrepreneur who helps small-business owners outsource work to have more time to grow their businesses. 5,426 followers.

@WomenWhoTech: Allyson Kapin champions women in the tech industry and tweets her opinions and helpful business resources. 8,137 followers.

1 comment December 3, 2009