Gratitude

Self Care: The Holidays are Coming!

I live in a town where I hear the words "self-care" a lot! I mean A LOT!  Not that it was ever a foreign  concept to me, but when I lived in a big city I never really had time to give it much thought. I must admit, I am still not very good at it, but with the holidays coming up (and my stress level about to be elevated), I figured now was as good a time as any, so......

I started thinking about what I could do to take care of me, myself and I, so that I could be better equipped for the fun, family, excitement, over stimulation and mayhem the holiday season entails! I know that if I feel this way that others must too so I thought of 4 EASY WAYS to take care of yourself in preparation for the holidays (or even to recoup after)!

 

  1. MEDITATE: O.K., I can't really do that either! How about just sitting quietly by yourself with your eyes closed, listening to your favorite music, blocking out the outside world? CLOSE ENOUGH Right?!  
  2. JOURNAL: If this sounds too daunting....just call it writing! Take the time to express your feelings, worries, frustrations etc on paper. No one ever needs to read it. Just let all your thoughts out and your mind settle down.
  3. ESCAPE: I mean, just go DO SOMETHING that you have always wanted to do or never make time to do! Dye your hair, Get a french manicure. Pierce your belly button. Ride a roller coaster. Eat oysters......you get what I mean.

LUXURIATE: Pamper yourself! If you can afford it, go for a Spa Day! If you can't pick your favorite body treatment and enjoy OR simply add some oils to your long hot bath!

 

It doesn't matter what you do as long as the priority is YOU! 

 

Alphabet Gratitude

We can all get so caught up in our "stuff" that we forget the little things in life. You know the ones that make you smile in the middle of your day. The ones that make you pause in the middle of your daily mad rush. The ones that you will miss if you aren't present.  

Let's play a game: (I have done this on Facebook many times and people have thanked me) For the next 26 days, pick a letter of the alphabet and list the things you are grateful for that starts with the letter. It may sound silly to you......but it's contagious!

Here is my short list:

  • A- Aromatherapy
  • B- Beauty in all forms
  • C- Chocolate
  • D- Day Dreams
  • E- Earth
  • F- Friends and Family
  • G- My husband Greg
  • H- Happiness
  • I- Ice cream
  • J- Joyous occasions
  • K- Karma
  • L- LOVE
  • M- Mischief
  • N- Normalcy
  • O- Oxygen
  • P- Pedicures
  • Q- Q-tips
  • R- Respect  
  • S- Sunshine
  • T- Tomatoes
  • U- Universe
  • V- Violets
  • W- Water
  • X- Xanadu
  • Y- The word YES
  • Z- The non existence of Zombies

I hope you do it! I hope you share it! And most of all I hope your heart grows with it 

It Feels So Good to Give... and I Don't Mean Money

They say "charity starts at home" and that is true! If we don;t take care of ourselves, we certainly can't help others.

But when we can boy does it feel good!

These thoughts are coming to me now as I am starting to dive into the hard work to create the yearly charity event I created called CANNED SEDONA. As I go through months of stress, anxiety and uncertainty, people ask me WHY I do it.  

I do it because I enjoy helping people. If I am making even a small difference in someone's life it makes me happy.

Everyone can give to people in need. It doesn't take much or mean spending a lot of money to help!

Here are 4 easy ways that you can help another person today:

1-  FOOD: Buy an extra non-perishable every week and make a collection to donate to your local food bank.or shelter

2- CLOTHING/HOUSEWARES: Give your old or unused items to the charity or shelter of your choice.

3- PARTICIPATION:  Do a Walk-A-Thon, volunteer or join a committee to help larger organizations raise money

4- LOVE: Volunteer to walk dogs and play with cats at an animal shelter, read to children in the hospital or spend time with the elderly.

None of the above options will cost you much but they sure will make other people happy!

Let me know how good it feels!!

 

 

   

 

Referrals Make the World Go Around

Referrals make the world go around....the business world anyway!

Did you know that:

  • 65% of new business comes from referrals – New York Times

  • 92% of respondents trusted referrals from people they knew – Nielsen

  • People are 4 times more likely to buy when referred by a friend – Nielsen

A lot of  people I know run small businesses and struggle to compete with larger companies, so, when someone does great work for me I am happy to shout to from the rooftops!  

Small business owners and independent contractors, have a harder time spending the required amount of money on advertising or marketing to make their brand or services known. They count on word of mouth to help their business grow!

That is not to say big companies who do a great job do not deserve their kudos! Of course they do.

Good work deserves praise!

What do you say we all help each other out?

Think of 3 really great experiences you have has with any company / person / service and share them here!

I am excited to hear all of them! 

Day 10......Have You Kept Your New Year's Resolution(s)?

Most of us make and break our New Year's Resolutions every year!

Really.....what's the point? 

Do I have to wait until New Year's to decided I will:

  •  go to the gym

  •  stop drinking

  •  lose weight

  •  spend less money

Do any of these sound familiar?

I have stopped making them....why set myself up for failure over and over again.

We are who we are! If there is something we may want to change about ourselves, our habits our lives, it can be done on our own schedule and at our own pace!  

Remember: YOU ARE PERFECT THE WAY YOU ARE!

Happy New Year! Enjoy every second of it on your own terms!

Want vs Need

What do you think is more powerful:  WANT or NEED?

I have been thinking about this ever since I started writing my Closet Sales Class...WHY? because I was taught one thing a long time ago and now I am hearing that it is wrong.

Years ago when I was being trained as a Closet Designer, I was always told to sell not just to a need but to "the need behind the need".  For example:  Someone may need more space in the closet.....but the reason behind it may not be the extra space itself but the fact that she and her partner dress at the same time in the morning and bump into each other, get on each other's nerves then fight.  

 

I always thought that was a pretty powerful selling tool.......BUT.......not everyone will be forthcoming with their "issues". So that just leaves you selling to need. 

 

I started thinking about my buying habits.  I would say that nine times out of ten, I will buy something I NEED before something I WANT. In my mind that seems like the logic decision? Don't get me wrong....I buy things I want all the time.  I simply prioritize.

 

So what happens when it comes to big ticket items?

 

I have been selling closets for years and have been selling to "Needs" pretty successfully and now all of a sudden everything I read about marketing says that people buy what they Want....not what they Need!

 

Have budget considerations flown out the window? Do I stay quiet while a client packs their closet full of useless accessories they don't need?

 

I am confused!  What do you think? 

What is Real Value?

I just got back from the grocery store and my head is spinning! 

 

Two for one!  Fifty percent off!  This week on special for:

 

As I was walking past the meat fridge I stopped and started scratching my head.....what's the best deal here? How will I get the most value?  If I buy the larger size package, will I use it or waste it...am I actually saving money?  I think I stared at the steak for 15 minutes!!

Of course we deal with this at the grocery store every day.

 

But what about other parts of our lives.  What is most VALUEable:  

  • "Me" Time?
  • Your Money?
  • Time with your Family?
  • Less Stress?
  • Knowing you got the best deal?

 

I wasted 15 minutes debating my decision about meat!  How much time do we waste comparison shopping for large ticket items......... This is really just a rant.....but the way I do business is this is your price and it is the lowest I can do. All places have their own bottom line!!

 

WHY NOT JUST START THERE.......and let us all know we got the best value!

 

Your thoughts?

Shout Out with Gratitude!

As I was staring blankly at my computer I asked myself "How did I get here?"  I left my home, my family, friends and a great paying job all to follow my dream to live in a place that I love! Sedona has been worth every moment of sacrifice that is for sure.

I created a business for myself, struggling in a small town but have never been happier.  I have gone to seminars, worked with different coaches and all of them taught me something that I could take away and implement into my business.  But, it wasn't until this last coaching program that I felt I soared!  I went back to the basics of WHY I am doing what I am doing. WHO is it that I am doing it for and HOW I can best serve them.

I was never good at marketing myself.  I am creative spatially but not on the computer (a designer on FIVERR is now my new best friend).  One on one I could tell you what I can do but to write it and SELL myself.....that gave me a stomach ache!  Until now. I am very proud of the strides I have made in my business:  Branding, Packages, Free Offers, After Service Marketing Pieces, Additional Services....and you already know I am working on my Signature System Course (The 5 Part M.A.G.I.C. Formula for Designing the Perfect Closet).

How did I get all that done?  How did I get here?  With the help of Cena Block at Sane Spaces. and her program Biz Marketing Makeover Group.  I worked with a group of other professional organizers sharing the same struggles as me!  The information and support I received was invaluable! I highly recommend it for any small business owner! 

That's all for now! I just wanted to share because I am so grateful!

CHECK IT OUT!  https://iw119.isrefer.com/go/BMMGROUP/tshadley/