Focus on Your Strengths

In Now, Discover Your Strengths, Marcus Buckingham encourages us to identify and play to our strengths rather than to eliminate or work on our weaknesses. I think the hardest thing about this approach is actually knowing what we are good at since our tendency as entrepreneurs is to want to be good at everything. Yes being at least competent in most things is a necessary part of the entrepreneurial life, but I’ve realized that we don’t have to be super-human. It may seem obvious, but what I have learned about myself is that I am really good at starting things—having a vision and doing what is absolutely necessary to at least execute on enough of that vision to get it off the ground. Others, however, are better at making my vision beautiful, transforming it into a lovely perfect rainbow that even I could not have foreseen. Recognizing these facts about myself and others is quite freeing and has allowed me to be more open to the world around me and to what each unique being in it has to offer.

Read more: Ladies Who Launch

A Historic Day in America - The World Reacts to President-Elect Obama

Miami Book Fair International 25th Anniversary!

Interview with Co-Founder, Mitchell Kaplan & Lissette Mendez (Comix Gallery Event Coord)

MBFI Co-Founder, Mitchell Kaplan & Lissette Mendez (Coordinator of the Comix Gallery Event) will join me on tonight's program to give you a sneak peak of the upcoming Miami Book Fair International event.

The mission of Miami Book Fair International is to promote reading, encourage writing, and heighten an awareness of literacy and the literary arts in our multi-ethnic community.
First called Books by the Bay in 1984, the two-day street fair has evolved into the largest and finest book fair in America. Attendance grew steadily and, by the late 1990s, hundreds of thousands of book lovers were eagerly participating in the annual literary festival.

Today, Miami Book Fair International is a full-scale international event that includes a Sunday-to-Sunday schedule of stellar programs, readings and special activities.

The centerpiece of the Book Fair is the highly impressive Festival of Authors. Previous year’s guests have included prize winning authors, recipients of the Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award, Casa de las Americas Prize, Pushcart Prize, O’Henry Award, National Magazine Award, Commonwealth Prize, MacArthur Fellowship, and Edgar Award. Along with many American voices, there will be international voices from Argentina, South Africa, France, Cuba, Guatemala, England, Mexico, Hong Kong, Spain, Nicaragua, Jamaica, Bosnia, Trinidad, Russia, Taiwan, Haiti, Finland, Canada, and the Philippines.

Mark Your Calendar & Join the Conversation here on TRB!





AND ...

We'll be broadcasting LIVE with interviews ...

over 2 dozen authors during the event.

Friday & Saturday, November 14-15 starting at 9:00am Eastern.

You don't want to miss it!!

Live Broadcast by Ustream.TV

Barack Obama 'Dreams from My Father' Interview Transcript

Watch the historic vote:
Barack Obama & Family go to the polls, November 4, 2008


Barack Obama Dreams From My Father Transcript

6 Interesting Things About Me

One of my Twitter buddies, @neosoulsister (www.neosoulessentials.com), tagged me for the 6 Interesting Things Game. Now I have to tell/confess 6 things that people don’t know about me.

1. I was baptized in the Jordan River in Israel.

2. I was a speech writer for the CIO on detail to GSA from the State Dept in Washington, DC.

3. I was married at historic Ft Myer Chapel, horse-drawn carriage, honor guard, the whole 9.

4. I traced my genealogy documented in the US back to 1811.

5. I am a member of the Official Elvis Insiders Fan Club

6. I love all the old cartoons & b/w movies of the 50s & 60s, especially musicals & quote/sing songs from them daily.

Okay now to tag six more tweeples.

@davidbullock
@romanticways
@roxanneravenel
@radioproducer1
@pastor_robert
@sacredglo

Show Me the Money - Preparing For College

Most college students are paying anywhere from $15,000 to $28,000 a year for a college education. That isn’t cheap.

The good news is you can find a lot of financial assistance for college very easily. You don’t have to go searching around the world. In fact, you can do it from the comfort of your very own home or desk.

You can search for financial aid for college on the Internet. NOW…

Here is the catch.

There are a lot of information or internet sites that “claim” to offer information about college financial aid and tuition assistance. 95% of these don’t offer really helpful information. In fact, they are nothing more than ads placed by spammers or advertisers looking for pay-per-click income.

So, you may find within a few hours of searching on your own on the Net, that you are frustrated with it. You may give up. This is the last thing we want you to do, because there IS information on the Net you can use to finance your college education, whether you are an undergraduate or a graduate student.

What you need to know is WHAT and WHERE.

You need to know WHAT types of information is available and WHERE to look for it, so you don’t spend hours and hours looking up information on those phony sites that are put up by affiliate marketers and spammers.

Here are a few helpful websites.

Feel free to leave a comment with resources that you recommend!

Grants.gov – http://www.grants.gov/ - This site is not for students alone, however students can use the information on this site to find grants that are available for students whether undergraduates or graduates. There are even opportunities for PhD candidates looking for grant opportunities to support their research. You can perform an online grant search or request email alerts for grants that fit the criteria you are searching for.

Education Week - http://www.edweek.org/ew/section/grants/index.html - This is a site provided by GrantsAlerts.com and edweek.org that works to provide information on a weekly basis about grants offered primarily by the US Department of Education and related institutions. These grants are primarily for research or for educational purposes. There are also related articles and stories you can research and information on educational job opportunities. The types of grants offered are less likely to be those that would appeal to undergraduate students. Researchers may benefit from many of the posts applied on this site.

FinAid - http://www.finaid.org/ - This is a good site for someone that wants information on loans, financial aid, savings plans, military aid, and wants to de-mystify financial aid forms in general. You can use their free scholarship search sponsored by “FastWeb” which is another Internet “powerhouse” for financial aid gurus. You can take advantage of financial aid calculators and other tools, even EFC or “expected family contribution” calculators. Why not take advantage of information on savings plans if college is a ways away or if you are preparing for college when your child is still in preschool? It is never too early to plan ahead!

Hey - sign up for my newsletter, Recipes For Life Today, and receive a free download of Preparing for College.

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Using Natural Oils for Skin Conditions

You’ve all heard that the skin is the largest organ on the body; not only does it help protect your body; it is an important part of your appearance. However, it can be difficult to keep the skin healthy at all times – rashes, sunburn and acne may occur and compromise the health of the skin. When this happens, it is not always necessary to reach for an over the counter remedy that may or may not work. Natural remedies are often better for the skin and are more effective.

Natural remedies are safe, but it is also important to proceed with caution where the skin is concerned. They should be treated with the same caution as an over the counter remedy. Each person’s skin reacts differently to different medicines, including the ingredients in many home remedies.

“Natural” does not always mean that it’s right for everyone. After all, arsenic is natural! Don’t use any natural remedies that contain an ingredient to which you are allergic. In addition, be careful with large portions of the skin that need to be treated. For example, if your arm has broken out in an eczema rash, test on a small part of your arm before covering the whole area. By doing this, you ensure that the natural remedy that you use will not irritate the skin condition any further.



Here is a quick list of natural oils that are good for the skin:

Shea Butter – A product of the shea nut, shea butter can be used on the skin for the treatment of sunburn, eczema, stretch marks, scars and wrinkles. Shea butter may be combined with a liquid oil to improve skin “spreadablity”. Of course, it is advised to do a small patch test on your skin to determine there is no allergic reaction.

Hemp Seed Oil – Products that contain hemp seed oil can help reduce inflammation in the skin, such as what occurs in eczema outbreaks and penetrates deep into the skin to help alleviate dry skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

Virgin Coconut Oil – An excellent oil for the skin, virgin coconut oil (VCO) may help delay wrinkles and serves as a great moisturizer for the skin. VCO is also wonderful for skin massage.

If you try these natural oil remedies for the skin or products that contain these natural oils, you may find out that they work better for you than those over-the- counter remedies.

Please note that this information is not meant to diagnose or treat any skin condition or disease, nor is it meant to give medical advice. Contact a medical professional on advice on how to treat your specific skin conditions.

This article was provided by Christine Woolard, Owner of NeoSoulEssentials.com

Blog Action Day 2008: Poverty

As the destruction of Hurricane Ike becomes clear, we urgently need your help to rush emergency food and supplies to the devastated areas.

The hurricanes have nearly depleted our Disaster Relief Fund and emptied the shelves of many of our food banks!

We must get 17 truckloads of food and emergency relief supplies to victims of Hurricane Ike immediately.

Every penny you give today will go directly to helping the men, women, and children left reeling in the wake of these recent disasters.

Your neighbors need you. There is no time to waste. I hope I can count on you today to help provide emergency food and supplies for those in need.

Sincerely,

Vicki Escarra

President and CEO

P.S. Many victims of Hurricane Gustav still need our help and now Ike has brought a new wave of need to our doors. Please give what you can today!

America’s Second Harvest is now Feeding America
As of September 1, 2008, America’s Second Harvest will be called Feeding America. Research has told us that making this change will not only make our mission of fighting hunger and feeding Americans in need relevant to more people, but it will allow for increased awareness of a problem that is hidden to most — 35 million Americans facing hunger. As our new name suggests, our mission is the same as always — to feed America’s hungry.

"No More Foreclosure Evictions!" Chicago Sheriff Takes a Stand

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, ensure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."




RELATED STORY:

90-Year Old Woman Attempts Suicide Due to Foreclosure Eviction.

AKRON, Ohio - By the time deputies came to escort Addie Polk out of her home of 38 years, the 90-year-old had taken out her life insurance policy and placed it next to her pocketbook and keys in the neatly kept house.

She shot herself in the chest Oct. 1 before she could be taken away from the foreclosed house, which was worth less than its mortgage from the day she took out the loan.

Read the rest of the story here.

10 Blog Traffic Tips

In every bloggers life comes a special day - the day they first launch a new blog. Now unless you went out and purchased someone else''s blog chances are your blog launched with only one very loyal reader - you. Maybe a few days later you received a few hits when you told your sister, father, girlfriend and best friend about your new blog but that''s about as far you went when it comes to finding readers.

Here are the top 10 techniques new bloggers can use to find readers. These are tips specifically for new bloggers, those people who have next-to-no audience at the moment and want to get the ball rolling.

It helps if you work on this list from top to bottom as each technique builds on the previous step to help you create momentum. Eventually once you establish enough momentum you gain what is called "traction", which is a large enough audience base (about 500 readers a day is good) that you no longer have to work too hard on finding new readers. Instead your current loyal readers do the work for you through word of mouth.

Top 10 Tips

10. Write at least five major "pillar" articles. A pillar article is a tutorial style article aimed to teach your audience something. Generally they are longer than 500 words and have lots of very practical tips or advice. This article you are currently reading could be considered a pillar article since it is very practical and a good "how-to" lesson. This style of article has long term appeal, stays current (it isn’t news or time dependent) and offers real value and insight. The more pillars you have on your blog the better.

9. Write one new blog post per day minimum. Not every post has to be a pillar, but you should work on getting those five pillars done at the same time as you keep your blog fresh with a daily news or short article style post. The important thing here is to demonstrate to first time visitors that your blog is updated all the time so they feel that if they come back tomorrow they will likely find something new. This causes them to bookmark your site or subscribe to your blog feed.

You don''t have to produce one post per day all the time but it is important you do when your blog is brand new. Once you get traction you still need to keep the fresh content coming but your loyal audience will be more forgiving if you slow down to a few per week instead. The first few months are critical so the more content you can produce at this time the better.

8. Use a proper domain name. If you are serious about blogging be serious about what you call your blog. In order for people to easily spread the word about your blog you need a easily rememberable domain name. People often talk about blogs they like when they are speaking to friends in the real world (that''s the offline world, you remember that place right?) so you need to make it easy for them to spread the word and pass on your URL. Try and get a .com if you can and focus on small easy to remember domains rather than worry about having the correct keywords (of course if you can get great keywords and easy to remember then you’ve done a good job!).

7. Start commenting on other blogs. Once you have your pillar articles and your daily fresh smaller articles your blog is ready to be exposed to the world. One of the best ways to find the right type of reader for your blog is to comment on other people’s blogs. You should aim to comment on blogs focused on a similar niche topic to yours since the readers there will be more likely to be interested in your blog.

Most blog commenting systems allow you to have your name/title linked to your blog when you leave a comment. This is how people find your blog. If you are a prolific commentor and always have something valuable to say then people will be interested to read more of your work and hence click through to visit your blog.

6. Trackback and link to other blogs in your blog posts. A trackback is sort of like a blog conversation. When you write a new article to your blog and it links or references another blogger''s article you can do a trackback to their entry. What this does is leave a truncated summary of your blog post on their blog entry - it''s sort of like your blog telling someone else’s blog that you wrote an article mentioning them. Trackbacks often appear like comments.

This is a good technique because like leaving comments a trackback leaves a link from another blog back to yours for readers to follow, but it also does something very important - it gets the attention of another blogger. The other blogger will likely come and read your post eager to see what you wrote about them. They may then become a loyal reader of yours or at least monitor you and if you are lucky some time down the road they may do a post linking to your blog bringing in more new readers.

5. Encourage comments on your own blog. One of the most powerful ways to convince someone to become a loyal reader is to show there are other loyal readers already following your work. If they see people commenting on your blog then they infer that your content must be good since you have readers so they should stick around and see what all the fuss is about. To encourage comments you can simply pose a question in a blog post. Be sure to always respond to comments as well so you can keep the conversation going.

4. Submit your latest pillar article to a blog carnival. A blog carnival is a post in a blog that summarizes a collection of articles from many different blogs on a specific topic. The idea is to collect some of the best content on a topic in a given week. Often many other blogs link back to a carnival host and as such the people that have articles featured in the carnival often enjoy a spike in new readers.

To find the right blog carnival for your blog, do a search at blogcarnival.com.

3. Submit your blog to blogtopsites.com. To be honest this tip is not going to bring in a flood of new readers but it''s so easy to do and only takes five minutes so it''s worth the effort. Go to Blog Top Sites, find the appropriate category for your blog and submit it. You have to copy and paste a couple of lines of code on to your blog so you can rank and then sit back and watch the traffic come in. You will probably only get 1-10 incoming readers per day with this technique but over time it can build up as you climb the rankings. It all helps!

2. Submit your articles to EzineArticles.com. This is another tip that doesn’t bring in hundreds of new visitors immediately (although it can if you keep doing it) but it''s worthwhile because you simply leverage what you already have - your pillar articles. Once a week or so take one of your pillar articles and submit it to Ezine Articles. Your article then becomes available to other people who can republish your article on their website or in their newsletter.

How you benefit is through what is called your "Resource Box". You create your own resource box which is like a signature file where you include one to two sentences and link back to your website (or blog in this case). Anyone who publishes your article has to include your resource box so you get incoming links. If someone with a large newsletter publishes your article you can get a lot of new readers at once.

1. Write more pillar articles. Everything you do above will help you to find blog readers however all of the techniques I’ve listed only work when you have strong pillars in place. Without them if you do everything above you may bring in readers but they won’t stay or bother to come back. Aim for one solid pillar article per week and by the end of the year you will have a database of over 50 fantastic feature articles that will work hard for you to bring in more and more readers.

I hope you enjoyed my list of traffic tips. Everything listed above are techniques I’ve put into place myself for my blogs and have worked for me, however it''s certainly not a comprehensive list. There are many more things you can do. Finding readers is all about testing to see what works best for you and your audience and I have no doubt if you put your mind to it you will find a balance that works for you.

This article was by Yaro Starak, a professional blogger and my blog mentor. He is the leader of the Blog Mastermind mentoring program designed to teach bloggers how to earn a full time income blogging part time.

To get more information about Blog Mastermind click this link:

http://www.blogmastermind.com/affiliates/index.php?af=854925

George Washington Bathed Here

Okay... so I was thinking about all of the wonderful places I have lived (and not so wonderful). Seems the majority of my major moves have been during this time of year. So, I suppose that's partially the reason why I become so weepy-eyed nostalgic about places and people and things from my past.

One such wonderful place was 4.5 pristine acres along a ridge that bordered PA, WV, and MD. The town is known for its historic landmarks and mineral springs. George Washington and many other dignitaries since have traveled there for the soothing and therapeutic baths. An old bathtub is in the town square that George Washington utilized during one of his frequent visits.

So, fast forward to an email I received this morning announcing that Michelle Obama was "dropping in" on another (mommy) blog and writing about the Equal Pay for Equal Work issue. Important issue. Kudos to the blog host for seizing the opportunity to participate in history through this incredible media we are so blessed to have available to the masses.

Michelle Obama blogged here. Wow! Good for you.

I thought about where we are in history, what we have squandered, and what is yet available in spite of our many weaknesses and missteps as a nation. We are a blessed people to have the POWER of the vote. (oh, btw: did I say "Remember to register AND vote"?) If you need a little nudge, just peek at the timeline of history for this country. It was not sooo long ago that large segments of society were totally forbidden to vote by law. And many are still struggling to be counted. It's a precious civil RIGHT.

Don't squander your right to vote!

Then, I took things a step further (you knew that I would. hint: check the title of this blog) and started thinking about what Michelle Obama was blogging about. Equal Pay for Equal Work. Yeah, that topic ... again. Or better yet, still. And I thought, there are so many topics like that being debated during this historic campaign. Energy Conservation. Still. Affordable Health Care for all citizens. Still. Improving Our Schools. Securing Our Borders. Home Ownership. Domestic vs. Foreign Oil Dependance. Less Taxes. The Homeless. The Hungry ...

And I wondered, we've been talking about these things for years. At least, I have been talking and voting about these things for years.

I talk. I blog. I email. I vote ... Can anybody hear?

If so, can anybody help?

Okay, so what's my point for this post? Well, if I have to have one (not sure that I do), then I suppose I'll just take this opportunity for one of my shameless plugs.

On October 15th hundreds of thousands of bloggers worldwide will be participating in Blog Action Day. The theme for this year is Poverty. Click the link to learn more. I am honored to help co-host their internet broadcast on BlogTalkRadio from 9:30-midnight (Eastern Time Zone). I will be on-air with them during the Obama/McCain Presidential Debate. So, I'll miss out on listening to part of the debate. Hmm ... and I don't mind.

Ya know why?

Because I'll be listening to and learning about people who are actively DOING something and not just talking / blogging / campaigning about it.

Please join the conversation and then DO something!

Hurricane Ike Damage - Video Provided by MyUrbanReport, Amani Channel

You Just Have to Want It :)

Thank You!

Thanks to all of you, The Recipe Box is now a "FEATURED HOST" on BlogTalkRadio. com!

What does that mean? We're front page news!

So, look for us under "Featured Today" on the home page of BlogTalkRadio. com. We're committed to providing great content and fun guests each week.

Check the show blog - http://www. BlogTalkRecipes. blogspot. com or the website - http://www. BlogTalkRecipes. com. You will find out about current giveaways, program schedule, recipes and advertisement opportunities.

And listen to the live broadcast and archives at http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/TheRecipeBox.

Thanks again for listening and for all of your feedback!

Blessings~

Barbara

So...I Was Kicked Off a Couple Nings This Week

Hmm...

Well, actually not "officially" kicked off. My post was deleted by the Ning managers on two communities where I am a member. Or, was. But more on that later.

If you are not familiar with Nings, they are online social communities. Basically, you set up a profile page, add you widgets and photos and links and banners and other blather. Then you join up with a few discussions, make friends, ya know.

The insane thing about Nings is that somehow they spawn new Nings while you sleep. After joining one, you wake up the next morning with 20 "Join Me At XYZ community..." emails. Then 20 more, and so on, and so on. You begin hearing from "friends" that you have never met on Nings that you have never joined. Spooky.

I usually join groups to network and, being the Queen of Shameless Plugs, promote my projects. I've met some really awesome people through Nings ... and some really irritating ones. Oh well, such is life, right. For the most part, I am pretty low key unless I have something really exciting to share with the other members. Like helping to promote their businesses through my podcasts or blogs, stuff like that.

So, how did I get kicked off - or, why did I leave the two "shall remain nameless" Nings? What could come out of my thoughts into a post that would be so offensive that my words would be deleted? Hmm...

It was the title of a book by Celeb Chef and 6x Emmy Award Winner Writer/Author/Producer, Janette Barber. She was my guest on The Recipe Box Show (btw: if you haven't listened to the show lately, you really should. I'm giving away cool stuff!) ANY-way, Janette is a tremendously funny and talented woman that has taken on the issue of body-image in regards to women weight loss/gain, etc. She blogs and provides videos and recipes to help women along the way to discovering they are SPECIAL in whatever package they are blessed with learning how to EMBRACE their B.F.A.'s - listen to the show at http://tinyurl.com/655e7h to find out more. Remember I am the Queen of Shameless Plugs :)

I must say that after one manager deleted my post, she did send an email explaining why she did. I wish she had sent the email prior. Or, actually READ the entire post. Considered my previously unblemished record as an active member of the community. But, que c'era sera.

The other Ning manager was not so kind. She deleted the post and each time I tried to post another entry, it was automatically deleted. Hmm... so I quietly packed up my widgets and dropped out. No fanfare, no goodbye kisses from all my virtual friends. Nothing, not a peep.

Don't get me wrong. I understand we live in a "what have you done for me lately" kinda world. And EVERYONE is EXTREMELY too busy to care about my little drama.

Janette Barber was supportive and kind. A new virtual friend with feelings. It's amazing how certain personalities can connect with you regardless of the medium of communication. Janette has that gift. I hope you'll stop by her blog http://www.janettesblog.com/ and purchase her new book, "Embracing Your Big Fat Ass" - THERE, I said it!

While you're out surfing, drop by The Recipe Box Show blog - Recipes For Life, enter a comment for a chance to win a copy of "Embracing Your Big Fat Ass" - THERE, I said it again!

Exec Event Designer, Morgan Nichole Scott

Friday, 8/22
Family Friday - Party Planning for Your End-of-Summer Bash

Morgan Nichole Scott, Executive Event Designer of Envi Consulting & Associates, a boutique Event Management and Consulting Firm headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia was my special guest. We discussed how to party planning tips, event themes, selecting the menu and entertainment. www.enviconsulting.com/

I had a great time talking with Morgan on the program last night. She has a creative and generous spirit and wonderful energy. She provided alot of very useful tips for hosts and guests, alike. Be sure to visit the website for upcoming events and the latest trends in party themes.

Also, mark your calendar for the Sheer Elegance Bridal Extravaganza, Sunday October 26th that they are sponsoring in support of the I Do Foundation. The event will be held at the LOFT at Castleberry Hill, 170 Northside Drive, Atlanta, GA 30313. Admission is $5 in advance/$10 at door.

What Is On Your To-Do List Today?

Representative Stephanie Tubbs-Jones died yesterday ...

When I saw the news through my Google alert, I went to my To-Do list. And found the notation:

"Contact Tubbs-Jones office re: Medicare Improvement Bill, see attached email) for interview on Cleveland Talks! Provide local cell# for callback."

(btw: I produce several talk shows on BlogTalkRadio. Cleveland Talks! is one of them.)

You see, I was a constituent. I was on her email list. I let my voice be heard, regularly. I always got a response. I did not make the call on that day. Too busy, schedule too full on that day, moved to the next day, then the next ...

Facing the list again last night, a note scribbled in haste, I had to pause. I did not complete the task. A missed opportunity. I have to cross it off the list now. I had to pause. And write this blog.

Representative Stephanie Tubbs-Jones was an icon in the truest sense of the word. Not a self-proclaimed "Diva" - a word so overused in today's culture that it has become meaningless. She was approachable, accessible, a sister, a mother, a community advocate, an effective politician, a neighbor, a girlfriend, and strong ally that worked tirelessly through a life dedicated to living honorably. And, pursuing the greater good.

When I was a child, they taught Civics, and Social Studies, and Good Citizenship. And Community Service. (btw: that was before "community service" was categorized and issued as a punishment because the county jail is too full to contain another community delinquent)

When I was a child, I wanted to be an astronaut. Or, a Supreme Court Justice.

My love for mathematics ended at trigonometry. So, in college I majored in Political Science and moved to the greater Washington, DC area to earn some cash and continue my education. I did not become a judge, or a lawyer, or a paralegal. Although, I did serve as a court recorder for a brief period (Think electronic recordings, microphones, wires). The guy crawling under the table adjusting the cable connections just before the BIG briefings on the Hill. I was "that" guy - or gal. It was fun. Then I moved on. But I hung around the scene for 2 decades and worked it. Part of "the entourage" and "in the know" - it was an addiction. A drain. A thrill. And I loved it. Then I moved on. Or, I should say that I moved "back" - to oHIo.

And people ask me, "So, what do you do [now]?"

And I asked myself that last night. And this morning, my hometown is in mourning. What DO I do, for the greater good?

I try to think more about others than myself. And when I fail to do so, I try again. (Note to self: try again)

I amplify the voices of others (btw: see Encourage Me I'm Young). I write inspirational books for adults and chapter books for children. I tutor inner city children in the gymnasiums of schools in "academic failure" and teach Bible lessons in church basements to adults. I bake cookies and give them away. I don't complain about my neighbors hedges being too high, unless I am in the mood to help trim them. Or when the neighborhood fireworks display runs on until 3:00am because, after all, it's only once a year. God bless America!

I stopped hating on Oprah, and Rosie, and Brittany, and Paris, and Condi, and all the others whose lives I DO NOT know and handle pressure that I can not imagine. I buy bags of peaches or beets when I visit the local farmer's market. I hate peaches and beets. But, my sister loves them. I feed the birds. And the skinny neighborhood cats. I plant flowers that attract butterflies so that the little children can chase them. I give treats to my little dog and bring enough to share with his little doggy friends. I try to care. About things, about people, and their situations. Locally, globally, eternally.

I lift young people on my shoulders and say "Can you see the future? I can. And it's glorious. And it's all for you. Can you see it? I can. I can see it in you."

(btw: Please listen to Cleveland Talks! E-City Teen Entrepreneurs)

This is about Representative Stephanie Tubbs-Jones.

And my To-Do List.

Before I cross that missed opportunity off my list, what will I replace it with?

What will I do today, instead?

What will you do today? (note to self: try again)

Thanks for reading my blog.

(btw: please listen to Tony Reeve's "In The Know" podcast with Former State Senator Leslie Miller)

And do something today...for the greater good.

Ain't Got Dat!

My good friend, Itiel McVay (and her crew) over at SmellGoodSpa have produced their first video through Blue Nile Studios. And I have to share it with you all. When you're done watching the video, visit her website to shop for fabulous all-natural health and beauty products in luscious scents and luxurious textures. Enjoy!

Embracing Your Big Fat Ass - Interview with Celebrity Chef Janette Barber

The Recipe Box Talk Show hosted by Barbara Howard

Thursday, August 28, 2008 @ 8pm ET

I will be joined by 6 time Emmy winning producer, writer and celebrity chef, Janette Barber. A four time nominated head writer from the Rosie O’Donnell Show, she has written for the Grammy Awards and the Tony Awards. She was Hot Topics writer on ABC’s The View during Rosie O’Donnell’s tenure there and won a 2008 Daytime Emmy in Special Class writing for her work on that show.

Chef Janette's show on the TV Food Network, Lighten Up focused on converting fattening recipes to be lighter healthier and less fattening. She was also a spokesperson and recipe creator for Molly McButter through two ad campaigns. Her current project with solftware company, ElmLife, involves creating a web-based, interactive, artificially intelligent software guide. An animated version of Janette will host the guide and interact with users to help them develop better, healthier eating habits. Also, Janette is the spokesperson for EyeCare America's Feast Your Eyes campaign about how healthier eating habits can preserve eye health.

** Join us and YOU COULD WIN a copy of Janette Barber's book "Embracing Your Big Fat Ass" (Atria) which is humorous self esteem and empowerment for women around the topic of body image.



The Recipe Box Talk Show hosted by Barbara Howard

Back To School Lunch Tips

My guest Denay Davis provided these bag lunch ideas:

It should be noted that most children do not like unusual textures and/or flavors. Children like the foods they are accustomed to PB&J (for those who like it, American Cheese, simple cold cuts, bologna, ham, & turkey.

The real key is to keep it simple, fresh and familiar. Parents who feel the need to experiment should save it for the weekend when children are home and they can experience first hand the child's reaction to a new food. There is nothing worse that going to school and finding out at lunchtime that your parent has stuffed your lunch pail with a food you have never eaten.


Advice for creating good lunches:
No child likes to eat a lunch that is "smashed."
No child likes to eat messy food, e.g. boiled eggs (they also smell bad) oranges, bananas etc.

No child likes soggy bread.

Lunches should not be an after-thought; parents must put time and effort into what they are feeding or not feeding their children.

Bag-lunch ideas that require no refrigeration:

1. Mozzarella string-cheese sticks (other hard cheeses are great too) and whole-wheat/multi-grain crackers, Fruit cups. Whole-wheat carrot and/or apple muffins.

2. Bagel spread with cream cheese (you may want to try mini-bagels for small children) Sugar snap peas. Box of raisins.

3. Tortilla rolled up with a slice of mild cheese. Fresh green beans.
Small tangerines (Clementines, if in season).

4. Banana bread spread with peanut butter and a little honey. Cucumber slices.
Melon cubes.

5. Cream cheese and apple and/or pumpkin butter on whole-grain bread. Veggie mix (baby carrots, snap peas). Dried apricots or mixed dried fruits.

6. Half of a pita stuffed with shredded carrot and mild cheese (or peanut butter).
Individual cup of applesauce.

Bread:

Pita (either small individual size or half of a regular-size)
Quick bread (banana, pumpkin, apple, etc.)
Whole-wheat bun (hamburger or hot dog)
Bagel
Tortilla
Raisin bread

Fillings:

Peanut butter, plain or with (pick one) honey, banana, jelly, shredded carrot, raisin
Cream cheese, plain or with (pick one) jelly, apple butter, shredded veggies
Mild cheese
Hummus

Veggies:

Baby carrots or carrot sticks
Fresh green beans
Sugar snap peas
Cucumber slices
Crisp, tender broccoli florets (small ranch dressing cups)
Zucchini sticks

Fruits:

Half a banana
Small apple
Orange wedge
Raisins or other dried fruits
Drained pineapple chunks (or fresh)
Individual applesauce container
Melon cubes


Food Safety
Use a thermos to keep soups, stews and casseroles warm. Wash the thermos with soap and hot water after every use.
Place a frozen juice box or bottled water next to cold food items.
Use an ice pack to keep foods cold. (use puncture proof ice packs.
Use an insulated lunch container to help keep temperatures stable.


Listen to the entire interview at The Recipe Box with Barbara Howard.

Go to the The Recipe Box Show website (www.BlogTalkRecipes.com) to download recipes, contests and more!

The Sexualization of Our Young Girls

Special guests: Elizabeth Atkins, Anthony Reeves, Esq. and Christine Lowe-Woolard.

Recently I read article online about little girls receiving pedicures as young as six years old, and "Hooker Barbie" being released by Mattel in September. The Mommy blogger sites lit up with commentary on this subject. Most of them crying "Enough is enough!" What are we teaching our girls? What is the key to positive healthy body image and self-esteem? What's your opinion? Join us and share your thoughts.

My guests for tonight's show:
Elizabeth Atkins has appeared on Montell Williams and Oprah. She is a best selling author and nominate for a Pulitzer Prize. She is an expert speaker on the topic of multi-racial identity.

Christine Lowe-Woolard is a Yale grad, educator, entrepreneur, homeschooler, and prolific blogger.

Anthony Reeves, Esq is a mentor, motivational speaker, martial artist, talk show host, an active member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and a member of the Florida State Bar.

www.BlogTalkRadio.com/TheRecipeBox
Friday, August 15th
8:00pm ET
You can stop by and listen to the archives or download through iTunes.

My BTR Podcasts - What's Going On?

Hello all ~

I rarely use this blog to promote my podcasts at BTR. Just wanted to post a quick message here for my listeners about a few things that I'm working on.

You may have already noticed a few changes on the schedule with the time slot fluctuating between 2:30 and 8:00pm, ET.

Also, I am spending more time behind the scenes helping others develop new programs and marketing the podcasts of experienced hosts.

One method is by featuring guest hosts and/or recurring co-hosts. The BTR team has been very supportive, as usual. And I appreciate each and every one of you. I'm very excited about all of the new opportunities and possibilities that have opened up for me by reaching out to others in the community. You can visit the website for more details - www.BarbaraHowardTalkRadio.com - Expect great things!

Blessings,

Barbara

Goals & Personal Happiness

Did you know that goals and your personal happiness can be linked? You may not know this because it because of the success of making it to your goals that you will find personal happiness. You will also find that there are many other things that you can build happiness with, but you will find that good health, spiritual comfort, money, power, and beauty are all because of goal setting. They do make us happy, however, you will get all and more when you learn how to reach for your personal goals and find a way to your personal happiness.

Right now you must have at least two goals; one short term and one long term goal. You will want to think about how you feel when you do end up reaching these goals. You will want to make sure that you take your time to explain your feelings, because in the end you need to find your happiness. Do you think that your current goals will find your happiness? Do you really think that you can work on being a better person by changing your goals? It is very important that you learn how to be a happier person, but it is more important to seek out the goals that you truly believe will make you happy.

Keep in mind that true happiness and your personal success doesn't just happen by chance. You will also find that luck has nothing to do with it either. The thing is that you need to figure out what it is that you need to be happy and then you will need to work hard to achieve those goals. You will also need to face the facts that cheating and money will not buy you happiness. It can buy you success, but there is a factor of integrity that makes you feel good about reaching a goal. If you do not have integrity, then you might as well just give up on your personal happiness.

Also, you can't compare the way you feel to the way others feel. You will not be able to find the same happiness that others find in specific goals, because it has to truly be in the heart. Happiness is actually a condition and it's completely in your head. You will need to set some goals along with objectives so that you can reach out for bigger and better things. The fact that you try your hardest for something will also make you feel very happy in the end. Also, keep in mind that this is just you. You can't make happiness for anyone else, specially your family. Your mate may become happy because you are happy, but their true happiness lies in your smile or confidence. Keep in mind that happiness is only good for one person; however, you can strive with your mate and possible reach happiness together.

http://www.Vigilant-Communications.com

Book: A Day For The Animals

My new book - A Day For The Animals




The story: What if you said a prayer and then changed your mind. But before you could take it back, God answered it? When Roger Grayson said the animals should rule the world, God was listening. And his family will never be the same again.

For one day the Graysons live among the animals and learn the meaning of love, courage and commitment. 3rd grade reading level; 80 pages. ISBN: 978-1-4382-4033-6

View the trailer here:

A Day For The Animals

What people are saying:

"Congratulations on your story ... I enjoyed each and every moment of the read. The story kept me captivated. While reading, I was always excited to get to the next page." - Teresa Johnson, GottiTravel, LLC (www.gottitravel.com)

"I enjoyed reading this story very much, and I think children would certainly be interested." - Janice Lowery, Founder of Saving Our Children
(www.savingourchildren.bravehost.com)

"In her latest book, A Day for the Animals, Barbara Howard takes us on a journey...a journey of faith. Through the eyes of a young boy we see how even the smallest prayer, even if we are in doubt about the specifics of the prayer, God answers - whether we want Him to or not! In the beauty of His creation lies the answers to our never ending quest for purpose and truth in our troubled world which Howard elegantly and delicately shares with her readers. This book is a must-read and not only for animal lovers!" - Dr. Kim Bloomer, veterinary naturopath, author, and host of Animal Talk Naturally.
(www.AnimalTalkNaturally.com)

"Come and meet Rodger, the kid in all of us. Barbara Howard delivers a delightful story that every child "and parent should read!"
-Antonio L. Crawford, CEO, Top Book Sales (www.TopBookSales.com)

Coming in Fall 2008 - The Sequel: Connie's Gift

In the sequel to A Day For The Animals, Mr. Grayson is hospitalized with a heart condition. The only doctor that is capable of saving his life is missing due to a plane crash while on a medical missions trip in a remote area. Roger begins having dreams about the colt from their first adventure. When the angel arrives to explain the dreams, Roger and Nathan are enlisted by God to locate the doctor and bring her home safely. As the boys proceed through their journey, they get in trouble. Connie is brought by the angel to help them. Her knowledge of art and botany are key to their survival. And her heart of compassion moves the hand of God on their behalf when one of them becomes sick and slips into a coma.

Hiring a Ghostwriter

Even if you can write, it might make more sense to hire one or more ghostwriters to provide your articles. Needing hundreds of articles in a short amount of time will make it necessary to hire several.

There are many reasons to have someone else do your writing. The hard part is, finding a good, affordable ghost writer. You can post a bid request for the work at one of the freelance sites, such as www.elance.com or www.rentacoder.com , but you may not get a writer who can do a decent job.

One of the major problems you may find at these sites is the fact that in order to get a low price, they often hire writers who don’t speak, or write, English very well. This doesn’t mean that the writer is a poor one, it simply means that they don’t know English well enough to provide the content you need.

Plagiarism is often another problem you will find at these sites. If you purchase articles from a writer at a freelance site, go to copyscape at www.copyscape.com and run each article through to make sure that the work is original.

Your best bet is to hire someone who you can use exclusively for all of your writing needs. Most of these writers are quite expensive, but you can find some that will write good articles at a reasonable price. One company that hires good writers and charges affordable rates can be found at www.writingandtranscriptionservices.com . This place offers you 300 – 500 word articles written for under ten dollars.

The best way to get what you want from another writer is to relay exactly what you are looking for. Providing the writer with a list of topics or titles for the articles is a very good idea. This allows the writer to see exactly what you are looking for. A good writer will get your articles done quickly. The time will depend on how many articles you need, and how much research the writer must do.

Most ghost writers will want part of their money before they start working for a new customer. This deposit is usually equal to one third or one half of whatever the total cost will be. Once you and your writer have established a good working relationship, however, they may allow you to pay only upon completion.

Article Marketing and How It Works

It is an estabilished fact that Article Marketing works by a large number of Internet Marketers in wide variety of niches. This has been repeatedly proven. However, those who have not ever attempted article marketing tend to think that it is harder or more time consuming than it actually is.

Starts by writing an article. This can be done by yourself or you can hire a ghost writer. The cost of ghost written articles is usually less than $10.00 for a 300 to 500 word article. It is important that the article be informative and related to your niche. The article should not sound like a sales letter.

At the end of the article, you include your ‘resource box.’ A resource box is simply information about the author, and it usually includes a link to the authors related website, a link to subscribe to a newsletter, and possibly even an email address to contact the author. If your article is ghost written, you are still the author.

Underneath the resource box, you type a statement giving others the right to reprint the article for free, as long as they don’t change it and keep your resource box attached. This allows others to help make your article viral.

Once the article is written, you should distribute it to as many article directories as you can find. It helps to also send the article to ezine publishers within your niche for consideration. You can find lists of ezines in the various ezine directories that are available on the Internet.

There is article-submission software that can be used to speed up submitting your article in. One example of this type of software is Instant Article Submitter at www.instantarticlesubmitter.com . There are also services that will manually submit your article to directories. This is highly recommended because many article directories do not allow and will not accept articles submitted with software. One such recommended article submission service is We Submit Articles at:
www.wesubmitarticles.com .

Submitting the articles yourself is a time consuming task. If you can hire someone else to do that work, you will have more time overall to concentrate your efforts on other marketing tasks, including producing more articles.

Making Money From Publishing Newsletters

The object, of course, of any niche marketing business adventure is to make a profit. When people subscribe to your online newsletter or ezine, their object is to get the information that you are able to provide to them. When people subscribe to your online newsletter or ezine, your object is to make money by supplying that information. This is a simple concept that is easier said than done. Making a website profitable…any website….isn’t easy or quick. Try to remember that anything worth doing is worth doing well even if it takes more time than you thought it would.

If you have chosen a topic that addresses the needs or wants of a specific segment of the population and if you have set up your opt-in software correctly, you have a list of potential customers. If they have subscribed to your newsletter, then they obviously believe that your have information about a subject that is near and dear to their hearts. They must consider you to be an expert maybe a guru. If you have worked hard at building your customer’s belief in your own credibility, then you should be able to make a nice profit from your newsletter.

You can advertise products and services related to your topic on your website. This can be done with logos and banners that contain links to the products and services. When visitors to your site click on an advertisement, you get credit for a lead and if they buy the product or service you get a commission on the sale.

You can use your newsletter to recommend products and services to the members of your list. Some companies will happily pay you for simply recommending their product or service to your list and give you a commission on any sales that your recommendation generates for them.

Protecting Your Commissions

Thieves are a problem out in the brick and mortar world is for business owners and thieves are a concern for cyber space business owners. Out in the brick and mortar world, thieves will take money and merchandise and it isn’t any different online. The real world merchants use locks and alarms to deter thieves. Internet business owners need to use anti-theft software to protect their commissions. Here are some things you can do to protect yourself and your commissions:

1. Use Meta Refresh: A meta refresh is a simple bit of HTML code which automatically redirects your visitor to another page (your affiliate URL). It provides a neat way of presenting affiliate links in newsletters. It probably helps reduce commission bypassing and commission hijacking. A big advantage of using meta refreshes is that if merchants change their affiliate links, you can change links on dozens of pages quickly and easily by altering only one file.
One problem is that some search engines don't like meta refreshes because they're frequently used for unsavory purposes. So if you use this technique, use it with caution.

2. Use a URL redirection service. You can use free services or buy a unique domain name for each affiliate program you join. URL redirection makes affiliate links less obvious, so this will reduce some commission thefts.

3. Use a web-based ad tracking service. The ad tracking link initially hides the affiliate link, reducing thefts.

4. Use an ad tracking script. Good ad tracking scripts hide the affiliate link as well as being useful for tracking. It has the advantage that it doesn't promote someone else's domain.

5. Use JavaScript redirect. Because this initially hides the affiliate link, it should reduce commission thefts.

Be aware that thievery is a problem for online businesses and take the necessary steps to protect your commissions.

Learn more at the Mentors Club.

Next Post: Where to Find the Right Product

Identifying What's HOT

Every small business owner knows that competition is tough, but he or she may not be able to pinpoint exactly what changes are needed in order to get to the top. Conducting business as usual may no longer be sufficient. Investing in the technology that is now available can be a great help or a bank breaker. It seems that most small business and home based business are either starving (they don’t have enough technology) or they are obese (they have everything piece of new technology that comes down the pike).

There is, however, some fairly new technology that every small or home business owner needs. It can answer questions like; how can small businesses identify noteworthy trends, Identify an existing hot demand and make better decisions faster? Answer: business intelligence software. Business intelligence is the crystal ball of the 21st century.

Purchasing business intelligence (BI) software is one of the most strategic investments that a business can make. Using data mining, reporting and querying, BI helps businesses understand, monitor, manage and respond to specified situations. This software empowers decision-makers — and staff — to connect the dots around key business numbers in a way previously unimaginable. BI helps you figure out:

· Which customers are profitable?
· Which customers appear profitable but aren't?
· Are you close to — or far from — reaching critical milestones?
· When is the best time to launch a marketing campaign?
· What was the best performing product or service last quarter?

Business Intelligence software may be more of an investment than small businesses can bear. It can certainly be pricy. Small business or home business owners, however, can subscribe to BI services on the Internet at a fairly reasonable cost. There are several to choose from.
eBay also published a “Hot Items” list the first week of each month. It gives valuable information to eBay sellers who use drop shippers.

Learn more at the Mentors Club.

Next Post: Protecting Your Commissions

Affiliate Marketing - Do You Need a Website?

The most important and indispensable thing to assure your success in affiliate marketing is your own website. The first step in any successful affiliate marketing business is building a good, credible and professional looking website. Your website is the jump off point of all your marketing efforts. Therefore, you must first build a user-friendly website, which will attract your prospects and motivate them to click on the links to the products and services you are promoting and make a purchase. You must first focus your efforts in building a website that will cater to what your prospects need.

Above all else, make your website full of original, relevant and useful content. The most important thing you should consider is that almost all web users go online to look for information, not necessarily to go and buy something. People will love articles that are appealing and helpful. Keep in mind that, in the internet, content is still king and good quality content will not only build your credibility, it can also help you achieve a higher search engine ranking. By posting relevant and useful articles, you establish yourself as a credible expert in the field, making you a more dependable endorser of the product or service you promote. Establishing a good name is a good step in building up a dedicated consumer base. Dedicated customer bases are the life blood of affiliate marketers.

You must use every possible means on your website to motivate prospects not only to visit your site but also to click and proceed to the websites of the products and services you are promoting.
When you are creating your website, the possibilities are endless and are limited only by your imagination, originality, resourcefulness and resolve. You can always explore other ideas and adapt other strategies, which you think might help you become a high rolling affiliate marketer but not until you have a great website.

Learn more at the Mentors Club.

Next post: Identifying What's Hot

On the Way to Womanhood - Stay Sweet

On the road to womanhood, baggage collected during the teenage years can make the transition challenging. Once forgiveness of self is obtained and there is growth from the experiences, it is imperative to help the next generation of young females. During the teenage years young females from all walks of life need the support of the village. With the demands of fitting in, and the lack of support from home and the community, the majority of young females start to go down the path that will diminish their self-worth.

Smell Goods ‘98™ is using their business as a positive tool to uplift and empower this generation of young females. Purveyors of bath and body products, they have created Stay Sweet Sugar Whips, to enhance the INSIDE, outside beauty of preteens to young females. Each Stay Sweet Sugar Whip has a pink card attached inscribed with a powerful, positive affirmation! The owners of Smell Goods ‘98™ are advocates for organizations that cater to the needs of young females and teen mothers. Therefore, Stay Sweet Sugar Whips are used to support such organizations, through fundraising, product donations, and charitable donations.

Positive affirmations can make a world of difference in a young female’s life. Positive affirmations can uplift her spirit. Positive affirmations assures her of that familiar strength that is deep in her soul. Positive affirmations help to remind her of what she will, and what she will NOT accept into her life. Positive acceptance of self is fundamental in a young female’s life, from preteen to a young beautiful woman. In a stage of vulnerability, confusion, and unstableness;In a stage that poses the question, "Where do I fit in?" Positive affirmations can empower young females to make a smoother transition into adulthood.

Author: Itiel McVay is a wife, home-schooling mom, and the owner of Smell Goods ‘98™

http://www.smellgoodspa.com/

The Definition of an Affiliate Marketer

According to The World’s Glossary of Internet Terms, “Affiliate Marketer is defined as: “A business relationship with a merchant or other service provider who allows you to link to that business. When a visitor clicks on the link at your site and subsequently makes a purchase from the merchant, you receive a commission based on the amount of the sale, a referral fee or a pay-for-click fee.”

This is a simple, straight-forward agreement between a merchant and an affiliate. Budding affiliate marketers run into a problem when they try to reverse the success process. Instead of starting at the beginning, they try to start at the end.

Making money is the end of the process. The beginning of the process is education and there are several steps in between. Too many people, who are just getting started in affiliate marketing, fail to take the steps necessary to get to the end of the process and actually make money.

Step #1: Educate yourself. This is the key, opening the door of opportunity. It's also the common thread connecting successful affiliate marketers. Education lays the foundation - the building blocks to success. Start by gathering the best information you can find about affiliate marketing and absorbing it.

Step #2: Turn that information into usable knowledge. Even the best information remains kind of worthless, however, until after you discover how to use it - how to make it serve your purpose.

Step #3: Start applying the knowledge ... take action ...start building your affiliate business. Will you make mistakes, even though you've invested all that time educating yourself? Yes, you most likely will make mistakes.

Step #4: Test and tweak, test and tweak. This one never ends. And it's often the dividing line between succeeding and failing. Attention to small details often returns big rewards.

Following these steps will define you as a successful affiliate marketer.

Next post: Why Are Affiliates in Demand Right Now?

What is Affiliate Marketing?

Affiliate Marketing in a Nutshell

What exactly is affiliate marketing? Affiliate marketing is the single fastest growth industry on the Internet. It’s also true that affiliate marketing is one of the fastest and most creative ways to make money and have a career on the Internet.

Simply put, affiliate marketing is selling products on a commission basis. You own a business that advertises and sells products for other companies. You may have a product of your own to begin with or not. The things that a successful affiliate marketer must have are:

1. Your website is the jumping off point of all your marketing efforts. So the first step in any successful affiliate marketing business is building a good, credible and professional looking website. You must build a user-friendly website, which will attract your prospects and motivate them to click on the links to the products and services you are promoting and make a purchase. There are companies whose business is building websites that you can hire to build one for you.

2. You must find products to sell, you must be able to determine whether there is a demand for those products and if people will actually buy them. You may either have your own original product or products that are made by others. Which ever way you go, you must believe in the products.

3. It will be necessary for you to become an adept advertiser and be able to tell whether the advertising you are paying for is producing more income for you than the advertising is costing you.

4. It is necessary that you have good mathematical skills. You will need to be able to track your sales and determine profit, as well as, see to it that your suppliers are paid in full and on time.

5. You need the full and unwavering support of your family so that you can devote the time and energy necessary to launch your affiliate marketing business.

Next Post: What is the Definition of an Affiliate Marketer?

Considering Setting Up an Affiliate Marketing Program

... so I thought I would post a series of articles that covers this topic and highlights some of the important considerations when setting up your own Affiliate Marketing Program.

Next Post: What is Affiliate Marketing?

Balancing Life and Goals

A lot of people think that you have to have a balance in your life to be completely and utterly happy, however, there are some people who find the chaos in their life to be blissful. Keep in mind that there is a certain degree of life balance that you will need to have eventually. Basically, you will find that your happiness is not going to come to you overnight, however, you can work slowly on retaining your happiness and balancing out negative and positive things in your life.

When it comes to the balance, you will find that it is your goals in life that will do the trick. Basically, you will need to set a goal so that you have a purpose in living. You will also find that it will help you to push yourself to be better. You will want to make sure that you do some things just for yourself so that you can keep your inner light shining bright, however, there are going to be times where you think things have gotten the best of you, but you still must progress. You must always move forward, even if you are failing at your goals. You try and try until you have nothing left inside of you, because the hard work will pay off in the end. Still, how do you balance out the positive and the negative? The key is to learn how to take the lemons of life and turn them into sweet lemonade. Every time something negative happens to you or in your life, you need to turn it around to be positive.

When you fail at a goal, you need to turn it around and make it a positive by saying either that you gave your best, or you may just need to push yourself a tiny bit harder. There are goals that do seem realistic when you make them, but then in the end it seems like you try and try, but get nothing. When it comes to negative goals you may need to take a step back and rethink the goal. You may need to take some time from the goal and come back to it when you are in better spirits. It is very important that you learn to accept defeat, but not allow yourself to be beaten. You need to learn to take the negative and make it a positive.

For a person to have a well-balanced life you will need to take care of your career goals, family goals, spiritual goals, social goals, personal goals, developmental goals, and also financial goals. That is a lot of goals, but you have a lifetime to take care of them all. Also, keep your personal health in mind when trying to balance out life and goals.

Learn more about the Hidden Power of Setting Goals.

Real Success

... so I was chatting with someone about goals and values and everyday life. And I remarked that when a person determines each day that they are going to be a success, they already are. I don't think we should wait until we accumulate a certain amount of wealth or acclaim from society to realize this. There are people all around us that lead tremendously successful lives and that will never appear on the radar screen of the media. People with poise and talent and grit and determination and imagination and love and sincerity and hope. I look for these people everyday. And generally, I can find them without too much difficulty. And I'm sure that you can, too.

April is Autism Awareness Month.

I want to share with you an interview with a highly successful person, Nathan ... and his mother. Sharron Williams tells the story of her life with her autistic son and the organization that she founded called, InfoPAC. She joined me as a special guest on The Sparkle Club talk radio program. It changed my life.

Please listen.

Barbara Howard interview with Sharron Williams, founder of InfoPAC

Real Source

... so I was on this BlogTalkRadio show. Not as a host, but as a guest. We were talking about my life and some of the things that impacted my decision to do what I am doing. And during the discussion there was a moment ... that I still think about. It wasn't an embarrassing or profound statement. It was simply a remark that I let pass without comment. Well, actually I did comment. It went something like this "Right ..." You know the kind of "right" where your tone just trails off and you don't really mean anything by it. Just a need to fill the dead-air with some kind of response. "Right ..."

Hmm ... I was thinking about that last night. And again this morning.

And just for the record, I want to clarify where I stand on something.

The host of that show had suggested that "the universe" was looking out for me or providing answers to me, etc. And I simply said, "Right..." I think that I responded that way because I understood the intent of her comment and what people generally mean now-a-days when they say "the universe" brought them to such-and-such a place or moment or person or decision. The universe did it.

See, I am a Christian. I believe God came in the form of man as Jesus Christ. And that through His death, burial, and resurrection and my undeniable faith in Him, I obtain the remission of my sins and eternal life. The Bible is the inerrant Word of God and the only Truth by which I set the guidelines and goal posts of my life with the help of His Spirit. That is what I believe.

Now that you know what I believe, what does that have to do with that comment about the universe? Well, I've been on the planet more than a few years. And I interract with people from a variety of cultures and belief systems. But here is where I need to distinguish myself:

James 1:17 states - Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Matthew 6:9 states - [Jesus speaking] After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

My belief is that the universe brings me nothing.

EVERY good and EVERY perfect gift is from God, my Father. And I'm determined that only He should get the glory. I am concerned about people replacing the word "God" with the "the universe" as if He has become irrelevant. I believe in the Spiritual Law of Sowing and Reaping (Seedtime/Harvest) and the Law of Confession. However, I am no more willing to give glory to the universe for blessing my life than I am to thank the sun for shining. Neither do I try to hold a conversation with the universe. You cannot have a personal relationship with the universe. Right ...

My God created the universe and His glory is seen in it. The universe is not my "higher power" or "source of all good." I will stay connected to God the Most High, my Redeemer and Friend.

I respectfully disagree with those who think differently. I have no hate or harsh words to say against them. This was on my mind and I wanted to share what I am thinking ...

may the God of all Peace reign in your heart by His Spirit today.

Excerpts from a little book I wrote can be found here:
God of the Bible - God of the Church


http://www.BarbaraHoward.net