Take 2 Steps Toward Success – Learning And Taking Action

A willingness to learn new things is the first step to success. The second step  is to turn what you have learned into actions. 

Finding information and the willingness to learn new information is important, even if it can be overwhelming. Thanks to the internet, and instantly available ebooks, there are not many true excuses anyone can have for not finding the answers to a problem you have. There are facebook groups, forums, and networks on just about every subject. Peer support is a click away, courses on every subject are available, in many instances those are free. Gathering information is time-consuming, yet easy and possible.

Taking action, however, even if they are laid out in front of you, in workbooks, course assignments, daily assignment threads, or action prompts are often ignored, or “postponed” until a later time. I have heard so many excuses, real or imagined why someone could not follow through upon what they learned – from, lack of time to kids, to other responsibilities. Yet, we find time to talk about our favorite television shows, follow our favorite sports team, or leave comments on funny youtube videos.

If you want success you have to take both steps. 

There are no short-cuts around that fact – no one will learn what you need to learn for you, and no one will turn off that television or gaming console that distracts you from taking action. YOU have to make that commitment, YOU have to make that choice, between continued stagnant existence or success. Those two steps are the prize you have to pay, in order to become the person, I know you want to be.

Take those two steps and you will find, that the harder you work for your success, the less competition you will come in contact with. You see, too many choose the couch, the video game, the excuses, leaving a lot of opportunities open for those who are willing to work for it. They choose convenience over success.

Which one will you choose?

Blessings!

Claudia

P.S. If you are interested in growing now, and taking action now, join me at Wealthy Affiliate Network for free. Taking the first step to creating a first-rate online presence takes knowledge which can be sometimes elusive and confusing. Wealthy Affiliate has created free step-by-step lessons on how to build a website, how to find your niche, how to create great content and more. With incredible peer support, you can ask for as much or as little help as you need. What are you waiting for? Join now! 

 

 

Wordless Wednesday: Make Your Day Perfect

This blog post is a part of the following blog hops:

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesdays At 5 Minute Mom

Happy Spring! Wordless Wednesday 

Share With Me 

Be Inspired Blog Hop

 

 

How To Get Rid Of Your Headache Naturally – 6 Quick And Easy Remedies

Headaches happen for many reasons – stress, neck or posture problems, change of weather, or slight dehydration. No matter what the cause, I prefer to grab a natural health remedy to combat the pain, rather than grabbing for the chemical solutions of aspirin and company.

Here are few quick home remedies to get rid of headaches:

Anti-Headache Water:

Add the juice of a lemon to two cups of water, and two add the juice of a lemon to two cups of water, and two add the juice of a lemon to two cups of water, and two add the juice of a lemon to two cups of water, and two teaspoons or Himalayan Salt. Mix well, and drink as you would drink normally your water.

Medicinal Clay Available On Amazon

Medicinal clay mask
Create a thick paste with enough medicinal clay and water to cover your forehead only. Relax for 30 minutes, and rinse off thoroughly The cooling effect of medicinal clay works wonders on tension headaches!

Peppermint oil
Using pure peppermint essential oil can be also helpful for headaches. Simply massage a few drops (3 to 5 ) onto your temple for relief.

Cinnamon relief paste:
Mix one teaspoon of ground cinnamon with a teaspoon of water, and apply the paste upon your forehead. Leave on for 10 minutes, rinse off well.

Headache relief juice:

Black And Decker 400 Watt Juicer available on Amazon now!

If you have a juicer, try this green juice to make your headache go away:
1 stick of celery
3 large kale leaves
1/4 lemon
1/2 pineapple
1 small piece (about a half inch) of ginger root
1/2 of an organic cucumber

On The Road Headache Fix:
If you do not have access to any of these household items, and you are on the road, pick up Gatorade, and drink two cups of it rather than grab for an aspirin. This will cure most headaches rather quickly. follow the instructions of your juicer and enjoy

What are your favorite natural remedies for headache relief?

I am required by law to add this disclaimer:
For educational and entertainment purposes only. The information given in the above post, is not meant to replace the advice of a health care professional. Always consult with a health-care professional before using any alternative medicine or healing methods. Always make sure you are not allergic to any of the ingredients before use.

This post is  a part of the following blog hops:
Amaze Me Monday

Manic Mondays

Be Inspired

Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop

How to Find Energy to Follow Your Dreams Despite Chronic Illnesses – 4 Tips

(Disclaimer: The following post includes affiliate links. Opinions and experiences are my own)

Living with chronic illness does not have to be the end of your dreams. In fact, it can be the motivating factor to do more, to live a better life, to take better care of yourself and those who you love. It is all about making the choice of what you want to do with what is given to you.

I speak from experience. I have hypothyroidism, chronic anemia, partial deafness, and various allergies while my daughter has a severe form of a  chronic tic disorder – which leaves her often in pain from involuntary muscle spasms, as well as allergies. Despite that, we do not let this stop us from following through with our dreams and goals. While it might take a little more effort, planning, and motivation to follow through, it also gave us an opportunity to test our resolve and find ways to make things happen, no matter what is in our way.

Here are four tips on how to find the energy to follow through with your goals, despite chronic illnesses

1. Exercise – exercise (of course done under the supervision of your medical health professional) releases endorphins, powerful chemicals in your brain that energize your spirits and make you feel good.
2. Meditate – I know sitting in silence does not necessary sound like something that will give you energy, but it is amazing to find how energized, relaxed and stress-free you will feel when you begin adding a regular meditation routine to your life. Not only does it have a positive affect on your overall health, and therefore, whatever chronic condition you have, but it also gives you a positive, relaxed state of mind, which makes it easier to focus, an essential tool when you are trying to achieve a goal and stay motivated.
3. Eat right – that is a given. Whatever your dietary needs are to make your illness more comfortable or maybe even go into remission, follow through with it. No one can feel energized on a junk food diet. Remember what you put in, is what you get out. That goes as much for your work as it goes for your body and health.
4. Create rituals – a well thought out morning and evening ritual can assist you throughout your day. It is a lot easier to stay focused and motivated if you are following a carefully constructed routine, that prepares you for the upcoming daily activities. Tailor those rituals to fit your individual illness or disability, and if necessary, enlist help to get it set up.

Check out the following book on the subject for more information:

 

How To Live Well With Chronic Illness and Pain by Tony Bernhard

available on Amazon

17 Little Tips To Boost Your Brainpower

(Disclaimer: The following post contains affiliate links, see discloser page for details)

Sometimes it is the little adjustment that yields the most desired result. Which is the reason I compiled this list of little tips on how you can boost your brainpower with a relative little, or minimal effort.
Some of these might sound silly at first, but are proven to make your focus, determination, and workflow easier. Try them out for yourself!

 

1. Write down the random thoughts and ideas that come to mind, and put them into a file to get back later. The key action here is not to take any actions upon them, rather just collecting them.
2. Turn your phone to silence
3. Utilize Pocket for saving articles and videos to watch later
4. Sit by a window
5. Limit meetings to 15 minutes
6. Create a “stop doing” list
7. Focus on one project/action at a time
8. Automate as many tasks as you can
9. Celebrate small wins
10. Keep a done list
11. Smile at yourself in the mirror
12. Change to a more powerful stance/sitting position
13. Analyze which time of day you do your best work and schedule your most important work then
14. Utilize project managing apps like Nozbe
15. Delegate
16. Use a dictation app
17. “Read” audiobooks at 2X speed, do the same with Youtube videos and lectures.

 

Have a blessed day!

Claudia

18 Affirmations

The following blog post contains  affiliate link to Amazon. While I do receive a small compensation when you decide to purchase something via this link, the opinion about the book is completely my own.

Affirmations and mantras allow us to reprogram our inner chatter. They give us something to focus on, besides our negative and self-limiting thoughts, and if repeated often enough will assist us in changing our state, especially if those affirmations are practiced in conjunction with movement. Repeat the affirmations below, or any mantra of your choosing, while exercising, walking your dogs, brushing your teeth, or doing any other activity that usually would allow your mind to wonder.

 I am beautiful inside and out, and I allow my beauty to shine for all the world to see!

 I am special and unique in the world.

I face today’s difficulties with strength and wisdom.

 I feel the love of those who are not physically around me.

 I take pleasure in my own solitude.

 I am too big a gift to this world to feel self-pity.

 I love and approve of myself.

I am successful.

I am honest in my life, and my work.

I like completing tasks and projects on time.

I’m grateful for the job I have.

I enjoy working with my team.I’m bringing a positive attitude to work every day.

I am excellent at what I do.

 My marriage is becoming stronger, deeper, and more stable each day.

 I possess the qualities needed to be extremely successful.

 My business is growing, expanding, and thriving.

 Creative energy surges through me and leads me to new and brilliant ideas.

 Happiness is a choice. I base my happiness on my own accomplishments and the blessings I’ve been given.

Combined with gratitude and movement, the practice of affirmation can be very powerful. As with most spiritual and mental practices it should become a part of your daily routine, and not just an every once in a while practice for the best results.

Question For Today 

Do you have any special affirmations or mantras that keep you focused or in your creative zone?

If you are looking for some more  inspiration about affirmations or want to read more about them, check out “The Power of Affirmations –  1000 Positive Affirmations by Louise Stapley

It is a thorough book on affirmations covering the following topics

1. The purpose of Affirmations
2. How to create effective Affirmations
3. How to Tell if an Affirmations Will Work
4. How Often to Recite Affirmations
5. The Best Way to Recite Affirmations
6. Common Challenges in Using Affirmations
7. Conclusion: Use Affirmations With Care
8. Affirmation examples: For the physical body, (weight loss, anti-aging, weight gain, healthy hair and nails, exercise, health)
9. Affirmations for Wealth & Success (Money, career, success, abundance)
10. Affirmations for Love and Relationships (Love, Friendship, Romance, Family, Parent/Children, Marriage)
11. Affirmations for self-image (Self-esteem, confidence, strength, wisdom, attitude, memory) `
12. Affirmations for Peace and Harmony (Forgiveness, Happiness, Faith, Peace, Safety, Trust, Life)

I am grateful that you joined me today, and hope that you will have a wonderful and productive week.

Blessings

Claudia

9 Things To Be Grateful For Right Now

 

There is always something to be grateful for

1. Your breath. Take a moment to feel yourself breathing. Take a deep breath in and as you breathe out, say out loud “Thank you”.
2. Your bed. Take a few minutes to lie in bed, even if it is in the middle of the day. Feel the comfort of your body resting upon your mattress, the softness (or firmness) of your pillow. Repeat “Thank you” three times.
3. Books. Think about your favorite book and all of those books you have enjoyed reading. Allow the gratitude for books and their Authors fill you.The internet. What a marvelous invention it is! Pause throughout your internet activities throughout the day and give thanks.
4. The internet. What a marvelous invention it is! Pause throughout your internet activities throughout the day and give thanks.
5. Your food. The next time you sit down to eat, do so mindfully. Savor every bite, taste every morsel, and give thanks to the flavors that are playing on your tongue.
6. Your Personal Growth. Think back over the last five years, and think about all of the difficulties you have overcome. You are still standing! Be grateful for all of the lessons you have learned and strengths you have gained.
7. Your country. Unless you live in the middle of a war zone, you are better off than so many people. Your focus today should be only on the aspects of your country that make it great, and be fully grateful for them
8. Fresh baked anything. Fresh baked bread and cookies have the most amazing smell and taste.Be grateful for their existence. Then bake something.
9. Electricity. The power we take for granted. Next time you turn something on, give thanks to the power that makes this possible.

Check out this Gratitude Journal by James Proctor:

Available on Amazon now!

 

Best of Zazzle: Fitness

Need some extra motivation to stick with your Fitness resolution for 2016? Then you should really stop by Zazzle and check out what I found, that will make this year, your fittest year!

Nothing Tastes As Good As Fit Feels

Fight Like A Girl

Practice Like A Champion

PUSH Fitness Bag

Have a wonderful week!

Claudia

November Challenges – An Opportunity For Creatives

With three major challenges reaching across the blogging and writing world, November is a busy month for creative output. While trying to participate in all of them would be probably a thing of impossibility – or at least a Herculean feat – participating in one of those three is a great opportunity for writers, bloggers and artists alike.

The most popular one NaNoWriMo has its obvious benefits – finally finishing writing that novel, all the way through to the end. The groups and blogs out there, assisting those attempting to make it through are plenty. For anyone one of you, who is a part of this challenge, I am rooting for you.

A screenwriting challenge is called Zero Draft Thirty, helping screenwriters do the same – finish a script within 30 days.

The last one  – NaBloPoMo, the month-long challenge  for blogging – holds within it the opportunities for those of us who are creatives of a different kind – visual artists, photographers, crafters, cooks and print-on-demand artists. NaBloPoMo is a wonderful change to showcase your individual talents, and draw attention to them.

But even if you do not have the time to commit to such a month-long event, you can use those of us who are as an inspiration to try a little bit harder, to put yourself out there just a little more, and to join smaller groups and challenges, and maybe a few extra blog hops. Be a part of the excitement by cheering your friends on, or bringing attention to those who are creating and putting their work out there. And maybe, just maybe, next year you will join us in those major challenges, and you will be able to say to yourself, and other fellow artists out there – I did it!

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Have you created something fun, exciting, beautiful or interesting this week? I have been working on a few designs last night, one of them, I want to share with you today. It is called “Playtime By The Tree”, and is a mixed media piece, available as a canvas print on RedBubble.

Playtime By The Tree

 

Have a wonderful week!

Claudia

P.S. If you need more motivation, why not jump over to Create With Joy and read all of the wonderful blog posts that are a part of the “Inspire Me Monday” blog hop!

Writing Challenges: Why We Love WritingChallenge.org And Why You Should Too

Are you a writer? Then, you – most likely – know how hard it is to carve time away from life to dedicate to your craft. Commitment to your dream conflicts with your responsibilities, and sometimes a little extra motivation could be beneficial to move from wanting to write that book, to actually writing that book.

This is where writingchallenge.org comes in – a Twitter-based accountability group for writers, that asks for a small daily commitment of just 500 words or 1 hour of editing, while providing encouragement and support.

I could tell you the many benefits of joining this wonderful group of people, but I decided it would be more effective to allow them to tell you.

Aura Eadon wrote:

Join a community that creates accountability and a support network through positive influence and total lack of shaming. Zero is as good as 500 and that is as good as 5000

Ryan Macayden stated:

There are lots of people who want to write a book someday but the writers are the ones who actually sit down and do it, one word at a time. It truly is that easy and that hard.

Like the best of characters, we’re all flawed. We don’t always make writing a priority. We might not even write every day. Heck, we sometimes allow life and our own self-doubt to sabotage our creative endeavors but it doesn’t have to be that way. That’s where writing challenges like WritingChallenge.org  can help.

Not writing every day? The challenge pushes participates to write 500 words daily and forces them to make writing a priority. For some, that might seem daunting at first but by the end of the month, most will find the words come faster and faster the more they do it. You might even have developed a writing habit by then!

Self-doubt getting you down? The community surrounding the challenge are made of up writers just like you. Chances are high we’ve been right where you are and can help you get through it. We’re a pretty supportive bunch and want to see you succeed, no matter what. Need a writing sprint? Need to bounce around some ideas? Or just having a hard day? We’re here for you.

Writing might be a solitary endeavor but that doesn’t mean you’re alone. Join us!

Erin Cochran wrote:

I think the strong suit here is accountability and encouragement plus we get bits and pieces of writing advice as we need it.

Andrew McQueen answered:

The idea of this group is to give other writers a chance to tell the story they want to tell. And all genres are welcome.

Harmony Williams wrote:

I love this challenge because it motivates me and keeps me on track. On days I don’t meet my goals, the supportive challengers remind me that my progress is important, however small. The challenge motivates me to meet an achievable minimum but doesn’t bar me from doing more. And I’ve made many invaluable friends!

Christina Patterson Quesada  stated:

No one understands the struggle of being a writer better than a writer. Without this group of writers and their support, I don’t know if I’d be in the editing process right now. The reasons Ryan gave for joining are exactly why I joined the writing challenge

Beverly Lee wanted you to know:

The challenge works because it’s attainable. 500 words isn’t a huge amount. It’s enough to see progress but not enough to be daunting. The same for the hour editing. This can be broken up into little bits if time is an issue too. Gradually you see your dreams unfolding. You get the incredible support of like minded people, who will cheer you on or lift you up on those days when the words all freeze together. Without the challenge I wouldn’t have completed my first novel. Now I’m on my second. That’s why you should join!

_____

As you can see from the participant’s responses, there are many benefits to being a part of WritingChallenge.org .Joining is easy, all you have to do is follow this link, and add your name to the participation log, then jump over to Twitter and connect with us via our monthly hashtag – currently we are using #SeptWritingChallenge for the month of September.

We are looking forward to welcoming you into our group!

Blessings and Happy Writing!

Claudia

P.S. Are you writing an Ebook? Not sure how? Check out this course: “How to Write And Publish An EBook”   today!