UnStoppable Entrepreneur

I got back from San Diego this morning and my head is still buzzing with love, excitement and heart-felt gratitude. 

 
There were many defining moments during this special event that Jonathan Budd put together, but I wanted to share just ONE really special experience with you.

He was talking about how true wealth is not just about money, it's so much linked with acts of service. That's very true! In my Kitty Cheng - Transform & Grow Rich facebook page I always share about how wealth is holistic and even spiritual in nature. In UnStoppable I have such an assurance that what I am passionate about is what I am called to do. It's vocational, intentional, relational and operational!!! We are on this journey to share with and serve others!

Jonathan also mentioned...

"Learn to open your heart more and more; you will discover all the wealth you can imagine....you will discover untapped riches and those riches live in the heart of each person; every one of us"

Wow reflect on that for a second...

-Wealth is a result of you opening your heart
-Untapped riches can be discovered through your heart
-Those riches in fact in live in all of our hearts.

Please follow your dreams, follow your heart and you too will be unstoppable and wealth!!!

Happiness

Jim Rohn said, "Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present." So let's think about how we can be as happy as we make up our minds to be:

1. Count your blessings - I prefer to count my blessings rather than money. Being rich is not just about how much cash we do or don't have, but to appreciate what we already have!
2. Pursue your life passion and purpose - To be able to define the meaning of life gives us joy and happiness.
   
3. Focus on what truly matters – Life itself is a gift and a miracle. Being able to concentrate on what truly matters makes us happy.
4. Take action to achieve your goals - Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.
5. Cultivate the habit of being grateful - The attitude of gratitude is the foundation of happiness in life. Give thanks continuously.
6. Embrace challenges in life – The tough situations and difficulties help us to become stronger and wiser. 
7. Don't engage in people's negativity –  Negative people tend to exaggerate issues they are facing, making their predicament seem a lot worse than it actually is. Be prepared to cut the conversation short when needed so your energy is not drained.
8. Be conscious of your attitude – Happiness is an attitude and a choice. We can make a decision to be happy or sad, regardless of what surrounds us.
9.  Look for the positive in life - There is always something good in any situation. When faced with a challenging situation, ask yourself“What is good about this?”
10. Share happiness with others - Be kind to other people. Compliment the people around you. People appreciate positivity and the more you share it with others the more you receive it.

How To Stop The Blame Game

We all need to take ownership of our attitudes and behaviors. Failure to accept responsibility of our life, business and family can lead to broken friendship, relationship and even marriage.  The reality is that people who always 'play the blame game' are the most unhappy people one earth.

So how can you stop the blame game and prevent the spread of blame in your family, community and business? Here are some valuable tips:

• Don't blame others for your mistakes. Pointing the finger to others when you make a mistake or not achieving results shows the flaw of your mindset. You will not gain respect and loyalty from your family members, friends or business partners if you do that. Mistakes can teach useful lessons that lead to future success so own them.
• When you do blame, do so constructively. There are times when people's mistakes really do need to be surfaced. In these cases, make sure to highlight that the goal is for them to learn from those mistakes. Then it's up to the other person to take responsibility and ownership. If they don't it's not your problems, but theirs.
• Set an example by confidently taking ownership for failures. Blame is negatively contagious, but not among those who feel psychologically secure. Therefore developing a sense of inner peace and security is helpful. Remember that failures are just stepping stones towards success.
• Always focus on learning. An environment of learning and implementing at home or business helps us stop pointing the finger to others. The key is being willing to be coached and take action.

In the scripture, the apostle Paul writes that we are to take off the "old self" and "put on the new self" (Ephesians 4:22-24). We need to identify the old behavior as unacceptable and learn new ways to take responsibility for our choices. We need to take responsibility rather than blaming and making excuses. The Bible promises that even though this kind of discipline can be painful for the moment, in the end it produces "a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it" (Hebrews 12:11).

A Great Business Model

Normally, when I see sales letters throwing around statements like
"make an extra 10k a month" I'm weary... most of the people who put
together offers like that, are NOT doing those kind of numbers.

So when I saw Matt Lloyd - a 25 y/old from Aus saying something
similar... I didn't pay too much attention.

Then I saw this image:

http://screencast.com/t/l2gO6dCu

That is Matt's numbers for the past 28 days of August. The number on the right,
is what he collected AFTER refunds.

So, now the idea of him showing me (or you) what business model
we can use to get an extra 10k this month does not seem all that
unreasonable.

Here's his new PDF handbook which explains it all (just put your email in to get access):

https://businessbuilders.infusionsoft.com/go/imrevolution/kitping/

I have learned so much from this handbook that my business has already benefited from it.Take a look, see what you learn.

Holistic Wealth From The Inside Out

The Importance Of Goal Setting & Action Taking

Have you set your goals for your life, relationships, health and finance? If so, are they written down?

Goals are like a blueprint. When you go on a journey, you use a map or gps to track where you are at towards your destination.  If you don't know your destination, you won't know how close or far you're away from your goals.

Once you have your goals written down, you need to develop an action plan, and then take massive and consistent action to keep you on track with your goals. You need to be as specific as you can in outlining the steps in achieving your short-term and long-term goals. Include in your plan how you will go about achieve each steps. You need to take consistent actions on a daily basis towards your goals.

You also need to take into account the possibility of both external and internal obstacles. Eg: financial difficulties, scattered mind (clutter and chaos), difficult working relationships, procrastination, fear of failure etc.

What's even more important than your goals is the beliefs you have about your ability to achieve goals. Your beliefs influence whether you take action steps, how much effort you will put into these actions, and how long you will persist at taking action in the face of obstacles. If you have found yourself stuck in taking action steps, it may be helpful to focus on increasing your belief and developing your faith.
You can spend hours and hours on writing down your goals and action plan, editing them and even reading them over and over again, but until you can find ways to take consistent daily steps toward your goals nothing will happen for you. Your actions need not be significant, but they must be consistent. Take small steps and trust that you can move forward. In no time, you’ll build momentum. Just wait and see. I've been there done that and grateful that I am on track to my goals and dreams :) x

My Favourite Online Marketing Coaching Program

I purchased this Futuristic Marketing Coaching Program a few weeks ago and I am so thankful for that. I've learned so much since then. It's amazing! There are 2 coaching programs: Futuristic Traffic, and Futuristic Influence are both amazing! The facebook lead accelerator, the influence machine software and the alliance are second to none.

I learned how to make a page through this coaching program. And yes the page can be on anything you want. So far I've been able to study and implement so much online knowledge through facebook ad, webinar, aweber etc.

I love the teaching on 'Avatar", "Capture page secrets" and "How to write a perfect ad" in the Module  of Futuristic Influence. I got so many nuggets from that one module alone. Learning about facebook advertising guidelines and ad strategies was extremely helpful too!

Right now you can take our featured "marketers test", plus access all the free videos of the series (click here). I highly recommend you experience the free assessment of your marketing skills & the video series.

It will IMPACT you in a huge way, and you'll get a feel for why so many people chose to take their lives & incomes to the next level with Futuristic Marketing.

Source: futuristicmarketing.com via Kitty on Pinterest

Take Action And Succeed

Are you going to do something? Or are you actually doing it? The difference between getting real results and just thinking about it lies in what we actually do. So many times, we plan to do things. We are going to change our life, annihilate our debt, lose weight, go after our dreams of traveling the world, pay off our mortgage. We are going to learn about and implement business essentials. We are going to achieve the level of success we want in life and business.

But it doesn’t matter what we are "going to" do. What matters is what we actually do. Walk the talk, not just talk the talk. It’s all about taking action.

How many times have you been “going to” do something, and just procrastinate or make excuses why you are not able to do it because of this and that? Your intention is not lining up with your words and action. Once you do take action — despite your fears and your excuses — you will see results. Often, your only regret will be that you didn’t take action sooner.

The reality is until you step out and take action, you won't go anywhere. It all starts with you. Success follows after those who take action. So are you “going” to do something? Or are you doing it?

Protect Yourself From Energy Drainers

Do you feel emotionally, mentally and physically exhausted after being with certain people? These people can just deplete and consume the positive energy out of your lives.  Most of the time, you just move on. But when you are feeling drained by them continuously it is time to start thinking about what you can do to free yourselves from these energy drainers.

On a piece of paper, list some actions you can take to free yourself from negative people and the energy-drainers in your life.  Before taking action on any of these items, take a good long look at the situation and ask yourself why this is an energy drainer.  Your actions may include experiencing the emotions and then let them go, limit contact with certain individuals, and simply not attending the events that drain you.

On a positive note, energy drainers in your life can be a blessing in disguise. That has been my personal experience. I used to spend quite a lot of time with this individual that I wanted to help, but she keeps on draining my energy, telling lies and showing how untrustworthy she is. Through my interaction with her, I was shown that I needed to empower and honour myself, rather than let them take advantage of me and manipulate me. She helps me to learn how to protect myself, choose to focus on what is right and what is good!

Here are some of the signs to look for in regards to an energy drainer:

• They blame everyone and everything else for their problems and never take any responsibility
• They are almost always complaining and making excuses
• They always have an urgent problem (drama queen) and do things last minute
• They intrude on your life and ignore boundaries
• They are always the victim
• They have negative outlook on life and make big deals out of nothing
• They always feel like people are out to get them and even delusional
• They make you feel drained and exhausted

People like that are definitely not contributing to a fantastic friendship or relationship. You need to protect yourself from them. You need to stand up for yourself and your boundaries! Your time, positive energy, and resources are precious and should be closely guarded from energy drainers.

How To Avoid Procrastination

There is a quotation from Jack Canfield’s book, The Success Principles, which says: “The principles always work if you work the principles”. To me, it does translate into a variation of the work ethic.  This means doing instead of just thinking. 

And doing is synonymous to action, execution, implementation, carrying out – all these convey the active mode as opposed to the passive mode of just thinking, wishing and wanting. 

The human brain knows no limits when it comes to thinking out ways and strategies in dealing with all kinds of problems, but if these strategies and plans are NOT acted upon, they really hold no meaning – they’re like empty blueprints camouflaged in sparkling rhetoric. 

Procrastination pervades every aspect of our lives.  And we’ve mastered it to perfection having learned a subtle form of it when we were babies. 

We delayed falling asleep because our mothers wouldn’t cradle us in her arms.  We’ve procrastinated in performing our duties at home, in school, in the work place, and in our most fragile human relationships.  We shudder to think what the final tally of lost hours will be because we procrastinated habitually.

Procrastination is an expensive habit.  I discovered that one of the ways that helps me avoid procrastination is to figure out the dollar amount of something that was not done because of procrastination. 

It all points to the generally accepted idea that time is money. This alone can serve as a strong motivator not to procrastinate again.  Or at least to try not procrastinate!

Jack Canfield quoted Brian Tracy to drive home the message:  “Life is like a combination lock; your job is to find the right numbers, in the right order, so you can have anything you want”.

Not procrastinating will make us appreciate the life we have now.  And as we build on the small steps, we’d be amazed at how much we can accomplish over the years. In deciding not to procrastinate, you may want to accompany this determination with clear cut and well defined goals. 

In other words, have a goal that is quantified, and not just qualified. 

For example, saying “I will lose weight” is NOT as powerful as “I will lose 10 kilos by 30th September.”  These are concrete data you can work with.  “I will lose weight” sounds noble enough, but let’s be specific, shall we?

Do you have any tips on avoiding procrastination? I'd like to hear them.

Never Never Never Give Up

Today is the first day of the second half of 2012. How time flies. I think it's a good idea to take some time out to look back at the first half of the year. As you review and reflect, you may wish to ask yourself some of the following questions regarding the last 6 months.

• When did I fail in my goals? (why?)
• When did I give love?
• Where did I receive love?
• What Habits and life patterns have I formed?
• When did I feel most alive? Most drained of life?
• When did I have the greatest sense of belonging? Least sense of belonging?
• When was I most free? Least free?
• When was I most creative? Least creative?
• When did I feel most fully myself? Least myself?
• When did I feel most whole? Most fragmented?

My business partner and coach Eric Bailey sent the following email with a list of people who didn't quit and finally succeeded. I was encouraged by each of them and would like to share with you.

Henry Ford failed and went broke five times before he finally succeeded.

Beethoven handled the violin awkwardly and preferred playing his own compositions instead of improving his technique. His teacher called him hopeless as a composer.

Colonel Sanders had the construction of a new road put him out of business in 1967. He went to over 1,000 places trying to sell his chicken recipe before he found a buyer interested in his 11 herbs and spices. Seven years later, at the age of 75, Colonel Sanders sold his fried chicken company for a finger-lickin' $15 million!

Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor for lack of ideas. Disney also went bankrupt several times before he built Disneyland.

Albert Einstein did not speak until he was four years old and didn't read until he was seven. His teacher described him as "mentally slow, unsociable and adrift forever in his foolish dreams." He was expelled and refused admittance to Zurich Polytechnic School. The University of Bern turned down his Ph.D. dissertation as being irrelevant and fanciful.

The movie Star Wars was rejected by every movie studio in Hollywood before 20th-Century Fox finally produced it. It went on to be one of the largest grossing movies in film history. 

Louis Pasteur was only a mediocre pupil in undergraduate studies and ranked 15 out of 22 in chemistry. When General Douglas MacArthur applied for admission to West Point, he was turned down, not once but twice. But he tried a third time, was accepted and marched into the history books. 

After Fred Astaire's first screen test, the memo from the testing director of MGM, dated 1933, said, "Can't act! Slightly bald! Can dance a little!" Astaire kept that memo over the fireplace in his Beverly Hills home.

So what about you????

How To Relax When Your Time Is Limited

Time is valuable, and to many people, limited. But it's important to take time out to relax even if it's only a few minutes here and there. Below are some relaxation techniques you can use on a daily basis to unwind when your time is limited:

(1) Breathing Exercise: sit comfortably, and breathe in slowly. Hold it for four counts, breathe out for four counts, and breathe in again for four counts. As you continue to do this, visualize each vertebrae and muscle from your tailbone where you sit up through the crown of your head, unhinging, relaxing, loosening. This should have you feeling nice and relaxed.

(2) Dream Holidays: Spend a few minutes googling your dream holiday destinations. Studies have shown that test subjects that viewed pleasing images of travel destinations showed lower pulse and blood pressure.

(3) Physical Activities: You could run up and down the stairs a few times and really get that heart-rate going. Research suggests that any physical activity that raises the heart rate for minutes at a time can improve mood, relieve depression, and increase feelings of well-being. No need to train for a triathlon, just get moving!

(4) Positive Affirmations: Give yourself a few words of encouragement every day for a few minutes. When you get stuck saying only negative things to yourself, acknowledge your mini-me and remind yourself that you are talented, hard working, and smart, you’ll be more capable to handle the hard times without feeling overwhelmed.

It’s daunting to think of walking away from your work, but by taking a step back and returning refreshed to the task at hand, you’ll be doing yourself a favor.

Time Management Techniques for Entrepreneurs

We have previously discussed the importance of the 80/20 rule in terms of time management. However,  there is a difference between the ideas of time management when you work a standard 9-5 job, as opposed to when you’re working on your own time as an entrepreneur.

When you are a business owner, you don't get paid by trading your time for money by getting paid a flat rate no matter what you do. Therefore, each second now matters and is directly linked to your own potential income. When you work for yourself, time literally is money, and you want to make sure you’re spending it in the best possible way.

So how do you stay focused? Here are some techniques to keep yourself on-task, when there’s essentially no one around to keep you accountable.

1. Take some time to ease yourself into the day. Don’t get out of bed and sit down at the computer straight away. You’ll find it more difficult to stay on task if you jump right in. (READ “Seven Minutes in Heaven” for ways to relax when your time is limited.)

2. Take breaks during the day. It’s easy to get caught up in what you’re doing, and without a set “lunch hour” or break, you’ll feel guilty stepping away. But remember that keeping yourself refreshed and motivated makes your working time more productive, so don’t be afraid to take a (reasonable) meal or relaxation break. You’ve earned it!

3. Make lists. A great list to have is ABC. A: As soon as possible; B: Before end of day: C: can wait. Once it’s on the paper, stick do it and you will get to it when you are done working.

4. Stay organized. A messy work area is a great excuse not to get work done. At the end of your “work day” or right before you take a break, tidy up so that when you sit down and start to work, your area is always clear.

5. Work in an area where you feel relaxed, creative, and charged with entrepreneurial spirit! This could be your laptop on your porch with a mug of herbal tea, or in an office you’ve painted and decorated to feel like a beach cottage. It could be at a cafe or in the library, or at the kitchen table. Wherever you feel your most creative and energized is where you should set up shop.

6. Set goals. Daily, weekly, monthly, etc. Make sure that there is always a task or project to be working toward completing, even abstract things, so you are always using your time purposefully.

7. Set time limits. Example: If your goal is “write a blog post to promote my business,” you should set a reasonable time limit for that goal, like “one hour.” This helps you avoid wasting time pretending to work. If it’s not done, move on, and come back to it later.

Most important of all, ENJOY YOURSELF! Remember: You are your own boss! You’re working for YOU now! This is what you wanted, and you’ve achieved it. Don’t lose sight of why you wanted to work for yourself. Chances are, it was to make more time and money for your family or other priorities, so make sure that you are doing just that!

Do you have any additional time management tips to add to this list?

Delayed Gratification

Sigmund Freud said that a momentary pleasure, uncertain in its results, is given up, but only in order to gain in the new way an assured pleasure coming later.  Delayed Gratification is an important factor of success, as well as the forerunner of achievement and fulfillment.


Joachim de Posada, in this TED talk here, explains how delayed gratification was a good predictor of future success.

7 Pillars of Wisdom

Blueprint 2 BIGNESS shared "The 7 Pillars of Wisdom for Business" which I find helpful, and always strive to apply and live out in my own business. Here they are:

1. Ethics: business ethics and values
2. Humility: service centric; focus on internal and external clients; giving credit and not taking it
3. Instruction: training, mentoring, coaching, education
4. Discipline: alignment to vision values and purpose; implementing strategy; organisational and cultural transformation
5. Knowledge: knowledge repository, mentoring, intranet, training, information sharing, peer facilitated mentoring
6. Integrity: keeping promises, “walking the talk”, modelling values
7. Honesty: truth, transparency, authenticity, sincerity

All 7 Pillars are important, and I particularly resonate with Pillar #4. Discipline is doing the things we need to do, when we need to do it, whether we feel like it or not. Unless we change how we are, we will always have what we've got. Nothing of importance is ever achieved without discipline. Our goals, dreams and purpose can't be achieved without discipline, vision can't be realised without it. It takes huge discipline to make a difference.

How do you feel about these 7 pillars? Which one do you resonate with the most?

Give Up Your Excuses

Do you have a habit of making excuses? Well if we are honest we all have them. We all have the 'justified reasons' why we are not getting the results we want in life. But you know what? Behind these reasons are the unwillingness to take full responsibility for your life.

To be happy, successful and reach our goals and dreams in life, we need to pack all our excuses away and eliminate them. We limit ourselves because of the excuses we make. According to George Carver, "ninety-nine percent of all failures come from people who have a habit of making excuses." Hence, if we don't want to fail we'd better give up our excuses!

Have you heard of the "PLOM" symptom? It stands for "Poor Little Old Me", which really is a victim mentality - a mindset that allows people to think that making excuses is valid. A good friend of mine always encourage people with "PLOM" symptom to ask themselves if they have seen anyone being successful in spite of their excuses. If not then it's time to get rid of their excuses. I absolutely agree with her. Therefore, if excuses are stopping you from reaching your full potential, I encourage you to stop your excuses so they don't have the power to control you as you commit to stop making excuses and taking responsibility!

What is Celiac Disease

Celiac disease also known as celiac sprue, nontropical sprue and gluten sensitive enteropathy, is a disease concerning the digestive system in that it damages the small intentine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food.

The protein gluten, found in wheat, rye and barley, cannot be tolerated by people with celiac disease.  When people with celiac disease eat foods containing gluten, their immune system responds by damaging or losing the villi, tiny finger like protrusions, on the lining of the small intestine.  Nutrients from food are absorbed into the bloodstream through these villi.  Without villi, a person becomes malnourished regardless of the quantity of food eaten.

Celiac disease is considered an autoimmune disorder because the body's own immune system causes the damage.  It is also classified as disease of malabsorption because nutrients are not absorbed.

It is a genetic disease, meaning that it runs in families.  Sometimes the disease is triggered, or becomes active for the first time, after surgery, pregnancy, childbirth, viral infection or severe emotional stress.

What are the Symptoms?
Symptoms may or may not occur in the digestive system.  For example, one person might have diarrhea and abdominal pain, while another person has irritability or depression.  In fact, irritability is one of the most common symptoms in children.  Other systems are especially concerning children because they need the nutrients to develop properly.  Symptoms may include one or more of the following:

• Behavior changes
• Bone pain
• Chronic diarrhea
• Delayed growth
• Failure to thrive in infants
• Fatigue
• Gas
• Missed menstrual periods 
• Muscle cramps
• pain in the joints
• Painful skin rash, called dermantitis herpetiformis
• Pale, foul-smelling stool
• Pale, sores inside the mouth, called aphthus ulcers
• Recurring abdominal bloating and pain
• Seizures
  
• Tingling numbness in the legs
• Tooth discoloration or loss of enamel
• Weight loss

What are the complications of Celiac Disease?

A person with Celiac disease is at risk for several diseases and health problems because of damage to the small intestine and resulting problems with nutrient absorption.

• Lymphoma and adenocarcinoma are types of cancer that can develop in the intestine
• Osteoporosis is a condition from poor calcium absorption in which the bones become weak, brittle and prone to breaking
• Miscarriage and congenital malformation of the baby, such as neural tube defects
• Children may developed into short stature
• Seizures or convulsions, result from inadequate absorption of folic acid causing calcium deposits called calcification, to form in hte brain, which in turn cause seizures

What can be done?

• Eating meals that include rice, corn and buckwheat
• A change of diet consists of tons of fermented foods that are not wheat based especially homemade yogurt, kefirs, sour cream and cottage cheese.
• Plenty of veggies, nuts, seeds and fruits are beneficial
  

MA Nutritional Supplements that may help the condition:

Ultimate Aloe, OPC-3, Antioxidant, Multivitamin, Vitamin C,
Digestive Enzyme, Calcium, B-Complex, Complete Green

For those of you who reside in Australia, you can order these supplements here. 


***Article taken from Market Australia Health Blog***

Say No To Cancer!

Cancer is the body's natural auto-genic self-healing system responding beautifully to try and keep you alive in spite of your ignorant and or weak willed self !

Here is an example, say you are diagnosed with stomach cancer.  Each of your cells has a job to muscle cells, eye cells and blood cells.  They are all constantly working and they will do the job no matter what.

The stomach cells have a job of producing mucous to protect the stomach lining from the acid that other cells make in order to digest the food you eat.  However, the foodless foods like doughnuts, soda pop, processed white flour, synthetic and processed sugars etc... create plaque sludge that cells don't recognise.

The plaque could become lodged onto the lining of the stomach, covering some of the mucous producing cells if it isn't removed by water and fiber from wholesome whole foods and walking.  Cells often lose their ability to perform their tasks when they are coated in plaque.

NOW get this! A cell will do what a cell's gotta do to do this job; they never slouch.  For example, supposed that daily, a cell is to make "X" amount of mucous.  This mucosal lining is to completely replace itself every three to five days.  Say, though, that this particular cell is blocked by plaque and can only product 5% of the "X" mucous.  This cell then will go into mitosis to make 20 other cells so that it can get the job done.  The 20 new cells will be doing the same job as the original cell, but they will also be covered with plaque from the original cell.

This means that they too, will divide themselves into 20 more cells each in order to accomplish their job.  So, that means there will be 400 new cells trying to get the job of the first cell's task of "X" amount done.  This is what we call Cancer or your cells trying to protect you. 

Then what will happen is the autoimmune and self-healing intelligence of other specialised cells will see what is going on and move into the area in order to build a room.  This room will contain the flow of plaque being renewed every day by the foods being eaten lie foodless foods and lifeless drinks, supplements and medications.  This room will also try to contain the cells trying to keep up their assigned task.  We call this room a Tumor.  Really, it is brilliant, self-containment area for disabled cells and toxic sludge.

The simplest and best solution

1. Stay away from foodless foods and drinks that create the plaque.
2. Make sure to get ample fresh air, clean water, sunshine, walking and intact whole foods to remove the thick catarrhal plaque that led to the problem in the first place.  Then the tumor is no longer needed so that body slowly empties its contents into the metabolic cold fusion furnace for disposal and elimination.  Life is good and health returns; so Cancer is your friend, plaque is not.
3. All medication add to the plaque.  No plaque = No worms.

(Article Taken From Ma Blog)

Little Things Matter

"All successful people are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect, and then they work everyday toward their distant vision, that goal or purpose. ~ Brian Tracy

Are you aware that baby steps, little things, daily consistent actions are what matter? It's easy for us to get stuck in the rat race and don't know how to get out of the rut, but if we can focus on one little thing and baby step at a time, our big goals can be achieved!

According to successful entrepreneur Todd Smith, little things matter! The little things can influence every part of our lives and make all the difference, whether it's our relationship, business, health and career. It's the little thing that matters, and gives us the edge.

Here are some of the little things that can make a big difference in our lives:

• Calling people by their names
• Arriving at appointments 10-15 minutes before
• Smiling and being friendly in communications
• Being presentable and tidy, wearing make up
• Keeping shoes clean all the time
• Returning people's calls and emails asap
• Making eye contact
• Sending a thank-you note after presentation

For things to get better, we must get better. Each time we get an idea for an action from an inspiration, we must implement it immediately. Don’t delay. Don’t procrastinate. It's the little things that ultimately mean the most!

The Powerful Antioxidant Pycnogenol® To Improve Skin

Human skin is the body’s first line of defense and often mirrors the health, nutritional status and age of a person. Over time, skin shows signs of aging due to the gradual breakdown of collagen and elastin. However, skin can be rebuilt and made healthier no matter one’s age. Natural supplement Pycnogenol®, an antioxidant plant extract from the bark of the French maritime pine tree, was found to improve skin hydration and elasticity in women in a clinical trial published this month in Skin Pharmacology and Physiology.

The study was conducted at the Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine (IUF) in Dusseldorf, Germany and examined 20 healthy women, aged 55 – 68 years. Participants were given 75 mg of Pycnogenol® per day, over a period of 12 weeks. Skin hydration, skin elasticity and skin fatigue were assessed by non-invasive biophysical methods at trial start and after six and 12 weeks.

Study results confirmed Pycnogenol® improved skin at a physiological and molecular level. Pycnogenol® increased hyaluronic acid in women by 44 percent after 12 weeks of supplementation. Hyaluronic acid binds large quantities of water in the skin and in other tissues, such as cartilage. An increased amount of hyaluronic acid explains the increased skin hydration, higher elasticity and overall smoother skin appearance found in women taking Pycnogenol®.

“This exciting and technically advanced investigation with women representing actual consumer profiles greatly supports our efforts for targeting the skin beauty category for both dietary supplements and functional foods,” says Victor Ferrari, CEO of Horphag Research, exclusive worldwide suppliers of Pycnogenol®, who welcomes the publication.

According to Ferrari, beauty from within has been a driver in Horphag’s business for the last several years, with Asian markets providing numerous Pycnogenol® products in the skincare field. This study joins a sizable and largely expanding portfolio of already established skin research on Pycnogenol®. It confirms previous indications that Pycnogenol® improves human skin conditions, including promoting glowing skin and reducing the appearance of over-pigmentation and skin inflammation, resulting in a more even complexion.

Market Australia provides the unique OPC-3®, an isotonic-capable supplement that functions as a potent free-radical scavenger. OPC-3 contains Pycnogenol®, grape seed, grape skin and pine bark. 

Live With Passion

My Business Partner and Coach Eric Bailey has written a great blog post entitled 5 Steps to Living More Passionately.

Here are the 5 steps to living with passion according to Eric, which I am committed to following as well:

1. Find what you are passionate about.
2. Get your priorities straight. 
3. Set SMART (specific, measureable, attainable, realistic, and timely) goals. 
4. Focus on what you want instead of what you don’t have. 
5. Reach for the stars!

I totally agree with Eric that living life passionately is not only about doing the things you like to do, but about living as if every day is your last one here on this earth. Yes we are all made in the image of God, as such we all have great potential, gifts and talents that were put inside of us by our Creator.

Living with passion is so important to me. And it allows me to fulfill my life purpose which is to help people to transform and grow rich in life's major areas: spiritual life, relationships, personal development, health and finances, starting from myself.

Scent Of Life Club.m4v

Richness In Spiritual Life

Our spirituality is the essence and core of our existence, and the foundation of our lives. Our spiritual life has eternal significance and it impacts the rest of our lives in many ways. Each of us is a unique creation, made in the image of God - as such, what would you like your imprint on this world, your legacy, to be?

In order to answer the above question, we need to ask ourselves these following questions:

(1) Where will our Creator be in our lives this year? Do we want to get to hear His voice more in our daily life? If so, how is this going to happen?

(2) What will you do to invest in your relationship with God, or is it just a one way street where you call on the Lord whenever you need Him? What can you do in your daily work life to honor and glorify Him?

(3) Will 2012 be the year that you let God be King in your life and what does that really mean anyway? Will you include Him in your personal and business decisions both big and small?

(4) Will this be the year that you trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding but in all your ways, acknowledge Him and allow Him to direct your path?

(5) Will this be the year that the walls of separation between work and spiritual life come down and you allow God to invade the market place with you, as your business partner?

(6) What is it you fear or avoid most that you know you should be doing, that you will overcome by walking in faith with God's help this new year? How will you stretch your faith this year?

If you have not yet discovered God's plan for your life, I encourage you to begin focusing on your spiritual life. Spend time with God in prayer. Read His word, the Bible. Listen to what He is saying to you about your life, and follow His direction and guidance so that you will be transformed and grow rich in all areas of your life.

The Scatter Head

In the last couple of weeks as I have been talking to various people about their goals in 2012, I found that one of the obstacles that stop people from achieving their goals (apart from lack of clarity and specificity) is the lack of focus. This 'scatter head syndrome' seems to be a common phenomenon.

Do you ever feel like you are going in many different directions but not really going anywhere? Eg: housewives or home-based business owners, you find yourselves running around the house to do something, only to forget what you were going to do. You start doing something else, and then forget that email or conversation you are having in the middle of an online chat with someone when you think of something else that needs to be done. Perhaps you're busy all day but have nothing to show for your busyness / business.

The following 3 things are what I do that help me overcome this challenge, which I have found to be very helpful, and trust will be beneficial for you, if you are suffering from this scatter head syndrome:

(1) Have a Specific Action Plan for Each Day

Before you begin each day, know exactly what you want to accomplish and what's on your schedule. What do you need to feel like you had a productive and focused day at the end of each day? What is most important to you for this particular day only?

Pick a few tasks and activities from your "To Do" list that you would like to focus on for the day and write them on a piece of paper or a 4x6 card, or on your diary. Focus ONLY on those tasks for the day.

(2) Minimise Distractions
Everything and everyone is fighting for our attention. Eg: household chores, children, television, internet surfing, phone calls etc. If you are trying to finish something, focus on IT.  Save television and internet surfing as rewards for completing the tasks you want to do. Let small children know when you will be available to play, talk to them while you're finishing a task, or get them involved.

(3) Reduce Stress
Stress is a major cause of a scattered head so you NEED to find ways to minimise it. The three best ways to reduce stress are healthy diet & nutritional supplements, rest and exercise. When you are tired, your coping mechanisms get weak. Add Isotonix OPC3, Isotonix Advanced B Complex, Multi-Vitamin and Fish Oil to your supplement regime. They are known for being able to reduce stress and improve energy and vitality. You can order them on my webportal 24/7 online shop here.

A scatter head does not mean you are bound to a life of failure, forgetfulness, lack of productivity or concentration. It probably means you're pretty normal as most of us tend to experience lack of focus at some points in our lives, but you do need to try some new ways to combat this syndrome. And I recommend you start off with having a specific action plan, minimising distractions and reducing stress.

The Gift And Language of Love

What are your 2012 goals? Have you written down your goals and goal statement yet? Of the number of people I have spoken to since the beginning of the year, goals related to love is one that come up over and over again. And you know what? Valentine's Day is only a month away!

This year, I am very excited to have partnered with my dear friend Angela Vrettas, the founder of "Scent of Life", to co-host "Scent of Life Club", which is designed to transform women to embrace their true essence and living an abundant life, as we believe that all women are fearfully and wonderfully made.

On Saturday the 11th Feb (the Saturday before Valentine's Day), we will be providing a space for some SoL (Scent of Life) time to help ladies to find out what their love language is, based on New York Times best selling author, Gary Chapman  “The 5 Love Languages”. No, we are not talking about the 5 major romance languages – French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and Romanian :)

You know the Gift of Love starts with YOU first. The way you think and feel about yourself creates who you are. When you know yourself and take responsibility for your wellbeing, you are able to give and receive love.

Your clothes, make-up and accessories matter. Why? What you put on influences your feelings. Your appearance influences your emotions and affects others. It inspires those around you. It enhances relationships and influences how they respond to you.

If you are in Melbourne, we'd love to see you at our special Valentine's event, where you'll learn about your love language, self-love and self-esteem.

Goals And Goal Statement

To be effective, your goals must be specific, measurable and written down. The 5 important steps of setting and achieving goals:

(1) Decide what you want, short-term, medium-term and long-term.
(2) When do you want it? Set target dates for the achievement of your goals.
(3) Determine what you are willing to give in terms of time, effort, resources and sacrifice.
(4) Develop a detailed plan of what you must do each year, each month, each week and each day.
(5) Write it down - put the above 4 steps into a 50-word goal statement, re-write it twice daily.