How many times have we encountered issues and need advice? I am a life coach with strong beliefs on positive reinforcement. Life is what we make it of it, and our silent words play a crucial factor on how we see the world. Motivation is key for success! Follow my blog and feel free to suggest on any topic that you would like to learn more about.
I have heard this phrase so many times, it is practically engraved in me. More often than not, this is what is said when things seem unpredictable-with the hopes of everything unfolding as “it should.” We embrace hope in so many ways, and this is good. I know it is not easy to find the strength to stay positive and hopeful in times of hardship, yet this may be the only thing that will help you from going insane. I have lived it many times, and so have you. There is no exceptions to the challenges of life. At the end, we look back and realize we did ok with managing “that” struggle. Don’t beat yourself up over things that you have no control over. IT IS POINTLESS! Refocus and try very hard to find the good in every situation. I didn’t say it would be easy, but it is possible, and you will begin to feel so much better. It always works! Be truthful to yourself, and have realistic expectations of the possible outcomes.
“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness” -Desmond TuTu
I have heard many times over and over again that our life is what we make it. I agree. How about you?
As 2020 was coming to an end, and now initiating a new year, I have taken more time than usual to do a self analysis. To understand where I am in life, and what I need to achieve to be where I want to be. Accepting the trials and errors of my past 43 years of life is priceless. Understanding that although everything did not unfold perfectly in my life, it cannot be undone or changed.
So…as I look forward, I will take a seat and refocus from an author’s perspective. I will think wisely about life choices, keeping in mind that whatever happens today will fill the content of the page; hence the title of this post. I am 43 years old and today is Junuary 18th. I am in Chapter 43/page 18. Each chapter will be 365 pages which will relate to every day of the year. What chapter and page are you in right now?
Wow! What happened in the last 42 chapters of my life? It seems like a lot of content should have been recorded, yet my memories don’t feel sufficient to justify so many pages; and just like that, life continues without stopping and we are so caught up with life struggles that we forget to focus on ourselves. My plan moving forward is to remember that I hold the ink that writes my story. It is only I that can control what and how the story goes. Although life will have its curveballs, more than often, we will be faced with decisions that will take us to the next page.
Be thankful, be humble, be loyal, be wise. You own your story, fill in the pages.
“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.”-Scott Adams
It is officially ten days till Christmas and mother nature seems uncertain as to what season we are in. Here in the north east coast we are enjoying a rollercoaster of temperatures. One day it is super cold and the wind is blowing everything in sight, and the next morning it is a beautiful sunny day in the low sixties; memoires of a perfect spring day.
As I sit here on my computer writing, I feel a sense of relief for being able to somehow share what is on my mind. Low lights, the smell of savory hot coffee and the Christmas jingles playing low in the background. My Christmas tree is up and some bright lights accents shadow my windows. I have some gifts under the tree and my children are happy; yet I feel bitter sweet. The usual anticipation of the holidays remain the same for young children. Its amazing how they manage to keep that jolly spirit in the midst of it all.
It has been a very challenging year for everyone, and I feel very blessed for what 2020 has given us. I was given the opportunity spend so much time with my children, and this is priceless. I lost my job during this pandemic, and so did many, but fortunately we managed to stay afloat and not alter our lifestyle. This was a changing moment for me, as I was able to pursue my passion in real estate. Now, this is my next chapter, and I am excited. I am thankful for a warm place to sleep and warm food on our table. It is the essentials that matter most, and these we did not lack. Our family and ourselves were exposed to Covid as well, yet I am thankful we did not loose anyone. Homeschooling was a tremendous challenge for everyone and somehow we have learned to adapt.
I think of Christmas and I want to be blissful, but it is not easy. I see the troubles with so many families and it saddens me to feel impotent in not being able to offer them relief. I want to be jolly, but the sadness that is in the air is too strong to ignore. I take a deep breath in and remember how blessed we are, and then again I smile.
“A strong woman looks a challenge in the eye and gives it a wink” – Gina Carey
The trees are now half dressed with the beauty of orange leaves and the night arrives quicker every passing day. The heat of the sun is no longer enough to keep us warm, and Christmas decorations are now the main attraction at every local department store.
This year has felt so long, and yet here we are 2 months away from 2021. It definitely has been a rocky and unpredictable year for everyone, including myself. We all keep wishing for this year to be long gone, and to a fresh start for 2021-and at the same time, as we get closer to that count-down, the nerves and unsettling emotions of what lays ahead keeps many up at night.
So many families have lost loved ones this year without notice, some never said good-bye. An empty seat during the holiday season trigger depression, anxiety and hopelessness. Others lost their jobs, and no matter how hard they try, the frustration of not finding employment shadows their thoughts every waking moment. The thought of unemployment benefits coming at a halt in December, and having nothing to look forward to during the holiday season trigger depression, anxiety and hopelessness.
The life struggles that every family has is unique, yet comparable and/or similar to someone they know. Emotional struggles and financial struggles are only some of the many out there. It is important that we check up on each other and make sure everyone in our “circle” is handling this last quarter of 2020 okay. We may not be where we want to be in life, but we are here! It is so important to practice positive thinking every single day. This is medicinal for the soul and heart. We must be thankful for all we have and don’t have, because somewhere on this planet, there is someone who prays to be in your place. Things may not always seem clear and and the future may look foggy; positive reinforcement will help you navigate through the rocky roads. A great way to transform negative energy into positive, is to read motivational books. On this page are some that I have read and suggest, but you are welcome to find new ones and recommend to me.
Buscame cuando me empiezes a extrañar, cuando la brisa del invierno toque tu piel y sientas el frio de la soledad.
Buscame en tus sueños, en tu memoria escondida- quiza en esa historia yo todavia exista.
Tu lejania fue dificil, aun recuerdo aquel "adios" que nunce diste- Dia tras dia te pense, extanandote en mi piel tus ojos cristalinos, tus besos sabor a miel.
No importa cuanto te extrañe, ya este capitulo termino- una historia inconclusa, un adios sin adios.
Solo buscame en tus suenos, porque solo ahi me encontraras- las heridas han sanado, no pienso volver atras.
My home was built in 1955. Some may say this home is old, and to others like myself, it is just “right”. Purchased this house over two years ago, with the mindset to renew some esthetics and make this my home. To give you a better idea, it is a split level, three bedrooms on the top floor, and a family room on the lower level. My family is small, and so an extra family room is not needed. Therefore, I converted the family room into my master bedroom. My bedroom has 4 nice size windows and is adjacent to the boiler/furnace room. A back entrance was within close proximity as well. For some reason, I got into the habit of opening my windows and backdoor when the weather is nice. The ventilation that comes in is so refreshing! I was very happy overall; the only thing that was “old” was the heating furnace, which seemed to be working fine.
As anyone with a new home, I started tackling small projects, such as painting and such. I knew the furnace needed replacement due to the age, but as I researched the internet, I was eased by the information I was reading- “if its working than why change it?” and so, it was not a priority for me, especially knowing that is would be a financial setback.
As the fall started to arrive and the weather began to fluctuate over a month ago-I called the heating company and as everyone would do, got the system bleeded and ready for the winter. They encouraged me to look into a new furnace sooner than later, but no urgency in the matter. If its working, it was all I needed… and so I thought.
Soon after that, as the temperature dipped especially at night and the heat would turn on, I remember hearing on occasion some mild rattling sound coming from the pipes where the furnace was. I listened, and then it disappeared. It was an old house after all. Shortly after that, I remember waking up day after day, exhausted. I was drained and had no explanation. My headaches returned but it was different. It was constant pain that lasted day in and day out. Tylenol and Advil became my buddies but it didn’t alleviate the pain or fatigue I was feeling. My lifestyle remained the same, and I did not feel stressed or anything around those lines. I had no answer, and convinced myself that perhaps I was just stressed about something I wasn’t aware of. Eventually this would go away. My mood swings became more apparent to me, and questioned myself in several occasions if perhaps I was bipolar. It’s a crazy thought, but it sounded real. I must say it was a bit overwhelming, but I stood quiet and kept living as normal as I could. Within the last two weeks, my symptoms became more apparent and I started to worry about the possibility of have a brain tumor or such-my headaches were so agonizing and never ending. This affected my driving skills, which made it difficult to focus, and was of definite concern. I was frightened at this point. Unfortunately I don’t have health insurance right now, and did not want to carry a medical bill if I went to the ER.
Three nights ago, upon my youngest daughter’s persistence, I allowed her to sleep with me. It was the weekend and she was up watching tv by my side as I had drifted into deep sleep. I remember her waking me up worried about a loud noise that kept coming from the furnace, and as I opened my eyes from that deep sleep, I listened and I was surprised to see I had slept through it. I told her it was the furnace, its an old house, it was ok-and I drifted off again. The next morning waking up again with the same headache and fatigue that had become part of my new lifestyle, I realized the noise was still there; not as loud, but there it was. I also realized that if my daughter was concerned enough to wake me up, that it was perhaps something I should address. I called the heating company to come and see. It was Sunday morning shortly after 9am. This call saved my life. My daughter saved saved my life.
An hour after my call, they came. My furnace had a crack which was leaking carbon monoxide. I was being poisoned in my sleep, and every second I had spent in my bedroom. I was explained that luckily because of my daily habit of opening my windows and back door, I was allowing some ventilation to pass, hence saving my own life. All of these symptoms I have been suffering from in the past few weeks now made sense, and it was somewhat of a relief. Needless to say this was an expense I did not anticipate now, but it had to be done. I contracted them to remove and replace the furnace immediately. It is now 2 days of significant health improvement. I am almost at my old self again. I can function and my headaches have almost disappeared. I am so thankful for being alive and having the opportunity to tell my story. I was sleeping with the enemy who was killing me in silence.
So I write this to express the importance of keeping your appliances upto date. Most importantly, to be aware of your symptoms and pay close attention to them. Our bodies are good indicators of when something is wrong. Listen and investigate! Please share this story. It could save someone’s life.
“The greatest gift you can receive, is another day in life” – author unknown
I remember having a pretty good figure growing up: always athletic and active. My jeans always seem to fit nicely over my figure and I was proud.
It was after the birth of my first child that my body took a different direction, and I was not happy. One of the major changes I had was loosing definition and volume on my glutes. I had no idea this was even possible-but it sure is.
Below I will share with you a few exercises that will bring back the shape and volume to your glutes. The more consistency you have the better the result. I can vouch for that. I am very happy with my rear curves now a days, and it was so easy. You can do it too! Do this routine 5 days a week for 6 weeks. Every exercise should be done at a slow pace. Speed is not recommended for best results. (please note I do not own any rights to the images below. I am using these as a visual aid)
If you are interested in fixing your credit score, then more than likely you have come to the time in your life where you are most likely looking to invest. It may be buying your dream home, or that beautiful car you envision cruising down the highway. Whatever the reason may be, CONGRATULATIONS! This is a huge first step.
Our FICO score is our report card in financing during our adult life. FICO scores range between 300-850. Scores between 670-739 range indicate fairly “good” credit. This score is calculated on several different factors, which allow the lender to have an idea of our financial responsibility. This information is then grouped in five categories: Amounts owed, payment history, length of credit history, new credit, and credit mix (hard inquiries, delinquencies, etc.)
The 3 main credit unions used for lending purposed are Experian, Transunion, and Equifax. These credit unions update periodically and rarely at the same time. Depending on the lending institute that you will be using, they will select a particular credit union to work with and pull credit reports. If you are interested in taking control of your credit I would suggest getting a free copy of your credit report at www.annualcreditreport.com. From here you can see your open and closed accounts, and be able to dispute any charges that may not belong to you. I would highly suggest downloading the www.creditkarma.com or simply search it in your phone apps as Credit Karma. I have used this app for many years and it has helped me take control of my score. There may be other apps out there that work just as good but I am basing it off my personal experience.
There are several ways you can achieve this. But step #1 is to STOP using your credit cards. As tempting it may be to shop for those gorgeous high heels, or book that so needed vacation, don’t do it! If you have no left over cash to make that purchase, then its probably best you wait to make that purchase. Eliminating debt is a big part of increasing your score. Using your credit app, or credit report, begin by paying off those smaller amounts. Every time you pay down a debt, you will boost your credit score a few points. Keep focused. If you happen to have a zero interest rate credit card on hand, than transferring all those balances from high interest rates may be your best bet. This way, every payment you make goes toward your principal and not disappear into the world of interests. Another thing you want to stay away from is applying for more credit. Every time you submit an application for a credit card, it is considered a hard inquiry, and it lowers your credit. Keep in mind that a new credit card with not so great credit will have a high interest rate and your $500 credit line will take years to pay off. Is this really worth it? Lastly and most important is to always pay your debts on time. Not a day late. Try to always pay more than your minimum amount due as this will have a good impact on your creditor and open doors to higher credit limits, hence increasing your score. Ideally you should keep your debt to a max of 30%(of your total credit limit) combined in use. Using more than 30% of your credit limit will impact your credit negatively. Keep focused and you can achieve your high FICO score in a very short time. Good Luck!
Sigh! What a year this has been for everyone across the world. For most, the year 2020 has proven to be a year of uncertainty and great financial loss. This year the unemployment broke record, and it was far worst than that economic crisis in 2008. A big part of the population lost their employment completely, lost their businesses, or lost their “full-time” status at work. Regardless of the reason, the point is your income stream has significantly weakened, and finding employment again through this pandemic has proven to be somewhat challenging.
6 Ways to Make Extra money.
Below, I will share some ways that have proven to work. If you are serious about making extra money while things go back to “normal” then keep reading. Who knows, you may just enjoy the additional cash flow and continue for long term. What ever your intentions are, money is good everyday in my eyes.
Earn Money delivering food with UberEats and/or DoorDash
If you have a reliable vehicle, a driver’s license, and a smartphone than this is for you. It is relatively very simple and you work on your schedule. You simply upload the apps on your phone and submit your application. You will receive confirmation of work within a few days if everything checks out. During this short process, you will be asked to accept having a background check as well. This is to ensure safety. Keep in mind there is an age restriction for both companies. Doordash will allow you to sign up once you turn 18; UberEats requires 21 and over.
Once you are approved, again, a very easy process, you will be able to login and “go live” anytime that you want to make money. The apps use a gps tracking system that allows you to receive orders near your actual location. Once there is an order placed in a nearby restaurant, you will receive a push notification with the restaurant information, and the amount of money you will receive for that trip. If you are interested in completing that delivery, you simply accept the offer. The best part is you receive 100% of that money plus tips. By average you can easily make $20 an hour or more if it is during peak hours. The best part is there is no need for money from the customer, since everything is done through the app. Another great benefit is that you can cash out daily if you wish.
It doesn’t matter what phase we may be going through around the world, getting our nails, hair or lashes done on a regular basis is a “must” for some of us ladies. During the recent years, eyelash extensions have become a high demand trend. It allows us to look great at all times with minimal downtime. I am a true client with bi-weekly maintenance. This side hustle can become your full-time income stream once you have a following. You may take a 1-2 day course near your town. For this, you may have to do some research on social media, or the search engine. Depending on the styles that you provide, one client session can bring you $50-$200 depending on your region.
My daughter recently became a certified lash tech and she has been practicing on me for a month. I don’t complain, she does a great job and its always free for me. Her first actual client will be in 3 days. Although she has a part-time job at a retail store, the lash business can be very lucrative if you network properly. She is aspiring to have her lash business as her main source of income and work her own schedule by the end of this year.
If you enjoy writing as much as I do, then you may want to consider starting a blog. Blogging can be very profitable, but it will take time. The beauty of blogging is that you can literally do it from your couch, or from the beach during your vacation downtime. There is no wrong time, nor place to write a blog.
Blogging is more of a long term investment, if you will. The hardest part of creating a blog, is picking a niche that everyone wants to read about. Do some research and find a platform that will help you create a website, and host it. Many companies will offer one or the other- ultimately you will need both to make it easier on yourself. Some blogging platforms that I know about include Wix.com, gorillawriters.com and Squarespace.com. I happen to use WordPress.com– and I like it. Once you captivate an audience, and grow your followers, you will be able to monetarize your website through different ways.
You will want to connect with GoogleAds and create a relationship. You will get paid a small percentage every time someone clicks on the advertising links on your page. These earnings are small, but they all add up. This is why creating good content is crucial to keep readers coming back.
Another way to monetarize your blog is with affiliate accounts. With these, you will receive a commission based on conversion. Reach out to the companies and see if they offer products you can offer to your readers. There are so many companies that offer the affiliate program. However, these are some I know of:
a. Amazon
b. CJ Affiliate by Conversant
c. Bluehost
d. Clickbank
e. Fiverr
f. Teachable
g. Ebay Partner Network
4. Get paid for your opinion
Believe it or not, there are many companies out there who want your honest opinion. They use all of this information to complete studies that will help them determine improvements that may be needed in certain products. You simply register, and complete your questionnaire. Based on your profile, they will email you surveys to complete on line, which may take 5-25 mins by average. You may also be offered to go in person to a study. These usually involve a taste test, or similar. For these in person studies that may take an hour or 2, the compensation may very well be over $100. Its easy money!
Some companies that you may want to look into are as follow:
a. Swagbucks.com
b. inboxdollars.com
c. Google opinion rewards
d. Mypoints.com
5. Utilize your skills
What do you enjoy doing? Think carefully and find your forte. What ever it may be, there is always someone, somewhere who needs your product, or service. Don’t be afraid to start from scratch. Trial and error is part of success. Once you have found your niche, promote it. Thankfully, social media is the biggest communication platform out there. Use whatever you may have or create a new account. It is free! Take advantage of the benefits of networking through Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and/or Twitter. You must be consistent and advertise your product or service frequently. Soon enough, you will be making extra money doing what you love.
Some ideas may include:
a. Sewing
b. Translating
c. Transportation
d. Personal Assistant
e. Landscaping
f. Cleaning crew
e. Babysitting
f. Dog sitting/walking
6. Get paid to loose weight
Yes, you read it right the first time. How better can it get? If you are trying to loose weight, and still seeking that motivation you need? Healthywage.com will help you. It is a win-win situation. This is great! Set up a profile and give yourself a specific time frame to obtain the weight loss wanted. You practically bet against yourself as an incentive, and if you reach your target weight within that timeframe, then you get paid. Give it a try.
Hopefully, some of these ideas are a good fit for you. Remember there is no worst risk than one not taken. Get creative, and find alternatives. Good luck!
“Stay positive. Better days are on their way”- author unknown
Motivation! 