Making A Happy Life

Another year passed by

2009-06-04T18:09:00.004-03:00

I often say that I don't know where time goes and I honestly don't. I am turning thirty next month and I have no idea how that happened. Where did the years go?

I still feel as twenty three and whenever my mother in law tells me I have to start using anti wrinkle eye cream I feel as if she is not talking to me. Me use anti wrinkle cream? I haven't even got any wrinkles, I'm only twenty something... Or so I keep telling myself.

It's funny how we don't see how we get older. I can feel I am wiser, but I am still that girl at heart I think. I've heard you can get a crisis at thirty, I hope I don't fall into that category... lol

Shall we get personal?

2009-06-01T19:59:00.002-03:00

The question as to how personal we should be when we are on the net is a question that comes up all the time. These days you need to give out personal details for almost anything, from registration to getmultiple auto insurance quotes. There is always some detail needed.

Is an email address personal? How personal? Why are we so afraid of giving out our email address? Because we don't want spam mail? With a good spam filter that shouldn't happen.

Some people don't mind giving out personal details while others want to stay as anonymous as possible.

How much personal info should we give away? What is defined as personal?

Time management for Women Business Owners

2009-06-01T16:56:00.003-03:00

Note: To ensure you are updated with fresh content every once in a while here I have decided to start to feature other WAHM's through wahm-articles.com. Enjoy.

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Time management is important for everyone, but it’s one of the most important things for women business owners to have in order to be successful. It’s also one of the toughest things we face.

Mom’s that own businesses have a lot to balance on a day to day basis. There is the laundry, the dishes, the children, and all the business tasks that must be attended to on a daily or weekly basis. Finding the time to get everything done in a day and still have time for the family can be tricky. Time management can help with part of this each day.

When you are using time management skills, you need to not only manage your business this way, but you need to manage your family as well. The reason for this is you need to manage everything together or none of it will work. Your business and family go hand in hand.

We have many options when it comes to time management and each option should be reviewed and considered. You never know what you might find that works for you and your family. There are many time management choices and we will discuss them so you can make an educated decision.

• Online planner
There are several online planners you can use. Do a search for online planner or calendar to see what comes up. Some may have small fees while others are free of charge. A few examples would be Yahoo Calendars, Google Calendars, or Outlook, via your email.

• Personal day planner
These are like a notebook and may come with a cover. There are several types to choose from. You can have a calendar only which vary in size from pocket sized to 8x12. These are usually spiral bound as well. There are other types that have a monthly overview calendar and a larger calendar to write appointments on. These are usually larger in size and maybe wider as well.

• Wall or desk calendar
The wall calendar is one that you can get at a book store and hangs on the wall. You will have one month per page and the size is usually 8x11 per month. The desk calendars are the flat type that lay on your desk like a place mat. These are usually bigger in size and range in size from 22x17 or larger.

Once you decide on a planner that will meet your needs, you need to train yourself to write down all appointments. One way to do this is put a sticky note on your computer that says calendar appointments. Another way is to ask your family members to help you remind you to do this. Statistics show if you do something continually for 7-15 days, it will become habit and you won’t forget. The same is true with calendaring. If you find a way to remember to write down everything you need to do each day it will become habit and you will have trained yourself to do it each and every day.

When you figure out how to use time management, not only will you be successful at remembering what you need to do, but you will find you have more time to get things done because you aren’t at a loss for what needs to be accomplished.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Corrie Petersen runs a successful Virtual Assistant business. She enjoys helping others reach their goals and dreams. Check out her website at www.virtualfreedom4you.com.

Being Who God Made Me

2009-05-31T16:52:00.002-03:00

Lately I have been reminded of accepting who God made me and what I've become. I am responsible for my body and should take care of it. Instead of trying to find the most effective diet pills or go on a crash diet just before a trip I should plan ahead.

My upcoming trip to Sweden has reminded me of that. I started thinking about that perhaps I should shape up a bit before I go, but I decided not to go through the stress. Instead I will do what I have to and try not to stress about it. I am no longer that skinny teenager, but a mother and woman and there is no need to try and go back to what once was.

I much more prefer to have a nice trip accepting who I am today than trying to be something I'm not.

Modern, cool or practical?

2009-04-27T18:28:00.002-03:00

When I was younger I didn't think too much about practicality. I wanted things to be cool or modern, practical was a second option or even third or fourth.

These days I think differently. Even if I had money to buy a Ferrari It woulds till be more difficult to find Ferrari parts than it would be to find Volvo parts. See and that is where practicality comes in, I would prefer to have a car that is not as fancy but that will get me where I want to get to.

It seems to me though that practicality is not as important nowadays, even less than it was when I was a teenager. This is also affection our well being and health. Young girls, small little girls are using high heels from early on and are left with heel problems for the rest of their lives. Because of what? Because it was cool, and very modern at the time. When they are older and are having problems with their feet who will they blame? Most likely their moms who let them use it.

I so prefer to be practical then modern or cool, less of a headache.

Fewer calories for life

2009-04-27T18:00:00.002-03:00

When we women get together and start talking about how to lose weight numerous weight loss pills, diets, home made weight loss remedies etc are mentioned. We all want to know a quick way to get rid of that little (or a lot of) extra we are carrying around.

What's often not mentioned is the best way of them all; fewer calories for life. By eating healthily always you don't need to go on a crash diet later on. I've told you several times here that I don't believe in diets or weight loss pills and I am so happy that moms over at Mom Bloggers Club think the same. Over at the running group you can read about "Fewer calories for life" and follow the interesting and encouraging discussions about running and a healthy life.

Another tips is to join Sparkpeople and get great tips everyday directly in your inbox. There are no excuses for not living a healthy life.

You get what you pay for...

2009-04-25T17:54:00.003-03:00

Last week I had to go into town to buy shoes for my son and I found it be no easy task. My son wanted a pair of Spiderman sneaker or even better; Ben 10. Well my budget couldn't really afford that because he needed a few other things as well so it was frugality mode that was on. I did find a pair of Spiderman sneakers that were within a reasonable price range but I was quite shocked when one of the salesmen told me that the sneakers were not legitimate.

I said "but how can you sell that?" I was referring to the shop being an established business and even if I know their shoes are not the best quality always I didn't think they wouldn't be legitimate. The response was "well people wants it". Which was a pretty simple answer, and at the same time I realized that the pair of Spiderman sneakers we bought for my son a few months ago from the same place probably were not legitimate either only that I never knew it. They fell apart after a few days so I should have thought about it...

Brazil is totally different from Europe and USA when it comes to shopping. There you could probably find UGG Australia boots without a problem whereas here shoes like that caters to a totally different social class and would be difficult to find.

In the end I did find a pair of sneakers for my son that were of good quality and at an affordable price. Now next month it's my turn, I like Reebok but will probably go for another (legitimate) brand within my spending budget.

On the frugal side

2009-04-24T20:27:00.004-03:00

At the moment I am being quite frugal because I want to save some extra money, which includes avoiding anything that says sale. Actually I am pretty frugal already but it can always improve and I've slipped a bit lately.

If you need to save some extra money there are thousands of ways you can do that. I was extra happy when I found the "Wanting what you have" blog. It is a wonderful blog for anyone who wants to save money or just learn how to do things in a frugal and natural way.

Heather, the blogger, has got several tutorials on how to make things yourself the frugal and natural way. I found a nice post about how to make your own baby wipes, I will definitely be trying that if/when there is another bay in the house and I will recommend it to my friends.

Another place I'm checking out in order to become even more frugal is the Totally Frugal forums. I especially like the sub forum with lots of ideas on how to make your own things like soap etc.

I'm sure that in these times economic crisis everyone no one will say no to some extra money. What are you doing that is frugal?

When Life Gives You Lemons

2009-04-24T19:17:00.004-03:00

I never really did understand the expression "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade" until recently when I took time to think about what it means. Now I think it is a great expression and something we should all keep in mind.

Life is hard, for you, me, and the rest of the world. It doesn't matter what, we all have something we are thinking about and something we want to change in our lives. It can be small things, bigger problems, life changing or not significant at all, but we all have something that we would like to change.

If you are overweight you can try all million examples of fat burners, call them Betastax, magic diet pill or whatever you like, but unless you treat the real problem they won't help much. If you instead make lifelong changes and start eating healthily it will make all the difference in the long run. Moaning about being overweight and not doing anything about it definitely won't change anything.

It's all about how we deal with our problems and what we learn from them. We never appreciate problems when we are living inside of them but once they are gone we can see what we learned.

"When life gives you lemons, make lemonade"

*When searching for this expression I found Krista's blog with the appropriate name. Unfortunately her blog's name is a bit too appropriate at the moment when her family is suffering with the loss of a dear family member and hoping for a speedy recover for other family members. All the best to you and your family Krista.

Now is the time to travel!

2009-04-20T16:41:00.002-03:00

At least that is what I've heard. I'm not entirely sure how that combines with the worlds economy, but I have seen some amazing offers lately so something good must be coming out of it.

A few weeks ago a Brazilian airline had some very good offers going and it really got me into travel mode. I wanted to pack my bags and fly away that very moment. And let me tell you I would probably have done it hadn't I been married to someone who is not as impulsive as me. He took me down to earth pretty quickly and there has been no discussion about traveling since. I'm not worried though, I will go traveling soon!

And now it is time to go to Argentina!At argentinaforless.com you can learn all about Argentina traveling. Last year it was cheaper to fly outbound than inbound and Argentine, Chile and other near South American countries were sought after. This year the prices are better giving the Brazilians a chance to see their own country.

Brazil has so much to offer and I am so privileged to live in such a beautiful country so I look forward to get to know more of it and the rest of South America soon.

Planning for a baby

2009-04-07T17:48:00.002-03:00

Planning for a baby is so much fun! All of a sudden you are allowed to dream away and think about cute baby clothes and everything else that is "needed".

One of the most fun things I think must be to decorate the baby's room. And even if you aren't buying much only some new baby bedding will light up a normally dull room because it is so cute. Important is to decorate with things that are kid friendly because the little baby will grow up and won't be still for long.

We are very likely to dream away a bit too much when we find out we are having a baby or someone close to us are. This is when it is important to remember we don't need everything. How many parents to be didn't buy things they never used? Babies grow incredibly fast, faster than we normally want them too. I look at my "baby" he is already 5! Where did that time go??

How you can save money for the coming baby
Ask friends and family to help you out and buy necessary things, they are often more than willing to help with things for the new baby. If you want to do a baby shower, do some planning so you don't end up spending more on your guests than what you actually will get in return. That is not being greedy, just organized and practical.

Take advantage of coupons and sales, a few cents here and there can get you a long way.

There are several ways of spending less when planning for a baby, just think things through and you will be alright.

It's what you make it that counts

2009-04-02T18:01:00.003-03:00

A friend of mine told me she will be spending the night at a hotel with her husband tonight. She is leaving the kids with their granddads and going to meet up her husband at the hotel where he is staying because of his job.

When she told me I thought that would have been very nice to do actually. Just sneak away with the husband for a fun night out. It doesn't need to be a fabulous and chic hotel, it can just be a simple one. The important thing is to do something different once in a while with your husband. There are lots of unique hotels that offers everything you could possibly think of and of course it would be nice to get a little pampered.

If money is an issue or you for some reason can't spend the night at a hotel, then make an effort to create a special atmosphere at home. Put on some nice relaxing music, lit a few candles and make a nice dinner. It won't be the same as staying at a hotel, but it cans till very very nice.

A little bit of effort can go a long way and it is what you make it that counts. And that goes for all in life.

Five ways to find something to blog about

2009-03-29T14:07:00.003-03:00

Blogging is fun, fun, fun, but it can also be boring, boring and boring. When it becomes boring you are probably suffering from bloggers block or writer's block as it is also called.

Don't panic though, there are several ways you can find that blogging inspiration again, it doesn't matter if you normally write about auto insurance, your dog or just your mommy life. Here are five strategies to get you back into blogging mode;

Grab a newspaper or magazine. You can find hundreds of ideas in a magazine. Be open minded and see how you can twist the articles and re write them with your words and according to your topic. This is probably one of the best ways to find inspiration yet it is easily forgotten.
Read what other bloggers are blogging about. Once again; this is a super easy technique that works almost every time.
Get inspired by images. Go to flickr.com or Zemanta.com and grab some beautiful photos and let yourself get inspired. A picture says more than thousand words, let image talk to you.
Go for a walk. This works for me every time I feel I am out or words. A walk around the neighborhood can give you lots to write about. As with everything in life it is how you look at your environment that determined how you succeed. Let your every day lie inspire you.
Change environment. Get out and go somewhere else, preferably far from home. If you can't bring the computer bring a notepad and jot down ideas. Just a change of scene can make a big difference.

It's really not hard, we just get too focused on not knowing what to write about that we forget how easy it is too write. If you need even more ideas here are 20 surefire ways to beat writer's block.

An Internet dependent world

2009-03-13T22:23:00.005-03:00

As I was watching Big Brother yesterday they asked what the participants missed the most from the outside world. Many of them said access to the Internet which made me think about how I would cope being without the Internet for a few months. I probably wouldn't.

A recent study show that more than 61% American adults can not imagine being without Internet access as they are hugely reliant on Internet. And ain't that true, we depend on the Internet more than we think. Unless there is a balance between 'real life' and 'internet life' our dependency can do us more harm than good.

With more and more people sing the internet higher is the demand for broadband speeds. These days everyone want a fast connection to get out on the net and surf as much as possible in no time. That obviously puts a higher demand on the internet providers and some of them struggle to meet the demands of their users.

This demand also leads to more opportunities for businesses and more businesses use internet marketing to reach new customers. You would think that by now most companies would know that Internet is an important channel to communicate with possible clients, funnily enough many companies have no idea of the great potential it has.

And if your business isn't already on the net; what are you waiting for?

Moms- how serious are you about your business?

2009-03-11T10:45:00.004-03:00

If you are a mom with a home business I want to ask you just how serious you are about your home business.

Are you willing to invest in your business? This is one of the toughest questions ever for moms and do I know it! I've been there and I know how it is to want to invest in your business but not have the money to do so. I've been there and I know how hard it is to justify spending money on your business when your family needs it. I know, believe me.

I'm all for free things and I was all for free things when I started my online venture. Today I've learned that the best things do not come for free. You can search all you want and tell yourself you don't need to buy information or products for your business because the free version will do just as well. I hate to tell you mom but that is not true.

I've learned that it takes money to earn money. It took some time for me to understand this.

Free is good but imagine how much time you are wasting searching for all this information and how much money you are losing out on. If you have a free blog, a free website, a free this and a free that and then ask your customers to pay for your things, how can you expect them to take you seriously?

I don't recommend fluff, I don't recommend things I don't believe in but there is one thing I will recommend to you business mom, and that is the best investment you can ever make for your online and offline business: Mom Masterminds.

Mom Masterminds has been the best thing ever to me in regards to business and online marketing. And it is definitely worth the money every month!

There are e-courses, resources, e-books etc in there that are being sold for hundreds of $ but you get for free. You get access to a wonderful community of focused and determined women who are actually making a full time income online. You get invaluable support from other moms who have been where you are. New learning resources are added every month and exclusive MM meet ups both online and offline are arranged.

I consider myself truly blessed for finding this online community and today I gladly pay the monthly fee without blinking. Trust me, it is the best investment you can make for your business! You will learn how to grow your business in more ways than one and how to truly benefit from all the assets you already have.

If you would like more information about Mom Masterminds, check out the blog or email me for more information and I'll help you. But really, it will be money spent wisely and not something you will regret. After 18 months of membership you get a free lifetime membership and the monthly fee you are paying will pay itself off with everything you learn at MM.

So how serious are you about your business? Ready to take that leap and get really serious? Join today!

When small problems become big problems

2009-03-08T15:31:00.003-03:00

It is amazing how we humans add problems to our lives. Some are better at it than others but most of the time we complicate our lives more than we have to.

I am dealing with a few problems right now concerning my Sweden trip. These are quite small problems but of course I worry about them;

* I'm worried about the long flight with my son and busy airports.

* I'm worried the weather won't be good; can't do much about that really.

* I need a memory card to my digital camera; solution: look into micro sd memory so I can take lots of pictures.

* I've started thinking about how much clothes and luggage we need to bring with us. I want space to bring back some things as well. I will be the one to carry the luggage so it can't be too big.

* I'm worried my son will miss hiss daddy so much that he will cry the whole time we are away.

*I'm worried my son will have communication problems because his Swedish isn't very good. Need to start practicing more Swedish.

These are only examples of small problems I am creating and making into big problems. Of course these problems do all have solutions so really it depends on me how important and how much of a big problem I make them.

It is easy to think our problems have no solution, what we need to remember is that normally they can be solved. The only thing we need to do is think logically and come up with a solution that works.

Do you make your small problems turn into big ones?

Making it easy for your clients to contact you

2009-02-25T18:13:00.003-03:00

One of the things that ticks me off is when there is no way for me to contact a blog owner or a company online. Or when there is no obvious way to contact the person in charge and I need to dig around there site to find a way to get my questions answered.

And every time I think to myself; "is this person/company aware of how much they could be missing out on?" While you as a blogger might not want to put out your home telephone number on the net (and I see no reason for you to do that if you have an email address), a company can easily get a toll free number so that possible clients can contact them.

When you want to reach out to clients or possible advertisers for your blog there needs to be a way for them to contact you. And it needs to be rather obvious, not hidden away. If you think having your email address in your blogger profile is enough I'm sorry to say it's not. Ideally you should have it on your blog as well.

If I went over to your blog or site right now, would I find the necessary information to contact you?

Carnival time!

2009-02-24T17:56:00.002-03:00

This is the time of the year when the whole of Brazil is dancing- carnival time! Or carnaval as they say here.

It's on TV, it's everywhere, and it's not for me. I just find it boring to watch really. I'm almost ashamed to say so seeing that some people live for carnival. I like looking at the different creations of r a few minutes but that's it, to sit and watch a carnival train for eighty minutes just isn't my favorite way of spending time. I'm sure it would have been different if I had actually been next to the those who dance.

But it is culture, it is very much culture and it is so Brazil. And I love Brazil :)

Time to change your business position?

2009-02-16T18:03:00.003-03:00

When was the last time you took some time to think about how to grow your business? Sometimes it's easy to continue in the same steps on and on without changing anything.

Our businesses can be compared to watching a movie; if you sit in a comfortable home theater seating you may not want to change anything because you think everything is perfect already. The risk is that you become too comfortable and stop looking for ways to expand and grow your business. But if you sit on a wooden chair for hours you will have to change position because otherwise you get numb. Then you long for changes. You might really be wanting and dreaming about that comfortable seating but you are changing position to be able to sit for longer forcing you to shift your thinking mode.

Being a little uncomfortable is good. It is good if you let it change you in a positive manner. However, you shouldn't be so uncomfortable that your business or home is suffering. If you are feeling too comfortable you might need to look beyond and see if you are missing out on opportunities to grow your business.

How comfortable are you?

A long Sunday

2009-02-15T17:25:00.002-03:00

It is almost 5.30pm and it feels as if today has been an eternity. Last night I had to go to a church meeting and this morning we were supposed to continue at 8.30 am. So I got up at seven and ran to the bus at 7.30. When I get into town fifteen minutes later there is not a soul on the streets. Reminded me of a deserted city like in that film with Will Smith.

As I knew I was early I walked slowly along the streets and finally sat infront of the church to wait for it to open. I see a couple coming to church and also realizing it is closed. That's when it hit me; What time is it? See, Brazil changed to winter time last night and of course I forgot to change the time and put it back an hour. So really it was just seven o´clock in the morning.

I was quite angry with myself at that moment but decided to go back a few streets to a cafe I had seen open. So I had some light breakfast there and returned to an open church. I came home around 1pm and had lunch at my In laws. My husband who is a really handy man and fixes everything from leaking taps to bird cages started a project of his; making a bird cage from scratch. So for a few hours now I've been helping him with this and now in a little while I am going to church again. I still have to change the clocks around the house. Talking of taps; here in Brazil you will only find one way to turn on the tap as most house only have cold water. Therefore there is no need for a second faucet like the ones you can see at Kohler sinks. I found that really strange in the beginning but now I'm used to it.

Now I need to go and make dinner and then I'm off to church again, it feels as if it's been a long Sunday today. Though it's beena long day it's been a good day and I hope you've had a great Sunday too!

RS Designs become Berries and Cream Blog Design

2009-02-15T17:15:00.004-03:00

It is time for changes and this time around it is a big change. RS Designs have changed name and url to Berries and Cream Blog Design. We have tightened our focus and sharpened our services to target our market even more. We are celebrating our new start with a great party all week. You can win fantastic prizes and shop until you drop with a 25% discount applicable for everything in our shop!

You can find information about all contests at our blog.

We hope you will enjoy the changes just like we are and that we can help you create your blog design dreams this 2009.

Reluctant changes

2009-02-10T12:07:00.003-03:00

When my husband a few months ago expressed an interest to buy a new TV for our bedroom I was very hesitant and reluctant to that idea. I didn't like the idea that it would be so easy to watch TV, I worried it would deprive us from necessary sleep.

Well my husband decided to buy the TV anyway and of course it went straight into the bedroom. We considered buying a tv stand but decided to use a small dresser instead that was already in the room. It turned out I am now the one who wants to go to bed early and watch TV there. And it is very convenient to have two TV's. In fact - I really like it. No arguing over who wants to see what and everyone is happy.lol.

Sometimes I am quite reluctant to changes but I also realize they can also be good for us. We need to have an open mind and go with the changes. Changes are good whether we think so or not. As long as we do it in a good way.

What are you reluctant to change and why would it be so bad to change it? Think about that and see if it really is a s bad as you think it is.

Believing in miracles

2009-02-10T11:51:00.002-03:00

A week ago something happened that made me truly believe in miracles. I have been praying for so long for God to provide me with what I need to go to Sweden. I've let everything into His hands and I've done what I can do help.

God has clearly shown me that he had another plan for me than to just rush away with my hard earned money. And I believe that with all going well now I will be able to go to Sweden when time allows me and not when money allows me. Which is a wonderful feeling and it is all His making.

Nothing has been confirmed yet but I can just say that God is good and it is in Him we will find the happiest life ever. Even if this doesn't go through I will still continue to put my trust in Him because He knows what's best for me.

Maybe this year...

2009-01-30T17:38:00.003-03:00

I've been wanting to go to Sweden for soem time now and hopefully this will be the year when I can go with my son. I'm just trying to plan everything first to make sure it all goes OK.

Since I will be traveling with a child I need to take extra care. All of a sudden I also get a little frightened. How will I keep track of my luggage and a very active child? I am having a hard time imagining my son sitting still for about 14 hours as he hardly sit still for 4 minutes. I've never been afraid of traveling by myself but now I'm worried that the airport is big and there are lots of people there.

Of course all these "problems" will sort them selves out when I get there. And hopefully this year I will be able to take my son to Sweden and show him my wonderful country. I just need to do a little bit more planning...

Retiring designs at RS Designs

2009-01-30T17:21:00.003-03:00

Remember the post where I told you about our custom Mommy cards at RS Designs? We were very happy to offer these services but we are now heading into new adventures at RS Designs and will only do them if specifically asked for.

Some big changes are coming and we will be changing our name and services. You can read all about it at our blog. We are having a big launch party in February and would love for you to help us spread the word. If you want to donate a prize you are more than welcome to email us.

All of our pre-mades will now retire so you have until tomorrow Jan 31st to grab the pre-mades! Hurry on over and if you can't find wht you want send us an email.

The mommy cards will be gone so make sure you get yours now!

Don't forget to stop by RS Designs and read more about our launch.

The discussion that never ends

2009-01-23T19:34:00.002-03:00

I am seriously so sick and tired of talking about diet pills. I don't believe in diet pills as a solution to bad eating habits or lack of exercise. In some cases they might help to start off a diet but if you maintain a healthy life style you will not need any diet pills.

I don't care if they are called magic diet pills or Fenphedra, they might promise me wonders and gold but unless I understand what a healthy lifestyle is they won't do me any good at all. Unless I take the time to understand my body and figure out what I need then it will be even more difficult to maintain the weight I lost when I was on a diet.

This is a discussion that never ends and I really just wish people could think a bit further than a quick solution. A healthy life is for life, not for a month....

A relaxed mind is a clear mind

2009-01-22T16:37:00.005-03:00

A few hours at the park today with some friends and their kids showed med just how important it is to get away from the normal routine every now and then. To just do something you normally don't. A rested mind thinks so much clearer and you feel good as well. A few hours of chatting and relaxing and I feel much more rested than I did before I went out.

It is so easy to get stuck in normal routines and forget that we need do new things once in a while so that we can get new energy. A trip to the park was just what I needed and I tried not to think about work but instead enjoy the little trip. We had a great time and I hope it won't be too long before we do it again.

A new year, new opportunities

2009-01-18T17:12:00.004-03:00

A new year always brings new hope that new opportunities will come up. Many of us believe the new year will be better than the last one. I am usually very enthusiastic when the new year comes. Somehow it gives me new energy and I feel stronger to deal with things.

Companies usually try to make us believe we need new things to make the new year even better. My husband has received numerous calls from companies that is trying to get him to sign up for their membership cards.These calls can be a bit annoying but they can also come with very good offers and can be worth listening to.

New opportunities can come in various forms; a new opportunity to lose weight, to get a new job, to get pregnant, to travel. Of course these opportunities are often there all the time but with a new year comes the "resolutions". "This year I will..." is a common phrase to be heard in the beginning of the year. But how many keep these promises?

Have you set up any resolutions for this year? If not it's still not too late. We can change our life any time we want, new year of not....

Holiday Romance For The Unromantic Couple

2008-12-27T10:37:00.006-03:00

This time of year is the perfect time to take care of your relationship and work on your love life. Even though this time of year can be stressful it is also a time that allows for romance thinking. We can do things that are romantic and say that it is for the spirit of Christmas and New Year.

Some couples are not very romantic. Meaning they don't take the time to go out to dinner and care for one another because they simple believe they don't have time; they are tired or they believe it is not necessary. While you don't need to be overly romantic everyday it is good to invest some time and energy into your relationship every now and then.

How you want to spend your time with your partner depends on your interests, money and how much time you have. Spending a night at a hotel can be exciting and will be both relaxing and energy giving. You don't need to spend it at luxury las vegas suites but could just as well spend it in a cabin far away from all the city noise. I checked for resorts in our state to see if we could spend a few days there but we decided not to for a couple of reasons. Instead we will be spending more time together here at home. Tonight we are going out to a dinner and go to the movies. This is a rather simple thing but the important thing is to spend time with your partner. If you have kids try get a babysitter or soemone to look after them. We love our kids and want to believe they don't interfere with our romance but fact is they do.

If you have been ignoring your special time with your partner this year now is a perfect time to make up for it and start the new year on the right foot.

Did you have a Merry Christmas?

2008-12-27T09:58:00.002-03:00

A late Merry Christmas from me! I hope your Christmas was good and you had a nice time. We had a very calm Christmas and didn't do anything at all. Well, or almost nothing at all. We have chilled and fixed around the house.

I resisted the urge to stress myself over cooking so this year has had very little Christmas food. The only thing we've had is ham and a ginger cake. That's about it. I will still make gingersnaps,probably this coming week.

I've done boring things like cleaning out the cupboards and organize. However, I have been educating myself at the same time listening to valuable mp3 resources from Mom Masterminds. So my mp3 player has been, and still is, plugged in where ever I go. Which is great and it has definitely made the cleaning more enjoyable. If you are a mom and serious about online business then you definitely need to join Mom Masterminds!

I'm still not really back at work. I'm only sneaking in quickly to see how things are going and to start planning for coming projects. My husband is off next week as well and I want to make sure we spend some quality time together. Instead I will be working offline. Even if my work is mostly online being offline and plan helps a lot.

So another Christmas has passed by and now we are all getting ready for New Year. This time of year can be quite stressful and you might feel you need a holiday after the holidays. The best thing to avoid burnout in these situations is to make sure you don't overload yourself with things that "needs" to be done. I hope you haven't been stressing too much but have had a Merry Christmas.

How was your Christmas? Did you have a Merry Christmas?

What are you doing to reach success with your home business?

2008-12-17T12:54:00.002-03:00

If you are a home business owner and still have not had "success" with your business then that is the question I would like to ask you.

As a business owner you need to constantly seek solutions to problems that are holding you back and not let problems stop you. Perhaps you aren't marketing your business as you should? Perhaps you need to invest in hiring someone?

What you define as success depends on you and your business. It doesn't matter if you are trying to sell cheap Phentermine online or toys in a small shop. You still want to reach some level of success and you need to have a plan on how to do it. And most importantly; you need to make sure you do it. Hold yourself accountable. Check in on yourself once in a while and make sure youa re following your original plan. If you see that isn't working then change it, but make sure the new plan always make you want to work towards your new goals.

What are you doing to reach success with your home business? Or what is it you should be doing but aren't?

Decorating for Christmas

2008-12-16T19:23:00.004-03:00

Some people start decorating for Christmas the first of December. Others wait until the last few days. And some don't decorate at all. My mother in law belongs to the latter category. No special red curtains, no festive decorations. Perhaps she will put the Santa tablecloth on the kitchen table, the one she use all year around.

The first Christmas here in Brazil was a bit strange because I was used to decorating and making the house cozy especially for Christmas. This is our fourth Christmas in Brazil and our third Christmas at our own house and here I try to decorate a little more. I don't have a lot of decorative stuff but I do have some tablecloths that I only use for Christmas and a small plastic Christmas tree. Outside we don't have anything except the normal outdoor lighting. I think it is really nice to see how some decorate their house and add blinking lights around the house.

We wait for Christmas the whole year and when it finally arrives it passes too quickly. Therefore I advice you to enjoy Christmas the way it is. Don't worry if you haven't decorated too much, if you are behind with gifts and worrying about what food to put on the table. Spend some time with your family and enjoy this once a year opportunity to just relax.

How "obsessed" are you with Christmas decorating? Do you feel Christmas is becoming more or less important as each year go by?

Christmas - the time to help others

2008-12-15T19:31:00.003-03:00

There is something special about Christmas, it is the time when we open our hearts and help others. And there are many ways of helping, donating money to mesothelioma research, donating to homeless children, signing up for a sponsorship and so on.

I am trying to help the nursery my son attends by holding a charity event. I've always wanted to help the nursery and this year I've decided to open up the possibilities to help to others. The nursery attend children from low class families and depends on donations to function and care for the children. This year might be their last as they are behind with the bills. All contribution is voluntary but many families put their children there as a way to make sure their children get fed. These families are very poor and can't contribute to the nursery. Therefor I feel it is extra important to help these families and the nursery. If you would like to help please visit VA Charity and help today! The event is on until Thursday. You can also help me by blogging about the event and twitter about it.

Thank you.

The Simple Secret To Making 2009 a Great Year

2008-12-15T19:06:00.003-03:00

Have you yet decided how 2009 will be? How you will make 2009 better than 2008?

Many of us have goals, most of us say that next year will be better than last but we don't know how to achieve it. Well how can you if you don't even know what you want to achieve? You want to have a better life, but how? What do you want to improve in your life?

The first thing to do is to set up realistic goals on what you would like to change in your life. What needs to change and what will the final result be? Once you have established that you set out small goals that will help you on the way and keep you accountable for your progress. Check up n yourself weekly or monthly and see how you are keeping up with your goals. Perhaps you aren't progressing as you'd like, what actions do you need to take in order to move forward and come closer to your goal?

I have many plans for next year but I am trying to keep them on a rather low level so that I can set up an action plan for them and therefore improve my chances of achieving my goals.

This is probably one of the most powerful and effective things you can do to assure 2009 becomes a great year, yet it is forgotten by most.

On my wish list: more time

2008-12-02T19:43:00.003-03:00

Right now I wish I could ask for more time. I have two e-books to write and release within the coming two weeks, two design clients to attend to, a business to run (even though Revka is doing most part of it thankfully) my own sites to run and then a family to care for.

Now some might not agree with me and say it is a matter of prioritizing and focusing. Which I completely agree with. I could have managed my time better so I wouldn't be stressing right now. But life doesn't always turn out the way we plan it, actually it rarely does. Due to personal problems I've had to put some things back and am now trying to make up for it.

I am curious to see what 2009 will bring and I am certain it will be a great year. I feel that it is utterly important to plan ahead and that is what I will do. Some try and make up for lost time or bad work with magic tricks, I don't believe in magic tricks. I don't believe the best thing to lose weight quickly is to take quick fixes like Leptovox, I don't believe the best thing to do when lacking time is to compromise on the outcome. I believe in a more balanced lifestyle, be it a bout health or work. I believe you should always do your best and try to the best of your knowledge.

That is why you should always leave margins in everything you do. Start planning for 2009 now and include time margins, it will be much easier to achieve your goals then.

Planning for a great business year 2009

2008-11-29T18:18:00.002-03:00

Have you started planning for 2009 yet? It might seem as if you still have plenty of time left but the truth is you haven't. Especially if you have got a business. You need to start planning for next year now!

Planning can be difficult if you aren't used to planning and are the type that takes everything as it comes. You really need to change that if you want to make sure you will have a profitable year.

Next week will be my planning week. I will plan my current businesses and see how they can expand and be profitable. I will cut out on certain things that aren't working for me. Not only do I plan to double my income but I am planning to triple it! And I am sure it can bee achieved with a little planning.

A few questions you can ask yourself in order to get started and plan for a great 2009:

What is lacking from my business? (enthusiasm, sales, team member etc)
In what areas do I need to improve and how will I do that?
What did I do in 2008 that didn't make me any money?
What did I do in 2008 that I didn't enjoy?
Which product/service is my greatest asset and how can I improve it?
How can I reach out to new customers and promote my products/services?
How will I know 2009 has been a great year?

The last question is especially important. What defines a great year? Have 2008 been a great year? What made it so great? A highly important question in my opinion.

Have you started planning your 2009 yet? What are your biggest goals for 2009?

Shaping up for Christmas

2008-11-29T17:46:00.003-03:00

After a week of turkey some might not even want to think about food. But Christmas is coming closer and we all know that Christmas means eating. While some may turn to fast fat burners I recommend starting to think about it now instead so you can enjoy a guilt free Christmas.

First of all I think it's important to let go of the guilt. That won't bring you anything good at all. Christmas, just like any holiday, is a time to spend with your family and to be happy. So go ahead and enjoy the company and especially all the good food.

If you still want to make sure you don't over indulge during the white season then eat a little of everything or stick to a few things only.There is no need to stuff yourself with everything. You'll only get sick if you do.

I'm not too worried about this issue but I know many are worrying already or will shortly. Another tip is to walk more, something that can be very nice with the right company. Why not suggest that the whole family go for a short walk together after lunch?

Instead of worrying about how much you eat at Christmas: enjoy yourself and plan for a healthy 2009. It will be so much easier then.

13 Ways to make extra money for Christmas

2008-11-25T14:32:00.004-03:00

As Christmas approaches and the world economy seem to be only going down I am sure many are stressed and thinking about how they can make extra money for Christmas. Here are a few ideas you can get started with and explore.

Please note that these are real tips and no get rich quick schemes. These tips can actually make you money all year around.

Sell things you are not using. A pretty basic thing which is also easy. You can sell on eBay, on your blog or perhaps have a garage sale.
Become a shopping assistant or personal shopper. Many elderly or those working full time might not have time to do all the shopping themselves. Offer your help with an outstanding service, you will surely be contacted again next year. Tip: make small cards and pass around, leave at public places and houses etc.
Be creative and sell your art. If you are good at making crafts this can be a great thing for you. You can ask to team up with a local café or shop and sell your items through there.
Babysit. It is hard to shop for gifts with the kids around. Offer some quiet shopping time. This can also be bartered between moms.
Sell your husband. Not literally but you can sell his services. Around Christmas there are lots of things to be fixed around the house so your husband can be of high value to someone who needs extra help.
Cook for others. Again; there are many who would appreciate some help and stress less. this is only recommended if you really know how to cook though. You can also sell cookies and cakes.
Hold crafting classes. Why not educate others on how to make nice Christmas decorations and save money?
Use your professional skills to educate others. We all have talents and we have all learned something that someone else would like to know. Think about what you know that someone else would like to know. Set up a small class and teach your skills to others. It can be about book keeping, household budgets, cooking, teaching unruly children to behave or just about anything. The important thing is that it is soemthing someone would like to know and they are willing to pay for it. With a little planning you can come a long way.
Write articles and sell. If you like to write why not try and sell your articles at Daily Article?
Write how to articles. Bright Hub pay $10 for each accepted article. Why not give it a try? Writers guidelines here.
Text for others. Write short messages and get paid for it. Check out Texperts and Textbrokers.
Make your blog work. Writing reviews is something anyone with a blog can do. Sign up with places like PayPerPost today! You can find more links in the above navbar.
Scrap for others. Are you a keen scrapper? Why not make your talent make you money? Sell pre-made and custom made scrap designs to friends and family. A wonderful Christmas gift!

These are only a few ideas, there is plenty more to be discovered. What you need to do is look at your current situation and see how that could work for you. We all have something we are good at so you only need to dig out that talent and make it work for you.

Advertise your services.
Advertise your services on craigslist and the local newspaper, online, twitter, your blog etc. Make cards for friends to leave at their work and to help spread the word. Don't be afraid to market yourself!

Be frugal.
Need some tips on how to be frugal? Check out these 39 frugal tips to save money for Christmas.

Please do not fall for get rich quick schemes! Yes in some cases you need to pay for a good service in order to earn money but there are lots of scammers out there so please be careful. The number one rule is: never pay for a job. Remember: if it sounds too good it probably is. Another thing wort remembering is that the "get paid to click" schemes takes along time and will most probably not make you any money in time for Christmas. That is why I've given you tips that can work now!

If you would like to save money and make your blog pretty at the same time I suggest you keep an eye on RS Designs this Friday and the whole of December.

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Want to work at home and need help achieving that dream? Please stay tuned for my e-book that will help you find a work at home job the real way. No scam, no hype and definitely no get rich quick schemes. But good, solid advice that can help you a long way and save you some good money and a lot of headache. Subscribe now and get a special offer once the book is out! If you want to work at home you don't want to miss this!
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This year's Christmas gift

2008-11-18T20:14:00.003-03:00

I've been dreaming of going to the beach for some time now and this year it looks as it could become reality. Because of my husband job we could get a better price and save a great deal of money.

Sounds great doesn' it?

If it wasn't for the fact that I have been wanting to get a drivers license. Now, unfortunately it looks as if it will be more difficult to get a license next year. Price will double and the course will also be longer. So my husband has told me that either I get a license or we go to the beach...

I'd love to have a car and it is part of my plan for next year. I'm not entirely sure how I will make it but somehow I'll plan for it. Of course there are these boring but necessary things to think about like insurance. I'd have to look at cheap auto insurance for some good deals without compromising on quality. I'd love to have one of those little smart cars, or I call them smart cars, as long as they are small.

I'm having a tough time deciding what this year's gift will be for Christmas.... but if I am a clever girl it will be the car. But I so wish it could be the beach...

One of the reasons I work from home

2008-11-12T13:01:00.003-03:00

This week one of my reasons for working from home has been confirmed. My son has to be home all week because he's got Pinkeye. Or what is believed to be pinkeye, I'm not entirely sure actually as he looks alright.

Had I worked out of the house it would not have been possible for me to take care of him. Who would have taken care of him then? Now because I work from home I don't need to worry about what my boss will say when I arrive late or need to go home earlier or take a few days off unexpectedly. A wonderful feeling really.

Sure it does complicate things for me and I get interrupted all the time but I am still able to work if only slower.

This is only one of the reasons I work at home but it sure makes me feel good that I am able to care for my family when they need me.

No more annoying phone calls

2008-11-10T17:31:00.003-03:00

Most of us strongly dislike annoying phone calls from insistent call operators that try and make us buy something even though we kindly say "no thank you" a couple of hundred times. Some vendors just don't get it. You do have to give them credit for their persistence.

Well if you want to report a number you can go to Phone Number Reporting and tell them what you think there. Perhaps someone else is of the same opinion.

During the last election here in Brazil we got quite a few phone calls, my standard reply: "I'm not Brazilian so I don't vote" Worked every time. lol Basically you just need to know the magic words and they will resist. Then there are those who are persistent...

Are you working towards your goals?

2008-11-10T16:48:00.002-03:00

When was the last time you checked your goals for your life and future? I've talked quite a it about this lately but it is so important to remember to have goals that can be accomplished.

What goals do you have that can be accomplished in the near future? Big or small, they important thing is to work towards them step by step.

So I want to ask you: Are you working towards your goals? Do you have a consistent plan on how to achieve it in time?

New world changes

2008-11-06T16:38:00.002-03:00

No one can have missed this years big news; Barack Obama elected as the new President for The United States. I don't follow politics and honestly don't know much about it but I was very excited when I heard the news.

There are a lot of media speculations as to what will change and how it will change. Last night they asked some expert some rather silly questions on TV about how Obama's new leadership will change our state here in Brazil. I couldn't help thinking to myself "hey it's America that he will lead, not Brazil" Although the whole world will be affected in a way. If I lived in America and needed a North Carolina health insurance and worried the prices would go up even more then I would ask that question but not when I live thousands of miles away.

This has absolutely been a big example for the rest of the world and it feel as if the timing is just about right.

How do you think this will change America and the rest of the world?

Be a smart mom: Save time and money by planning your meals!

2008-11-03T12:20:00.003-03:00

Being a WAHM require many skills and a whole lot of planning to get things done in a quick way. As a WAHM I am always looking for ways to reduce my workload and save time. One great way that is helping me immensely is meal planning!

I have been meal planning for some time now and I take extra care when we have a month that will be extra tight in terms of money. I normally plan for a whole month so that I know exactly what to buy for the coming month. That way I save much more than if I didn't.

A few reasons why you should be meal planning:

* It will save you the headache of not knowing what to eat an hour before dinner
* It will definitely save you money as you can plan your trip to the supermarket
* It will make sure your family enjoy varied meals and no one complains that you are "always eating the same thing"
* By planning you will save time and money and can spend the free time with your family instead.

Now you might say; "But I will spend time planning my meals - I don't have time for that" or "I'm not very creative in the kitchen - I wouldn't know how to plan"

Don't worry! To make sure you really do save time and money there is help to get! Menu Planning Central takes care of all your worries and the only thing you need to do is give someone a shopping list and then prepare the meal. As easy as 1-2-3! This is a fab service and I am surprised more moms aren't taking advantage of it.

So if you want to save time and money; start planning your meals! I am sure you will see what a great help it is! Head over to MPC and get your free menu planner and shopping list today!

Get things done!

2008-10-31T15:11:00.003-03:00

How are you with getting things done?

Yesterday I read a very good post over at Moomettesgram about when to deal with tasks and when to leave them -5 Ways to Manage Your Time While Working at Home Online . She shows a superb chart that can help anyone!

For instance; I've let my printer stand for months just because I have left the task of re-charging it until "later". Well that someday later might never come. Instead I should decide when later is. Tasks that are urgent should be dealt with immediately.

You can see the cahrt over at Mommet's Magnificents.

Are you a fighter WAHM?

2008-10-31T14:58:00.002-03:00

How much do you fight for your rights as a WAHM? Perhaps you don't need to, perhaps your family is really understanding and help you and support you, but what if they don't? What if they rather see you went out and got a "real" job and earned some "real money"?

If you believe in something you have to fight for your rights and your dreams. If you want to show others that it is possible then you have to have a plan on how to do that as well.

My husband has been pretty supportive of me working at home but I have also told him that if he tells me to work outside of home I will respect that and do what is necessary for our family. I cannot let my family starve just because I believe working at home is the right thing to do for me. But until then I will fight for my rights as WAHM and do what ever I can do make it work.

The WAHM life isn't easy. It can be pretty hard actually. And when you hit the bottom that's when you need to fight for your rights and show that it is possible. Even when you hardly believe it yourself.

How much have you had to fight for your WAHm life?

A life without technology?

2008-10-29T14:37:00.003-03:00

I would be very happy if I lived out on the country side without any modern technologies to help me. I don't think I'd mind at all really.

But, please let me have a computer. I mean; what would I do all day? There are days I wish I could throw the computer out the window or get another job so I didn't have to depend so much on it. To use it only for fun.

But how would a life without technology be? Or a life without power? Once I was in the midst of the jungle in Thailand, there was no power whatsoever there. I have never seen stars so bright in my life. It was a lovely feeling. These people don't care about what a Linksys router is or how much a computer costs or where to get the best internet hosting. They are perfectly happy being where they are, without power, without technology.

And it seems so simple, the tech free life. Is it really? How dependent have we become when it comes to technology? I fear my son (5yr) will come and tell me any day now that he wants a cell phone because all his friends has one, because technology is advancing and its users are becoming younger and younger. Is this how it is supposed to be?

I think I can live a tech free life, with our without computer but without power... no I'd rather not.

What do you hold onto when it gets tough?

2008-10-29T14:25:00.002-03:00

Image by .bullish via FlickrWhen times are rough and you don't know what to do what do you hold onto then? Friends, partner, God, yourself or something else?

When life doesn't got he way we want it it is important to always look forward with the knowledge that it will get better, it just takes some time. I personally hold on to God and for me there is no other option except that and my family.

Life can be really hard on us sometimes but the important thing is that we keep on moving forward and don't bury ourselves in depression or things that aren't good for us. Which can be very hard sometimes.

When it looks really dark we have to focus on that light and not let it go.

What do you hold onto when times are rough?

Where have your dreams gone?

2008-10-28T19:36:00.002-03:00

Image by Claudio.Ar - Hermes via FlickrWhen we are kids we usually dream about living our dream life, a wonderful life. Sadly that normally never happens and we end up living a life without dreams.

We get so caught up in just living that we forget about dreaming and working towards achieving our dreams. Of course our dreams change as well, when I was a little girl I wanted to be a hairdresser or work in the local supermarket. The hairdresser dream was at the back of my mind for quite some time while the dream about working in the local supermarket faded quite quickly.

We all have dreams, the question is what we are doing about it. I have a dream to live close to the beach, practically on the beach, here in Brazil. To make that dream a reality I'll have to put up some goals and do what I can to make it happen.

I'd hate for my dreams to vanish and not become a reality, life is too short for us to not make our dreams a reality.

Are you working towards your dreams? Or are you too busy living your life?

Are you ready?

2008-10-28T19:17:00.003-03:00

Ready for Christmas that is. Christmas is approaching quickly and it is time to once again think about what to buy to those we love.

As we get older many say they don't need gifts and prefer to buy only to the kids, which is sweet but everyone likes receiving. This year many of us will have to find frugal ways of spending. Perhaps you have been looking to get a pair of MBT shoes for yourself or your partner, the first thing to think about; don't spend without researching first. It doesn't matter what you are buying, if you are on a budget you need to look where you can find the best price for the product you are buying.

Being frugal when it comes to gifts can be boring for some but it can also be a great way for you to see how much you can buy spending the least you can. That can be a real challenge. Setting a limit on how much you will spend on gifts is a good way to make sure you don't spend too much.

Do you have a limit on how much you spend or do you think the Holidays is a time when spending is allowed?

Quick appetizers

2008-10-22T13:43:00.003-03:00

I don't write much about food on this blog, although I do have two food blogs. I love to stand in the kitchen and create. I say create because making dinner and desserts is creativity for me, I love making new things and try recipes.

It is quite boring making the same food all over again so I have months when I make lists of what we are going to eat the coming month, that way we never eat the same thing. Something I love reading are appetizer recipes, I love nibbling on different things. When we invite someone over I always go through my recipes and start thinking about how many appetizers we should have etc.

Well even if I am a WAHM it can be hard to find time to stand in the kitchen and this last year I have been spending less and less time there. But there are a few standard things I'd like to share with you so that you can quickly come up with something for your guests.

* Bread - either buy fresh bread or find an easy bake recipe that you can before your guests arrives. Some recipes only require one quick rest and no kneading.
* Olives - a great time saver, just open a jar, pour into a small bowl and put on the table along with toothpicks.
* Cheese - again very easy. Cut into small cubes and serve with the olives.
* Ham - buy a piece of cooked or smoked ham and cut into cubes.

Very easy and quick. Sometimes it are the small things that count up. The most important thing is to not limit yourself in the kitchen, use your creativity and don't be afraid to skip parts of the recipe and try new things. Have fun!

What's important, really?

2008-10-17T17:47:00.006-03:00

I just received a telephone call from my mother on my mobile phone. First of all I got very surprised as my mother normally doesn't call me very often, secondly because I knew she was calling from her mobile to mine and that is very expensive.

Now I haven't lived close to my mother for over 8 years so there is no need for her to call me and tell me when she will be home or where she is. Still she just called me to tell me she won't be at home much as her partner of 15+ years is at the hospital and won't be coming out anytime soon. In fact, it sounded as if he won't make it for long. It made me so sad, I feel so sorry for my mother and I wish I could just jump on a plane to go and be with her. My mother is very lonely and her health is not the best either after having gone through two strokes.

And all the "worries" about buying a new pop up tv for our bedroom, improving the house , buying memory for my computer, what's for dinner etc just became so small.

I am here struggling to get home, after four years I still haven't been home and at a time like this I feel it is really about time. I might just have to re-prioritize what I consider important. Because like this I will never go visit my mother.

What are your daily WAHM priorities?

2008-10-16T19:21:00.003-03:00

As a WAHM I have my office next to me everyday. I can basically work at any time I please. But to not lose track off what I do and have some kind of routine in my life I have certain things I do everyday. I believe these things help me work better and concentrate on my work.

One of the first things I do before breakfast is to go walking. An hour every day, if you are thinking about how to lose weight daily walking is a good start. The walk make sure I get out and inhale some fresh air and that I get prepared for a new day.

After I get home I take a shower, prepare my breakfast and do my prayers. My morning prayers are very important to me and I make sure I always do them no matter how much I want to turn on the computer.

I normally try to do the dishes or clean up before I start working but many times they are left behind. This is one of the things I am working on. If I don't do it first thing in the morning
I do it throughout the day but I prefer to have everything clean as I start working. That way I can concentrate better on my work. When the end of the day approaches I do a final clean up before I go pick up my son from nursery.

What are your daily WAHM priorities?

Heatwave

2008-10-15T21:33:00.006-03:00

It has been incredibly hot here these last few days. The heat is intense and it is best to stay inside really. Yesterday we cooled off with ice cream, today jelly had to do the trick as well as lots of cold water.

Thankfully our indoor lightning has a fan! Unfortunately since we rearranged our living/dining room the fan is not in the dining part so we are thinking of installing another one if the living room part.

I love the heat though and it is one of the reasons I love living in Brazil. I like it when it is hot and the sun is shining. As long as it is warm I am happy, but honestly this heat is a bit too much as it is very humid. Yesterday it rained a little but not much and today no rain at all.

I am grateful I work at home and don't have to get on a crowded bus or sit in traffic in a warm car on a day like this. lol

A life full of worries

2008-10-10T18:15:00.003-03:00

Some people are more prone to worry about things than others. I worry more than I would like to. When I don't worry about how to get rid of acne or or important external things I worry about everything else. Fortunately I only worry about small things that don't make any difference to anyone but me.

The good thing about being a person who worries is that you usually appreciate what you have more. As I worry about my family a lot I also make sure that I appreciate spending time with them and take care of them. The other day I told my husband that I wish more people were like me, then the world might be a bit more loving.

What about you, do you worry a lot? Is it a good or bad to worry a lot? When is a lot too much?

Go pink for October- Free backgrounds for Twitter!

2008-10-10T17:52:00.003-03:00

October is the month for those who want to do good and those who like pink. October is Breast Cancer awareness month, please visit Pink for October to show your support and read more.

To show how important we think it is that you support Breast Cancer we have made you a few special free treats at RS Designs. During October you can download a few selected pink backgrounds to use on your blog or on your Twitter page. If you would more bloggers and twitter's go pink for October please refer them to our free backgrounds. If you would like a custom background please contact us.

You can read more over at our blog.

Accepting that your outside can never be perfect

2008-10-08T17:40:00.002-03:00

I've mentioned my acne problems earlier, how I badly want to get rid of my acne and even went for special acne treatment for it. A treatment that was more expensive than I could afford and didn't do much for me either. Of course not every one responds the same to acne treatments, what works for someone might not work for me.

Now after I had my miscarriage the doctor put me on anti-conceptional for me to take for at least three months. As most women know some of these little pills will give you acne and help you gain weight. Of course my acne has bloomed again and I prefer not to look in the mirror on those days.

But it has also made me realize that I will just have to wait on my acne for it to disappear. The more I think about it and the more I complain the worse it gets.

This isn't really about acne at all, it's about accepting that our outsides can never be perfect. We live in a world where we try to achieve a perfect outside at a high price. Have you thought about the price you are paying for that? The emotional price, $$ might get you a long way but if you don't accept yourself the way you are you can never become perfect.

I'd rather accept myself the way I am than criticizing myself every day. What about you?

There is never enough space

2008-10-06T18:28:00.003-03:00

I feel as if I am complaining all the time that there are never enough space for my things. I use it as a constant excuse to not organize my things when I deep down know it is actually my lack of organization that is causing the mess.

Yesterday I was cleaning up in my son's room, of course I had complained that there wasn't enough space for his clothes but after removing it all and folding everything I could see there was more than enough space. In fact there is now plenty of space left. Which makes me think I do not need a big wardrobe or much space to store my things, what I need is to get organized.

Wonder if buying a big self storage box would help at all...? No probably not, I better go fight with my wardrobe instead.

How about you? Are you good at organizing or do you complain about there not being enough space for your things?

Sell your articles on Daily Article

2008-10-06T18:01:00.002-03:00

This morning I had a pleasant surprise when I opened my inbox. I had sold an article I submitted a long time ago to Daily Article. It's been months since I submitted the article, which was more for a test to see how it worked, and now today someone bought it. Which makes me think I should submit a few more.

At daily article you can set your own prices but most articles are around $10-$20, if you are not sure how to price your articles I suggest looking at word length and topic. You can always check what other writers ask for their articles even if you cannot see the full article.

It's not quick money but if you have a few articles lying around then why not submit them? Don't forget to read the terms before submitting. Good luck.

Living the moment

2008-10-04T19:33:00.002-03:00

Image by Stuck in Customs via FlickrHow often do we stop ourselves and just enjoy life? Inhale the fresh air, listen to the birds and enjoy the view?

Not as often as we should really, instead we occupy our minds with thoughts about how we are going to pay the bills, what we are having for dinner, who will do the dishes, what diet pills to take, what is showing on TV and about tomorrow.

Perhaps you live where the view isn't as beautiful as on the image above, few of us do, but that doesn't matter. What matters is how we appreciate the things we have around us. When did you last stop to listen to the sound of the nature, hear birds singing, trees swaying, wind blowing? Just listen and think of nothing, live the moment.

If the answer is that it's been a long time since you did any of the above then perhaps it is about time?

Life changing happenings

2008-09-25T16:37:00.002-03:00

When life is good it is hard to imagine what could happen that would throw us off balance. I thought my life was all good, sure I wanted to earn a little more, lose a little weight, become even healthier and do some things but life was good.

What happened was that I discovered I was pregnant. This wasn't expected but surely welcome and we were happy about the new baby. I had a feeling inside me that something would be wrong with the baby but ignored it and felt happy instead. I started to plan and think about how our lives would be with this new little person coming. I announced I was pregnant to only a few days later go through what no mother wants; a miscarriage.

It was still in early stages as I only was 9 weeks along but once you find out you are pregnant you love that little thing inside of you and it was no different for me. From having a loving feeling inside of me to nothing emptied my heart. Last week was tough and I've been crying more than once. What is keeping me on up is my faith, without my faith life would surely be different.

It is hard, oh so hard but the walk will continue and one day I will become a mother again I believe. But for now I appreciate and thank God for the family I do have and adore every moment with them. I couldn't care less about fat-burners or any other superficial and artificial treatments out there to make me lose weight or "feel better". I wanted to lose weight before I got pregnant and now I want to prepare myself so that I can try for another baby. But we are talking about kilos that would only make me feel good, no one else and they are not even important but I am usng it as a way to keep myself going and looking ahead.

My heart still aches, it will take time before it doesn't but I know that in the end everything will be OK. Instead of thinking of what I do not have I have to think about what I do have. And I give thanks for everything I've got today.

Life changing happenings shouldn't be avoided, they are what makes us who we are today. They may be hard to endure but they won't last long and once you are healing everything becomes easier.

When inspiration seems far away

2008-09-12T17:45:00.003-03:00

When it comes to design work, and other work that requires a creative mind, it is not always you have inspiration for the things you need to do. When I don't have any inspiration I force myself to come up with something. It's not a matter of doing the best work, it's about doing something to get your inspiration flowing.

When I don't have any inspiration at all I look in different magazines, at web pages and anything that has lots of colors in it. And then I just start, start by adding colors and shapes and then I come up with something. And it always works.

Forcing inspiration to come can be the beginning to a wonderful work even though it doesn't look so in the beginning.

What do you do when you don't have any inspiration?

Setting up a schedule that works for you

2008-09-08T12:33:00.002-03:00

Today I have been reflecting over my schedule or the lack of it actually. I did have a schedule and it worked pretty well but somehow the schedule disappeared and I never took it up again. So I will once again make a new schedule to make sure I am using my time efficiently.

If you would like to make a schedule but have no idea where to start then here are a few tips;

If you need to plan in housework then list that on your schedule as well. Look over the things you need to do each week or month so you don't forget anything.
Check how long you need for each task- if you are unsure time them so you can plan better.
Don't forget to plan the small simple things as well even if you think you don't need to.
If it seems as if there aren't enough time in a day for you to get everything done then you probably need to re-prioritize your work. Check what you spend unnecessary time on and get up an hour earlier if needed. One good way to save time is to outsource what you don't need to do yourself. If your budgets allows you have someone to come and clean for you or help you with your paperwork.
Have fixed times, this will help you to make sure you don't stress at the last minute. If you finish at 5pm and still have work to do then make sure you check a few minutes earlier how you can get it done or if it can wait until the next day.
Add extra time to finish up tasks from the previous day. That way you don't have to take up precious time from your schedule and fall behind.

These are only small tips but they can help immensely when implemented the right way. if you feel as if you are wasting time and not being very efficient then it is probably time for you to set up a schedule.

How golfing can help you when times are rough

2008-09-05T20:08:00.000-03:00

A golf course is large, wide and has small hills, uneven landscape and can be a real challenge even for an experienced golfer.

Look at Orlando golf, they list all sorts of golf courses to make sure their golfers find the right one and try new ones. They list how many holes each golf course has and what you can expect to find once there. Now common for all golfers is that they all have the same information when they get there, how well they do is up to themselves. Depending on their skills they can take longer or shorter time to finish and to score. But they will all reach the goal, no matter how long it takes.

Life is like a golf course, it goes up, down, varies from country to country, from life to life, but normally we all have the same chances. The outcome depends on what we do and how we choose to play through to reach the end.

If you think life is rough and are not happy at all, think of it like a golf course, it is necessary to go through all the stages to improve skills and grow as a person and golfer. There are no shortcuts and in the end you will feel stronger. If you are not happy; improve your skills, go the same route again and again until you go through it without difficulties, never stop wanting to move forward. And when you are at that last hole that only require as short put then take it easy and think of how long you've come and look forward to the next golfing round.

Life is what we make it, remember that.

What are you working for?

2008-09-05T19:53:00.002-03:00

What are you working for? Do you have a clear goal of what you would like to achieve with your business?

Setting a goal can be difficult but it is a good motivator if you have something to strive and work for. It can be a small goal or a big goal, the important thing is that you have a goal. It may seem unachievable but it will make you work all the harder providing that you do have a chance of attaining it.

Possible goals could be to earn a certain amount of $ per day/week/month/year or to have x number of clients in a year, visit x amount of prospects, make x amount of connections in your business area or attend a seminar that would help your business grow. The goal can be just about anything as long as it motivates you.

Sometimes days just slip by without us doing anything about our home businesses, that is why it is extra important to have a clear goal and work for it.

What are you working for? Do you have a clear goal?

To make sure you save money the offer continues

2008-09-03T14:15:00.004-03:00

Back in May I told you about the fabulous offer from RS Designs and how you can save money when buying from Making A Happy Life.

I want to remind you about this offer just to make sure you don't miss out! As a biz mom myself I know how important it is to find a good deal and how difficult it can be. Well with our guarantees you can rest easily and leave it all up to us.

So if you are in need of a new design or help with your website then do not miss out on this offer!

In search of perfection

2008-09-01T16:05:00.003-03:00

Did you know that in the United States over 70,000,000 people turn to weight loss pills to try and help then lose weight. That is a lot of people! Source.

70,000,000 people and they all think that weight loss pills will help them. Now weight loss pills may be a helpful solution for many but I'd like to ask these people if they have tried exercise? That is definitely a better solution than pills.

Is this all in search of perfection? Why on earth are we so desperate to lose weight that we eat things we have no idea what it contains? Yes, medication is required many times and weight loss pills can definitely help but the best thing would be if we learn to eat healthily directly from birth. As early as possible before our taste buds have gotten used to the junk food we so happily eat.

We will never be perfect but a healthy living is a good start.

Think about how you treat your body. Cut out the things that aren't good for you.

I am free! Enjoying an easy day

2008-09-01T15:38:00.004-03:00

That is what I felt like yesterday when I finally finished off a project that has been hanging for a few months. But yesterday I finally finished it and I feel so good! I feel free!

This morning I woke up without feeling a pressure to do anything but instead longing to work. For some time now I have been wanting to catch up on everything and kind of start over. Today I have deleted over one thousand feeds (not the blogs but the feeds) I cleaned out my email, posted on my blog, sent out an important newsletter and did a few other things that I've been delaying.

To make sure I have more days like these I will continue to clean out my feed reader and exclude a few blogs that I no longer read, keep up with the inbox and do things as quickly as possible.

A friend of mine just came over and we've been chatting for a while, I didn't feel any pressure to go back to work but sat and chatted as if I had all time in the world. I love that feeling, when you take time to do things for yourself and for others.

I can come up with a to do list quickly if I want but it is nice to enjoy not having anything urgent to do. So today I'm going to pick up my son from nursery a bit earlier and just play with him.

Don't you just love days like these?

Are you where you want to be in your WAHM life?

2008-08-29T11:29:00.002-03:00

If you answer yes to then that is great, congratulations to you!

Chances are you are saying no though, which of course is very sad. But there is no need in feeling bad about that because we all go through that phase and it is part of the learning process.

In order to move forward you need to understand where you are at right now. There are a few questions you can ask yourself to easier understand how to move ahead;

What are you doing that isn't working?
What do you need to move forward?
Can you get help from someone else to move forward easily?

Once you have established that you can decide what to do to overcome the current problems you may have. Is there something that you can't do? Can you find someone else to do it for you or do you need to learn something in order to do it yourself? What do you need to learn?

Going through these steps will make it easier for you to overcome the obstacles you are facing in your WAHM life.

If you need more help and ideas you are more than welcome to contact me to discuss your current situation.

Pleased with oneself

2008-08-28T15:18:00.003-03:00

We often complain that we are not happy with ourselves but we never pinpoint what the problem is but keep complaining. We often use excuses to not do things or delay things for later when we could have done them straight away and gotten rid of the problem.

It could be things like losing weight or deciding to get acne treatment to feel better about oneself. Buying acne cream or a membership at the gym would help instead of wishing you had less acne or wished you were slimmer. Or it could be to set a goal for what you would like to achieve and use strategies to achieve what you want to accomplish. Loose goals without a real strategy won't get you far but with a real plan you can get farther than you'd ever imagined.

It doesn't matter what you need to do in your life, do something that makes you feel pleased with yourself and you are on the right track. Be it a small thing or a larger project, the important thing is that you tried and had a real plan on how to achieve your goals so that in the end you can feel good about yourself.

Valuing your life

2008-08-26T15:50:00.005-03:00

According to a survey in the U.S a traffic accident occurs every six second resulting in almost a five and a quarter million accidents per year. Source.

Wow that is scary! But I don't doubt it, I see these things on TV everyday here and it is frightening to see how drivers aren't paying attention in traffic. People are killed everyday, and it doesn't even need to be by car or bus. A few weeks ago a man died as he accidentally hit a pedestrian while riding his bicycle. Until today no one really understands how it happened.

Being careful in traffic and valuing our lives is utterly important, don't undervalue your life. Be careful., you never know when it might happen. Are you prepared if anything happens to your family?

Please do make sure your family is properly insured in case of an accident. You never know when you might need it. Shoppers can apply online for a life insurance quote by clicking here

We only have one life, let's make sure we make the most out of it.

Why you could be missing out on $$

2008-08-25T14:58:00.002-03:00

Yesterday I was hit by a powerful "Now or Never" moment and decided that it was about time that I sat down and went through my business plans.

A few months ago I had this absolutely brilliant business idea and was really thrilled about starting it and getting it up a running. Only that someone else also had this brilliant idea and did the exact same thing. Actually she did it so well that I joined her new site that today is a wonderful place to hang out.

Did your idea get stolen/copied? Work around it!
It will not be the end if your idea doesn't go through. Instead of feeling sorry for yourself, try and think about how you can change your perspecitve and work around with what you do have.

Now it took me sometime to accept that my brilliant idea wasn't just mine and it was a huge let down. Last night I went over all my resources, ideas and goals and decided that if I could no longer use my original idea I could at least work around it and do something new.

When a project or goal doesn't turn out the way you would like it to you just need to take a step back and re-think. Many times you are even able to get better results than if you had gone through with the project the first time.

This is why you could be missing out on $$ - you are not using your ideas and curent projects to your advantage. Do that!

When a thank you is better than money

2008-08-21T15:18:00.002-03:00

I do the work I do because I need to make money to sustain my family but also because I love what I do. I love writing articles about things, places, people, etc etc and I love creating custom blog/site design for those who needs it.

Being paid fairly for the work I do is only right I believe but sometimes a big thank you is worth more. When I feel that the person who's got a new design is thrilled with it or when someone says "wow that was a great article, thank you". That's when I fly high.

Some people pay and say nothing, no thank you, nothing. That's OK. I did my part and that was the deal. While others don't know how to thank me enough and show their enormous gratitude.
Of course this is a general thought and I could not live off thank you's all the time or I would have serious problems putting food on the table. But it is a nice thought and makes me appreciate the people I work with and also myself and the work I do.

What do you prefer, a big fat check or a big thank you?

Timing myself

2008-08-19T14:33:00.004-03:00

I haven't worn a watch for years, well actually I did buy one about two years ago but I only used it for a few months and then it broke. So really I haven't used a watch for over six years I think. But lately I have been considering buying a new one. I might not wear it much as I am thinking of getting a sports watch to time myself running.

It doesn't need to be anything fancy but I like Festina watches, I like the Festina Chrystal Severele watch, pink and practical.*lol* It would be great to know exactly for how long I have been running and what time it is, at the moment I have to guess and that's not really helping me to motivate myself. If I had a watch I could time myself and try to improve each day.

With cellphones being an everyday item watches has probably lost some of its popularity, do you have a watch or do you prefer your cellphone or perhaps both?

There is no unnecessary information

2008-08-19T14:18:00.002-03:00

Sometimes we are incredibly short sighted. We believe we know what is best for us and insist on not doing things we think we do not need to do.

For example I might say;"I don't need to know about futures trading"! But how will I know that I really do not need to know about it? It might not be valuable information to me at this very moment but perhaps one day I might be in need of knowing about it.

The same things goes about almost everything, but the bottom line is; we can never know what kind of situation we will be in at a later date. It's like taking a safety course, you know you should do it but you put it back to another day and once you know it an accident has happened and you regret not taking that course. You could end up in that situation.

Never say never to anything, be open minded- you will gain so much more then.

A lovable home

2008-08-19T14:09:00.003-03:00

A critical look at my own home and I have to say I am pretty pleased with what's inside. We have a nice home, sure it has its flaws but it is very nice, we have modern furniture inside. As newlyweds we didn't have any furnitures when we moved in so we had to buy everything.

Many times I wish I had "this and that" but in the end I am extremely happy with what I have. And most important of all, it is not the furniture that makes the house, its the people inside it and the love that surrounds it!

When going to the movies was a special treat

2008-08-15T14:52:00.003-03:00

Having a home theater is a wonderful thing, if you like it of course. I don't particularly like it so much that I would want to have it at home. My husband has done some connections with the stereo so we can turn that on if we want but I prefer not to use it. It is probably a matter of getting used to.

But it is not only the sound and the image that are important these days. Now you have to sit really comfortable as well. Talking about what kind of home theater sconces to buy has become a dear topic as well as from what I understand. Not only are they supposed to be comfortable, they have to go with the rest of the furnitures as well.

For me, going to the movies once in a while is a much better experience than using a home theater at home every day. It seems as going to the movies is not something you do on special occasions because now you can have the same experience at home. I think that is kind of sad actually. Think back when movies were still black and white colored and there were no big flat screens. Imagine the excitement to go to the movies and enjoy a film.

It's great that technology goes forward but it also makes me think that sometimes we go too fast and forget the simple things in life...

A Womens Business Magazine

2008-08-15T11:14:00.002-03:00

I have recently discovered WBO, Women Business Owners. Especially dedicated to female entrepreneurs they offer a lot of important information for women who already are in business or are about to start a business.

Their monthly magazine is wonderful, it is just like reading a normal magazine except that it is in PDF format. Full of great information and advice. They are always looking for volunteers and contributors so if you would like to help other women get successful online then you might want to contact them.

You can find and download all their magazines on their magazine page and you can access their organization here. The latter helps you find businesses in your area, add your own business and much more. They have special offers for members, fees are $10/month or $100/year.

I find their magazine very helpful and I am sure you will too.

Understanding your limits

2008-08-14T14:35:00.003-03:00

What are the limits for what we can do in our professional life? Depending on what you do there are certain things that will limit you unless you constantly try to move forward and learn more.

So what do you do when you hit the wall and say to yourself " I can't do this anymore, I don't know how to do this"?

I've had a few moments like that lately during this long project that took up at least 3 times more time than it was supposed to. I had days when I said that unless I fix this I will just refund the money and tell my client to go to another designer. A horrible thought and of course not anything I wanted to do. I was stuck with this project day and night, it was constantly in my mind and I didn't know how to move forward because every time I though I had solved one problem another one came up. Until one day when I finally realized that I had limits. There are limits to what I can do sometimes, it doesn't mean I'm not good or that I can't solve it but sometimes it is just not what I am able to do this very moment.

When I understood that there was nothing I could do about it I stopped agonizing over it and just accepted facts. And the next day I continued where I had left off. What I didn't do was stop trying.

I think that is very important, to never give up. Did I want to give up? Yes it would have been very easy to just throw the computer out the window and say bye bye to the project but it wasn't really an option. I had committed myself to the project and I was determined to finish it. Which shows another type of quality, I might have been lacking some skills that very moment but my determination shows something else. It shows that I will not give in until I have tried everything possible.

Accepting defeat is hard but sometimes necessary, the only thing we can do to avoid this happening is to improve our skills. Did I learn a lot during this project, oh yes! Would I want to be without what I learned? No! It might have been a long learning curve and a bit too complicated and long but it was all worth it in the end.

What do you do when you have reached your limits?

Patience testing projects

2008-08-08T11:24:00.003-03:00

These last six weeks have been extremely busy and I haven't had time for anything. Prioritizing family is difficult when you know you have projects to complete but I have done my best not to let my family suffer.

I have been working on this one project that has left me no time for other things so all my blogs have been suffering, I have piles of articles to write, deadlines to meet and I am beginning to think there is no end to it. Every time it seems to be all good something new comes up making it difficult to finish. Of course I know it will finish but it is really testing my patience, to not talk about my clients patience. The client has been wonderful though, really understanding which really helps. It just shows that sometime things don't work out the way we think they will. But as I am a positive thinking person I am sure there is a purpose behind all this.

But I have some good projects coming up and I am really excited about them and can't wait to get back into normal working routines and get started!

Labeling has become a problem here at home, we are now three who need to label our things and it complicates sometimes. That is when Dymo labels can really help! I love labels, so handy to separate things, no more "who's this?". Great way to organize your things.

Now I have to go back to my project and pray a silent prayer that today is the day when it all works. *lol*

Healthier habits

2008-08-01T19:15:00.000-03:00

I have finally after many years of dull excuses taken up running agian. Sure it has only been a bit more than a week but it has been great! I am so happy that I have started running and every day I long for the next time I can go out and run.

When I was a teenager I ran all the time and I have always enjoyed it very much. However as I got older it got put on the side and I became more or less one of those couch potatoes. *lol* Well those days are over, I have now changed my diet, cut out my coffee and started running. I thought it would be hard to give up on the coffee and the sweets but it has been easy. Actually I haven't given up totally but almost, from drinking 6 cups a day I now only take a few sips in the morning and that's it. I hope to finally give it all up.

I don't use a gold anklet but if I did I would probably remove it before going out, I don't liek to run with jewelery and things that distracts me. I have been bringing my MP3 with me but the earplugs keep falling out so I only use it for the days when my training is a bit lighter and I go for longer runs. I like to be able to concentrate and fully enjoy my run.

Well I have changed my life, how about you? Have you finally gotten out of that same old rut that's been keeping you from doing something you really want to?

In case of an emergency

2008-07-19T18:08:00.002-03:00

How prepared are you for an emergency? I mean family/money related emergencies. I am unfortunately not at all very prepared and that is something I wish to change. I am always confident that everything will work out for the best in the end but there are times when it is good to know what to do if something happens.

I have never had to deal with mortgage lenders or attorneys, nor have I dealt with insurance issues or bank issues. Not that I miss it but perhaps it would be good to get some insight on those matters. In case of an emergency, how will I provide for my family or pay for extra expenses? Or how will my husband take care of us if something happens?

I find these questions are tough, very tough and difficult questions but oh so necessary to answer. I don't really have the answer, I just pray we will never be in an emergency situation.

Effective Marketing

2008-07-18T09:22:00.003-03:00

As I have mentioned earlier it is currently winter in Brazil. It has been pretty cold and the ice cream car that usually pass on the street everyday ceased to come and the ice cream place around the corner closed its doors.

So what does an ice cream company do during the winter? Well either they sell something else or they come up with a smart marketing strategy. That is what one of the ice cream companies did here, they started a big contest where you could win a large amount of money. I thought that was very smart and I am sure it worked. Me, personally would never buy ice cream during this season and risk that my family (especially little DS) get sick but of course there are those who will.

Another effective marketing strategy is giving away things for free. About two weeks ago when we came out of the supermarket we were approached by a man who asked if we wanted to put our names down for the possibility to win a weeks free holiday at their resort. (Nothing like Hilton Head rentals but it looked nice on the pamphlet) We said yes and gave him our names. Afterwards my husband said: "You want to bet they will call and say that we have won?" Of course they did, in fact the day before yesterday they called and asked if we would like to receive the prize.

What happens is that they give you a week for free, including breakfast. But there are no guarantees of where you will stay and you will have to pay for the trip and any extra expenses. I tried to convince my DH that the hotel would cost more than the actual trip but without success. You can only receive the prize until November, before it gets really warm and they tourists come. And once there you will probably spend a whole lot more than you initially thought you would.

These are only two examples of smart marketing strategies but it shows that it usually work very well. And that is what a small company also need. A plan on how to survive when low season hits. Finding a strategy that works might not be easy but if you haven't already got one for your home business I suggest you start thinking about it.

Do you have a low season plan for your home biz?

Smart Job Searching

2008-07-18T08:37:00.002-03:00

Looking for a job is a very time consuming task and can be seen as a total waste of time for many. Sometimes you feel as if you are looking and looking but you never see anything new and you never find a job you would even consider applying for.

So what is smart job searching?For me it means that I don't have to spend a lot of time looking for a job but can concentrate on actually working. There are hundreds or more job sites out there, unless you have all the time in the world it won't be possible to go through all of them. This is when you have to look for a job without wasting a lot of time and spend more time applying and accepting them.

Be a Smart Job Searcher;

* Narrow your focus - do you have a specific job in mind or are you looking all over the place for anything? By narrowing down your search and focus on only a few areas it will be easier for you to find a job.

* Find a good and reliable source for the work you are looking for in your area. Ex:San Francisco jobs Decide on a few places that usually offers the kind of work you are looking for and return to them.

* Be consistent - use your list of places to search at and return to them regularly.

* Sign up for job alerts - many job searching sites send out alerts via email, sign up for the type of job you are looking for.

* Define and improve your skills while looking for a job - work on your CV, improve your skills, read up on the subject etc. You will be more prepared for the job.

* Go locally - this is probably one o the easiest ways of finding a job but still something many overlook. Call in and leave your CV or give them a ring, they might not be needing anyone at the moment but they will surely accept your CV if it is relevant.

* Don't be afraid to sell yourself - what are your qualities? Why would anyone want to hire you? These are things you should be able to answer. If your answer is that you aren't very good at anything then you need to go back to the step where you define and improve your skills. Everyone is good at something.

It's not always about where to look but it is also about how you look. What kind of attitude you have towards finding a new job and how you go about it.

Finding a job is not easy but many times we make it harder than it is.

Good luck!

Happy Birthday to me

2008-07-14T17:41:00.002-03:00

Friday was my birthday. Birthdays are supposed to be a happy day full of joy, well for me it is the absolute worst day of the year actually. (I have now officially declared it as the worst day of the year.) And unfortunately it is not likely to change.

Every year I try to convince myself it is just another day. Just another day of just another year. Still every year I wake up with a great anticipation in my stomach and wait closely by the phone and keep attentive eyes on the mailbox. And every year I become more and more irritated and sad and by the end of the day I have usually cried at least once. Of course I see this behavior as highly childish and tell myself it is totally silly to behave this way. Com'on I'm almost thirty, I should not be like a little child.

I've not always been like this though. It started after I moved to Brazil. Far from friends and family I have no one to celebrate me like before. My new family here never celebrate birthdays so of course it is passed like any other day. I have showed my husband how important birthdays are to me so now he knows that if he doesn't get me anything he will have a few difficult days afterwards.

As adults we often say that the older we get the less presents we get and the less we care. Well I don't. It's my birthday and I want a gift, that is the truth. It doesn't need to be fancy, expensive or anything extraordinary, it just needs to be something. I never expect gifts from friends really but from my family- yes. Especially my husband. *lol*

Well this year my husband did buy me a beautiful gift and my friend M treated me to a manicure and pedicure and my neighbor gave me a beautiful art frame she had made. So I did get celebrated in a way and I am eternally thankful to them. Though this was the day before my birthday, except from my neighbors gift which she gave me early in the morning, so the rest of the day I was almost fretting about here at home finding that I didn't want to leave my house in case someone from Sweden would call me. Which of course no one did. I only left my house for about an hour and I doubt anyone called during that hour. My mother did send me a text msg at night but by then I had already cried out of thankfulness to my worldwide friends who told me happy birthday at a forum where we chat. These sweet people are not even family but they make sure to congratulate me, I think that is so sweet. I made a normal chocolate cake because it was my birthday after all so I had to make a cake. I didn't really feel like eating it all alone though, I had no one to invite over and DH came home late, but had a piece anyway. How sad is that!

Well now I have another year to prepare myself for the next one. Because th next one is a big one so if no one calls me then I will probably cry for weeks afterwards. Silly me and my good memory.

How are you with birthdays? Do you think it becomes less important the older we get or do you get upset if no one celebrates you?

Holiday coming up!

2008-07-10T14:29:00.000-03:00

I am so happy about this. I have decided to take a holiday. Last time I had a holiday was.... hmm ... long ago.

The thing with freelancing is that it is difficult to take time off, your clients don't really want to know if it is a bank holiday or not, they want their projects to be completed. On weekends I often feels tressed because I know that I have projects to finish and can't really relax and spend proper time with my family.

You might be surprised to know that I will actually work during my holiday. (I can imagine someone raising their eyebrows now) Instead of accepting new projects I will finish current ones and spend some time on my own sites. My blogs have been neglected badly and I am trying to find a way that works for me to update them all and still get new ones going. Because believe me, I have more projects coming! I never run out of ideas of things to do. *lol*

Reason being I decided to take a holiday is because my son is off on a small winter break next week and I figured that instead of me stressing that I still have to work it will be better for me to take some time off.

Meaning that I will have an option of being close to the computer but I don't need to. Of course if I get assignments to write then I will. But I will of course try to finish off what I need to do before going on my holiday. But I have a feeling I will also concentrate on writing more articles for my blogs. So It may or may not be quiet here. Only time will tell.

So what else will I do on my holiday? Well except from hanging out in front of our LCD TV (I wish- we only have a normal TV) I will play with my son, take him to a nearby park, take care of my neglected houseplants and house. I will care for myself and my son and I am even planning some mother baby yoga for us. Not sure how that will go but I might give it a try. We will practice lots of Swedish and most important of all: we will have fun!

I don't care if I have to work late nights this week, I just want to go on my holiday next week! :)

Want to get hold of me urgently? I will still check my emails, I might only take some time to reply to them :)

Time flies

2008-07-10T13:41:00.002-03:00

Can someone just stop the time for me for a moment please. Seriously, where does the time go? Does it just pass and vanish or does it get locked up somewhere? If I hadn't scheduled the last post there would not have been a last post. My son got sick on Sunday and half of my week got behind because of that.

And then this week has passed so quickly as well. It's amazing.It is hard to keep up with everything that needs keeping up with.

I have to say I love the blogging world, before today I had no idea what cell phone amplifiers meant, now I do. This is not the first time I express my admiration for the technology we use today. We take many things for granted but we many times we cannot even explain how it is done or where it comes from. Today the Internet is such a valuable resource and we can fnd almost any answer on there but how many can actually explain how the Internet is built? I sure cannot but I have a fairly good idea.

One thing I sure cannot explain is where the time goes. For me the time flies and too quickly! It's already 2pm and I'm thinking: where did this day go?

LessMessMonday - Use colors to organize your WAH office

2008-06-30T05:17:00.001-03:00

A colorful life is a happy life, or at least that is what I think. The more color you have around you the more of your creativity you can let out and use.

My favorite colors are black and blue, not very uplifting colors actually. As a teenager I strongly disliked pink and would never in my life put on a pink garment. Today I really like pink and have several pink jumpers.

Decorating with blue and black might not be best choice when trying to create a creative workspace, thankfully the color rainbow is full of different shades so there are plenty of options. Select a few colors you really like and buy a set of different sized folders and pens in the same color. By doing this you can easily keep track of bookkeeping, important notes etc. Stack them neatly and you will have a well organized work at home office. Looking for soemthing? Just check for the designated color and you will find it.

A small and easy yet very effective tip! Less mess for your office.

Photo:Thiru Murugan

The weekend blogger

2008-06-28T14:09:00.004-03:00

If you are a homeschooling mom or work outside of home you might not have time to update your posts during the week. For Blogger bloggers that has been a real issue as there has not been a "future post" option to posts. Now the great news is that that has been added! For some time now Blogger bloggers can time stamp their posts. A very good feature which I plan to use myself the coming weeks.

With Revka being on a slightly earlier maternity leave than planned (baby came last Friday and was supposed to arrive July 4.) it means I have to keep up with all orders and RSD work myself. So now is a great time to try out he new future post option in Blogger. It also means that there are now not any excuses as to why there are no posts during the week. :)

I like blogging on weekends. Strangely enough I prefer it when the whole family is at home. I feel stressed when I have a lot going on but since I made a commitment to myself to not work during weekends I have also found more joy in writing. For me writing on the weekends and designing during the week works best. Designing on weekends is hard, I require more quiet time when coding. Somehow all the TV noise and chatter helps me when writing. Somehow just writing doesn't seem as work to me even though it is in a way (especially if you write articles and are being paid for them*lol*).

In a sense I guess you can say I am a typical weekend blogger, I blog best at weekends. What about you, when do you blog the best? Are you a week or weekend blogger?

Winter has come

2008-06-24T13:08:00.002-03:00

Just thought I'd write a quick note about the weather here in Brazil.It is cold. And rainy.

It is as cold inside my house as outside. I am not lying when I say that it is as cold inside as it is inside the fridge. Believe me, I do not feel the difference when opening the fridge. Which is good in a sense that I all of a sudden have more storage space- no need to only use the fridge for things that needs to be chilled. I do not have a wine refrigerator but if I did I wouldn't need to use it. I am sure that any wine would be at perfect temperature just by being in the kitchen.

These last few days I've used the oven more than I have in months, standing next to the stove is wonderful. Coffee doesn't keep me warm so I drink tea instead. Doing the dishes is a dreaded task as there are only warm water in the showers. (No, I do not do my dishes in the shower thank you) So if I don't want to freeze off my fingers I need to heat some water.

Winter began four days ago. It will be a long winter... buuuuuuuuurrr!

Learn as you go- the best learning experience

2008-06-24T12:31:00.006-03:00

Evolving a business is something that only comes with experience. You can be told everything there is to know but until you try to do it yourself you won't really know the in's and out's of it.

Perhaps you have decided to jump on a franchise opportunity, you will probably be given some training but when it comes to running it by yourself there are things that you learn as you go. Even if there are certain things everyone must do we all have our own ways of doing it. No matter what business you are in.

We have certainly experienced this at RS Designs. In the beginning there were lots of things we had no idea about or things we didn't realize. As our client base grew we also saw that there were a few things we needed to change, rules to set up, measurements to take.

Examples of things we've had to consider; Working hours? Should we have fixed ours or not? When is overtime? What can a client ask us to do? What are we not ready to do? Where do we want to go - what direction are we taking? Some of these questions have made us set up certain rules for our business. Although we are a very "open minded" company we still have families to care for meaning we reserve the right to be extra compensated for projects that require us to work over time, we will not work with "adult" projects and we now have a limit of what our packages include and other things that help us work more efficiently.

The learn as you go experience is great in my opinion, it helps you grow as your company grows. What you should not be afraid of is to grow with your company and set up new rules or change. It might mean you will work more, less, have someone who isn't happy or so but in the long run your company will benefit and so will you. We have never noticed any negative reactions to our changes.

We learn as we go in everything we do, we weren't made to know everything from the beginning. Life would be so boring then, some things you can study some you can't. I am loving growing with my new knowledge, how about you? Are you growing with your business?

Health supplements for tired moms

2008-06-23T21:49:00.004-03:00

I was reading an ad where the mother told how incredibly tired she was and how she fell asleep during bedtime stories. Now after taking some extra health supplement she has so much more energy. And it made me think of how energetic I am.

What I thought to myself was; "I should be taking some of that". But then I also though that I don't need it as I'm not that tired. I don't fall asleep during bedtime stories nor do I walk around like a zombie during the day. So I am not tired in that sense, what I lack though is energy. Energy to move more and a kick in the right direction to get moving.

Whenever I see these kind of advertisements I always think that it would be better if the person ate a more balance diet and exercised more instead, then s/he would have more energy. But that is easier said than done. I know a lot about having a healthy lifestyle but knowing is one thing, practicing another.

Of course these supplements are not only for tired moms but also for dads and men/women in general. Though being a mom is very tiresome. And thinking of that - all of a sudden I am not totally against the thought of taking something that would make me have more energy. Not as a long term solution but as a kick to get more active. Well I won't take any supplements but what I will do is drink more fruit and vegetable smoothies and get rid of the afternoon coffee.

How do you stay active and keep up the energy?

A Perfect Saturday Night

2008-06-21T21:56:00.002-03:00

A perfect Saturday night for some might be a night out on the town dancing, mingling and laughing in the company of many. Although I too do enjoy that occasionally for me a perfect Saturday night is something different; a nice dinner, a good film, some popcorn or something edible that has been prepared with love. All at home with my family in the quiet of our home.

Today I made "Pasteis de Nata"- Portuguese Custard Tarts, especially for my husband so that is what we will enjoy. Now all that is needed is to insert the film in the DvD, serve the tarts, make something to drink and sit back and enjoy an calm and cozy evening. That is my kind of perfect Saturday night.

Funny how popular it has become to get a good video card and a large monitor to watch film on the computer. We still stick to the TV but for some it might be worth investing in those things.

Oops, my DH is calling me, I better go and serve those Pasteis and watch that film. *lol*
Have a nice evening and a great weekend!

How do you prefer to spend a perfect Saturday night?

Bad bad blogger

2008-06-20T22:06:00.001-03:00

I feel like a really bad blogger for not posting for so long. That I've been busy I hardly have to mention but I'm not sure it's an excuse. Or is it?

I don't know where this week went actually. It just totally disappeared. It was Monday, which I spent most of the day looking at some horribly coded css without being able to do much about it. Tuesday came and Blogger went on strike. Wednesday and Thursday Blogger goes on light strike again but I finally manage to work some. And today - where did today go?

And lately I have been feeling like a swollen baloon so if I don't start exercising more I might have to look into generic Phentermine or so to get some of the excess off... *lol* It is so freezing cold here right now that walking isn't a priority. A pity as I enjoy walking, I only need to get out of the door first... Well first the blogs and then the exercise.

Animal lovers WAH job: Pet carer

2008-06-12T22:32:00.003-03:00

If you love animals you can turn your love into a real work at home job!

Being a pet carer is a wonderful career if you want to turn your passion into a way to make a living. If you thought it is only about taking care of the dog and let it stay at your house you are wrong and could be missing out on some good opportunities. By offering additional services you can gain more clients and get well paid for doing something you love.

Do I need a special education for this? Depending on what services you will offer you may want to take extra courses in animal care. If you have a veterinary background it would of course be excellent.

Can I make my own hours? The animals need to be fed a few to several times a day and if you care for dogs there will be a few walks per day.

Can I open my home for this? I would suggest talking to the local authorities to see what is allowed where you live. Registering as a small biz might be a good idea for tax purposes.

How will I find clients? Advertise in your local newspaper, put up ads in the library or at note boards. Talk to the local vet clinic and offer your services. They will surely like to have a reliable person to recommend the owners.

What additional services can I offer? Besides dog/cat sitting you can also offer dog walking, dog massage, recuperation, day care, weekly care, obedience training, courses for kids on animal care etc. Try to offer something others in your area are not offering.

What do I need? You should have an appropriate are for this purpose to make sure the animals have the best care. Animals need space so the more space you have to offer the better. If you live in a flat you may need to reconsider this wah option. If you will care for cats you should probably invest in a cat tree to make sure your furnitures stay intact. Various toys for animals will be appreciated by the playful kinds of animals. You may need to invest in putting up a fence or stable for the animals. By making each owner feel their animal is special you will win their trust by showing you take care to provide only the best.

These are only a few tips to get you started, if this is something that interests you and you have the appropriate home for it this could be your way to turn your passion into a living!

The new Mommy trend - Mommy cards

2008-06-12T21:06:00.005-03:00

How many times haven't you as a mom scribbled down your number on a spare piece of paper just because you didn't have anything else to write on? I have personally written on receipts, napkins, books, you name it.

Wouldn't it be great it you could just hand over a beautiful card with your name and telephone number on? As moms we are usually not know by our first name but as "...'s mom". As "only" a mom you may not want to have a business card, which is why there are now Mommy cards available for just moms.

A Mommy card will have your name, telephone, email and your kids name on it. It can be personalized the way you want it. If you are a blogging mom it can even have your blog's colors and layout on it!

The good news; Revka and I have just opened a brand new selection of Mommy/business/blog cards! You can read more about it at RS Designs!

You can either choose from our pre-made cards or let us create a custom design for you. We create the design for you, you get the file in an email and send it to VistaPrint or bring it to a local printer to print your cards. As easy as 123.

The images are of high quality and are thoroughly checked before sent to the customer. Your card will not be blurry as it may seem on these pictures!

What are you paying for?

2008-06-05T11:58:00.007-03:00

You need to invest if you are to gain anything back

This is what many seem to forget. Why is is so difficult to understand that you get what you pay for? Some might say no now but it is true!

I saw on a forum today that someone was looking for someone wot create a "really simple" website for her in one day and she would pay $25.

$25 and one day's work??

Now first of all, setting up a page may not take that long but there is a process in creating a website. Only going through what is needed or what the client wants can take day or two depending on emailing back and forth. And to only pay $25?

I have nothing against the person who placed the ad but I really felt like laughing when I saw it. I just thought; good luck! Hope you find someone who will do it for that price.

And s/he might even find someone to do it for that but what will the quality be like? Paying a low price is one thing but wanting it in one day? Now that is simply too much IMO.

There are new starting WAHM's out there who offers blog/web design for a very low price. Many of them do it for fun. Berries and Cream Blog Design is a business and we do not do it only because we love it but also because it is our business. Our prices may be higher than those $5 headers you can find out there but we are also more experienced and we have guarantees towards our clients. Our work is unique and we are happy to assist until everything is perfect. Our prices are also very reasonable.

Even if I were totally desperate for money I would not do the above job, it would give me far more headache than necessary.

If you are buying a service, please consider what you are paying for. Cheap does not mean good. And even if it does, please do value the work of the one who is providing the service.

Everyday savings

2008-06-04T10:41:00.002-03:00

I have to say I think saving money is quite difficult. I am not wasting my money but with prices rising every day on everything it is difficult to save. Or perhaps I just don't know how to ...

My husband seems to have no idea what it costs to buy clothes, every time I go into town to buy something he says I am spending too much. And yet I come home with almost nothing, and believe me, I know how to find good deals.

I have however set up some small goals for us when it comes to house savings. I would like to save up for some patio furniture as well as add some plants to our yard. Even thought we repainted the house not too long ago it needs a few fixes here and there. As it is winter here now I figured it would be good to start saving now so we have at least a little saved up. I am going for a very low amount to make sure we are able to save at all.

And of course then the big saving I have - to go home and see my family in Sweden. I've been saving for this for a long time now and I still haven't got half of what I need. Well well..

Unfortunately Brazil does not have a coupon or rebate system so I can't even use that, which would have been nice. Well until then I'll just put aside my cents whenever I can and wait for the summer to come so I can buy new patio furnitures...

If you have a great money saving tip I'd love to hear it!

The friend trap

2008-06-04T09:01:00.004-03:00

I have fallen into the friend trap yet once again; the trap of charging less than I should for something because it is for someone I know. And it makes me so angry!

I agreed to do something for someone and now it is costing me valuable time and I am not even enjoying it that much. And I am earning close to nothing. Really!

While I could look at it like "well at least I am getting something" my mind tells me; "well you could use the time to find someone who will pay you much more than that"

How to get out of the friend trap

I'm still trying to figure this one out myself but as I see it there are two thing that can be done: tell your friend you need to charge more, you are a professional after all and need the money. Or simply let go of it and try and find something else that pays better. It's about valuing yourself.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation similar to this one? How did you get out of it?

*Funnily enough I just received an email saying: "How much do you charge" from Ed Gandia at The Profitable Freelancer. Is that a sign?? *lol*

Weekend trip

2008-06-02T14:53:00.001-03:00

I've learnt another reason to why planning is necessary; in case your husband suddenly decides you are going out of town. That's what happened on Saturday; my husband called me and said we were going to visit some relatives.

As a loyal wife I didn't have much to say. I quickly emailed a few clients and told them I would be out of town and went to pack. Although only a short trip it disturbed my planning for the weekend.

My husband's uncle had bought a new car which he proudly showed us, insisting that we took a ride in it we all got into the car. I think one of our first thoughts was that we wished we had life insurance because he clearly did not know how to drive properly. He stepped on the gas so hard that the car was jumping forward instead of rolling. My husband had to show him how he should drive and gave him a small lesson. We all laughed but after that he drove a little better.

It was freezing cold and I had four jumpers on and a blanket when we went to bed and I froze the whole night. It's funny because the weather is always extreme there, when it's hot it is very hot and when it's cold it is very cold while here where we live it's always "normal". Meaning not too cold or too warm.

Coming home was a relief as usual, I always get very tired going there and only a day is too much.

This week will be a good week! I am almost a single mom this week as hubby is doing a course at night so I need to shorten my hours a lot! Great to practice time management. I am looking forward to a week full of work! :)

Hope you had a nice weekend!