Saturday, March 28

Free Stuff

Blogging, by linking other people's articles, feels a little like I'm cheating. Don't I owe it to my oh-so-many-followers to give them my thoughts, opinions, ideas and tips about women and entrepreneurship and business coaching.

But I decided to get over it. There's so much great info on the net and this article is one of them. She lists many places on the web where you can get things for free. Read it here: http://green.yahoo.com/blog/the_conscious_consumer/53/how-to-find-free-stuff.html

Thursday, March 26

Which is Bigger: Your Problem or You?

After having coached an absolutely powerful woman this morning, I hung up the phone-well, I actually closed up the phone-amazed, again, that someone can be so talented, so gifted, so powerful, so called to do what she does and still struggle with doubt and negativity.

To help her move along, we refocused on her target market, mission and vision statements. I talked her through a visualization activity that reminded her of her strengths and gave her a nightly assignment. Once reminded of her potency she was ready to resume the pursuit of her weekly goals.

But once again I was reminded of how our minds can make life, troubles, our weaknesses, seem so much bigger then they truly are.

Then I found this video. The card trick is a great visual of that point. Adrian Law also addresses how to deal with the negative thinking and the benefit of a coach.

Tuesday, March 24

Do You Need Help?

Interesting article about our, western perspective vs. the African perspective, of child-rearing. We struggle too much, trying to accomplish everything by ourselves. No wonder the need for anti-depressive drugs is so high.
Get a different perspective here: http://www.mothering.com/articles/body_soul/inspiration/the-audacity-of-help.html

House Suggests A Bigger Tax Break For Start-ups

The House proposed a bill, named Small Business Formation and Job Creation Act, that would raise the start-up business deduction to $20,000 from $5,000!
Read it here: http://snipr.com/e5vau

Saturday, March 14

Business Coach is Really QueenMother


You all know me as Lady T, The Business Coach for Mom Entrepreneurs, but at home I have a more challenging role. I am the QueenMother, Holy Nuturer of The Children, Multi-Tasker Extraordinaire, Wiper of noses, tushies and the walls!

Nuggets of wisdom part my lips, milk springs forth from my breasts (well...before my mastectomy), love and discipline radiates from my hands (yes, discipline! I said it!). Love and strength emmanates from my being. I am Expeller of generational curses and Propeller of the next generation.

Having proclaimed all of that, why can't I get my 3yr old to stop crying!

My 4th born son is the sweetest, easiest, gentle-est child of them all! UNTIL...he gets sleepy and wants something. Then he starts crying and you CAN NOT shut him up. You can't distract him. You can't tickle him. You can't hold him. You can't threaten him. You can't kiss him. You can't make him laugh. You can't give him what he wants. You can't take away what he doesn't. There is absolutely NOTHING (yet discovered) that can be done with him. We have all tried and he gives us the opportunity to try again often enough.

It's very irratating (but also pretty funny) because he keeps his mouth open the ENTIRE 30-60 minutes that he's crying. The long string of clear drool is hanging from his bottom lip and snot is sliding from his nose down into his mouth. Whatever started the upset is continuously repeated throughout the 30-60min. "I dont wanna dake off my shoes!" or "I wanna toe to MicDon-olds!" or "I want..." whatever the 5yr has. And it goes on and on and on.

Back in the day, the child would have been spanked (whupped) and told to shut up. And the child would shut up.

But we, the New Age, New Millennium, New Aquarius, Newly Evolved and Enlightened mothers, can't do that. We have to try to reason with a small human that doesn't understand reasoning nor common sense, for that matter. How do you reason with a crying, snotting, drooling, shorty who wants to take his shoes off in the dang-gone snow?

Now, I believe in allowing the lovely children the opportunity to make new discoveries-whatever the consequences may be. If they fall and hurt themselves, they would have learned The Lesson. If they bump their chins and bite their tongues, they would have learned The Lesson. If they freeze their little toesies off, they would have learned The Lesson. And The Lesson in my house is:
"Listen to QueenMother! QueenMother is a highly insightful prophet. She can see into the future. When she says, 'no', 'stop', 'that's not a smart thing to do', you should consider her wise sayings. Or, in the name of common sense, just remember the past bumps, bruises, bitten tongues, broken toys, windows, and legs."

But reasoning and learning lessons are outside of the conscious awareness of a crying 3yr old. This leaves the Rational, New Millennium, All-Wise QueenMother a small, frustrated, bewildered mommy. Once I even resorted to the Old-School method of spanking him (at the advice of my mother) but that didn't work! He cried more intensely and I brokeout into tears. How confusing is that? What kind of Queen am I?


Dethroned, where I often sit! As I sit nursing his wounds I lovingly repeat The Lesson. But of course he can't hear it. He's still crying!

Monday, March 9

Work With What You Got!

So it's been suggested that I change my banner from the gorgeous, pink leopard with the lashes-that I created with my own Adobe, incompetant hands-to.... something else. Well because the person who recommended it is my coach and I pay her money, I decided to trust her judgement. So I went on a search for stock photography that would represent the image of a business mom.

After several days, I found a perfect picture but they wanted $100 for it! I decided to call my photographer over and asked her to recreate the same picture using the items on my desk. The result is the new and improved banner that you see above. Since my photographer is a mom that I coach we were able to barter our services. She's doing what she loves to do, take pictures for me. And I'm doing what I love to do, coaching a motivated momtrepreneur to success!

If you're looking to spend money, stop and look around you. Oftentimes you can get creative and just work with what you got!

Tuesday, March 3

LOL!


When was the last time you laughed so hard your stomach hurted?

In this fast-paced, busy, go-go world, it's easy for mom entrepreneurs to get stressed-out by our committments, children and challenges. It's easy to forget that life is suppose to be fun and exciting. Our children remind us of this all the time, but we're "too busy". They're "too silly". And excitment makes "too much of a mess."

Mommy, here is a great tip to remember: laughter is a precious gift for a crazed society. The mental and physcial benefits are numerous! When you laugh endorphins and adrenaline are released into your blood stream. This helps build your immune system, remove stress hormones, and gives you a natural high. Laughter tightens your stomach muscles. It improves blood circulation and increases blood oxygenation. It lowers blood pressure. It is LITERALLY, medicine.

Laughter also improves memory by helping us to retain information; something that great teachers and advertisers always capitalize on. It boosts our emotional state of mind allowing us to see things in a different light. This opens up our creativity and problem-solving abilities.

It's free, natural and culturally acceptable for both men and women. Go ahead laugh until your belly aches! LOL!