Ready the last few posts, helped me decide what to write about today. Working from home for the last 25 years has taught me a few things about setting priorities. When you work from home it’s easy to blur the lines between stay at home mom and work at home mom. When you leave each day to go work somewhere else, I think it easier to not fret about the fact that your house isn’t clean or your dirty dishes are in the sink. But when you work at home you suddenly think you are supper woman and can do everything at once.
Let it go. Pick your battles. A clean house is great, but the only one who really notices it is you. Give your self a break and only worry about those things that really matter at the end of the day.
Stress and guilt are killers, and I wish we could figure out a way not to be so hard on ourselves, but as woman I think we are just wired that way
Showing posts with label Priorities. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Priorities. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Friday, August 8, 2008
Retirement
Oh, if I only knew then what I know now.
I have owned D's Stitcheree for 16 years now but did I plan for retirement?? Not really.
I do have a small IRA but today that wont last long. As a small work at home business there has not always been enough money to even consider putting any of it into a savings. I would like to encourage you to rethink this if you are in the same situation that I have been in. I was too busy raising kids and paying the bills to even think of saving. Now, if I could do it over, I would put a dollar or two away a week. I know that isn't much but over the 16 years I have owned D's, just think of the savings I would have had. I could have bought Savings Bonds or put the money into my SEP IRA. I am 56 and I am going to start doing just that. I know I don't have as long as some of you do but starting somewhere is better than not starting at all. I hope you will start something new today.
I have owned D's Stitcheree for 16 years now but did I plan for retirement?? Not really.
I do have a small IRA but today that wont last long. As a small work at home business there has not always been enough money to even consider putting any of it into a savings. I would like to encourage you to rethink this if you are in the same situation that I have been in. I was too busy raising kids and paying the bills to even think of saving. Now, if I could do it over, I would put a dollar or two away a week. I know that isn't much but over the 16 years I have owned D's, just think of the savings I would have had. I could have bought Savings Bonds or put the money into my SEP IRA. I am 56 and I am going to start doing just that. I know I don't have as long as some of you do but starting somewhere is better than not starting at all. I hope you will start something new today.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Guest Article: The 10 Crucial Differences Between Being a Small Business Owner and an Inspired Entrepreneur
By Nick Williams
When I was stuck in the corporate world many years ago, I dreamed of escape to the freedom of running my own small business. Eventually I plucked up the courage to leave and started my own small business, with the goal of training and inspiring people. In order to run my business, I taught myself how to do VAT, keep my books, do my accounts and keep stock of products. While I was free of the pressures of a boss and organisational structures and politics, but I still didn’t feel very free and I even felt a little disappointed. I felt a slave to my business, and had left the corporate world to work for love, but seemed to end up working for money, and working for my business, rather than my business working for me.
Today I see there is a big difference between the small business owner that I was then, and the inspired entrepreneur I have become today. I realise I had the heart and soul of an inspired entrepreneurs, but was trying to squeeze myself into the straightjacket of being a small business owner. Below I am sharing what I have identified as being the ten main differences between being a small business owner and an inspired entrepreneur.
Difference one - Inspired entrepreneurs follow their inner calling.
Inspired entrepreneurs have found the work they were born for, and are following their particular and unique calling. There is a great fit between what they do and who they are, and feel they are constantly drawn forward to become the person they were born to be.
Difference two - Inspired entrepreneurs create a business that supports their own talents, passions and lifestyle.
Inspired entrepreneurs create businesses that supports them and their lifestyle and don’t sacrifice their lifestyle to their businesses. Many small business owners sacrifice their own needs in order to be successful. Inspired entrepreneurs know their business can be a vehicle for discovering and expressing their own unique gifts and talents.
Difference three - Inspired entrepreneurs have a higher purpose than just making money.
Inspired entrepreneurs love making money and are very willing to make money, but that is not the sole purpose of their business. They didn’t set up a business to become an expert on tax and bookkeeping. Inspired entrepreneurs are motivated to create and contribute and that much of the conventional stuff needs to be done well, but is for the maintenance of the business, but not the purpose of the business.
Difference four - Inspired entrepreneurs are always evolving their business.
Inspired entrepreneurs love working on their business as well loving to work in their business. Small business owners tend just to work in their business, doing what needs doing to make the business work. Inspired entrepreneurs intrinsically love what they do, but also love stepping back and thinking creatively about their business, how it can be more fun, inspiring, profitable and effective.
Difference five- Inspired entrepreneurs love growing themselves.
Inspired entrepreneurs love learning and growing themselves through running their business. They know that running their own business is the best personal growth seminar on the planet, becoming a mirror to highlight both their strengths and their weaknesses. They are curious about what they can become and love discovering what they capable of. They are less interested in being competitive and more interested in realising their own potential.
Difference six - Inspired entrepreneurs are fuelled by inspiration rather than motivation.
Motivation is often about getting pumped up by some external force, whilst inspiration is about being lit by a fire within that can burn forever. Inspired entrepreneurs don’t need to pumped up, but they know they need to regularly kindle and rekindle their flame of inspiration, by going to their own wells of inspiration and inspiring themselves.
Difference seven - Inspired entrepreneurs love understanding how they find and attract their ideal clients.
Inspired entrepreneurs are endlessly curious about how to attract and serve their clients better. They love serving and contributing, and believe that what they do makes a difference. They enjoy getting the word out about what they do, and getting people to act, but only in ways that are grounded in honesty and integrity. They are willing to give up being anonymous.
Difference eight - Inspired entrepreneurs work in inspired, smart and strategic ways.
Inspired entrepreneurs know that hard work alone is no guarantee of success. They don’t confuse being busy with being strategic. They have shed the prevailing belief of the protestant work ethic and know that success doesn’t come from pain, struggle and sacrifice, but instead know it comes from brilliant ideas, well implemented. They know that “time out” to generate new ideas and think strategically is often more valuable than another hour at their desk.
Difference nine - Inspired entrepreneurs navigate their life by using joy as their compass.
Small businesses tend to be more mechanical and repetitive, whilst inspired entrepreneurs navigate their business and life through a sense of joy, inspiration and aliveness. They also have a sense of destiny and rightness about what they do, knowing that their particular talents are being used to the maximum and that they and their business evolve through a sense of ongoing revelation about their next steps. They hate being bored and are always asking, “How can I inspire myself next?”
Difference ten - Inspired entrepreneurs value their heart and their thinking.
Inspired entrepreneurs know that they bring the love and the money together by marrying their inspired heart together with their brilliant entrepreneurial thinking. They become potent by using one to support the other and not have them be enemies. They use great business strategies to support their inspired ideas.
So start inspiring yourself and setting your sights higher by become an inspired entrepreneur rather than a small business owner. It is one of the best ways on the planet of being happy, inspired and fulfilled, and making the contribution you were born to make.
Nick has created a free 8 part transformational e-course “Secrets of an Inspired Entrepreneur” (value £79.99) You can sign up now by going to www.inspired-entrepreneur.com right now.
Nick Williams is one of the world’s experts on inspiration at work and is passionate about helping create a new kind of entrepreneur. He is the best selling author of five books including The Work We Were Born To Do.
When I was stuck in the corporate world many years ago, I dreamed of escape to the freedom of running my own small business. Eventually I plucked up the courage to leave and started my own small business, with the goal of training and inspiring people. In order to run my business, I taught myself how to do VAT, keep my books, do my accounts and keep stock of products. While I was free of the pressures of a boss and organisational structures and politics, but I still didn’t feel very free and I even felt a little disappointed. I felt a slave to my business, and had left the corporate world to work for love, but seemed to end up working for money, and working for my business, rather than my business working for me.
Today I see there is a big difference between the small business owner that I was then, and the inspired entrepreneur I have become today. I realise I had the heart and soul of an inspired entrepreneurs, but was trying to squeeze myself into the straightjacket of being a small business owner. Below I am sharing what I have identified as being the ten main differences between being a small business owner and an inspired entrepreneur.
Difference one - Inspired entrepreneurs follow their inner calling.
Inspired entrepreneurs have found the work they were born for, and are following their particular and unique calling. There is a great fit between what they do and who they are, and feel they are constantly drawn forward to become the person they were born to be.
Difference two - Inspired entrepreneurs create a business that supports their own talents, passions and lifestyle.
Inspired entrepreneurs create businesses that supports them and their lifestyle and don’t sacrifice their lifestyle to their businesses. Many small business owners sacrifice their own needs in order to be successful. Inspired entrepreneurs know their business can be a vehicle for discovering and expressing their own unique gifts and talents.
Difference three - Inspired entrepreneurs have a higher purpose than just making money.
Inspired entrepreneurs love making money and are very willing to make money, but that is not the sole purpose of their business. They didn’t set up a business to become an expert on tax and bookkeeping. Inspired entrepreneurs are motivated to create and contribute and that much of the conventional stuff needs to be done well, but is for the maintenance of the business, but not the purpose of the business.
Difference four - Inspired entrepreneurs are always evolving their business.
Inspired entrepreneurs love working on their business as well loving to work in their business. Small business owners tend just to work in their business, doing what needs doing to make the business work. Inspired entrepreneurs intrinsically love what they do, but also love stepping back and thinking creatively about their business, how it can be more fun, inspiring, profitable and effective.
Difference five- Inspired entrepreneurs love growing themselves.
Inspired entrepreneurs love learning and growing themselves through running their business. They know that running their own business is the best personal growth seminar on the planet, becoming a mirror to highlight both their strengths and their weaknesses. They are curious about what they can become and love discovering what they capable of. They are less interested in being competitive and more interested in realising their own potential.
Difference six - Inspired entrepreneurs are fuelled by inspiration rather than motivation.
Motivation is often about getting pumped up by some external force, whilst inspiration is about being lit by a fire within that can burn forever. Inspired entrepreneurs don’t need to pumped up, but they know they need to regularly kindle and rekindle their flame of inspiration, by going to their own wells of inspiration and inspiring themselves.
Difference seven - Inspired entrepreneurs love understanding how they find and attract their ideal clients.
Inspired entrepreneurs are endlessly curious about how to attract and serve their clients better. They love serving and contributing, and believe that what they do makes a difference. They enjoy getting the word out about what they do, and getting people to act, but only in ways that are grounded in honesty and integrity. They are willing to give up being anonymous.
Difference eight - Inspired entrepreneurs work in inspired, smart and strategic ways.
Inspired entrepreneurs know that hard work alone is no guarantee of success. They don’t confuse being busy with being strategic. They have shed the prevailing belief of the protestant work ethic and know that success doesn’t come from pain, struggle and sacrifice, but instead know it comes from brilliant ideas, well implemented. They know that “time out” to generate new ideas and think strategically is often more valuable than another hour at their desk.
Difference nine - Inspired entrepreneurs navigate their life by using joy as their compass.
Small businesses tend to be more mechanical and repetitive, whilst inspired entrepreneurs navigate their business and life through a sense of joy, inspiration and aliveness. They also have a sense of destiny and rightness about what they do, knowing that their particular talents are being used to the maximum and that they and their business evolve through a sense of ongoing revelation about their next steps. They hate being bored and are always asking, “How can I inspire myself next?”
Difference ten - Inspired entrepreneurs value their heart and their thinking.
Inspired entrepreneurs know that they bring the love and the money together by marrying their inspired heart together with their brilliant entrepreneurial thinking. They become potent by using one to support the other and not have them be enemies. They use great business strategies to support their inspired ideas.
So start inspiring yourself and setting your sights higher by become an inspired entrepreneur rather than a small business owner. It is one of the best ways on the planet of being happy, inspired and fulfilled, and making the contribution you were born to make.
Nick has created a free 8 part transformational e-course “Secrets of an Inspired Entrepreneur” (value £79.99) You can sign up now by going to www.inspired-entrepreneur.com right now.
Nick Williams is one of the world’s experts on inspiration at work and is passionate about helping create a new kind of entrepreneur. He is the best selling author of five books including The Work We Were Born To Do.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Guest Article: The 10 Crucial Differences Between Being a Small Business Owner and an Inspired Entrepreneur
By Nick Williams
When I was stuck in the corporate world many years ago, I dreamed of escape to the freedom of running my own small business. Eventually I plucked up the courage to leave and started my own small business, with the goal of training and inspiring people. In order to run my business, I taught myself how to do VAT, keep my books, do my accounts and keep stock of products. While I was free of the pressures of a boss and organisational structures and politics, but I still didn’t feel very free and I even felt a little disappointed. I felt a slave to my business, and had left the corporate world to work for love, but seemed to end up working for money, and working for my business, rather than my business working for me.
Today I see there is a big difference between the small business owner that I was then, and the inspired entrepreneur I have become today. I realise I had the heart and soul of an inspired entrepreneurs, but was trying to squeeze myself into the straightjacket of being a small business owner. Below I am sharing what I have identified as being the ten main differences between being a small business owner and an inspired entrepreneur.
Difference one - Inspired entrepreneurs follow their inner calling.
Inspired entrepreneurs have found the work they were born for, and are following their particular and unique calling. There is a great fit between what they do and who they are, and feel they are constantly drawn forward to become the person they were born to be.
Difference two - Inspired entrepreneurs create a business that supports their own talents, passions and lifestyle.
Inspired entrepreneurs create businesses that supports them and their lifestyle and don’t sacrifice their lifestyle to their businesses. Many small business owners sacrifice their own needs in order to be successful. Inspired entrepreneurs know their business can be a vehicle for discovering and expressing their own unique gifts and talents.
Difference three - Inspired entrepreneurs have a higher purpose than just making money.
Inspired entrepreneurs love making money and are very willing to make money, but that is not the sole purpose of their business. They didn’t set up a business to become an expert on tax and bookkeeping. Inspired entrepreneurs are motivated to create and contribute and that much of the conventional stuff needs to be done well, but is for the maintenance of the business, but not the purpose of the business.
Difference four - Inspired entrepreneurs are always evolving their business.
Inspired entrepreneurs love working on their business as well loving to work in their business. Small business owners tend just to work in their business, doing what needs doing to make the business work. Inspired entrepreneurs intrinsically love what they do, but also love stepping back and thinking creatively about their business, how it can be more fun, inspiring, profitable and effective.
Difference five- Inspired entrepreneurs love growing themselves.
Inspired entrepreneurs love learning and growing themselves through running their business. They know that running their own business is the best personal growth seminar on the planet, becoming a mirror to highlight both their strengths and their weaknesses. They are curious about what they can become and love discovering what they capable of. They are less interested in being competitive and more interested in realising their own potential.
Difference six - Inspired entrepreneurs are fuelled by inspiration rather than motivation.
Motivation is often about getting pumped up by some external force, whilst inspiration is about being lit by a fire within that can burn forever. Inspired entrepreneurs don’t need to pumped up, but they know they need to regularly kindle and rekindle their flame of inspiration, by going to their own wells of inspiration and inspiring themselves.
Difference seven - Inspired entrepreneurs love understanding how they find and attract their ideal clients.
Inspired entrepreneurs are endlessly curious about how to attract and serve their clients better. They love serving and contributing, and believe that what they do makes a difference. They enjoy getting the word out about what they do, and getting people to act, but only in ways that are grounded in honesty and integrity. They are willing to give up being anonymous.
Difference eight - Inspired entrepreneurs work in inspired, smart and strategic ways.
Inspired entrepreneurs know that hard work alone is no guarantee of success. They don’t confuse being busy with being strategic. They have shed the prevailing belief of the protestant work ethic and know that success doesn’t come from pain, struggle and sacrifice, but instead know it comes from brilliant ideas, well implemented. They know that “time out” to generate new ideas and think strategically is often more valuable than another hour at their desk.
Difference nine - Inspired entrepreneurs navigate their life by using joy as their compass.
Small businesses tend to be more mechanical and repetitive, whilst inspired entrepreneurs navigate their business and life through a sense of joy, inspiration and aliveness. They also have a sense of destiny and rightness about what they do, knowing that their particular talents are being used to the maximum and that they and their business evolve through a sense of ongoing revelation about their next steps. They hate being bored and are always asking, “How can I inspire myself next?”
Difference ten - Inspired entrepreneurs value their heart and their thinking.
Inspired entrepreneurs know that they bring the love and the money together by marrying their inspired heart together with their brilliant entrepreneurial thinking. They become potent by using one to support the other and not have them be enemies. They use great business strategies to support their inspired ideas.
So start inspiring yourself and setting your sights higher by become an inspired entrepreneur rather than a small business owner. It is one of the best ways on the planet of being happy, inspired and fulfilled, and making the contribution you were born to make.
Nick has created a free 8 part transformational e-course “Secrets of an Inspired Entrepreneur” (value £79.99) You can sign up now by going to www.inspired-entrepreneur.com right now.
Nick Williams is one of the world’s experts on inspiration at work and is passionate about helping create a new kind of entrepreneur. He is the best selling author of five books including The Work We Were Born To Do.
When I was stuck in the corporate world many years ago, I dreamed of escape to the freedom of running my own small business. Eventually I plucked up the courage to leave and started my own small business, with the goal of training and inspiring people. In order to run my business, I taught myself how to do VAT, keep my books, do my accounts and keep stock of products. While I was free of the pressures of a boss and organisational structures and politics, but I still didn’t feel very free and I even felt a little disappointed. I felt a slave to my business, and had left the corporate world to work for love, but seemed to end up working for money, and working for my business, rather than my business working for me.
Today I see there is a big difference between the small business owner that I was then, and the inspired entrepreneur I have become today. I realise I had the heart and soul of an inspired entrepreneurs, but was trying to squeeze myself into the straightjacket of being a small business owner. Below I am sharing what I have identified as being the ten main differences between being a small business owner and an inspired entrepreneur.
Difference one - Inspired entrepreneurs follow their inner calling.
Inspired entrepreneurs have found the work they were born for, and are following their particular and unique calling. There is a great fit between what they do and who they are, and feel they are constantly drawn forward to become the person they were born to be.
Difference two - Inspired entrepreneurs create a business that supports their own talents, passions and lifestyle.
Inspired entrepreneurs create businesses that supports them and their lifestyle and don’t sacrifice their lifestyle to their businesses. Many small business owners sacrifice their own needs in order to be successful. Inspired entrepreneurs know their business can be a vehicle for discovering and expressing their own unique gifts and talents.
Difference three - Inspired entrepreneurs have a higher purpose than just making money.
Inspired entrepreneurs love making money and are very willing to make money, but that is not the sole purpose of their business. They didn’t set up a business to become an expert on tax and bookkeeping. Inspired entrepreneurs are motivated to create and contribute and that much of the conventional stuff needs to be done well, but is for the maintenance of the business, but not the purpose of the business.
Difference four - Inspired entrepreneurs are always evolving their business.
Inspired entrepreneurs love working on their business as well loving to work in their business. Small business owners tend just to work in their business, doing what needs doing to make the business work. Inspired entrepreneurs intrinsically love what they do, but also love stepping back and thinking creatively about their business, how it can be more fun, inspiring, profitable and effective.
Difference five- Inspired entrepreneurs love growing themselves.
Inspired entrepreneurs love learning and growing themselves through running their business. They know that running their own business is the best personal growth seminar on the planet, becoming a mirror to highlight both their strengths and their weaknesses. They are curious about what they can become and love discovering what they capable of. They are less interested in being competitive and more interested in realising their own potential.
Difference six - Inspired entrepreneurs are fuelled by inspiration rather than motivation.
Motivation is often about getting pumped up by some external force, whilst inspiration is about being lit by a fire within that can burn forever. Inspired entrepreneurs don’t need to pumped up, but they know they need to regularly kindle and rekindle their flame of inspiration, by going to their own wells of inspiration and inspiring themselves.
Difference seven - Inspired entrepreneurs love understanding how they find and attract their ideal clients.
Inspired entrepreneurs are endlessly curious about how to attract and serve their clients better. They love serving and contributing, and believe that what they do makes a difference. They enjoy getting the word out about what they do, and getting people to act, but only in ways that are grounded in honesty and integrity. They are willing to give up being anonymous.
Difference eight - Inspired entrepreneurs work in inspired, smart and strategic ways.
Inspired entrepreneurs know that hard work alone is no guarantee of success. They don’t confuse being busy with being strategic. They have shed the prevailing belief of the protestant work ethic and know that success doesn’t come from pain, struggle and sacrifice, but instead know it comes from brilliant ideas, well implemented. They know that “time out” to generate new ideas and think strategically is often more valuable than another hour at their desk.
Difference nine - Inspired entrepreneurs navigate their life by using joy as their compass.
Small businesses tend to be more mechanical and repetitive, whilst inspired entrepreneurs navigate their business and life through a sense of joy, inspiration and aliveness. They also have a sense of destiny and rightness about what they do, knowing that their particular talents are being used to the maximum and that they and their business evolve through a sense of ongoing revelation about their next steps. They hate being bored and are always asking, “How can I inspire myself next?”
Difference ten - Inspired entrepreneurs value their heart and their thinking.
Inspired entrepreneurs know that they bring the love and the money together by marrying their inspired heart together with their brilliant entrepreneurial thinking. They become potent by using one to support the other and not have them be enemies. They use great business strategies to support their inspired ideas.
So start inspiring yourself and setting your sights higher by become an inspired entrepreneur rather than a small business owner. It is one of the best ways on the planet of being happy, inspired and fulfilled, and making the contribution you were born to make.
Nick has created a free 8 part transformational e-course “Secrets of an Inspired Entrepreneur” (value £79.99) You can sign up now by going to www.inspired-entrepreneur.com right now.
Nick Williams is one of the world’s experts on inspiration at work and is passionate about helping create a new kind of entrepreneur. He is the best selling author of five books including The Work We Were Born To Do.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Talk about it Tuesday
I would like to talk about the Pink elephant sitting right smack dab in the middle of my house. It is called the Economy. Conversations have been taking place in various business groups I belong to about the economy and how it is affecting our business's. Being an embroidery business, something most people don't need very often, some never, is tough in the economy today. I have seen my business slow down to a stop. Looking for an outside job is hard to do since I have been working at home for 16 years AND there aren't any jobs to be had anyway. There are so many people out of work.
We have been discussing the fact that we have given up any trips this summer just to put gas in the cars. This is not a happy subject in my house because our grandkids live in CA and we are in AZ.
So.... what have you given up just to make ends meet. What are your priorities??
Maybe your business is doing really well. I would love to hear about it and how you keep things going in the economy of today.
A while back we had the discussion about Made in America. It is interesting how the two subjects have overlapped. I don't know if we can have a survey on this blog but I would find it interesting to know, how do you choose a product. Price or ??
I had a dream once to produce Heirloom products that could be handed down to family members. I am seeing that dream fade away. Not only because of the economy but because it seems that some people don't care so much any more about passing down family heirlooms. I find that so interesting.
hhmmm I gues I have chosen a couple things to Talk about Today. It will be good to hear your opinions.
We have been discussing the fact that we have given up any trips this summer just to put gas in the cars. This is not a happy subject in my house because our grandkids live in CA and we are in AZ.
So.... what have you given up just to make ends meet. What are your priorities??
Maybe your business is doing really well. I would love to hear about it and how you keep things going in the economy of today.
A while back we had the discussion about Made in America. It is interesting how the two subjects have overlapped. I don't know if we can have a survey on this blog but I would find it interesting to know, how do you choose a product. Price or ??
I had a dream once to produce Heirloom products that could be handed down to family members. I am seeing that dream fade away. Not only because of the economy but because it seems that some people don't care so much any more about passing down family heirlooms. I find that so interesting.
hhmmm I gues I have chosen a couple things to Talk about Today. It will be good to hear your opinions.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Something to remember
Things that matter most should never be at the mercy of things that matter least. (Goethe)
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