What is a Mentor?

Do you have a Mentor in your business? A Mentor or two outside of your business? If you don’t, why not? I’m not talking about a boss that tells you what to do or what you should do. I’m talking about someone who you trust to tell you what you need to hear that helps you build your business and/or your life so you could live the way you want. You know, someone who literally takes you by the hand and shows you “Aha!” moments that changes your perception of a situation causing you to stretch your thinking. Yes, yes that kind of Mentor!

I’m not saying I’m that kind of Mentor……..yet! But, I’m working on it because it’s very important to me because I know all the great networkers out there have a Mentor(s). That’s how they got where they are today living their dreams and desires and yes, they did work to get there. It’s not so much that they worked “hard”, they worked “smart” and with a group of people they treasure receiving help from. I’m fortunate to have a group of Mentors that are helping me become a Mentor myself so I can help others.

You should be in a position where you’re working with a Mentor that can honestly say they want you to succeed. I know this sounds like “duh!” but really, you’d be surprised how many people don’t have one of these awesome people in their life. I’m serious, can you imagine? I can’t but then I may have forgotten since I’ve only been in network marketing for 7 years and it’s the last 5 years that I had a Mentor or two.

Now, just to be sure we’re on the same wavelength so far, a mentor is different from a psychiatrist in that a psychiatrist gets paid to hear your problems and finds a solution for you and hopes you abide by it. A Mentor asks questions and gives you answers that make you think how you can accomplish the goals you want to achieve. For example, they focus on your talents, skills, and motivations and suggest business building techniques that have brought tremendous results by other people who are just like you. THEN, as time goes on, you gain confidence in yourself to be able to step out of your comfort zone enough to actually go through bigger steps - and succeed! You have a Happy Dance ready when you get to this point don’t you? Pretty soon it will be weird if you DON’T have one. :-)

So, now that you know what a Mentor is and that you need one or two, what’s your next step? Take action and get involved. What do you have to lose?? No no, it’s not about losing, it’s about ‘what do you have to gain?’ A lot of personal development, a better outlook on life, your business producing cashflow, becoming your true self, enjoying the way you were meant to live, just to name a few.

Come with me and let’s learn and grow together by one of my trusted Mentors. Don’t forget to download the eye-opening e-book.

No more watching from the sidelines wondering where everybody went to create a lifestyle and make money without you.

Reflections in the Mirror

Remember the song “Come Sail Away” by Styx…..

“Reflections in the waves spark my memories,
some happy, some sad.”

The people in your life are like waves on the ocean. Each wave has an impact on you whether they go past you with little or no resistance, or cause you to jump over by lifting you up. Some of the big ones offer another option – go under them and dodge the onslaught. But the ones that really make a difference in your decision making are the ones that slam into you – BAM! – and knock you on your ass. These kinds of waves leave you thinking, “Dang, where’d that come from? I gotta watch out next time” or “WHOA, that one got me good and hopefully no one saw my bathing suit top get wrapped around my head!” (Yes, I speak from experience, LOL)

Many people you come across are like those waves and how you react to them makes a difference in how you go on with your life. Each person reflects back to you what you think, feel, and believe whether it’s on a subconscious level or conscious level. One you understand this concept, your life will look a whole lot different and you learn more about yourself everyday.

I have a few people in my life who challenge my beliefs on a daily basis which creates an opportunity to “sift” through my beliefs and get rid of the ones that don’t serve me anymore. For example, I have a family member of mine and a local friend who worry about everything having to do with cleanliness almost to the point of OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder). They also worry about what society will think of them on how they deal with certain situations such as disciplining children. Both of them play the role of being the victim very well.

When a situation arises where they’re telling me why I should or shouldn’t do something because they feel I’m wrong, I take a step back and look at the situation for what it really is. I acknowledge that I’m offended or hurt by what they said but I also figure out, what is it that I’m thinking or feeling to cause them to act this way towards me? I wouldn’t be affected by their actions if I didn’t relate to it on some level. Usually, I find that they triggered a deep seated belief that I have from childhood that doesn’t serve me anymore. A belief that formed out of my childhood fear of someone being mad at me and not loving me so I have to please everybody all the time. Compounding that belief were things like, “what if someone sees me like that?” “What if someone finds out I’m doing that?” “God is going to punish me for that.” “Don’t do that, everybody will think I’m foolish.” WHAT NONSENSE! So, with each situation I question what is being shown to me, realize the belief, give myself permission to get rid of it and move on.

I have another friend who I’m close to and spend a lot of time with and consequently I learn the most about myself from her. Being with her causes me to be aware of what vibration I’m putting out. Only recently did I notice a pattern that became obvious so, I practiced this on everyone I came in contact with.

When I’m stressed about something whether I knew what it was or not, someone would come into my life and portray exactly what my belief was about the situation. If their actions were not positive towards me, I stepped back and asked myself, “what frame of mind am I in to cause this?” I realized the belief I had about it didn’t help me anymore, got rid of it and it freed me from further stress. I chose to have a positive feeling vibration which allows people with the same vibrational match to appear.

You bring to yourself other people who think and feel the way you do whether you know it or not. The power of thought and feeling are that strong. So, in effect, they become a reflection of you in some way. But you need to keep an eye out and be aware of this happening to you. This is not a matter of blaming yourself for something, it’s more of seeing why you’re affected by the people that you encounter or are in your life already. You react to the situation because you relate to it on some level within you. Your job is to find out why, acknowledge it, find the negative or positive belief about it, and choose to get rid of it or keep it.

My suggestion to you to better understand this concept is to read “Zero Limits” by Joe Vitale. This book made the most impact on me in understanding the beliefs I have and where they came from.

Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life

I was thinking about the few six-figure income earners I've had the fortune of knowing and listening to for the last 5 years. They've inspired me to write this article.

The time has come for people to start changing the way they think. With all the doom and gloom on the rise in the print media as well as television, it's no wonder everyone is running scared.

The recession is upon us (is it really, or is it just for banks and the government?) and people are being more careful with their money and their lifestyle. Ask yourself, is this really true or am I being sucked into the drama frenzy of the media? What's really changed? You still have your job, your family, your bills, your house, and the sun still shines.

Now, as you think about all this, you're literally starting to feel sick to your stomach because you feel there's nothing you can do about any of this. This is where you're wrong!

I know of one industry that is booming because everyone in it thinks it is, therefore, they believe it is and they go out and do their "thing". If you were to ask any network marketer who's earning a six-figure income if they were in a recession, what do you think they would say? Their answer would be "Of course not, my business is thriving right now!" Why is that?? The answer to that question is a KEY concept people need to understand. Network marketing is a PEOPLE business. The income earned "paychecks" network marketers earn is based on the activities of people who interact with one another. The paycheck does not depend on the government or anyone else in control other than themselves and the company in which they're affiliated.

Think about this, there are more people on this planet than there are in the government, which group of people would you make money from? Then the question of how much money can be made comes to mind. That's the variable factor in every opportunity out there on the market today. However, this really depends on your efforts and what you're willing to do to make the money you want to earn. The reason I say this is because some people just want to make a few bucks to put away for Christmas shopping, some want to invest some of it to put into a college fund for their children, some want to make the top ranks, and then there are those who want to live their dreams. Which category of people do you see yourself in? A better question would be, "What is your core desire and what will it take for you to earn what you want?" That's what those six-figure income earners thought before they took their first step to get where they are today.

The next step would be, to find a company that has products/services that appeal to your values and what's important to you and your family. When you evaluate their pay plan this is where you see if the marketing tools/ideas are something that's aligned with the skills you already have and if there's room to grow by learning new skills. The trick to evaluating a pay plan is to figure out what kind of marketing techniques you'll need to use that are comfortable for you to reach the results you want. This will then lead to the money you desire.
One thing to keep in mind, the speed in which you reach your goals is in relation to how driven you are to reach them. This isn't to say it will take a week or a year or even 5 years to earn six-figures, it simply means that your excitement/desire, focus, actions, and follow-up will determine the speed at which you achieve your six-figure income.

So I ask you, are you in a recession or is your focus on the bigger picture of where you want your life to be?


A little help from our friends....
Excellent CD's, books, DVD's of coaching from the great coaches of our time.
Randy Gage - Art of Duplication
David Firebaugh - PassionFire Int'l.
David Neagle - Art of Success
Request a FREE Robert Kiyosaki CD - The Perfect Business

A Time of Gratitude

You know how when someone comes into your life, you're happy that they did but then.....it turns out they're in your life for another reason and you don't figure it out until later?

One of my team members in my candle business came into my life about 3 1/2 years ago, her name is Fawn McCurdy. I was so excited because she came in under one of my dear friends and I thought oh cool, she's a candle lover like myself. As time went on, she sold a few candles here and there and I think she burned a few for herself. After awhile I realized that she stopped for a long perod of time and just as I realized that, she told me she wrote poetry and that was taking up most of her time. I thought, "Oh wow! I used to write poetry too when I was younger."

So, of course, I checked out her work and was in awe of how powerful her words were. I felt an instant connection with her and decretly hoped she would get her work published. :-) I had one of mine published in the International Library of Poetry and thought, she oughtta get hers in there too! Well! I just recently found out from her being one of my friends on Facebook that she published her 3rd book! OMG! You can go look for yourself, it's titled When Light Comes To Shadows and you can see her other 2 books listed as well.

I got to thinking about Fawn for a few minutes and realized, I don't think she came into my life to sell candles. She came into my life because of the poetry connection and so that I can be appreciative of her work and cheer her on. :-) So the candle biz was kinda like a "backdoor" because I wouldn't have "seen" her any other way at first. Pretty cool concept I think. ;-)

I appreciate her and her gift to the Universe and may she touch the hearts of everyone who reads her poems as she has touched mine. :-)

A sidenote to other network marketers out there:
Always have a deep appreciation for the team members you partner with, as they hold a beautiful passion within them other than the business opportunity you share.

WAHMUniversity - My Response

First, the blog I'm responding to for you to see first - WAHM University By ShelleyK. I felt a connection after reading this post and realized how long my comment was on her blog that I felt I should put it here too. It brings up a point of network marketing that people don't talk about but hit home for me. My response/comment is below:

I don't think you should feel guilty at all. You worked hard to get to where you are today, like you said, you took action. That alone deserves the rewards you've earned. Cheers to you! :-)

The only kind of guilt I know of comes from my experience where the team is concerned. You work with them and yes, some need to have their hand held for awhile before they're off running with the ball. But when they don't get very far, the guilt sets in because you start to feel as though you didn't do your job as their sponsor. That feeling can be so crushing and depressing, put me into a major funk for about 3 months straight. The only reason why your team is not making the money you are is because their WHY is not strong enough to keep them going. They don't have a core desire to make it to their goals. Definitely something that can be worked on but it has to come from within them, not you.

As for greed, greed??? Maybe after being in this industry for 5 years I might still be "green", lol, but when you find yourself wanting more money in network marketing, all it means is that you enjoy the challenge of making it to the next level. You can achieve great things in network marketing, dreams especially, why not go after them full throttle??

Basically, it's not about the possible millions you could make, it's about what the millions can afford you to do in life. Such as time freedom, giving back to your community, being debt free, giving to others, and creating a lifestyle that allows you to give a piece of it to your friends and family to enjoy. My goodness, if I was able to afford to give my friends and family a chunk of my lifestyle to enjoy with me, we'd all be in the same boat having the time of our lives together. Now THAT is living life to the funnest!! ("fullest" is too cliche, lol)

The Power of Passion

As I'm getting older, I've come to admire those people who have the courage to follow their passion and live their dreams. They could have taken the easy way and just simply lived the comfortable life because it was there and nothing drove them to be or do any different.

I have a lifelong friend who I grew up with during my childhood years who now has become a woman who I have such admiration for. I always knew she had a passion for music especially the keyboards/piano but the fact that she took that passion and has made it into a life that enables her to touch others with it makes me proud to be her friend. She told me what it took to make her debut CD and that could have bought a house instead. I laughed at first because I would have said the same thing. But my admiration for her is because she took the opportunity to go after her dream instead. How many of us can say that about our lives right now? This may have cost her in more ways than one but I have this feeling it will come back to her 10-fold in the most rewarding way. You can't simply touch people's lives and make them feel good and not get rewarded for it in some way. The Law of Attraction doesn't work that way anyway. ;-)

Her name is Sandy Zio and you can see her website see what she has accomplished over the years. Her Myspace page is very well done with a few music clips to enjoy. I've included a couple clips I happen to enjoy from her CD so you can listen before you head over to her site. Just click on the links below and enjoy!

The CD - All That I Am, is a nice easy listening bluesy/pop/jazz compilation of songs she's written as well as songs written by people she knew. Each song is different from the next one making for a nice transition to each song, exposing more of her unique talent each time. That's what attracted me to it after the first 4 songs because normally new artists tend to make every song sound the same. "Don't Stop Talking" is becoming a hot pick song from people who have purchased her CD as well as "Someone to Love" and "Sister Madelene". "Sister Madelene" made me want to get up and go but unfortunately when I heard it for the first time, I was driving my car. LOL Dayanu kept my spirits going too.

I've always supported my friends and their passions because it's priceless to see them come alive doing what they love most. Sandy was generous enough to let me show my enthusiasm for her by putting some CDs on my table when I do my candle shows. I'll be able to play her CD at the table as well so people can listen and enjoy, what could be better than listening to spirit touching music while smelling awesome scented candles?? Gee, all that's missing is the wine and more friends!! :-)

You can order her CD from CD Baby through her website. Don't forget to say that you heard about Sandy from "Mary's Blog" so that I can send you a free gift as my heartfelt thank you for supporting an up and coming musician that has and will continue to touch the lives of many people with her awesome voice. :-)

After you've listened to the sound clips above, please VOTE HERE at the bottom for the song you like best. :-)

Hard Times

I learned something about a month ago and this post reminded me of it and thought I would share. I'm reading a book called "Wishcraft" by Barbara Sher and Annie Gottlieb. One of the chapters is titled "Is it Hard Times or is Network Marketing not for you". The terminology of course threw me off so I just had to read it! In this case, "hard times" means litterally throwing a fit or tantrum by yourself in a room until you get all the energy out of your system. I know you're thinking, "WTH??" (What The Heck?) Apparently, this technique is supposed to help you get out all your negative feelings in one shot, therefore, getting rid of all your mental/creative blocks so you can really "get down to brass tacks" of what you want to achieve to get to your goal. Pretty cool eh? :-)

You see, after the tantrum, you suddenly feel relieved of pressure you didn't know you had, possibly causing some laughter, and now you can start thinking creatively. I actually tried this and it felt so GOOD!!!! One I got all my negative whatevers out and expended, I found it easier to think about what I truly wanted and the ways to get what I wanted. I always tell people to think positive and find the silver lining in everything because it's there, you just gotta find it. But now, if you can't find it easily or it seems too obscure, or you feel like quitting, do a "Hard Times" session for 15 minutes and then rethink your position again. Chances are, the shimmer will appear in front of you more obvious than before and you'll be off and running again.

I've always done this with my kids but never thought about it for adults too. Even though I hate the noise, I know the end result will be worth it. When they're left to do their tantrum, they look foolish and silly and I can't help but laugh because they have all this anger over something so small in the big scheme of things. And because I'm laughing, they start to laugh too and they forget why they were pitching a fit to begin with and they're more agreeable to what needs to be done. Laughter allows the creativity to flow better.

Honoring Mom Contest

One of my awesome team partners, Allison Lawson, is hosting a contest at her blog in honor of Moms for May. I'm excited about the contest and hope you will be too by submitting your story. You can click on the picture to go to her site to get the details as well as a peek at what the prizes are. Remember, the deadline to submit your story is NO LATER THAN MAY 7TH.

Good Luck and I look forward to seeing who wins. :-)

The Growth Curve

Everyone talks about the “learning curve” that takes place in a business but no one really talks about the “growth curve” that happens along the way.

I’ve been doing my candle business for 4 years and while I learned how to run it, what to do with it, and building relationships, I never realized exactly how much I’ve grown personally and professionally with it. That is, until yesterday when I glimpsed at what goes on at an AL-ANON meeting.

I went to visit a friend at a rehab place and as a visitor, I have to listen to an “education class” before seeing my friend for our visiting hour. This turned out to be an AL-ANON preview meeting. There were 3 advocates there to talk with us. The woman who spoke was clearly committed to her recovery and her advocacy to others because she was very upbeat and has a firm grip on how she wants to live her life. One of the men advocates was also very committed and even had a great sense of humor which I believe helped his recovery and has made the group he’s involved with a success.

The 1st man was terribly devastated over his son’s addiction as well as his own addiction. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room over his story and as a parent myself, I can understand how upset he was about his son. I would be too if it was my son. However, what I didn’t like was the fact that he brought the whole room down creating such a negative energy force and I felt myself being sucked in. This is NOT cool, especially when the visitors are in pain enough over their loved ones being in rehab. This is not to say that we shouldn’t be compassionate and feel empathy for the man, but he told his story without knowing whether we wanted to hear it or not. If I had known about this ahead of time, I would have made the choice not to hear it because I know the power that negativity can do to me especially in a group setting. If it was one-on-one and he was just talking to me, I could handle it better than trying to handle a group of people around me creating that energy force.

What made it worse was that he didn’t say what else he was doing to grow stronger on his road to recovery besides going to AL-ANON 2 days a week. Clearly, this is not enough for him and he needs more. Now, maybe he just started his road to recovery so the devastation is new and deep, I can understand that. He has to start somewhere right? The ironic part is that the 3 advocates said that whatever was said in the room, should be held in strict confidence as it was told in confidence. But…..this is what they do, they go around from place to place telling their story!! Is it me or am I misunderstanding this concept?

Now, back to my point of this post. The advocates asked us to introduce ourselves and express what we were feeling. We had a choice to share a story or not, otherwise just stating our name was fine. When it got to be my turn, all I said was, “My name is Mary and I’ve been involved with a lot of mentoring programs and if you get me started, I won’t shut up. LOL. All I’m going to say is this, we all have a choice, we can make it good day or we can make it a bad day, either way it’s our choice. And I’m going to stop there.” J

I actually wanted to get up and speak about what I’ve learned and how I’ve grown because I chose to see things in a positive light and not drag others down with me when I do find myself in bad “spot”. I wanted to dissipate the negativity that was enveloping the room and suffocating us. Yes, it was that bad because there were about 60-70 people in the room, THAT is a lot of unnecessary negative energy being created.

On a positive note, I’m very grateful that the 2nd man with a sense of humor did a wonderful job sharing his story in a way that we were laughing and the energy changed from heaviness to a light one making it easier to breathe and conducive to listening. :-)

This is when I realized that I’ve changed so much from the person I used to be to the person I am now and I’m very proud of who I’ve become. That, my friends, is why I love my candle business so much. It brought out the best in me that I had buried somewhere because of the belief system and choices I was making in my life. :-)

Richard Brooke's Gift of Knowledge

I had the awesome opportunity of listening to Richard Brooke on our company call last night. What an awesome enlightening call! I've read Richard's newsletters and they are very good, packed with information. It was a pleasure to hear his voice and and know what a down to earth kind of man he is. You know, I had my doubts about network marketing for awhile and I believe it's becuase I didn't really know the true meaning of "network marketing". I always thought Direct Sales and Network Marketing were the same thing. How wrong I was! LOL A company can be both of those, but it really comes down to what YOU want to be, do you want to just sell products or do you want to build an empire? Either one is perfectly fine as long as you are happy and enjoy what you do.

One thing I realized is that when it all comes down to it, what do we really have?? PEOPLE. Our world is made up of people and if we can't harmonize ourselves with them through our products and business opportunity, then what is really left??

I read an article awhile back, I think it was last summer and it created an insightful conversation with my father. First you have to understand, my father is an educator, worked through all the channels of being a teacher all the way up to being Superintendent of Schools for 2 counties. And then on to be of a "Sports Authority" figure for all of New Jersey School Athtletics. Took him a long time to to get this last job he loved so immensely.

Anyway, the newspaper article's title was "You Found Your Dream Job, What's Next?". I read further and the article was about people landing THE perfect job and then turn around to look for their next job. My first thought was, "Why would anyone ever quit their dream job???" The article explained that people nowadays are "networking" and creating networks among the people they work with turning their co-workers into allies for future endeavors. So, it's really NOT about the dream job, it's about connecting with other people on a personal but professional level that couild open doors later on. Basically, taking on many jobs over a period of time can lead to numerous networks of people/allies is a GOOD thing! Hmmm, sounds a lot like ...........network marketing! The only difference was that there was no product to sell......you sold yourself. Well I'll be darned! LOL I've been doing this all my life. I've never had a job that last more than 2 years except for the candle company I'm with now. I either got bored, or the job didn't call for my creativity, and something better always came up.

Now, back to my father, I said, "Hey Dad, kinda sounds like your daughter's "job hopping" over the years doesn't it??" LOL He smiled and said, "I guess you were onto something way before your time." Maybe job hopping doesn't look good on a resume (back in the 80's and early 90's it didn't) but it sure set the stage for my "job" now. I still keep in contact with some of the people I used to work with even though they are more of a personal/friendship level, but even those relationships proved to be an asset for me. I think my father finally understood why doing my candle business is so important to me and how it makes good use of my talents (at least the ones I know about, lol). Plus, I told him that someday, I'll have the "recognition" that he has had such as, no matter where he goes, SOMEBODY knows him. I used to find that shocking, now I find it comforting. :-)

Local Networking Experience

Just wanted to share a pleasant and enjoyable experience. :-)

On Saturday, I got an invitation in the mail from a local business to go to a BNI Meeting (Business Networking International) located about a half hour from me. I don't recall how this woman knows me that invited me but the business name does sound familiar. Anyway, I called her up yesterday because I had to tell her that I wasn't doing the business she thought I was doing but would it be ok to possibly join as a candle person. She called back saying no one was doing candles and that I could join if I wanted to. :-)

Then she said there was a meeting on Tuesday (today) that I could go to and see if it's something I'd want to do. She wasn't going because she had a death in the family but asked if I would be willing to go as her substitute so I said yes (I got a free lunch too!). She was gracious enough to email me everything I needed to go there prepared (who to talk to, her name and biz, her 30-second commercial, and how to introduce myself). Now sweat, I wasn't nervous........

I WAS EXCITED!!!!! LOL One problem, I have no 30-second commercial on Mia Bella. No biggie, I'll wing it, lol. I get there and got situated and picked a seat close to the front so I could hear the main leaders and speakers because there was no microphone. WHAT WAS I THINKING??? I was the first to stand up and do the intro for Veronica (the person who invited me) and her biz!! I simply read what she wrote for me to say and I tell you, my tongue felt like it was everywhere BUT in my mouth! LOL Mostly because I didn't know her business or her so I couldn't talk more naturally.

But when it came around again for visitors to introduce themselves, I got to stand up again and do it for Mia Bella. It went so smooth you'd have thought I've done this for years! :-) I was so proud to say who I was and my company and who would be a good referral for me. It felt kinda like a tradeshow moment where I was the expert and they listened.

At one point, they do a referral/testimonial session where anyone who had referrals for others in the group, passed them on and those who had testimonials spoke up. The visitors were welcome to say anything about what they've just seen and heard and unfortunately, I was speechless to say anything. I actually witnessed referrals being given to each other and that really amazed me. Another pleasant surprise was the look of recognition on some of the people's faces when I said "Mia Bella Candles" and they smiled. Am I in for a real treat or what??!! :-)

I have the application to look over and fill out but I know if I go next time, I will definitely have a better 30-second commercial to say and it will sound natural for me. I know my candles! :-)

Thanks for listening. :-)

Fluff and Skirts

I've found a new pet peeve, LOL. However, there is a happy ending. ;-)

I'm all for the education on positive thinking and self improvement because as a network marketer, the learning curve never really ends until you breathe your last breath. I was told that once you make the shift of becoming a student of life, opportunities to learn and grow stronger pop up everywhere and never cease. Let's just say that after a few days ago, I'm a believer. :-)

I recently purchased Mike Dillard's Magnetic Sponsoring booklet and was very excited to get the book and started reading it as soon as I opened it. Half way through it, I thought, "Oh no, FLUFF!!" And "skirts"! But I thought, "now wait a minute, let's give the whole book a chance, maybe I just haven't reached the nugget yet." Ok, I kept reading.

Just to clarify - Fluff is a bunch of stuff to heighten the emotional excitement that leads up to the final "aha!" or nuggett/gem of knowledge. Skirts - as in skirting the issue or around what the answser really is without ever coming right out and saying it. There - Fluff & Skirts.

Back to my story, I finished the book, which was a very well written and put together as far as the layout, layman terms, and professionalism of the physical book itself. BUT...........I felt deflated. Don't ask me what I was looking for in it because I don't even really know but possibly, maybe some techinique or system spelled out 1-2-3 boom. Something where as soon as I put the book down, I could walk over to the computer and implement the idea/technique and hopefully got the same results as he did. Not happenin!!

Part of that disappointment was from not just this book but other e-books as well that was full of Fluff & Skirts too. Gosh, are they all like that???? They tell you that if you read it, you will get the same results as the author, or you can use the idea TODAY, or your profits will soar within a week, or you won't believe what will happen to your bank account, and then...........you have to buy the course or go to the seminar which costs thousands of dollars. Or, the answer you're looking for is written in riddle format. Of course, people who really need this information can't afford it and will be too broke to implement a peice of it because you have to do the whole pie in one shot! If I was making my millions, would I need the course???

Now, you see how this became my new pet peeve right? And how overwhelming that emotion was for me? This must have been my highest point of anger or lowest point of disappointment because it overshadowed what I was supposed to learn from the book. First "AHA!" there. ;-)

So, I decided to wait a couple of days and just forget about the book and get back to feeling good again. I sat here at my computer having my coffee wondering what to do next. It was at this point it hit me (2nd "AHA!" here, a big one too!) what I was supposed to learn from the book.

I'm NOT supposed to be looking for a sure-fire bullet technique to run off with and succeed. Uh-uh, not this time. I'm supposed to figure out what I'm good at or feel like an expert in and promote that rather than my business or products. Does being a good Mom count??? LOL But really, in all seriousness, I don't know what I'm good at, never thought about it before except I can talk your ear off on the phone about whatever. ;-)

Then I had my 3rd "AHA!" moment. Well, more like a "DUH!" moment. What am I good at?? TRADESHOWS!!!! Oh yeah, I love them and almost got them down to a science. :-) That will be my next project in the works. And guess what? There won't be any Fluff & Skirts in this e-book, that's for sure! Techniques 1-2-3 galore. :-)

I looked over at that book again on my dining room table and thought, "You little bugger, you got me to think outside the box and deep down inside to come up with what I was looking for." Thanks Mike Dillard. :-)

Just in case you want a few "aha!'s" too - http://candlepassion.magneticsponsoringonline.com.
:-)

What Does Chocolate Do For You?

I know there are some chocoholics out there who would love to comment on such a delicious treat. :-) I like chocolate, preferably the Dark Chocolate, especially now that I know it's healthier than milk chocolate. It takes some getting used to like acquiring a taste for it but once you go Dark, you don't want to go back. For me, chocolate is like a cure-all for a bad day, feels warm inside, energizes me to go go go.

And speaking of healthy, did you know there's a company that came out with a "healthy chocolate"? Yeah, really! When I first of heard of it, I was like, "You got to be kidding me!" A friend of mine showed it to me and I got to sample a few pieces and she was kind enough to let me take some home for my hubby and friend to try. Let's just say they only got ONE PIECE! LOL

Out of the 5-6 products they had, the Power Squares and the Omega Bar are my favorite. The Omega Bar has a berry scent of the Acai Berry and a light Orangy fuit smell. MMMMMMMM! The Power Squares are the Dark Chocolate and as soon as I saw the box, my mind was racing, creating wrapped gifts with them in it. Oboy!!! These would be great for my candle shows to give to people as they come up to my table. The only problem I would have is - how do I tell them they can only have 2-3 pieces for the day??? LOL The antioxidant level and ORAC score is so abundant, that you've satisfied your nutrition supplements for the day.

Now this is what "Eating chocolate without the guilt" is really all about! :-) People have reported that they lost weight eating it as well as other positive benefits in their health. Imagine buying this chocolate, eating less of it through the year than you would normally eat other chocolate, AND GETTING HEALTHIER! I know you're thinking this cannot possibly be done! Dare to prove me wrong??

One thing that stands out about this healthy chocolate is the major difference in how it's made. This is crucial as to why it's so powerful - no heating involved! It's all cold-pressed and retains all the health benefits and antioxidants chocolate is supposed to have to begin with. Amazing! of course, you have to watch the video to see what I'm talking about.

AND.......of course, you'll have to ask my dear friend, Sherri Diamond, to show it to you by going to her chocolate website here and see for yourself. :-) Kinda reminds me of that humorous phrase - "I have this skinny woman inside of me screaming to come out, but I can usually shut her up with some chocolate". I might have the exact wording incorrect but I know you know the phrase I'm talking about. Now, instead of shutting that woman up, let her out and be free! Why not? You just might......................feel better! See, now you don't have to throw out that special/sexy dress you've been saving up for a special occasion when you finally lose enough weight to fit into it. I got about 7 dresses like that!

Let me hear those chocoholics out there ROAR!!!!! :-) The first 5 people who request more information at Sherri's website, will receive 6 samples of chocolate (3 Power Squares and 3 Nuggets). This is a 2-day supply for you or you can share it with friends and family. There is just one catch......................you MUST put MCL after your first name on the form. (example - Robyn MCL). That way Sherri knows you found her through my blog. Othwerwise, you will NOT be eligible to receive the 6 free samples. Make sure whatever other information is required is filled out too. How else are you going to get the goodies? ;-)

Easy enough isn't it? :-) This is one chocolate you need to EXPERIENCE for yourself, I cannot exactly explain what it will do for you because, well, I'm not you! LOL

To those of you that get the free samples, Happy Eating!! :-)

Something To Think About

Normally, I hate math because I seem to manage making 1+1=3. LOL Anyway, I got this from a fellow bizpreneur member (http://bizpreneur.com/anncie) and thought it was pretty neat.

This is fascinating. Be sure to go all the way to the end.
Absolutely amazing!
The Beauty of Math!

1 x 8 + 1 = 9

12 x 8 + 2 = 98

123 x 8 + 3 = 987

1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876

12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765

123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654

1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543

12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432

123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321

1 x 9 + 2 = 11

12 x 9 + 3 = 111

123 x 9 + 4 = 1111

1234 x 9 + 5 = 11111

12345 x 9 + 6 = 111111

123456 x 9 + 7 = 1111111

1234567 x 9 + 8 = 11111111

12345678 x 9 + 9 = 111111111

123456789 x 9 +10= 1111111111

9 x 9 + 7 = 88

98 x 9 + 6 = 888

987 x 9 + 5 = 8888

9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888

98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888

987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888

9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888

98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888

Brilliant, isn't it?And look at this symmetry:

1 x 1 = 1

11 x 11 = 121

111 x 111 = 12321

1111 x 1111 = 1234321

11111 x 11111 = 123454321

111111 x 111111 = 12345654321

1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321

11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321

111111111 x 111111111=12345678987654321

Now, take a look at this...101%

From a strictly mathematical viewpoint:

What Equals 100%?

What does it mean to give MORE than 100%?

Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%?

We have all been in situations where someone wants you to GIVE OVER100%.

How about ACHIEVING 101%?

What equals 100% in life?

Here's a little mathematical formula that might help answer thesequestions:

If:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Is represented as:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.

If:

H-A-R-D-W-O-R- K

8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%

And:

K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E

11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%

But:

A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E

1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%

THEN, look how far the love of God will take you:

L-O-V-E-O-F-G-O-D

12+15+22+5+15+6+7+15+4 = 101%

Therefore, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that:

While Hard Work and Knowledge will get you close,

and Attitude will get you there,

It's the Love of God that will put you over the top!

It's up to you if you share this with your friends & loved ones just the way I did.

Gratitude

I have a lot to be grateful for this week. :-) Every once in awhile when really nice events come along and brightens up my day, I'm grateful for it coming my way.

Some of you may know that I like to wish people the best of success, congratulate a success, and any news that's wonderful news is responded with "Awesome!!" or "Cool!!" :-) I went on a conference call given by Ali Brown which had some great guest speakers. They talked about how they got started in their business and then how Ali helped them propel their business to new heights. One of the guest speakers was Allen Voivod whose website I saw before I went on the call. Their website intrigued me and I read their blog as well. So, I had the pleasure of hearing his voice on the call and thought what a "down to earth" kind of guy. He shared his story on how he and his wife used to write love letters to each other and that turned into their business EpiphaniesInc.com. I don't know what it was but I felt a connection listening to him and he made me laugh (always good in my book!).

I subscribed to get their newsletter called The Inciter and was very impressed with it can now I can't wait to read the next one. :-) I emailed Allen and Lani to tell them what I thought of the newsletter, that I was on the call where he was a guest speaker, and to wish them much happiness with their new bundle of joy due in the next couple of weeks. I was even so bold, but truly from the heart, shared some advice on the new baby as I'm a Mom myself. You know how all Moms love to give advice, lol.

I figured I would get an email back saying thank you for the baby wishes and for liking the newsletter. I did, and so much more that I had tears in my eyes. They featured me on their blog with such kind words and appreciation, that I showed my family and they were happy for me. I'd like to share it with you and hope that you'll enjoy enjoy Lani and Allen's blog too. :-) They truly are a special couple and very inspiring and I'm glad to have found them.

I asked, and I got it!

The Universe has given me something once again! :-) And this time, a little quicker than I expected, LOL. I was sitting here this afternoon wondering what to give my kids for lunch. Usually, I wait until my husband comes home so I can go out grocery shopping by MYSELF and buy the RIGHT things. So I was thinking of what to put together and I ended up giving them grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch and then Ravioli for dinner.

Then after dinner I got an email about Meal Planning! Go Figure. LOL I saw this site once before, bookmarked it, and then forgot about going back there to get involved. And now it's back and I can learn to save money and time by fixing nutritional meals for my kids and family especially since school will be starting soon. I can't wait to get started and see what kind of weekly plans I can try. And it even offers a grocery list to take with you to the store. :-)

This will definitely cut down on time for me and structure dinner time better so I can have more time to devote to my business too (the night owl that I am). Wouldn't this help you out and make your day easier after you come home from work? How about you dads out there who enjoy cooking?

Check it out and make your life easier starting today. :-) Any recipes you try and have a good experience with, post it here and let me know. I'd love to hear your successes with it.

When God closes a door, he opens another one

My Coffee By Candlelight Night did not go well as planned, however, because I'm the kind of person that I am and see the big picture, I was not upset. A little disappointed, yes, but I got over it in a matter of minutes. LOL Truly, I did!

Here's why:
I was out of the house taking a break from my kids; the place was BEAUTIFUL after we set it up and with the staff's help; I was with my best friends, business partner, another awesome Bella Buddy not on my team, and 2 colleagues from another network group; I was dressed "to the hilt" (lol); I was relaxed and got to recharge my "batteries", and........got 3 possible home parties AND sold 1 jar!!!

This may not sound like much but to me, this was the ultimate night out that I needed for a long time. :-) I left the place feeling refreshed and ready to conquer tomorrow with new ideas and thinking about how the next Coffee By Candlelight would be better. I was truly grateful for such a nice night, you had to be there to understand, lol.

The next day, God opened another door in the form of an email from my upline. This email said that a school was looking to get samples and such for a Fundraiser event they were doing in October. Well guess what?? I JUST HAPENED to have 50 wrapped votives ready to go! How cool is that??!! And I even had some melts ready to go too. The kicker is......another set of votives AND the melts are enough to get me a complimentary double page ad of advertising in their booklet which will be given out to over 500 women at this event!

BINGO!!! :-)

Did I say I was disappointed??? Oh disappointment shmisappointment, LOL LOL

And that my friends, is how the Law of Attraction and Gratitude works. THAT is the REALITY. I rather like this reality much better. :-)

If you can remember one thing, let it be that wherever you're at in your emotions, feelings, financially, spiritually, is what you'll see in front of you. It's all about perception. That's why 2 people can look at the same thing and see something different. :-)

Two teammates crossline from me sent nice posts to a group I'm on where we all share success stories, tips, advice, and encouragement for our candle business. I thought I'd share the posts/stories so you can enjoy them too. The first one, I apologize, I do not know who the author is that wrote it but I like it just the same. The 2nd one is funny but it's so true, lol. ;-)

An Old Man and His 3 Sons
An old man wanted to leave all of his money to one of his three sons, but he didn't know which one he should give it to. He gave each of them a few coins and told them to buy something that would be able to fill their entire living room. The first man bought straw, but there was not enough to fill the room. The second bought some sticks, but they still did not fill the room. The third man bought two things that filled the room, so he obtained his father's fortune. What were the two things that the man bought?
==========================================
The very wise son bought a candle and a box of matches. After lighting the candle, the light filled the entire room.



If I'm Dreaming, Don't Wake Me!!
Once upon a time, an ambitious woman enters a successful store with a reputation for beautiful, fine quality merchandise. She walked right up to the owner and said, "Sir, I am very impressed with your establishment. I'd like to come on board and build a career here. I can promise you that I'll work hard and do a great job. In return, I ask for the following:

1. First, I'd like to earn 50% commission on everything I sell.

2. Then, if I bring in and train new people, I think I deserve some commission on everything they sell.

3. Now, when I do well, I expect lots of praise and recognition, not to mention products, special rewards and gifts.

4. By the way, I'm afraid I'm not into the 9 to 5 scene. So, I'll want to set my own schedule and work when it suits me best.

5. And of course, my family ALWAYS comes first.

Okay, I think that's about it. So, when can I start? After the storeowner recovered from the shock, he roared with laughter, "Lady, you can't be serious! You're living in a dream world. You'll never find an opportunity like that ANYWHERE!"

HE WAS WRONG!
I found that opportunity as a Mia Bella Distributor!!

The Coffee By Candlelight Event IS ON!!

This is Part 2 from my last post.

The Universe sure does work quickly, at lease quicker than I expected anyway. My last post mentioned about focusing on the funds to make my event happen. On June 18th, one of my drawing entrants put in a huge order from my website and it covers the amount I just happen to need. Hmmmm, a coincidence?? I think not! :-) Not bad for a week's worth of focus huh?

I was very grateful for the order and emailed the entrant and expressed my gratitide and hope she enjoys all the different scents she chose. :-)

So, the last part of the FOCUS PHASE is to visualize having 40-50 people attend the event. The Hotel said that they can hold 100 people in the room I booked, I should focus on that number but somehow my brain can't wrap itself around that one.....yet! LOL So for now I'll just stick with "40-50 or better". :-) That way, I get what I want and if the Universe wants to give me more, bring it on!

Stay tuned for Part 3 coming up while I enjoy passing out postcards and focusing on the people count. :-)


NOTE: This is not goal-setting even though it sounds like it but I don't set goals, never have and never will. Too many "backfires" led to too many disappointments. This is about picturing what I want to see in front of me at a given time, or believing what I should have. As your mind pictures things (we work best with images), we give it a push and then we're open to seeing it come to us, and it does in bits and peices until the whole reality of it is here. If you're open to the reality of it being in front of you, then it will appear that way to you too. Kinda like..........thinking of buying a new car, you know what car you want, then all of the sudden you see them all over the place on the road! You were "open" to the possiblity of owning that car. Funny how that works eh? Pretty cool I say! :-)

SO! What YOU focusing on???